I WISH I HAD . . .

Hi Everyone!!  So, here it is my first Social Media Experiment.  You’re probably thinkin’ . . . “What the ____ is she talking about?”   I know you’re saying that TOM!!!  Anywho, here it is.  As you all know I just started on the Facebook adventure after much digging my heels in and cursing out the F.B. time stealer.   But, alas, I finally signed up and reconnected with people I haven’t talked to in years and it’s been good, other than the no sleep for days, social media hangovers  and the dirty looks from my internet deprived children. 

So, I was Facebooking with a highschool friend (I won’t mention her name) and we were talking about how we wish we had gotten to know each other better back then and that led to the topic of the things that we regretted not doing and also the things in our lives that had been passions that we had left on the road somewhere behind us.  She had mentioned that she used to love to write, but that she hadn’t done that for many   years.  I asked her why and she said that for her to write, she had to be honest with herself and really expose herself in a way that can be very uncomfortable.  It means really searching down deep for who you are, what drives you, what motivates you and sometimes brings up feelings,   memories  and  wounds that you may have kept closed off for a long time. I felt it ironic that we were on this topic, since I had just recently begun a similar journey myself.  I remember how proud I was of my friend Val when she told me about the “50 Things I Want To Do Before  I Die”  list that she had made and that she had just gotten back from learning how to sail a boat in the Pacific Ocean.  This was years   before the movie the “Bucket List” had come along, so she was well before her time.  Always a forward thinker, my friend Val! I don’t know what happened, but it seemed I had never even actually made my list.  There were many things that I wanted to do before it was my time to “Kick It!”, but I had never thought it was important enough to begin I guess.  It wasn’t until I turned 40 and started to really notice that Botox could be of benefit to me in many ways (I care not to mention here), that I decided to make a change. 

Top of the list :

Bungee Jumping   - Check

Swim with the Dolphins – Check

Volunteer More – Check

Start my own Home Based Business – Check

Make the World a Better Place  -   okay, maybe that’s a stretch!!  Share something with someone that brings them happiness, inner growth, peace and realization of true self.

Is that possible?

So, here’s where it becomes interesting!  This Social Media Experiment is a challenge, for all of you who choose to take part.  Define in yourself something that you feel passionate about or something that used to make you feel alive, something that you had wished you’d done or never stopped doing. If you ask yourself why you let it go, maybe it will give you insight into something that is actually holding you back from becoming the person you want to be or taking you to the place in your life that you desire. If you have regrets, but you aren't really sure what to do about it, maybe you can use this rekindled passion to create something new, instead of leaving it to sit in the past as regret.  Now some of you are saying, “What??  That’s so HEAVY!!”  Maybe it is so much simpler for you.

Like  . . .

I wish I had never stopped walking my dog every day.  It made my hips look good and my puppy happier!

Or

I wish I had continued to volunteer at the FOOD BANK.  It made me feel good to know I was helping others!

Or

I wish I had continued with my photography hobby.  It made me feel good that I was doing something for me, something that I loved to do!

Possibly it is something that is really important, but just too difficult.

Like . . .

I wish had started that support group for people like me who have survived _______________.

Or

I wish I had never stopped trying to work things out with (family member or friend).

Or

I wish I had spent more time with _______________ and now it’s too late.

For some people these desires are unattainable because people that were involved have passed away or are no longer around.  This can be so very difficult.  This is where it is important to try and figure out a way to realize these desires in a different way to derive a similar resulting effect.  Eg.  I wish I could have spent more time with my Gramma before she passed away.  Maybe I can spend some time getting to know some of her friends and let them know how I felt about her. If that’s not possible I could spend some time volunteering at a retirement home or senior’s complex.  This is just an example, but quite often there are other paths to lead you to a similar emotional destination. 

There are some rules though in this challenge.  It must remain positive in all aspects.  This is something to help us move forward in a healthy way in our lives.  So it’s maybe not such a great idea to rekindle any old addiction passions.  That might not be the way to go.  Right?

Like . . .

I wish I had never given up drinking tequila till 4:00 a.m. every morning and my secret visits with the young lap dancing girl.

Or

I wish I had continued to take the odd designer blouse without paying for it.  I would have had a SICK wardrobe by now!

Or

I wish I had never stopped cane kicking.  It was funny to see those old guys falling down!

Okay, but seriously, I think some of us will really welcome this time to take a look back at who we were and what motivated us. If you had a dream, why did you give it up? 

But that’s not the most important part of this experiment. The challenge is to embrace this thing that gets you going, this thing that defines you or takes you to that place of enlightenment.  Make a commitment to start to do it again or try it, if you’ve never done it before, to do whatever it takes to make it happen. When you get to that place deep inside of you where you know it has made the difference, where you know you haven’t sacrificed yourself for anything or anyone, you have done it for only you because you are worth fulfilling your desires . . . I want you to document how you feel.  Even better, I would love it if you would share it with me.  We all deserve happiness in our lives, we are all worth it!! The power is within us to be whatever we choose to be. It is up to you!  

I know that some of you will probably think this is a waste of time, but for some it could be the beginning of something BIG, something that is REAL.  Today IS the first day of the rest of your life!! Make It Count!

"Happiness is found in doing, not merely possessing.  Every man is what he is because of the dominating thoughts which he permits to occupy his mind.” - Napoleon Hill