The LOP Journal -- Conclusion

Well, that's it for now.  There are many more questions and concepts I have pondered over the years that I have included in each of the three parts of the LOP Journal, but that is it in a nutshell.  I have had so much fun finding the words to share these summaries with you.  I realize that for some, in some parts, it may have created more questions than answers and that's O.K. -- me too.  Actually that is perfect.  Life is not about arriving somewhere and then never budging from it.  It is a continual expansion of more.  More questions, more answers, more questions, more answers, more questions, . . . 

These three parts describe what I have found works for me in this journey of life.  Continually clarifying what I prefer/what is most important to me/who I really am.  Continually updating my beliefs so that I am up to speed with WIRA.  And, continually following my inspirations from the upward spiral.  It doesn't mean I don't end up on the downward spiral at times -- that's just more good guidance and clarity.  All of this is called life, but it is a life on purpose, not one by accident.  

With that said, even more important than these posts outlining some concepts of what LOP is for me, they are a sharing for anyone who may have ever felt that there must be more to life than mediocrity.  I just wanted to let you know that there is a cheerleader out here saying, "YES!  YES!  YES!  Life beyond mediocrity is real."

I sincerely wish you lots of living, loving, and laughing along the way as you remember, believe in and express WYRA.  And I look forward to the natural, beneficial consequences we will all experience as you share the brilliance of your genius self.  

The LOP Journal -- Part III: Expressing Who We Really Are (WWRA)

O.K., so maybe I lied.  I know I said last time that Part II was my favorite part, but actually I think this is my favorite part.  For me this is where we experience what I believe Abraham Maslow was referring to as 'peak experiences' or what Joseph Campbell called 'following your bliss'.  It is the joyous experience of life as I ride the momentum of the upward spiral.  It is the recognizing and trusting of the inspirations I get when I am on the upward spiral.  

So, let me back up a bit and piece this together.  Last week was about believing in what feels good/WIRA, because the more I believe in WIRA, the more I am on the upward spiral.  This post continues from there because the more I am on the upward spiral the more ideas/inspirations I will have about the things I want to do that are in alignment with WIRA.  These inspirations are the true expressions of WIRA; my genius self.  There is a natural internal rhythm that happens in life as I get in the groove of following these inspirations.  

When I was young, I once asked my mom how one knows when they want to get married.  Her wise answer, although extremely profound and accurate, was incredibly dissatisfying and frustrating.  She said, "You just know."  I am now going to be as equally dissatisfying and frustrating and give the same answer to the question, "how do I know when something is inspired and true for me?"  You just know!  Knowing is the experience we have when we are on the upward spiral and we are solid about a decision, a direction, an idea, and we no longer need to turn to others for agreement because we recognize it is authentic for us -- it is WWRA.  We just know it is true for us.

The catch here is we need to be on the upward spiral.  Most of us make decisions and take action in our life in order to move from the downward spiral to the upward.  That is backwards.  LOP is about switching that around.  LOP is about getting to the upward spiral first (which is what we practiced last time), and then trusting the decisions and actions that organically arise/are inspired from that perspective.  That's how I know you won't eat everything in site and just sit on the couch all day if you follow the preferences of WYRA, because doing those things long term are not from the upward spiral, they are an example of being on the downward spiral trying to get to the upward spiral.  

The 'miracle' in this (it's not a miracle, it just sometimes feels like it) is realizing the choices I make from the downward spiral are completely different from the ones I make from the upward spiral.  My perception of a situation turns 180 degrees.  The choices I make from frustration just create more frustration, and the choices I make from curiosity or excitement or love create more curiosity and excitement and love.  My work is not to figure out what to do to feel better, my work is to feel better (be on the upward spiral) so I will just know what to do. 

The tripping point here can be what I refer to as "Essence Versus Form" in the LOP book (chapters 7-12).  I can get to the upward spiral.  I can feel the fun momentum of it and the inspirations are flowing.  But sometimes I can mistakenly get locked onto the form of it (how I think it should be) versus the essence of it (being on the upward spiral).  Because I am focused on the form I lose my way/guidance/good feeling and start heading down the spiral.  If I don't catch it I can turn into a control freak and try and make the form/goal happen, which never works because it was never about the form, it was about the essence.  But the answer is always the same.  1.  Remember what I prefer/WIRA.  2. Find the thoughts and beliefs that support WIRA which moves me towards the upward spiral.  3. Listen to and trust the flow of the inspirations.

