Following My Heart, Retaining My Spunk, and Being Constructive by Deb Smouse
It’s been years since I have been a regular church-goer. It isn’t that I don’t have faith; it’s honestly that I have discovered that I don’t need to be IN a church to find my God. On occasion, however, I do find comfort and peace in attending Mass at a Catholic Church.
No, this is not going to be a religious piece of rhetoric, but it’s good to know this background of information to understand how the light bulb went off in my head in recent weeks.
I was driving home from the gym, feeling all kinds of fabulous, and I began to wonder why it was I hadn’t been in so long. Once I get there and get started, I feel absolutely amazing, so why is it such a struggle to make myself go? As I was mulling this over, it hit me as a piece of the Mass came to me: a public confession when we ask for forgiveness and say the words “what I have done and what I have failed to do”. I realized that though I didn’t purposely live a life filled with self-destructive tendencies, I was, to be honest, being quite self-destructive in what I was “failing to do” for myself. Not only do I skip going to the gym, but I hate to cook for just myself and I sometimes I forget to take my blood pressure medication. It was in that moment when I realized what one of my words needed to be in 2009: Constructive.
Constructive encompasses all areas of my life, not just my physical health. Is the current contract I’m working on constructive for my career? Is the man I am dating a constructive relationship? Are the choices I am making – or not making – constructive to the overall quality of my life? I don’t want to live passively. Constructive will encourage me to live dynamically.
And because three words worked very well for me in the journey of my life in 2008, I felt that to continue on this journey of a life lived with intent, that three words was indeed the way for me to go in 2009. Besides, I have ADD tendencies and one word would find me bored and off task because of the monotony of it all.
I am here to tell you that following my passion and living with courage this past year were the keys to me taking some chances and finding my inspiration. Passion, especially, will never not be a part of my existence. In addition to passion, though, I find that I have good instincts (at least when it comes to my business life), so keeping on the forefront of my mind to remember to follow my heart. Remembering my heart is certainly a way of being true to my soul, isn’t it?
But then, there is my tendency to become withdrawn and reclusive at times. Though I made decisions with courage in mind, there are always moments when I allow the fear to creep in. 2009 will be the year that I make a concerted focus of stepping away from fears and taking a chance. It was there that my third word for 2009 came to me, and that is spunk. If I keep the spunky part of myself in the foreground instead of the background, then getting past my fears, encourage me to take all the potential of the world and the lessons I learn, and head out into the world with a greater degree of assurances.
What about you? Do you have words to live by in 2009? Special goals or areas of focus for you life? Please, share with us. As for me, I hope you continue to stick with me to follow through this journey of my life as we experience 2009. I promise to update you on the songs in my heart, the thrill of taking risks as I retain my spunk, and the rewards of being constructive.
Deb Smouse is the Editor in Chief at All Things Girl. In recent month, she edged over the “age forty” line. She loves traveling, words, sometimes sings along with the radio, and dreams of sunny beaches - and meeting a man who can dance. Find out more about Deb on our About Page.
