GET IN THE MIX

Several weeks ago, I had a dream....

that really stuck with me. I do not dream very often and, usually, I forget what I dreamt about as soon as I wake up. This particular dream just seemed to really stay with me. I have revisited it over and over. Now, I realize that there was a particularly strong message to this dream. The message is what has seemingly drilled its way into my head and gotten lodged there. Without getting into a lot of detail, suffice it to say that two phrases stuck with me when I woke up. Those phrases were "Get in the Mix" and "Get Marked". Let me explain what I mean by these two phrases.

Life is finite.

Whether you believe in an afterlife, reincarnation, or that you simply turn to dust and it's all over, there is one thing that cannot be denied. We only get ONE opportunity to live this life as who we are. The question becomes which side of the fence will you live on. On one side of the fence, there is the group who merely exist. They go to work, they go out, they eat, they drink, and they grow old. In other words, they slide right into a comfortable routine and they never slide out of it. Many of them desire to break out of it but they never do. Now, let me say this. There is nothing wrong with this type of life. It is admirable to work hard, build a life, and raise a family. No one, and I mean no one can look down his or her nose at you. But, hereis the real question. How many of us who live this way look back when it is all said and done and question where our lives went? How many people live a nice, productive life and still have regrets?

Then there are the people on the other side of the fence. These ae the people who seem to get the fact that they only live this life once. So, they have made a personal decision to maximize every single minute. They understand that time is the most precious commodity that we have. Once we lose time, we can NEVER get it back. So, they live their lifes to the absolute fullest. They love. They laugh. They strive to follow their passion and not just a paycheck. They strive to invest time and passion into wha is important to them. That can be family, career, or personal interests. In other words, they realize that world has a lot to offer and they decide to GET IN THE MIX. They refuse to simply exist and to let life pass them by. They pursue passion, fulfill dreams, and take risks. They understand that the world has a lot to offer and they try to wring as much out of the process of life as they can. They also understand that they have a lot to offer the world. So, they make sure that they leave the world empty. In other words, they don't carry their gifts, talents, and passion to the grave. They leave it all here. They get involved and they strive to maximize their potential. They GET IN THE MIX. When they leave here, they leave absolutely empty.

People who GET IN THE MIX...

tend to have another curious trait. You cannot live this way without being affected by it. In other words, you cannot GET IN THIS MIX without GETTING MARKED. In other words, a life lived this way has a tendency to bear fruit. People who GET IN THE MIX tend to be more fulfilled and their faces, attitudes, dispositions, and body language. Their lives are marked by more meaningful relationships and more fulfilling work. Hey take riss with the full knowledge that they may fail. However,isn't it better to take the risk and fail than to live your life haunted by a litany of what-ifs? People who GET IN THE MIX tends to GET MARKED by great failures and equally great successes. Most importantly, they are marked by an unabashed pursuit of their passions. They are marked by a sense of fulfillment. Let me explain something to you. You actually do reap what you sow. However, there is a passage that says that you have sown the wind but you have reaped the whirlwind. In other words, you always reap more than you sow. You don't sow a seed and get a seed back. You get a plant and within that plant is more seeds. Withn those seeds are more plants which have more seeds which have more plants which have more .... get the point? What ever you are investing in is going to give you a return that is bigger than you ever dreamed. So, if you are investing in a dead-end, routine life, then what return can you really expect? But what if you made a commitment to GET IN THE MIX? What return could you possibly receive? In other words, how could you GET MARKED? Maybe it is time to start thinking about the return that you want so that you can make sure that you are investing in the right things?

So, the choice is really up to you? How will you live? Which side of the fence will you be on? What will you invest in and what return will you receive? I can only speak for me. I plan to leave here absolutely empty. I plan to GET IN THE MIX and GET MARKED.