Growth Spurts
This past summer Ian went through a major growth spurt where, all of a sudden, nothing fit him. Shirts, shorts, pants, shoes, socks even! It was so cool to see or take notice, should I say, of his transformation 'cause obviously he didn't grow overnight. Everyone noticed and told me "wow, Ian sure has grown!" but I guess since I see him every day, it took me actually getting him dressed (in clothes other than his play clothes that he likes to wear all the time) to realize.
I feel the same about myself lately, too. I can always feel a growth spurt in myself and I've definitely been on one this past summer but sometimes it takes an actual action or event to notice what a long way I've come and I've had at least 3 to point it out to me and it's so cool to now really see it! I love that - growing, being better than I was before, being more who I really am or feel I am inside. I think that's the point of life. Discovering who you are and BEING who you are.
# 1 - Saying no to opportunities after asking myself "is this what I'm about deep inside?"
It's not that I don't say no, it's that I say yes to things that while great, I'm not really committed to because I think I may learn something. Well, being open is great but life's too short for going down paths your heart doesn't jump out at. I rather put the time into something that REALLY calls to me LOUDLY.
# 2 - NOW
"If not now, then when?" That Tracy Chapman song was the song appointed to me at one of the seminars I attended in the very beginning of my transformation (which, by the way, is the one thing I'm proudest of other than my boys and my marriage ... more on that in another post) because I was more focused on the future than on the present. No small wonder my life wasn't working! Dreams are great to have but if you want them to come to pass, you better get cracking in the here and now. Well, I have done plenty of that, taking action and doing things - I'm no slouch - but lately, this saying no (# 1 above) thing has allowed for more now to be available to me and the word just keeps popping up everywhere too (more on this in another post). I swear it's a sign! I find myself just keenly aware of time ticking, tick, tock, tick, tock, like I'm gonna wake up soon and be 50 or 60, just like that. So, these days, I am taking action NOW in what matters to me. I'm not waiting for the New Year to take stock and then get started. The time is now.
# 3 - Disagreeing with my Mom on a decision involving my kids and their education and sticking to MY instinct about what was the right thing to do. Now that's a biggie and I never realized how much so. I pride myself on being very independent but boy, do we always want Mom's approval or what? Well, guess what? I didn't get it and I didn't die. The funny thing is very often in my life I didn't get my Mom's approval but, in some weird way, even when you don't, you still want it the next time around. At least I always did.
Well, this time something shifted. I was concerned for her and didn't want her to be upset but I saw that that was for her to process and that my job was to focus on whether I made the right decision for me and my kids. So, holy cow, I AM OFFICIALLY AN ADULT AND MY OWN PERSON at long last! I didn't even realize that was missing at all but you realize it when you make a decision that involves your children and Mom doesn't agree with it! Wow! I am my kids's parent and I decide. It is MY life and I decide. Do not misunderstand though, I absolutely do not want to disappoint my Mama and I will never intentionally do so but I know now I will never go out of my way against my own instincts just to please her. I love her with all my heart, 100%, ABSOLUTELY. She's my hero and my heart and I just hope she's proud to have raised a responsible adult who thinks things through and weighs her options, a loving daughter cares but who has her own thoughts and feelings, a confident woman who will make her own decisions and stick by them with the highest and purest of intentions and standards for herself, her family, and her life.
Now, that's growth! And there's a lot more but I'll be here all day recounting so I'll just keep on writing a bit at a time. That's # 4, by the way - I am creating the time to write because when I don't, I'm not quite myself. So, on we go growing along. :-) Love to all! XOXO
I feel the same about myself lately, too. I can always feel a growth spurt in myself and I've definitely been on one this past summer but sometimes it takes an actual action or event to notice what a long way I've come and I've had at least 3 to point it out to me and it's so cool to now really see it! I love that - growing, being better than I was before, being more who I really am or feel I am inside. I think that's the point of life. Discovering who you are and BEING who you are.
# 1 - Saying no to opportunities after asking myself "is this what I'm about deep inside?"
It's not that I don't say no, it's that I say yes to things that while great, I'm not really committed to because I think I may learn something. Well, being open is great but life's too short for going down paths your heart doesn't jump out at. I rather put the time into something that REALLY calls to me LOUDLY.
# 2 - NOW
"If not now, then when?" That Tracy Chapman song was the song appointed to me at one of the seminars I attended in the very beginning of my transformation (which, by the way, is the one thing I'm proudest of other than my boys and my marriage ... more on that in another post) because I was more focused on the future than on the present. No small wonder my life wasn't working! Dreams are great to have but if you want them to come to pass, you better get cracking in the here and now. Well, I have done plenty of that, taking action and doing things - I'm no slouch - but lately, this saying no (# 1 above) thing has allowed for more now to be available to me and the word just keeps popping up everywhere too (more on this in another post). I swear it's a sign! I find myself just keenly aware of time ticking, tick, tock, tick, tock, like I'm gonna wake up soon and be 50 or 60, just like that. So, these days, I am taking action NOW in what matters to me. I'm not waiting for the New Year to take stock and then get started. The time is now.
# 3 - Disagreeing with my Mom on a decision involving my kids and their education and sticking to MY instinct about what was the right thing to do. Now that's a biggie and I never realized how much so. I pride myself on being very independent but boy, do we always want Mom's approval or what? Well, guess what? I didn't get it and I didn't die. The funny thing is very often in my life I didn't get my Mom's approval but, in some weird way, even when you don't, you still want it the next time around. At least I always did.
Well, this time something shifted. I was concerned for her and didn't want her to be upset but I saw that that was for her to process and that my job was to focus on whether I made the right decision for me and my kids. So, holy cow, I AM OFFICIALLY AN ADULT AND MY OWN PERSON at long last! I didn't even realize that was missing at all but you realize it when you make a decision that involves your children and Mom doesn't agree with it! Wow! I am my kids's parent and I decide. It is MY life and I decide. Do not misunderstand though, I absolutely do not want to disappoint my Mama and I will never intentionally do so but I know now I will never go out of my way against my own instincts just to please her. I love her with all my heart, 100%, ABSOLUTELY. She's my hero and my heart and I just hope she's proud to have raised a responsible adult who thinks things through and weighs her options, a loving daughter cares but who has her own thoughts and feelings, a confident woman who will make her own decisions and stick by them with the highest and purest of intentions and standards for herself, her family, and her life.
Now, that's growth! And there's a lot more but I'll be here all day recounting so I'll just keep on writing a bit at a time. That's # 4, by the way - I am creating the time to write because when I don't, I'm not quite myself. So, on we go growing along. :-) Love to all! XOXO
posted by Narah at 6:34 AM
