Those of you who know me, know me to be the reactive; cautious; play it safe type of guy who prefers to stay in the background and observe what’s going on around him before making a decision. Or let things happen and then respond to them.
Sometimes and for some people, this can be a good thing, even the right thing to do! Prevent us from making impulsive; knee-jerk decisions which could lead to hurt; loss or suffering. Other times, however, it can work against you, preventing you from moving forward or making positive steps or changes in your life because you feel the need to analyse everything to the nth degree before you reach a decision.
This, I’ve found, can trap you in a never ending cycle of over-thinking, fearful of doing anything new in case something goes wrong, paralysing you in the process because you see all that can go wrong instead of all that can go right. That’s not a nice place to be, trust me, spending more time swimming around in your head than being proactive and taking the initiative in living your life.
That’s not to say that I’m afraid of taking “the road less travelled” as written by the poet: Robert Frost. And writing poetry; film reviews and performing in a circus skills company is hardly the route of a guy who likes to play it safe, you might rightly argue. True. Though again, you can write from the comfort of your own home and not venture outside your front door.
In light of all this, my focus and goals for the year ahead will simply be to:
1) think less and do more, without totally abandoning reason.
2) Make the things and people I’ve used as excuses not to do or complete my blog; book or whatever else the motivation to actually get it done. For example: I can’t find the time to write or draw; travel; learn a new language or whatever else you’d always wanted to do, because I’m too tired; have jobs to do around the house or kids to mind. Let them be your reasons for achieving these goals. For me it’s my 2 girls whom I want to leave behind a written legacy of who I am/was and I how I see/saw the world. That I’m not just a father who talks about doing things but actually goes out and does them.
3) Grief, much like fear, can paralyse a person too if you let it; leave you angry; full of regret; with a deep void and stop you from living life. I can testify to that. Don’t let it! Use it as fuel to keep you focused on the wonderful days that lie ahead knowing that your deceased loved ones are looking down on you with love and pride. Do it for them too! 😁😁👍👍
Poetry and Prose of Ken Hume 