The Fear of Failure (The Alchemist)

"Don't give in to your fears," said the alchemist, in a strangely gentle voice. "If you do, you won't be able to talk to your heart."

"If a person is living out his Personal Legend, he knows everything he needs to know. There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure."

I have always known that I have a huge fear of failure and that it has made me who I am today. I've lied to myself by thinking that acting on my fear was a good thing but I just now realized that it isn't. Because I have reacted to fear all my life I am now unhappy with a certain part of my life. Maybe more than one part...

How can I change this? It's ingrained in me, "better safe than sorry!".

Man, I have some work to do... :-)

Listening To Your Heart (The Alchemist)

"Everyone on earth has a treasure that awaits them. We, people's hearts, seldom say much about those treasures, because people no longer want to go in search of them. We speak of them only to children. Later, we simply let life proceed, in it's own direction, towards it's own fate. BUT, UNFORTUNATELY, VERY FEW FOLLOW THE PATH LAID OUT FOR THEM---THE PATH TO THEIR PERSONAL LEGENDS, AND TO HAPPINESS. Most people see the world as a threatening place, and, because they do, the world turns out, indeed, to be a threatening place."

When we're on the path to realizing our dreams...

"Every search begins with beginner's luck. And every search ends with the victor's being severely tested." or "The darkest hour of the night came just before the dawn."

All of this made think about a life dream I had. I didn't follow my Personal Legend because I was afraid to and what I had at the time was easy for me. Now I can't stop thinking about it.

:-/  

The Alchemist, cont...

Maybe I was wrong to be upset? Maybe I wasn't being supportive enough? Like my last post said, if someone truly cares they will accompany us in our journey. What I am just now understanding is that you don't have to physically accompany someone in their journey. Being supportive of the journey is just as good.

Or maybe I was right for both of us?

"The boy felt jealous of the freedom of the wind, and saw that he could have the same freedom. There was nothing to hold him back except himself. The sheep, the merchant's daughter, and the fields of Andalusia were only steps along the way to his Personal Legend."

I was just a step and I should understand that because he was also a step for me. Yes it hurt for a bit, but to know that we're each others step in our own quest for our Personal Legend gives me comfort.

The Alchemist

I have decided to read the book again. I first read The Alchemist over five years ago. One of the many special things about the book is that you end up reading it at just the right time in your life. That was the case then and it's the case today. 

The book is so inspiring and comforting in the simplist of ways. There are no complicated thoughts, sentences, or words to figure out. It's 167 pages are life changing. I haven't even started the actual story and I'm already moved by something Paulo wrote in his preface.  

"If we have the courage to disinter dream, we are then faced by the second obstacle: love. We know what we want to do, but are afraid of hurting those around us by abandoning everything in order to pursue our dream. We do not realize that love is just a further impetus, not something that will prevent us from going forward. We do not realize that those who genuinely wish us well want us to be happy and are prepared to accompany us on that journey."

- Paulo Coelho

Some people just don't understand this and so they distance themselves from loved ones to "protect" them.  In the end they hurt themselves and their loved ones.  

Anyhow, my posts today will be focused around this great book and the author.

Xoxoxoxo........

axelhoney

Tonight I'm at an art show & I found a new artist that I love. Her name is axelhoney & she does water colors among so many other things.  I bought one of her prints which will go on my wall. 

Check her out!
www.axelhoney.com

I luv the arts!

Xoxoxoxo....

Akasha

One of my favorite restaurants in Culver City!  I really enjoy this place & so does my friend Dimitri. It's becoming our regular spot. :-)

He's really fun to have dinner with because he always orders EVERYTHING on the menu.  Right now he just finished ordering the whole right side of the menu. Hahaha....

Okay, time to focus back on dinner & chatting with him.

Cheers!

Dinner With Dy

I have a really good friend named Sandy.  She's about 30 yrs older than me but we really connect.  

A funny thing about her is that she doesn't like it when people call me Sandy. She always says "But you're Dra and I'm Dy!"  Hahahaha.... 

I LOVE this lady so much! Every now and then we splurge & go out for dinner and we talk for hours. Tonight was such a night. She wanted to celebrate my birthday since we hadn't seen each other in a long time.  Long time for us is a couple of months...maybe three.  We met at Lago, an Italian restaurant on the promenade.  

After dinner we saw a very attractive sign outside of Banana Repuplic that said "50% Off" and we couldn't resist walking in.  I am very happy with my two new sweaters & tshirt. Yaay!  

I had a wonderful evening with Dy but that's nothing new. <3

Xoxoxoxo........