Tag: mindfulness

Circumstance

“Let a man radically alter his thoughts, and he will be astonished at the rapid transformation it will affect in the material conditions of his life. Men imagine that thought can be kept secret, but it cannot; it rapidly crystallizes into habit, and habit solidifies into circumstance. “   – James Allen

A truly keen insight. 

Thought, habit and circumstance. A pattern of interconnected consequence which creates a lasting resonance.  Entirely and utterly accountable to you alone.  And in certain respects, this pattern of interconnected consequence reveals how your character becomes woven directly into a  pursuit of excellence.

As you make your way along this path, it would be prudent to honestly discern and conduct an assessment oneself.

What pattern of thoughts tend to hold you back? Is it fear? Of beginning? That it somehow isn’t within you to start?

Or, is it the commitment once started ? That it is too much for you to see it through. To finish?

Perhaps it is more about the unknown. The possible, undesirable outcome that dogs you. The daunting spectres of disappointment. Discouragement. Disapproval. Defeat.

Maybe it is the fickleness of change. A need for security. The inability to trust. An aversion to honesty or criticism. Selfishness. Arrogance. Ego.

Misperceptions about the call for your leadership ?

Misconceptions about its demands for constant, unrelenting accountability, presence and effort?

Despite your efforts at concealment and containment, your thoughts rarely remain secret. 

Your thoughts and doubts are traitors. By word or deed, they make their way to the surface. 

A little here.  A little there.

Soon, all at once, you become an open book.  No longer private, your thoughts can come to govern each habit, control every action, impede any achievement and prohibit excellence, all in a very public manner.

Alter your thoughts from doubt to possibility and then you can alter your trajectory. 

So let the transformation begin.

Once thoughts crystallize into genuinely positive, productive and permanent habits, they will soon enjoin the effort to form your circumstance. A radical alteration of ones thoughts transforms the essence of ones life.

Circumstance becomes a product of habit.

And the outcome mirrors ones thoughts.

And life.

“You don’t think your way into a new kind of living. You live your way into a new kind of thinking.”
― Henry Nouwen

Though all is contained in one collective space, the mind, heart, body and soul can vie for preeminence over each other or become independent of one another. At least that has been my experience.

The mind has its intnetions in the right place, but yet, if it cannot interconnect with its teammates, there will be little if any change in course. It can generate great ideas and stimulate a new vision, but if the heart doesn’t buy into it and the spirit is not willing, well, you know how the state of the flesh.

Talking oneself out of great beginnings has been one of this author’s highest acheivements. The sensation is akin to rolling oneself out of a deep snow drift. Rev it up, rock it back, rev it up more, rock it back. You get the gist. Laying out vast schematics within your mind as to why things just won’t work the way you wish. Then avoiding the revision that points out the straightest path.

All the while, your heart retains an unfulfilled emptiness, your soul untested and a body stuck in an idle neutral.

Yet, if you overcome the urge to reinvent and rationalize, and to paraphrase, “do it”, then all heck breaks loose. The heart begins to engage and fill with a sense of joy brought on by the actions. Your soul begins to align and see an incumbent purpose in the undertaking. Your body generates an energy and momentum to carry moment and those to come. And your mind, quips, “why didn’t I think of this?”

When all four work in concert, they collaborate not just to maintain but to elevate their game. Rallying to overcome adversity and challenges that may attack a specific aspect of your being by acting as one. Smarter overcomes harder. Joy inundates sorrows. Purpose replaces purposeless. And a new found stamina energizes the entire enterprise.

Thinking about it does have its place. But that may only serve to restrict you to a highly confined area. Living it invites you to an ever sprawling world. Embracing all there is about you. Open to adventure. Learning. Growth. Connection. Purpose.

And life.

Hath no cares.

The resolved mind hath no cares. 

George Herbert (1593-1632) British poet. 

This isn’t to say that one should proceed without due diligence and your head up once you are resolved to a course of action. Rather, being resolved brings with it a sense of independence from the limitations and clutter imposed by indecision, waffling and second guessing. There be “no cares” in that you know where you are going, and how you are getting there. 

And nothing will sway you away from that course.

So make it your mission, to not only discover something special each day, but also to rediscover something special within yourself as well. Two things that are only made possible if you are fully present and seize the moment. With both hands. 

When you let go, and then go “all in” your resolve  releases this exquisite level of energy. You set the tone, creating this powerful brand of momentum. One just made for overcoming the inertia of the day. Loosening its grip. Making it relent. And surrendering to your will. 

As your hold on these moments increases, new possibilities emerge. Opportunities once hidden now become visible.   As you proceed fully present and seize each day, you will be actively molding the future. Your future. For what you resolve to make of the present will eventually determine what is yet to come.  

