I contracted a cool new project today with a favorite editor. It was attracted in no small part by recent discussions on the topic with a friend. I love how that works: that I attract what I focus on, even during play time and casual conversation. I wrote earlier that a friend asked about writing and editing, pricing and how to get jobs. Like so much of my life, it wasn’t planned, it was just some fun something that morphed into an income stream without my having ever set it as a goal. Which is pretty funny when I think about it, since I always have ongoing lists of goals to be accomplished. Half of them get done, the others lose priority as something even better than I could have planned emerges fully formed into my life, like Athena, the goddess of wisdom and strategy, emerging fully formed from the head of Zeus. If I was to follow my own advice, I’d identify and develop as many skills as I was excited about and I’d nurture an intense desire to connect with those who were attracted to what I had to offer. And then I’d begin to dance with whatever the Universe threw at me. I’d remember that my job is to stay happy and continually draw pleasure from whatever experience I encounter. And it’s always good to remember how to attract dollars no matter what the state of the economy.
There’s another good reason to find something to be excited about, something to look forward to. When you look forward to something and then achieve it and feel satisfaction literally wash over you, that’s a dopamine rush in your brain. It was while studying the limbic system (our emotional brain) that I came to understand why I like doing research. It’s the same reason some people like to play online games, which I always thought seemed boring. By activating the seek and find mechanism in playing the game – or researching our topic – we stimulate dopamine production in the brain, giving us a natural high. So if you’ve been in a slump, find something to be excited about, something to look forward to. Do a little research and make a list of what might be fun or interesting to check into. Include physical activities as well as online interests. Re-reading your list will remind you of what you like. Getting in person with new people will activate the brain neurons. New people = new things to think about. New things to think about begins an entire new life for you. Nice to know you’re in charge of what you spend your time thinking about!
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