This is actually a shot of our kid with pals on a beach in southern Thailand. Remote and adventurous, nonetheless.
Sometimes it’s easier to boldly leap into the world by setting the bar super high and then scaling back a bit. If I say, “Hey, why don’t we pack up and move to Cambodia with our 2-year old son!” and then I scale that back to, say, a 5-hour drive north to Montreal for the weekend, suddenly packing and crossing the border feels much more manageable.
Or when trying to establish a new ritual or outlook, I could tell naysayers, “well, it’s not like I’m a Pastafarian… I’m just trying to be more mindful and meditate for 5 minutes each day.” (By the way, if are a Pastafarian, I support you wearing a colander on your head in your driver’s license photo.)
Or when making a career shift, I could remind myself it’s not like I’m starting over after losing everything, like New York’s Norman Lasca who has established himself as a vibrant painter and has continued work on a forthcoming novel since a devastating East Village gas explosion took his home and worldly possessions in 2015. Hell, I’m just starting a new project or daring to say no to a few jobs: really, it’s not so hard.
Perspective is everything for me. It takes work; and sometimes it’s more fun to complain. (Sometimes I do need to kvetch.) But for the most part, keeping a broader view when I’m confronted with discomfort or challenge helps me get going. It’s more sustainable than constant cheerful optimism.
I’m in the middle of a big week of travel, with plenty of new situations and projects. So far, so good when I remember to dial in humor and consider tougher paradigms which make my own seem pretty doable. Plus, the new Norman Lasca painting in the back seat of the rental car helps keep me inspired!
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