Leaving The City of Regret

I had not really planned on taking a trip this time of year, and
yet I found myself packing rather hurriedly. This trip was
going to be unpleasant, and I knew in advance that no real good
would come of it. I'm talking about my annual "Guilt Trip."

I got tickets to fly there on Wish I Had airlines.
It was an extremely short flight.

I got my baggage, which I could not check. I chose to carry it
myself all the way. It was weighted down with a thousand
memories of what might have been.

No one greeted me as I entered the terminal to the Regret City
International Airport. I say international because people from
all over the world come to this dismal town.

As I checked into the Last Resort Hotel, I noticed that they
would be hosting the year's most important event, the Annual
Pity Party. I wasn't going to miss that great social occasion.
Many of the town's leading citizens would be there.

First, there would be the Done family, you know,
Should Have,
Would Have
and Could Have.

Then came the I Had family.
You probably know ol' Wish and his clan.

Of course, the Opportunities would be present, Missed and Lost.

The biggest family would be the Yesterday's. There are far too
many of them to count, but each one would have a very sad story
to share.

Then Shattered Dreams would surely make an appearance. And It's
Their Fault would regale us with stories (excuses) about how
things had failed in his life, and each story would be loudly
applauded by Don't Blame Me and I Couldn't Help It.

Well, to make a long story short, I went to this depressing
party knowing that there would be no real benefit in doing so.
And, as usual, I became very depressed.

But as I thought about all of the stories of failures brought
back from the past, it occurred to me that all of this trip and
subsequent "pity party" could be cancelled by ME!

I started to truly realize that I did not have to be there.
I didn't have to be depressed. One thing kept going through my
mind, I CAN'T CHANGE YESTERDAY, BUT I DO HAVE
THE POWER TO MAKE TODAY A WONDERFUL DAY.

I can be happy, joyous, fulfilled, encouraged, as well as
encouraging. Knowing this, I left the City of Regret
immediately and left no forwarding address.

Am I sorry for mistakes I've made in the past? YES!
But there is no physical way to undo them.

So, if you're planning a trip back to the City of Regret, please
cancel all your reservations now.

Instead, take a trip to a place called, Starting Again. I liked
it so much that I have now taken up permanent residence there.

My neighbors, the I Forgive Myselfs and the New Starts are so
very helpful. By the way, you don't have to carry around heavy
baggage because the load is lifted from your shoulders upon arrival.

Please look me up. I live on I Can Do It street.

Belive Alive

I SHALL ALLOW

I shall allow myself to feel capable
-- so that I may seek excellence.

I shall allow myself to feel sadness
-- so that joy may return.

I shall allow myself to feel happy
-- so that I may be revitalised.

I shall allow myself to feel afraid
-- so that I may find courage.

I shall allow myself to feel alone
-- so that I may know me.

I shall allow myself to feel beautiful
-- so that I may feel free.

I shall allow myself to feel loveable
-- so that the loving may seek me.

I shall allow myself to feel pain
-- so that I may heal.

I shall allow myself to feel worthy
-- so that I may fulfil my purpose.

When I am centred, I see the
perfection in the world,
myself and others.

When I find the world to be imperfect, I will take
responsibility for painting it that way. I will look into
the heart of a rose, or the eyes of a
new-born baby and again know perfection.

I take responsibility for creating
my own life story through
the choices I have made
-- to blame others is to give away my personal power.
Who will I allow to write the next chapter of my life?
I shall make a small difference on this planet through the
work I do -- when I leave I will have done my share. I shall
live, love, laugh, and learn on my journey ...

The Important Things

Sometimes people come into your life and you know right away that they were meant to be there, to serve some sort of purpose, teach you a lesson, or to help you figure out who you are or who you want to become.

You never know who these people may be - a roommate, a neighbor, a professor, a friend, a lover, or even a complete stranger - but when you lock eyes with them, you know at that very moment they will affect your life in some profound way.

Sometimes things happen to you that may seem horrible, painful, and unfair at first, but in reflection you find that without overcoming those obstacles you would have never realized your potential, strength, willpower, or heart.

Illness, injury, love, lost moments of true greatness, and sheer stupidity all occur to test the limits of your soul. Without these small tests, whatever they may be, life would be like a smoothly paved straight flat road to nowhere. It would be safe and comfortable, but dull and utterly pointless.

The people you meet who affect your life, and the success and downfalls you experience, help to create who you are and who you become. Even the bad experiences can be learned from. In fact, they are sometimes the most important ones.

If someone loves you, give love back to them in whatever way you can, not only because they love you, but because in a way, they are teaching you to love and how to open your heart and eyes to things.

If someone hurts you, betrays you, or breaks your heart, forgive them, for they have helped you learn about trust and the importance of being cautious to whom you open your heart.

Make every day count. Appreciate every moment and take from those moments everything that you possibly can for you may never be able to experience it again. Talk to people that you have never talked to before, and listen to what they have to say.

Let yourself fall in love, break free, and set your sights high. Hold your head up because you have every right to. Tell yourself you are a great individual and believe in yourself, for if you don't believe in yourself, it will be hard for others to believe in you.

You can make anything you wish of your life. Create your own life and then go out and live it with absolutely no regrets.

And if you love someone tell them, for you never know what tomorrow may have in store.

Learn a lesson in life each day that you live! Today is the tomorrow you were worried about yesterday. Was it worth it?

Write Your hurts