It's What You Make Of It - Personal Practice

I can't help but notice in reflection how many opportunities I have missed because I've thought something better would come along.

I've neglected my instincts because I didn't want to deal with the discomfort of doing what I felt was best for me.

Instead of being in the moment and embracing where and what I've had, I spent time thinking about how the future will look.

I've spent countless hours dreading the start of a day or doing a chore that I found unpleasant.

Why am I pondering all these things?

Because I had a friend ask for my advice this week.

The request for advice came after this friend had received advice from someone else and felt conflicted.

It was a simple enough request in which the person simply sought an opinion based on my experience.  But it left me thinking about how easy it is to speak with authority on something I truly know nothing about, which is; what it's like to be the person in the experience. 

My experience with something will be unlike anyone else's.  Sure there will be similarities, but it's what each of us as individuals make of something, our attitudes toward that something, that defines the experience.

To further back up my observation...

I had another friend this week post a comment on a Monday morning stating how it was going to be great week because the alarm went off to start the day, played a song that was full of energy, and reminded them how great it is to be alive!

I loved that comment the moment I read it because I thought my friend started the day with a great outlook on life and the enthusiasm in the post sparked my enthusiasm!

So I have to say a big thank you to my friends for reminding me....

I can begin a day with a negative attitude, while my friend begins the day with a positive one.  We can interact with all the same people.  We can have the same job to do.

But in the end it's our attitudes that define our experiences, how we feel about others, and how we feel about ourselves 

So why not go out into the world each day with the best attitude possible!

After all, it's what you make of it!

It's What You Make Of It - Yoga Lesson

Many of us miss out on opportunities.

This may happen as a result of any one, or combination, of the following:

Second guessing an instinct.

Listening to the opinions of others.

Predicting an outcome.

Getting up in the morning and dreading the day.

And the list could go on and on...

Ultimately, what ever the opportunity may be, isn't it about being open to the moment?

Isn't it about what you make of it?

Why not challenge yourself to trust your instincts, take the opinions of others with a grain of salt, let the moment define its self, and start each day with a positive attitude?

What have you got to loose?

Go out and make the best of it!  Whatever your it may be.

A Nice Person - Personal Practice

This week I had a friend of mine I hadn't seen in a while say to me "You are the nicest person I know".

My response was "really"?

I reacted this way because I didn't feel I had been particularly nice over the past week.

Here is what I did:

I hurt the feelings of a dear friend of mine with a thoughtless comment.  Even though I didn't mean it the way it came out and my apology was accepted, I should have chosen my words more carefully.  

I made a comment about the appearance of someone I had just met.  The new acquaintance took the comment in good humor, but it was still unkind and uncalled for on my behalf.

Instead of complementing a friend on all the qualities I admire in them, I made a single statement that degraded what I really meant to say.  I wish I had been more eloquent in my delivery vs. brash.

Instead of being open and communicative about my desire to reduce communication with someone who's views in life differ from mine, I chose to be silent.  I would prefer it if someone felt this way about me to tell me.

I was able to see clearly these mistakes I made because of a lesson I received from a wonderful teacher this past week who said "When we feel anxious it's because there is a part of us that is doing something that is not authentic.

In each of these instances I felt anxious.  I wasn't my authentic self!  

I was simply trying too hard.  I wanted to make others laugh, but it was at the expense of others.  I wanted to manipulate situations to my advantage, but hurt feelings in the process.

The thoughtlessness just wasn't worth it!

Ultimately though...

We can't dwell on our mistakes, we can only work to not make them again.  

A Big Thank You to the friend who gave me the complement, because when I said "Really?", my friend responded with "Yes.  Why don't you think you are?"  Which of course drove me to dig deeper and do the hard work on why I responded as I did.

Life's lessons come in interesting ways and sometimes we need to be open to our own discomfort in order receive the lesson.

In my case, I needed to be reminded how important it is to treat others with kindness.

So, I'll continue my practice of being A Nice Person.

A Nice Person - Yoga Lesson

Ever find yourself in a situation or moment where you feel unkind to others and think to yourself "I'm not this person"?

Why is it at times we can be unkind to others?

Maybe someone pushes your buttons and you react?

Or even possibly you pick on someone in good fun, but hurt their feelings?

What's the point of being unkind?  

Does it ever leave you feeling like a better person?

I bet not.

Why not wake up in the morning and commit to being the nicest person you can be each day?

Be A Nice Person!

Good Thoughts - Personal Practice

It's amazing what we can do to ourselves with negative thoughts.

I found myself this past week engaged in a few conversations which I felt were very negative.

The negativity put me in a frame of mind in which I became judgmental of judgments others were casting.

What a negative spiral it became.

Everyone started stepping onto their high horse thinking there perspective was the best with regard to how others should behave or react to situations.

But it came down to each of us needing to be more thoughtful.

How we think frames our words which are spoken to others.  

The words we speak are how others view us.

But, In my experience the words spoken by someone do not always match their behavior.

So ultimately, It takes time to see how words match to one's actions. 

So when I catch myself thinking negative things about myself or others, I've started a practice of replacing that negative thought with something positive.

One positive quote I like and use often is the following:

"Every good thought you think is contributing its share to the ultimate result of your life" - Grenville Kleiser

It's amazing how having a positive mantra can make all the difference.

It can even help put you back to sleep when you wake up anxious.

I think everyone should practice good thought!

Me, I'm hoping for a life full of positive experienced surrounded by positive people.  

So, I'll I keep up with my practice of being the most positive person I can be and think good thoughts!  :)

Good Thoughts - Yoga Lesson

Ever find yourself anxious and fearful?

Where does that come from?

It starts with a thought.

Why not catch yourself right at the onset of a thought that leads to negative behavior?

Remind yourself that it takes practice to be positive.

Make your thoughts good ones!

The Perfect Package - Personal Practice

I'm guilty!  I'm that person that gets distracted by all that I could do or be better at.

I often find myself with my head down thinking hard about the things I need to be doing vs. enjoying where I'm at.

I look at myself in the mirror and see all that I could fix in my appearance to be more attractive.

I compare myself to others and think I need to try harder in order to be a better person.

I overanalyze my choices and wonder if I've made the best decision for my overall happiness.  In fact I find myself fretting about choices I've made so much that I get anxious and wake up in the middle of the night.

I worry what others think of me.  I hope they enjoy my company as much as I enjoy theirs.

I think I do all these things because I have a vision of what my life is supposed to look like and how it's supposed to feel.

In pursuing that vision I miss many moments.  I'm blinded by my vision and walk past many opportunities.

I'm seeking "The Perfect Package" for my life.

No matter how much I practice being in the moment and being mindful, I find my thoughts shifting toward what I think is "The Perfect Package" for my life.

Once again I've found another thing I need to practice letting go of; My Perfect Package.

It's amazing how much effort and time you can put into being in the moment and still your ego and ideals of perfection subconsciously undermine you.  And it's a million little things that drove each of us to define our perfect packages.

This is by no means an easy practice!  Letting go of all those little things and being open to what is in front of you is challenging.

I say it's not easy because we should all do our best to be the best version of ourselves, learn, evolve, and seek out new experiences.  It's also healthy to want to do things to make ourselves feel better about ourselves.

However, the moment we are in should not be disregarded.  Accepting the journey we've been on and where we are is important.

So, I'll practice reminding myself from time to time that there is no such thing as perfect and I'm not too shabby in this moment.  

I Am The Perfect Package Now!