It’s self-awareness month and with the recent celebration of Labor Day, I am reminded that we are a nation of laborers. White collar, blue collar, working, not working—we labor. We are busy, busy, busy, doing, doing, doing.
When we find ourselves with a big challenge or facing a difficult situation, we have taught ourselves to labor, to do, do, do. We cancel vacations, skip lunch, work on the weekends, stay late, and force ourselves to think until we have our answers, solved the problem, put out the fire, accomplished the result.
We believe that doing, laboring – force – brings results. We do in order to be.
What if we started with being?
Think about it—when do you get your best ideas? When I ask this in a Managing Thought® workshop, most people say – When I am in the shower. When I first wake up. When I am on a walk. When I am exercising. When I’m driving. When I am relaxing. When I’m on vacation. When I am meditating. When I’m having fun and doing something I love to do.
What’s in common with these responses? You got it — we let go of our thoughts! We’re not forcing ourselves to think our thoughts. We’re not doing. We are being. And because we are being, we gain access to our highest awareness and creativity and what inspires us.
When our channels are open, our minds are clear, the world changes, and remarkable things start to happen. Creative ideas emerge when we give our minds a rest, when we do what we love to do. We don’t waste time, energy, or money. Gone are the constricting feelings of heaviness, burden, and stress and the thoughts of struggle, striving, obligation, overwhelm and being a victim.
When we are being, we focus on what is significant. We start being who we wish to become and what we wish to create. What we do naturally follows, naturally flows. Our work becomes effortless and we become energized because our decisions and actions are inspired.
So the next time you notice that your thinking and doing is labored, instead, wonder what the solution could be, wonder how you could be who you want to be and what you wish to create. Then take some time to be quiet, take a walk, get some fresh air, exercise, do what you enjoy, and see what happens.
We all have the ability to ask ourselves questions, wonder and listen for the answers. We discover the right thing to do and how to do it. We find a power within that indeed transforms us. We become inspired and inspire others.
What if you could BE who you truly are? Learn how at http://www.MindfulnessMonday.com
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For additional ideas on cultivating your life-well lived, check out this inspiring video: Resolutions, Intentions and Affirmations for a Life Well-Lived.
© 2012 Mary J. Lore and Managing Thought LLC All rights reserved.
We shape our thoughts by choosing our intentions, asking ourselves powerful questions, and making powerful statements to ourselves. We also shape our thoughts by replacing weak thought patterns with powerful thought patterns.
I always look forward to the coming of spring. It’s a time of renewal and growth. And just as I choose the seeds I wish to plant in my garden, so do I choose the thoughts I intend to cultivate.
In my own journey, when I started practicing self-awareness and managing my thoughts, I was surprised to discover that I was making thousands of choices and thousands of decisions every day. I was surprised to discover that in one moment, I could dramatically change the course of my life, my work, my relationships, just by understanding and changing how I choose to think. I also realized that practicing “positive thinking” or thinking “happy thoughts” as we are often taught to do just doesn’t work.
This blog is blog number four in a series of reflections on lessons in Managing Thought during the recent sudden move of my parents — lessons we can apply every day at work and in life.
I call the Do-Over the Amazing Managing Thought tool. Because Self-awareness takes practice. True happiness takes practice. It is a constant awareness of our thoughts, feelings, and choices. Telling ourselves that we need to think more positively or be happy doesn’t do anything. And criticizing ourselves for thinking “bad” thoughts doesn’t work either. It is practice that makes permanent. It’s practicing noticing our thoughts and feelings and, if they are not in alignment with who we truly are, taking a breath (focusing on the exhale), adding light, and choosing thoughts that move us in a direction that serves our purpose. Remember, our brains are fast—very fast. And we want them to be fast. So there’s no reason to be surprised when our brains continue to quickly deliver to us old, habitual thoughts (followed quickly by our mouths!) That’s what the do-over is for—to give our brains a script and practice the script to re-wire our neural nets. It’s like learning to ride a bike, play tennis, or golf! With practice, our new way of thinking and being becomes natural for us.
In my 
I am pleased to announce Managing Thought Daily Inspiration (Thoughts of the Day) is live today!
