Have Courage, Grasshopper...

There's nothing like the death of a friend who seems too young to have passed away to bring one to a realization of just how precious life is. I mean, really realize it. We all blah blah about how life is so precious, how we should live each moment to the fullest, how we shouldn't waste time because we never know how much time will be allotted to us. I'm not sure how much we believe those words, however. In the back of our minds there might be a little voice telling us that although we've seen others die suddenly, or before they've been able to fully realize their potential, surely we won't suffer the same fate. And then, somebody close dies and we realize that it could just as easily be us who is being mourned, just as easily we who could have lost the chance to take that trip, or paint that masterpeice, or write that song. Sometimes, especially lately, I wonder if I'm really working as hard as I could be toward the goals I'd like to achieve. I wonder if I'm giving life everything I've got, or if I'm just being lazy. This made me think about how one can avoid the pitfall of apathy, or of laziness, or of feeling powerless and giving up on the dreams that have fueled our zest for life for so many years.

I beleive that the first step toward living a more meaningful life (besides finding a spiritual center, which has been so vital to my own survival) is defining what it is we want to accomplish. Do you want to be a successful writer, a painter, an activist for world peace, an environmental warrior? Whatever it is you'd like to be when you "grow up", you need to identify the title before you can work toward claiming it. Possibly, you'd like to be more than one thing. I would like to be a great Mom and partner, an artist and a writer. I'd also like to join a group of women who will be my spiritual sisters and work toward some activism within my spiritual belief system.

Another crucial step toward acheiving our goals is living without so much fear, whether it's fear of failure, fear of success or just plain fear of having to do the work or keep a committment to something. I've found that in life I don't have so much trouble committing to a partner, but when it comes to committing to highly involved friendships or other endeavors (which are so rewarding and wonderful when one actually takes the time necessary to cultivate and nurture them), I've fallen a bit flat. I really want these things, but I have issues with anxiety and becoming easily overwhelmed that need to be waded through. I know that if I can come out the other side of these problems, I will be able to shake off the fear like loose feathers in the wind.

Laziness can also become a problem for some of us. I, by nature, am not a lazy person, but I do need to keep some momentum going in my life or I can easily find myself engrossed in a long tv- a-thon of America's Next Top Model, Law and Order or some other such squawk box drama. These shows are great, but not if one sets oneself down in front of them for hours, neglecting all the little matters of life which beckon just outside the doorway of the bedroom or living room. Likewise, the internet can also be a horrible time-suck, causing one to lose precious minutes and even hours which could be spent out there living life instead of just reading or talking about it.

Once we've leapt over these hurdles, we need to figure out which steps can be taken today to draw our goals closer to us. Yes, I said TODAY. There are lots of things we could do "come Monday" or "next month when I have more money", etc. What can you do today? Taking action is a powerful step. Making that first move creates a sort of magic through which further action is possible. I think of that first step as being sort of like pulling one's foot out of gooey quicksand. Once one foot is out, the other is sure to follow. Before you know it, you're out of the muck and walking through a beautiful forest, full of all sorts of exotic creatures and empowering experiences.

For me, time is always an issue. That said, I recognize that I need to prioritize more, to spend less time on the computer, less time in the bathroom getting ready for my day, less time reading over breakfast (reading has its place, but knowing when to place the book on the table and walk away is important if I don't want to wile the whole morning away). There are so many things I want to accomplish, and as the years progress I realize how much time I've spent not working toward those things, not engaged in the things that interest and excite me on a passionate, visceral level. Just writing this article, seeing my words on the page, is helping me to understand how much of being successful in life is about shedding the excuses and getting down to business.

Lets do it!!!!!