Action

Posted to Facebook August 24th.
As with all things, I can take action from the upward or downward spiral; my 'success' with the action is not really about the action itself.  If I take some action from the downward spiral, I am continuing to head in the direction of what I don't want.  If I take action from being on the upward spiral, then I am continuing to head in the direction of more of what I do want.  Therefore, I have found the 'trick' is knowing from which direction I am taking that particular action.

A question that sometimes helps me sort out which spiral I am taking the action from is, "Am I like an empty cup trying to fill myself up, or am I full and this action is just me naturally spilling out into the world?" 

If I am taking a job, getting into a relationship, doing chores, raising children, spending money, or doing social activities from a place of trying to feel better about myself, accomplish things, not feeling free or loved, then I am trying to fill my partially full cup.

If I am choosing to clean the house, go for a workout, invite someone over, invest in something, pursue a particular career, or play with the dog from a place of "I am so excited about doing this.  I cannot wait to do this," then I am probably full and this is me naturally spilling out into the world.

LOP is knowing that taking action is not about trying to make myself feel better, it is about the things I choose to do from a better feeling place.

Be Sensible

Posted to Facebook August 22nd.
My depression taught me that sometimes I can be a sloppy thinker, which is not very sensible.

I would not deliberately stub my toe, and say "Oww, that feels awful, let me do it again."  That doesn't make sense.  I would just stop stubbing my toe. 

And yet, sometimes I choose to hit myself over and over again with thoughts that don't feel good.  That is not sensible.

LOP is about being sensible by being kinder to myself.

Momentum

Posted to Facebook Aug. 17th
Momentum is happening on the upward and downward spiral; individually and shared.

One day, during my numerous hours of watching the Olympics, a story came out that a man, assumedly frustrated about something, tossed a bottle on the track right at the beginning of the men's 100 meter race.  A female wrestler who was in the audience just a few seats behind was apparently angry/frustrated by his actions (joining the momentum) and tackled him.  As the announcer is telling this story he is getting irate at spectators behaving in such a manner and condones the tackling of the spectator (joins the momentum).  I, listening to the announcer condoning violence, get frustrated that he, being in a public position like that, would express an opinion like that.  "Doesn't he know he is just continuing the momentum of the violence?"  And yup, you guessed it, with that I became the fourth stage of sharing the momentum of frustration.  Around the world in seconds, sharing the downward sprial.

LOP is being picky about which momentums I join.

Listen to the Essence

Posted to Facebook August 15th
Every sentence, every word we speak, can come from either an upward or downward spiral feeling.  So, LOP is not just about picking nice words, it is about the feeling or 'spirit of intent'* that is behind them.  We are not just listening to each others words we are listening to their essence.

The word 'love' can feel controlling or unconditional.
The word 'vulnerable' can feel weak or open.
The word 'hope' can be filled with worry or belief.
The word 'great' can be full of sarcasm or enthusiasm.
The word 'surrender' can feel like giving up or letting go/forgiving.
The word 'busy' can describe being stressed or focused.
The word 'jealous' can feel resentful or admiring/appreciative.
The words 'time/money/energy' can primarily feel lack-filled or abundant.
The word 'control' can feel suffocating or clear.
The word 'humble' can feel like unworthiness or a quiet strength.
The word 'independant' can feel defiant or able.
The word 'try' can be full of doubt or adventure.
The word 'effort' can be about forcing something to happen or ready to take on a challenge.
The word 'compassion' can feel like pity or believing in who someone really is.
The word 'help' can feel like obligation or fun.
The word 'believe' can feel like doubt or knowing.
The word 'allowing' can feel like being a door mat or like freedom.
The word 'change' can be fuelled by resentment or excitement.
The word 'work' can feel like imprisonment or creative expression.
The name 'God' can feel demanding or accepting.
The word 'genius' can feel like an obligation or a natural unfolding.
LOP can feel like a chore or a breath of fresh air.

*The phrase 'spirit of intent' is taken from Lou Tice's programs at The Pacific Institute.

'Enough' Rides Again

Knowing things are enough is not a settling for what is, it is a peace with what is so I can recognize and allow the naturally occurring 'more' of life to materialize. (See February 13th's post for more.)

I am enough.
This moment is enough.
There are enough sunrises and sunsets.
There is enough air for me to breath.
There is enough beauty.
There is enough to choose from, and not making a choice is enough.
The orbiting of all the planets in all the galaxies is enough.
This tree is enough.
The bird in this tree is enough.
I have enough questions.
I have enough answers.
I know enough.
I have enough smiles and compliments to last a life time.
There is enough variety.
That moment of laughter and joy is enough.
All that I have done in my life is enough.
All that you have done in your life is enough.
Where we are as a species is enough.
Me sitting quietly with my knowing is enough.
Waiting for my inspiration is enough.
Loving you just exactly as you are is enough.
Trusting what you choose is enough.
Trusting each step that I choose is enough.
Liking what I like is enough.
Being who I really am is enough.
Peace, knowing, and appreciation is enough.
LOP is enough.

Ease

Posted to Facebook August 9th.
My schedule during the first half of this year was very full so, desiring the essence of ease more than usual right now is understandable. 

