Archives at Zinester: Reboot Your Life™ January 2008 Newsletter. Reboot Your Life. Inspirational

As with every New Year people reflect on the past years. Many people review their lives to understand why they are where they are in their lives at the beginning of the new year. Some of these people will use their insights to help make the coming year better. Others will do nothing with the information. They will just keep going through their lives oblivious of the changes they can make in order to build a better one. Still others will do no reflection and plunge into the coming new year at their normal speed and with the same perceptions they have held for years.

This year, I too, reflected on the past year. That brought me to reflections of many former years. A realization of how I have changed over the years hit me smack in the face. It was, in fact, a good discovery.

Over the years I have been told by other people that I have moved my energy from one level to another. I believe this also raises your knowledge and your spirituality to another level as well. For many who do not understand this concept or the words used for this concept, let me give you an example using my own life.

When I stated using computers almost two decades ago, I was a total novice. My first computer was a Packard Bell. I can hear the groans of experienced computer users. For these users this brand of computer was not even considered for use except by truly computer illiterates. That fit me to a "T."

I was amazed at all this machine could do! It had things on it that were beyond my imagination. I wasn't on the Internet at that time. That came a few years later. However, this technological box filled many of my hours with delight and wonder. But all good things must come to an end. Such was my admiration for my once beloved computer.

Now it wasn't fast enough for me. It had programs on it that initially I thought were wonderful, but eventually they became cumbersome. I never used them and they took up what I thought was much needed space. Three years after the purchase of my Packard Bell, I went looking for a new computer.

I was more knowledgeable now. I was on a different level. My perception of computers shifted. So I ended up buying a Compaq. I had gone from a Windows system of 3.11.1 to Windows 95. For those of you who are not into computers, trust me, there is a difference.

Again I was entranced with my new toy! It had even more bells and whistles than my first computer. And, I was now on the Internet! I got addicted quickly. So quickly, in fact, I was spending up to 16 hours a day on the Internet: not just on the computer in general but on the Internet specifically.

I learned how to send and receive email. I learned how to do web pages. I made a Christmas website and then a personal one. I learned how to scan pictures and documents. I even learned how to use the ICQ chat, though I was still fearful of anyone knowing my real first name. With help from people all over the world, my knowledge and expertise on and about various aspects of the computer world were growing by leaps and bounds!

Then, you guessed it, my fantastic computer was not as fantastic any more. There wasn't enough speed. There were programs I wanted that were on a different system level than my computer. My knowledge and expertise had moved me to a higher level of computer usage. This computer was not up to my level. I needed to move on.

Now I was to a point where I wanted to have a computer built for me. This new computer only lasted a year. Not long after bringing home my personal built computer I realized what it was lacking. I guess I didn't know as much as I thought I did. I knew just what I wanted in this new computer. Or at least I thought I did. Giving someone a little bit of knowledge and they think they know it all. This was me. I thought I knew a lot about computers. What I knew barely scratched the surface. I had much more to learn. I was on a new level but I had tried to skip levels in-between. It didn't work. This was a step up from the Compaq: but just a step. This is where I was suppose to be.

So after a year of realizing I was on the wrong level I broke down and gave in. I bought a Dell. Now this computer was built for me. It took the little knowledge I had and added to the lots of knowledge of others to help me build on that knowledge to give me what I really wanted and needed.

I learned many things using this Dell over more years than I wold like to admit. I believed a computer should be put into computer pasture after three years. This was not to be with the Dell. I moved form level to many levels with this teaching tool. It opened up worlds for me. It closed other ones. I was happiest when I was on my computer. Except for the crashes and freezes. As a Windows user I got use to crashes. These crashes were getting more and more frustrating even though the frequency was the same. So now what?

A friend of mine, who is more like a brother to me, introduced me to Linux: Xandros to be specific. It is an operating system as is Windows. I installed it along side Windows. I was in Heaven again. I just moved to another level. These levels over the years were adding up and really changing my life.

Then, dum-dee-dum-dum! Hard drive going! Crash just around the corner! Depression sets in. Pain, frustration, then anger set in. How cold this happen? In the past I could reinstall. I could start over. But now! It won't let me! I am stuck! I couldn't even connect for email unless I went to the library! So I adjusted my knowledge base waiting for the next level to appear. It did!

A Powerbook arrived! That is what an Apple laptop is called. When I was told I was getting a Powerbook, I thought it was a book to tell me how to fix the Dell. Now I am on a totally new level with all new lessons: literally! Before I felt I was ready, I was transported to another higher level. An iMac arrived! Thank goodness for the Linux knowledge for several levels ago! Again all new lessons! Each program I attempted to learn moved me to a higher level of expertise.

Isn't this the way life is? Can you see the parallels between life and computers? Each time we are ready to pat ourselves on the back for learning a lesson, seeing something new, or trying to enjoy the level we are on, aren't we suddenly thrust to the next level? Sometimes we think we are not ready, yet there we are. Other times we think we should have been moved to the next level already and we are not. Levels are only attained when lessons have been learned and circumstances are right. Sometimes we don't realize right away that we have even shifted. Our family or friends may point it out to us. Our behaviour has changed. Perceptions are different. More good things come into our lives. Many signs become visible. We just need to see them.

As one grows in knowledge and wisdom the energy level changes. Earlier I stated that one's spiritual level changes too. you move form one level to another in all aspects of your life. Raising your levels of energy and spirituality along with knowledge and wisdom carries you towards the highest level you can attain: perfection.

So as you take the month of January to reflect on your life, observe the level you are on right now. Look back at the levels you have been on in the past year. Look at what you learned to get where you are today.

Enjoy each day you live!

Enjoy the level you are on! Tomorrow you may be on a new one.

Enjoy each level you attain!

© 2008, L. Sue Durkin

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From Reboot Your Life™ Newsletter
©2008, L. Sue Durkin - All Rights Reserved
Reprinted with Permission

"Nothing changes if I don't change.
I don't change unless I'm willing to change.
I'm only willing to change when the fear of staying the same is greater than the fear of changing."

~~ Unknown ~~