Mesa-Top Musings: an “off grid” adventure in New Mexico

Recently I recalled a scene in a popular movie from years ago, where this guy from New York City goes to the Deep South.  He is in a hotel room and the air is warm and humid, the night is still.  He can’t sleep until he puts in a cassette tape of city sounds and noises.  Heavy traffic, horns honking, sirens whizzing past.  He settles into bed and happily drifts off, having filled the unwelcomed silence.

That scene was one of the most memorable in the entire film, and has stayed with me mainly because I was more incredulous than amused when I saw it.  No way could I relate to his preference. I have a friend who moved from the East Mountains back to the city because even though her husband loved the two acres on which they lived, she couldn’t stand it.  It was too quiet and she felt isolated.  Last year they sold their property to move back to Albuquerque.  I just sold our two acres, which wasn’t far from theirs, and bought 48 acres south of Santa Fe. 

There are obviously lots of folks who love city life, with all the cultural activities, great restaurants, night life, and shopping, shopping, shopping.  While I very much appreciate many of these amenities and conveniences, I like to visit then head back up to the top of our mesa.  With all of my heart I want these vast reaches of open space, the stunning vistas, the wildlife, the black night skies with countless stars so bright and so close they seem within reach, and the deep and absolute silence.  And in order to have it we are currently, albeit temporarily, living in a camper – with our three dogs.  A Standard Poodle, a Wire Hair Fox Terrier and a little Jack Russell Terrier mix who “found” us and decided to stay.  To say the space is cramped is a bit of a humorous understatement.  Everything takes longer and is more involved, each task and activity of daily living has more steps.  It is a great exercise in patience and feels like a spiritual practice, sharing such a confined space, that blissfully comes with forever views.

Our camper has a slide-out which contains the dining table and cushioned benches.  Today our poodle and wire hair fox terrier took a nap, side by side, underneath the table where I work on my laptop computer.  I thought it was worth a picture; and the picture, to me at least, is worth the proverbial thousand words.  While the boys were happily snoozing under the table, our little Sophie, the Jack Russell mix, was draped across the cushioned bench opposite me, supervising my work. 

There are those who truly enjoy living in a quadraphonic world, with multiple sources of stimulation and the ever-present possibility of sensory overload.  In contrast and by choice, the majority of my day is spent not in surround-sound, but in surround-silence.  Throughout the day various birds provide momentary concerts; and at night we hear boisterous coyotes, and the hauntingly beautiful melodies of an owl who lives somewhere near. 

An “off the grid” lifestyle seems to appeal to some intellectually or conceptually, but few are willing to actually do what it takes.  Living simply is not easy, and putting in the infrastructure to be self-reliant is very expensive.  There are many costs, not all of which are monetary. Choosing to live this way understandably appeals to a relatively small number of folks.  We have encountered those who appreciate it as adventuresome and many who think we are courageous, crazy or a combination of both.  The decision and the conviction to pursue this dream is a direct result of my becoming an entrepreneur and an Internet marketer.  While that may seem peculiar, it is true.  What I have learned about mindset, personal growth and visualizing has emboldened me.  Coming to understand the profound truth that “in order to have something you’ve never had before, you must do something you’ve never done before” has been transformative.

As Abraham Maslow has said, “One can choose to go backward toward safety or forward toward growth. Growth must be chosen again and again; fear must be overcome again and again.” At this point in my life, I am embracing this wisdom in a way I never before would have considered.  

It is said that New Mexico doesn’t have spring, it has wind.  As in rip-roaring gusts that can re-arrange your clothes and threaten to literally sweep you off your feet. Yesterday was like that.  Today it has been completely still, becalmed.  A stillness that is so calm and peaceful, I am overflowing with wonder and gratitude.  Until I lived here I didn’t think much about wind. Certainly would not have imagined it as one of the four seasons! In California we had windy days and about the most I would say, think or feel about them is that I didn’t like them.  Here it is different.  The wind is a force with which one must grapple.  It can be fierce and unwieldy and there is absolutely no getting around it.  But more than that, it has captured my attention and caused me to become aware, curious and respectful.

Wind in the desert has so many moods and voices.  On our mesa-top it can go from complete and profound silence infused with a deep stillness, to whispering through the trees, to howling winds of such velocity and volume that it is almost deafening and disorienting.  The winds can rip branches from trees, just as they can gently carry the melody of a songbird, or the scent of sage and cedar unknown distances.  The winds artfully re-arrange countless cloud formations with an elegant choreography that is captivating to watch.  And when the breezes are just so, the ravens appear and windsurf on invisible currents, frolicking to and fro as they dip in a free fall, only to make another ascent, climbing higher and higher into the bright blue sky.

