People release lanterns to celebrate the traditional Chinese Lantern Festival in Taipei…People release lanterns to celebrate the traditional Chinese Lantern Festival on the first full moon of Lunar New Year in Taipei county March 4, 2007. The lanterns are released in belief they will bring good luck and blessings. REUTERS/Richard Chung (TAIWAN)

I decided to keep the caption of this pic because it helps explain what I’m going to ramble about.

I’m reading a book titled Bright Side Up right now.  It’s an easy, uplifting read about how to look on the bright side when things are crappy.  It’s not nearly as sappy as it sounds, it’s mostly a perspective thing.

“A disaster isn’t always a disaster.  Sometimes, it’s a gift.  Take what feels like a moment of defeat and see it as an epiphany, for if nothing else, it’s a freeing symbol that you are not meant to be doing it.”

“In Eastern Asia, there is a tradition of making wishes, lighting lanterns, then letting them go into the night sky or setting them out onto the water.  In a way, it’s a gesture of letting your wants go and giving in to the power of the universe.”

“Don’t let a defeat beat you.  See it as a sign of new things to come.  Light your lantern, raise the flame above your head, and say goodbye to your struggle of trying so hard to make something work.”

I read those passages last night and it really made me think about all the times I let the lantern go in years past.  When I was laid off from what I thought was going to be a forever job (ha ha), I told my mom that it meant there was something else better out there for me to do.  Didn’t really work out that way…I am still doing insurance claims but in a much better situation.

I finally gave up on being a manager.  It was always something I felt I was “supposed” to do – working up the corporate ladder and all – but I sucked at it.  The day I realized that, I felt like a weight lifted off my shoulders.  I’ll be a worker bee, thanks anyway.

I gave up on being self employed.  I did try it, though, so there’s that.  I gained a whole new level of respect for people who are successful in running their own businesses.  Just not my thing.

I also gave up on being in sales, or at least in selling insurance.  Also not my thing and it made me miserable.

None of these things are failures, it was just stuff I tried to do that did not work out at all.

And then I thought about all the stuff I have gone through since January, mostly at home.  The major stressor I had was figuring out how I would get stuff done around the house when feeling crappy.  I never enjoyed mowing the lawn, planting flowers in the Florida heat, cleaning the house, or taking care of the pool.  These were things I did because I HAD TO as a homeowner and, you know, an adult.

This week I watched the pool guy take care of the pool, the lawn guy mow the lawn, watered the flowers planted by my sister in law, and watched the cleaning ladies clean the house.  I finally let go of the “I must do everything” Chinese lantern and accepted I cannot do it all anymore.  At least for now.

I think we spend so much time beating ourselves up over stuff we “should” be doing instead of accepting the fact that we can walk away from much of it and be far happier people.  Pack up the stuff that doesn’t work and let it float away.  😀