Right before I started talk therapy again in late September, a shift had already started occurring in my life. My bi-weekly sessions have fortified my “then do something about it” attitude. I have found myself having very little patience with people who are not actively working to improve themselves, their lives, or doing SOMETHING in the world.

Anything. Are you bored? Get a new hobby! Seriously, try something completely different. You want more friends? Go out to events. Meet new people. Friend them on Facebook. Invite them for coffee or a drink. There are great people out there. Give one a chance! Need a stress outlet? Get out and exercise. Tired of being fat? Work on your food addiction. (Ouch. That one hurts because, shit, that’s directed right at my giant belly.) Dealing with volatile emotions? Get a therapist.

Whammy: Learned how to fly a kite.

I realize that I’ve spent a great deal of time, floating through my adult life like a plastic grocery bag that got caught in an updraft, took flight, and aimlessly wandered through a random parking lot or, in my case, was blown down a bunch of dead end streets. That’s okay. Floating is fine. It’s easy. It doesn’t require much effort. And eventually you’ll land. You may not like where you land, but hey, you just floated there; both willy and nilly. It’s where you are. And that’s a fine place to start learning to fly your kite.

Tie a string to your grocery bag. Start learning which way the wind blows. Start learning to fly your life kite. How much slack can you give yourself before you start to flop? Right now, I can’t give myself much slack. If I do, I’ll get stuck on the couch with a book, and live another day of my life, wrapped in the fiction of someone else’s story.

Right now, I have to practice flying like it’s my job. And actually, it *is* my job. It’s my job to take care of myself. It’s my job to find my happiness. It’s my job to do things that equal loving myself; exercise, getting enough rest, not allowing myself to be bullied. It’s my job to address my problems, personality flaws, and addictions. Living my life is my job. And just like any other job worth doing, the harder I work, and the more fun I have at work, the more I love my job. I’ve always been a workaholic.

I ain’t got time for your excuses on why you can’t learn to fly your own kite. If you’re floating right now, that’s cool. Enjoy it. But don’t bitch about where you land. That’s your launchpad. Treat it reverently, and move on. Do the work. And don’t tangle your chaotic strings into my kite. I’m trying to keep it afloat. You’re welcome to stand by me, and give me pointers. Or let me show you some tricks. We can always fly kites together. In fact, let’s.

I’ll start running! You catch me…