It’s about looking forward, not back

Today, I had an interview with a technology company based in the USA.

As I prepared for the interview, I could feel my old fears start to grow, and attempt to consume me.

I don’t know why, but I caught myself thinking in this manner, and immediately decided to change my focus to looking forward to the talk with expectation, and as an adventure.  (I’m a hero, after all!)

As soon as I made this mental shift, my fears went away, and I shifted into a mode where I was looking forward to telling my story.  And, to hearing about theirs.

The hero’s quest is hard enough.  Don’t look back – look forward instead.

A myth a day …

The funny thing about looking for and finding myth in your life: you find it!

Here’s to the quest, and the myth(s) surrounding it.

I’m blessed with abundance

Today, we hosted a party for family visiting from Belgium. In attendance were my brother & sister and their significant others, as well as our guests.

It was a wonderful night, and made me realize just how blessed I am with so many wonderful people around me.

A quest is only as good as the journey that drives it forward.

Bravery and the Call

As so often happens as I go through my day, and think about that day’s post, a theme occurred to me: I have not been very brave.

I have held off on acknowledging my ideal next opportunity – for fear that if I do, then I’ll have to live up to it. That is part of my Hero’s Call. And, that reluctance has been my Refusal of the Call, as outlined by Joseph Campbell in “The Hero with a Thousand Faces”.

There are any number of good reasons for not taking a step towards that ideal, with financial concerns at the top of the list. Not far behind is fear. Followed by past failures.

But, this blog is about addressing those fears, heeding the call, and living a full life.

My ideal is to start, run and grow a business that allows me the freedom to live my life on my terms.

Issue: What business? What do I love to do that I could build into a business?

I honestly believe that when I answer that question, and take the first step, then forces will conspire to help me realize the dream. It will involve work, time, risk and luck to be sure.

But, it’ll be a brave move for this hero.

It’s frustrating not having a direction in which to focus my Myth

As you know, I’m currently on a Quest for a new career opportunity.  That is a worthy quest, and I know it.  And, there are many elements of this quest that could make for good writing.

My personal challenge and frustration is finding the daily dragon(s) to slay on this quest.  What are the monsters that are ravaging the world, and which need to be removed?  And, how do I relate them to my personal experience from the point of view of my myths?

I get the sense I’m missing something here.  This feeling has dogged me for a while now.  I want to keep this blog and the writing fresh and relevant – for me, and for anyone who’s reading, too.

My intuition is telling me to keep taking the next step, and then the next, on this path.  It’s all I’ve got right now, so I’ll take it.

Tomorrow is another day!

My past points of failure: insight

Writing this daily blog has provided me with insights – some big, some small – some important, some not so much.

It has also forced me to be accountable to the truth of my life: good and bad.

Today, while driving in the car, I was shown, if you will, my past points of failure – two of which I’m not proud – and that I seek to improve on each day.

First, I realized that I have too often sought out shortcuts rather than settling in to do the hard work that excellence demands.

Second, I’ve often lacked hope at a soul level – the hope that comes when we feel that we’re good enough, and do deserve the best.

These two qualities, I now realize, have created much struggle and strife in my life. And, they have to go.

My commitment to you, and myself is that I’ll strive to realize when they appear, and then make the appropriate change.

The veil slid back a little today

Yesterday, I announced my intention to accept the Quest I know of today – to be all I can be.

An interesting thing happened to me today, while I was driving in the car. I was on a 2-hour trip, and I allowed my mind to relax while I drove.

For a brief moment in time, a sense of knowing occurred to me. I became very much at peace, and aware that I was “enough” on this Quest. It lasted for a brief second or two, but was very powerful. I was in a zone or flow that let me know all was going to be all right.

As someone who’s lived a great deal of his life in fear of being real to the world, I was pleasantly surprised to feel the peace and calm of the moment. I am grateful. Thank you.

As one door closes, another opens …

I’ve mentioned in the past that I’m on a Quest for a new, wonderful opportunity for myself.  I must admit that I’ve been struggling a bit on the “what” of my next career move.

I’m looking for something that will allow me to leverage my creative talents, and my service focus, too.  Abundance is a key component of my next opportunity, as well.  There are more criteria, but these are certainly key.

I believe strongly that abundance is a wonderful value, and I seek it rather than look for ways to make my life smaller.  I can’t live a smaller life, when there’s so much out there.  I’m not talking about gross consumption – just the freedom to live life on my terms – by adding value first, of course.

Today, I received an email from an organization whose mailing list I’ve been on for a couple of years now.  They offer a program that I’d be very interested in taking myself.

For whatever reason, today I read the email from them, and saw an opportunity open before me.  I need to investigate more fully, but I’m thrilled to have something to sink my teeth into as part of this quest.

When one door closes, another opens …

My personal myth – cosmos

It occurred to me that in order for me to create a myth for my own life, that my first step should be some commentary about the universe or cosmos within which I live.  How do I perceive my universe?

I envision a universe made of energy – a very fine and subtle energy.  I see a universe with secrets we may never know or understand, but are worthy of seeking to explain.  A universe with some sort of intelligence that exists within it.

I see all of us as an energy stream or consciousness within and part of that intelligence.  We can receive guidance and wisdom from that intelligence.  We can also be shown elements of what our Mission here on Earth could be, if we choose to accept the Call.

That Mission and Call are always there for us to perceive, accept and take on.  I don’t feel the Mission is hardwired within us, but on some level, I think it evolves out of our natural loves.

I strongly feel that when we’re ready to see it – really see it – then our ability to perceive it becomes real.

As Joseph Campbell said:

“Follow your bliss, and the universe will open doors for you where there were only walls.”

In my own life, I’ve always been afraid to embrace my Call – to be all I can be.  Now I feel ready for it – not sure why, other than it’s my time.  The desire to Be has outweighed the Fear to stay in place.  I’m actually fearful to write the above line, but know that I must, if I’m going to break free of the fears that have ruled too much of my life.

The Universe is calling – I’m ready to answer.

On the journey home

I’m writing this post by the side of the road, as I make my way home. I’m surrounded by this beautiful vista, and listening to Anathema playing “Internal Landscapes”.

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I’m struck by the magnificence of life – sights, sounds and wonder – as I make my mini-pilgrimage home. All of the elements I mentioned above have combined to give me peace and a sense of comfort that it’ll all turn out right – I’ll find the perfect opportunity, and I’ll know it when I see it.