It was good for me to step back and take the weekend off from my christmas project. I discovered that it's just like trying NOT to think of a pink elephant. It starts becoming ALL you can think about.
By Saturday morning, it was clear to me that I have become consumed with it in my mind.
It was a good wake up call. One of the things I have been working at over the past 3 years and especially the past 3 months is becoming more aware of my thoughts and learning to take control of them. So many things originate in our mind - our self-esteem, our plans, the image we have of our selves.....it all starts with how we think.
There are some areas in my life that need to change and it has become clear to me that it can only happen as I change some of my thinking patterns.
Even when I chose not to work on anything related to the project, my mind wandered there ALL the time. I had to make a concentrated effort to stop it.
It's not enough to just stop thoughts - but it seems to work better (for me at least) if I actually replace them with different ones. So I chose the scripture, "Be still and know that I am God". When I was tempted to start being consumed with what I need to do next, questions about how I will pay for it, or what about where to have the show?...all that kind of detail, I would stop and say - be still.
Be still.
It started to work and I learned another valuable lesson.
As great as this journey is, I never want it to consume me. Even if I would sit and be 'present' with my husband, my thoughts can go back to money, songs, venues....anything. So I had to take control of my mind and tell it to be still and enjoy the current moment.
Today I did get back into thinking about the project, but with a helpful reminder from the weekend that I want to drive this thing - not have it drive me.
By Saturday morning, it was clear to me that I have become consumed with it in my mind.
It was a good wake up call. One of the things I have been working at over the past 3 years and especially the past 3 months is becoming more aware of my thoughts and learning to take control of them. So many things originate in our mind - our self-esteem, our plans, the image we have of our selves.....it all starts with how we think.
There are some areas in my life that need to change and it has become clear to me that it can only happen as I change some of my thinking patterns.
Even when I chose not to work on anything related to the project, my mind wandered there ALL the time. I had to make a concentrated effort to stop it.
It's not enough to just stop thoughts - but it seems to work better (for me at least) if I actually replace them with different ones. So I chose the scripture, "Be still and know that I am God". When I was tempted to start being consumed with what I need to do next, questions about how I will pay for it, or what about where to have the show?...all that kind of detail, I would stop and say - be still.
Be still.
It started to work and I learned another valuable lesson.
As great as this journey is, I never want it to consume me. Even if I would sit and be 'present' with my husband, my thoughts can go back to money, songs, venues....anything. So I had to take control of my mind and tell it to be still and enjoy the current moment.
Today I did get back into thinking about the project, but with a helpful reminder from the weekend that I want to drive this thing - not have it drive me.
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