Now that we have entered a new decade I thought I would weigh in with a stargazer’s perspective, go Out on a Limb with Shirley MacLaine, and give a sense and sensibility title to the 10-year run that lies ahead of us. After scanning the star maps for 2010- 2020, I came up with “Go back inside.”
When I was a boy growing up in Alabama I can still hear my mother’s voice (as if it were five minutes ago) hollering out the back door, “Little Albert, it’s time to come inside.” And, of course, I would holler back, “I’m coming, Momma.” It was listening ‘back in time’ that reminded me that if I want to keep the glitter out of my eyes and my peepers on the prize of authenticity, getting to where I need to go, I will find my compass back inside of me. I am wont to say that the answers are where the questions are: within.
The first decade of the 21st century was like a day at the State Fair of my childhood, which I went to every September as a kid with my five brothers and sisters. The barkers were on the sawdust fairway hawking sideshows and shilling for games of chance that enticed us youngsters with an oversized stuffed animal that we thought was the be-all of the games of pitch-and-toss. Many a year I went home empty-handed–no teddy bear for me to give to my little sister–but my pockets were bare having left my allotted five-spot at one of the gaming booths. Because we were all too busy watching Dow Jones and the value of our house skyrocket in the last decade, we bounced the bubble as if it were Teflon and would never deflate. But a lot of us ended up empty-handed; some even lost their homes and most of their life-savings.
Instead of falling under the spell of keeping up with whatever trends are being touted in slick magazine pages; from falling under the swoon of lifestyles of the rich and famous; buying into a deal that promises ‘You can’t lose–get it while it’s hot.’ Simply say, “No.” Even believing what the guru-of-the-month is dishing out may leave you feeling down and out. Make a U-turn and look inside yourself for what you want to do with this challenging decade to feel safe and secure and getting what you deserve. I’ll be the first to tell you that the real you knows better than I do what is best for you. Go back inside.
I am Albert Clayton Gaulden and I approve of this message.
Albert Clayton Gaulden is the founding director of the Sedona Intensive and author of You’re Not Who You Think You Are: A Breakthrough Guide to Discovering the Authentic You. For more information about Albert and Sedona Intensive visit http://www.sedonaintensive.com/.
Purchase You’re Not Who You Think You Are at http://www.yourenotwhoyouthinkyouare.com/
