akaMaytag

The Chrysalis Stage It has been a while since I posted anything on here. Since my last post, I have made my blog private and removed all social media. Only when I realized a career change was imminent did I restart LinkedIn, which has been my link to the outside world. So, what has been happening, you ask? I struggled mightily to find purpose in my work. I have worked full-time since the first week of my senior year in High School. Doing the “responsible thing”, just like I was taught. It didn't matter what I was paid, how I was treated, or how I felt; I put my head down and pushed through. I continued the pattern of taking on a big challenge, problems that needed to be fixed. That kept my mind occupied until all the fires were put out, all obvious dangers were removed, and things were operating smoothly and quietly. Now what? The business metrics alone were not enough for me. I needed something more. Five years ago, I began building a Community Support network that supported local...

  The Dangers of Attachment There is a parable that is used to illustrate the danger of attachment and the power of letting go. How many times in our lives have we refused to let go of something that kept us trapped? All we had to do was let go, and we would be free, but that is not an easy or natural thing to do. It tells of a group of villagers in the tropics who found that they could trap monkeys by cutting a hole in a coconut and placing seeds, sweet rice, or fruit inside. The hole was just big enough for the monkey to slide his hand in, but not big enough to pull it out with a closed fist. All they had to do was let go of the seeds; it turned out that the monkeys would rather get caught than give up the seeds. As we all know, letting go can feel challenging if not impossible. We cling to outdated beliefs, desires, or hold on to grudges, which can prevent us from finding a solution. Maybe it is a career path or job that does not feed our souls.  South Indian Monkey Tra...

 “Do not be too hard, lest you be broken; do not be too soft, lest you be squeezed.” ~ Ali ibn Abi Talib ~ Finding Balance and Peace  It can be challenging to find a sense of balance in life. It could even feel almost insurmountable at times. We must remain strong enough to continue moving forward while staying aware of the needs of others around us. If we are too protective of ourselves, we will shut people out, but if we are not careful, our souls and spirits can become drained. Sometimes, the more compassionate and caring you are, the more people take advantage of you, and you feel more pain. I have yet to figure out how to manage this balancing act. I have been called a highly sensitive person or an Empath, who absorbs energy from my surroundings. Negative or bad energy is like a punch in the gut to me. I can hardly watch or listen to network news without feeling ill. Some people can be draining to be around; this is why I strive to surround myself with caring people. I fe...

  What If? "I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still, I can do something, and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I can do."  ~ Edward Everett Hale ~ With so much suffering and dysfunction in the world, how can I make a difference? Have you ever felt like this? I think most of us have at one time or another. There is no way we can fix all the problems of the world, right? Of course, we can’t, but what if we did one or two things a day? What if those one or two things encourage others to do the same? What if we treat each other with compassion and kindness? What if that kindness and compassion to one person radiates to the whole universe? A simple smile or greeting could make someone feel seen. Patient, non-judgmental listening might make someone feel heard. A timely, sincere check-in on someone who is struggling could make all the difference in the world. This may sound idealistic and naive, but again, wha...

  “To live is to suffer, to survive is to find some meaning in the suffering.” ~Friedrich Nietzsche~ When I decided to start a new blog, I was hoping to post only positive, uplifting content. But, is that even realistic? Well, I know it is possible to only write about positive, motivating things; can it be done and still be honest? If you approach everything like all you have to do is “think positive” and everything will be lollipops and rainbows, you are setting yourself up for failure. As Mike Tyson said, “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth”, and Eric Thomas said, “Everybody wants to be a beast until it’s time to do what real beasts do”. I am by no means, saying that you should be harmful or not look for positives in people and life. What I am saying is, be ready for when it gets dirty. I decided a while back that I am here for a different purpose than many others. My service to others is not always visible or distinguishable. People are put in my lif...

  COVID for Christmas (Probably not the next Hallmark Channel movie) One thing it did was to get me refocused on what I eat. I had been justifying less-than-stellar habits again. COVID took away my taste and appetite for long enough for me to think about what I was doing. It is time to revisit my original goal and see if it is still reasonable. I think it might still be in range but, it is going to take a lot more work and effort than I have been putting forth.  Let’s talk about isolation and zero human interaction. At first, it is okay. You can tell yourself that this is a time when no one can intrude and you can relax (not to mention I felt like crap). After days of this, you start to feel the emptiness in your soul. I am indeed an introvert at heart but no one likes forced isolation.  What about the New Year? I am not a “New Year’s resolution” person, most resolutions fail because people set unrealistic goals in the future with little commitment to follow through. It i...