Living Your Best Life

 

First of all... A belated Happy Valentine's Day!

There was a radio show in the 40's (Before my time) ... called "The Life Of Riley" I only know about it because it was adapted into a feature film and television series by the same name... but the catch phrase "Living The Life Of Riley" boils down to living a carefree, comfortable and throughly enjoyable life... through the years I've known several people who I thought were living the life of Riley... only to learn sometimes of the turbulent troubles and problems they had but kept locked up behind closed doors... there actually have been a handful of people who thought I led the life of Riley... all of it is the impression or vibe  we give off... one of the most important things I've learned is... no one has an easy, perfect, trouble fee life; It simply does not exist except in fantasy... and it's important not to become a victim to this particular folly.

Upon reflection as I've been writing here... I am eternally grateful that I've never had some of the problems and issues  in particular that some of the people I've known who I assumed were living charmed easy lives... I've also finally learned that no one is going to come and recuse me and make things better and easier... everything is up to you... and it's all tied up in the decisions we make, the people we associate with and our overall mindset.

Sometimes the plot of our life gets unraveled and we are not really sure who we are and where we need to start to have things make sense. If we are extremely lucky we meet someone who can help us pick up the pieces and move forward... more often than not... we have to figure it out for ourselves and maybe we will meet that person or encounter the situation when the time is right. I'm a real big believer in knowing the right time and place... because as confusing as life can be... sometimes when we find that person, place or thing as the catalyst... it just feels right... and when we don't it feels wrong... don't ever second guess yourself on this one.

The places that help me feel my absolute best and brightest...are generally near the ocean... and the weather is generally quite warm with cooler breezy nights. Suffice to say I like tropical and sub-tropical places best because of the way I feel there. It's not always possible to be there physically... but if you can capture some of your favorite scents (mine is night blooming jasmine) and from that form a mindset  of what some of natures essences are that bring out the best in you... try to incorporate them in to your every day life no matter where you are in the world... much of what you are looking for is in your memory bank... don't be afraid to look for it... here is where it started with me... We all have at least one place in the world where we experience feeling of belonging, happiness and empowerment... I'm really lucky, I have a handful... but you have to be willing sometimes to go out of your comfort zone to find them.

I'm convinced that a positive mindset and happiness go hand in hand... from here you can start making the necessary changes or alterations to living your best life...and you will find your way to where your heart wants to be where you feel happy and healthy and not heavy  and hurt... but realize that there will always be grief and sorrow in life and there is nothing you can do to stop it... it would be like fighting a tidal wave... so you have to learn new ways to swim sometimes to get past it.

Let's talk for a minute about the people in your life...it took far to long for me to completely walk away from the toxic people who were in my life... blood is not thicker than water, it's just messy mostly and if it's leaving and indelible stain and shadow on your happiness and well being you have to decide if the payoff is worth the pain... for me it was not...and that manifested changes with the people I associated with personally and professionally... it's a difficult pill to swallow the first time but it's better to loose others than lose yourself. After a through house cleaning of the wrong people... you are left with quality over quantity... I was thinking recently that I used to have a lot of friends when I was younger... truth be told... I didn't have more friends... I just knew a lot of people.

When you find that one (or maybe two or three) that rock, that best friend... the one who truly gets you, that one that makes your worst days a little better...hold on tight, really tight to those people because they are the ones who come along once... maybe twice and if you are really lucky three times in a lifetime.... Once you recognize that the people in your life are either reflections of a repeated cycle you need to learn from or are the guides toward something new and better you start to recognize people for who they are... and it makes things much, much easier... and you will be less likely to be hurt from the people who do not come into your life with feelings of mutual admiration and respect... One of my biggest issues is disrespectful  behavior and attitudes... and there is a simple test...Of everything in life time is not renewable... in life and love there is almost no form of disrespect higher than wasting someones else's time... being late is a broken promise...it tells people waiting for you that you don't respect them or their time.

Start by setting goals... small goals that are easy... medium size goals that take some time and effort... and a few big goals that you can't possible achieve until you grow into the person who can. I've said before but it bears repeating... make the best decisions possible... making the worst decisions usually has a horrible outcome...

So... I hope that helps... but you need a pen and a piece of paper... write down everything that matters that will help you live your best life... my list has pieces of all the places I've been and the people I have loved, my favorite songs and books and quotes from movies...and whispered conversations in the moonlight fragranced with music and Champagne tickling my nose.

See you next month!