Friday, March 3, 2017

Don't Get Caught Up in Your Thoughts

Thoughts are not the problem. Believing them is.
(Byron Katie)

It was a winter-night in New England and I was thinking of the job cuts that likely would come our way. Our competitors had already laid off a lot of staff as the business model of the financial industry is under attack. Probably our group would also get affected; yes, my job could certainly eat eliminated as well. As I had these thoughts, and as my stomach was churning, I was thinking that this negative feeling was entirely due to my anticipation of negative events. Who knew what exactly would be happening. And even if it was me being laid off, who knows what exactly would be going through my head at that time. Isn't it true that for some time now I had been wondering when to make the jump to my next career as a writer and a spiritual coach? Perhaps that transition would come quite naturally and there would be no looking back on my old career path whatsoever. It is true what they say that it is our ego that puts us through these pressure cookers. We very much have the choice of stepping out of it.

I remembered a moment when I was really miserable in the depth of the European financial crisis many years earlier. I was on my way to the gym at 5 am and felt so distracted by the wild thoughts that were rushing through my mind that I had to turn around and went back home instead. What message would I have today to that person who needed guidance at that time? I doubt that I would give him special investment and market timing instructions but instead would simply say, "Relax, calm down; everything will be revealed to you in the nick of time!" Isn't that how it always goes? Yes, there are always ups and downs, and yes, some days feel better than others, but mostly the path we take is pretty clear and everything makes perfect sense in hindsight.

Life just is. Enjoy, accept and experience, and please don't get caught up in your thoughts.

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