I remember an old phrase someone once shared with me that has given me a great deal of insight through the years and I want to share it with you:
"That which you resist persist"
I'm sure there are many different interpretations, but to me the phrase basically means, the more you time and energy you spend on something, often times the more you will experience it.
Think about it for a second.
When something really gets on your nerves, whether it's traffic, a disagreement with a friend or loved one, or a situation at work, have you ever noticed how much time and energy you spend re-playing the event over and over in your head. And then wonder why the situation seems to continue coming up in your life?
I'm beginning to believe in this world of instant gratification we all get a bit too easily frustrated and distracted when it comes to getting things done. When a situation doesn't go our way, we spend so much time re-telling the story to anyone who will listen, we constantly replay the event in our minds, and then wonder why we are continually running into these types of situations over and over again. Why me? We sometimes ask ourselves.
Maybe a better question is, why are you spending so much time and energy preoccupied with the very thing you don't want in your life?
Be clear, I'm not referring to some new age spirituality, but instead something that we all know as scientifically true . Remember my post on reticular activation?
Why not try a different approach. Try spending more time and energy focused on the things you do want instead of the things you don't want. Yes, it sounds oh so simple, but try monitoring how much time and energy you spend on the things you don't want in your life versus the goals and plan you have to achieve those goals. Which one wins out?
Here's a simple example I think we can all identify with to make the point more clear. You've decided you want a certain outfit or a certain type of car. Ever notice how it seems that every place you look you see that car or a similar outfit? That's because your mind is tuned into that stimulus and has increased your awareness of it. It's an oversimplified example but I think you get the point.
If you're sincere about wanting to transform your body, get out of pain, or just improve your day to day experiences, start paying attention to how you spend your energy and what you let affect your thoughts and grab your attention.
Need a little help nailing this down? Check out these two:
Liberate_Yourself_from_the_Opinions_and_Judgments_of_Others.doc
Eradicate the poison that kills dreams
The bottom line is, if this year is going to be better than last year, you have to be better than last year. Start paying attention to how you spend your time and energy.
Now Go Out, Practice, and Get It Done!