Gratitude

I have been struggling with a bunch of life stuff lately as if those of you who read this regularly could not have guessed.  I am grateful for the struggle, for sure.  Without that struggle, growth is impossible and complacency inevitable, but it is sometimes tiring and draining, so I thought I would remind myself of the people in my life who have been and continue to be so incredibly supportive... both so I remember that I am not alone, and so that those people know how grateful I am for them.

The first two people on my list... my parents.  These are about the most solid two people you will ever meet.  They are kind, generous, loyal and encouraging.  My mother has given me the gift of perseverance and determination.  My father has shown me what it is to be fair, while also sticking to my guns.  There is no doubt in my mind that without these two, I probably would not be here today.  Both of them have loved and accepted me through all the trials and tribulations I subjected them to, far more than most parents ever have to deal with, trust me.  As they have helped me grow, I too have been privy to experiencing their growth as well.  As I was adopted, it makes it that much more intense that my parents would be a part of my soul tribe.  I truly believe that we were fated to be together as a family.  The bond we share is so much stronger than blood or genetics, we are connected at the soul level, and anyone who knows my parents and I's relationship could attest to this.  We are a pretty tight unit, something I resented in my teens, but am endlessly grateful for now.

Next, my brother from another mother.  We met about 15 years ago and have had that sibling connection from almost the start.  I do not know what it is, perhaps the fact that we are both only children...although I would venture to believe that there is something more to it, something I cannot put into words.  This guy is the epitome of big brother; when we were younger, he pieced me back together on multiple occasions after this stupid boy or that failed relationship shattered me to bits.  He, like my parents, has allowed me to fall on my face when I needed to, and has always been there to pick me up off the ground and dust me off.  He continues to show me what it is to be a true and authentic person.  He holds himself to the highest of standards in all areas of life.  He is fair minded, gentle hearted, caring and loyal.  He is the truest friend and best big brother ANYONE could ever ask for, and I am a better person for knowing him.  Much like the relationship with my parents, he and I have trudged through some pretty heavy stuff... stuff that would break a normal pair of friends up.  We have gone through losses, gains, trials, triumphs and through it all we have become all the more close and connected.  There is no other explanation for this guy, other than the fact that he is a member of my soul tribe.  I could not mention him without mentioning his lovely fiance, talk about one hell of a strong, determined, independent lady! In the short time I have known her I have come to believe there is no doubt that they not only belong together, but that she too is a part of my soul tribe.  She makes him happy and has embraced me with open arms. In just a little over a year, I feel as though I have known her my entire lifetime.  Not only has she enriched his life, but I can vehemently say, she has done the same for me.

And, as I have a brother from another mother, I also have a sister from another mother.  She and I have known each other for just as long... she was the bright, shining, ray of hope when I was an angsty teenager.  I gave this girl every opportunity to judge me, resent me or hate me and she did nothing but support me.  She still does today, she is one of a handful of people I feel comfortable telling anything to and I never have any fear that it will be repeated or held against me.  She listens and offers genuine, compassionate advice and has never once told me 'I told you so' even though she is right about what I do and what will happen, far more often than I am.  She is the kind of friend whom I can go weeks, months even, without speaking to, but just as soon as we re-connect it is as if no time has passed at all.  I have learned from her how to slow my roll, get out of my head and think with both my brain and my heart.  When I grow up, I hope to be the kind of true lady she is.

Next, is someone I have known for half as long as those first few people.  She is younger, but has a truly old and wise soul.  Since knowing her I have learned a lot.  I have learned that true friendships cannot be broken off because one is growing and the other has no patience.  I have come to realize what it is to be conscious in life and in my interactions with other humans.  I have come to know what it is to JUST LISTEN, because sometimes there is no need for advice.  Sometimes what we need is the presence of a soul from our tribe to love and embrace you exactly where you are.  She has shown me what it is to experience true empathy, she has shown me that nothing in my life is ever as cut and dry as I try to pretend it to be, and most of all, she has held a mirror up in front of me so that I may see who I really am, and I feel as though all of these things are seriously reciprocal, where others have modeled things for me to learn, she has modeled things for me to see that are already within me.  How blessed I am to have found her.

