Visualize - Personal Practice

It's amazing how my mind wonders when I try to focus on the things I want for myself.

However, it's so easy to put all my energy into directives others give to me or favors others ask of me.

Why is it that visualizing the life I want can be so easy to say, but so hard to visualize actually happening?

Maybe it has something to do with my attachments?  Most likely!

Regardless, it should be very simple.  Lay out a plan, believe in it, do all the things necessary to make my dreams come true, then have the life I always wanted.

I think it's the fear of the unknown that holds me back.  It's creating my own roadmap vs. one that already exists.

When someone else lays out a path it's easier to follow.  

When charting unknown territory it can be scary, heck it can even feel silly.

So, I say to myself, GET OVER IT!

Practice visualizing being, doing, and having all that I want for life.

It's really that simple.

Visualize!

Visualize - Yoga Lesson

Visualizing life as we think it should be is easy.

Visualizing life as we want it to be is the hard part.

We are surrounded by others telling us what we should want or have, but what about what your heart and your gut are telling you?

Why not take time to listen from within, see what that little voice inside your head is saying.

It's the subconscious that screams out your hopes and dreams, you just need to listen.

Once you start listening, then comes the practice of believing, feeling, and closing your eyes and seeing it in your minds eye.

Visualize with every part of your being!

Opportunity - Personal Practice

I've spend a lot of time letting my "logic" talk me out the things I want for my life.

I've paralyzed myself by over thinking and analyzing my opportunities.  

I've talked in circles trying to find logic for many of my opportunities.  I've talked those circles with myself and even made my friends listen to me.

In some cases, I've found I gravitate toward opportunities that will give me an easier path and provide me with things of comfort.  Those opportunities usually fit into a society norm and are easy decisions.  Those opportunities keep me at a status quo or maybe even give me a little more money to play with.

I've been know to also take the opportunities that make the least amount of sense or have no "logic" according to most people.  These opportunities are usually extremely uncomfortable.  I've found that I work harder, have less free time, and sometimes less money.  I tend to push myself harder in these choices.  

Why do I put myself through this?

Because I feel it!  I know it's a growth opportunity and I'm going to be a better person for it.  

Ironically, every time I've ever taken the more difficult route and the one that speaks to my heart, it's an opportunity that has provided me with more than I hoped for.

So, when I find myself thinking things should be easier for me at this point in my life, I wonder if I'm actually settling into a comfort zone and letting opportunity pass me by.  I wonder if I'm missing a growth opportunity for the sake of money or something "I Know" how to do.  

I think the answer when I have those thoughts is yes.  

The great thing is, I always have a choice.

It's up to me to be okay with discomfort for the sake of living my life to it's fullest.

Truly living life in my opinion is not settling or doing the things I know work in order to obtain comfort.  I think living is doing the things I really want for myself, taking opportunity even if it's at the cost of my comfort. 

It's trusting myself and following my vision.

So, as usual, I'm continuing my practice of life.  I'm committing to being honest with myself about how I feel about my opportunities and choosing the ones that make me feel best about my journey.

My heart always knows the best path, even if my mind doesn't always agree.

Opportunity - Yoga Lesson

Opportunity is something most of us have seen pass us by.

Why is it that it's so easy to let opportunity pass us by?

Opportunity is ours for the taking.  We just need to take it!

It's up to each of us to be fully aware and notice opportunity when presented with it.

Being fearful of the unknown is normal, and "logic" may seem to outweigh the opportunity at hand.  But, it's still your choice to do something about your opportunities.  Put the fear aside and take your opportunities!

When you take the opportunities that are yours, you'll be amazed at what you can accomplish.  

Put aside all that so called "logic" and have your journey be everything you envisioned for yourself.  

Take your Opportunities!!!

Attachment to Things - Personal Practice

I've spoken of non-attachment in the past, however, this past week I was reminded how important it is to practice non-attachment and to allow myself to be in the here and now.

I know attachment to "things" does me no good.  But I still found myself attaching.

I actually became physically ill at the thought of letting go of something I had owned for the last thirteen years of my life.  

This "thing" was such a part of my life!  It had comforted me when I was ill or sad.  It held many happy and unhappy memories! 

When I realized it was time to let this "thing" go, I did my best to hold onto it.  

I stressed about making space for this thing, even though there was no space to spare for it.  I even found myself loosing sleep re-evaluating the layout of my home trying to find space. 

Mind you, I didn't want to disrupt the other things.  I like them as they are!  It's my attachment that was driving me to accommodate a "thing" that has no purpose or use for me any longer.

Then I was challenged to let the "thing" go.

I found myself justifying having this "thing", even though I knew my justifications sounded silly.

I was even going to spend more money in order to hold onto this "thing" which served no purpose.

This attachment was strong!

Then I realized it, I was attaching.  I was holding onto my memories so hard that I wasn't allowing myself space to create new memories, I wasn't allowing myself to be in the here and now.

I knew it was time to let this "thing" go. 

I'm not gonna lie, I savored the last moments.  My heart was heavy.  I hugged this "thing" and shed a few tears before it left my life.

Then I let it go.  

I watched this "thing" leave my life for good.

In it's place is a new "thing", which is needed.  

All-in-all, I'm super excited about recognizing my attachment and equally excited to be a step closer in my practice of non-attachment.  

After all it was just a "thing".

Attachment to Things - Yoga Lesson

Non-Attachment is a challenge for most of us.

It's easy to attach to some ideal, someone, or even something.

Is it healthy for you to be attached?

Or, does attachment effect your ability to be in the here and now?

What about attachment to a "thing"?

What good does attachment to a "thing" do for you?

Why not take a look at your attachment to "things"?

Maybe challenge yourself to give up some "thing" you are attached to?

See what happens when you let go of a "thing".

Make It The Life You Always Wanted! - Personal Practice

Why is it that most of us deny ourselves what we truly want?

We make excuses for not doing what we really want to do.

We dwell on our routines and tell ourselves that if we step out of them we may not be our best selves for the upcoming day, but in the back of our minds there is this vision we each have, it's who we truly are and how we see ourselves living our lives.

The vision we have of ourselves is the bits and pieces of what make up the best of us.

Recently I've found myself thinking about my life and all the things I thought I'd have accomplished by now.

But the funny thing is, many of the things I thought I'd have accomplished are not the things I truly want.  They are things I thought I should want.  They are things that do not match my vision of myself.  

The vision I have formulated along the way of the ideal way to live my life, is better than the things I use to think I needed.

Which raises the question of why it's so hard to be honest with yourself and what you truly want.

I've been practicing saying to myself what I want, and it's not easy!  Some days are harder than others as I do tend to let myself get sidetracked by all the so called "shinny" things.  That's why it's a practice I guess.  

So a good mantra is to remind myself to go out into the world and make my life the one I've always wanted!  This mantra, for me, makes it easier to ignore the "shinny" things.  :)