Book Nook - Choices: 5 Steps for Life

 It is said that you are where you are because of the choices you've made in the past. If you don't like where you are today, and don't want to be there tomorrow, then make a new choice.

 I recently had a chance to interview author Richard Dugan about his book Choices: 5 Steps for Life.

Why did you write this book?

 

I wanted to share my observations on how to change our lives so we can thrive, not just survive.  That is done through making new choices.

We are told from a very early age. Who to talk to and who to get information from and who to get guidance from in order to move forward in our lives.  I was fortunate that my parents never told me what direction to Go When It Came to my Career Or Vocation Or a relationships or where to live. My father's advice was to find something that I'm going to love doing because I'll be doing it for a long, long time. He didn't want me to get stuck in something that made me miserable. Unfortunately, many of us don't know what choices we have available to us. Sometimes we get stuck in a generational cycle and that's all we know. It isn't until we are exposed to  other ways of thinking.

 that we then find out that there are other ways of doing things than the same old way It's been done year after year decade after decade century after century. I encourage people not only to listen to tell me your story but also to others of different perspective, so as to be able to formulate new ideas. New ways of thinking, new ways of believing.  That may sound contrary to what I just said about how we are told from an early age. However, the difference here is that we are choosing who to listen to what to Listen to where to Go and hopefully to learn from the experiences that we have in our lives.

 

 

How can it be helpful for people to read about others' spiritual journeys?

 

We are not alone on this planet and we can learn from others' experiences and choices that have raised them to a position of thriving.  I have said many times that if we were supposed to live solitary lives. There are more than enough planets in the universe for each one of us to occupy our own. However, the reality is that we all live here together. And what that says to me is that we are to learn to work and play and love and create together. Unfortunately, there are many people who want to control everything. They want to control everyone and every aspect of everyone's lives. The truth is that we all have enoughof a challenge, just living our own lives. And it doesn't matter what your status in life is where you live. How you live? Who you live with you always have choices.

 

How can people recognize when they need to make a new choice?

 

When they find themselves 'stuck' in their own lives.  If they aren't happy where they are.  If they feel lost.

I have had times in my life when it was going Alone very smoothly and it's at that time that I realize change is coming. So I prepare myself for that change. And the possibility of making some new choices that will help me to continue to be happy and thrive. Victim hood is a waste of time and energy because it looks outward at the rest of the world and blames it for where we are. When in reality, we are where we are because of the choices we have made even if we have followed the guidance of someone else, we still made the choice.

So it is important to take responsibility for your life and the choices that you have made and not blame yourself. But learn from the experiences that you have had through the choices that you have made so as to make new choices that will put you somewhere. You want to be where you can be happy and thrive.

 

What can people do to help make sure they've made the right choice?

 

First of all, there is no such thing as the right choice. All the choices that we make become life lessons and learning experiences.

One of the greatest lessons we can learn from our choices is how things turn out. Maybe not the way we wanted them to. So what do we do we make another choice.  

Take Thomas Edison, for example, and the invention of the light bulb. How many times did his light bulb not work before it did? And he didn't give up until he made it work. We need to take the tack when it comes to our choices.  This may go contrary to current orthodox beliefs. However, there are no right or wrong choices. There are only life experiences and life lessons.  

I was asked 1 day about all of the mistakes I have made in my life to which I replied that I have never made any mistakes. I have had life lessons and learning experiences that have brought me to where I am today. That is my perspective. I do not put that on anyone else. And lastly, I do not have all the answers. Let alone any answers for anyone else. Only my observations and suggestions. It is the reader or listener's choice to consider my words. Which, by the way, I try to choose carefully. Because words have power.

Richard Dugan, host of 'Tell Me Your Story,” new paradigms for a new world.

Richard. aka Dr. D. (audio physician), has been interviewing for over 40 years, talking with thousands of; authors, musicians, light workers, metaphysicians, spiritualists, co-creators, body and mind workers, new thought people, visionaries, revolutionaries, and innovators.

He has been producing this show since September 2007. Every program is available on the website, www.richarddugan.com.

Born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona. Richard was legally blind from birth. In spite or because of that, he went through 13 years of school not knowing what he wanted to do and so he went to Community College and worked in the A/V Department. He found out about a job with 'Sun Sounds' Radio Reading Service, for the blind and visually impaired. Richard started working there August 29, 1979, and never “looked” back.

On March 6, 1996, Richard received a lens implant and went from 20/200 or worse to 20/80 overnight. Within a few months, he was learning to drive a car. A dream he had given up in acceptance of the way he was, legally blind. And that was okay, bicycling was fine for him. After 15 years his marriage ended in divorce.  Later Richard met Amrita Ma. They married and moved to her hometown of Santa Barbara and they both started a new life up on the hill, within 5 minutes of her childhood home.