Last night I had coffee with a friend of mine I haven't seen for about 3 years. I had a great time, lots of laughs, and from both of us, lots of story telling. At one point he asked me, "Mel, what is the most profound lesson that you've learned in China?". This huge question put a very abrupt stop to conversation as I stopped to think about the question. As I struggled to come up with an answer I realized how many things I've learned since deciding to spend about 1/5th of my present years in Wudang.
I had to sort through a bunch of answers. I've learned to let other people lead me sometimes (I'm a bit stubborn when it comes to my independence), I've learned that I love to push my own limits, and I've also learned to not let people get to me so easily (I have a bit of a temper at times).
But the most life changing thing for me was the realization that to be happy, I had to consciously choose happiness. I've recognized that life for me was never just going to magically start to feel better. I mean I've never been particularly unhappy, but I struggle through things just like everyone else. But consciously deciding to take a positive outlook on most situations has really changed the way I live, and how I feel every day.
