Friday, September 24, 2010

It's a brand new day (Repost)

Commitment unlocks the doors of imagination, allows vision, and gives us the "right stuff" to turn our dreams into reality. James Womack
I went back into my old posts to see... how far have I come? How has my writing evolved? What have I learned. What have I changed? Is there a theme to my writing? My learning? My yearnings?...

This post was my third post on this blog. I began writing in this space on the tenth of March 2007. I began writing and kept writing. It was a commitment.

What I found fascinating about this piece is.... some things do not change. Keeping commitments is as important today as it was then. And even thought it becomes easier knowing I must keep my commitments to myself ... I still struggle to keep my commitments with myself.

There's good learning there. Good information for me to embrace and expand upon, breathe into.

Have a brand new day filled with miracles and never stop learning, never stop growing and evolving and embracing all that you can be when you live fearlessly in the rapture of now.

March 21, 2007. It's early. I stare at the blank page and wonder, what will I write?

Go back to bed the rebel inside me whispers. Why bother?

Shhhh, I tell the voice of letting myself off the hook. I made a commitment. I will write on this page every day whether I have 'something to say' or nothing to report. I will write.

The blank page keeps staring back.I need to trust. Trust in the process of writing. Trust in the creative spirit. Trust in me.

A new day rises as under a blanket of snow, spring emerges, hopefully, and I wonder, what will it bring? I cannot see into the future and yet, I trust that spring will appear from beneath the snow. I have confidence in the weather. Confidence in the turning of the seasons. I can feel spring in the air, feel it awakening from beneath winter's blanket.I stare at the blank screen.

Turn and gaze out the window. I cannot see into the murky darkness where white flakes tumble to the ground. The house is quiet and I feel sleepy. I think about going back to bed and then remember my commitment. I will write a new page every day.

What if I don't do it? What if I just go back to bed? Nothing will be lost. Just a page that won't be created. And I'll be able to enjoy a few more minutes sleep.I made a commitment.

I need to keep it. I need to stay true to myself. This is for me.

There's a recurring theme here. Make a commitment to myself. Compromise. Lose the commitment. Lose the opportunity to turn up for me.If I don't keep this commitment, what other commitment to myself won't I keep?

I think about advantages. Reasons why I need to do it and of course, reasons why I don't have to bother.

My commitment is to write on this page everyday. See what happens. See what develops. There's no real purpose other than to write every morning. Create a new habit. Create something of value -- possibly. Create a sense of well-being -- for sure. I'll be keeping a commitment I made with myself.

That's a biggie.How many times have I said, I will lose 10 pounds. I will go to the gym every day. I will ...And then not done it?

How many times have I let myself down? Let myself off the hook? Let myself get away with behaviour that does not support me, does not make me feel like I count, does not make me feel like I make a difference? How many times?

I can't count them. But there's a theme here. A pattern I've slipped into over time of making little commitments, and big one's, and then not following through. And when I don't I know what I will feel -- that's when I can tell the future!

Because when I don't keep my commitments, whether with myself or others, I feel like a fraud. A liar. A person without integrity.

That is not who I want to be. Not how I want to feel.

I need to make different choices. Need to turn up for me so that I can count on me to keep my commitments.

I make a commitment to write on this page every day.

I do it.

Commitments are not to be broken. Keeping a commitment with myself is my opportunity to be accountable. To turn up for me and make a difference. Keeping a commitment with myself is my opportunity to be true to me. And to build self-esteem. To build upon my sense of well-being. To like me!

It's not important says the rebel within me. It won't matter if you stay in bed and sleep. It won't matter if you don't do this.

But it will matter.

To me.

And I count.

And so, on this brand new day as daylight slides across the sky pushing darkness into the envelope of night yawning on the horizon and spring stirs beneath a blanket of falling snow, I begin the process of keeping a commitment I made to myself.

I begin again.

It's a brand new day.

3 comments:

Maureen said...

I only started blogging in late September 2009. I, too, have been re-reading "old" posts; I've now written over 500. I, too, had wondered whether I'd find enough to write a page every day. As every day is a new day, I have found that something, and plan to keep doing so. I'm committed to discovery and sharing.

Commitment: Yes, first to oneself.

Hugs. Have a great weekend.

Anonymous said...

Louise,

It is a huge committment - keep it up. I remember when you started .... and then the shift to EVERY day.

Cheers,
Mark
p.s. .. I checked my log - today was day # 2,742 (since March 21, 2003) - posted every day at: http://markmusing.com

S. Etole said...

I've just been blogging for one year and I rarely have much to say! But it's fun sharing photos and visiting all of you who do have interesting thoughts.