" Count On You … "

Don't hurt me

Desert me

Don't give up on me

What would I wanna do that for?

Don't use me

Take advantage of me

Make me sorry I ever counted on you

Understand I've been here before ...

But I'm willing to put my trust in you ...

I really hope you understand ...

I promise to be careful from the start ...

Never been so vulnerable ...

~ Count On You ~ Big Time Rush ~

***

In the past, when asked “who do you count on?”, I would go into an egotistical monologue about so and so, and so and so ... really a false sense of security.  

Because the only person you can count on is YOU.

We come into this life alone and we depart, alone.  You yourself are the only person that you can and out to rely on.  This is not a depressing thought, yet a realistic one.  You may say to yourself that you have that support you and that you have family that is there to help you when you need help.  This may be true ... but it does not change the fact that when push comes to shove and the end is nigh, you are alone — completely. 

Friends are very important in our lives and if we are lucky enough, they love us.  When required, they are there, but would they sacrifice ANYTHING for you?  Of course not ... only YOU can do that for you … 

Follow my heart and intuition ... Don’t be pushed by your problems ... 

Be led by your dreams ... Live the life you want to live ... 

Be the person you want to remember years from now .. 

Make decisions and act on them ... Make mistakes, fall and try again ... 

Be your own best friend ... and your own biggest critic ... 

act as if what you do makes a difference ... Express gratitude ...

Make your time count ... Be honest with, yourself ...

Be good to those you care about ... Know what unconditional love feels like ...  

Forgive yourself ... Forgive others ...

Take full accountability for your life ...Be with who makes you smile ... 

Laugh as much as you breathe ... Love as long as you live ... 

Let go of the things you can’t control

I for one, will not give anyone the power over my happiness anymore.  That is the one thing I can control, and so it is empowering ... but I still desire to have support.  Sometimes you just need that cheering section don't you?  So perhaps it is about having a healthy interdependence on people you care about, but not depending on them for everything.  

Back to Balance ... the difference between interdependence and unhealthy dependence is you aren’t worried about losing these people’s help.   Basically, you haven’t placed all your happiness and well-being on them ... and you’ll survive if they don’t come through. 

www.walkstrong.ca

" Resistance ... "

Is your secret safe tonight? And are we out of sight?
Or will our world come tumbling down?
Will they find our hiding place? Is this our last embrace?
Or will the walls start caving in? ...

If we live our life in fear, I'll wait a thousand years
Just to see you smile again
Quell your prayers for love and peace, you'll wake the thought police
We can hide the truth inside ... 

Take us away from here
Protect us from further harm
Resistance

~ Muse ~ Resistance ~ 

***

Resistance is futile or is it?  The bigger the resistance the greater you potential.  You see the biggest achievers in the world got to where they are today only after overcoming endless resistance.  

Think about it ... whenever you face a roadblock it may be telling you that there is something worth going for.  Could it just make the end result even sweeter when you overcome and achieve your goals?

Obstacles are those frightful things you see 

when you take your eyes off your goals ... 

Sydney Smith

There are moments when I spend more time staring at the obstacles instead of locking my eyes on my dreams.  I get discouraged.  I get overwhelmed and all I want to do is hide.  Yet I know that negative thoughts will give me negative fruit because my thoughts are like seeds in my mind.  Hence to empower myself I try to focus on why I want to do something and what it means to me ... which spurs me to take action.

Resistance = Fear ...  we are afraid of who we may become, we are afraid of the unknown, we are afraid of change.  We may be ignored, we may be laughed at and we may even be ridiculed but it is important to go for what you believe in.  

I have learned that no matter how bizarre or out there your dream is, don’t fall into the common trap of prematurely deciding what is important and what is not.  It can be tempting to write it off as too mundane, normal or even boring.  I know I have been guilty of it ... or thinking that my vision is too complicated.  Fight for what you want and stand your ground.

