Check out this brilliant quote by Juan Ramon Jimenez I found nestled in a Ray Bradbury book. You only live this life once, so why not live it exponentially? I’ve always done things the hard way, upside down and backwards left feeling very frustrated by life. A high school friend and pastor posted something on his Facebook page that moved my soul to the very depths and started me on a journey I can barely wait to begin! He said, “Walk in the gifts and talents you have been blessed in. Take the limits off! There is greatness running through your veins that wants to showcase itself. Your dreams are still waiting on you!”
I didn’t realize how many limits I put myself within and just how much creativity was pumping through my veins. Maybe that’s because I wasn’t being true to myself. I am supposed to be living the typical charmed American life in Suburbia and I have always struggled just to swim upstream from point A to B and never understood why exactly. The definition of insanity is? Just maybe life wants me to go with the flow downstream instead of upstream? For the first time in my life, the lights came on, I am going to stop swimming against the current and I actually want to go with the flow downstream! I am thrilled that I am allowing myself the freedom to find my dreams that are waiting on me and finally find a medium to showcase them!! Why were we taught that coloring outside the lines was bad or not as beautiful as inside the lines?
When I started paying my own bills and had my first apartment the urgency to make sure my bills were in the mail 10 days early to obey the rules. The first time I missed a bill, on accident of course, I woke up and realized that the world didn’t end and life would go on normally if I call and make arrangements. I literally expected alarms or bombs to go off if I was ever late. I am not encouraging tardiness due to fee’s but the world will not end if you decide to call a DO OVER, change life directions and follow a path that’s like coloring outside the lines or being a little late.
It is happening now with my recent season in life after divorce. I literally thought the world would end, my life would end if my vows broke…. divorce was never an option for me even if it was a horrible relationship with two good people both lying to themselves sort of situation. “The Christian Rule” is very limiting and who wants to piss of God? I always believed in marriage lasting forever like my parents and held my commitment the most valuable promise in my entire existence up until now. I wanted to create a great marriage, be a great wife, be a great mother, but for me, great literally sucked because I sucked at that point in my life. It was not so great in reality because I didn’t see the truth in front of me. I woke up one day, after being betrayed by my own expectations, displaced, unemployed for a year because I moved for his career instead of mine, moved back into my house that we rented out, started a new job out of survival, going through legal hassle and emotions of the actual divorce while trying to hide it from my boss and co-workers which never works. I have been through so many unbelievable blessings, struggles and changes over the past year and realized that I am done with what isn’t working for me! No more. This is not the life I want so why am I buying into this lie? I am not a failure, I am smart, but I am still miserable and have to do something to change it – ASAP! Getting married, having kids was always my goal. We all have to work, so why am I living to work, not working to live again because I forgot?
My heart started beating so fast like my entire life flashed before me and I was an old lady living in a paid off suburbia house, married to another sell out corporate fake like myself, yet still emotionally in solitude, yet very comfortable in my stable and safe life with 5 dogs to keep me company. Those who know me know that would be true because I love dogs (human dawgs as well as canine dogs unfortunately). I would spend time making a nest, churchgoing, gardening, volunteering, reading, cooking, living vicariously through others families and tagging along in their annual celebrations instead of taking a risk and investing in myself. I need a new chance at MY life, instead of living someone else’s life in place of my own and in the pit of despair you find the will to do it. Knowing my choices might be disappointing others expectations of what my life should look and me like is/was the hurdle that at first seemed really high. Now it’s like stepping over a curb, high kicking the target and then doing a happy dance and suddenly all the pieces of my real life that is supposed to be are falling into place. Swimming downstream and going with the flow works that way. Who knew?
The choice was made for me, without my vote, outside forces worked on my behalf, because I know that I would literally die if I am not true to myself this time around and stayed in a life of lies. I am not a bible beater or religious freak but I do have a very strong faith outside the traditional lines.
Throughout my entire marriage the same bible verse hit from every angle and I never knew why, until now. Jer 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Why in the world would I choose to live in suburbia, no kids, single, not near anything remotely fun other than the lake which I no longer like because it’s a death trap and an hour commute to work that is killing me in a job I did 10 years ago and swore I’d never go back into even though I am pretty good at it. Talk about a break through!
Some see it as an emotional break down but I don’t. I see it as a blessing and God’s whispery promise to me coming true. Selling my house, everything in it, unloading the clutter, unlocking the shackles of my own prison of life’s expectations and suddenly standing in total freedom can still be quite paralyzing. But all I had to do was take one step and now I’m running off to Italy in a few months, or Portland…. or not sure where but away from here! Going solo to explore the world and just indulge in new experiences and cultures has made some accuse me of going through a mid-life crisis (epiphany); a few guys I’ve dated in my past feel obligated to express their undying love for me and want to “save me and treat me right” out of pity in my opinion, which quite frankly makes me nauseous but it is with good intention which I appreciate, but HAIL NAW! Backwards is not forwards.
