"Let me tell you the secret that has led me to my goal.
My strength lies solely in my tenacity. "
---Louis Pasteur
If you all haven't left me by now, you will have noticed that my writing has been sparse for nearing 2 weeks. There is really no excuse for that time off and I've got plenty to write about. It started originally as I was waiting for my portrait to arrive -- and then the delay just kept on going. And it seems this delay is for no good reason -- I am still enjoying writing for the blog, and on top of that I'm trying to secure more interviews so the need for me to write is pretty high. I've had no voice for 8 days but otherwise I've felt fine. I've been home enough to write. Truth is, there is really no rhyme or reason as to why I haven't written -- nevertheless, I haven't.
This seems to happen to all of us now and then. For no good reason we just desert something we really enjoy. We busy ourselves with other things and then time passes and responsibilities pile up and after a while we think back and go -- "hey what happened to that?!" Sometimes we even do this with people in our lives. And sometimes we do this for so long that we resign ourselves to it being "too late". I call it the " Too Late Syndrome" or "TLS".
For your information, TLS has been a proven cause of gross unhappiness. In fact, talk to any struggling soul and if you dig deep enough you will find TLS, a sneaky but persistent virus rooted by something desired that they have long ago given up on. They will make up all kinds of good excuses as to why they simply can't start again -- but mostly all of those excuses fall under the catch phrase "It's Too Late". And given popular culture's current obsession with Commercial Viability, TLS has become more virulent and certainly, it is contagious. It attacks silently and then integrates itself into the very fabric of your psyche... so much so that often times you don't even realise it's persistent and daunting control over your decisions. The only clue you may have is that you begin crying when you see, hear about or read about other people doing what you desire to do or you tear-up when you think about it -- or you have dreams of it....or you eat ice cream and watch copious amounts of television to distract yourself, or you find yourself defending rather aggressively why you are not doing it. These are usually the key symptoms of TLS.
Nevertheless, here in America we stake our lives on our right to pursue Happiness. And in order for this right to be lived in fact vs. fiction, fighting and building immunity against TLS is crucial to your happiness -- and therefore crucial to World Happiness. Think about this: if everyone in the World would take some time each day to simply pursue in some manner or form the thing that makes their heart sing, even if its not commercially viable or impossible or interesting to anyone else but you, World Peace would be a reality. And if you had the support for this from hte culture at large it would be even easier. A human simply doesn't have the same vigor for conflict when they are actively doing what makes them joyous.
So on this most wondrous Monday, ask yourself: "Where is TLS affecting my life?" And challenge yourself on the entire notion of "It's Too Late". I mean, what does that really mean? Has anyone really dissected this? Too Late for what exactly? Too Late for life? Too Late for love? Too Late for happiness? See this little disease for exactly what it is: fear, guilt and disappointment, disguised in a more clever & socially acceptable form.
The truth is: THIS IS YOUR TIME ON EARTH! It's your job to pay attention and take care of your deepest longings. Stop beating yourself up over the time lost and get back in the saddle of the Life you can be proud of. Trust yourself and allow yourself some grace. Life isn't perfect and it doesn't always add up to the perfect equation -- or to Commercial Viability. It doesn't always make sense to others, but it will always make sense to you. Sometimes the soul is simply in delay for no conscious reason, but for the subconscious demands against our will. Sometimes its just as simple as Procrastination -- and that's just "that". While we all have many regrets as to how we could have better spent our time -- we all make the best decisions that we can at any given moment. Hindsight is 20/20 -- and TLS is a virus that preys upon the innate desire of humans to punish themselves and others for decisions that could have been, in this hindsight, better.
The truth remains that if you aren't pursuing your deepest longings, you aren't contributing your deepest self to the world. The cultural development of our species has always depended on those who've followed their hunches, interests, spirit, dreams......hearts! This is a fact. It is also a fact that the very hunches that seemed the most ridiculous have forwarded us all to a better life! Can you imagine what they thought about the idea of "flying"? Computers? The Internet? As such, it is your obligation to follow your desires!
So Buck up! Happiness is the number one need in today's world, and is the basis for all solutions to graver problems. This seems to be something that the leaders in the world have missed. Take back your essential freedom of the soul, express some tenacity and get back your Will. Find a way -- even if it's not "the perfect way". We are all in this together and the sooner we all take a stand against TLS, the sooner we can get on with ourselves -- and our world!
Happy Trails!
Madame B.
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