New Seat = New View = New Life
Have you ever had one of "those" days, weeks, months or years?
Who hasn't? You wake up, set your feet firmly on the floor, step
onto the roller coaster of life and strap yourself in for
another day. The ride is constantly changing. Whether it gently
slopes or takes you careening around curves at 120mph and within
an inch of your life, that's all a part of the human experience.
When you get off the ride each night, you may be happy, scared,
nauseous, wind blown or on your way to the chiropractor.
Whatever happens on that ride each day, if you make it in one
piece, good for you, you're a winner!
But did you have the experience you wanted to have at every
twist, turn and drop of the ride? Sometimes we enjoy each aspect
of the ride and sometimes we don't. At times the ride is easy
and yet, at other times the same ride can be difficult and
exhausting. Why is that? The answer may be found in a personal
change of view. Maybe its as simple as moving to another seat on
the ride? We have gotten used to sitting in one place, but, if
we take a risk and move around, we can alter our lives in a
profound way. Why? If we shift our seat, we shift our view. A
new view will change the ride for us and alter our experience of
life.
Let's assume for the sake of argument, that we will all
disembark the ride safely each day. It may seem like a large
assumption, but in reality, most of us do make it back to the
safety of our bunny slippers and flannel jammies. Have you ever
looked around at the other people on the ride with you? Have you
noticed that some of them have their eyes clenched and breathe
held? Other people on the ride seem downright serene. A few are
trying to figure out the physics of the ride. Others are
laughing and talking. Some are screaming with excitement! And
then there are the riders waving their hands in the air as they
plummet to earth. Where do you think you fit in? Are you a hand
waver, a laugher or an eye clincher?
Of course, our circumstances change daily and our reactions are
influenced by those circumstances. Birth, death, falling in love
and losing hope are just some of the circumstances in life that
people experience and react to. Could it be that our reaction to
those circumstances is also defined by our viewpoint? Let me be
clear, if you experience trauma, I am not saying that your
reaction of sadness, guilt, anger or fear is the result of
choosing the wrong seat on the coaster. But have you ever been
in the presence of someone who is going through a tragedy with a
hopeful heart? There may be tears, but through those tears,
these people continue to see joy in each new day. They find the
"silver lining" in grief. These are people who are masters at
changing their view.
There was a time in my life that I would ride the coaster with
my own eyes clenched, breath held and knuckles a pearly white.
It took me some time to identify positive steps I could take to
change my riding technique. My goal was not to become a hand
waver. That would be too big a leap for me. But, I wanted to be
a calm and happy passenger, laughing and enjoying the ride. And,
I didn't want to have to work too hard to make this shift
happen. Here's the game I came up with, maybe it will work for
you too!
1. Make a list of views (seats on the roller coaster) that are
empowering for you. For example, one of my empowering views is
"trust." When I am in the trust seat, no matter what I see or
hear, I know that I will exit the ride that day in a better
place. My list also includes; love, prosperity, action,
intelligence, health, well-being and fun. 2. Make a list of
disempowering views. My list includes; not enough (money, time,
love), loneliness, anxiety and fear.
3. Take some time to do this exercise. It will take about 5 to
10 minutes. a. Sit comfortably and close your eyes. Take a
breath. b. Feel your body in the chair. Feel your hands, head,
arms and legs. Feel your feet on the floor. c. Acknowledge
sounds you hear and the thoughts that are in your mind. d. Once
you are fully aware of your immediate environment, expand the
picture. Become aware of the room in which you are sitting and
the building that you are in. Stretch that awareness to include
your street and neighborhood. e. Expand your awareness further
to include your state, province, country and world. Become aware
of your place in this world and the other people who share it
with you. f. When you have fully experienced your connection to
the world, bring your attention back to your body. g. Picture
yourself on the roller coaster. Which seat are you sitting in?
Is it on your empowering or disempowering list? Look around you.
Take in the other people on the ride. They are smiling at you.
They are not in a hurry. They are waiting until you find the
seat that is perfect for you right now. Take your time and
choose the seat that fits you in this moment.
Once you have your list of empowering seats, keep it with you.
You may need to switch seats at a moments notice. The more you
do, the better you will get at it. Who knows, we all may be hand
wavers one day! Don't forget to buckle up and enjoy the ride!