So, this week we are going to practice baby step inspirations.  I define a baby step inspiration as something that feels like a whole lot of fun and that I can do today, tomorrow, or within the next week.  First ensure you are feeling good -- you are on the upward spiral.  Then make it easy for yourself  and pick simple things, things that won't take very long, or things that really don't seem to matter in the big picture of life.  Just make sure that you pick things that you love, that perhaps feel playful, maybe something you have enjoyed in your past, and then spend a little time in that activity.  Watch that you don't turn this exercise into a 'have to', another obligation on an already very long list of things you think you should be doing.  Be aware of  becoming like a dog on a bone and not setting it down when it no longer feels good.  If not one true inspiration/baby step comes to mind all week that's fine too.  Just be honest with yourself.

Grab your paper and jot down any baby steps that come to mind right now, if there are any.  (eg. I'd like to go for a walk, watch my favorite movie, connect with a dear friend, read a book, have a glass of my favorite wine.).  If you are inspired, pick one of them to follow right now and see how it goes.  Was it really fun and exciting or were you just trying to complete the exercise?  Did some of your other beliefs get too loud in your head about what you should be doing?  Did you immediately end up back on the downward spiral?  Whatever happens as you take your inspired baby steps, no worries.  Be kind and gentle about the whole thing, this is the practice, this is LOP. 

Part III is the area that provides the most practice for me right now.  It takes practice to recognize what I prefer (Part I), it takes practice to get really good at recognizing the upward from the downward spiral (Part II).  It also takes practice to trust the inspirations (Part III).  It takes practice to be in the flow of what sometimes can become a fast moving river/momentum.  But for me, there is nothing more satisfying than playing around with clarifying WIRA/what is most important to me, and moving in the direction of it to see what is going to inspire me next.  One inspired baby step after another adds up to a very inspired life.

The LOP Journal -- Part II: Believing in Who We Really Are (the second post)

Last time we practiced noticing the difference between being on the upward and downward spirals.  That is so key because the ability to catch myself as I head in a direction I don't prefer is what reminds me that I can head in the direction of what I do prefer.  At times I catch myself on the downward spiral and I say to myself, or sometimes out loud, "I don't want to be right about this anymore."  It is a signal to myself that I can choose to stop the downward spiral and believe in who I really am (WIRA).

Part II of LOP is my favorite part.  I love it when I can excavate a belief that I have been unconsciously believing, that I now realize no longer serves me, and I can kick it to the curb -- it frees me from undermining my confidence in WIRA.  However, the ability to pinpoint an unconscious belief is a skill in itself and something we get better at as we go along so, for the sake of simplicity and brevity, our focus in this post will be answering the question, "How do I move up the spiral when I catch me telling myself things that feel awful?"

The answer is . . . gently and kindly and with the goal of a little relief.  We cannot ridicule ourselves onto the upward spiral.  We cannot shame or guilt or regret ourselves onto the upward spiral.  We cannot blame or argue or fight our way onto the upward spiral.  We cannot force or work hard or use will power onto the upward spiral.  After my experience with depression I came to realize how sloppy and cruel I had been about my perceptions of myself.  My only choice was to gently and kindly choose perceptions that feel better.  So how do we do that?  

One: start where you are.  Be honest with yourself.  If you are angry, or feeling guilty, or bored this is not about continuing the downward spiral by criticizing yourself for where you are, or B.S.ing yourself that everything is fine.

Two: kindly and gently turn yourself around by finding a belief, a thought, a perception that creates a bit of relief.  This might very well mean your first few comments to yourself are something like, "Alright, enough is enough.  I don't want to be here anymore.  I am ready to let this go and feel better.  I deserve better than hanging out here." 

Three: choose beliefs/thoughts/perceptions that are true for you.  LOP is not about pretending I feel better --  it's about truly feeling better.  Things like "I am not going to worry, all is well, I am happy and healthy" are just frustrating if they are too far up the spiral for me to reach.  Develop the skill of finding a perception that feels just a little better, and then another that is a little better, and then another.