Obviously, there are others in my life who contribute in deep and rich ways, this is by no means an exhaustive list. Thanks to each of you who impact my life in a positive way everyday.  None of us are or ever will be perfect, but some of us do our part to love one another by supporting each other right where we are at- I am  grateful not only for those people in my life, but also for the continuing awareness of the people in my soul tribe.  If you haven't lately, take a moment to appreciate those people who make your life richer by being in it.

The Generic Specific

Do you remember having it all figured out between the ages of 13-20? Well, I do.  I remember feeling as though I knew exactly how things would unfold...from moment to moment at least- because I never really thought more than a moment or two in advance... my version of planning rarely moved beyond the sunset of the present day.  And life seemed fairly simple.  There was little reason to worry when all I ever thought about was the here and now.  And, for that time in my life, that sort of non-planning worked.

As I come barreling down the home-stretch of 30 I am beginning to realize that at some point in life that spontaneity had to change.  Not that I can never be spontaneous, more that I can no longer live my life ONLY in the moment.  This is a slightly different concept than the one I preach about being present in the moment... it is true that we must be present in each moment or life will most certainly pass us by... but I think it is also true that life will pass us by if we never take the time to think and plan for a future. 

I have had numerous conversations with people on both sides of this fence... the "Live for the moment!" camp offers some compelling ideas, some of which I subscribe to, but the "Think about your future" folks may be on to something as well.  While I have only began the process of thinking about my future in any formal sense of the words in the last couple of years, I find the more time that passes, the more things become clearer. For one thing, these two camps of thought butt heads quite a bit.  I think it is has something to do with the developmental leap of faith required to jump from never thinking beyond the present day to planning what you want for your life in years to come.

I have seen friendships, marriages, and careers dissolve over this very conundrum.  Hell, if I am truly honest, I have left several jobs, and a number of relationships for the same reason.  And, I will tell ya, when you are firmly planted in the live for the moment camp, those people in the getting my shit together camp seem all together insane.  Now that I have uprooted my own personal campsite, I am beiginning to see things on the flip side of the argument.  I am starting to understand some of what I used to call rubbish... It is actually important to have some type of plan... not to be swallowed up by what if scenarios, but at least to acknowledge that they are possibilities.

And anyone who knows me, knows how very close me and my friend De-nial are.  I love to not deal with things by pretending they are not happening... ignorance is bliss right?! And, if I don't think about it now, at least I can be happy for the moment... until the moment comes when I can no longer ignore whatever it is anymore... and then I HAVE to deal with it.  So I guess part of my admittance into the get your shit together club will have to involve breaking it off with my old friend Dee.  Shit happens, things change- and further, they rarely change in the ways in which I want, or think they should. So, suck it up buttercup, things are gunna be just fine; how quickly you forget that you are the only one who can get you where you want to go.

Adrenaline

In the last two weeks I have been driven by pure adrenaline-work has been super-crazy-busy and I like it that way... although I don't know that others close to me do... I will be the first to admit that I allow stress to wind me so tight that I am seconds from snapping at any moment.  I know this is not really all that good for my body, mind or spirit, but it has been the way I function for a long, long time.  I also know that this causes stress to others around me... people tip-toe, they walk softly so as not to crunch the eggshells I have surrounded myself with.  Some do their best to support me in whatever way they can, others keep their distance and wait for the stress storm to subside; and I get it.  There are a couple things about this whole scenario that bother me.

First- I do not think it fair that others should have to adjust how they interact with me based upon my stress level.  The truth is, it is my stress and no one else should have to bare any brunt of it, this is something I really need to stay on top of, it is not okay to project my crap on anyone else in any other life situation, and this is no exception.  I need to remember, even in the moments where I can cut the tension within myself with a knife, that whatever it is that I am letting get to me is no where near as important as I am making it out to be... I need to remember that this moment, like all the rest, will come and it will go and the chances of that one moment or situation making or breaking me are really pretty slim.

Secondly, I need to address the whole issue of being driven my adrenaline, this goes hand and hand with not stressing about stupid things that are out of my control.  It's funny how stress and adrenaline can focus a person, although it is rarely good focus.  Stress produces the kind of tunnel vision focus that can make one (me in particular) lose focus on all other things.  I am probably the text book definition of the task master- give me a task and I will tackle it to completion... give me a problem and I will exert all my energies into solving it. And until the task is complete or the problem is solved, I see nothing but that task at hand... I get tunnel vision to the point where the house could burn down around me, or something much more important could pop up and I will see nothing but that problem  in front of me.  So, what happens is this- while I am so focused on whatever it is right in front of me, life continues to happen...with or without my attention.  And then, the stress is removed, the problem is solved, the task completed and suddenly- my adrenaline drains.

