Great read Turtle!- and to re-read, over and over again. I'd like to add to it! Let's see if we can keep this moving~
A time comes in your life when you finally get it... .
when, in the midst of all your fears and insanity,
you stop dead in your tracks and somewhere
the voice inside your head cries out... .
ENOUGH! Enough fighting and crying and blaming
and struggling to hold on
Then, like a child quieting down after a tantrum,
you blink back your tears and begin to look
at the world through new eyes.
This is your awakening.
You realize it's time to stop hoping and waiting
for something to change, or for happiness,
safety, and security to magically appear
over the next horizon.
You realize that in the real world there aren't always
fairy tale endings,
and that any guarantee of "happily ever after"
must begin with you... .
and in the process a sense of serenity is born of acceptance
You awaken to the fact that you are not perfect
and that not everyone will always love, appreciate
or approve of who or what you are... .and that's OK.
They are entitled to their own views and opinions.
You learn the importance of loving and championing yourself... .
and in the process a sense of
new found confidence is born of self-approval.
You stop complaining and blaming other people for the
things they did to you - or didn't do for you -
and you learn that the only thing you can really count on is the
unexpected.
You learn that people don't always say what they mean
or mean what they say and that not everyone will always be there
for you and that everything isn't always about you.
So, you learn to stand on your own and to take care of yourself... .
and in the process a sense of safety and security is born of self-reliance.
You stop judging and pointing fingers and you begin to accept
people as they are and to overlook their shortcomings and human frailties... .
and in the process a sense of peace and contentment are born of forgiveness.
You learn to open up to new worlds and different points of view.
You begin reassessing and redefining who you are and what you really stand for.
You learn the difference between wanting and needing
and you begin to discard the doctrines and values you've outgrown,
or should never have bought into to begin with.
You learn that there is power and glory in creating
and contributing and you stop maneuvering
through life merely as a "consumer" looking for your next fix.
You learn that principles such as honesty and integrity are not the
outdated ideals of a bygone era, but the mortar that holds together
the foundation upon which you must build a life.
You learn that you don't know everything,
it's not your job to save the world
You learn that the only cross to bear is the one you
choose to carry and that martyrs get burned at the stake.
Then you learn about love.
You learn to look at relationships as
they really are and not as you would have them be.
You learn that alone does not mean lonely.
You stop trying to control situations and outcomes.
You learn to distinguish between guilt and responsibility
and the importance of setting boundaries and learning to say NO.
You also stop working so hard at putting your feelings
aside, smoothing things over and ignoring your needs.
You learn that being tired fuels doubt, fear, and uncertainty
and so you take more time to rest.
And, just as food fuels the body, laughter fuels our soul.
So you take more time to laugh and to play.
You learn that, for the most part, you get in life what
you believe you deserve, and that much of life truly
is a self-fulfilling prophecy.
You learn that anything worth achieving is worth working
for and that wishing for something to happen is different
than working toward making it happen.
More importantly, you learn that in order to achieve success you
need direction, discipline and perseverance.
You also learn that no one can do it all alone,
and that it's OKAY to risk asking for help.
You learn the only thing you must truly fear is fear itself.
You learn to step right into and through your fears because you
know that whatever happens you can handle it and to
give in to fear is to give away the right to live life on your own terms.
You learn to fight for your life and not to squander
it living under a cloud of impending doom.
You learn that life isn't always fair, you don't always
get what you think you deserve and that sometimes
bad things happen to unsuspecting, good people... .
and you learn not to always take it personally.
You learn that nobody's punishing you and everything
isn't always somebody's fault.
It's just life happening.
You learn to admit when you are wrong
and to build bridges instead of walls.
You learn that negative feelings such as anger,
envy and resentment must be understood and redirected
or they will suffocate the life out
of you and poison the universe that surrounds you.
You learn to be thankful and to take comfort in many
of the simple things we take for granted, things
that millions of people upon the earth can only dream about:
a full refrigerator, clean running water, a soft warm bed,
a long hot shower.
Then, you begin to take responsibility for yourself by yourself
and you make yourself a promise to never
betray yourself and to never, ever settle
for less than your heart's desire.
You make it a point to keep smiling, to keep trusting,
and to stay open to every wonderful possibility.
You understood that nobody can love as you do
or give themselves as you do
Just because you are You…
Finally, with courage in your heart, you take a stand,
you take a deep breath, and you
begin to design the life you want to live
as best you can.
First of all - you have to stop beating yourself up.
