Comments on: Retracing Your Footsteps Leads to Your Next Big Leap http://blog.monicaobrien.com/retracing-your-footsteps-leads-to-your-next-big-leap/ Small Biz. Big Buzz. by Monica O'Brien Thu, 18 Mar 2010 20:51:16 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Finding Your Confidence after Redundancy | The Confidence Guy http://blog.monicaobrien.com/retracing-your-footsteps-leads-to-your-next-big-leap/comment-page-1/#comment-759 Finding Your Confidence after Redundancy | The Confidence Guy Thu, 29 Jan 2009 17:48:31 +0000 http://twentyset.com/retracing-your-footsteps-leads-to-your-next-big-leap/#comment-759 [...] out of the drama and get real - that’s the only way to make good [...] [...] out of the drama and get real – that’s the only way to make good [...]

]]> By: Lauren http://blog.monicaobrien.com/retracing-your-footsteps-leads-to-your-next-big-leap/comment-page-1/#comment-758 Lauren Tue, 09 Dec 2008 00:49:21 +0000 http://twentyset.com/retracing-your-footsteps-leads-to-your-next-big-leap/#comment-758 Kudos to you for recognizing your personal needs and making the changes you need! Kudos to you for recognizing your personal needs and making the changes you need!

]]> By: Monica O'Brien http://blog.monicaobrien.com/retracing-your-footsteps-leads-to-your-next-big-leap/comment-page-1/#comment-757 Monica O'Brien Mon, 08 Dec 2008 22:20:00 +0000 http://twentyset.com/retracing-your-footsteps-leads-to-your-next-big-leap/#comment-757 Gene, yes, I was raised in a strict Catholic family. This step does have deep significance for me. Steve, yes! It really does take retracing your footsteps to find clarity, because of the reconnection you need to make with your roots. Thanks for putting it into different terms and providing more insight. Gene, yes, I was raised in a strict Catholic family. This step does have deep significance for me.

Steve, yes! It really does take retracing your footsteps to find clarity, because of the reconnection you need to make with your roots. Thanks for putting it into different terms and providing more insight.

]]> By: Steve Errey http://blog.monicaobrien.com/retracing-your-footsteps-leads-to-your-next-big-leap/comment-page-1/#comment-756 Steve Errey Sat, 06 Dec 2008 13:30:59 +0000 http://twentyset.com/retracing-your-footsteps-leads-to-your-next-big-leap/#comment-756 We all hit that place in life where we feel we need to go inside for answers. It happens to me every couple of years and I can spot the signs of it approaching and when it comes I let it happen. I come out of that period of introspection feeling more human and feeling somehow refreshed and ready to get back out there. Control isn't about having your fingers in every pie and knowing exactly what's happening. Control of your life sometimes means you have to make a deliberate choice to let go and let whatever life's throwing your way happen. I love how you describe where you are right now as 'retracing your steps'. It gives me a picture of you following a path through a large wood, twisting and turning until you arrive in a clearing where you can clearly see the things that make you you. A clearing where you can sit down, feel soothed and reconnect with the things that matter to you the most. It's only by knowing and feeling those things that you're able to move forwards in a meaningful way. We all hit that place in life where we feel we need to go inside for answers. It happens to me every couple of years and I can spot the signs of it approaching and when it comes I let it happen. I come out of that period of introspection feeling more human and feeling somehow refreshed and ready to get back out there.

Control isn’t about having your fingers in every pie and knowing exactly what’s happening. Control of your life sometimes means you have to make a deliberate choice to let go and let whatever life’s throwing your way happen.

I love how you describe where you are right now as ‘retracing your steps’. It gives me a picture of you following a path through a large wood, twisting and turning until you arrive in a clearing where you can clearly see the things that make you you. A clearing where you can sit down, feel soothed and reconnect with the things that matter to you the most.

It’s only by knowing and feeling those things that you’re able to move forwards in a meaningful way.

