My son-in-law teaches people about how to shift their paradigm….I’ve read along and nodded my head; then it struck me, I need another paradigm shift.  For those not familiar with paradigm, it is the thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors that we live by.  Many of these beliefs and behaviors started in childhood.  If you had a lousy childhood like I did, my paradigm was filled with rotted thinking and lousy habits.  Counseling was my first encounter with a major paradigm shift.  IT WAS HARD.  I do not speak of paradigm shifts lightly.  I described counseling being like changing your engine as you are driving down the freeway.  Totally changed the way I thought, felt and behaved.  Recently I am noticing that I am not doing the things I enjoy.  I am not working on my photography.  I am not learning new things that I enjoy….I am drifting.  Barely functioning some days and underneath it all, I am not feeling happy.

First stop.  Yup.  STOP and pay attention to all the gray grumblings happening in my mind and heart.

Next Analyze what is happening.  What is the underground worries, thoughts, and annoyances that are nagging at me?  Or as my counselor put it, asking my heart, “What do you want to talk about?”  In those meandering words is usually the key of my dissatisfaction or restlessness.

Realign my goals to better meet those unmet needs.

Make a plan and pray.  In my opinion I need to do it in that order.  I need to work out in my mind what I believe and feel I need to do to improve my life.  Then I ask Heavenly Father thinks of my plan.  He sometimes thinks my plan is ok and I get the feeling to carry on.  Other times, something drops in my lap to change my direction and refocus my abilities on something that will help me do a better job at living.  You know what the cool thing is.  Heavenly Father likes what I try to do to help others.  I positively encouraged along those paths….but just drifting…not so good.

I then make adjustments to my plan.

Time to do this again.  I don’t need to wait until January to check in and see if I am actually going where I want to end up.