Distraction and a counterproductive life...

The other day I left the grocery store with a basket full of delicious food, walked to the parking lot, opened the back door and place my groceries on the back seat, then open the front door, got into the car and suddenly felt like something was different. I looked at the particles of dried grass and dirt on the floor mat and wondered where they had come from. Then I looked at the cup holder and there was a can of an energy drink that I don't drink snuggled in the compartment. It all kind of happened in slow motion...I realized that I was in the wrong car. I jumped out and hoped that no one would see me, especially the owner of the car of which I had just taken temporary ownership. I looked around in a stunned daze and noticed another car, identical to the car I own but not assuming it was mine, grabbed another basket, yanked my groceries out of the back seat where they were erroneously stored, and shut the door. I cautiously walked to the next car and hit the button on my key to unlock. Fortunately all of my lights came on, I quickly unloaded my cart for the second time, calmly walked to the basket corral in the parking lot then made a beeline for my car and drove away as if nothing had happened. The first car I had opened was identical to mine, same color, model, year. As I drove away I found the experience hilariously funny, but upon more pondering I wondered how many times I have been distracted lately. Distracted from returning a phone call, remembering a birthday, or taking care of myself. In my job there is no room for error at all. I could potentially harm someone seriously if I was distracted. But in my life outside of my job, there is plenty of room for improvement.

So as I moved through this thought I thought of how many times I was just not paying attention. Not listening completely. Not being completely present for another, or just not showing up for myself at all. I thought how not returning a phone call from a friend, or missing a birthday that I knew was coming up that now has passed made me feel. It doesn't make me feel good. What was distracting me from the moment? By short changing another did I short change myself? I can reframe each memory with the fact that my timing is always perfect and elegant, but is it really?

Completely caring for myself means paying attention, loving each moment, living in the present. OK, I've got my own attention now...So today, the message is, other than remember to always lock your car so some unsuspecting person doesn't load her groceries into the backseat, is that for me, distraction is counterproductive to living a full life because I don't like the feeling it generates when I'm not paying attention. So , today I love my body more than distraction...

XO,
Karen

The Shift from Why to What According to Me....

I recently discovered a great blog that is centered around positive thinking and as I was voraciously devouring every word, it became so clear to me that life consists of a running commentary in our heads. Part of that commentary is acknowledging the "why" and moving on to the "what". By that I mean that I have reached a point in my life that the "why" doesn't matter as much as the "what."

See, when I'm in the "why" mode, "why did this have to happen to me?", it is so easy to remain in a victim role. It kind of falls into the "if only" someone wouldn't have done something, said something or contributed in anyway to the situation I currently find myself in, that allows me to not take responsibility for my own feelings. It also allows a very convenient excuse for not getting myself out of the current situation. It is someone else's fault. I have the luxury, if only momentarily, of getting off completely free from taking the responsibility of accepting my own thoughts. Then I have to weigh the reward...is the reward of giving away my power by not accepting my own responsibility greater than the reward of accepting responsibility and ultimate control of my life and my thoughts? Is taking a stand and changing the thought by moving forward into a possibly unknown outcome exciting or too terrifying to contemplate? Personally I find it exhilarating to think about what will happen to spur me to grow out of my comfort zone. A challenge. Yum.

By moving into the "what" mode, it is the complete ownership of the acceptance that I have made lemonade out of the lemons I have not only created, but the realization that I created the tree that grew the lemons in the first place (with the grateful nod to Davin for that one). If I take responsibility for my thoughts that lead to my actions, I strike a match to the trajectory of my life to ignite the jet fuel to rocket me forward into the best possible situation and the growth that comes along for the ride. I made the bargain with myself and the Universe that I would live the best life possible, and by doing that, I take myself out of the victim role (the "why" mentality) and move fearlessly forward armed with WHAT as my guide. See, the "why" doesn't matter. It is only the actions I take that propel me forward that are worth the contemplation...What is my next delicious pleasure? What will I do today that will change my life in a positive way? What can I bring to the table that is meaningful?

So the lesson for today is that I don't have to know the why anymore...I only need to know the what. Today I love my body more than why...
XO
Karen