Monday, January 4, 2016

Don't let today's issues become your destiny.


Something happen today that will or may change your destiny?  Meet someone new?  Start a new career? Move to a different state? Get some really bad news? Lose a loved one? Get fired?  I can tell you that every day something can or will happen that has the potential to change your life path and even your destiny.  It has happened to me multiple times during my life – some good, some bad, some that I still don’t know the outcome.

Destiny – where we are headed, how we are remembered, what we leave behind, lives we touch in a positive or negative way. Who we become as the years pass. We all will have a destiny and the question is will we determine it or let others or circumstances control it?  Ever thought about this?  I have and over the years I have learned to see things not just in a now perspective but a destiny one. Let me elaborate for just a moment – bear with me.

Now is where we are and live, the present.  Our bodies experience weather and our senses are bombarded with sights, sounds and aromas every minute even though your thoughts might be stuck somewhere else.  To fully experience the present requires a present and presence awareness moment by moment.  Many call this mindfulness. So at any given time our emotions and feelings and bodily experiences are in the now but our thoughts can be a million miles or years apart. 

This can often create a dysfunction in terms of how we behave and decisions we make.  As a result, we may often make choices or decisions based on our current emotional state with little regard for future consequences or outcomes.  In other words, we lack a destiny vision grounded in wisdom, common sense or even maturity. And without these guiding our journey sooner or later we will create a future filled with regret, frustration, disappointment and often despair and or discouragement let alone a stressful inner environment.

So, what’s the answer or solution to better dealing with this process?  Well, it’s not easy but it is simple.  Here are a few things to consider.

1)     Pay attention to your emotions and feelings as they are always driven by your thoughts and ask yourself does this feel right?  If it does feel right given your current state of affairs this doesn’t mean it is right in terms of tomorrow or next year. So the next question must always be – am I aware of all of the potential consequences if I _________? This requires self-honesty and the ability to see your situation with a fresh and unbiased set of eyes.  I said it wasn’t easy.

2)     Before you act, share your situation, circumstances, decision options with someone you trust and respect who will give you observations, awareness or feedback that is not opinionated, critical or prejudiced in any way.

3)     Study the book of Proverbs daily and I don’t mean just read but consider, contemplate and relate its teachings to your situations.

4)     Listen to your inner voice as it will always speak to you.  It will give you nudges, urgings, hunches but you have to listen.  In the end your inner guidance will always be looking out for your long term and not your immediate fears, needs, desires or concerns.

5)     Sleep on it. One, two or a few days.

6)     Write your concerns in a journal and then just write whatever comes into your mind when you ask yourself – what should I do with this situation, person or choice?

7)     Set some long term goals, lifetime goals and develop a personal vision and mission statement. If you more on how to do this send me an email request – it’s on me.

8)     Keep a decision journal.  Start writing down every decision you make – just the ones in areas where you have historically been unsure of what to do and keep a record of the consequences of each of these decisions as they take place or become reality.

9)     Hold yourself accountable in all ways and in all things and at all times.

   10)Learn to spend a few minutes or even an hour every day in meditation.

Now get started.

No comments:

Post a Comment