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PETITES PENSÉES LUNDI
A new addition to TSLL's regular postings, available to all readers, non and Basic and TOP Tier members. Enjoy the Petites Pensées Lundi post each and every Monday as you begin the week, a shorter post replacing the Monday Motivational post, as I dive into completing TSLL's 4th book. This post, sharing thoughts to ponder, or as I am choosing to title them, Petites Pensées, 'small thoughts', while not small in depth of content, but rather small in length - no more than 1-3 paragraphs, with an introduction sharing from where the post was written or conceptualized wherever in the world I might find myself will offer a glimpse into one of the numerous and unique ways to live a life of contentment.
The Setting:
- Lieu: A sun-drenched sofa, with two tuckered pups napping on either side
- Thé/drink: Palais de Thés’ Montaigne Bleue
- Des Sons: BBC Sounds’ Sunday Morning program (app)
“There’s such a strong impulse to do something to make something happen, especially when challenges and difficulties arise in our life and our mind. It’s so instinctive to want to do something about it, to try and fix it, to solve it, to change it in some way . . . So we’re going to have to learn slowly, patiently, how to let go of doing. Let go of trying to fix things, change things, make things happen. It’s in this very sort of subtle shift of not trying to do something but instead noticing when we’re trying to do something, and in noticing, letting go of doing. That’s how we come full circle and discover that quality of being instead.” —Andy Puddicombe
The sun can only shine fully and with its full intensity when the clouds part or disappear leaving the vast and wide blue sky to serve as the stage for which the sun can “perform”.
Our lives can only welcome a new idea, or a new approach, solution or connection, if we first, bravely, open up space on the stage of our life for the ‘new’ to appear. If we feel a persistent disquiet about something in our life, yet continue to chock our days full with not only oodles of plans and thus a bursting schedule, but also relationships and responsibilities of all stripes, not all of which enrich our lives, but which leave our wellbeing depleted and fraught, we are impeding the opportunities from crossing our paths and we seeing them and seizing them. If we don’t make space which arrives when we prioritize being, we will not discover what it is we say we wish to find. Our fear of letting go and being is the road block which means we have the choice, and it resides in our control to relinquish this fear.
As Andy Puddicombe shares in the quote above, especially when things in our life are unsettled, our impulse is to do something in order to fix it, but actually, it is often the impulsive doing, which is reactionary, that perpetuates our constant state of anxiety during a transition time that must happen in order for us to grow should we have the courage to do so (which I know can be extremely difficult as we aren’t guaranteed where we hope to arrive nor if what we hope will transpire actually will).
Instead, through exercising awareness (a skill learned through regular meditation), when we witness that we are taking up a new task because we are anxious about anything that isn’t as we would like, the first step is to pat ourselves on the back for noticing what we are doing and why we are doing it. In these instances, we are doing because we are uncomfortable with the way things are at the moment. And that last part is key to understanding – at this moment. This moment will not last forever. No moment does. We have to make space in our days and lives for the aha, for the opportunity to be observed, and that is why we first have to be in order to discover.
Once we start noticing our reflex to do more in moments of uncertainty, and in catching ourselves, let go and just be, magically, yes it is true, ideas you couldn’t find before, people you’ve never met before but who organically cross your path, and solutions that will seem but a dream but now become possible to achieve, start to arrive on the stage of your life, just as the sun arrives on a clear wind-swept sky – brilliant, majestic and inspiring growth in new and reason-to-cheer ways.
~SPECIAL SAVINGS: Learn more deeply about how to be instead of do along with all of the skills that cultivate a life of contentment when you enroll in TSLL’s Contentment Masterclass. For early shoppers (Thursday 11/28 and Friday 11/29) during this busy holiday shopping weekend, save $30 (the rest of the weekend, the savings will be $25) off the regular price when you use this promo code 30FRIDAY. Enroll (and learn more about) TSLL’s Contentment Masterclass here. (Sign up for TSLL’s free newsletter for online courses & book news to receive all exclusive discounts and announcements about both book and course launches.)
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This was timely and poignant, Shannon.
Thank you.
To “being” as well as a little “doing” this Thanksgiving week.
Grateful, as ever, for your continued worthwhile content and heart, which accompanies the former.
You are most welcome Jen, and thank you for your loving words. Happy to know this post offered what you found applicable to this week full of a myriad of out of the ordinary moments, meetings and feelings. 😌💛 Take care.
I believe this is one of the most important gifts you can give to yourself, understanding this. I did a few years ago and it has changed my life. But I have to remind myself, it is not automatic. The contentment class is a great way to develop this and many other skills. I’m 37% through now and it is so well done, I look forward to each session 😊
Martina,
Thank you very much for sharing your experience with making space and being still instead of doing to fill an uncomfortable lull in the life journey. Also, so heartened by your experience thus far through the Contentment Masterclass. Thank you very much for sharing. 😌
I needed to read this today. I find myself in an unwanted situation, one that is affecting me emotionally.. and my instinct is to try everything I can to fix it. But it is not one that I can fix myself. It is out of my hands.
I need to accept it is out of my control and let go. Move through may days being, and see how things develop.
Thank you for reminding me of this truth, as hard ad it can be to accept things we aren’t happy about!
Sarah
Sending you love and support from afar. Letting go feelings antithetical to caring at first, but when we realize the change that we seek involves another’s (or multiple others’) participation and willingness, we realize letting go will enable us to see with clarity as it will both give us distance and opportunity to learn even more about the persons and situation, and we didn’t have to wrap ourselves in knots nor drain our energy on something that wasn’t ours to tend to and instead go about living our lives well. Often these unwanted events, relationships, clashes, etc. occur precisely to bring to our attention what we need to let go of and stop engaging our energy in because something that is meant for us needs us to give our attention, time and love to it that we currently are not.
Thank you for your comment. You are not alone. xo