Design Your Destiny: Life is What You Make It

Written by Michelle L. Casto, M.Ed.


Your PERFECTLY DESIGNED LIFE Like William Henley who once said, “I amrepparttar master of my fate. The captain of my soul,” I agree that Life is a Do-It Yourself project. If you want to live a certain kind of life, you are going to have to be proactive so you can consciously create life as you would like it. You must first mentally visualize and then physically create what you want. You can do this by having a clear vision and developing strong intentions. Your life is your gift, how you appreciate it and use it is entirely up to you. Take this story as an example ofrepparttar 123813 importance of building it with excellence and pride (author unknown): An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer-contractor of his plans to leaverepparttar 123814 house-building business and live a more leisurely life with his wife enjoying his extended family. He would missrepparttar 123815 paycheck, but he needed to retire. They could get by. The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favor. The carpenter said yes, but in time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end a dedicated career. Whenrepparttar 123816 carpenter finished his work,repparttar 123817 employer came to inspectrepparttar 123818 house. He handedrepparttar 123819 front-door key torepparttar 123820 carpenter. “This is your house,” he said, “my gift to you.” The carpenter was shocked! What a shame! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently.

So it is with us. We build our lives, a day at a time, often putting less than our best intorepparttar 123821 building. Then we are shocked to realize we have to live inrepparttar 123822 house we have built! If we could do it over, we’d do it much differently. And better. But you cannot go back. You arerepparttar 123823 carpenter. Each day you hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall. Your attitudes andrepparttar 123824 choices you make today buildrepparttar 123825 house you live in tomorrow. Build wisely! Build with commitment, pride, joy, and love. When designingrepparttar 123826 life you want to live andrepparttar 123827 work you want to do, it is important to pay attention to your longings/yearnings--- this is your soul trying to communicate with you its deepest desires. The word intuition is latin for “in to you,” and by learning to listen to your intuition, you will make wiser decisions. Contrary to popular belief, life is not meant to be a struggle. You are meant to experience ease and enjoyment, but you have to learn to listen to what your higher self is saying to you. And then you have to take action by designing your “life blueprint.”

Red Rock Lesson

Written by Helaine Iris


Red Rock Lesson Helaine Iris © 2002

“Courage, contrary to popular belief, is notrepparttar absence of fear. Courage isrepparttar 123812 wisdom to act in spite of fear.” —John-Roger and Peter McWilliams

As part of my personal journey and commitment to live a fulfilled life I embarked on a spiritual pilgrimage to deepen my self-understanding and to seek answers to questions I was having about my life. I traveled to Sedona Arizona to connect withrepparttar 123813 desert and amazing red rock formations.

After visiting a number of powerful sites I felt drawn to a beautiful mountain. Standing in front of this breathtaking prominence, I wanted to get torepparttar 123814 top. Now, let me share that I am no mountain climber. I was raised in suburbia. I love nature and hiking and usually stick torepparttar 123815 trails. I was afraid and yet, I knew that I had to face my fear and climb torepparttar 123816 top of this formidable rock. It was a rainy February day late inrepparttar 123817 afternoon when I started my ascent.

When I got to about three quarters ofrepparttar 123818 way uprepparttar 123819 craggy side ofrepparttar 123820 face I hit my own internal wall. It was a wall of fear; actually, terror. My first impulse was to turn around and retreat back down where I felt safe but something inside me urged me on.

There, alone onrepparttar 123821 side of this mountain I felt vulnerable torepparttar 123822 elements and became acutely aware ofrepparttar 123823 potential physical danger I could have been in. I knew I had a choice and yet I also knew if I didn’t seize this opportunity I would be disappointed in myself.

I carefully chose my next steps inching my way higher. Through my tears I began to watch my mind as it ran through an endless litany of self-doubt, limitation and my fear of death. I was hard on myself and didn’t want to leave my “comfort zone”. I knew I must.

As I stood there precariously I became aware of how this climb was a metaphor for my life. I noticed where I resist pushing myself to move past my fears and step into unknown territory. Although I felt successful and accomplished, I thought about how I hold back and don’t completely go for what I want in my life.

I thought about why I was climbing that rock inrepparttar 123824 first place. I was in search of freedom; I was looking for a higher perspective and to appreciaterepparttar 123825 view. I wanted to feelrepparttar 123826 exhilaration of achieving something beyond what was safe and comfortable yet why did it feel like I had to risk my personal safety and face death in order to get to there?

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