Here are some basic examples to get you started back up the spiral.  Ask yourself, which feels better?

I am such a loser OR I am really clear I don't want to feel like this anymore.

I hate my job OR I am glad I have this work for the time being while I have time to figure some things out.

My family is driving me crazy OR time for a hot bath.

I am worried about what others will think OR I give up, I am never going to be able to please everyone.

I am so stressed OR I think I am being too hard on myself.

I am worried about (something in the future) OR for now I am just going to focus on what is in front of me in this moment.

That jerk just cut me off OR this is not worth going on the downward spiral over.

Your turn!  Select something you caught yourself tripping over last time.  Start with something easy, practice being kind and gentle with yourself, and find some perceptions that create some relief.  Using a notebook will definitely be an advantage because it may take 10 attempts to find something that creates a little relief that you truly believe.  If you are able to find a thought of relief, then look for another that just feels a little bit better than that one, and so on as you work your way up.

If you have tripped over a belief that is proving challenging and things are just feeling worse after a few minutes of looking for something that feels better . . . set it down and walk away.  Physically walk away from the person, the computer, or the task, whatever it is, and find anything that feels a bit better.  Mentally walk away by appreciating your pet, or watching something funny, or calling someone you know will be uplifting, or going for a walk.  Just practice no longer being willing to torture yourself with the downward spiral.

All of this looking for a better feeling perception, so that we can be on the upward spiral, is not just for the relief in the moment (although that is soooo worth it), it is how we move forward, evolve, become the more of that which we have the deep knowing we are suppose to be.  When I am on the upward spiral and successfully believing in who I really then I am ready to successfully BE who I really am.  

The LOP Journal -- Part II: Believing in Who We Really Are

Last week we practiced remembering who we really are (WWRA) by paying attention to what we prefer.  But I get it, it is one thing to identify a preference, it's a whole other thing to believe in and trust that preference.  I too caught myself this week preferring one food but telling myself another is better for me, or wanting to do one thing but feeling obligated to do another.  There is nothing wrong with feeling obligated, it's guidance that helps me clarify my preferences -- I just don't want to live in obligation.

As I was writing this summary of the Journal Part II, I realized it felt too big to try and do all in one post (the journal itself has 46 questions in Part II), so I am going to write it in two parts.  This one is about noticing the difference between the upward and downward spiral, the next one will be about practicing the upward spiral.  So here we go.

In LOP I talk a lot about being on either the downward or upward spirals of life.  Most of us can probably relate to experiencing both of these.  Being on the downward spiral feels like frustration, disappointment, exhaustion, doubt, or worry.  The more I worry, the more I spiral down (my depression taught me that it doesn't matter how far down the spiral I go, I will never find WIRA).  The upward spiral feels like relief, fun, curiosity, appreciation, creativity, or freedom.  The more fun I have the more I spiral up.  The reason a particular belief doesn't feel good/ is on the downward spiral, is because I am trying to make myself believe something that isn't true for me.

The cool thing about believing in ourselves is that if we just don't practice doubting who we are, by telling ourselves things that are not true, we naturally move in the direction of our preferences -- it is as natural as the flow of a river, we don't have to make it happen.  The habit of believing in ourselves can become so solid that the things happening around us rarely trip us up.  It's like if I called you a truck, you wouldn't even give it a second thought because you know it is not true.

So, here's what we will practice this week.  Just catch yourself when you start to feel yourself heading down the downward spiral.  It could be you are trying to make a decision that is not coming easily, or you are worrying about something, or you are feeling frustrated with someone.  There are two common downward spiral habits that you might catch yourself in.  One, you might be struggling between a belief of what you think you should do and another about what you prefer, or two you might be trying to be right or justify yourself about something.  

When you catch yourself doing one of those things or just feeling a bit off, trust it, stop for a minute and ask yourself, "Honestly, what is it I prefer in this situation?  What is true for me?  What feels better and more on the upward spiral?"  This can be another great time to jot down what's going on for you.  Notice what tripped you up.  What are you trying to make yourself believe that is just not feeling right?  Having some notes will be helpful for next time when we begin to turn these beliefs around and move up the spiral towards WWRA.

