Turning a corner

We're now halfway through winter and after a rough start, I find that I am feeling quite content.  Maybe part of the reason is having work that I enjoy, making sure I exercise and dance, and finding I can bounce back from feeling blue.  Realizing that it's easier to go with the feeling and let it move through me, rather than fight it.  Because it does pass and the less I fight it, the faster is seems to go.



I wanted to share three quotes that I'm sure I've written about before, but really resonate with me and I hope they do with you:

"It is not the critic that counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better.

The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again,

because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause;

who at best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly.....

Theodore Roosevelt


"If you want to avoid criticism: do nothing; say nothing; be nothing."

Aristotle


"My teacher Trungpa Rinpoche encouraged us to lead our lives as an experiment, a suggestion that has been very important to me.  When we approach life as an experiment we are willing to approach it this way and that way because, either way, we have nothing to lose.

This immense flexibility is something I learned from watching Trungpa Rinpoche.  His enthusiasm enabled him to accomplish and amazing amount in his life.  When some things didn't work out, Rinpoche's attitude was 'it's no big deal.'  If it's time for something to flourish, it will; if it's not time, it won't. 

The trick is not getting caught in hope and fear.  We can put our whole heart into whatever we do; but if we freeze our attitude for or against, we're setting ourselves up for stress.  Instead, we could just go forward with curiosity, wondering where this experiment will lead."

Pema Chodron "No Time to Lose"

I've also been re-reading "The Power of Now" by Eckhart Tolle.  I can't believe how much I'm learning, particularly about relationships.  Even just saying that there are only 6 more weeks till spring is the antithesis of Tolle's book.  There is only now!  Enjoy it!