Further thoughts on my "year of yes"...

FOUND IN DRAFT FOLDER (it was written 8/31/13) - MY BAD!


Yesterday was my birthday. A few years back in the weeks leading up to that day I was pretty miserable, and now I understand why. I thought I understood then, but I think I was wrong.

Then I was facing one of those momentous birthdays. A "big 0" birthday. The ones that clearly - particularly as the number before the "0" gets larger - mark progression if not progress. Progression is inevitable and over time it became quite obvious that the progress didn't match my plans. And my ability to make up for lost time was slipping away. Such a view is clearly a "half full" one. Possibly even a lot less than half full.... From such a perch it was easy to fall into a loop of negative thoughts that even further limited whatever was possible. My attitude was quite negative and was leading me into a "year of no." I can't. It's too late. It's not worth...you get the idea. I put the losses of aging in the front seat with me on my remaining ride.

Now, after having gone through more than half of my "year of yes" things appear very different. Consciously choosing to look at the positive aspects whatever happens, while seemingly Pollyanna-ish, has allowed me to do more. Rather than being mired in inaction and all the "can'ts", I've embraced opportunities and invitations to act that I would never have expected. Working with people on planning events, starting organizations and more. These were things I didn't see in my future but were grabbed the moment they appeared. Having a plan to the future is good. Being blindered to any other than a single route to get to that future was a recipe for sadness. Opportunities and invitations rather than losses are now in that front seat with me. The trip is much more pleasant.

Saying yes to things has proved to be a wonderful antidote to the reality of time passing. Let it pass. Who knows what it will bring?