By following the forward pull to live in Portland or anywhere in the world besides DFW (side note: though I love Texas, escaping Texas borders is a crime if you are from here, no one leaves out of fear of border patrol, its, its own country y’all?) the mere mention of Portland or Italy has made some small-minded folks think I’ve gone gay which I think is hysterical! I have always wanted to live near the ocean and mountains so close together what’s gay about that other than the happy kind of gay? Having short hair doesn’t help me much in that debate which I don’t participate in, but if I grow a mullet well that’s another story. I will be doing something loving and creative for a living. I love listening to stories. I always wanted to be a nurse, just never made time for school because I am horrible at math, and science for that matter, not good makings for a nurse. I just need to be a hospice companion or something touchy feely like that. I have a long list of I “wish I would haves”. Writing about my experiences has made some think I’ve gone off the deep end of TMI or that I’ve become a useless day dreamy waste of time. My truth is that I just need to write about the colorful people and their stories that I come across my path. Like a nurse, that does help people as it’s helped me in what I read, so I know it will help others if I write about it too.
We are all walking around wounded in some way so pretending like life is perfect is just not helpful to anyone. I know the story that will make me an official “writer” and medium will find me when the time is right, blogging is one step to running as a writer. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. Being vulnerable and transparent is one step closer to letting humility help others. The book Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert moved a nation of readers because she was really raw in her experiences and I loved every letter of that book.
Why is it so hard for others to let us change and evolve outside of the ruled lined paper of society? I am common. Life threw me a few curve balls so I am learning how to bat better. I am not broken, I just need more practice but I am getting pretty good at seeing the curve balls now. I am not desperate to find love or get married again; I love who I am and who I am evolving into and for once that is enough for me. Me, Myself and I complete the Sum total of ME, Cathy V and I already told you I suck at math but in my case 3=1. I am so excited when I think what my possibilities are and my future as a blank canvas ready to be painted. What I know for sure is that it doesn’t come from desperation to have a perfect life on the outside including; perfect marriage, perfect job, perfect kids, and perfect white picket fence or perfect retirement fund. What is attractive to me is jumping off the ledge in faith knowing God has a major plan for me in this life if I just get out of His way and stop planning on His behalf. Being wise and methodical in changing your path is critical, but it doesn’t have to look a certain way on paper either.
My heart pumps about the what if’s, the positive possibilities thanks to Mindy Audlin and her invention of What If Up, experiencing life through being open to it, turning my pain into purpose, giving more than receiving, finding strength in the unknown, releasing personal inspiration without expectations of it returning, fearlessness to do something outside of the normal safe expectations society declares is just what had to be done in my life. Making a new life for myself on my own terms without regrets is my goal. Coloring outside of the lines instead of waiting for a typical life to find me hiding in suburbia wearing a scarlet D as if I am ruined for life living in regret, shame and depression isn’t good, or what God wants for anyone. When people see me as rebellious, I wonder if they are standing face to face with the same sadness looking back at them in their mirror seeing pure denial which is just plain uncomfortable if you aren’t doing what you are supposed to be doing with their unique gifts and abilities.
My sister, best girl friends, confidants all keep telling me, just do it, stop talking about it and just go, don’t ask permission or talk to people who will bring you down. A sales training I was recently in was transformational for me, and not a coincidence in timing by any stretch of the imagination. I will springboard from the lessons I learned in those two days and the past 15 years of aha moments all coming together like a puzzle you’ve been working until your eyes cross. I know finding a mentor is critical because none of us can go this road alone. Three lessons to live by and sell by: 1. No one can steal your sunshine unless you allow him or her to. Don’t share your goals/dreams with anyone who won’t help you achieve them or support you in your effort to. 3. Your opinion of me isn’t any of my business so I don’t want unsolicited advice or opinions unless I directly ask you for it. Brilliant!
I still fall into the trap of explaining myself and seeking approval but I am practicing, practicing and practicing healthy boundaries. Being aware of my weakness is half the battle. Some are strong enough to get this paradigm shift in thinking early in life; some sincerely love the American Dream and are born for corporate life and the whole kitten caboodle. Our country would collapse without you, so thank you! God has a spot for all of us to fill working together as one big machine of parts to make it all work together as a whole in the end. But what do you do if that predetermined life isn’t working for you? There is only one thing to do, change it. Make friends with your fear and overcome what is stopping you from breaking through to your vein of gold.