This experience, this off grid adventure, is turning out to be its own season.  And it is a most joyful one at that, high up here where one can watch with unobstructed views as the sun rises over the Sangre de Cristos and sets beneath the Jemez.  In addition to those mountain ranges, we live in visually intimate proximity to the Sandias, the Ortiz, and the Cerrillos Hills. The expansiveness and spaciousness of our 360 degree views come with a breathtaking landscape that has been repeatedly visited by sun, rain and snow, and is alternately sculpted by wind and soothed by silence. This enchanting place we now call home, on the top of a New Mexico mesa.

“If You Could Help Yourself, Would You?”

Recently, I saw a solo ad for a business opportunity with a colleague of mine and the headline was, “If you could help yourself, would you?”  I thought it was a brilliant advertisement.  And very telling, because more often than not the answer is, “Well, yes but…”  In other words, “No.”

When solutions and opportunities

Photo & design by Linda Compton

are right in front of us, why do we so often insist on looking elsewhere?  Why do we immediately think of why it won’t work, or why we can’t do it, or we try to find something else, anything else, other than what is readily available? 

 If I could wish just one thing for those who are unhappy, feeling scared, stuck or unsure of themselves, it would be this:  Study with Bob Proctor.  He is one of the most dynamic, spirited and insightful teachers I’ve been with on my journey of life-long learning.  His teachings are so clear and practical and speak to us right where we live.  The reason I can make this sweeping statement with such confidence is that what Bob teaches is universal.  It is applicable to you if you are a human being with thoughts and feelings who lives in this world.  Period.  I learned more from Bob in a week-end seminar about the human mind and heart, than I did in my post-graduate studies in pastoral counseling.  And the insights continue to be many and meaningful as I remain committed to my on-going studies with him.

I’m sure you’ve seen the sign with the international circle and line through it that says,  “No Whining.”  For years I often wished I could find a more effective way to “speak the truth in love” to someone who is hurting, afraid, or perennially negative.  Today I know what to say.  Because the truth is no one needs to live like that. The fact is that we choose our thoughts; our thoughts cause our feelings; and our feelings determine our actions.  Each one of our actions, by universal law, causes an equal and opposite reaction, which subsequently gives us the results we have in our lives.  I have learned this from studying with Bob, who asserts, if you want to change your results then change your thoughts.  But more than that, I have experienced the transformative power of his teachings as I daily put into practice these laws and strive to live in harmony with them. 

To the naysayers, I would simply respond, “Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it.”  Because frankly, if you honestly and wholeheartedly try it, you won’t be able to do anything but embrace it and grow.  If, however, you aren’t willing to try, then please don’t repeatedly pour out your woes to me.  I am in the empowerment and solutions business, and will go all out for those willing to try, to take action, to brave change. These are the individuals with whom I choose to spend my time and these are the people who energize and inspire me every single day.

Now, if you don’t want to accept responsibility for your thoughts, choices and actions, or if you are unwilling to hold yourself accountable, that is a different matter.  However, please realize that regardless of your attitudes, the immutable laws of the Universe are still operative.  The very purpose and thrust of nature is the advancement, fuller expression, and development of life.  As Wallace D. Waddles observes, “You naturally want to become all that you are capable of becoming; this desire to realize innate possibilities is inherent in human nature.  Success in life is becoming what you want to be.”  So if you truly want to gain sparkling insights into how to enhance your life and enliven your world, and you are open to transformational learning, then I invite you to join with me in the joy of deep discovery and heighted personal development.  Sign up now at http://bit.ly/Secret-to-YourSuccess

The Power of Choice and the Promise of Increase

“What’s it all about, Alfie?”  In this classic hit by Burt Bacharach, it poses the question, “Are we meant to take more than we give; or are we meant to be kind”?  Today, as then, it is all about one’s values and choices.

Shoot emerging from a pumpkin seed

But the kicker here, which can easily be misunderstood or overlooked, is that choice is a function of one’s awareness. Often the choices we observe being made would indicate a very limited or self-centered kind of awareness.  We see individuals making choices that indicate their intention is to take more than they are giving, and these choices lead to actions which are devoid of kindness.  Or they are not even really choosing; they are merely reacting out of habit or old patterns, to whatever circumstances present themselves from moment to moment.  Consequently, these individuals are clearly unhappy and don’t have any real awareness of what it’s all about.

It makes me sad when I see good people who are unhappy and unfulfilled in their personal and professional lives. Especially since life does not have to be this way. Because each one of us has the God-given ability to choose the way we live, and to shape our own destiny.  We have free will.  We have the capacity to develop great intelligence; to observe the precise and patterned wonders of nature; and to study the sciences, as well as the wisdom of theology, philosophy and psychology.  And if we choose to learn, and to align ourselves with the universal, spiritual principles which govern our universe, we can profoundly influence the course of our lives. In the same way a tender shoot emerges from its seed and grows as it was designed to, we can emerge from our defenses, our hurts, our fears and various limitations, and whatever else constitutes our shell, to become all we are designed and uniquely created to be.

