Upon Further Reflection………The Burning Questions Answered

A week ago I posted “5 Burning Questions” that were occupying my mind at the time - thanks to the great folks that responded and my own reflections, I have come up with my answers:

Q: Can a human being really take emotion out of any decision they make, especially financial decisions?

A: No, and I don’t want to either.

Bob Hruzek said it best: “Let’s face it - we’re emotional beings, and everything we do is based on how we feel about it. Why not embrace that instead and savor your financial decisions (and consequences!) as simply part of life, living, and growing up?” Amen.

Q: Can someone enjoy a vacation TOO much?

A: Absolutely Not!

With the benefit of another week’s hindsight, and some good advice from commenters Lisa and Bob, I came to the conclusion that a great “unplugging” vacation is well worth the shock of plugging back in.

Q: How can a lowly patent clerk with average grades in school unlock the secrets of the universe?

A: Here’s the secret - inner wisdom, and passionate curiosity. The great thing about this secret: these two things can be found in all of us too, if we look hard enough. We might not come up with the most famous equation in all of science (yes, IQ and genetics do factor into it, as Doug Kyle aptly points out in his great comment), but we are all capable of extraordinary things.

Stephen Hopson said it this way: “What Albert Einstein, once a “lowly clerk.” did was he knew how to access his inner intuition, where all the answers are. The thing is, this inner part of himself is something we all have access to but either aren’t aware of it or ignore it altogether.”

Kirsten Harrell agreed, and added: “I do believe we all have everything inside that we need to achieve greatness.”

Q: How long does it take before I can do yoga poses with the same ease and elegance of my teachers (and those folks on the DVDs)?

A: A pretty long time and with a lot of practice, but that doesn’t mean what I’m doing today isn’t at least “poetic”, in my own unique way.

Liv, who is a yoga teacher and studio owner, gave me some excellent advice: “Work at the major points of attachment: look at the feet. look at the hips. look at the shoulders. Know where your body should be alignment wise in foundational postures. Stay with the breath. Harness it to heat the body and feed the practice. Keep practicing. You will know that you’re doing enough yoga when you miss a day and feel miserable the next. Must have yoga. Must.”

KermitFan put it all in perspective for me: “Sometimes you’re more poetic than you think when it comes to yoga. Yoga is not about comparing yourself to others, rather it’s about how you’re doing on the inside and the outside.”

Q: Is Starbucks more punch line than hot brand these days?

A: My stop at Starbucks for that hot latte is still an important part of my daily routine, so in the final analysis, it really doesn’t matter to me.

Lisa said it best with this comment: “The experience at Starbucks or any other place depends on you, not them. Do you feel different when you are handed your latte? I think you can find a religious (or spiritual) experience in a cup o’Joe from a gas station if you wanted to.”

I’ll drink (a latte) to that!

So there you have it - 5 “burning” questions answered. My very best thanks to all of you who joined the conversation.

Now I’m back off to ponder a few more mysteries of the universe. Have a great weekend.