]]> By: Gene Shiau http://blog.monicaobrien.com/retracing-your-footsteps-leads-to-your-next-big-leap/comment-page-1/#comment-753 Gene Shiau Sat, 06 Dec 2008 12:01:25 +0000 http://twentyset.com/retracing-your-footsteps-leads-to-your-next-big-leap/#comment-753 @ Monica: Ah, I see. Had I been raised going to church every Sunday, I might have been able to recognize the significance of returning to church from reading your post. I grew up in a different religion, and though I self-proclaim to be agnostic, I am still deeply spiritual, just not in any scriptural or ritual sense. Good for you -- for getting back in touch with your inner compass & peace! @ Holly: I love your writing. Every post/comment you write has a story, and every paragraph makes a vivid connection with the readers. Even though little of what you blog about typically intersects with my spheres, everything you write still reads like a gem. I suppose this is the main point your comment conveyed: to assert control is to delegate -- be it downward to your landlord, who has to worry about tax and market and upkeep, and you only have to sign a lease and pay bills; or upward to your faith, in whom you trust your spirit to find peace. @ Monica: Ah, I see. Had I been raised going to church every Sunday, I might have been able to recognize the significance of returning to church from reading your post. I grew up in a different religion, and though I self-proclaim to be agnostic, I am still deeply spiritual, just not in any scriptural or ritual sense. Good for you — for getting back in touch with your inner compass & peace!

@ Holly: I love your writing. Every post/comment you write has a story, and every paragraph makes a vivid connection with the readers. Even though little of what you blog about typically intersects with my spheres, everything you write still reads like a gem.

I suppose this is the main point your comment conveyed: to assert control is to delegate — be it downward to your landlord, who has to worry about tax and market and upkeep, and you only have to sign a lease and pay bills; or upward to your faith, in whom you trust your spirit to find peace.

]]> By: Monica O'Brien http://blog.monicaobrien.com/retracing-your-footsteps-leads-to-your-next-big-leap/comment-page-1/#comment-743 Monica O'Brien Fri, 05 Dec 2008 04:19:59 +0000 http://twentyset.com/retracing-your-footsteps-leads-to-your-next-big-leap/#comment-743 Tiffany, hearing your story makes me very hopeful that I will find what I need at church. Thanks for sharing! Jarred, thanks for the support. I do agree that blogging is incredibly therapeutic. It's good to have things out in the open, just to see if other people experience something similar. Holly, I love everything you wrote, very nice phrasing. It's interesting that you struggle with control. For me, I'm ready to give up control. I'm tired of sharing the burden of control in all aspects of my life. I'm ready to ask for help, even if it's spiritually, and I hope that will give me the strength to get ask for help from other people. (I guess fear of asking for help is a struggle with needing control as well, though.) Tiffany, hearing your story makes me very hopeful that I will find what I need at church. Thanks for sharing!

Jarred, thanks for the support. I do agree that blogging is incredibly therapeutic. It’s good to have things out in the open, just to see if other people experience something similar.

Holly, I love everything you wrote, very nice phrasing. It’s interesting that you struggle with control. For me, I’m ready to give up control. I’m tired of sharing the burden of control in all aspects of my life. I’m ready to ask for help, even if it’s spiritually, and I hope that will give me the strength to get ask for help from other people. (I guess fear of asking for help is a struggle with needing control as well, though.)

]]> By: Holly Hoffman http://blog.monicaobrien.com/retracing-your-footsteps-leads-to-your-next-big-leap/comment-page-1/#comment-744 Holly Hoffman Wed, 03 Dec 2008 22:19:50 +0000 http://twentyset.com/retracing-your-footsteps-leads-to-your-next-big-leap/#comment-744 I didn't know you'd left BC either, but it sounded like you were pretty strained, by the commute in particular. I am always torn between my drive & my quality of life. When is it OK to take a few minutes & enjoy what I'm building? Am I OK with taking an evening to sit on the couch like every other average American out there? Can I put my blog off to the side to give myself some much-needed TLC after my relationship goes bust? All I can say is that we have a higher-class of problems than most people. Our intelligence can't be turned off, we can't switch off motivation, even when we want to. The trade off is bliss... that sweet byproduct of ignorance. I worry sometimes that I might border on an eating disorder. I won't eat when everything else in my life feels out of control... it's the one thing I can control. But that's not about eating or not eating; it's about realizing that I'm not in control. That's what I get from a spiritual connection with something larger than myself. I have faith that something more powerful than myself can handle this stuff and it's not my job to worry about it. It's my job to put one foot in front of the other, try to be a good person every day, and to do the next right thing. The same is true with moving. We moved into a different house every year. Every single year. My hand shakes if I have to sign an apt lease for longer than 6 months. But that has to do with control also. By signing that lease, I'm giving up control of my surroundings, in my mind. That's not true though. Sounds like you're ready to connect with something bigger again, wherever you choose to do that. Don't worry about 5 years from now. Just do today. Try to do the next right thing, and things will work out. It's that simple. It's not easy, but it's simple. I didn’t know you’d left BC either, but it sounded like you were pretty strained, by the commute in particular.