I think many of us, me included, when we desire more ease in our lives (less stress), we get busy making that happen.  I find myself doing things like reducing my schedule, trying to complete long 'to-do' lists, trying to control situations and people around me, and putting the brakes on things that feel like they are going too fast. These can all increase the experience of more ease in one's life, but I am not sure that is the easy way of going about creating ease.

When I facilitated stress management programs, we definitely would take a look at what things the participants might want to reduce, remove, or change in their lives, but I would always remind them this is about stress management not stress elimination.  Meaning, what we were really after was increasing our ability to deal with the stress, being O.K. with the stress, using the stress to our advantage, and making it our friend, instead of resisting it.  Resisting stress is stressful.

I know this same concept applies to me now as I focus on increasing the ease in my life.  It is not about me controlling my environment so that it is conducive to, and produces an experience of ease, it is about me being the essence of ease and bringing it to the environment I am in.

That doesn't mean I won't choose the choices with the most ease.  Actually, if I am emanating the essence of ease I will have even more choices of ease available to me.  What it means is I quit trying to create ease from a place of feeling stressed or out of control, because emanating the essence of 'out-of-control' does not help me practice emanating the essence of ease.

LOP is knowing that experiencing ease comes from being really good at the essence of ease.

My Race

Posted to Facebook August 10th.
Olympic Outdoor Advertisement:  "I race my race.  There is no other."
LOP:  "There is only one 'race' -- me being ME."

Olympians LOP

Posted to Facebook Aug. 2nd.
I am once again drawn into the energy of the Olympics and have been tuning into the broadcasts from London.  This year I have been hearing interesting talk about training.  They go into the details of the amount of time and energy it takes, and what their bodies have to do to get to this level of competition.  And, they are also often commenting on the mental and emotional training that is being done.  These athletes practice deliberate thoughts and emotions.

They are talking about the athletes' abilities to: focus and stay present in the moment, not look too far ahead in the race; not slip into doubt about their ability; rehearse their routine over and over in the mind so their mind and body believe they have done this routine hundreds of times before; shut off the voices in their brain that distract them, and let their body do what they have trained it to do; stay calm under pressure; believe.

At this level of competition it is often fractions of a second that determines the medallists from the last place competitors, and so we know they all have immense physical ability.  These athletes, and their coaches, know that it is the training they have done mentally and emotionally that will often make the difference.

So, if it is good enough for them, perhaps it is good enough for us?  No I am not trying to shave a fraction of a second off anything I am doing today, but I am wanting to: stay calm; focus on what I am doing in any moment; imagine things unfolding they way I want them to; quiet the voices that distract me; and believe in who I really am.

The Olympians know that deliberate thoughts and emotions are worth it for them to achieve their dreams -- for them to express who they really are.  Maybe their dreams seem far fetched to us, but are our desires any less important?  Are our daily gold performances, of us showing up as who we really are, any less inspiring? 

LOP is believing we are all Olympians.

A LOP Translation of Proverbs

I believe that at the core, at the basis, of all religions/methodologies/belief systems, there are similar desires, we just have different ways of saying the same thing.  If we take the time to think about the message behind the words we would probably be able to find our own words to express the same message.

To use The Good News Bible as an example, Proverbs Chapter 11 Verse 5 says, "Honesty makes a good man's life easier, but a wicked man will cause his own downfall."  What that means to me, or the way I would say that is, "In honesty there is freedom, in fear there is overwhelment and suffocation." 

Here are a few more examples:
GNB Proverbs 11:6 -- Righteousness rescues the honest man, but someone who can't be trusted is trapped by his own greed.
LOP -- Faith will carry us through times when we don't know what else to do; but someone in fear will see things to fear everywhere they go.

GNB Proverbs 12:15 -- Stupid people always think they are right.  Wise people listen to advice.
LOP -- Fearful people feel they need to guard what they believe.  Confident people are open to hear what others believe.

GNB Proverbs 12:27 -- If you are lazy, you will never get what you are after, but if you work hard you will get a fortune.
LOP -- A life lived unsure about who you really are, will be a life without success.  A life clear about who you really are creates fortunes.

LOP is about finding the words that are on the upward spiral of life.

I Don't Know

Posted to Facebook Aug. 1st.
One summer, as a very young girl, I was playing in the garden and came across a worm.  I felt so bad for it, that it was doomed to an existence in the dark, cold, suffocating dirt.  I could not imagine a more miserable life.

I wanted to help it, give it the opportunity to experience all that I enjoy; open air, sunshine, and warmth.  I did not think I would be able to just walk away and leave it there to suffer in the cold and dark.  So, I overturned a bucket in the sunshine and set the worm on top of it so that it too could revel in all that is good about a warm summer day.  I then went on with my day feeling good about myself because I had helped another creature.

A couple hours later I came to check on my new friend, the one I had rescued, and there it laid . . . on top of the bucket . . . shrivelled and dead.  I was in disbelief, and so upset.  How could that be?  I had done for it what I thought it would like, what was best for it, what I preferred, and what I had ended up doing was killing it.  Out of my best intentions I had created the exact opposite of what I wanted.

I learned that day that I don't know what is best for others.  And even when I am sure I know, I don't know.  And even when I cannot fathom why they may prefer what I abhor, I still don't know.