“Energy goes where attention goes”
I learned this mantra in yoga and am constantly aware of
it as the teacher says it often throughout the sessions. I ask myself “why do I
like this so much-what resonates with me?”
A lot.
I believe it is the truth of everything.
We succeed at what we pay attention to in life. Therefore
isn’t it so very critically important what we choose to put our attention on ?
As a coach I see so many people go around in life having no idea what they are
putting their attention on….what defines them…what brings them joy..what their
thread of their lives are. My job is to help them change that for the better.
Or many others having a much clearer vision but the vision
are short term and not long term. This feels great now…give me some more. What
about in 10 yrs.? 20 yrs.? 50 yrs.? Will it still be your first choice then? How
does your choice now affect others later? How does your comfort now compare to your comfort later?
A group of friends and I the other day had a very interesting
and heated discussion around this topic and how above anything else in
life-balances always wins out as a solution to happiness. Too much of a good
thing is usually at the expense of a longer term win. Not enough of something here
and now is usually at the expose of a shot terms goal and being more in the
present.
And then you see the group of many people who are great
at one particular thing or area but at the expense of many other important
areas. Like the star hockey child failing school or the super fit Dad who goes
to the gym daily in perfect health but has lost the affections of his lonely
kids.Or the super Mom who puts all her energy into her kids and husband but not
into friendships and then her husband dies of a heart attack.
We all likely fall into one of these categories even while
strive for balance in our lives.
And those people who do achieve balance in their lives a common
complaint is a certain sense of routine and boredom on some levels. They are
happy but not elated, they are calm but not yet fully peaceful, and they are content but
not fulfilled entirely. And in my opinion this is likely where we should aim
for. Not perfection but a solid, solid foundation of short and long term
strategic thinking that gets us through life in one piece, smiling and making
good decisions along the way. Where you can wake up each day and feel good
about the day before and the day ahead while thoroughly enjoying the day
itself. Seems good enough no?
Where you feel safe. And welcomed. And not fearful of the
future and the what ifs. Knowing that you have both a short term and long term
contingency plan in case things don’t work out exactly as you planned them out
to happen.
I read a book the other day of a woman who was dying of
cancer. And when she died she left a full legacy of letters to the people she
loved. Not just an expression of love…but of direction..and values ..and wishes
for every stage of their lives she would not be there. It was so utterly
beautiful that her death and her experience of it went beyond herself.
That was what I imagine myself doing. I have always
imagined that. Life is so much more that a simple goodbye. It is who you are
and what you stand for and figuring that out along the way and offering it to
the world in subtle and maybe unsubtle ways. It is giving what you have most of
to those who possess it least and receiving from others what you don’t have
yourself.
And being smart enough to know what you have to give and
what you need to receive. And allowing it all to flow in when you need to give
or to get it.
Life can be beautiful when it is balanced. It can be
boring too. It can be bright and bold. And wonderful. And routine. And repetitive.
And safe and secure and loving and predictable. Warm and Cozy.
Attention goes where energy goes. What an amazing power
to know we have the choice to decide isn’t it? Ensuring that what we are paying attention
to is where we want the energy go in our lives. And if it is not-to fairly quickly change directions.
to is where we want the energy go in our lives. And if it is not-to fairly quickly change directions.
