Simplifying the Complicated

I am often surprised at how I can complicate things, whether in business or life. We get so busy planning and doing that we sometimes forget why we are doing it in the first place. There is so much to do, so many places to get to, so much to accumulate, that sometimes we are unable to be present to life itself.

It seems like I also waste my time with my “stories,” figuring things and people out – at times making things up to conveniently fit my view of the world. We can expend vast amounts of energy convincing ourselves that something is true when it’s not – or vice versa- or justifying the way we are thinking or feeling. Wouldn’t it be nice to know we are just feeling a certain way, without having to figure out why all the time?

And then there is the time spent complaining – complaining about what happened or didn’t happen or about the things we find frustrating in life. One easy way to mitigate the amount of our complaining is to turn all complaints into requests. When you are unhappy with something or someone, think about whom you need to ask what of, by when, as a way of shifting the energy and moving forward in a positive and constructive way. To paraphrase Buddha, all of our suffering is either caused by attachment or aversion.

The 4 A’s to living the life you’ve imagined:

Affirmation – “act as if” – create the space to attract anything that you want.

Awareness – become aware of your “monkey mind” and what you are focused on.

Adaptability – accept what is, and adapt your thinking and behavior to move you closer to what you prefer.

Appreciation – attract more of what you want by appreciating what you have.

Start each day stating your affirmations with feeling, imagining what they look like, sound like, and feel like.

Pay attention throughout the day to where your mind wanders and what you are focused on. Just notice it, don’t judge it, and look for ways to shift your energy and attention to be more congruent with what you want.

Be adaptable. Very few things, if anything, happen exactly as planned. Be present to whatever unfolds in front of you and know that you have or can get the skills to deal with whatever presents itself.

Lastly, appreciate what you have. Appreciation shifts our energy in a positive direction and serves as a magnet for future positive expansion.

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