Life Lessons Are Life's Strip Tease

Frankly, it's a relief not to learn all of my life lessons in one gigantic big bang. I don't think I could take the explosion. I'm a slower learner. I accept this about myself. I don't believe in life recipes which create the perfect lesson learned once for all time. Nope. Not my cup of tea. I subscribe to the "onion theory" for learning life's lessons - one layer at a time, working deeper toward the core.

Maybe I just like my own individual dramas that reveal the personal mystery of who I am, what I'm made of and who I am becoming. One little bit at a time - life's strip tease. Each challenge or crisis presents an opportunity to grow a little more human, accepting, patient, humble, accomplished, understanding, forgiving, loving.

Everyone has something, some suffering or uncertainty, some part of life that leaks through the cracks of daily living to remind us that life is a journey and we're all creations in process. The quality of our lives depends on how we respond to what's on our plate. I may love hearing about other people's lives, but I'm the only one who can live mine. I struggle through some days, dislike others and feel pretty good about the rest. Would I trade any of them for one perfect day? Nope. Like I said, I'm a slower learner - I'm grateful for all of them.

Yet, sometimes, to avoid the uncertainty of the journey, the cracks in the road, and in myself, I feel the need to be in control. Does this sound like a contradiction to the "onion theory"? It is, but that's OK. Contradictions are part of life. I want to be conscious of the contradictions. I don't want my life rationed out by the distraction of self-deceptive certitude. Living with contradictions, foibles, vulnerability or even tragedy isn't a fate worse than death. It's human. I have choices - so do you.

We learn our life's lessons as we make our choices. We make our choices and learn our life's lessons. We're responsible for what and how we learn. My way of learning may not be yours. It doesn't matter. You've got to find your own way. Some lessons take longer than others. Along the way some things become clearer. Here are some life lessons that have recently paid me another visit.

LIVE IN THE PRESENT

Author Faith Baldwin, defined time as, "...a dressmaker specializing in alterations." Life patterns and habits are created from our relationship with the present and the choices we make day by day. Each day offers the opportunity to make alterations. I'm taking more time during the day to be still, quiet my mind and meditate, especially when I am very tired or stressed. I can become very driven when I have a task I want to complete or an article I "have" to finish. Taking time to know when to stop, be still and meditate, refreshes my mind and body.

PATIENCE HAS TWO FACES

Saint Augustine wrote, "Patience is the companion of wisdom." George Jackson, said, "Patience has its limits. Take it too far and it's cowardice." The challenge is finding the balance. I decided that a project I've been working on needed to either bite the dust or move forward. When I realized that fear of failure was holding me back, I screwed up my courage, took the risk and moved ahead. I'll learn from my success or from my failure - but I won't be sitting around wondering about what "might have been".

GENTLE STRENGTH

Ralph W. Sockman writes, "Nothing is so strong as gentleness, and nothing is so gentle as real strength." I know a peaceful mind supports my capacity for effective action and that gentleness guides my progress and opens my heart. I admit that I'm sometimes too driven and I often expect too much from myself. So I'm reminding myself to work on my tasks "softer" rather than "harder." It makes getting out of my own way a lot easier.

What lessons from life's strip tease are alive and well in your life? How are you going to respond to them?

Pauline Salvucci is a professional life coach and owner of Self-Care-0nline, LLC.
Her specialty is coaching men and women at midlife, particularly those living with chronic health conditions and family caregivers who are "sandwiched" between their families and their aging parents. Pauline's eBooks are available at http://www.self-care-online.com/ - she can be reached at pauline@self-care-online.com

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Lessons From a Balloon Ride

I knew I had made a breakthrough in my positive attitude when I went for my first hot air balloon ride. We had been told several weeks ago that my husband and I had been chosen to accompany his mother on the ride to spread his cousin ashes over the family farm.

I was so excited I could hardly contain myself. Riding in a hot air balloon was something I had always wanted to do.

When the day arrived, my sister-in-law told me the ride was only for two not three people and I wasn't supposed to go. That didn't sound promising but I waited to see for myself. I just knew I would be going on that balloon ride and I wasn't going to let anyone damper my expectations.

Upon the arrival of the balloon and its crew, we learned that the ride was, indeed, only for two people (plus the balloon man). We were also told that there wasn't enough wind that day for three people anyway.

Instead of getting disappointed, I stayed excited for my husband and ran around taking pictures of the prep work. When the balloon was ready to go and the passengers had boarded I went up close to get a photo of my husband and his mom as they took off.

The crew were still holding down the balloon. Just then, the balloon man said to me, "I think there is enough wind now and you don't weigh much... why don't you come too!" I couldn't believe my good fortune. Camera in hand, as I climbed in I suddenly had the thought, "Wait a minute, I have a fear of heights." Too late---we were off!

