Close Your Eyes and See What You Believe

This blog site’s tagline, crafted over 12 years ago when we embarked on our journey into this world of sporadic blog writing. While the site’s origin was the result of extensive introspection following exhaustion from early career burnout, graduate school and a quarter life existential crisis, the mantra has much deeper and earlier beginnings. It originated over a decade earlier during a time in our lives when we were much younger and seemingly hopeless.

Reflecting on those trying years filled with incessant sorrow, loss and lack of purpose, we recognized the need for better ways to navigate life’s challenges other than what was evident from our daily observations. We may not be the most pious of individuals, but a message from the Universe arrived at one of our most trying times through a song called “Closer to Our Dreams” by Goapele. Our interpretation of the song became an anthem, a battle cry for life, and has since become our moniker in every facet of life.

Close your eyes. See the life you want and believe. Create it and own it.

“Close your eyes and see what you believe”

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Often, we are our own worst enemies, constrained by perceived societal expectations and unrealistic norms that consume us. Many of us exist without truly living, frustratingly misaligning our spirits and daily activities. This unnatural misalignment requires true detachment and ownership of our lives for true fulfillment. We cannot make excuses for the way our lives turn out. Everything we experience today is a result of choices and consequences from yesterdays, whether positive, negative or neutral.

Not everyone is dealt favorable hands from the start.  Some can’t even get to the proverbial starting line without extra efforts, support and diligence. While life lacks true equity from birth, the beauty lies in the privilege of breathing each day, presenting an opportunity to play our cards and level them up, no matter how poor they may appear at the onset.

This is not to ignore the gross inequities that persist and must be addressed across varying facets of society to aid in leveling the playing fields for everyone. However, in our view, the leveling can start with us — our energy, effort, and perspectives. Regardless of how unfortunate our situations may seem, we are walking miracles each day, with the opportunity to recognize and amplify these miracles in our lives.

Throughout history, notable figures from diverse backgrounds and times have turned their initial cards (that many would have immediately folded) into enriching existences for themselves and others. Countless more individuals, unknown to most, have done the same without the notoriety, possessions, or accolades.

Closing our eyes and seeing what we believe is a personal journey. We cannot expect others to share our vision; it’s on us to make it happen. Some of the richest people we know live authentically, finding happiness in experiences, relationships, self-fulfillment, and living their dreams rather than focusing exclusively on financial prosperity, professional advancement or fame. This is not to say financial prosperity, professional advancement and fame are not valuable if it aligns with our true aspirations, but they are not the only barometer of success and wealth.

It doesn’t need to make sense to anyone else but it does not come easily. Embracing the discomfort, sacrifices, and fear is an integral part of the journey when staying true to ourselves and our beliefs. By overcoming self-imposed or societal controls, taking risks, and embracing self-reflection, we create the space to author our own lives and actualize our truest essence.

To move from merely seeing what we believe to living it, we must accept the consequences of these sacrifices and losses. Many of these ‘losses’ are often superfluous distractions that fade away when we prioritize what and who we hold dearest.

We are human, and we all face continuous struggles and setbacks, a reality that continues until our passing. Once we truly own the most important aspect of our lives — time, health, relationships, family, friends, hobbies, pursuits, work — life becomes more meaningful and important because it is our choices, our chosen life. Ceasing to play the victim to life’s circumstances and taking accountability for ourselves allows us to transition and evolve from just seeing what we believe into living what we believe.