Old Dogs Can Learn New Tricks

         Old Dogs Can Learn New Tricks!

  Happy New Year from the other side of the world. It certainly has been an interesting and enriching year. I’ve traveled to foreign lands, published a book, got my real estate license, and finally relaxed enough to enjoy my life.

  I have big dreams for 2015. And I know they can come true. True, it will take a lot of work, time, and effort. I embrace the challenge, and look forward to the rewards of taking life by the tail, swinging it around and yelling Yahooo!!!

  Recently I have been asked by several people how I have accomplished this. I set with it for a few days and wondered myself as it is so far away from the life I led a few years ago. It’s a very simple answer. I listened to my heart and got out of my own way. I let it lead me into the things I was meant to do.

  I know, some may say thats a lot phony baloney Doug, that esoteric cockamamy bull theory cant hold water out of your boots! And I would tell you, yeah, your right. I am not here to convince you.

   For those of you that don’t know me well, a little background may help. I used to live what I thought was an amazing life. I lived in a quaint little town, high in the Colorado Rockies. I had lots of frIends. A kick ass house. A great girl. And a thriving career. So what was missing. I was missing. I was hanging on to what used to be. Even the best loaf of bread in the world gets stale if you leave it on the shelf

  I wasn’t happy. I was working every day, for less and less money .I wasn’t growing. I wasn’t learning, or trying new things. I was just doing, and collecting things. Mostly meaningless things, except the bad habits. They meant something, and almost ruined me.

  So one day, with a lot of prodding from my gal, I had a long talk with myself and asked what it is I wanted out of life. The list started with what I didn’t want. And that was  a job I was starting to hate. So I quit. And it scared the shit out of me. It had been my security blanket, my mission, and who I was. Sysco Doug.  But I quit anyway. And on that very day I began to see all the possibilities that were in front of me.

   I knew I could not just focus on what I didn’t want. So I made a list of what I did want. And on it was to publish books, travel the world, have an incredible love affair with my  partner, better health, and a closer relationship with god. These are just a few of the things on my list.

   A month later. Another scare the hell out of me, what are you doing to your life moment I packed up my beautiful mountain home and moved to the desert.

   So there I was, away from everything I had become accustomed to. And you know what. It was okay, my life moved on. Sure there was plenty of soul searching, looking over my back, and a lot of just winging it to get me through.

    But I did get through and the biggest thing I learned is I can do anything I choose. Well almost anything. I sure would like to do some of those superman things like leaping tall buildings in a single bound. Some of those green hornet tricks might be pretty cool too!

  And the second biggest thing I learned is, it’s my life, and I am responsible for what it should be like. I still make wrong choices, stumble, and have to get up and dust off my britches. But every time I wipe the dirt off I hope I learn something from it.

  The third biggest aha of this year has been. I can live the life I want. It was not easy to change my life. I was an out of shape, drunk old man looking to skate by with a life and a job I didn’t care for anymore. Living each day just like it was yesterday. Old dogs can learn new tricks my friends. Listen to your heart, it knows you better than you think it does!

If you had told me in 2013 all the stuff I was going to do in 2014, I’d of called you crazy!

It certainly has been one helluva year. My list has a few checks next to it. Big fat red checks with bright shining stars.

Oh yeah, best of all. I still got the girl! She is awesome. I love you Dawn.

Happy New Year. I love each and every one of you. I hope to see you all in the coming new year. My travels will bring me to all my homes in Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Connecticut. Hopefully they will bring me to yours also.

 Stay tuned for next years list. It has a few doosies on it.