Life Can Get A Little Out Of Kilter

Lots of ‘things’ and ‘stuff’ getting in the way –

Breaking your routine,

Taking you off course,

Keeping you from doing what you want.

I’m sure you can relate.

Life has a way of being like this sometimes – distracted – jumbled.

I was out of town most of that last two weeks and had computer ‘issues’ – so no laptop to use while away.

During this time most of my routines and usual activities were upended, getting me off course and out of focus.

We all have these times and they can be frustrating if we allow them to be – I have been able to ‘breathe’ through it for the most part.

As most of you know, I talk a lot about paying attention to your thinking and managing your thought to be of more specific benefit to you.

Of course no matter how much you do this on a regular basis, times like my last two and a half weeks may come up.

This is just part of life and the important thing is to not allow these distractions to become permanent. You want them to be no more than temporary aberrations.

This actually can take some effort sometimes, if you allow it to go on too long your thinking and behavior routines can change.

You may stop doing some things that you had been doing temporarily at first – like me doing this newsletter every week – and then realize after some time has passed that it is no longer part of your day.

As humans, we seem to default to what is more comfortable and known – which may not include what you are doing to change your life and live your desired life.

There is a quote I heard a long time ago that goes something like this – “the first exception becomes the rule”

What this is saying is, the first time you stop something that you are doing, or you let yourself slip into thinking or doing something you really know you should not, it can become normal and routine for you.

For example, an alcoholic knows that their resolve is weakened when they let themselves have one drink.

It then becomes much easier to have another.

And so when you stop doing something you have been doing to progress in life, and you put it off, this can be the opening – it is easier to skip it again.

So, when these situations in life occur, like I just had, it is very easy to follow your ‘lazy’ protective, comfort-seeking ego mind into that mental-emotional comfort zone of repetitive sameness.

Don’t let a distraction stop your life growth.

When things come up that you need to deal with and this takes up most of your time, you must take care of it.

Your distraction may be work related, an emergency of some kind, illness, or whatever – it must be taken care of.

Do your best not to allow it to consume you completely, but it may.

Then make a strong effort to get back to what you want to be doing as soon as you can.

It’s like another saying, “If you’re bucked off the horse, get back on right away.”

The longer you wait, the harder it gets.

The key is to be in active command of your thinking and actions most of the time.

When you are in one of these ‘distractions’ as I call it, you may not be doing your morning routine

Such as meditating, planning your day, and intensifying your focus for example.

. . . you need to get back to it as soon as possible – don’t let the exception become the rule.

If you let all the ‘things’ and ‘stuff’ that can come up in life to be what you are about – it will be.

You can very easily spend your life only reacting to all of this.

Using your life as you desire and enjoying it takes some effort, and even more to keep it up so that you realize the results you want.

And one more point about life’s ‘distractions’, be OK with it while you are involved.

If you fight it and complain about it – you are only feeding it.

Flow with it all while keeping as much of your attention on the big picture of your life as possible

Getting stressed will only hurt you mentally and physically – stress does not fix, change or accomplish anything, but it is the worst thing you can do to your body.

So when your best intentions are derailed, get back on them ASAP

John

“The road to your championship will not be a smooth, wide and

easily traveled freeway. No, great accomplishments are never

realized without first having to endure steep climbs, hard

falls and sharp turns. The key to your success is perseverance

and focus. Keep your focus on that which you desire to accomplish,

your championship, and continually discover ways to, and ways not

to, achieve your goals. Fall down and/or get knocked down 10

times and get back up 11…, and in so doing learn, grow and

move closer to your championship.”

— Greg Werner (Strength and Conditioning Coach)

“The successful man is the average man, focused.”

— Source Unknown

“Courage means to keep working a relationship, to

continue seeking solutions to difficult problems,

and to stay focused during stressful periods.”

— Denis Waitley

And now A Quiz. . .

. . . to help you get unstuck from your distractions.

Sit back and let yourself relax a little bit – take a few slow deep breaths exhaling through your mouth, while telling yourself to ‘let go’ or ‘relax’

Ask yourself these questions after you are calm and relaxed – this will help calm your mind allowing you to get more clear with your responses.

What have I been thinking about the last 15 minutes?

What were my conscious thoughts focused on in the last hour?

What have been my predominant thoughts today?

. . . last week?

. . . last month?

Is something distracting me from what I want to be doing?

What can I do about it right now?

When will I get back to my desired activities?

What are those activities?

How will I make this happen?

Sometimes you just need to ask. . . yourself.

The answers are there, but only if you seek them – ask!

Don’t allow outside situations to take over your life – they are a part of life, not all of it.

You have the command – assume it!

John

Whitman said it like this: “Oh, while I live, to be the ruler of life, not a slave, to meet life as a powerful conqueror, and nothing exterior to me shall ever take command of me.”