#24 The Wolf

I had a strange dream last night. In my dream my brother had visited me and when he was leaving he wrote this on my wall, "When life seems messy, it's just because you're starting something new." 

It took me all day to realize what it meant.

It means that in life, there are things happening all the time, all around you. You start a project, abandon it halfway, get an opportunity, decide to take it, decide against it. Life seems messy sometimes because you have so many options! Doesn't it feel like your own personal buffet? You can take whatever you want, and at the same time.

So where do you go? What do you do? More importantly, how do you stop yourself from getting so overwhelmed?

Sometimes the feeling of regret wafts into my room, I regret roads I didn't take, phone calls I didn't follow up on. I regret staying in bed until mid morning. I regret not going for a run the night before. And these regrets get together and become a giant regret monster that I must tackle... first thing in the morning in order to get out of bed. I haven't even had my coffee yet!

Action is the enemy of regret. Your regret monster will slowly evaporate and all you have to do is... anything.

My life seems messy right now because I'm starting new projects and I have no idea what I'm doing really. I'm just starting to visualize what I want.

The key is action. Cleaning up your thoughts. Cleaning up your room. Cleaning up your emotions. There is so much to do! And you might as well be doing it, because time is moving quickly these days.

I will leave you with this story as a reminder to stop wallowing.

One bright winter day, a young Cherokee was out for a walk with his grandfather.  Pausing to rest against a snowy winter pine, the grandfather looked at his growing grandson.

“A fight is going on inside me,” the wise old Cherokee said. “It is a terrible fight between two wolves. One wolf is evil, unhappy, and ugly. He is anger and greed. He spreads lies and deceit and pain.”

The grandfather paused. Gazing misty-eyed into the sea of trees, he continued.

The other wolf is beautiful and good. He is friendly, joyful, loving, worthy, humble and kind. He spreads inspiration wholeheartedly and has a deep vision beyond ordinary wisdom.  But they are in constant battle with each other.”

Glancing back to the young boy he finished “The same battle is going on inside you, my son, and inside all human beings.”

The boy thought a moment. After a moment, he looked back at his grandfather and asked ” Grandfather, which wolf is going to win?”

The Grandfather smiled and grabbed the boys hand, leading him past the snowy pines.

“Whichever one you feed.”