It is as you say amazing to start living, really living! And I hope to inspire many people as my path continues to widen in this life :)

I am blown away by Julie’s story here, too… following a conventional routine for an unconventional purpose is definitely a great approach to this great debate (should I stay or should I go?).

Thanks!

We are programed now to push and not enjoy. I sat in traffic the other day for 45 minutes, moving 1/2 a mile, and realized, it’s this type of time that many face daily..being I don’t, I just let my mind wander, and enjoyed the thinking time. But, imagine what that does to those on a strict schedule of deadlines, meetings, soccer games, etc.. it makes them all that more anxious.

Learning to slow down and enjoy what is in front of us, is so tough, I wish I had an easy answer to help those that are so pent up with the aggravation of this day in and day out life. Realizing we are only here for a short spell, is sort of how I deal with it, each day..each person, one at a time…

We can live for others, namely society, or we can live for ourselves. Ultimately the latter is usually the only one that provides true contentment and until we come to that point, we may always feel like there is something missing.

@LIARA – Ah yes, the story of those 2 doctors is a wonderful one!

As for yourself there is indeed nothing quite like reconnecting to who you truly are! To getting in touch with our souls, our emotions, our true essence.
Life is just never the same once one connects to all that. Some people may still lose it from time to time, BUT you never forget what it tastes like to be true to yourself and live life according to your own personal rules not somebody else’s.

That freedom, fulfillment and contentment is undeniably delicious!

Evelyn’story touches me. It reminds me of an asian girlfriend of mine who is single, a lawyer and relocated to a new country for a job which an attractive salary and perks. Yet, she is lonely, unsatisfied and unfulfilled. I believe no matter what your conditions, to a degree, you always have choices and freedom to change. To develop faith in uncertainty is what makes you stronger. You also learn to listen differently to yourself and attune to energies within yourself you had forgotten.

As for me, for years, I exerted efforts to conform to fit certain categories and labels. Yet, it never worked as I had initially thought I should. I had internships in large organisations but these never evolved into permanent work. Instead, I had a variety of contractual positions and eventually reconnected with my entrepreneurial and spiritual soul. I finally began to accept myself as I am. As this post implies, happiness is a journey, a perpetual learning curve, not a destination.

Indeed if we just stop one moment and try to capture where we are and where we are all going, it can make the difference between life and death – that is spiritual life or death.

@BHAKTA – Although positive thinking is crucial, one must also “be” positive as our essence cannot be fooled. One can think all the positives they want, but if they do not follow through and really believe in their thoughts, they may find themselves going around in circles.

@JOHNLAZY – Pressure from society is indeed strong and for some even more so than others. That is where our personal guidance system has to come in, to turn us back to our roots of being, of living.

We are ultimately not on this Earth for anyone, but ourselves. And if we live for others, we are only taking away from our own experience.

Indeed all of these experiences can and do shape us, but the one who grows and realigns themselves to the lesson is the one who will find they move through life with ease for their own experience, not struggling to keep up with other’s experiences.

C’est la vie!