Why do we feel the need to ask permission and approval to be what God naturally gifted us towards without fear of rejection or unsolicited negative advice? Neither of those has ever killed anyone? I never asked permission as a child. I also got into some binds more than a few times, asked for forgiveness, paid the consequences, cleaned up the mess and life was back on track again. As an adult, the opposite happened, I turned into a child. I am always asking permission, always at the mercy of approval seeking and always end up really angry about it inside. Depression is anger turned inwards. It’s literally killed my spirit with indecision, low self-esteem and anxiety/depression. They hand out those happy pills like candy but all I need is my happy place, around happy people doing what we are all happy and meant to be doing! My friend just face booked this quote by Dr. Seuss its perfect timing for this entry, “Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind.”
I don’t know if its tragedy of loss or the a death of marriage that is so horrible because you don’t actually get to die but you still feel like your skin is being torn off very slowly without anesthesia while an elephant jumps up and down on your chest. Your life becomes a lie. I don’t know if it’s just a lost hopes and dreams of “what life was supposed to be” that brings a new perspective and shift in thinking, but everything changes, even if the change is for the better it’s still very difficult to reconcile. It’s your choice in what your new life changes into though. Maybe it’s too many foreign films and enlightenment books by Wayne Dyer and ego-less Eckhart Tolle? Complimented by Oprah and Ellen’s contagious generosity effort to give in abundance according to the universal law of attraction mind-set, but what if its my most rawest form of faith in God/Jesus/Holy Spirit that is finally surfacing from out there somewhere to inside my heart that’s bursting out in love to the degree that I can’t compartmentalize it like our “religious” culture does. Whatever it is, I totally dig it.
The truth is to find out what you love doing and just do it! It doesn’t have to be monumental, but it does matter monumentally. Your story matter especially if it’s a beautiful mess like mine is! Live with passion because when you’re good at what you do your life will prosper in ways that aren’t measured by money. Another awesome FB quote moved me saying “Because when you’re good at what you do and you truly love and care about other people, you don’t need to “settle” for the B.S.”. Amen sister!!
I am tired of being a boring compliant robot shell of a person watching life on TV rather than exploring it myself. I am colorful, I am different, I am opinionated, I am strong, I am creative, I am constructive, I am passionate, I am really a nobody who is somebody with something to say! I am not sorry for finally taking the plunge to be true to myself and allowing God to light my way from the bridges burning all around me. Living out loud will come with criticism…. but if I help one person “be moved” as others have helped me “move”, then it’s well worth it!
My ultimate goal in life is to leave this world better than I found it. Leave it with a few more smiles in it because of me because I love to smile at people, with my eyes as well as my mouth, there IS a difference when you smile from a genuine place.
I aim to Be Kind; be generous; love to everyone and everything because in the end we are all connected in this journey. I am lucky enough to see this mundane life in a very colorful way…. and I get to share that. And so I will write about what’s pumping inside my veins of gold begging to pour out. Now that nasty Saturn is out of the stars in astrology, it could be a happy and loving shift going on for all of us. One of my favorite Christian bands, Mercy Me, has a new CD and movement called Mr. Love Well. “Who is Mr. Lovewell? He’s an idea. He’s a movement. He’s the hope that the little things can add up to a big change. He’s what the Bible has already called us to do…love one another. Look for the best in people. Give people a chance regardless of status, race or gender.” Love Well!! It’s that simple.
I am letting go of the life everyone else planned for me. “I’m picking up my pen” as my favorite singer song writer Beth Wood reminds me as I jam along to her fearless journey of living true to her gift of music and never selling out to the record label man. Plan F is my new Plan A. Just like 40 is the new 20, or 60 is the new 40? A New Day is the chance at a New Dream! Letting go of societies rules, judgments, religious hypocrisy, family expectations, career status defining me by a W2, corporate titles or whatever expectations we have subjected ourselves to that limits our potential is HARD WORK, VERY HARD WORK to break down in order to break through.
Coloring inside or outside of the lines ~ it’s all beautiful! Try it! Plan F is to F***’ the plans and prepare to be spontaneously moved to a new level of wealth in your soul. Now if you’ll excuse me I have a house to sell, boxes to pack, charity to give things to and a million reasons to love well. Thank you to all of my friends/family for inspiring me and always supporting me when you didn’t have to. My earth angels are a vessel for God to move and use me where I am supposed to be moved and used. I’ll be traveling light as I ride off into the sunset!