In Transition? The Dr. House Answer to: Now What?

One of my favorite TV Shows is House, M.D., about a brutally honest brilliant, irreverent and controversial doctor who trusts no one. While devoid of any bedside manner, Dr. House thrives on the challenge of solving medical puzzles in order to save lives. The title role is masterfully played by Hugh Laurie.

One of the story ongoing threads is his somewhat volatile and undefined relationship with Dr. Lisa Cuddy (Lisa Edelstein), the Dean of Medicine and the hospital's administrator. This season picked up where last season left off, House and Cuddy finally admit their love for each other.

After a night of lovemaking House looks over to Cuddy nestled in his arms and says, "Now what?"

Typical of his character, House isn't referring to how their relationship will unfold from that moment on. He's wondering whether the love of his life wants to have breakfast or go bowling.

How many times have we asked ourselves, now what?

We:
• graduate college - now what?
• marry and come home from the honeymoon - now what?
• divorce - now what?
• land a coveted career position - now what?
• buy our dream house - now what?
• raise our children - now what?
• sell our business - now what?
• retire - now what?

Our spouse dies - now what?

The list goes on and on. How many times do we wake up the morning after we've achieved what we wanted wondering 'now what'?

"What do we do now?" - Robert Redford as Bill McKay in the movie "The Candidate"

We're so focused on the goal, we haven't a clue or can't see what's beyond the proverbial end zone. We suddenly realize life isn't over once the goal is reached.

Life unfolds. If we put too many restrictions on what to experience we cut ourselves off from wondrous possibilities we never imagined.

What we think is a 'what' is merely a how.

Career, marriage, children, retirement are all 'hows'. How to experience what we really want to feel and enjoy. We are so vested in those 'hows' it doesn't occur to us there are other possible 'hows' to fulfill the now vacant hole in the soul we feel during a period of transition.

To sooth the pain of emptiness we frequently latch onto the first new 'how' that comes our way, often with less than optimal outcomes.

"What's it all about, Alfie?
Is it just for the moment we live?

....When you walk let your heart lead the way." - Alfie, Burt Bacharach

Instead of desperately looking for what we want to accomplish next, shift to just being. We are here to BE. Just like the way we naturally breathe, when we are being what we long to experience we spontaneously take care of the 'doing' without having to think about it.

Breakfast or bowling? Open and available to all possibilities, the how the relationship evolves will figure itself out.

The nature of being resides in the palace of authenticity located at your heart-center.

If you want to experience freedom - have the moxie to fully and effectively express how you feel no matter what anyone says or thinks about it.
If you want to feel fulfilled - do what feeds your soul.
If you want inner strength - think, speak and act in alignment with what you value.
If you want to experience love, be loving to yourself - unconditionally.

Act from the heart-centered place of inspiration. Let the what and how take care of itself.

Dare to Trust.

Before you know it, you'll be on the joyride of your life!