Contemplation & Change

My contemplation lately has been about courage, consciousness, creativity, and compassion. These are my gateways to change (another C word), which, for me, truly starts from within. What do these words mean to you? 

I refuse to get caught in the flurry; the hustle and bustle side of life. Jumping from one thing to the next - be it an idea, a job, a home, a relationship, an academic program, project, or hobby. I want to make solid, meaningful steps on my path. I like dreamers and visionaries, and I like being a dreamer too. But there is a middle path I am starting to get more in touch with where the dreamer meets the road and walks confidently on the path ahead. So far, I am getting the results I want while being somewhat insanely and stubbornly conscious in this newish way. What are the results? One is about being a better friend to myself. This is like pressing stop and rewind over and over again to catch that mysterious lyric you can just barely decipher. Each time, getting clearer information and coming to a deeper understanding of what it is that is being said. Judging less, loving more. Simplifying my life. Following my heart and serving my community while supporting myself on all levels (financial, emotional, physical, spiritual, mental). Having honest conversations with people. Going for what I want; taking a leap of faith! Clarity is on the horizon as I embrace living from an even deeper internal center rather than an external focus.

Creating the life I want means coming from a place of genuine truth. As I encourage myself to speak, live, behave, and feel more of my personal truth, I get closer to my core truth, to my truest self. I start to question, let go of, and change ideas, behaviors, thought patterns, identities, and even relationships (to people, places, ideas or things) that do not serve or suit me any longer. I embrace change. I accept and love myself. I recognize the stuff that I have an aversion to which is simultaneously giving me some very important messages. What am I supposed to do but slow down and listen? What do I learn but to accept IT. I thereby accept some newly conscious part of myself. Then, I learn to love IT. Thereby loving some newly conscious part of myself. Then, a change follows. Some part of my internal world shifts and most likely a part of my external world shifts too, whether it is something in my physical world or a shift in my perspective thereby altering how I see the world.

My mantras:
   Be courageous. Be conscious. Create. Be compassionate.
          Be CURIOUS!
                   EMBRACE CHANGE WITH A SMILE.
                           Live the life I want...
                                    

"Be the change you [I] wish to see in the world".  -Ghandi