At one point in time I was doing Yoga everyday. Granted, I wasn’t in a class with a teacher, however I would watch a CD with instructions on what to focus on and go through various poses. I was spending anywhere from 15 to 40 minutes daily working through the different programs. I ended up becoming extremely flexible. Not to mention, stronger and I felt great as well. Calm. Centered.

This is a perfect metaphor for what we need to do in other areas of our lives. Mentally, Emotionally, Physically and Spiritually – we need to stretch. We should be reaching out and exercising our curiosity. Exploring and discovering new ideas. In the face of fear. Fear of “failure.” Fear of the unknown. Fear of something different.

We love routines because we think they’re safe. Then something like 911, a death of a family member or close friend or a pandemic comes along and we are shaken to our core and we have a sudden shift in perspective. And our life. Or at least I did. “What am I doing with my time?” “Who am I?” “Where am I going?” What do I really want to be spending my time doing?” “With whom?” One of my answers is Learning. Growing. Exploring. Connecting with new people . . . and old ones. Trying new things. Discovering. Being curious. Loving unconditionally. Stretching.

It can be a challenge not to allow past experiences and results to effect the current moment you’re in. We tend to bring our mistakes and unwanted results into the present only to sabotage a perfectly good opportunity for a new outcome. I know, I have done it many times.

The key to remember is: a result. After all, that’s all it is. An outcome. It’s not “good” or “bad”. The world is not out to get you. It’s a series of steps and choices you have made that end as a finished result. If you’re not happy with the end product, then make some changes in your choices and your approach and then try again. You don’t have to have an emotional fit over it. It’s not going to change the result. Unless of course, you think that’s something you have to do in order to make different choices and/or get in the right mind set. For me, I know getting worked up over the issue doesn’t help me in the long run.

What helps me is when I begin to ask the right questions. Once I do this, I am forced to answer accordingly. Many times these answers are exactly what I’m looking for. However, I wouldn’t have been able to do this if I’m throwing a fit while kicking and screaming (I only do this half of the time).

A couple of quotes come to mind regarding this issue. One is: “The solution is in the question” and the other one is (and I’m grossly paraphrasing) “You must rise to the level of the solution in order to get the answer you want.” I’ve heard it explained this way as well: “The Wright brothers didn’t contemplate the staying on ground of things, nor did Alexander Graham Bell ponder the noncommunication of things. You have to do a somersault into the inconceivable and land on your feet, contemplating what you want instead of what you don’t have.” Wayne Dyer

As I look at my own life I am overwhelmed with gratitude for all the gifts in which I have been blessed in having. From the gift of speech, hearing, having a family, a job, critical thinking, running, living in a beautiful home, having friends – the list goes on and on.

It’s not complicated. To take a moment and recognize what gifts you have in your life. Maybe it’s an understanding Mom. A really cool sister that cares about you. A coach that inspires you. Your pet. It doesn’t matter. It doesn’t have to be something worth hundreds of thousands of dollars – I’ve found we are most grateful for the non-material things in our life as we move through this life and identify and understand what is important to us.

What I think is important, is to formally recognize what you perceive as a gift and give gratitude for it on a consistent basis. It gives perspective. It humbles you – keeps you grounded. It’s a way to take an objective inventory of what you have in your life that you value. That does something to you.

When the first astronauts landed on the moon and they were able to look back at earth – this “Blue Marble” floating in space, their perspective of their life changed forever. Some astronauts had profound and life-changing shifts in the way they perceived their lives as it gave them a perspective they could not forget. It changed their relationships with everyone they encountered – including themselves. How cool is that!

Just saying – note the gifts.

There are so many maxim’s, quotes and sayings out there in regards to how you should handle the details of life: “Don’t sweat the details” or “Take care of the big picture and God will handle the details”, “The devil is in the details” or even “The details are in the doing.” I’m not sure what to believe.

I do know this: If I’m engaged in an activity that I’m passionate about, I don’t stop at the details. I can spend hours and hours working out the details. Because I WANT to work at that kind of micro scale. I love it. I can’t get enough.

So, maybe the question should be: What am I going to spend my time doing? If you can answer that while engaging in endeavors that get your juices flowing, then I’m not sure you will even think twice about where you stand when it comes to the details. You will do what you see fit in order to be satisfied with your outcome.

You don’t need a 300 year old quote to tell you how to be proud of piece of work. You just need some passion, work and a leap of faith.

It seems to me that when I get anxious is when I’m not remaining in the present moment, but looking to the future to some event I’m “less than excited” to face. There is an anacronym for fear I have found quite useful. F.E.A.R.: False Evidence Appearing Real.

The truth is, I would be willing to bet that less than half of the things you fear in the future come to fruition. In reality, it’s probably much less than that. Which means, we are using valuable time and energy focusing on something that doesn’t land in our circle of influence (the area in our lives which we can actually change). In addition to the fact of all the suffering we put ourselves through. Think of the toll that takes on us year after year after year. If you have allowed this vicious circle to run a muck in your life for 20, 35, 52 years, now is the time to stop.

There have been studies indicating that if we live in a constant state of “fear” with the absence of homeostasis, (balance in our bodies) we are aging ourselves and shortening our lives. We are the only creatures on earth that can work ourselves into anxiety by thinking about a future event. The antelope grazing on grass on the Serengeti gets a surge of endorphins (including adrenalin) when it’s being chased by it’s predator. However, once she is safe again, her body returns to homeostasis and she continues her feeding. She doesn’t keep thinking about what might happen in an hour, tomorrow or in the morning. She remains present in that moment. As should we.

Don’t kid yourself: it’s an addiction. Stop the cycle. Focus on where you are and what you’re doing. Engage in the moment and embrace the unknown.