Just like last time, I am not saying this is the time to make decisions, take action, or explain to others what you prefer.  Just practice the habit of noticing when you are on the downward spiral and know that it is a good thing that you noticed it . . . it is helping you identify and believe in YOU. 

LOP Journal Part I -- What do I Prefer?

For many of us, we have spent a good portion of our lives being told what we should be doing, what we are expected to choose, what we are suppose to like, until it is such a habit we may have lost what it is we really love.  Perhaps we haven't consciously stepped back and asked ourselves, "What do I honestly prefer?"  That is living by accident, not on purpose, and it can get really boring and exhausting.

Well, if that rings true for you, I think this is going to be a fun week.  Over the next seven days we are going to practice asking ourselves 10, or a 100, or a 1000 times a day, "What do I prefer in this situation?  What do I really love?"  It could be what you prefer to eat?  It could be about driving a different route than usual because you just want to try it.  It could be about preferring wearing these clothes to those clothes.  Or, it could be deeper preferences around what tasks at work you prefer, what things you prefer to do for your health, or your relationships.  

The trick is don't justify what you prefer.  Don't tell yourself reasons why you prefer it.  And, perhaps most importantly, this is not about being right about why you don't like something else.  Just 'admit' to yourself, "this is what I prefer."  In your own mind allow a momentum to get going: I prefer this; I prefer that; I really love that, don't know why I just do; what fun this is; oh, someday I am going to do that.  Just let your true preferences flow.  

The great thing with practicing this is no one else needs to agree with what you prefer, in fact, while playing with this this week, don't tell anyone what your preferences are.  Just enjoy this with yourself.  At times I have been a little embarrassed with what I have preferred, but once I just admitted to myself that I really, really enjoy this food or that T.V. show, and allow myself to love it, how good that feels, and how clarifying it is to just own that aspect of ourselves!!! 

Now some may be thinking, "if I do that I will eat everything in sight and do nothing all week!"  Well first, I know that is not true, but second, for this week I am not saying take action with any of your preferences (we will get to that in Part III of the Journal), just get in the swing of being honest with yourself about what you prefer.  See if there are some things that you have been saying, doing, and being that are not who you really are; are not true for you; that have been motivated by what you think you should be doing.  Notice why you haven't been choosing what you love and prefer.  Again, if you can, jot them down on paper and take a look at your list at the end of the week.  That will be a fun look at WYRA.  

Your preferences this week may not be life changing, but the habit of knowing your preferences will be.

The Living On Purpose (LOP) Journal -- Introduction

Being hospitalized for depression in adolescence made it very clear to me that what I was doing wasn't working . . . but I had no idea what to do about it.

Through the years, my personal journey, my education in social work, my career in adult education, the writing of  Living On Purpose:  Life Beyond Mediocrity, and the subsequent Journal, have all been fueled by my love and fascination with who we really are (WWRA), the 'genius-ness' of each one of us, and that life is more about Maslow's 'peak experiences', and Joseph Campbell's 'following our bliss' than it is about the mediocrity.

What follows is a sharing of  the learning, and the constant practicing, of me being Who I Really Am (WIRA).  The Journal is an ever evolving understanding of what I've found works for me. This accumulation of information started off as a workshop, then it became a book and now it has become a 90 page question and answer journal.  With every question I have, the more my experience of LOP continues to grow and evolve.  I am lovin' this journey . . . join in if you are inspired.

Over the weeks to follow I'll post questions and ideas that are a part of us getting to know, believe in, trust and express our true selves.  They have assisted me with staying in alignment with what really matters to me and I know there will be some nuggets of clarity for you too -- because these aren't my answers, they are yours.  If you would like to spend some time clarifying who you really are (WYRA), what is most important to you, how you are a genius, and how to trust what is real for you, grab a journal and come on along.  

Here is what the three parts of the LOP Journal focus on:

Part I -- Remembering WWRA.  Each one of us is a unique individual with our own desires, perspectives, priorities, skills and talents.  The more I have discovered, and owned, those 'unique-nesses' the better I have felt, the better life has become.

