Discover Your Bliss

What I've learned about not blogging

I've thought long and hard about whether or not blogging supports me. 

My only urges to blog over the past few months have not come from a place of forward movement for myself or support of my journey yet from an outward place of "should" or "have to." 

Thankfully, I have refrained from blogging (you may or may not understand the thankfully part yet) in order to support my discovery of myself. 

My focus for the year is on fun - both from a serious and lighthearted place.

Have I been irresponsible?  No.  Have I been too rigid to have fun?  No.  Am I Iearning new things about myself in regards to fun?  Yes.    

Why blog now?  I felt compelled to share my insights with the intention that it might help someone else to discover his/her own "fun" side and fun's importance in discovering who you are, what you like/love and how you show up in this world.  

What do I want to shout from the rooftop?  It's okay to veer off the path and break the rules in order to connect with your authentic self. 

Some people might need more rules than others.  I have a tendency to be uber-responsible, so breaking rules (or at least doing things my way) becomes an important part of my journey, aligning who I am with how I show up to myself and others. 

What's one of the more important lessons I've learned about myself in the past four months?  Everything doesn't have to black and white - shades of gray (or any shade earth's treasures) can be equally important and healing. 

What's something you do because you feel like you "should?"  How can you shift your perspective and/or align with your authentic self? 

I'd love to hear your comments and discoveries. 

Quotes on character

"The first and worst of all frauds is to cheat one's self.  All sin is easy after that."  Philip James Bailey, poet

Quotes on character

"Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain, and most fools do.  But it takes character and self-control to be understanding and forgiving."  Dale Carnegie, How to Win Friends and Influence People

My blog experiment: year of the tiger

As I said earlier in the year, my theme for 2010 is fun. 

It's been a bit challenging for me to not blog - especially since I've been blogging daily for a few years. 

So why am I not blogging?  It all boils down to figuring out what's best for me and giving myself the space to explore what I love to do and what I gravitate toward naturally. 

As far as my blog goes - I've treated it like a part of me - I blog, therefore I am (which isn't the case).  Many times in my past posts I've blogged simply because I knew there were people that wanted to read what I had to write and I enjoy that kind of connection.

I also had this "you must blog everyday" kind of rigidness and I'm learning that being rigid isn't fun.

For many people, being disciplined is the challenge.  For me, being disciplined is easy - it's the fun part that falls to the wayside in lieu of being responsible.  

My decision to continue this blog isn't final yet.  I'm on the fence about re-vamping this particular blog or starting over with something new.  Decisions, decisions. 

Today is the Chinese new year (as we head into the year of the tiger - I'm a tiger, wink, wink) and I feel moved to share my insights in hope that someone might find a spark of perspective into his/her own life that supports them to dance in pure joy. 

Who knows...I might choose to do something that isn't as black and white...after all, the best life lived is in the full spectrum of the rainbow. 

How often do you stand back and reassess your current situation?  What's working?  What's not working?  On a scale of 1-10, how happy are you about each item in your life?  

How much space do you allow yourself to have in order to properly understand what you really want? 

Questions?  Comments?  Insights?  I'd love to hear 'em. 

Quotes on character

"You grow up the day you have your first real laugh -- at yourself."  Ethel Barrymore

Quotes on character

"Most people can bear adversity.  But if you wish to know what a man really is, give him power."  Robert G. Ingersoll, 19th-century orator, on Abraham Lincoln

Quotes on character

"Somebody once said that in looking for people to hire, you look for three qualities:  integrity, intelligence, and energy.  But if they don't have the first, the other two will kill you."  Warren Buffett

The year of fun

Every year I usually have a theme.  This year's theme is fun. 

Now, I'm not going to stop doing things like paying my rent or getting my eyes checked - yet - I am going to take a serious (yet fun) look at my decisions, what I do and how I fill my time.

Many people will tell you - Just do what you love and the rest will fall into place.  What if you're not sure what you love to do or think is fun?  As silly as it sounds, not knowing what you like to do is a more common problem than many realize.

During the coming year - I will not only make choices to have fun but also examine to what degree of fun I'm actually having. 

I love to take pictures.  For the most part I find it to be fun - yet the thought of being told what pictures to take - just doesn't interest me - so a professional photographer is off my occupation list, yet photography does register a certain level of fun.  Now, this doesn't eliminate me from getting paid to take pictures or have photography as part of my occupation - it's just the sole focus part that I realized isn't for me. 

You might be thinking - Wow, a year of having fun, what's the point of that - don't you usually have fun?

The answer is yes and no.  Yes, I have fun - especially when I'm around other people - yet when it comes to being by myself (or some might say with myself), I often falter to responsibility and a default of the not-so-fun.     

Somewhere inside of me, I must feel like having fun isn't the road to success, yet another part of me knows fun is the key to unlock my creative door of living.  

I'm currently in the process of deciding whether or not to keep this blog or transition it into another blog specific to the year of fun.  I'll let it marinate and get back to you.  After all, choosing which one will be more enjoyable is the year's theme. 

How do you know when you're having fun?  What's one thing you can make more fun today?

I'd love to hear your comments and discoveries. 

Quotes on character

"To keep your character intact, you cannot stoop to filthy acts.  It makes it easier to stoop the next time."  Katharine Hepburn

Quotes on character

"People are never so trivial as when they take themselves very seriously."  Oscar Wilde