Positive Planet Articles

 

Pay Attention to Possibilities and Watch Your Life Transform
By Amy Phillips-Gary

"I remain open to possibilities" actor Will Smith declared
in a recent magazine interview. What a powerful intention!
It can seems like almost all we hear in the news and from
neighbors and friends are reports about how bad things are.
From economic challenges to climate change to costly,
bloody wars that feel never-ending, the word on "Main
Street" more often than not sounds limited and downright
depressing.

What would happen if more of us were paying attention to
possibilities in the larger world and in our own lives? In
the magazine article, Will Smith talks about how inspired
and hopeful he feels as the first African-American President
in the U.S. has been elected and will soon take office.
Smith also acknowledges how his continued focus on what he
wants and where he wants to go has allowed him to have the
successful and fulfilling career and family life he's enjoying.

Oh yes, it seems tough to spend more time thinking about
the life you want and the world you'd like to live in
when you look out the window, turn on the tv or peer at
your bank account and perceive a reality that might be
uncomfortable, worrisome or even scary. The trick here is
to take those same perceptions of your same reality, and
begin to expand and open up-- even just a bit.

Notice when you close down.
My husband loves to dream up renovations for our home. He
gets inspired and his brain lights up with ideas for how to
change and improve the house our family has basically
outgrown. The trouble is that his renovation ideas seem--
to me-- to be too big, too costly and too time consuming to
carry out. The other day he shared a renovation vision
with me that involves tearing out walls, moving staircases,
and creating new rooms. Almost immediately, I closed down
to his vision. My own mind was flooded with lots of NOs
and my negative reaction to him pretty much stamped out the
fire and excitement he was feeling at the time.

When you are faced with a situation, idea or condition
that triggers you, perhaps you feel overwhelmed (like I did
in this example), fearful, or even powerless. From that
triggered place, you erect a big wall of "NO" or maybe a
wall that says "There's nothing I can do" which shrinks
your view and limits your options. When you close down, you
also tend to push away the people you love as you dampen
their dreams and essentially become an obstacle standing in
their way.

The next time you are in a situation that usually triggers
you, try to watch more closely how you are feeling, what
you are thinking and how you choose to react. Notice when
you begin to close down. Are there physical sensations in
your body that signal you are feeling triggered and those
walls are starting to come up? Don't criticize yourself for
closing down-- judging and critical thoughts will only
solidify that state. Instead, get to know what happens.
This is the information you will use to make a different
choice the next time, a choice to open up to possibilities.

Remember how to open up.
Think back to a time when you felt great. Maybe you were
on vacation at the beach. Perhaps you were stretched out in
the sun or playing in the waves with no schedule and few
responsibilities pressing down on you. I bet you felt wide
open and ready for just about anything. It's probably
accurate to say that you could see possibilities for miles
and miles.

If you've never had an experience of feeling completely
open, confident and free, then imagine what that might feel
like. Daydream about it. Write down what it would feel
like. Draw a picture of yourself or a symbol of what open
to possibilities would look like for you.

I encourage you to remember that feeling of openness and
keep remembering it. Throughout your day, take a few
moments to recreate that emotional state within. Breathe
it in and allow it.

As I remember how to open up to possibilities, I might
react differently to my husband's home renovation visions.
The next time he shares a big project idea with me, I could
stay open and just listen. I may even join in his
enthusiasm and drink in that inspiration, appreciating the
creative spark within him. Does it mean that we have to
immediately start tearing out walls? Not necessarily.

When you open to possibilities, you don't have to act on
everything that occurs to you. You can allow the ever-
expanding field of potential realities to come into your
awareness and then make conscious choices about your next
step. The trouble with closing down is that field is
severely limited which often leaves you believing that the
boundaried reality you see (which may not please you) is
all there is.

But as you open up more and more, the possibilities you
can choose from grow and multiply. This is where the
potential for transforming not only your life, but your
world as well, can happen.
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Amy Phillips-Gary is a free-lance writer, homeschool mom and
personal growth adventurer.
 

 

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Susie and Otto Collins are Relationship Coaches and authors of 4 books on relationships and personal growth. To get their FREE weekly newsletter filled with practical tips and ideas for creating more connected, passionate and alive relationships send a blank message to mailto:collins@aweber.com 
or visit their web site at http://www.collinspartners.com 

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