This Theme's Repeating

November 08, 2011

If you read, on a regular basis, my blogs, by now you will have noticed a theme that seems to repeat itself in everything I write. Ideas such as "Try Again", "Everyday's a New Day", "What you notice matters", "That was yesterday, this is now", and so on.
I suppose I find myself threading the idea of "It's a New Day" and "Try Again" in everything because it is such a powerful perspective when we find ourselves challenged by life, and difficulties arise as we move toward change.
I believe certain principles about how life operates are unalienable. These are:

Everything is fluid and constantly changing
We "DO" have the power to harness the energy of change to our advantage
Failure 'is' a state of mind
We never run out of do-over chances

If modern day thought/research has demonstrated anything to us, it's that everything we see touch and feel is indeed in a constant state of flux. Given this 'truth' why not take advantage of this with the way we perceive our lives. Rather than spend any more time stuck in the 'victim mode', instead harness yourself to the flow of change and let it's power wash off what doesn't work for you. Imagine going through a car wash, you in the car. Imagine now that the car is what you don't like about your life, and as you pass through the 'wash' your unwanted circumstances are being cleaned off the 'real' you as you go along. Powerful image, no?

So often, working with my clients, I find they confess that they don't have the energy to make permanent change, that after a few days or weeks, they find themselves slipping back into old patterns. I will say I don't agree that it takes MORE energy to change than it does to HANG ONTO behaviors that bring along disappointment, shame and distress.
Imagine how much energy it takes to be sad. Trust me, it's much harder to stay in failure mode than to release yourself into the freedom of peace and happiness. Why is it you see those two words used together so much? Peace, bliss and happiness are closely linked.

Our society is super competitive, and wants you to believe in the idea of success and failure. What a sad trap! Imagine if you would, to think of what your life would be like if you eliminated those two words from your vocabulary. No more SUCCESS haunting you, driving you in ways that are often NOT healthy for you physically and spiritually. Imagine the word FAILURE being gone from your head. What would your life be like if you never attached any action or result to the negitive power of failure. I don't believe in failure, I do believe in trying again.

This brings me to the last concept, that we never run out of 'do-overs'. When you teach your children to walk, tie a shoe, learn their ABC's or catch a ball, imagine what they would feel like if you suddenly said, "Okay, stop now. You ran out of 'try's!" Sound silly? It is! In fact, it's simply absurd. Why then do we strap ourselves with limitations? With mental roadblocks that prevent us from venturing just a bit further. Perhaps THAT extra step or two will be where we finally accomplish what it is we are attepting to do.

I wake up each morning so happy to be waking up (ha ha, I guess that comes with getting older too!!!) and love to open my bedroom curtains to let the light stream into my room. "A NEW DAY" I think to myself. "What do I want to create today?"
See yourself, everyday, as full of the spirit it takes to go anywhere, do anything and most of all, be happy.

Warmest thoughts,
Catherine Bradford