Easy choice

For the past two nights, I let my mind go blank and fell asleep early, in stead of staying up late blogging, reading, and web-browsing. I have been down with a cold, but not serious enough to stay home. I stuck with my daily routine, more or less.

I was buoyed by a friend today who shared that she was going through a midlife transition and had chosen to take matters into her own hands to change her life for the better. I found her experience remarkably similar to my own, and we felt encouraged by each other’s choice to live forward positively.

My teacher and friend Jim Paredes made a comment on my completion of the Reborn at 50 blog that also warmed my heart. Sharing life with positive people is so beneficial. And the opposite is equally powerful, as negative energy clings and is not easily shed. The choice is left to us. And it’s an easy choice to make after having discovered the power of being positive.

Once in a while, a storm will enter our life unexpectedly to shake us out of daily routines, hold up a mirror of self-reflection, and remind us of the journey ahead. Keep walking. Don’t stay too long in your comfort zone. Usually, the storm is short lived. And when our positive attitude takes over, storms cease to matter. Light always illuminates darkness.

I learned a lot this week about the benefit in taking small steps every day towards my goals, my dreams in life. I realized that each step counts and gives a surprising satisfaction when accomplished. Like magic, my motivation increased to take more steps.

Over the past few days, I started a new email address at GMail, learned about setting up a website for e-commerce, followed up on practical matters for the piece of land in Ubud that I am interested in, and enjoyed checking out websites on how to tie a sarong. All in a minimum of time, yet with great pleasure.

I discovered that spending time each day doing something I really enjoy, and hanging out with positive-minded people, are two great ways to charge my battery, especially when I’m feeling flat with a cold.

Photograph: Serious looking guy in the Archeological Museum of Bali in Pejeng.