Choosing Health, Wealth and Happiness
We were all born into a certain set of circumstances. Some of us were born privileged, never wanting for anything. Some of us were born into poverty, never knowing where our next meal was coming from. Some of us were born with a disability that the world around us has trouble seeing past. Some of us were born with health issues that impacts us every day of our lives.
We can’t change any of that. That is your place at the starting gate, that you were given at birth, and it is non-negotiable.
Remember the EpiPen incident from September 2016? The auto-injection adrenaline system that wards off anaphylactic shock? Yes, the same device my honey and I neglected to pack in our bike gear on that beautiful September morning?
Yes, that same September day when she got stung by an unknown insect and went into anaphylactic shock. I needed to call 911 from the bike path and she ended up spending the afternoon in the emergency room. Neither of us will ever forget that day. If you don’t remember it, check it out here.
I have no clue what I am passionate about. Is that weird? Is it unusual? I have no clue about that either. Please don’t tell anyone. Let’s keep it a secret.
On December 11, 2016, I challenged you to read a book on personal development and to complete every exercise in the book. I shared with you my answers to some of the exercises in a book titled “Planning for Success: Living Your Dream by Dr. Mark Chironna. I didn’t pick this book for any special reason, it was just the one I was reading at the time.
In this post, I share my answers to the second series of questions. It is good to reflect on the progress you make in the pursuit of your dream! The questions from the book are in bold.
Note the areas in which you approach life with intentionality. How have the outcomes in these areas surpassed results elsewhere? When it comes to my work life, I have very intentionally slipped out of the rat race. When our per-diem OT left, I immediately recognized the opportunity to leave full-time work behind me.
I sketched out a plan that I thought would work, looked at the pros and cons and took a giant leap of faith that everything would work out. And it has! I intentionally stepped away from full-time work and a full-time paycheck. I intentionally reduced my expenses, eliminated my debt and pursued other ways to earn money doing activities I enjoy. This has led to a massive increase in my happiness. No where else in my life have I had results that compare to this.
A few months ago these big yellow signs popped up all over my neighborhood that simply say SLOW DOWN. We live in a residential neighborhood with an elementary school and a University nearby. Parents walk their kids to school every day and college students and professors hurry to and from class.
I guess SLOW DOWN is a pretty good reminder to pay attention and not hit anyone who is simply trying to get to class.
As I was out walking Fenway today, the thought occurred to me that it would be pretty cool to post signs all over the place reminding us of our goals.
I adopted my dog Fenway 8 years ago when she was just 4 months old. She has been with me through good times and bad and I love her like crazy. If she was in jeopardy, I would risk my life to save her.
Right now my Fenway is pretty ticked off at me. If she could tell you about it she would say I traumatized her this morning. I pulled her hair, dumped water on her, and about tackled her in my arms.
This morning my Fenway got a good brushing and a bath. She hates them both with a passion. Every time she hears the shower turn on she runs into her crate and curls up in a ball. When I try to entice her out she pulls away from me. I have had to learn to get everything set up when she isn’t paying attention, call her into the kitchen for a treat and then scoop her up in my arms and carry her to the tub. Did I mention she hates to be carried?
The thought popped into my head that sometimes doing the right thing hurts. But it still needs to be done.
Winter is in full force here in the Finger Lakes region of Upstate, NY and that means it is time to make a plan to get the hell out of Dodge. I woke up at 3AM and the wind was blowing hard, as if Mother Nature herself was knocking at my window. The days have been cold and blowy and every time I turn around more of the white stuff seems to be flying around me. I don’t mind snow but dealing with the ice is no fun.
So my honey and I are planning a trip to Florida in February to visit Mother Fran and Child #7. It is nice to have something fun (and warm) to look forward to.
I like to think of myself as a simple, easy-going person. A person who is happy-go-lucky and lighthearted. I have been told however that there is a lot going on under the surface that makes me a bit more complicated than I wish to be. I guess this is true for many of us.
I often feel like there is an angel on one shoulder letting us see the good in everyone we meet and a devil on the other shoulder encouraging us to judge others. The angel reminds us that people are human and often make mistakes. When we listen to the angel, we can take a harsh word in stride and ignore the buzz of negative energy while maintaining a positive outlook.
I had a few easy tasks to complete today, an interesting book to read and some thinking to do. I love days like this!
The high temperature today is 29 degrees here in the Finger Lake Region of New York State. There is a fresh coat of snow on the ground and it is calm and still outside. The sky is a beautiful blue with big, white clouds loitering on the horizon. The sun is shining brightly, reflecting off of the snow and it is blinding. Too bad I can’t find my sunglasses.
Other than venturing out to walk my dog, I have been inside of my house, sitting on the couch, relaxing all day. I consider myself blessed to have opportunities like this to regroup, to think, to unwind.
So many people simply don’t know how to relax. They are hyper-focused on one thing and never stop to smell the coffee much less the roses.
One year ago I picked up a book at the library by Allisom Rimm titled The Joy of Strategy: A Business Plan for Life” The introduction begins with: “The joy of a life well lived – our work well done, our cherished ones well loved, our potential realized. Isn’t that what we’re all after? You don’t need to leave your dreams to chance. However achieving this most fundamental and often elusive goal doesn’t just happen. It requires a strategy. To create a meaningful plan, you need a structured approach that guides your through the process of defining what is most important to you and what you must do to get it. The world’s most successful businesses do this as a matter of course, and there is no more essential business than the business of your life”.
I read those words and got excited. I had already been doing a lot of soul searching and had a pretty good idea of what was important to me and the type of life I wanted to live. I had already gotten a taste of freedom by moving the lake and I wanted more! At that time, the life I so desperately wanted looked like this:
