Comfort - Personal Practice

I was in search of guidance this past week and found it around every corner.

I have known for sometime, but had to acknowledge once again, that I can not control every aspect of my life.  

I can not make others do or be as I wish.  

I can not force outcomes.

I need to let life take its course.

At the same time, I need to recognize the intentions I set for myself.

These intentions of mine have focus and I know what I want with absolute certainty.  This is all part of my practice

Now that the intentions are reality I have been faced with taking responsibility for what I asked for.

When I started to talk about my intentions with others and explain my inner most thoughts with those close to me, they knew I was struggling based on old behavior patterns.

I received a consistent response from each person; “do not let yourself get in the way”!

These individuals have intimate knowledge of me and of how I can overanalyze and create problems for myself.  Basically psych myself out!

What a thing to practice!  Refraining from self sabotage!

I am refraining!  

I needed to hear the voices of those I trust tell me to refrain.  

I asked for help and help came!

The help made all the difference in my practice of being the best I can be in this adventurous journey!

When in doubt of your intentions and you find yourself noticing the mind wander to old comfortable patterns, ask for help.  

It will come!

Comfort - Yoga Lesson

Just as you are.

Most of us are accepted by those close to us for being just as we are.

Quirky behavior, personality traits, and the way we live our lives.

Have you ever heard someone say to someone else “that is just they way they are” about you?

Have you accepted this comment stated about you?  Or, did you question it?

Sometimes we get so lost in being “who we are” and how we define ourselves that we forget to challenge ourselves and the perceptions others have of us.

Being “who you are” is comfortable.  It’s comfortable for you and for those closest to you.

The next time you think to yourself “this is me” or you hear someone say “that is just the way you are”, why not challenge that comfort zone and make it uncomfortable

Be Aware!

Positive Thoughts - Personal Practice

Taking a chance and doing things different than you have before is not without fear.

It’s amazing how recognizing you need to let go of the past and the associated patterns of your past can leave you feeling lost.

When you choose to step out from behind your walls and you let go of all the defense mechanisms you have created you may feel a bit if anxiety.

That’s what I have felt recently; fear, lost, and full of anxiety.

I could not pin point why I was feeling this way until I talked it out.  I had to say it out loud.  I had to talk through my inner most thoughts and fears to hear how attached I still am to old behavior and patterns.  

There is this expectation I have of myself that I “should” operate and conduct my life in a specific way.  That I “could” take a different path to ensure I remain in control.

Those are negative thoughts; should and could.  

Why would I waste my energy and time thinking about should and could, when I could focus on the here and now and what is?

The answer is easy.  The past is familiar and safe.  Those are the thoughts that comfort me and keep me safe and in control.  It’s the way in which I conducted my life that I feel attached to.  Those are the thoughts that keep me from feeling and from getting hurt.

I’m afraid of getting hurt.  

I’m more afraid of not feeling.

So I choose to allow the fear, sense of being lost, and all the anxiety that comes with it.

I’m feeling!  What a wonderful way to live!  Being in the here and now and being afraid!

The clarity that comes with recognizing the patterns and the ability to see the negativity that festers with these patterns is worth the work that I’ve put into learning to be honest with myself.

I choose to be honest, positive, and feel.

I’m certain I can do this!

Positive Thoughts - Yoga Lesson

Ever notice how some days it feels like nothing is going right?

How every negative thought compounds its self?

You choose! 

You can be frustrated and allow your mind to continue on its negative path.

Or!  Step out of the path.  

Choose a different path.  Choose to be positive!

Take a deep breath, take that different path.  Be Positive!

Choose!

A White Lie - Personal Practice

What have I got to loose?  This is the thought that has been coming to mind for me often lately.  When faced with a challenge or feeling, I’ve thought to myself; what have I got to loose?

I have lost something.  I’ve found that I’ve lost control. 

When I say “control”, I mean the type of control in which you feel you can not function unless you have every moment pre-planned, the type of control in which you anticipate the whole day before you get out of bed in the morning and if there is a variance in the plan you feel stressed. 

With this, my practice has been to be open to new experiences and emotions.  I’ve let myself be open, sharing, and communicative.  In doing so I’ve simply lost a lot of my control.

The interesting thing is I’ve had new experiences and feelings I haven’t had or felt before.  I’ve found that I’m excited and scared.  Both of which are emotions I have not let myself feel in a long time.

My days are not as scheduled and structured.  I don’t feel as stressed with the lack of structure.

I’m letting myself live.  

All this by simply stating to myself; what have I got to loose?

I’m the type of person who normally would wait for something good to come to me in a relationship instead of taking a chance and put myself out there.  Which in my thought process of “what have I got to loose?” got me to thinking about those who do take the chance and risk feeling silly or being rejected.  I then thought to myself; why not?  I’ll ask the questions I want answers to.  What’s the worst that could happen?  I don’t get the answer I want?  

What a rewarding experience it is to be risky with your emotions!

However, I can honestly say the fear can be so emotionally shaking as well.  But, what a wonderful way to live!  With emotion and feelings and adventure in the unknown!

I highly recommend asking yourself “what have I got to loose?” and jumping with both feet in to an experience

The rewards, even if you come out on the other end a little battered and bruised, you embraced the journey and lived!

A White Lie - Yoga Lesson

Do you find yourself spending energy and time on maintenance of a lie?

Why?

Let it go.  Even if you find you need to tell the truth to let it go.

Why Not?

Think of all the time and energy you will have for new, exciting, and positive things in your life with the absence of this lie.

Think of all the rest you will get with this worry eliminated from you life.

Let it go.

Life Experience - Personal Practice

I notice that I have a tendency to let the priorities of the life I’m supposed to lead take over my life.  

As I evaluate the “supposed to” part of this I have to ask myself, do I want to live my life in a “supposed to” way?

The answer came back with an emphatic “NO”!

I’m grateful for the life I’ve led and the experiences I’ve had, I like me and the person I am.  There is value in the lessons I learned when following the “supposed to” mentality.  

It taught me what I do and do not want for my life.

It brought me to a place where I asked difficult questions of myself, and had to be honest in my answers.

When I think of “priorities” now, I ask myself if this is truly a priority to me, or do I feel like it “should” be a priority to me.

If the answer comes back as “should” I know that it’s not really me who feels it’s a priority.  It’s external.  The use of the word “should” is always a clear indicator to me that it may not really be important in the larger scheme of things for my journey.

My practice is to actually place priority where it belongs, and on the experiences that will enrich my life and offer the most personal satisfaction in my journey.

This is not easy as I find myself thinking about what I “should” do often and I have guilt associated to the “should”.

In time and with practice it will get easier to see the “should” for what it truly is; a self defeating attempt to live life in a way that is without truth.

I will place priority where it belongs!