So I talked to my older sister recently. She was talking about wanting to change careers, possibly start her own business. Currently she is a registered nurse and makes very good money. However, it was never her dream to become a nurse. In fact it was our parent’s dream. My parents instilled in her the notion of pragmatism when it came to careers. “Be a nurse or be a doctor or something in the medical field because it is a sure route to making good money.” I think they said something along those lines. I for one ditched their belief and went on my own path… a creative path that has yet to see monetary rewards. Yet, I think I’m happier than her. She told me during our conversation that she didn’t really know her passion. I asked her did she still have some burning childhood desire/dream within her. She replied, “no.” Okay… “What gets you going right now and makes you excited,” I asked. No response. Wow was it really possible for someone to not have a dream?! I guess I’ve been in this entertainment town called Los Angeles far too long (b/c here everyone and I mean EVERYONE’s got a dream). After much probing, my sister did mention her fiance wanted to open up a Greek restaurant (the guy is Greek so it’s quite fitting). But then I thought isn’t that his dream? Anyway, she finally revealed that her dream is to be ridiculously rich and have a good life. Okay fair enough. And I told her: Your Dreams Are Worthy! So are everyone else’s dreams really. So going back to this idea of attaining the good life and her fiance wanting to open up a restaurant. I asked her do you know anything about running a restaurant??? Or a business? She’s a nurse so I know she can take good care of her clients 
. But seriously, if she wants to achieve her dreams she’s got to have a game plan. So that’s when I told her it’s time to take action. And I’m not saying to achieve that goal within a week. I’m talking baby steps. I told her to pick up or buy a book on running a business and/or running a restaurant. I felt she needed to start expanding her mind first because all she knows is nursing and also listening to mom and dad. See, to be a successful entrepreneur (or successful anything) you gotta have the guts, drive and resolve to go against the status quo to realize your dreams. You can dream but sooner or later you gotta take that action towards it. And again it doesn’t have to be all done by next week. One step at a time. Anyway, my sister thanked me profusely on giving her the idea to read a book on starting a business. Funny though, I would think that would be the first logical step someone would take in her position — research. And if after researching through books, magazines, or the internet you are still convinced that’s the path you should take then the I would recommend interviewing people who have made it successfully in that particular field. I have talked to many successful people in my field and it’s only inspired me and pushed me to become better at my craft and finish projects. So yeah talking to people in the field really helps motivate oneself. To find these people, you can attend seminars, panels, networking events, go though your career center at school, asking your own network for referrals, etc. The possibilities are endless. Really, if you’re serious and you put it out there and take action when the inspiration occurs, the universe will bring the right people and opportunities at you. No sweat. It’s up to you to grab them. Just remember: Your Dreams Are Worthy!!!
Archive for the 'Goals' Category
Have you ever heard of the saying that we are all the same? That the essential part of me is the essential part of you? Yes, I agree that we are made of stars. But go down even deeper and some may say that we are all interconnected. We are ONE soul. Now do I believe this? Yes. In fact, you could think of it as one soul or mind having different interpretations. Thus, you have your own life that you see with your “eyes” as I have the same. We are one.
However, life for the most part (at least in the capitalistic society I live in) seems so fragmented and that people are busy being divided and living individualistically rather than as part of a whole. Unfortunately, these types of attitudes get people and societies in trouble as they argue and in the end battle each other for their elusive gold (and kill each other and destroy the Earth while at it). The reason why people act in such ways that ultimately divide is because the ego-self is in control. Now what is the ego-self or ego, you may ask? It is the part of us that constantly thinks and constantly needs reaffirming of its own existence. It is the part that says “I” and creates the illusion of your identity and your individualism. Thus, its very nature is to always create divisions, labels and non-unity (which leads to all sorts of problems for humankind).
Yet it seems to be a pipe dream for everyone to let go of their ego and start working as a whole for the betterment of humankind. Well not entirely. You see, if everyone is really the same thing and is just one thing, then dissolving your own ego would be suffice for the betterment of all. There’s a beautiful and true adage that says: as above, so below. This means that everything is a microcosm or macrocosm of something. Or another way to put it is that you can put forth change in the universe by changing your own universe (your own mind). A lot of people (including myself) have believed that the universe is of effect, meaning that what happened, happened and you are just a product of all things forth and had nothing to do with it (a very victim mentality). Well, I have learned that you have everything to do with it. In fact, you created everything that’s happening to you and that will always happen to you. It is a causal place so that whatever you do has an effect–simply cause and effect. So once you change how you see the world, then everything else changes with it–sort of like a ripple effect.
Now how do you change how you see the world? Well, I really like how Eckart Tolle explains in his book, A New Earth. He basically says that in order to dissolve the ego, you first need to become aware of your thoughts and emotions. The reason for this is that you typically identify yourself with your thoughts and emotions (I am hungry. I am happy. I am sad). But that is false. You are not your emotions or any of your thoughts. You are divine presence. And when you become aware of yourself thinking these thoughts, then they are no longer identified with you because you are outside of them. Then you realize you are much more and much deeper than what you formerly thought you were. You are timeless, divine being.
A step further, you come to the realization that not only is your individual self/body an illusion but everyone else is too. I mean isn’t there only ONE? How can there be a bunch of “individual” persons or souls out there? Well, folks, that’s the GRAND ILLUSION or maya. So whatever you do or say to another is really toward or about yourself; thus, unconditional love is crucial. Once you come to this awareness, then you are able to break free and advance spiritually to become enlightened. It’s not going to be an easy road. Trust me, I am consistently practicing and sometimes (or a lot of the times) the ego finds ways to creep back in and messes you up. But I keep trying and everyday I learn and am more aware and grow as a result. I know achieving true peace of mind is eternal and just plain worth it
