You are currently browsing the tag archive for the ‘Choose’ tag.
I create New Year’s Intentions every year. This year I’ve been spending more time than usual on it. 2013 has brought changes in my circumstances such that I have more space to create something wonderful! Maybe a few things.
Truthfully, in previous years I have overloaded myself, thinking a bit bigger than my current reality could produce in the future. So, this year, I thought I’d do it a little differently.
The first step was to think about how I want to feel in the coming year. What are the qualities I’d like to express? Like letting go of more negative thinking. And clearing away blame – especially of myself.
After that I thought about things I could do to let go of negative thinking and clear away blame. Like practicing moving to a better feeling thought. How about a ritual, like going to the beach, to clear away blame? I also kept in mind my Purpose to Uplift Hearts with my Words.
When I had my Intentions down, I wanted to write some affirmations to keep me on track. One I’ve used with success in the past is “I am Willing to__ ” and another with statements of what I choose. I got a little hung up on what the difference is between the two. I am willing, for instance, to try some new things. However, I choose to stick to my health routines.
Choosing are concrete action steps I can take and measure. It is a commitment, a solid given. Willing is more of a promise. It’s internal work, an attitude. A willingness to plant seeds I hope will sprout. It only took one page, filled with things I am willing to do for the year and things I choose. It felt good, like I’d set something down with a firm foundation.
Another new tactic I took was to keep a separate list of Goals for the Year. As 2012 came to a close, I noticed quite a few things on my Intentions list that I wasn’t able to, for one reason or another, make happen. I like the idea that I can maintain my Intention of making my home a more pleasant place to be, without having to kick myself that I wasn’t able to get the new deck furniture.
It feels like it’s going to be a Good Year. I wish you all abundance, prosperity, good health and the realization of all your New Year’s plans.
I understand the concept. It’s about energy and vibration. If I’m vibrating with love now, I will attract similar vibrations. If I’m picking at things I don’t care for in my current situation, I’m likely to keep finding things wrong in the next situation. If I don’t harmonize or vibrate the way I want to feel, I’ll never make it to “there.” I need to accept the now with the same feeling I would accept what I want.
But, I’ve been wrestling with this for days. I get caught up in thinking that if I love that which I do not choose, it will become my Then. Doesn’t that kinda figure? It feels wrong (or odd) to say I love this the way it is, if I don’t. I’m frankly nervous about giving my thumbs up, if you will, to things I really choose to change. There is no use telling me that things change because sometimes it feels like they don’t. It sure looks like I’m stuck in the same stuff I’ve been trying to change.
Okay, I know that life is always changing – even if it’s not the way I imagine. I guess what this concept teaches is that it’s about feeling good no matter what and then things will change to meet the new vibration. But how does that work, anyway? Do those good feelings and vibrations transform my life into what I want? How does life know how to change? From my Want? Vision? The Intention? The good vibes? What’s to keep life from staying the same since I seem to be so happy with the way things are now?
Sometimes I feel like I’m trying to wedge good feeling into things that don’t naturally generate them. I know what feels good and this is not it! Maybe I’m straddling the two. Thinking I can somehow lasso the life I have to the life I want. If I pull hard enough they will come together. They have to become one, eventually, don’t they?
Do I need to look at what I Do Not Choose more carefully so I can figure out how to change it? But that leads me to ask,: Why isn’t this change working? What am I doing wrong? No, thank you. That feels like a closed valve, keeping good things from coming my way.
The Positive Slant says, why not? Doesn’t it feel better to love my now AND my then? The Secret, of course, is to love what you have.
Could I live without an intention or a goal, though? Seems hard to me. As Paulette Terrels has said, What if your Purpose is Peace? Or Love? Or even Joy? Rather that this or that _____.
The things I love in my current life don’t have to have anything to do with what I may not “prefer at the moment.” I can base my Joy on Whatever Happens or on things that are connected to the situation only by their flavor – like joy or peace.
A practice might be to find those things that feel good which are not directly connected to the life situation or the thing I do not choose. Not entangling myself in what I do and do not want. Like finding some middle ground between the two. A bridge which could connect them. What are some things I Love about now? Being able to help others. Taking a walk on a beautiful fall day. Thoughts about my future. A drink of cool fresh water. Having time to express my art. Being with people I love. Taking good care of myself. Doing something special for me or my loved ones.
The trick, according to”Conversations with God,” is . . . To choose something while not condemning, but loving too, that which you do not choose. For one thing, this thing I do not choose is what brought me here – closer to that which I Do Want.
