WHAT DID YOU CHOOSE?

WHAT DID YOU CHOOSE?

A simple thing that always brings great things to pass is that of making a choice. We always have a choice. Although it seems instantaneous, we still choose how to respond. We choose how to feel. We choose to feel angry. We choose to feel happy. We choose to feel sad. It was Victor Frankl who taught us the reality of our ability to choose. After years in a concentration camp, he learned and taught about our ability to choose. He taught us that, "When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves." He then clarified,"Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms - to choose ones attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way." It's simple yet so powerful!

LET GO FOR CONTROL

LET GO FOR CONTROL

Another small and simple thing that makes a great difference is with the issue of control. When we seek success by controlling everything in our life and in every situation, we are actually making things more difficult. Constantly exerting control leads to tension and results in decreased quality of performance. Control isn't something we must do, it's something we allow. Here's the simple truth, the more we let go, the greater control we have. It sounds so wrong, even impossible. Small and simple things bring great things to pass. The key, the more we let go, the greater control we have. Rather than try and force a situation, allow it to be. Letting go brings more control. Loosen the grip on a weapon and your accuracy improves. The more you let go, the more control you have. All of our skills are much more efficient when approached with an attitude that allows rather than forces performance. The mantra one more time, the more we let go, the more we have control. 

THE BIG LITTLE CHANGE

THE BIG LITTLE CHANGE 

Today my routine day ended in a very non-routine way. My day ended with an unscheduled visit to my dentist. There, it was my privilege to experience the joy of tooth extraction. My dentist removed a molar that had served me well for several decades. In recent weeks, the molar had become a source of pain several times when I would bite down to eat. It had become abscessed two or three times. Ultimately, it was painful all the time and was constantly oozing infection. What had at one time been a reliable and valuable servant, was now an impediment and source of pain. In order to remain healthy, I had to have the tooth removed. It was a painful experience, but I'm now free of a source of pain and infection in my life. I can now press on with life. 

Like my tooth, at some time in our lives, we will all have to acknowledge that something that had once served us well is now impeding our life and our progress. It could be an old habit learned early in life. Perhaps a friendship that has turned infectious. Acknowledge that it must go, and remove it! A little thing, once removed, can be a big change in our life. A big little change. 

SIMPLE IMPROVEMENTS

SIMPLE IMPROVEMENTS 

A subtle, even small change, can often result in significant change and over all improvement. Something as simple as changing the way we tie our shoes creates new neural pathways in our brains. These new nerve pathways generate new feelings and thoughts. As we make these small changes, we push the limits of our comfort zones. The fear signal that comes up when you are outside your comfort zone is a signal to be "aware" and not "beware". Fear is part of the process of change. The simplest things in life feel uncomfortable until you get used to them. It's important to continue when we feel uncomfortable. It's so often not that we "can't"do things, it's that we "won't" do them. 

STRENGTH IN SIMPLICITY

STRENGTH IN SIMPLICITY 

Continuing with the theme, by small and simple things great things are brought to pass. At the core of the concept is simplicity. A small amount of water allows a plant to thrive. Too much water and the plant dies. A little sun and the plant thrives. Too much sun will kill a plant. When solving a problem, keeping the issue simple, the lowest common denominator, allows for rapid and effective problem solution. When we seek to elevate a situation to something much bigger or more complex than it really is, it suddenly becomes much more difficult to resolve.  It is in the simple that there is great strength. 

PREPARATION

PREPARATION 

“If I had six hours to chop down a tree, I would spend the first four hours sharpening the axe.”               Abraham Lincoln

There is great wisdom in this quote attributed to Abraham Lincoln. It reminds us of the importance of preparation. A very important way to prepare when implementing new behaviors in our lives is to imagine ourselves behaving in the new way first. This mental practice allows the new behavior to become more natural before the actually situation or event. The simple act of mental rehearsal prepares us to be at our best. Take time to sharpen the axe. 

COMFORT ZONE

            COMFORT ZONES

One of the greatest challenges to making changes in our lives is dealing with Comfort Zones. What do I mean? We all operate, day to day, within parameters with which we are comfortable. They can be social, emotional even situational. In every area of our life, we have established a type of safety zone. This zone is made up of what we will and are willing to do in these areas of our lives. Much has been said and written about change and how we must get out of our comfort zones in order to change. I disagree! A wise and effective approach to change is to extend or expand our comfort zones. You don't have to jump out of the frying pan into the fire. Begin by walking to the edge of the pan. What I'm suggesting is that there is nothing wrong with taking baby steps towards change. It doesn't have to be all at once. Making changes incrementally will still get you to your desired outcome. By expanding your comfort zone, once change is achieved, it's already part of you and a natural response.