| It's amazing to me that no matter how much I think I've | | | | that things can happen. |
| done in life that there is always more to experience | | | | You already know that the performance of athletes |
| (and learn). And, I have also learned that life stagnates | | | | improves dramatically with the power of visualization. |
| because I allow it to. | | | | It's not rocket-science. You eventually become your |
| Even though we have brilliant resources inside each of | | | | what you focus on. |
| us, we also may have habitual tendencies of the mind | | | | - If you continue to smoke a lot you become a |
| that play like endless tape loops, tendencies that cause | | | | smoker. |
| us suffering of one kind or another. It can be a "snap" | | | | - If you continue to drink a lot you become a drinker. |
| to get caught up in this play field, and begin a | | | | - If you only watch TV all the time you'll be a TV |
| downward spiral into the vortex of latency, fear, and | | | | "drone". |
| self pity. And each time it is allowed to happen, the | | | | And...if you do something constructive, positive, and |
| climb out can be treacherous and exhausting. | | | | tangible in your life on a consistent basis you will be... |
| So, why do this to ourselves? What is going on? | | | | Happy, successful (in your own unique way), and |
| The answer I discovered for myself may surprise you. | | | | create a life you enjoy living! |
| "I was always waiting for the other shoe to drop". And | | | | "What if Beethoven had never played again after he |
| what I have since discovered (and the reality) is; | | | | encountered his first piano?" and "What if I had never |
| "There is no such thing as the other shoe unless I | | | | decided to move to Philadelphia after college, and |
| choose to participate and thus create it". | | | | instead moved back to my hometown because this is |
| We sometimes become so accustomed to allowing | | | | what felt comfortable. It isn't however just the big |
| our environment to "rain down" on us that every time | | | | things that we need to encounter and experiment with |
| we try to move forward we stop and wait for the | | | | but the little details are equally important; things like |
| "other shoe to drop". This is not an uncommon feeling | | | | finding the "perfect" pair of sandals or how many |
| as many people remain so set in their situations that | | | | hours of sleep is just right for us. |
| they fear what might occur if they move on with their | | | | How easily we can assume that we are just a |
| lives. | | | | particular way or that we are sentenced to live a |
| Many of us have made that choice on a myriad of | | | | certain way forgetting that we can shuffle the deck, |
| occasions inadvertently creating that "other shoe". | | | | juggle the balls, or switch horses mid-course. How |
| Think back to different experiences in your life where | | | | often do we give up on ourselves (or another human |
| you were saddled with fear. Most of the time, we | | | | being) assuming we have tried "everything" when the |
| eventually got what it was that we desired, but there | | | | next combination or new possibility is just waiting for us |
| was such a struggle. The root of the "other shoe" | | | | to notice it? |
| belief is our belief that in order to get what we need, | | | | Our "habits" can ensnare us in a straitjacket of |
| we have to struggle for it. | | | | comfort, reassuring us that we know what we like, |
| Many of us have a learned expectation to make | | | | and/or we know who we are. It isn't that we just need |
| things worse than they may need to be. We do this | | | | to "stay open" or "try new things". It is much more |
| by focusing our attention, and the momentum it will | | | | critical than that. We have an instinctive desire to keep |
| build, upon what could go wrong. And the interesting | | | | discovering until the day we die all the possible ways |
| thing is that the key to creating new solutions is | | | | to do and to be. |
| completely dependent on where we decide to direct | | | | So, instead of waiting or worrying that there will be |
| and focus our attention. | | | | nothing at the "end of the rainbow", start making plans |
| It's not how "challenge free" a life can be, but how | | | | for your next dream so that you can achieve the life |
| those challenges are managed that makes a life | | | | you desire. Don't just hang around in hopes that |
| fulfilling. In other words it is about tuning into our current | | | | something better will come along, go out and find that |
| visual expectations and no longer allow what's been | | | | something better, and take it! |
| our reality to render us powerless. | | | | Life is an enormous pu-pu platter, a giant offering of |
| We all have habits of thought. These include things like: | | | | possibilities, and it is up to us to keep sampling the |
| what we believe, what we've experienced and have | | | | delicious tidbits until we find the ones that make us |
| come to believe as the only reality and the only way | | | | dance on the table with satisfaction and exultation. |