Stop Floating and Start Swimming...

All of us have had time in our lives when we just floated through our days - in my life, I can recount many months where I did just that, float through the day. But as with all things, at some point floating has to become swimming - either something has changed in your life (usually negative that pushes us to action) or you've gotten bored with just floating and want something new or exciting in your life.

Why Float?
Floating can be extremely enjoyable. It's very passive, it requires very little energy on your part, and it can be relaxing. Now as long as this is planned activity (such as I'm taking 3 months off to travel Europe) floating is a very positive thing in your life - and can set you up for a renewed view of life, it's challenges, the future - everything. We all know of someone that upon graduating from College decided to take a year off traveling (or any variation of that theme). In these cases, floating usually recharges the batteries and creates a good transition to the next stage of life.

Now, if on the other hand, floating has become a habit or your view of life is that "no matter what I do, nothing seems to change" - then it's a negative thing in your life. Basically you're not living your life, your life is just happening to you. Life has challenges. There are lots of IFs in life - and outcomes of decisions and choices don't always turn out like we want them to turn out. In many of his books, Dr. Wayne Dyer writes about how we judge the outcome of an event and call it negative - when in reality, it is what it is. It's our "judgment" or "prejudice" that will color something positive (good) or negative (bad) - the event or outcome is just something that happened - it's how we FEEL about makes something out of it.

So, if you're floating because you don't feel anything will change for the better, or because you'll only be disappointed by the outcome - you have to change how you feel about trying. There will always be ifs in life, no on can change that. There will always be unknowns in any outcome. You will always feel some amount of fear when trying something new - welcome those things, that feeling in your stomach reminds you that you're alive (as in not dead yet).

Why Swim?
Floating all the time is boring. Floating makes you lazy and weak. Swimming is activity - it make you use muscles and get tired and feel like you actually did something. Swimming is taking responsibility, to looking ahead, making a plan, taking action. You might actually get to the same place either way - but swimming there allows you time to reflect "afterward" - and in many cases, swimming allows you more time to float. (that kinda seems backward, but believe me it's true).

Now the good thing about floating, is that it's really easy to begin swimming. Taking action is very easy and it can start at any time. You can take some action without knowing exactly where you want to go - you just move a little to the left or right. You can correct your course when you swim, but not when you float. You are making the decision which way to go, not the current of life. You regain control, you make the decisions.

So, I say start swimming. Take the action, move ahead, move within the flow of the water, while directing your course. I've got to go now, it's time for a few strokes to get myself back on course.