…feel there must be more to life?
…wonder why you aren’t happier?
…daydream about a different future?
…feel like you’re wasting your best years?
If you’ve answered YES to any of these questions, you may be experiencing what I call “the gray”.
Don’t be frightened. Many people find themselves navigating these murky waters at various points throughout their lives. It can be a function of your job, relationships, health, lifestyle, or any number of things.
It doesn’t mean you’re ungrateful for the blessings in your life or that you have unrealistic expectations. It simply means that there is a dream at work in your heart. And that dream is trying to get out.
The goal here is to identify, acknowledge, and nurture our dreams in hopes of moving beyond the gray into inspired lives. Lives that are bursting with color.
“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams.
Live the life you’ve imagined.”
-Henry David Thoreau
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March 9, 2011 at 2:11 pm
In Case You Haven’t Noticed… « Beyond The Gray
[…] What is The Gray? […]
April 11, 2011 at 9:36 am
Sharon Bially
Erika – this resonates so perfectly with me! I have that quote from Thoreau hanging on my fridge, and when I was in my late 20s (more years ago than I care to admit!) I found myself in “the gray” and ultimately found my way out of it. It took immense sacrifice, loss and change, but was for the best. I also use the metaphor of “gray matter” in my book, Veronica’s Nap, referring to the area of the brain that converts random input into something coherent we can process. I love the idea of gray matter as something we have to cross to become more creative and alert.
April 11, 2011 at 9:42 am
Erika Liodice
Hi Sharon – Like you (and me), I think many people find themselves in “the gray” in their late 20s/early 30s…and also at various points throughout their lives. Like you, I’ve found that my gray has also required immense sacrifice and change. I love your “gray matter” metaphor, I can certainly relate to that.
Erika