Last
week, I began reading Rhonda Byrne’s The Secret. I am three
chapters in, and trying to approach it with an open mind. Some that I
have told about the book have said “Just put your faith in God.”
The crazy thing is, I haven’t read anything that would suggest that
the book downplays your beliefs in a higher power. Rather, what I
have gathered about The Secret is that it tries to show you the power
of changing your thought process about yourself and your life.
I
have always tended to view life through a half empty glass. The sky
is going to fall, and when it does, it’s going to bite me on the
backside. If success is going to happen – and not just career
success, I’ve got to try to fix that part of my life.
For
the past three years, I have been blessed to work at a job that I
love. I cherish each article I get to write, and each interview I do.
Seeing the title “Chuck Dauphin, Billboard” is something I am
grateful for each day of my life. But, that being said...there are
still struggles. How I look at them is something that needs to
change. One of the things I have read in the book is about The Secret
of Attraction.
This
isn’t exactly about finding love or the prettiest woman. But, then
again, it could be, But, whatever it is, you have to convince
yourself that you deserve it. With that said, here are a few things I
would like to accomplish before my life is over. Call them goals or
dreams, or simply call them silly. Some are a little more important
to me than others, but writing these down give me something to look
at......and the key – according to the book – is not coming up
with reasons why you shouldn’t have them......but rather why you
should.
LOVE
– This has been my albatross over the years. I can live without
it----but I don’t want to. Marriage did not work for me, at least
the first time around. There’s a lot of reasons for that, and it’s
water under the bridge. But, I feel that I do have something that I
can offer someone. I’m a good listener and have a good heart. I
would love to find someone a little more wise, maybe a little older
than me. I was never “cool” even when I was younger, so to think
that I would be compatible for someone ten years or so younger would
be crazy. A “Cougar” might be more my speed. Regardless, I want
to feel that rush, that spark...and you know what, I do deserve that.
MONEY
– My problem with books like “The Secret” or Joel Osteen is I
don’t believe it’s that simple as saying I should be financially
secure and BOOM! You are. Being “rich” isn’t a goal. I would
just like to have enough to live on without having to worry. I don’t
want to be borrowing from Peter to pay Paul for the rest of my life.
Right now, that’s what I have to do. I would also like to be in
position to help people – and animals. It breaks my heart to see a
pet that I couldn’t help or take in because I have a quota – and
then some. Living in a twenty room mansion isn’t a goal....but
laying down on a couch watching TV late at night, and having peace of
mind? I would definitely love to be there.
SPIRITUAL
LIFE – I grew up in the Church. I am glad I did. But, I will tell
you that while the basis for that faith was sewn when I was much
younger, it took being knocked around and tested by life to truly
feel God’s love. I got away from that for a while – when things
were really starting to hit the fan. I don’t want that to allow to
happen to myself again. God has been there through so many struggles
and challenges in my life. I want to grow stronger in him.
CAREER
– Simply put, I want to continue on the road I am on. The past few
years, I have always felt that ‘It can’t get any better.’ And,
somehow, it does. I don’t know that I have any concrete goals on
this end – just go where I am led. I love the interviews, I love
the traveling. I love it all. I want to continue to grow in this. I
have the talent to do so. So, where I am led, I will follow.
HEALTH
– Without this one, the rest of the above kind of don’t matter.
But, maintaining one’s physical, mental, and spiritual health is a
day-to-day process. I have to take it one day at a time, and don’t
allow myself to get down if I hit a snag in either one of those
areas. For years, I could have cared less. Life wasn’t that
important to me. I didn’t feel I deserved it. I made myself (or in
some cases, was told – but it was mostly me) feel that I wasn’t
as good, as smart, or as handsome as this person or the other. There
are many people smarter or more handsome. But, I am special. I am
good enough. I think there is something a lot better on the other
side of life, but I want to live long enough to see some of these
hopes come true. I deserve that.
Again,
some of this might sound haughty. Unlike a lot of my blogs, I am not
sending out links to these. And, I know that a lot of you will read
these anyway over time. My life is good. I just want it to be better.
I want to wake up in the morning next to someone I care about –
that makes my heart beat like never before. I want to sleep at night
without wondering how I am going to put gas in my car each trip to
Nashville – which that all has all somehow worked out in the past.
I want to be at Church on Sundays and Wednesdays as much as I
possibly can, but also live my beliefs when I am out of the building
the other five days a week. I want to continue to interview as many
as I can. Who knows? Maybe one day, George Strait! I want to travel
to to the other eighteen states I have never been in for work, as
well as those I have. And, I want to be well enough to enjoy it all.
I deserve it. (I figure if I keep saying that, I will believe it!)
Well,
it’s onto another chapter. I’ll keep you posted.....