It's an odd and disheartening feeling when the adrenaline goes away... suddenly the seemingly endless stream of energy I had is tapped out.  The stream, the well, and the lake are all dry.  And I am left standing there, with an insatiable thirst. And I am completely exhausted... putting one foot in front of the other seems an insurmountable task... and the weight of the life that continued to happen while I was caught up  in task mastering is almost unbearable.  I focus my life on the build up of this one thing- I eat, sleep, and breath nothing but this one thing. And then, that one thing comes and goes and I am left in the aftermath of the stress tornado I constructed in my life.  Sounds fancy eh? Glamorous, even inspiring.  No.  Even as I type these words I am thinking to myself... Why do I do that? Why subject myself (and those closest to me) to such a roller coaster ride?

The only answer I have is that like any junkie, I love the rush.  The high I get from the adrenaline produced in stressful situations is unmatched by any drug I have ever experienced... the come down unfortunately, is the same though.  After riding high for a while, there is no where left to go but down.  And, I come down like any other addict I have ever met... pissed off and wanting to get back to that place I once was.  All my other 'demons' come out to play because I am at such a point of vulnerability.  I am angry about this, pissed off about that, this person sucks at life, that person has no clue, and then it hits me... all of my fingers are pointed at ME!  I have fallen victim to the vortex of my own life yet again.  And I laugh-this time at myself, long and hard.  We humans, we do this stuff ALL THE TIME.  Sure, my adrenaline ride may look different than your love roller coaster, or the next guy's version... but we all do it, we all step onto the subject-myself-to whatever ride. 

Some people have mastered the ride, they are aware of when and where the ride begins, they step on and off at will, and they enjoy it while it lasts.  Some of us find ourselves on a train that is barreling down the tracks at mach speed and can figure no way off except to jump whilst the train is still at full speed.  Other's figure the train will come into a station eventually and wait patiently for the 'right' time to disembark.  The point is, that we all ride.  And what I am coming to believe is that the ride doesn't always have to be painful or destructive...it can be enjoyable and illuminating... if I let it. 

Where Does the Time Go?

This is not an easy question to answer. After a conversation last night about timing, I got to thinking about this concept.  I originally stated that I thought there was no such thing as good timing.  I was challenged on this point, and now I am thinking a bit differently.  While I do believe there is really no such thing as good timing, I also do believe that any given situation IS all about timing. And that there is no such thing as a coincidence... Phrases like 'Man, that was good timing', really mean that whatever happened was meant to be, in my mind.

The frustrating thing is that timing doesn't always sync up with any given person's idea of what we want and when, and then we are back to the paradox of patience versus waiting.  Timing is one of those things makes me feel uneasy and unsure of myself... is this right, at this moment? I used to be much more sure footed when it came to just going with my gut, but lately I find myself right on the verge of going with my gut and then a flood of thoughts clouds my judgment... I factor in consequences, possible repercussions and what effect my actions could have on other people.  And I pretty much hate it.  I feel as though I spend all of my time wondering about what ifs and end up spinning my wheels as opposed to taking action and actually doing something.

This is not really who I am.  I am the throw caution to the wind girl. I am consequences be damned.  Feel your way through life, if it feels good it must be good, I am the jump first, look during free fall, land on your feet kind of girl.  I never thought about how awareness in other areas would effect the core of how I live my life.  And while I do hate cautionary me, I do know that at least some parts of her are a good change.  I just feel like I may have gone a bit too far to the other side.  Where I used to jump without looking I now do not jump at all.  I want to get back to the space where I can jump if it seems worth it after an initial look-see... gives a whole new meaning to all or nothing eh?

Awareness is a good thing to have, so that when the timing is right I CAN actually realize it.  I just need to exorcise the mental clutter that is currently in my way.  I think that kind of mental exorcism could benefit me in multiple ways, not least of all with the ability to have more patience, which seems to run ever more short all the time.  I think I will start by curbing my mental masturbation; I have been spending far too much time swimming around in the scenes I create in my mind...if I were a visionary I would make pretty amazing movies.  But, since I am not, I need to realize that creating all that stuff in my head is dangerous with no apparent outlet- creative or otherwise for it. 