Think about it. 

There will be no ambiguity in what lies ahead. No gray areas. For the thoughts, words and deeds you are choosing at this very moment help to shape the very next. Always in motion is the future. Your future. Its direction is largely your call. 

With resolve, be fully present. 

Let go. 

All in. 

Seize the moment.

Create your future. 

With resolve. 

Hath no cares. 

Joy

With an open heart and mind, plus a  little effort, there is much joy to be found all around you.And for some reason you may have to learn how to find it.  Gain a sense of what it looks like. Sounds like.  Feels like. 

It is beyond fun.  

I  am telling you it lasts way longer than just plain old fun.  

Way longer. 

Mostly because it is like this living, breathing being. Your  partner in  all the things you do, the efforts you make and the commitments you honor.

Now this  may sound dumb, but it can be found in some of the oddest places.  

Like at a practice.  

Working after class with your calc teacher to understand differential equations.  

Struggling to master an adagio.  

Tutoring a youngster to speak English. 

Little things that bring more than just fun.

Something far deeper than happiness. 

So let me ask you this:  

You ever really listen to what it sounds like when you are having a great practice?  

Capture that sensation when you solve a linear partial differential equation on your own? 

Feel the deliberate, meandering nature of a well executed adagio ? 

Or share in the sense of wonderment that comes with reading your first sentence?  

Little things that may not seem like all that much.  

Instants that can dissipate before you know it.  

But moments you can return to over and over and over again. 

As often as you like. 

Once you have been there.  

And know what they look, sound and feel like.  

That living, breathing being. 

Partner in  all the things you do.  The efforts you make. 

And the commitments you honor.

Joy.

(Came across this one from 2015.)

Expect it.

ex·pec·ta·tion  noun \ˌek-ˌspek-ˈtā-shən, ik-\  : a belief that something will happen or is likely to happen

In certain respects, expectation is something beyond just simple belief that something may, is likely to or will happen.

To expect is to muster the forces – mental, physical, emotional and spiritual – necessary to produce a desired reality.  To expect is an intention.  To direct ourselves with purpose intentionally.   To do, to be – and –  to give our best.   

The expectations we have and have set firm for ourselves – in the form of personal standards – represent intention.  

A method  of directing ourselves with a higher purpose towards all that we choose to be, where we choose to go and who we choose to become.  In raising the bar high for ourselves, we are setting the tone that can carry us through life. Living our life with expectation can create an abundant supply of opportunity.  An achievement rich environment where both present and even future circumstances will favor us, and in time, even bending to our will.    

Having high expectations and personal standards  affirms and reflects our true self and character. It displays our commitment to always and without hesitation “do” and “be” our absolute best.  

In time, as we “do” and “be” our best, we will gain confidence and develop a sense of growing mastery.  We will no longer feel the need to be so focused inward, but rather detect  a tug to look outward. Beyond ourselves. And, to share.  Then, we will be in a position to make a very intentional,  personal statement with the utmost certainty.  

To always “give” our best. 

For in one sense, to “do” and to “be” our best represents only a beginning.  Learning  to “give” our best acts to connect us to some very powerful, lasting and positive thoughts in an entirely different realm of deeds. To be able to develop beyond a  “do our best” mode of living and grow into a “give our best” way of being, we are raising that  bar of expectation again, once more.  

Establishing for ourselves a brand new standard. An expectation born of personal growth. One of sacrifice.  A declaration that our original commitment to “do”  and “be” has now become one of “to give”. That we will make the best of “what” and “who” we are readily available to all others.  Anyone and everyone.  No strings attached.  Whenever,  wherever, however.  And therein lies the opportunity.  

Giving the best of “what” and “who” we are shows others how much they are valued.  Confirming  to them how important their achievement and success is to each one of us.  It shows them just how much they are  loved.  Telling  them in no uncertain terms that “you deserve the absolute best of me“. 

Giving our best to others isn’t about economics, transactions or a “quid pro quo”.  Giving others your best is never about an expectation of getting anything in return. Giving your best to others is what you are made for.  It is the right thing to do,  for their sake and ultimately yours as well.

By giving your best, you are “coaching up” others to aspire to always do their best.  In the process, you live and breathe that mindset of high expectation and standards. You gain a level of comfort operating within a personal universe marked by high expectations, a dedication to striving for optimal performance and pursuing excellence. 

By giving our best, we allow others to share that same achievement-rich environment where both present and future circumstances will conspire to favor all, bending to our collective will.   

Don’t merely believe that something may or will happen.  

Expect it.