Part II -- Believing in WWRA.  Clarifying the priorities and perspectives of WIRA in the first part is freeing, however, if I doubt them (meaning I believe other's opinions more than my own), I can end up feeling frustrated, angry, or full apprehension, which leads to being stuck in a very uncomfortable place.  Believing in You allows you to be You, and everyone else to be who they are.  A whole other level of freedom!

Part III -- Expressing WWRA.  As I believe in WIRA, ideas and desires and opportunities begin to flow and my ability to trust and play in the momentum of them is what makes life fun and is what LOP defines as success.  You being a LOP kind of success may end up looking different than what you are right now believing your success needs to be, but I promise you, it is going to be way more fun and exciting than what you are now imagining.

So, if  you want to join in, you can start now.  Grab some paper (writing things down can be a great focusing tool), and ponder the following questions.  Remember:  Be honest with yourself; be kind with yourself; and reach for the fun of WYRA.

1)  Have you ever experienced a glimpse of WYRA?  If yes, what happened?  How did it feel?  What did you know in that moment to be true for yourself?

2)  Why would being more of WYRA be of interest to you?  Honestly, at your core, what do you want?

My Choice of Freedom

Posted to Facebook February 8th 2021

In the book Essentialism, Greg McKeown talks about the difference between options and choices.  He says, "For too long, we have overemphasized the external aspect of choices (our options) and underemphasized our internal ability to choose (our actions)." (pg. 35)  In LOP I would take that another step and say that our 'internal ability to choose' also includes how we choose to perceive, think, and feel about anything that is going on.  When we consciously choose the upward spiral perspective we feel our best, we have the most success, we find the perfect answers to our questions, and it's when we have any chance of uplifting others.

So, I have been doing my best to practice my choice of freedom with a question.  When I encounter a condition in my day that feels like it is on the downward spiral I ask myself, "Do I need this condition to be different in order to feel good?  Do I need (fill in the blank with some external condition you are wanting i.e. the kids to clean up their room; a boss to listen to my opinions; slow people to drive faster) in order to feel good?"  If my answer is yes I know I am being lazy with my choices and expecting others to take care of my feelings for me.  Living that way means I will always be a victim to whatever is going on around me, and that feels awful.  Being a victim to the 'external aspect of choices' is a loss of freedom that I am inflicting on myself.  

If my answer is no, I don't need that condition to be different in order to feel good, then I am knowing that I am the source of my own power and freedom.  If my answer is no then I am understanding that I am not really looking for this condition to be different, I am looking to feel better, and I can do something about that.  When I am able to find an upward spiral perspective without conditions needing to be different then I take my power back, I am better able to access the knowing of my worth, and I am trusting what is real for me -- that is Living On Purpose (LOP).

Now I know there are times when we may really be caught up in believing that something needs to be different in order to feel good, i.e. the death of a loved one, the ability to pay our bills, or feeling alone.  But if Viktor Frankl (Mans Search for Meaning) was able to do it in a Nazi concentration camp, I believe I can do it too.  

LOP is choosing the upward spiral because that is what sets me free.

None of Us Are Being 'Logical'

There is a concept that those who research how we think are calling the "Primacy of Affect" (The Master and His Emissary, Iain McGilchrist, 2009, pg.184).  Basically it says that one's feelings/way of being (affect) are not a reaction to one's cognitive assessment (logic), that actually it is reversed -- the affect comes first and our thoughts are a response to them.  The Abraham-Hicks materials defines logic as something we feel when we find information that fits with where we were already standing (what we were already feeling).

Now doesn't that explain a whole lot about what is going on and how some people seem to be so illogical to us?  It's because they are.  Many of us are running around being 'logical' about things we think are obvious and we don't understand how anyone could see it any other way.  We believe we are basing our logic on facts and truth and reality when really we are just trying to find things that agree with what we were already feeling.  Based on these two definitions, logic is not an objective truth, or fact outside of ourselves, it is a personal, subjective reflection of what we already feel and believe.