Time flies when you aren't paying attention, that is where it goes. The time is now.  The place is here.  The moment is upon you. So reach out and grab what it is that is staring you in the face.  Hold it in front of you and EMBRACE IT!!!  A hint of skepticism is good for us all every now and then, but don't let that skepticism keep you from jumping.  After all, some of the best timing in life, happens in those unscheduled moments of free fall.

Everything to Everyone

"Sometimes you love least the people in life who love you most; until you remember, you life is worth nothing without them in it."

I will admit to not having a source for that quote, but it struck me so deeply when I heard it that I feel the need to talk about it.  I know I have been guilty of doing this in my life, and more than that, I know that I and many of my friends have fallen prey to others who have done it to us.  Really, in the last year or so I would say those words have become more and more apparent in my life in one way or another.  Perhaps it something about the transitioning period around the thirty year mark...  most of my friends have been turning thirty in the last few years and there has been a great many shift within us.

It's hardest for me (and I am guessing most others) to experience others not loving me the way I love them, it is shocking to make that realization.  I am generally the girl who loves totally and completely-my friends and lovers alike.  They are certainly different kinds of love, obviously.  But I generally do not have relationships without intimacy... and of course, there are varying levels of intimacy...from familial to platonic to the intimacy shared with a lover... but in each case there is an undeniable closeness that allows the relationship to function in whatever capacity it serves.

When I was a teenager I was often guilty of loving least those who loved me most... my parents.  Of course, I had little love or respect for myself so there was little room for me to reciprocate.  This opened up a pattern I followed for myself for years- I went from relationship to relationship and the equation was never balanced...Either I loved those most who loved me least or I loved least the partners who loved me most.  Paradoxical, I know, like any other thing that catches my attention of late.  So this went on with relationships, and before I knew it... it seeped into my friendships too.

I spent many years loving friends who could have cared less about me... and to a certain extent, still do.  While I should be clear, I have a core group of people in my life who absolutely bring balance to the friendship see-saw... in fact the few GOOD friends I have are more like family to me than what others would call friends.  But there are definitely a few that would not know the love, loyalty and benefits of friendship if they were smacked in the face with it.  My brother-from-another-mother and I always say...it's not a points system, but it is; meaning we do things for our friends not because we expect to have those actions reciprocated, but because we have the kind of friendship that implies reciprocation. 

The concept of reciprocity in this context is one that involves a great deal of finesse.  It's not a tit for tat thing... meaning when someone does something for me, I am not immediately required to pay it back in kind- it's more a flow, a seamless dance from moment to moment.  And, in fact we did not figure out 'it's not a points system, but it is' until he and I both noticed gaping holes some of our friendships...We realized that we had been on autopilot for a long time-continuously affording others the benefit of the doubt and experiencing reciprocity less and less. And at a certain point something happened; and over a long, late night conversation our non-point system was born.

It's not something consciously thought about on a daily basis- it is more something that flows into the consciousness occasionally.  And I understand that some people are in a better space to play the game of giving AND receiving than others.  Sometimes we all get to a space where all we can do is receive, and that is okay, every once in a while.  What's not okay is when all we ever do is receive.  ESPECIALLY when we are completely unaware that we are doing it- going about daily life THINKING you are reciprocating, giving yourself credit for it only to be tipping the see-saw in your favor.  And this is not an awareness that can be pointed out to you, this is definitely something each persona has to arrive at on their own.

Those who love you most are the biggest gift life can offer you.  They are the ones who can actually execute the non-points system and do it well.  Unfortunately, for whatever reason, we as humans seem to always be drawn to that which we can't have... or those who appear not to want us, and so the cycle continues.  So, maybe take stock of those who love you most-do you love them least? And if so WHY?! I know this is an eye opener for me...it helps me to remember to love myself most some of the time instead of loving myself least most of the time...and once I am aware of that, the other bit of the picture that seemed fuzzy and out of focus becomes painfully obvious and clear.  To those in my life who love me most, thank you; it is my intention everyday to let you all know how very deeply I love and appreciate you.  Hopefully this will become more apparent as I shift my energies away from those who love me least, to those of you who love me most.

It Really Is All About Me

Something I am learning about patience. Patience is completely different than waiting.  Patience is having the perseverance to know that things will work out in life however they are supposed to.  Waiting is a different concept entirely.  Waiting is going against the grain, wishing and hoping for things to work out the way you want them to.  Patience takes tenacity, it takes finesse, it takes awareness  and consciousness.  Whereas waiting requires a person stick ones head in the sand in an ostrich-like fashion.  There can be no awareness during the waiting process, otherwise we would realize waiting does as much good as wishing upon a star.

