As it Turns Out....We Got Turned Out!



That's okay....we got this.
(Well, it's not 'okay,' but..)

Just because the system is broken
and 'the odds seem ever (not) in our favor'
doesn't mean we're counted out yet.

I plan on surviving and doing well
just for the pure, undiluted spite
of it all.

Success isn't about bank accounts;
it's about quality and attitude of living
(And, no--one is not dependent upon the other.)

***



True Gritting of the Teeth

Men are expected to carry their weight, be dependent on no one,
never show weakness or vulnerability, and carry the load not
just for themselves, but others too.

Even as options dry up and possibilities wither, much demand is
placed squarely on the shoulders of men.

For us, a lack of independence, a loss of our prior status quo,
and an inability to provide for our basic needs can feel like
absolutely fatal losses. But still, all in all, they are merely obstacles.

In this battle, our thoughts and outlooks have to be realigned.
Giving ourselves a break does not mean giving up the fight.

It's just a tightening of the belt, a restructuring of priorities...
learning to allow for our humanness. The added stress of beating
ourselves up or feeling 'less than' is not helpful or healthy. You are
more than simply a provider; Accept that.

Situations change. Abilities lessen.
We have to stop trying to be superhuman all the time, and realize
that we don't win every hand. We have to cut ourselves a break.

Let go of the lost image, the expectations, the imagined gossip.
It is what it is.
We do what we have to do.
Survival isn't pretty, but it's of utmost importance.

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You Are More Than Your Past Limitations

Stamina's the thing.

It may be 100 "No's" for every one "Yes."

The changes in lifestyle may be drastic.

You might need to endure 100 false leads for every one option
that even leads to a second interview or shows promise.

Developing and maintaining Stamina, Fortitude,  & Perseverance.
These are your jobs now.

Strengthening and developing  muscles beyond what you ever
thought possible.

Don't take it personally.

Stay calm.

It is what it is.

Transformation isn't for breaking you; it's for making you stronger.

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Keep On Keeping On

Those pioneer folk who picked up everything and moved west
for the idea of possibility--that's a real motivator.

We can say "Oh, those were different times." But that doesn't
deny the stamina and fighting spirit that had to be utilized by
those folks in daring to try. In undertaking the physical demands
of the exhausting trip. Of facing the unknown dangers, alone.

We have that spirit in us. We have become softened in many
respects in our modern world, and our fighting spirit may have
to first take the form of simply not laying down to die.

The emotional pressures of dealing with loss of job, loss of
security, loss of our prized possessions, (possibly even the
loss of friends and family as we face our ordeal) cannot be
the only thing we see when we look at our lives.

This is one way in which the capitalist world has ruined us;
reinforcing our worth via materialism and consumerism.
We are so much more than the sum of our bank accounts
and the size of our toys, but we have lost sight of that because
we bought into what society prizes and promotes.

Leaning survival skills may first include learning to care
about ourselves in the first place; learning to respect life as
it is, for what it is, and not remaining invested in popularity
and affluence. We may first have to train ourselves to want
to live, even without all the trappings of what others told us
were important. Embracing wherever we are, now.

In this new economy, many of us are having to branch out
on our own, penniless and devoid of any promises, discovering
that fighting spirit within for the very first time.

Bon voyage! There is greatness in you. May you discover
it on the journey.

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