Once in a while, we do the same things repeatedly, and soon we’re caught in a rut. The passion goes, the excitement dies; but there’s always a way to reclaim your mojo.
“Nothing lasts forever and we know hearts can change”
-Guns and Roses
Life is a series of temporary and temporal experiences. Some you enjoy more than others, but it is important to understand that you will not be in the place of darkness forever. Things can change, and they do change, but first it starts with you – what you feed yourself – the thoughts you think, the words you say and the actions you do. When you change your perception, another path unfolds effortlessly.
“To be a great champion you must believe you are the best. If you’re not, pretend you are.”
-Muhammed Ali
You’ve heard the phrase often enough – fake it until you make it – and a good friend of mine told me how sometimes it can feel like life is going in circles, but it’s when you break out of the circle and do a different thing that things will change. To me, she advised I start dressing like I was a movie star and soon my disposition would follow. I wore my J-Lo jeans this morning and heels, and while I felt no different inside, the compliments put a spring in my step.
“Winners don’t do different things, they do things differently.”
-Shiv Khera
Albert Einstein was once quoted as saying you “cannot find a solution at the same level at which the problem was created”. In other words, do things differently. Where you take the same route to work everyday, take a different one. It may be longer, but who knows what you’ll find or see along the way that may inspire you. Add a little excitement in your day in small ways by incorporating different ways of doing things and soon you’ll find a way of being joyful with what you have.
“Dream no small dreams for they have no power to move the hearts of men.”
-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
It’s true that life can seem lacklustre sometimes, but when I see no way out I go into the recesses of my mind and start imagining a different way of living – imagining the kind of life I want, and while in reality I may have to temper my ideals, in my dreams there are no limits. I find it exciting and thought-provoking and, who knows, sometimes I find a jewel that I can use in my daily life to move life along at the pace I desire.
“My life has been one great big joke, a dance that's walked, a song that's spoke, I laugh so hard I almost choke when I think about myself.”
-Maya Angelou
Woody Allen, the master of comedy, once said ‘If you want God to laugh, tell him about your plans’ and that has become my mantra. It teaches me not to take life so seriously, and when I make mistakes or get stuck, I try to laugh it off knowing tomorrow’s another day and life has a never-ending supply of experiences from which I will choose. Laughter helps you relax and inspires new ways of being.
“Meditation brings wisom; lack of meditation leaves ignorance. Know well what leads you forward and what holds you back and choose the path that leads to wisdom.”
-Hindu Prince Gautama Siddharta
Spending time alone is important in understanding yourself and why you are at the point where you are currently. By giving yourself contemplation time, you are affirming your value and honouring your presence. Meditation is not solely about closing your eyes and quieting your thoughts, it’s really about looking at yourself honestly and acknowledging that you are where you are and knowing that somewhere inside of you resides a power to move you in the direction you desire. You just have to spend a little time finding it.