We can always choose to do things the easy way or the hard way.  We can muscle through or we can let go of the oars and let the current carry us.  Being receptive and allowing things to happen is a skill ... surrender and know the universe is friendly and supporting you at every turn .  Focused energy that accompanies intention is magic ... just believe.

" Shiny Happy People ... "

Shiny happy people laughing

Meet me in the crowd

People people

Throw your love around

Love me love me ...

Everyone around love them, love them

Put it in your hands

Take it take it

There's no time to cry

Happy happy

Put it in your heart

Where tomorrow shines

~ REM ~ Shiny Happy People ~

***

What comes to mind when you think of the word “reinvention”?  New beginnings or to remake or redo completely?  For me, a major transition is the perfect opportunity for reinvention.  Reinvention allows me to move totally out of what I am known for into something I have always wanted to do.  Kind of like a life makeover if you will.  

Most of us identify with “reinvention” when we are unhappy with our current situation.  It takes place for variety of reasons, some in our control, but most out of our control.  Yet, it is actually a fairly simple idea.  

Fundamentally, most of us don’t change behaviours that are difficult to change.  We change the easy, superficial ones.  But that is okay, because these can lead to drastic transformations.

Personally, I have witnessed this type of easy reboot.  Watching others wipe the slate clean in a new social content.  Adopting new behaviours that they were always capable of but couldn't in the previous social context because they felt trapped in a given social identity.  Trapped because of created expectations and beliefs.  Some believe that our social lives are governed externally, not internally ... that our change will only be successful if our friends, enemies and acquaintances buy in.   And even if they genuinely want to support us they may struggle ... because our social lives are based on the fiction that people are constants rather than changing entities.  Once this belief is disturbed, instability is perceived.  But accept that as you transform, only some will support your journey.  For the others, let them and the resentment go.  

Reinvention is a renaissance; it’s not just buying new clothes and getting a new hairstyle, it’s a re-birth as a different person and it is never easy.   And, whenever our lives modify – be it a new job, the end of a relationship, shifting base, or losing a love one – we have to alter accordingly to keep up with the changes.  The key is to take control of the situation instead of letting the situation take over.  Otherwise you may never reach your full potential and find yourself lost in the tides of time. 

For me, reinventing myself means learning about myself ~ profound growth.  What I do and how I do it is up to me, but I cannot forget to dream, to work hard to achieve my dreams, and to be open to discovering a wee bit more on my way there.

We can't go back and start a new beginning, but we can start today and make a new ending ॐ

" Not This Time ... "

I don't know why I give in, but I do every time.

And here I am wondering why I did it again.

To keep me going,

To keep the shit away.

I don't know what it is,

But every time you're near, I fear you,

But not this time...

~ Kate Bush ~ Not This Time ~

***

There are times when we take on too many commitments and simply spread ourselves too thin.  Creating stress as we are unable to get anything done, at least not well or on time.  There comes a time when you just have to say no ... not this time.  

The Gentle Art of Saying No ~ an art that many people have problems with.

So what’s so hard about saying no?  Well, first it can hurt, anger or disappoint the person it is directed to.  And it’s is not usually a fun thing to do.  Second, if you hope to continue to have a good relationship with that person, saying “no” in the wrong way can jeopardize that.  Third, we all have an unconscious agenda to be safe and to be liked.  

You see, saying “no” is scary.  We are taking a risk that the person on the receiving end might not like us, consider us selfish and disagreeable.  But think back to a time when you had to say no ... soon after you expressed yourself, your fear probably turned to relief and empowerment.  And chances are the person at the other end respects you more for being honest ... with the both of you.  People suspect insincerity.

So you can start by deciding which things you should agree to commit to, and which things are all right to pass on.  This decision stems from your priorities - what is important to you and your life.  

Life is too short to do things you don't really want to do ... follow your dreams and instead of wishing, hoping, or pleading for them to come true try being intentional, purposeful, and grateful ... create your life by designing your days.