It has always puzzled me why people who are unhappy with their present circumstances don’t make a change.  Is it really easier for some people to continually make excuses and to blame others rather than to be self-determining?  Why would someone prefer to be a victim rather than to take responsibility for their previous choices and actions, thereby empowering themselves to move forward?  Why would anyone choose to continually squeak about their problems, instead of acknowledging them and finding solutions?  I do understand the dynamic that ‘we don’t know what we don’t know.’  Meaning we can’t always address something if we are unaware of its causes.  But we do know when we are unhappy, and we can seek help and support.  I remember asking a pastoral counseling colleague many years ago about an expression she would sometimes use during conversations with me.  At the time the saying was unfamiliar to me, so I asked what it meant.  She explained that she didn’t have a lot of patience for people who didn’t take responsibility for themselves.  This is what she meant when she’d say, “I don’t suffer fools gladly.”  I understand her feelings.  I have a difficult time relating to individuals who are willing to complain and yet are unwilling to change. On the other hand, when they are ready to make a meaningful change, I am willing to be of assistance.

We have the power to choose, the ability to learn and the capacity to change and to grow.  There is so much for which to be grateful, and so much to offer others when we ourselves are filled to overflowing.  This is why I am passionate about coaching those who are motivated and want more for themselves, their families, their friends and their communities.  This is why I am committed to helping others become more aware of what it’s all about, so those who truly want to change their lives can make informed, and even inspired, choices.  Choices that honor and enhance life, give value and lead to increase.  As the universal, spiritual principles indicate, the universe is always for expansion and increase.  If we live in harmony with these laws we will experience happiness and abundance, and seek opportunities to give back.  Like the law of gravity, the other laws or universal, spiritual principles are operative whether we believe in them or not. And as the song says we’ll even be able to offer, “…something even non-believers can believe in.”

Camouflage in Nature and Visibility in Business: Best Practice for Each Environment

Photo by Linda Compton

 

While out in the garden today, I noticed a new visitor.  At first glance, he seemed to have a rather solemn looking expression. Yet his eyes were warm and bright, and he was not in the least bit skittish.  Because the doggies were outside with me, I decided to gently pick up the little guy from the ground where he was sunning himself, and place him in a large, tall pot.  His body was quite flat and pliable, and his markings were striking.  His coloring included an attractive mix of brown, black, gray, beige and orange.  His face was blunt and he had a crown of small, pointed horns, and rows and rows of tiny spines along the length of his back.  His tail came to a shapely point.  All in all he was a little over four inches long. 

After the doggies decided to go indoors, seeking the coolness of the house, I took our visiting Desert Horned Lizard out of the large pot and put him in the garden.  He seemed completely unconcerned about being picked up and moved. He turned his head and looked up at me without the least bit of squirming or protest.  The National Audubon Field Guide to the Southwestern States says that this Lizard is a member of the Iguana Family.  He is a very handsome reptile. As I continued to water, and transplant some overgrown Hen and Chicks (Echeveria, a succulent perennial) from the large berm into a pot, I noticed that the little guy had moved.  Later in the day he was in a different part of the courtyard, moving with ease in the warmth of the sun and seemingly utterly carefree.  The Field Guide says, “Relies on camouflage, not speed, to elude capture.”  With his markings, he readily blends into the soil and cedar bark chips; but on the rock and flagstone where he seems happiest, he is a beautiful contrast to his sunning spots. 

I am intrigued with the brilliant functionality of camouflage throughout nature.  This little guy certainly can blend into his surroundings and find protective cover.  I also find this means of creative design interesting because I have been thinking a lot recently about transparency in business and relationships. In contrast to the importance of camouflage in nature, there is real value in transparency and visibility with respect to business relationships.  Being upfront in all of one’s dealings, while being candid and easily understood are meaningful attributes when establishing working relationships with others.  

Visibility and transparency is especially important when dealing with individuals on the Internet.  I know for those of us in Internet marketing, it is important to strive to communicate in a way that conveys our values, and portrays the type of person we are.  Many of us do this by writing articles, blog posts, and through making videos, as well as through personal conversations with others.  While these vehicles are important for “branding,” they are also ways for others to get a sense of who we are, what we have to offer, and whether or not one is knowledgeable, likeable and trustworthy.  

So, I marvel at the ways in which nature has clothed and colored all creatures great and small, where camouflage plays a vital role and is essential for survival. And I am equally moved by the ways in which we can reach, via the Internet, across the globe and connect with others in a self-revealing way, that can facilitate meaningful connections, provide value and offer solutions.  There are times when camouflage is a means of survival; and times when, in a completely different environment, transparency is a way to help us succeed.  In today’s business climate, exposure, candor and being seen is as important to us as being able to blend in is to that Desert Horned Lizard in our courtyard.  Knowing the best practice for each environment in which we find ourselves is important not only in order to survive, but to thrive.