Here we are, the first Monday of the New Year and I have a secret for you on how to make this year better ~ your thoughts. Where are your thoughts right now? Are you worrying about something? Anxious about the future? Stressed about a job? A relationship? A health crisis?

Here’s the secret part – you can’t control any of those events named above. You can’t control the housing market or the weather or even the behaviors/actions of any other person in your life right now. What you can control is your reactions and/or your thoughts. You can control how big anything can feel emotionally by how/where you focus your thoughts. You can be Mindful.

Try this, think of a person or situation that you are concerned about. Feel things as you normally experience them – thinking about worst-case scenarios and ‘what-if’s.’ Now how do you feel?

Now shift your thinking – believe things work out. Adapt an attitude of faith that the person can and do find their way through. Maybe not in the timing of your preference, but in the timing other’s highest and best. Imagine things working out for those around you and most importantly – for YOU.

Now how do you feel? Bigger? Calmer inside? Sink into that peaceful place of mindfulness.

Here’s one thing to remember – yes, life is scary sometimes. People we love get hurt, jobs are lost, hearts are broken, debts can overwhelm and still the best support you can give anyone (including yourself!) is a firm belief they (you) will be victorious.

Be Mindful and unlock Peace in any situation…

Last week while I recorded my podcast on “flexible thinking” – I kept thinking, “If you want a flexible mind, a flexible mind doesn’t just happen – you are presented with opportunities to be flexible and you choose to be flexible…” 

 A week ago Monday we had a plumbing disaster in our home.  The downstairs was flooded and the carpet ruined, but we have the proper insurance to make us whole again minus the deductible.   Instead of focusing on the timing (x-mas in two week!), the cost of the deductible or even the gross factor – I celebrated all new carpets (900 sq ft) for really so little out of my pocket in the scheme of things.  I stayed in this flexible and humorous attitude for about 48 hours…Then the hassles began…

 We had to leave the house for three days because of the sterilization and drying out factor.  Only I did not know this until the fumes were affecting my thinking Friday afternoon.  Quickly I scramble to find a rental for all of us – yes, the dog too and here is where the rub truly begins – where to stay with a dog???  I discovered hovels and shacks except dogs (not where I like to stay.)  Needless to say this is where I ran up against the challenge of staying flexible and the reality of I like my comforts…I had been so good about all of this – making a joke of it, focusing on the good and now the hovel…

 It was that first morning in the hovel that I remembered my thought the day before, “If you want a flexible mind – opportunities.”  I started laughing aloud and looked around for something positive to focus on.  Ok, it’s got the wood fireplace I like and I’ve got this puzzle…Relax.  Then I realized my mistake – when I was looking for rentals I forgot to use my pendulum. 

 Part of the reason I was so unsatisfied with our rental is I always find the best places to stay – swank and an unbelievable deal.  I use my pendulum for all kinds of guidance including identifying the best place to stay, events to attend and a variety of other “small stuff” that actually affects the quality of your daily life.  Over the years my pendulum has become an invaluable tool to weed threw the quagmire of options and discover gems.

 Then I remembered I still needed to make a reservation for Sunday night – this time I used the pendulum and found a gem of a place to stay.  Suddenly my hovel I sat in wasn’t so bleak anymore and I started to notice more – the gentle snow fall outside, the kindness of the front desk staff, the mountains that surrounded us…

 We walked outside only to be greeted by huge Elks with massive antlers casually eating the pine needles out of the window box.  It was amazing and magically to be so close to these wild beasts…and a memory none of us will ever forget, hovel and all.