I am always torn between my drive & my quality of life. When is it OK to take a few minutes & enjoy what I’m building? Am I OK with taking an evening to sit on the couch like every other average American out there? Can I put my blog off to the side to give myself some much-needed TLC after my relationship goes bust? All I can say is that we have a higher-class of problems than most people. Our intelligence can’t be turned off, we can’t switch off motivation, even when we want to. The trade off is bliss… that sweet byproduct of ignorance.

I worry sometimes that I might border on an eating disorder. I won’t eat when everything else in my life feels out of control… it’s the one thing I can control. But that’s not about eating or not eating; it’s about realizing that I’m not in control. That’s what I get from a spiritual connection with something larger than myself. I have faith that something more powerful than myself can handle this stuff and it’s not my job to worry about it. It’s my job to put one foot in front of the other, try to be a good person every day, and to do the next right thing.

The same is true with moving. We moved into a different house every year. Every single year. My hand shakes if I have to sign an apt lease for longer than 6 months. But that has to do with control also. By signing that lease, I’m giving up control of my surroundings, in my mind. That’s not true though.

Sounds like you’re ready to connect with something bigger again, wherever you choose to do that. Don’t worry about 5 years from now. Just do today. Try to do the next right thing, and things will work out. It’s that simple. It’s not easy, but it’s simple.

]]> By: Jarred http://blog.monicaobrien.com/retracing-your-footsteps-leads-to-your-next-big-leap/comment-page-1/#comment-745 Jarred Wed, 03 Dec 2008 18:36:54 +0000 http://twentyset.com/retracing-your-footsteps-leads-to-your-next-big-leap/#comment-745 Monica, this was very brave of you to share... and I know from experience that writing something out and sharing it is another step towards healing and improvement. Best of luck with all the changes and challenges you're experiencing. Jarred Monica, this was very brave of you to share… and I know from experience that writing something out and sharing it is another step towards healing and improvement. Best of luck with all the changes and challenges you’re experiencing.

Jarred

]]> By: Tiffany Monhollon http://blog.monicaobrien.com/retracing-your-footsteps-leads-to-your-next-big-leap/comment-page-1/#comment-746 Tiffany Monhollon Wed, 03 Dec 2008 17:54:44 +0000 http://twentyset.com/retracing-your-footsteps-leads-to-your-next-big-leap/#comment-746 Monica, Thanks for sharing about your experiences. And thanks for also being honest and sharing where you think the real solution is. Talking about spirituality can be tough in this niche. I also think that sometimes, it's easy to hide inside our career aspirations, our plans, and our busy and forget the spiritual parts of us are often where the most joy and satisfaction lies. I was at that place myself about two years ago, and since I got involved in church again (and not just in a going there kind of way) my mindset about myself changed - and that's filtered out into the rest of my life as well. Happy to see you writing again! Looking forward to sharing the journey with you. Monica,
Thanks for sharing about your experiences. And thanks for also being honest and sharing where you think the real solution is. Talking about spirituality can be tough in this niche. I also think that sometimes, it’s easy to hide inside our career aspirations, our plans, and our busy and forget the spiritual parts of us are often where the most joy and satisfaction lies. I was at that place myself about two years ago, and since I got involved in church again (and not just in a going there kind of way) my mindset about myself changed – and that’s filtered out into the rest of my life as well.

Happy to see you writing again! Looking forward to sharing the journey with you.

]]> By: Monica O'Brien http://blog.monicaobrien.com/retracing-your-footsteps-leads-to-your-next-big-leap/comment-page-1/#comment-747 Monica O'Brien Wed, 03 Dec 2008 16:14:40 +0000 http://twentyset.com/retracing-your-footsteps-leads-to-your-next-big-leap/#comment-747 Sabrina, Thanks! It's good to slow down a little and even be able to take days off from work around the holidays. I was lucky that I had savings and a second income stream so I could get out of my work situation when it became ridiculous. And you're right about not wanting to make the same mistake twice! Miguel, Chicago is great right now! I'm not sure what I'll find when at church. I guess we'll see! Enjoy your visit to Chicago... I'll probably be in St. Louis over the holidays. Sabrina, Thanks! It’s good to slow down a little and even be able to take days off from work around the holidays. I was lucky that I had savings and a second income stream so I could get out of my work situation when it became ridiculous. And you’re right about not wanting to make the same mistake twice!

Miguel, Chicago is great right now! I’m not sure what I’ll find when at church. I guess we’ll see! Enjoy your visit to Chicago… I’ll probably be in St. Louis over the holidays.

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