Understanding the Attractions & Connections of Our Lives
“Put yourself in the best possible situation or position in every moment to be living authentically & achieving your potential as human being.”
Every day we attract people, ideas & situations to us. These experiences become the moments of our lives. And every day, these moments come & go.
But how often do we stop to wonder why? Why these moments, with these people?
I wonder all the time. Why did this person enter into my life right at this moment? Are they supposed to teach me something? Show me something? Motivate me? Help me accomplish a goal? Remind me of something? Warn me? Distract me?
Is this meant to be a fleeting moment or last a lifetime? Why do some people come into my life, leave and then resurface, seemingly randomly, years later?
Or why am I in this situation? What am I supposed to get out of it?
Why do I have the ideas I have, when I have them? Where do the ideas come from? Why am I drawn to the things I am drawn to? Why does one thing catch my attention, more than another?
Why do I make the connections I make with the people, ideas, and situations exactly at the moment I make them? And all too often, everything seems coincidental. For instance, I could be noodling on an idea and just like that, the right person or piece of information shows up in my life. Instances like that have happened like clockwork to me my entire life. So much so, that at one point when I was younger, I had to research them.
Quoting lonerwolf.com, “Synchronicity is a term originally coined by psychologist Carl Jung that refers to the meaningful (or even miraculous) coincidences that occur in your life. When you experience synchronicity, you’ll have experiences that seem far too significant to be mere day-to-day serendipitous encounters.”
I now call them my personal synchronicities. And given that my life seems filled with them, I pay attention to the way I interact, experience and communicate with the world around me; so much so, that working to understand these types of CONNECTIONS is my third NORTH STAR…
Over time I have found this interesting correlation between me and the type of attraction (i.e., person, idea, situation), the strength of the attraction, my awareness of the attraction in the moment and my commitment to getting the most out of the moment as it relates to the attraction. I actually created a chart to describe it:
And even when I believe I’ve experienced everything I can out of the moment, I wonder; did I really get everything I was supposed to get out of it, or did I miss something of significance? That’s where journaling and self-reflection about my various moments has been so useful over the years. It helps me understand the connections I am making and how the things I’m learning are interrelated.
I am always vigilant, looking for my next moment of genuine connection with the world around me. And even though I can’t predict when my next “moment” will happen, I have seen patterns in the types of experiences that are more likely to facilitate greater connection for me personally. Here are five of them:
· Conversations of Significance.
I call them conversations of significance because they are meaningful, authentic, one-on-one, conversations that I have with people. Talking & listening about things that matter – feelings, emotions, beliefs, opinions & ideas. Really trying to connect & get to the heart of it with others. Superfluous conversations have no meaning…the real ones, the ones that make us pause, the ones that make us cry, the ones we share our real thoughts & vulnerabilities, the ones we experience love…
· Sharing What I Have, With Those Who Need It.
When it’s all said and done, I give what I can in my circle of influence. To my family, friends, neighbors & strangers I come in contact with. I try to be as generous as I can, as I’m called to be, as I’m compelled to be. With my: Money. Resources. Advice. Home. Time. Whatever I can, whatever is asked. Most of all, my positive energy, empathy, patience, kindness & love for all.
· Caring for Nature.
I care for about 40 houseplants.
I love to take walks in the park, in the woods, in any plot of nature, big or small.
The sound of the ocean, the leaves rustling in the wind, rain falling on the trees, watching the big snowflakes fall, the sounds of chickadees, nuthatches & blue jays, or the bees & butterflies in my English flower garden are some of my favorite nature sounds
I have visited, 17 of the 62 major national parks and 100’s more local, state & international parks & wildlife areas.
As an avid birder, I have chased migrating birds to places like Baxter State Park, ME, Cape May, NJ, the highlands of Nicaragua & the Rio Grande Valley
I love nature. The world is beautiful and an is a never-ending inspiration of wonder for me.
It reminds me that I am part of something bigger and humans are meant to be stewards, not rulers.
· Seeing the World.
I have travelled to 5 continents. 20+ countries. 49 states. 100’s of cities. Estimating 500+ trips, through 100+ different airports.
Traveling around the world has changed my life. It has shaped my perspective & worldview. It has given me the opportunity to meet people where they are and experience the sights & smells of places as they really are. My first-hand experiences have allowed me the opportunity see things for myself. The world is a beautiful, complicated, place and my beliefs are constantly tested, being flipped upside down and turned inside out. Always curious, traveling has made me more empathetic, kind, & understanding and overall, less judging. It has convinced me more strongly than ever, that we need to share what we have with each other more equally.
· Being Positive.
Energy, energy, energy. The world needs more positive… well, everything. Being positive is my attitude, my state of mind, my approach to life. I can’t tell you how many opportunities I’ve been given and how much assistance I’ve been offered in my life, simply because I’ve chosen to me positive. It has attracted a certain kind of person to me. And I am grateful for all of the teachers I have had, throughout my life.
Beyond these five things, I do my best to be as prepared as I can for every moment, I find myself in – observant, open, aware & curious. Looking for the signs, ready to engage with what the universe presents to me. If you are looking for your own signs, look for things like this:
Moments that make you feel alive
Moments that inspire you to delve deeper into your beliefs about the world around you
Moments that connect you to something bigger than yourself
Moments that help you experience love
“The consequences of experiencing the life in front of you…
Living fully in the moment
Getting everything, you can out of it
Truly being aware of everything going on around you”