My Vision of Pork (and a Cowboy Hat)
Last Spring, just around the end of March 2013, I started to have this crazy idea. Turns out it was not so crazy. The idea at the time was to move to Playa Del Carmen, Mexico (one hour south of Cancun) for the winter. I had just taken on a new position with Matt Lloyd’s MOBE Coaching team. It soon became clear that as long as I lived in a spot with a decent Internet connection, I could work and live anywhere. “Have MacBook will travel!”
As I look back, this seems like a perfectly logical response to my desire to live in a warm environment, to see the world, and to begin the empty nest phase of my life (my youngest would be going to university in August). In retrospect, this was an absolutely brilliant choice. But it did not turn out exactly as I had anticipated. No…far from it. Actually it was about 10,437 miles far from it. How did this happen?
I was sitting in my Sebastopol CA home one day about a month after my initial idea to venture out into the wild blue. I was sitting on my favorite sofa doing some channel surfing when I stumbled upon an Anthony Bourdain show on CNN. This is a prime example of synchronicity, a sure sign something good and magical is happening. The show started with our inimitable host, bohemian extraordinaire, Mr. Bourdain stating: “I remember the first moment I realized I had been living my life in black and white. It was like discovering a color I never knew had existed before. A whole new crayon box full of colors. That was it for me. From then on there was no putting the pieces back together, no going home. Things were different now. Asia had ruined me from my old life.” That hooked me. The rest of the show reeled me in. Good bye Playa, hello Thailand.
One thing I particularly remember from the TV program was a woman in a cowboy hat who served stewed pork leg over rice. It is moments like this that reinforce my choice to be a carnivore. I have often thought about becoming a vegetarian. I did it for about a year in college. But in the end with all things considered, I love meat. My body seems to crave protein in the form of animal flesh. I’ve read the books and seen the movies about how animals are processed, and while there are compelling arguments, my body works best this way. So…. when I saw this woman, and her pork, that pretty well closed the deal. I would go to Chiang Mai, Thailand, and find that woman and eat that pork. This was my mission.
I found her, I ate the pork, and it was everything I had anticipated. I will write more on this adventure in another blog. The thing I want to conclude with here today is the importance of having a clearly visualized goal. In this case, it was easy. I saw the woman, I saw the pork, I saw everything I needed to see about Thailand, to create a vision of my life, a vision that continued to inform my actions to make this trip happen. I am writing to you from a hotel room in Chiang Mai. Last night, I ate the pork, and I will do it again many times on this trip. I continue to learn that if I can clearly and vividly visualize something, and then take action, what I see in my mind’s eye will become a reality in the physical world. That’s a valuable lesson. We all have this particular type of magic living within us. What do you see for yourself? Think big. You will have more fun that way!
About the Author
Jay Cradeur is an author, blogger, internet marketer, world traveler, and coach. Jay has helped thousands to achieve their dreams of financial independence. As an internet marketing coach with a focus on personal development, Jay may be able to assist you in reaching your goals. You can work with Jay for a 100% refundable fee of $49 by clicking on this link and committing to your future. Work with Coach Jay.