"Sometimes I'm not sure how I fit into this whole puzzle called life." Have you ever thought that to yourself? Have you ever had one of those moments where you look at everything going on and you question how you're connected to it all?

If so, you are not alone. And if it's any consolation, the number of people finding themselves in that same situation is growing every day. Do a web search at Google.com for "Stay at home Dads" and you'll get 214,000 web sites to choose from on the topic. A search on "Home schooling" will get you almost 1.5 million sites. "Alternative careers," brings up over 2.1 million choices to click on.

There is no doubt that the world is changing. People are exploring new ways to do things, new perspectives to look at life from, and new ways to make a living.

As the changes evolve, individuals are having a harder time figuring out exactly how they fit in. The puzzle of life with clearly defined pieces is no longer so clearly defined. Initially, this can be challenging. After all, it is easier to figure out which piece of the puzzle you are, and therefore how you fit in, if there are identifiable pieces.

But with the morphing of both those clearly defined roles and the stereotypes that developed because of them, comes a new opportunity. It is the opportunity to fit in anywhere.

So how does one seize this tremendous chance? How is it possible to go from confusion to interfusion, and from separated to linked? The answer is to think bigger, stay connected, and create your own puzzle.

Think Bigger
We often limit our thinking by putting classifications on ourselves and those around us. I am a student, she is Canadian, he is wealthy, they are Hispanic, we are elderly. By using these types of classifications, it is simple to create an environment where we don't fit in. The more we categorize people, the less likely we are to have something in common with them, and therefore, the more we can feel out of place.

However, when we think bigger, and broaden our view of the world, it becomes easier to see how we fit into it all. Thinking to ourselves, "I am a human," or "We are alive," greatly expands the spectrum of possible connection points. Suddenly, we fit in anywhere. Every place we go we have a link to all that is around us.

Get Connected
The world has shrunk and expanded all at the same time with the creation of technologies like wireless communication, satellite television, and most recently the Internet. People that would never have interacted with each other are now connecting every single day. Those interactions shrink the distance and differences between all of us.

At the same time, this access to people, information, and cultures expands the world in an instant. We have such easy access to information that it is impossible not to realize there is a massive world of people around us.

In some instances our interactions result in gaining static insights into how other people live, work, and play. The expanded offerings available through cable and satellite television bring that opportunity. We can watch and learn about what life is like around the globe. We see that although people are different in many ways, they are even more alike.

In other cases, the link is less informational and more interactive. We can get on the internet and through e-mail and chat rooms, be instantly linked to people that are literally halfway around the world. We can find friends in countries around the planet who have similar interests, challenges, and beliefs. With the click of a mouse, we can get connected.

Through the technologies at our disposal, we have access to a wealth of information and a world of people. If you use those technologies to be actively involved in getting connected, you will instantly see all the ways in which you fit in.

Create Your Own Puzzle
Thinking bigger helps you associate yourself with a wider spectrum of people. Getting connected helps you interact with those people. Both of these principles will help you fit in anywhere.

Creating your own puzzle takes the concept of fitting in to a whole new level. Instead of summarizing who you are and trying to find ways to integrate with the world around you, try letting the world integrate with you.

Why should you fit into someone else's puzzle? Why not define the existence you want and therefore create your own puzzle. After all, it's easy to figure out how you fit into the puzzle, if you create the puzzle. Does that sound difficult? It doesn't have to be. If you open up your world by thinking bigger, and then use the concept of getting connected, you will have access to a world of people who also are creating their own puzzles.

No matter what type of existence you want to have, there are probably hundreds if not thousands of other people who want something similar. They may be scattered around the world and have backgrounds completely unlike yours, but when you think bigger and get connected, that no longer matters. In all likelihood, some of them have already figured out how to have the type of existence that you seek, and are probably willing to share that information.

Pick and choose the parts of their puzzle that work for you and blend them with your own ideas. Pretty soon, you will have created something that is totally unique, and all yours. Then you won't have to worry about fitting into someone else's puzzle because you'll have your own.

As the world continues to change, traditional roles will become less and less traditional. In that environment, finding where we fit in will get more difficult. Think bigger, get connected, and create your own puzzle and you'll find that you won't have trouble fitting in, because you'll fit in anywhere.

Copyright 2006 John P. Strelecky