In trying to make sense of a multitude of feelings I’ve had regarding Valentine’s Day over the years, I’ve said quite a bit about it.
For those who share in the tendency toward overthinking things to death, asking too many questions (I don’t think you can ask too many questions, but there are those who do, leading me to wonder- why?) and may be interested in hearing more, these Valentisimal rants and ramblings can be found in the links below.
For those interested in my bottom line about this “day of love” and have no interest in a 2-5 minute read to get there, I’ve arrived at this summation:
Valentine’s Day, as with every day, involves authentic love only to the degree you design it. An offering lacking the energy of love at the core of it is nothing more than a meaningless display.
LA Holmberg
Whether you adore, despise, or are indifferent about Valentine’s Day matters not. Be a blessing to yourself and others in whatever capacity you find yourself able to do so and you will spread the energy of love.
Because while the validity of Valentine’s Day may be questionable, the authenticity of love is unquestionable.
In 1981 you would have found my buddies and I belting out these familiar words from my favorite Rush song, ‘Limelight’. Neil Peart told stories with his songs- timeless messages that still ring true.
Years ago when I first heard Andy Stanley speak about the necessity of establishing borders in one’s life to serve as guardrails, those long ago lyrics came to mind.
They may have been referring to different areas in which to apply barriers but they were both advising the same principle: protect your integrity by instilling limits. It’s a formula so basic, you’d think that all of us would have grasped and applied it from the get-go.
Not me.
Only in my fervent effort to develop the seed of self-control that lives within each of us into a full-grown established and invincible “muscle” did I learn that not only had I neglected to establish borders in my life, I wasn’t even aware of the necessity in doing so. Or if I was unconsciously aware of it, clearly I was not now nor had I ever been, strict about adhering to them.
I had a tendency toward impulsivity and living in the moment, arriving wherever it carried me, which often led to use of poor judgement.
Andy Stanley says this is living on the edge, to which he adds: “As we all know, if you live on the edge, it’s just one tiny mistake and it’s a disaster.”
Um, yep. Disaster. I’ve been there. I don’t wish to return.
But wishing doesn’t cut it. It takes action.
Building and maintaining any muscle- both physical and spiritual- requires effort and vigilance. Yes, it may be my natural tendency to crave that which is high intensity and teetering on the very edge- so much so that I actually started breathing a little harder and getting excited just typing those words- but that’s just one facet of myself.
By taking control of those impulses and harnessing them in a way in which their power can be most constructively utilized, that tail no longer wags this dog.
Just because something doesn’t come naturally to you doesn’t mean it’s not available for you to learn.
By the same token, just because something does come naturally to you doesn’t mean you must default to it and allow it to control you. Instead, acknowledge and respect its existence and utilize its power in a manner that serves you.
You have the power to do so. You always have.
That’s going to mean instilling some barriers– a guardrail or two which we may bump against but then recover from when we get too close to the edge rather than that one-way trip to the bottom of the abyss that flying by the seat of our pants may land us in.
Intensity is a rush. But keeping oneself intact carries a rush of its own.
What are you working on in 2024? Do you have a vision that will aid you in designing the body/being/life you desire for yourself?
I like to declutter and reimagine my life, home, finances, health- basically my inner and outer worlds to sum it up– frequently, but especially so at the beginning of the year, assessing what worked, what didn’t, implementing new approaches or perspectives where they might fit and letting go of those that don’t. You’ll note this if you’ve stopped by the FBF home page recently.
Clean slate.
Working on it.
I want to wholeheartedly encourage ALL who are working on it, even if you’ve not yet taken action and are in the envisioning and considering phase of working on it, and assure each one of you that whateverIT is, its process matters for reasons you may not yet be privy to.
At times we need encouragement condensed in a bite (less) at others, a full plate (more).
Take what you require. 🙂
LESS:
You don’t need anyone to validate you.
You don’t need a pat on the back.
You don’t need to justify the contributions you make or the ways in which you make them.
You need only the conviction within to keep going when fear tries to convince you that you’ve got nothing left to go on and you’re running on fumes.
Run on those fumes, for they are the fumes of faith!
The willingness to continue your efforts without the benefit of immediate compensation indicates that you are ready to let go of the ego-based need for recognition, instead opting to lean into an alternate power that has been available to you all along, allowing you to see beyond the limits of your physical eyesight.
Revealing to you a much larger vision than the limited perspective that the human mind allows.
Work in secret. Require nothing more than the personal satisfaction derived from persistent effort while you do so.
The work you’re doing is your own. When and if the time comes for the rest of the world to know what you’re working on, they’ll be made aware of it.
When that time comes you will realize that you’ve evolved to a place where you don’t actually give a damn that they do.
fitBEYONDform 