Last week, we talked about the model of the world that we learned as babies: events happen to us, and we don’t have much control over the events or the people in our lives. When we carry on with that kind of thinking into our adult lives, what a frustrating world that can be!
Another way to view the world is to realize that events, things and people do affect us, but it is our internal beliefs and programs that create our reactions. This is where the fun begins!
Unity Tools
Remember Unity Principle Number 3: I create my world by how I choose to think, feel and believe. We must choose to monitor our thoughts and reactions to the events in our lives. Just because our first reaction to something pops into our head – doesn’t mean we have to express it. Remember, don’t believe everything you think! Choose your reaction: is that really what you want to express, or are you just reacting to a program running in your subconscious that really no longer serves you?
If the reaction is no longer one we wish to replay, we can deny its ability to run our life and we can choose a new way of reacting. We do that by being mindful of our reaction, (you may feel anger or fear rising up in your body) taking a deep breath, and choosing (affirming) a new, more positive way to respond. If we do this often enough, we stop the old program from running and we respond from a place of peace.
Practice, Practice, Practice!
It sounds simple, and it can be, with practice. At first, it may not be easy. Practice, practice, practice! While we’re practicing, it’s important to be nice to ourselves. We’ve been running unconsciously for quite a while, so we may not change all our beliefs in one week. Sometimes we notice that we’ve been forgetting to notice. In that case, we simply start again, preferably without harshly judging ourselves. As we observe, life begins to change, making us more mindful, and more mindfulness brings with it more peace. It’s a positive feedback loop, and a great world to live in.