In LOP terms we could describe this by saying that we already have an essence or a feeling or an opinion or a habit in regards to everything that has ever happened in our lives, and it is from that essence that we then come to our next conclusions and next decisions.  McGilchrist writes that our "disposition towards the world comes first: any cognition is subsequent. . ."  So where we are on the upward or downward spiral in this moment, or in regards to any particular topic (disposition), dictates our thoughts and beliefs and what we deem as logical (cognition).  So, I think this just brings us back to the old question, "Do I want to be right or do I want to be happy?"  In LOP terms it would be, "How can I be right about being happy (who I really am)?"

It does not escape me that the writing of this post, and all the other posts on this blog, is a demonstration of this concept in action.  If I am to believe and practice the 'primacy of affect' concept then I must acknowledge that the reason that this premise seems logical to me is because it matches my disposition/how I feel.  And further, I understand that the researchers are just being logical about what fits with where they already stand as well.  So, once again, we have the opportunity to take a look at whether we are on the downward or upward spiral (because that is how we are going to experience things) by asking ourselves:

• Do I want to be logical about feeling awful, or do I want to be logical about feeling great? 
• Do I want to spend my time proving all the things I should be fearing, or do I want to use my time and energy to prove that there are a lot of things to appreciate in the world?  
• Do I want to justify why the things that frustrate me are wrong, or do I want to justify what is exciting or fun for me?  
• Do I want to put my energy into convincing others why what I like is justifiable or real for me, or do I just want to have a hoot pursuing the things that I enjoy?
• Do I want to be right about there being right and wrongs to discover and defend, or do I want to see how there are a variety of 'right things', and depending on what someone wants they will be seeing it that way, and their choices don't devalue mine.
  

If you decide 'the primacy of affect' is something that you like/feels logical, I am not saying you are doomed to the emotions of the past, because we are constantly moving up and down the spirals of life.  By practicing being who we really are, we work our way up the upward spiral and then our logic includes more and more of all the things that feel good -- our logic turns to justifying our fun and ease and creativity.

LOP is being aware of how I feel so that my choices of logic support my success and joy.

The Benefit, of the Benefit of the Doubt.

Giving the benefit of the doubt is not something we do for others.  Like forgiveness, it is something we do for ourselves; our own well-being.

I recently had a situation that required believing in a solution before I could see it.  Instead of getting caught up in worry, or blame, or freaking out, or resisting the circumstances, I decided to take a breath and not assume anything that was in the direction of the downward spiral (that just feels so awful).  I found myself being able to latch onto giving the benefit of the doubt.  I found myself bypassing blame, and trusting there would be a solution that was obvious once I had a chance to talk with everyone involved. 

The benefit, of the benefit of the doubt, is that from that perspective I will be able to see the next steps, choices, and decisions that will take me on the upward spiral.  I won't be able to see those solutions when I am worrying, or blaming . . . those reactions and choices are in the opposite direction of my solution.  If I would have freaked out I would have buried the possibilities I really wanted before they had a chance to present themselves.  I give the benefit of the doubt because I will be better able to see clearly, stay in alignment with who I really am (WIRA), with my priorities, and not take a journey on the downward spiral.

Our knee jerk reaction may be to blame and be angry but that's only because it has become a habit of protection (but protection is a mediocre way to live).  A habit of giving the benefit of the doubt can be a natural response as well . . . with practice.

LOP is giving the benefit of the doubt, because it's a gift we deserve to give ourselves.

Covid "What ifs . . ." In the Pursuit of Feeling a Little Better

I am hearing a new term out there -- covid fatigue.  Not surprising.  We have been very focused on trying to take care of our physical bodies, but it is easy to forget that our mental and emotional 'bodies' are going through this as well, and exhaustion with it all is an indicator of that.

This could be discouraging, but a cornerstone of LOP is that we all want to feel good and are constantly doing our best to move towards that, no matter how low down on the downward spiral we may be (i.e. being in blame feels better than fear).  So, this article will be my attempt to practice LOP with covid.

