I think I'm ready to live like a monk...

I'm serious- goals are disappointing. The moment you reach them then there is nothing else to look forward to. So here is what I'm proposing: A life without goals.

Let's flesh this out.

I love Ballet. I think it's the epitome of human devotion. I think the men and women who dedicate their lives to such a demanding discipline by going to class everyday and giving up a 'normal' way of living for one purpose is inspiring. I mean, Think about it- ballet dancers work hours, a lifetime of training and hurting limbs for a few minutes that are meant to be REMEMBERED not recorded. That means the audience will forget the steps and the details on the costumes, who danced what (unless they are extraordinary) and even parts of the music. But they will hold on to a nostalgic feeling that some time ago they experienced a certain sincerity, something beautiful that can't be re winded, explained or demonstrated. It's magic. Silas Farley, a corps de ballet member of the New York City Ballet compared the disciplined lifestyle of dancers to that of monks, and that's when it clicked for me.

A life without work is pointless.

I find that the 'happy' people of the world are so because they have found purpose. Without work there is no purpose, and without purpose there is no happiness. What is defined as work is different for everyone since a stay at home mom may not get paid but the work is plenty and equally rewarding- so you get my gist. We make goals to reach a milestone but we often forget to plan for the aftermath-- it just seems less important. That mistake has led famous musicians and public figures into dark existential tunnels that are full of pain and disappointment. So I say stop making goals and live like a monk instead!

So what does it mean to live like a monk?

Well I don't really know :) but I would think is full of routine, discipline and self-study. So that's what I'm really proposing we do. I work hard at all the crazy things I'm involved in-- I'm the Media Director for an Online school, I also have a part time job for the marketing department at an important arts venue. My future husband is an entrepreneur which means he sells just about everything from houses to cars to t-shirts and I'm right there with him,helping supporting and expanding on his vision. Everything holds possibility to an entrepreneurial mind- I love that about him. We do a lot of different things and our purpose is to see them through to a failing or successful end. So to conclude this weird stream of consciousness, lets go over my point again:

Don't make goals. Instead, if you don't know where you'll end up-- try a bunch of different things. Be thankful for having the privilege of stepping into different roles and don't be afraid to do the 'dirty' work.

Once you've found a path that makes sense for you-- just focus on the work. Make a routine, learn as much as possible from the people who are better than you and apply everything you learn. Take refuge in your ability to learn and grow instead of ambitious needs that may or may not be met. Be thankful for what you get to do TODAY- that's the key to a successful and fulfilled life, all this thinking about tomorrow is exhausting and brings more pain than satisfaction. Yes planning gives you a sense of control and order, but after you're done doing that- work hard, work happy and work to grow your skills.

That's all I had to say today.

XoXo