My visionary voice for this week’s blog is clearly on vacation. The first topic I have considered sharing is the sadness I’ve been experiencing. I have committed to honesty in this life-changing process of moving to Mexico, the good, the bad and the ugly. I clearly have a lot of judgement about being THAT honest. I posted a selfie on Facebook and was admonished to “smile” and look happy. After all, I’m retired and living in paradise, what’s the problemo?
My first inclination has been to push the feelings away, not tell anyone and pretend they don’t exist. I don’t want people to try to fix, analyze or criticize, as if I could control the world. I can understand why people who are depressed go for years without telling anyone. But I am not depressed, just sad, and I’m not sure why, nor do I care to spend a lot of time trying to figure it out. I have faith that I am loved and that sadness is a normal part of life and that the answer will come to me. It usually does.
The second topic is inspiration. I have come across two people this week who inspired me greatly. One of them is Diana Nyad. You may recall that she recently completed a Cuba to Florida 110 mile swim at age 64, after three failed attempts. Watching her interview with Oprah on youtube was riveting. She did not let the haters deter her from big and bold failure. Against huge odds she didn’t give up. I am always interested in how to stay motivated and love hearing other people’s stories.
I came across more inspiration from a young man named Slim, who has the website The Next Forty Days . Slim weighed 600 pounds in 2012. He saw a video by Arthur Booreman who used DDP Yoga to reclaim his life of obesity and disability. I had also seen Arthur’s video and as a result, purchased the CDs that have become favorites for Lisa and me. Slim was inspired by Arthur as well, and used DDP Yoga to springboard his life into something incredible. He not only lost 150 pounds in six months, he and his wife Laura began setting forty-day goals of all types. They’ve given up meat for 40 days, done a juice fast, volunteered, raised money and so much more. He has devoted his time to helping other people while figuring out how to change his own life. I am a geek for goal setting.
So maybe my sadness has been a rebound of setting the BIG goal of participating in a 46 mile kayaking marathon that I splashed all over last week’s blog, SMART or Estupida. My fear of failure, that I wasn’t even aware of, reared it’s head and roared. People have commented about how “inspirational” I am. My goal with this blog has been to leave bread crumbs for anyone who cares to make big changes in their life. I guess Diana, Arthur, and Slim have done the same and I am willing to follow their trail.
Laguna Bacalar, Mexico
Let Go Of The Life You Planned
Selfie
You are loved, and you are inspirational. -alicia
Sent from my iPad
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Thanks Alicia. This transparent life is interesting. I find that processing while writing is pretty amazing. This blog was very helpful in figuring out what’s been going on for me.
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Love your curls!
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Ha, after so many years of short hair, I was quite surprised to see how it is long-ish. It’s hard, I want to cut it off everyday. LOL
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Dear Alex,
I have now read all of your blogs and had such a fun time doing so. I am blessed to have met you and Lisa and look forward to years of friendship ahead. You both have inspired me to “jump” – to leave behind old and outworn ideas of what makes a person worthwhile and to instead live in blessed self acceptance and with joy for each moment that I have on this beautiful earth. I just may copy you and be down here in one year…
I, too, have been inspired by Diana Nyad and just happened to listen to her TED talk while exercising yesterday. Have you seen it? I felt so enlivened just listening to her. I also listened to a fellow who started Live Your Legacy – just happened upon him and liked him very much.
As I feel the stress and layers of “have to” falling away, I am reminded that there is another way to live…and why not begin right now…? Thank you for your friendship and encouragement to live life on my terms as it has been more than 60 years of wanting to be loved and appreciated by OTHERS…so why not give love and appreciation to my own self and begin to really live that life I’ve dreamed of (and I’m not sure what that life is exactly, but as your chosen quote says: if I don’t make room for it, I’ll never know).
So here’s to this “one wild and precious life” !
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Lorrie, It’s been fun meeting you too. I’m glad that our adventure has inspired you to look at your choices for life and perhaps reevaluate them. Nothing wrong with wanting others to love and appreciate us. It’s “demanding” that they do it that doesn’t work. Not everyone can, but when they do, it’s such a gift. We will definitely keep in touch. Thanks for your comments. I love hearing how others perceive my writing. Great feedback.
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Alex – I commented on this earlier today but don’t see it here. Let’s see if this short message works…and if so, I’ll repeat my comment:)
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I had to “approve” and I do :@)
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