Leaving ‘Gumby Like’ Actions Behind
Do you remember Gumby? That cute, green, awkward and incredibly flexible clay animated character, created by Art Clokey, that had its own TV show years ago. As a child, I would laugh out loud at Gumby and its adventures, despite the limitations of clay animations back in the day!
I would watch intently as Gumby would stretch and contort itself to adapt to new challenges to reach its objective, alone or with its best buddy. There were plenty of missions involved and problems to solve. In truth, I don’t remember all the ‘whys’ associated with Gumby’s adventures or plights. What I do remember is that Gumby would always return to its original shape.
Gumby would do whatever it took to get pass hurdles - oftentimes unevenly; sometimes a little freaky; and most times not very pretty. It was Gumby’s effort and tenacity for taking action that has always stuck with me. Traits often required no matter where one is on their life journey. A reminder that to get to the other side, we must be courageous, flexible, determined, and action oriented.
As I matured and had my own family, I used to feel so proud of my Gumby like heroics and adventures of being a working mother, wife, daughter, volunteer, and career woman. And like Gumby, I stretched myself constantly. Most times it wasn’t easy or conducted with much grace.
As I became an empty nester, there where so many times I didn't quite recognize myself. To get back to my authentic self and shape (like Gumby), I knew I had to rediscover myself, realign my boundaries, and reimagine my life in this moment. I would need to activate my muscle memory for real change to enable a smooth transition and allow this genuine, re-emerging version of me to take shape.
As I began to rethink and reshape my life, I found that I needed more clarity and courage to create the circumstances that would be conducive to this new version of myself and consistent with who and where I was at that time. Authentic, honest living would be necessary to begin this new chapter. It was an invigorating notion, and I was excited to get started.
At first, it was daunting. Daunting, because I knew if I were to be successful and complete in becoming truly authentic, I needed to be vulnerable, realistic, and incredibly honest with myself and those I loved.
What was clear to me was that I would no longer distort my life like Gumby for people, things and matters that were incongruent with my values or my renewed sense of purpose. And this felt wholesome, reaffirming, and serene.
I would no longer engage in making ‘conscious sacrifices’ for others, all while denying my heart’s desire. I had to trust in myself and have faith in those that I loved most in the world and their ability to accept and embrace me and my choices. I had to commit to always stive to live my life on purpose – aligning my heart and spirit on the inside with how I showed up in my life on the outside.
Being flexible is a good thing and it opens us up in ways hard to imagine. It also promotes growth and empowers us to stay connected to this ever-changing, beautiful world we live in.
These days I refuse to become ‘Gumbylike’ for things that just don't matter. Life’s too short to waste time in this way. My commitment and determination must be to my desire to contribute good to this world, and I can only do this by aligning my heart and purpose. For me, this is the only place to be.
What ‘Gumby like’ actions do you need to leave behind?