Have you ever had one of those days where everything just seemed to fall into place easily? It might have been a singular experience within the day or it felt like it was the entire day. If you have (and you noticed it) you probably found yourself wishing that every day had that same ease to the things you felt and did.

What is different about those days?

In May, I had the opportunity to attend a workshop called "The Art of Allowing" facilitated by Esther and Jerry Hicks (Abraham-Hicks) They are well known in the spiritual community for their teachings on The Law of Attraction.

They introduced the idea of attracting what we want in life as going with the flow. When we are going with the flow, we are moving downstream.

Have you ever gone rafting or tubing? Imagine what it would be like to paddle or float against the current. It is the flow of water that determines how fast or how slowly we arrive at our destination. Our emotions affect the intensity of the flow. (This is my interpretation).

Do you complain when things show up that you don't like and want?

For example:
Can you recall an experience you expected (or hoped) would go a certain way and you found things going in a different direction; perhaps one you weren't prepared for? What did you do? Did you try to redirect what was happening to go the way you wanted? Were you successful or did you create more stress and emotional turmoil for yourself? Or.. did you let go, staying curious and resilient so that you could be open to new possibilities?

In the end, how did things turn out?

You might not realize how much energy you are using to struggle against something that is happening or has already happened. Your reaction does not change the outcome that has already happened. It is what it is. Your attitude and emotions affect how you deal with what is. Embrace the moment (flow downstream) or wrestle with it (upstream).

As a child I had a little toy I'll call a Chinese puzzle. I'm not recalling the actual name. It looked like a cigar and was woven out of a straw-like material that was flexible. The inside was hollow. It had openings at either end and you put both index fingers into each opening. If you pulled, the openings tightened on your fingers and you couldn't remove them. It was only when you relaxed your fingers that you could slide them out.

How might your life be different if you felt a greater acceptance of each momentary experience rather than struggling against it? Imagine how much energy and good feelings you could generate to attract what you want?

Look, we're all human and not always at our best. So many things can get in the way of being able to embrace whatever happens in life with a positive attitude.

Every experience, wanted or unwanted, has value to your personal development and business success. Next time you find yourself struggling against the moment, ask yourself:

1. How does this person or situation challenge me? (To grow as a person, to improve your business…. ?).
2. What can I learn from this experience that will improve the quality of my life?
3. What can I appreciate about this situation? What are the gifts? In other words, find the value to you from the experience.
 

A friend of mine says that when she feels highly reactive to something (and can recognize her reaction) that the person or situation is really working for her - challenging her to look more deeply inside at her beliefs and behaviors. She sees that situation as serving her to grow as a person, which is one of her core values. She can then choose to continue to react (upstream) or integrate what she has discovered into feeling better (downstream).

I have a note on my computer and refrigerator that reminds me I am the Source of my attitudes, feelings, and experiences. I can reach for a better thought so that I can embrace each moment (be ok with what is) and move forward to what I desire… or not…well, you get the picture, right?

If you are feeling unhappy with your life, you've most likely been going upstream.

Ready to change direction?