Monday Musings & Motivations – Part Sixty-Four – Reinvention

As I sit here at my computer trying to come up with a subject or theme for what once was a weekly thing for me, the words that kept coming to mind were reemergence, resurgence, comeback, rebirth. Those types of words that signify new starts and beginnings. 

The terms “reemergence” and “resurgence” bring to mind other things reemerging or surging and, for the love of all that is holy, we want nothing resurfacing in the sense of a microbe-anything. 

Comebacks are for those people or things that once were deemed worthy or successful by whoever deems a person or thing worthy or successful. Or, a comeback could be a smart-ass reply or rebuttal to someone who says something to you. I’m a crackerjack comebacker of smart-ass comeback/comments, but I’d like to believe I don’t intentionally hurt anyone. Still, we have enough angry comebacks out there floating around. So, for the purpose of not adding to that, I chucked that word, too. 

Rebirth signals: That what was once declining flourishes once again. In a sense, all of these words and their meanings can be interchanged.

I have come to the point in my life where I realize I can’t get any better. I’m pretty great exactly the way I am. And so are you. That’s not to say, we can’t improve certain aspects of ourselves. As humans, we do that, evolve as we mature, using our past experiences to hopefully make us more compassionate, kind and open to listening to others we may not agree with. The healthy exchange of ideas and opinions is the cornerstone of our society. We are different in our beliefs, but our humanness is equal. 

I think the core of who we are stays constant. We come into the world with it and we leave this world with it. Our perfect/imperfect souls and “self” are what we offer the world. I can remember my younger self. I can see her in my mind’s eye sometimes. That mini-me feels the same about my core beliefs as the grown-up “mature” me. 

You can’t reinvent the wheel, or can you?

In a 2014 Harvard Business Review article by Marc Freeman (can you believe 2014 was eight years ago??), Freeman wrote that the “reinvention mythology” was dangerous. It likened the concept to one never being satisfied with one’s self. A never-ending cycle of trying to put away the past and claim youth.

Respectfully, I disagree. I have, what I believe for myself, taken on the task of reinvention many times throughout the decades I’ve spent on this good, green Earth. Doing so certainly didn’t give me the ability to disregard or let go of painful experiences. On the contrary, it motivated me to let go of destructive patterns that hindered my growth—personally, professionally and spiritually. 

Reinvention isn’t about forgetting. It is about remembering and knowing that what you have can serve you throughout your life—that core something of yourself—that makes you unique, your own magnificent mettle that can change something or someone. Whether that be one person or millions, a ripple can turn into a tidal wave of wonderful. 

The quote, “you can’t reinvent the wheel,” is believed to come from the early 1970s. From the business culture, the phrase was introduced. I imagine a group of business people stood around talking at the water cooler. How can we make this widget better? How can we talk about this product differently? Now, that group looks down and Googles how to do this or that better. No talkies necessary.

The phrase means why reinvent something that’s already working? That does apply to some inanimate things, I think. Such as why do I need a refrigerator that talks to me? That’s another topic. 

And I’m rambling because I’m rusty at this since it’s been awhile since I’ve written for the simple pleasure of writing. I plan to do more of that in my reinvention period. 

The conclusion 

I’m not sure what’s ahead for this new reinvented me, but I’m working on it. It’s never really failed me. I live. I learn. I let go of things that no longer serve me. I embrace what does. I practice gratitude. I love my husband, my dog, my family. I love my life, even on bad days, I stop, think and I love it. I’ve taken up yoga. The me a few years ago would not have even considered yoga. 

I take deep breaths and practice kindness, even when others haven’t been kind to me. Who knows what’s going on in someone’s life these days? I think that’s what we’re supposed to do. I take care of my physical, mental and spiritual selves—this is key, I think, for all of us. 

What I’ve concluded is that there is no frenzied “goal” I must meet. There is just living as good as a life I can live. Hopefully, that ripples out and lands where it should. I’m going to try to keep that objective front and center.

What is going on in our world now—kind, good thoughts and/or prayers are crucial. I believe they always have been. 

“Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.” Desmond Tutu.

How’re things with you?