Maybe a good starting place would be to soothe our anger/fear about a pandemic.  I realize that may be a rather large leap, but I am going to refer to the Abraham-Hicks analogy that reminds us it is a good thing that we have sensitivity in our finger tips so we won't continue touching a hot stove and damaging our hands.  Feeling fatigue/anger/fear/grief is the perfect indicator/guidance that we want to stop doing whatever it is we are doing that is fatiguing us.  (Better said, we want to start doing what feels good.)  I would even propose that there is something underlying our covid reaction that was there long before the pandemic, and this change has just brought it to the surface, and that is a good thing too. 

Probably the more challenging step for each of us is clarifying what it is WE are doing/thinking/saying/believing that is not helping us to LOP, because contrary to what we are witnessing in our world, expecting/waiting for/trying to force others to be different so we can feel better, is not a very successful approach.   However, what is underlying for each one of us is too large of a topic for this article, but perhaps what is do-able within these paragraphs is to practice feeling just a little bit better so that we cease burning our fingers.  (If you are wanting to deliberately do some clarifying of what might be underlying for you individually I would refer you to the "Living On Purpose" book or journal, or the multitude of other resources out there on the topic.)  

So, from the premise we all want to feel better, here we go.  Again I am resorting to the Abraham-Hicks material, by playing the "What if . . ." game.

• What if it is perfectly O.K. and right to be feeling what we are feeling?
  
• What if it's a good thing we are fatigued and exhausted with all of this?
• What if we are supposed to be frustrated, angry and wanting things to be different?
• What if everything we are experiencing is perfectly natural and understandable and actually a sign of how healthy and well functioning we are?
• What if this was a good kick in the pants to stop pretending we are O.K. with a lot of things? 
• What if we were able to start giving ourselves more of a break about everything?
• What if what is happening is not really something going wrong?
• What if based on where we are at in the world this was the perfect time for us to consider some changes?
  
• What if this has started a plethora of questions that are beneficial in the process of beginning to look for some new answers?
• What if the pandemics that have gone before helped us to be a bit more ready for this one and this one will help us be a bit more ready for whatever is next?
• What if we saw humanity as like an infant, just beginning to learn how to walk, and we were able to feel more of the patience, understanding, and trust that a loving parent does for their immature, inexperienced, doing-the-best-the-know-how-to child?
• What if we decided to give ourselves a break from not doing everything perfectly and allowed the trial and error process, that all new things go through, a chance to evolve and unfold?
  
• What if we were able to see this as a time to step back, take a breath, and chill?
• What if we are able to find a few things, that we are now doing because of the pandemic, that we realize we prefer and will probably continue to do even when there is no more pandemic?
• What if we decided that some of the "busy", "bigger is better", "be more productive" things we were participating in were probably not really to our benefit?
• What if a couple of things have come to light that you realize are a priority and you probably would not have seen them without something significant changing?
• What if through this, we in our small groups and larger groups, see some areas where we know we can and want to be doing things differently?
• What if because of this those who were focusing on other work have turned there attention to things that will benefit us all in the long run?
• What if because of this some things that were holding us back/getting in our way have come to light and at least we are now aware of them?
• What if individually and as a whole what is really important to us becomes a bit more clear?
• What if because of this there are a few more people/groups that decide they want to work together and move forward into new possibilities?
• What if a child growing up in this time is inspired to who they really because of it?
• What if some of the things we were clinging to, that were habitual and not very beneficial to us, have become impractical or impossible during this time and we realize we are ready to let them go?
  
• What if we begin to recognize the old habit of wanting conditions to be different in order to feel better and we are able to take some of our power back?
• What if we finally get tired of the blame game and decide to give ourselves some relief by reaching for those things that feel better?
• What if those who are determined to put their fingers on the hot stove and endure it are allowed to do so and decide on their own when they are ready to make a different decision?
• What if we become a spec more trusting and appreciative of all our differences, preferences, and abilities and begin to see each other from new perspectives?
• What if somehow we could look in a crystal ball, years in the future, and easily see how so many of the things we are experiencing now became beneficial to our future?
• What if something so disruptive ends up becoming something we can appreciate because of what it did for us?
• What if because of this there is the potential for a bit more love and understanding between us?
• What if within all of this there are answers to questions we have been asking for a long time?
  
• What if within all of this who we really are is shining and becoming brighter.

 LOP is the pursuit of feeling a little bit better in our current moment so that we are becoming more of who we really are in our next moments.