I Pinky Swear

Just before we were leaving for our last trip to the cottage I was feeling completely worn out.  I felt like I had been running on a hamster wheel and getting nowhere in life and in business.  I was at my wits end, frustrated and not gaining any clarity of which end was up.

As I sat on the dock overlooking the lake one bright sunny day, I contemplated why it was that I was feeling the way I was. 

What could I do to change my situation and bring the fun and excitement back into my life.

I sensed that I wasn't completely off track, that the fun, passion and excitement was still within reach but somehow I had just allowed something else to get in the way of me seeing it.

It was in that moment that I realized I had been controlling every move I made over the past few months.  And in that controlling space I was feeling more and more disconnected to the way I truly love to live.  The control didn't make me feel fulfilled or purposeful, it just made me feel frustrated and tired all of the time.

So in that moment I decided to shift my perspective, I wiped my tears from my face, took a deep breath and pinky swore to God that I would stop controlling everything and just let life happen.

Yes, you heard me correctly.  I pinky swore God....

I looked up at the sky, envisioned a large cloud hand coming down with it's pinky finger stuck out and I saw myself reach up to connect pinky's and affirmed that I was willing to relinquish control over to the one who knows what is best for me. 

FYI:  God LOVES pinky swearing!!!

Since I've been back I've had some amazing 'AHA' moments, creativity has been flowing like water from a tap and I'm feeling energized, renewed and on purpose.

I have had some moments of wanting to step into the control room again (it's habit, what can I say) and it's not long into that moment that God reminds me of my commitment.  He flashes that pinky swear  moment in my mind and I have no choice but to back off and allow life to unfold before my eyes.

Yep, God loves a good pinky swear.

Mind Games

What would happen if you questioned your next thought?

Something like....Is this thought really true?

I've been doing this lately, kind of a little experiment to my self to see where it will take me and all the fun that goes with that.

What I have noticed is that the instant I question my thought I experience a feeling of peacefulness. Then the next thought comes around and I question that and again peace... And on and on it goes.

Something very different happens when I allow my thoughts to wander and grow. I find I get agitated and unfocused. The challenges with not questioning your thoughts is that your days and nights become filled with reliving past events, your mind is constantly filled with fake conversations and arguments, and your body experiences stress and tension.

Sound like fun?

Not really.

When we don't question our thoughts we become more and more detached from the moment we are living in. The NOW moment.

Another question I have been asking myself in moments of stress, or when I find myself getting caught up in a mind game is "am I OK in this moment".

Take for example thoughts over a lack of money (we all have that once in a while), when I find myself entering into the mind game of "I don't have enough money" I stop myself and ask "do I need more money in THIS moment?" Usually the answer to that is "no".

That small "no" seems to have been bringing me a great sense of peace that allows me to think more clearly and sometimes even see opportunities that weren't there before (or I just wasn't seeing because I was too busy playing the mind game).

I've also added another statement to this one, once I realize that I am not really in need of more money, I state "I look forward to feeling a lack of money". I know this sounds a bit crazy, but I realize it isn't the last time I am going to feel this lacking feeling so I might as well embrace it so that when it comes back I'm not surprised and I am better prepared since....well....I look forward to it.

And truthfully, this statement feels much better than any of the worrying I have done over money in the past, therefore I know it is the right thing for me to do. Good feelings = happy me!

Just for fun, the next time an infamous "lack of" or "not good enough" thought pops into your mind, ask yourself "is this really true?" or "am I okay in this moment?" and see where that takes you.