Waiting requires nothing but the ability to continuously be let down and wait some more.  How insane is that? Who wants to wait for something they think they want only to be let down consistently?!  Patience is about shifting perspective... instead of waiting on what you think you want- how about patiently doing the footwork so that what you deserve has the space in your life to materialize.  I am just beginning to realize that the things I have waited on are really not worth waiting for anyway.  I have been doing the same thing over and over, waiting for a different outcome to appear and then been shocked and disappointed when things do not pan out in the way in which I think they should. This may sound arrogant --although I don't really care, I know myself and I know I am not arrogant--but I am worth more than waiting.  I think that once I can fully shift my mentality away from the waiting game to the patience dance things will start shifting in my life.

I found my experiment slipping into subjectivity this week, and man was that a painful, angsty, and disgusting place to be.  I am so grateful to be surrounded by people who will hold me accountable in one way or another.  I had started thinking about the experiment from a  feelings standpoint, it happened without me even recognizing it.  Each day I spent in the subjective made me more and more resentful... to the other parties.  What came to me last night is that there can be no anger, no resentment, no fingers pointed, no 'shoulds' unless they are all pointed directly at me.  I chose to go on with this little experiment, knowing full well that it could be playing rush and roulette with myself...I knew the only person that stood to 'lose' anything was me.  And so, with that sort of consciousness, the only thing I can do is stand here and admit- the experiment has been much more difficult then I had originally pinned it for. So, it really is all about me, but not so much in a princess way- more in a you are the only one to be held accountable way.

I do feel a bit victorious though, it may have taken a week, but I caught on to the cunning game my heart tried to play with my head.  And because of that I feel as though I have lost absolutely nothing and gained legions of perspective on myself... including another inkling of my worth.  I do not know the exact time line, but I do know this....I am on the verge of knowing and owning my own worth... and when the day comes where the full extent of that enters my consciousness... all I can say is LOOK OUT WORLD.  Because I will be here, and be here to stay.  Until then I will remain patiently aware of this process, as much as I can, and with the help of those who keep me honest, of course : )  And I will work all the more hard on not allowing myself to be let down.  It is so freeing to know that I am the one in control of that, NOBODY has that power over me.  And, you know, I'm pretty excited to take ownership of my own stuff- the truly aware person waits for nothing, but instead patiently pursues what they deserve.

The Luckiest Man

Ever have one of those days where you feel as though your on the brink of something?  I have been having them often lately, and I am grateful for that.  Even if I cannot discern what I am on the brink of, at least I am balancing on my tip toes-this heightens my sense of awareness and makes it possible for me to actually see or feel or experience whatever it may be... And I have been balancing on my tippy toes for days now, maybe weeks.

Anyhow, I thought it was important to update on how my little experiment with myself is going.  I have continued to take my emotions in the experimental situation out of myself and make them object, and not surprisingly, some days are much easier than others.  I have found been finding alternate things to focus my energy on, as well as trying to refine some of the attributes that would make being objective in the situation much easier.  What can I say? Some days I win, some days it is more of a wash, but I can say that I have not lost a day since I started this. 

There is much to be said about taking personal power back.  I know, I know, personal power sounds so yucky and new agey.  But when I step back and look at the factors that I can control in the situation and those that are beyond my control, I realize I had given far too much power to those factors that are just out of my reach.  When I made the goal list last week I chose to focus specifically on making an effort to not give people and situations more power than they deserve.  Because in any situation that could potentially involve my feelings- if I allow myself to become subject to them- I want to be the one cracking-the-whip so to speak. 

What I find fascinating and confounding at the same time is the razor thin line must one walk between awareness and being callous in order to both continue holding the objective whip and subjective feather tickler at once.  I can see why some people just turn off their emotional switch as opposed to trying to calibrate this dimmer switch... finding that perfect light somewhere in the middle is absolutely insane, but I will admit, it is insanely intriguing to me.  I have found myself at times, getting a good old fashion case of the fuck-its-like
"Fuck it. This is way to hard." or "fuck it, it would be easier to just not care".  That last one about not caring is a bit surprising when it comes into my head, I have never been the one who CAN just not care, I have never been able to flip that particular switch in my brain.  In fact, I am generally the one who is walking around with the giant neon flashing light over my head- that I do care and will happily care for you when you cannot care for yourself. 

