Essential, Random and Frivolous Thoughts of a Cabinet Maker

I know it sounds like I’m arriving extremely late to the game by saying this, but . . . It seems to me that lately I’ve embraced the idea of addressing the challenges in my life. Certainly not all of them. Probably not even most of them. But, some of them.

What do I mean by that? When looking forward in laying out my day, I’ve taken on the tasks – in certain aspects of my life – of addressing the actions that I’m not exactly sure how to accomplish. But, I’m showing up to them anyway. I know that sounds so simplistic, but you would be amazed what I and others do to avoid real work.

In fact, I’m sure that I do it daily. An example in my day-to-day would be: driving around town to jobsites dropping off material and running errands is not where I need to be spending my time. This is not my strength and anyone could accomplish the same thing if they have a truck to haul loads around town for an hourly rate. The real work I need to be doing is finalizing and refining our 30-day review that reflects our company’s core principles for an employee that has been with us for 30 days in order to systemize it as a live document we can use in our training for new hires and employees repeatedly. See the difference?

No doubt driving around LA making phone calls and listening to podcasts is much easier for me and appears as if something is happening – that work is getting done. The question I have to ask is: Is it real work?

The right hemisphere of our brains is responsible for the here and now. The presence of being in this moment. It’s not concerned with solving problems, numbers or what’s next on our schedule. Nor does it have our identities locked into it’s vault. Who am I? What’s my job title? Where do I live? What is my name? etc.

Although this could be a bit frightening for us – the feeling if you’ve ever woken up in a hotel room and for a brief moment forgetting where you are – it may have it’s benefits. It’s the same place we long to access when meditating. It’s more relaxing in there. It’s where we find our homeostasis.

I think we all know how to “do,” to worry, to “grind,” and kick up a whole lot of dust in the left hemisphere. Maybe we can try finding more balance throughout the day by occupying the right and utilizing the whole brain. But, more importantly find a more relaxed state of being.

There is always something new to see, to learn or the ability to change our perspective of how we look at the same things in our world.

Whether it’s our lives, our work, our home life, relationships, how we spend our time or other areas that capture our interest. We get to choose how we view these things and the meaning they have to us.

Listening to music or pausing to watch the sun rise. We have the choice to give it meaning or not.

I’m not sure, but instinctually it feels like the more meaning we find in our day to day lives the more meaningful our life becomes.

Self -reflection can be a powerful tool for us to see our missteps – our blind spots. But, we must be open to the idea that we have them. That we are flawed. Blemished. Another words, we’re human.

But, from these shortcomings can growth be found. Without a doubt. It just depends on how deep we would like to search. The deeper the plunge into ourselves, the more cracks in the armor we will find. How comfortable does that make you? How important is it to you to repair those cracks?

For me, that’s one of the main purposes of this journey on earth. Or maybe it’s THE purpose of our time here; To become the best version of ourselves we can be with the tools that we’ve been given.

In order to this, we’re going to need some help. We all do. From others. From our friends, our spouses, our family and our colleagues. We need their help in identifying our blind spots and knowing how we’re showing up in the world. We cannot see them. Hence the name “blind spot.”

Often times we make the assumption that we can go it alone. I believe that’s as smart as performing an operation on yourself. At some point in time, we need to trust, rely and count on others to help us to see the big picture.

The hardest part can be asking for their help. I believe these moments are the beginnings of a deep and meaningful relationship.

I often think about what Wayne Dyer said years ago before he was about to give a a talk as a keynote speaker in front of hundreds of people. He was backstage and someone came up to him and told him that the space shuttle had blown up on it’s ascent into our outer atmosphere. All seven people aboard were dead.

Moments later, he was introduced over the speakers and was expected to walk out on stage. He did, but he couldn’t help but share his experience with the audience before beginning his scripted speech as he processed this new information.

I found it quite fascinating what he said and I’m still not sure how to process information such as that in today’s world. With all the chaos and divisiveness that is apparent in today’s news, how do we continue to stay focused on our work while stay engaged with our world and have empathy for those who are in such pain and sorrow?

His question was quite poignant; How am I supposed to feel after hearing such devastating news? No doubt, empathy and sadness for all the families and friends who lost their loved ones. And maybe there is no way you’re “supposed” to feel. Maybe the way you feel is exactly where you need to be.

I think about that when I hear what is going on in our world today; war, violence, suffering, divisiveness, oppression, grief, and pain. How am I supposed to feel? Maybe there’s no correct answer, other than we feel the way we feel when we hear of such things.

Wayne Dyer was an extremely loving man. An empathetic man. A forgiving man. A smart man. He understood that we have to release the shackles of our own chains that bind us by hanging onto resentment, past pain and hate. As he stood over the grave of his alcoholic father who was the cause of so much pain for his mother, brother and himself, he found a way to forgive him and move forward in LOVE. Maybe that’s the answer.

I’m not sure how we are supposed to react and behave, but it has to come from a place of LOVE. It has to.