The key then is to love whatever is happening, holding my intention lightly. After all, loving life every moment does not lock an otherwise not wanted situation in place. The more I can love whatever is in front of me, the more of that same feeling I’ll get.
In the end, it must be about getting past Do and Do Not Want – into Acceptance of whatever is there. It’s all a Joy, all a ride.
What do you do when you come to a stage in your evolution when you know that nothing is inherently right or wrong? How, then, do you choose?
As usual, it comes down to how you feel. This is the time to get quiet and look inside for the answer. The tricky piece is – extending the injustice discussion – to find a place to stand where you can love that which you do Not choose.
It is only from that place where a good choice can be activated. It’s highly unlikely that you will change anyone’s mind or direction by arguing and stressing what you think is Right simply by choosing a different way. When you demand that your choice is the right one, it only makes the other side stand up stronger for their way.
I have found that most people believe their choices are Right. They may have even checked their feelings and told the truth about what they see, just like I did. There’s no guarantee that my choice is really right. The “wrong” side is just as sure and committed as I am. So, an adversarial stance is not the most effective place from which to make your choice.
The more evolved way is to make that choice from a place of love for what you don’t choose. To understand the other’s side, knowing it is not inherently wrong, it is just not what you choose in the moment. Tomorrow, you may decide to make another choice.
When you choose in this way, you can begin to meld with the choice you don’t make, and be closer to what the Buddha called, The Middle Way. With enough practice, right and wrong can begin to fade and disappear. Then, you make your choices in the moment, not having to stop to name one choice “right” and one choice “wrong.”
1) Set an Intention.
You won’t get anywhere without a destination. Be very clear on what you want to do. Fill in some details. Make sure you’ll know when you get there. Without an intention, you’ll just be wandering about. You need your Guiding Light to help you see the way when the going gets dark.
2) Plan Wisely.
Choose action steps that are fun if you can. The lighter they are, the easier they will be to do. Make them small steps so you don’t give yourself too much to do and overwhelm yourself. That’s a fine way to stop your plan before it’s even begun. Take into account your energy levels and what you might have coming up in the near future. Some activities may get in the way of your progress. Plan for them and then they’ll be little more than a detour.
3) Watch for Procrastination.
When you find yourself not doing it, make yourself give a clear reason why you’re not. It might be that this is just not a good time. Just because you are too tired or busy to do it now, doesn’t negate doing it at another time. See if you can find out what’s stopping you. Remember that resistance could be hiding fear. Be as specific as you can. Listen to your thoughts. Why aren’t you doing what you said you’d do? Be honest. It’ll pay off.
4) Take the Necessary Steps to Make it Easier.
Find better ways to do things, adjust your steps to make them smaller or more fun. Discover more opportune times. Get the information you need. Address the issue(s) pinned down in 3).
5) Decide to Follow Through.
There are many methods for this: list the reasons and read them frequently. Use the buddy system to hold you accountable. Keep track of your progress. See it as promise to yourself. There are many ways to make sure you keep going. Deciding is certainly an important part. Reiterating your intentions, reminding yourself why you’re doing it.
6) Just Do It.
Sometimes you just have to take the leap. Even if you don’t feel like it, aren’t sure, need one more thing . . . If you don’t take a step, you may never get there. Sometimes the smallest thing can get you going again. Inertia is powerful magic.
7) Appreciate.
Please, make sure to congratulate yourself when you do something. As often as you can, remember to appreciate what you do. Spend more time and effort on that than on what you didn’t do.
Goal Getting is defined (I think by Chellie Campbell) as such:
Step 1: Knowing what you want.
Step 2: Investigating what it will take to have it.
Step 3: Taking the steps to have it.
Simple when you see it that way!
Every day we can choose. Each and every moment. What are we going to see? The dreary, rainy day or the smiling faces of friends and colleagues? Do we focus on why we didn’t get what we wanted or do we direct our attention and thoughts to what we can do now?
It truly is an amazing thing that we get to choose how we see the glass. And it’s an extremely powerful choice! They only key we need to unlock its profound effect is Awareness.
The second you notice you are feeling bad, sad, cranky, unhappy, disturbed, distressed, you are in the door. From there you get to pick which direction you wish to go. Just one moment of awareness can make all the difference.
You can feel and taste the difference: My glass is half full. Or my glass is half empty.
I choose the half full glass, please. So I can fill it to the brim. And then I can overflow with abundance.
The Positive Slant On the Path 