But, not so much lately. Lately I have been trying out caring about me... which is where the thinking behind it being easier to not care is coming from.  All my life it has been easier to care for others so as not to care about myself.  THIS IS NOT ABOUT PITY.  This is about a life lesson that I think so many other chronically self-less people struggle with as well... I would rather crawl across salted broken glass than shift my focus from others to myself, and wow that isn't healthy is it?  But I really believe that human personalities can be boiled down into three categories... The chronically selfless, the chronically selfish and those who have a good balance of both.  There is nothing better or worse about being on either extreme of the spectrum, trust me.  I am no better than some of the friends and partners I have had who are chronically selfish... if anything, those who are selfish all the time are happier... they derive fulfillment in life directly from themselves, so they are rarely let down or disappointed.

Those who are chronically selfless look like this-
The first thought when the awake in the morning is of someone or something other than themselves.
They are frequently trying to figure out how to make others happy, how to help others, how to make others lives easier in some way.  They will go out of their way to help a friend or even acquaintance in need, even if it is at the expense of their own time, money or sanity.  For the most part this is all done with little expectation on the return of their emotional investment.  However, beware.  The line of emotional burn out is invisible, it can pop up at any moment and what happens with these folk after it has been crossed is often unpredictable.  They suddenly feel used, mistreated and taken advantage of.  They cannot understand why the other party would not return their love, affection, friendship, whatever it may be, in kind.  These are the people who love indiscriminately across the spectrum, with so many kettles on the fire, one will most certainly boil over from time to time.Here is the loyal friend or partner that requires little maintenance, but without that tiny bit of upkeep, becomes and even more faithful enemy.  In general, they are their own worst enemy.

Those who are chronically selfish look like this-
Their first and last thoughts morning and night are of themselves.  Often when something great happens to them they rejoice and share it with everyone right away, coming accross as boastful without meaning to.  They take care of their own needs before anyone else and have little problem spending money time or energy on themselves.  Where the selfless give all of themselves away daily, the selfish are tough nuts to crack.  They seem self serving and arrogant, although this is only a matter of self preservation to them.  Where the selfless people derive most of their energy from the happiness and good fortune of others, the selfish derive almost all of their energy from themselves, this is much more self-sustaining that the mechanism the selfless use, although later in life it can be quite a lonesome existence.  Here is the friend that seems to know everyone but has no true or close friends or connections.  They are often financially resourceful and seem to be in the right place at the right time every time.  They have few enemy's because they never allow anyone to get close enough to them to betray them.  As selfless people do not understand selfish people, the same can be said in reverse... these two types could not be more foreign to each other... The selfish think it foolish to go around letting people in... they do not understand intimacy to mean anything other than a sexual encounter and certainly would not use the word love unless there were no other word in all the Rosetta Stone courses to use.

Then you have the lucky balanced bastards-
I say that in jest, they are only bastards because I have not yet figured out myself how to acquire that balance!  These are the people who make both amazing partners and friends.  They have found a way to balance both taking care of themselves as well as being their for those whom they care for.  They have a mix of acquaintances and very close friends.  They are able to balance the time they spend with others and the time needed to focus on themselves in order to stay in that equilibration state.  These people have achieved a level of awareness that goes beyond the singular to the plural.  They live their lives in the moment with an eye on the future.  They take into account ALL sides of a scenario, not merely the side that may effect them or the side that will effect others.  These are the people who make good partners, they can help those in either of the other two categories grow, so that they too can become balanced.  It should be said that a pair with one selfless person and one selfish person will be doomed from the get... because their weaknesses exacerbate each other rather than being complementary. 

I want to stress that I am not bashing either side of the spectrum, wherever you are is wherever you are supposed to be for your own personal growth.  I am merely pointing out observations I have made and being honest about my struggles on my particular end.  Nor would I say any of this is proven fact or dogma... this is merely one view point which is inherently skewed through my own experiences.  There is only one sucky choice in any situation... and that is the decision to stay stuck in whatever the current pattern of life is.  If you think your are chronically selfish than work on it!!!! If you think you are inherently selfless than take those first steps toward balance.  Life is all about the forward motion, at least in my opinion. How else will we ever get to where we need to be?!