December 20, 2007

Sometimes I forget that I am responsible for the importance that I assign to things that happen in my life. And sometimes I forget that I can choose to change the panic level from high to low. When I am making my way through the day (particularly at work) and something goes awry, it is east to kick into auto-pilot and let the emotions of the moment carry me away. I occasionally lose all concept of the real importance of what I am dealing with until I take a step back, breathe and remember that I can choose to respond versus react. When I back away from an emotional reaction and execute a well thought out response, the results are always good. In some respects, this essentially breaks down to the love/fear dichotomy. In fact, unless you live in a state of perpetual love, our reactions are fear-based whereas our response can be love-based.

Let's move this line of thinking outside of the work arena and away from the reaction/response mode of living. A lot of what we experience throughout our day is based on the importance and priority that we assign to it. And much of how we make our way through the day is a result of conditioning (auto-pilot-reaction/response). But the reality is, by examining our thoughts, beliefs and actions, we can live more intentionally and make different choices. If you find this concept difficult to accept, take a minute and focus on one of the more major problems that is currently vying for your attention. Think about the importance you assign to it and how you can let it impact many facets of your life. Now think about how you might feel differently about this problem if you are facing a real life or death crisis (unless of course the problem is that you are facing a life or death crisis). How has the importance level of the problem changed? Granted, this is a dramatic demonstration of how we can alter our mental focus to impact the importance that we assign to things.

Just for today, think about how you may be causing undue stress or dis-ease in your life because of the importance and priority to which you have assigned things. Realize that you can make another choice and then make that choice. Watch to see how simply changing your mind... changing your mental focus can help to bring you back into balance. Above all, remember that you are ultimately responsible for the co-creation of your reality and that you deserve every happiness... now and always. And so it it.