12/01/2021
What do I fear?
What do I have to offer?
What is my intention?
Why is this happening?
What can I learn?
Am I being true to myself?
What makes me feel alive?
What can I eliminate? What can I add?
What am I grateful for right now?
Some of these questions I've been asking for as long as I can remember, and some came to surface as I got older. Sometimes I get immediate answers, and other times the question becomes irrelevant. I want the answer, but I don't need it. These questions are a very useful, powerful tool for me.
We can look at any of those questions and each will present different answers depending on whether it's asked from a positive, open-minded perspective or negative, closed-minded perspective. Choose your perspective wisely.
Oftentimes, answering one question will lead to the answer of many. Other times, we may hear an answer, resist the truth in it and search for a more comfortable answer that aligns with our personal, domesticated narrative. Resisting the answer that we know is true keeps us stuck in the illusion that we have, maintain, and are in control.
Control is an illusion. I believe the source of anger, bitterness, doubt, victimization and lack is the realization that we control very little. We do not want to believe this. Truly, and often difficult in the heat of the moment, the only thing we do have control of is the way we respond to the experiences Life gives to us.
It's important to understand the connection between Control and Change. We have the ability to CHANGE the things we can, but it's equally important to know the things we cannot change, and then resist the exhausting, futile attempt to implement CONTROL over these things. The desire to control is rooted in Fear. The willingness to change is rooted in Trust.
When we remain prepared for change and accept it, we experience growth and expansion. We feel freedom rather than attachment. We extend our comfort zones and see doors that are waiting to be opened. These closed doors may illuminate fear, but also wonder, adventure and curiosity which pulls to the surface strength, courage and bravery. We quickly realize that whatever we thought we had under control was, in fact, controlling us.