en*light life

On a personal note… A moment of enlightenment

September 5, 2009

Turning 30

I wanted to take a few moments and share my latest personal bit of enlightenment.

Yesterday I turned 30. My over-achiever goal was to “take care” of so many things by the time I turned 30. I was supposed to have everything figured out – from personal finances, how to start our business, have a successful relationship leading to lifelong partnership, figure out the secret to eating everything I want and not gain weight, figure out how to look young forever, and have everything I’ve always dreamed. I suppose I wasn’t very realistic, but every year for the last few years, I have written a laundry list of things that I wanted to accomplish leading up to the big 30.

The day before the big day I was in panic, taking stock of my life and wondering if I was a failure for not accomplishing all my goals. Then, something told me to stop and BREATHE. The next moment I recalled conversations with my dad as a little girl, and how he would always tell me that he didn’t accomplish his dreams, and that it was now “my time” (to accomplish his dreams of wealth, etc.).  Realizing that my dad was telling me all this when he was in his early 30’s, I wondered for a moment if I had already missed my chance.

Breathe…

And then it occurred to me that it’s never too late. I recalled a quote from a book I read once. The gist of the quote was that denying our dreams was denying our life mission we were given. Similarly, another favorite quote was also a point of inspiration: If you can imagine it you can create it. If you can dream it, you can become it (William A. Ward).

Another breathe…and another revelation. Not only is it NOT too late, but my life and inspiration doesn’t come from lists of goals that takes years to accomplish (and providing myself impossible deadlines). Therefore, I decided that instead of another laundry list of life improvements, my goal wasn’t to be perfect. Rather, my goal was to be. Be comfortable with my current career path, be comfortable at my current weight, be comfortable at the progress towards all my goals, be comfortable with going about the world without Mr. Right (although I’ll keep a door open for him), and finally, be comfortable at my age and all that I have accomplished.

Taking stock of my life, I am grateful. Grateful for the wonderful friends and family I have in my life. Grateful that there are no fair-weather people in my life. Grateful for my overall health. Grateful for what I have accomplished in my career and in academia. Grateful for my sanity (despite my quirks). Grateful for the support and love I am surrounded with, and grateful for my life’s mission and dreams.

A wise elderly gentleman (ok, he’s neighbor) told me that the next 30 years are going to go quickly. I believe him, but I also know that it is important that as I walk towards the direction of my dreams that I also stop and breathe, and look back at my progress and revel in gratefulness for who I am, where I am going, and how far I’ve come.

May we all go confidently in the direction of our dreams..

Love,
Amber

P.S. I have been blessed with many gifts, and my “gift” back are some inspiring quotes that I love:

“Expect your every need to be met, expect the answer to every problem, expect abundance on every level, expect to grow spiritually” - Caddy, Eileen

“Magic has often been thought of us the art of making dreams come true; the art of realizing visions. Yet before we can bring birth to the vision we have to see it.” – Starhawk

“Your own words are the bricks and mortar of the dreams you want to realize. Your words are the greatest power you have. The words you choose and the use establish the life you experience.” – Croquette,Sonia

“Within our dreams and aspirations we find our opportunities” - Ebaugh, Sue

“Energy creates energy. It is by spending oneself that one becomes rich.” - Bernhardt, Sarah

“The world is moving so fast these days that the man who says it can’t be done is generally interrupted by someone doing it.”
- Fosdick, Harry Emerson

“If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.” – Thoreau, Henry David

‘The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” – Roosevelt, Eleanor

Filed under: Inspiration