Up we went and yes, I was scared at first. I thought if I leaned out to take a picture I might tip over the basket and we'd all fall out, and where were the parachutes? But my anxiety gave way to awe as we sailed up over the trees (and my picture-taking didn't tip over the basket).

After dumping the ashes, we swiftly climbed to an altitude of 3,000 feet. From that height the view was so spectacular that I forgot all my fears, cares, and concerns, and I was filled with pure enjoyment and bliss of the now moment. I couldn't believe how much fun it was and how magnificent the views were in the foothills of the Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts. We took a 45-minute ride and came down right before the wind died.

In retrospect, I found that I had learned some valuable lessons while up in the air that expanded my personal growth.

1) Never submit to disappointment. Even when everyone says no to your desire, the Universe can come up with a yes.
2) Face your fears and then do what is necessary anyway. Then you just grow out of them.
3) When you have the big picture, life's challenges drop away, or become less significant and joy replaces them.
4) If you can treat a challenge as an adventure, it becomes more fun and more exciting.

I hope my story inspires you and gives you some insights as to how you can make your desires, and even your fears, an adventure.

Jeannette Koczela coaches solopreneurs who want to get more clients, grow their business, and make more money. By subscribing to her newsletter you will receive inspiring articles every week. You will also receive her Empowered Spirit Coaching Success Kit including her report "3 Secrets to Attract Your Ideal Clients," by visiting her website http://www.empoweredspiritcoaching.com/.

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Life lessons are life's Strip Tease

Frankly it is a relief to know all my Life lessons in one gigantic big bang. I think it might take the explosion. I'm a slow learner. I accept this about me. I don't believe in living recipe, which form a great learned once for all time. No thanks. Not my cup of tea. Subscribe to the "theory of onions ' to acquire experience life 's-one layer at a time, working towards a deeper core.

You might like my own individual dramas that reveal the mystery of who I am personally, what I am made of and who I'm making. One little time-life's strip tease. Every challenge or crisis provides an opportunity to grow some more people accept, patient, humble, achieved an understanding, the remission of duty is profitable, the loving.

Everyone has something, some suffering or uncertainty, some part of the life that leaks through the cracks of everyday life, rightly points out that life is a journey and we are all creations of the process. The quality of our life depends on how we will respond to what is on our Whiteboard. May I love hearing about the life of others, but I'm the only who can live mines. I fight for a few days, the fact she's a well with others and the rest. Can I trade in any of them for one perfect day? No thanks. As I said, I am a slower learner-I am grateful for all of them.

Yet sometimes, in order to avoid the uncertainties of travel, cracks in the roads and myself, I feel the need in the control. This sound you contrary to the "theory of onions"? It is, but that's OK. Contradictions are part of life. I want to be aware of the conflict. I don't want my life with self-rationed out by deceptive certitude. Not living with contradictions, foibles, faults or even tragedy is the fate worse than death. It is the people. I have a choice-so you can do.

We can draw conclusions of our life, what we do our choices. We can make our choice and to draw conclusions of our lives. We are responsible for what and how will we be. My way of science may not be yours truly. It does not matter. You have to find their own way. Some classes take longer than others. Amazing some things become clearer. Some Life lessons which have recently been paid me next visit.

LIVE IN THIS

By Faith Baldwin, specified period of time as, "...or dressmaker specializes in modifications. "Patterns of life and habits are created from our relations with the current and the options that we make the days. Each day offers the possibility of making changes. I'll take more time during the day, still, quiet my mind and meditation, especially when I'm very will delight those who wish, or wood. It may be very driven when I have a job, I want to quit or the article "I need to" Finish. Given the time to know when to stop, continue, and meditation, refreshes my mind and body.

YOUR PATIENCE HAS TWO FACES

Saint Augustine wrote: "Patience is the companion of wisdom." George Jackson, said: '' patience has limits. "Take it too far and it's tchórzostwa ' Challenge is to find a balance. I decided that a project that I been working they need to bite the dust or go to the front. When I noticed that fear of failure was having me again, and tapped into my courage, took a risk and moved forward. I can learn my success or my failure-but I can't, sitting around wondering about how it "could be".

GENTLE STRENGTH

Ralph w. Sockman writes, "nothing is so strong as gentleness and nothing is so gentle as real strength." I know a peaceful mind supports my ability effectively and gentleness leads my progress and opens my heart. I admit that I'm sometimes too driven and I expect it is often too much from one another. So I'm reminding myself to work on my tasks "softer" rather than "more." Allows you to get out of my own way is much easier.

What lessons from life's strip tease are alive and well in your life? How will respond to them?

Pauline Salvucci is a life coach and owner of self-regulatory-Care-0nline, LLC.
Her specialty is coaching for men and women in midlife, particularly those living with chronic health and family caregivers who are "transparent" between their families and their aging parents. Pauline's eBooks are available on the http://www.self-care-online.com/-arrived pauline@self-care-online.com

View the original article here