Monotony - Personal Practice

Routine is something I’m very familiar with.  Most of my life has been run by routine.  

I tend to find it in everything I do and then attach myself to the routines.  I find them very comforting and at time enjoyable.

When I practice something so much that it becomes a routine, I find reward in knowing the routine and becoming at times an expert in the routine so I can share it with others.

Routine has also caused me heartache, as there have been many times I’ve let routine rule me.  Routine became so important that I would forgo a new challenge or opportunity for fear of missing out on the routines of my life.

Routines have taken such a chunk of time in each day of my life that I had little time left for any enjoyment.  The need to accomplish the routines left me stressed and tired.

I now know this about myself.  I know that I can let routine rule me in both good and bad.  I know that I can go to the extremes with routine.

My challenge to myself is to recognize when I feel so compelled to follow a routine that I will sacrifice other desires I have for myself in life.

So I made a “small” list of other desires I have for myself.  I prioritized this list.  I’ve forced myself to recognize when an opportunity arises that could lead me down a path of reaching a desire on the list.  Then I take the opportunity and forgo the routines of my life.  

This is not an easy task.  

The rewards are not without fear, but I remind myself when I have a fearful emotion that I’m challenging myself and breaking the monotony of my life and all its routines.  That I’m reaching for something more in my life and allowing myself to have all that I want out of this journey.

In a short time of this practice, the rewards are great!

I will continue to step out of monotony and make a “bigger” list of desires!

Monotony - Yoga Lesson

Have you ever been in the middle of a routine and found yourself thinking; why am I doing this?  What is the point?

If so, possibly the routine has run its course.  It once served a purpose, but now needs a refresh.

How can you add or subtract something to a routine to break the monotony?  

Where can you add interest and challenge to a routine?

Possibly the routine may be best replaced with something completely different?

Why not take your own personal challenges and introduce them into a routine?

Challenge yourself.

Happiness - Personal Practice

As anyone can imagine and most likely have experienced, going back to work after a vacation can be an inconvenience.

Granted you hopefully had time to do some things you wanted during a vacation, and can be a bit refreshed when you return to work.  However, the vacation most likely did not seem long enough.

Upon return to work after a recent vacation I felt refreshed, but also wished I’d had a longer vacation.  I had some conflicting thoughts about the day to day tasks I would be stepping back into.  

Then I remembered to step back into my practice of life.  I remembered that every thought is a choice.  Every experience is meant to be lived. 

So I decided to practice happiness!

Practicing happiness is hard work!

When I found myself in a thought process that I felt may be taking me down a negative path, I reminded myself that I’m practicing happiness.

When I started to doubt myself and my choices, I reminded myself that I’m practicing happiness.

You know what?  It works!

I found myself in some old negative thought processes.  When I caught myself doing this and acknowledged it could only lead me down a path of discontent and unhappiness.  I decided to change my thoughts.

I decided past experience does not necessarily mean it will be repeated and I can at anytime choose to allow the moment to be its own and practice enjoying the moment.

I can choose to be happy.  

And I choose to do so!

Happiness - Yoga Lesson

So often we think we have to be in a specific state of mind.  

Maybe we do in order to accomplish a task at hand.  That’s okay.  Some states of mind have their purpose and should be used accordingly.

Regardless, you choose the state of mind you are in.

When you find yourself in a state of mind that is less than preferable for you.

Why not practice reminding yourself that you choose.  You can practice to choose the state of mind you are in and can practice changing it at anytime.

And at anytime you can choose to be happy.

Why not choose happiness?

Force - Personal Practice

Taking a break from the normal day to day activities of life can be so refreshing!

For the first time ever I took a vacation without plans to do something with someone else.  

I originally had all these plans to finish projects and to start new projects because I thought I might get board.  I did not get board!

As I took a step back and relaxed, I realized how much fun it is to do whatever I wanted.  

I practiced enjoying the moment!  Truthfully, It Was Hard!

I found myself feeling guilty at first.  I wasn’t being as productive as I thought I should be.  

At first I did do some chores around the house that had been plaguing me to obtain a sense of accomplishment.  Then I decided to practice “letting go” if I started to feel stressed when I hadn’t accomplished all I wanted to.

I reminded myself how important it is to be in the now and enjoy my journey.

I recognized how important it is that I allow time for myself.  

With each reminder to myself I was revitalized and excited to be in the moment.

In practice, I allowed myself to try some new things that I would have thought impacting to a routine previously.  I might even have been stressed at the thought of an impact to my routine.  And as a result of “letting go” I felt alive and full of joy!

This vacation reminded me that practice doesn’t always mean you need to accomplish something, it may mean that you let yourself not accomplish something.

So, I recommend everyone take a vacation without plans.  Set an intention to do something out of the ordinary.

See where it takes you!

Force - Yoga Lesson

When we use force we create an unknown.  How do you know that the situation forced is real and lasting?

Finding your path in life is a moment by moment endeavor.  

Forcing someone or something can create a short term sense of satisfaction but may not last. 

As difficult as it may be to practice patience and being in the moment, we will all arrive to an outcome.

Why not let the outcome arrive without force?

Focus - Personal Practice

It’s so easy to get ahead of yourself when making lists and planning, or anticipating an outcome on a goal you have.

I’ve noticed in others the desire to talk about goals and I have found it very interesting the lack of follow through on all this “talk”.

For so many years of my life I have endeavored to refrain from being a “talker”.  If I say I’m going to do something I like to follow through, and I do! 

Recently though I’ve noticed the benefit of talking about a goal and allowing myself to take it a bit slower in arriving to the completion of the goal.  

I think I’ll still arrive at my goals.  However, I’ve refrained from putting the goal on a list in an unyielding priority fashion.  I’ve allowed myself to “stop and smell the flowers along the way”.

In slowing down my ambitions a little on my “top” priority list of goals, I’ve allowed myself to be more in the moment and see progression on other goals. 

These other goals I’ve had for myself have not been at the top of my priority list, but they are getting a renewed attention and my life is more enriched.  

Which makes me wonder why they were not a priority to me before?  

I think it was because I felt I needed to achieve one goal before I was worthy to achieve the next.

Refraining from putting so much of my energy into one goal at a time and taking a look at the bigger picture of my life and the things I’d like to achieve has allowed me to enjoy the journey all that much more.

Allowing myself to feel worthy of all my goals has been a practice I took on with fear and uncertainty.  

I’m glad I did!

So to those who I have viewed as “talkers”, I apologize!  

I just needed to “Get a Life” and “Stop Being Afraid”!

Focus - Yoga Lesson

When you place your focus on the negative aspects of your life, you will most likely get more of the same.

Noticing your thoughts and being aware of the type of words you use will transition your focus to more positive thoughts.

Placing positive words into your thoughts will give you a more positive outlook and will most likely bring more positive people and experiences into your life.

With practice you will master the ability to catch any negativity and put focus onto the positive in your life.

Why not start practicing now?!