Roots and Reinvention

Life is an interesting thing.

Now, I understand those are not the most profound words ever written.  However, when we step back to reflect, sometimes the best way to start is to acknowledge the obvious.

One of the few – and maybe the only – constant in our lives here on Earth is change.  Hell, we don’t even know what is going to happen each day when we wake up.  When you think about it, this can be exhilarating, exciting, nerve-wracking, terrifying as well as any other emotion you can conjure up.  All at once.  Every day.  That’s a lot.

The thing about change is the fact that it is constant.  It isn’t going to stop because we want it to.  It is always going to be there, it is always going to happen and if we want to be fulfilled it is up to us to recognize that and embrace it.  Recognize that there is going to be change and embrace it in all aspects of your life. 

Take a moment and think about the change currently going on in your life.  Maybe it is spiritual or professional.  Perhaps it is a milestone birthday and the physical and mental change that comes with that.  Sometimes it is good and other times it is not.  It could be a combination of things.  No matter what it may be, take a moment in quiet to think about it, recognize it and embrace it for what it is.

Now the hard part – How do we go forward from there?

While it is great to recognize, accept and embrace the change for what it is, action is needed on our part to move forward.  There are a variety of ways as well as a variety of words to describe this action – Adjust, Adapt, Acclimate just to name a few.  There is one in particular that I have grown fond of as I have been experiencing it personally in various ways as of late. 

Reinvent.

There are a number of ways one can reinvent themselves when it comes to change.  It may be the sum of subtle modifications over time or it could be taking everything that was once known, tearing it down and going in a different direction entirely.  Personally, I’ve decided to reinvent myself by going back to my roots.  By prioritizing what is truly important in my life, my relationships and my values, I’ve been reinventing myself by taking what I have learned and trying to apply that on both a personal and professional level.  Root Reinvention if you will – it has a nice ring to it.

It’s not always easy and it isn’t supposed to be.  It has taken me more than a few proverbial kicks in the ass to get from Point A to Point B.  However, change IS going to happen, and it IS always going to be constant. 

Life is an interesting thing.

Imagine how much more refreshing – and joyful – it can be if we recognize, embrace and reinvent.

Maps, Detours and Signs

It's been a little while since I've posted, I'll consider it a bit of a summer break.  On the other hand, maybe it is a sign that I should be writing a little more often... Hope you enjoy!

Back in the “old days”, people of the world used maps to navigate where they were going.  Opening up a map to plot Point A to Point B was sometimes an adventure unto itself – especially folding it back up into that perfectly creased, multi-page rectangle it once was.  The problem with these maps was they could and would become outdated in a relatively short time frame.  Mr. Rand McNally wouldn’t be able to keep up with new road construction in real time. 

Nowadays, we simply have to punch in an address into a GPS or phone without doing much research and we are on our way.  As far as we’ve come, however, some times those devices are not updated either.  In fact, sometimes those GPS systems can be flat out wrong.

“I would have been here a half-hour ago, but my GPS took me down a dirt road, through a cornfield, past a circus tent and I had to stop to get directions,” said just about everyone I know at some point in their lives.

Thankfully, when confronted with situations such as this, there are signs along the way.  If we are cognizant of them, we can and will arrive at our destination safely.  To be successful though, it is imperative that we pay attention to the signs or else we can easily get lost. 

I believe life is like that as well.

There are times in life when we know where we are going and exactly how to get there.  More often than not, we think we know where we are headed but we run into detours or even roadblocks along the way.  If we do not pay attention to the signs, it can be very easy to get off course or even lost. 

Sometimes these signs are big, clear and easy to read.  RIGHT TURN ONLY or DO NOT ENTER come to mind in both a literal and figurative sense.  In my experience, the type of signs that we must pay attention to are much more subtle the majority of the time.  If we want to see them, we need to look for them.  By staying in the moment, being aware of our surroundings and taking time for personal reflection, these signs can and will come into focus.  It’s not always easy, but if we take the time to look hard enough, they will reveal themselves. 

Everyone needs help along the way, just like we have all asked for directions in this journey.  Personally, I believe in someone much bigger than myself and I try to ask Him for help when I do veer off course or get lost. 

An Ultimate Tour Guide if you will.

While asking is great, ultimately it is our responsibility to dig deep and look for those signs, both inwardly and outwardly.  The next step – the action to follow the signs revealed to us – then falls directly on our shoulders. 

This can and will be tough at times.  In fact, at times it will simply suck – even more than having to take a long detour.  Much like a detour, this will also take faith, patience and trust along the way. 

Detour signs are put out for a reason – to get us to our destination safely.  These “Life Signs” will do the same.

We just need to look for them and follow them along the way.

A Wonderful Thing

A wonderful thing happened to me today.

I woke up.

I don’t have a disease nor any type of sickness that would prevent this, thanks be to God.  However, it is a gift to be able to wake up and use the day to find joy, serve others and strive to be the best that I can be.  It is a chance to find the face of Christ in others and – God willing – have others find the face of Christ in me.

Now, that’s not to say I have a perfect life, far from it.  There simply is no such thing.  What I do have is an opportunity to make today better than yesterday and set the tone for tomorrow, but only if I take that opportunity.  And if you are reading this, YOU have the same opportunity.

Recently, I read a book called Wake Up Happy by Michael Strahan.  It’s been a book that I’ve wanted to read for some time, not only because I’m a New York Giants fan, but mostly because I admire his work ethic, determination and his ability to consistently re-invent himself.

One of the points Strahan discusses in his book is about being in the moment.  Not just letting life happen but to truly be present in the moment.  When doing this, we are able to learn from the past, take the information we are given and adjust moving forward.  Waking up each day gives us the ability to try our best to be present in the moment.

It sounds great on paper, in real life not so much.  Being more present, as with all things in this game of life, is about progress and not perfection.  If we attempt to commit to it every morning – when we wake up – before too long, a habit is formed.  A good habit of growing personally while helping others around us.  That, my friends, is progress.

Some days it won’t be easy and some days you may want to simply sleep the day away.  That is the reality of life.  Every day, especially those tough days, just try to remember that waking up is a gift.  A gift to make a difference in the world in a positive way, a chance to make others smile, an opportunity to truly be present in the moment. 

We woke up today and oh, what a wonderful thing to have happen.