Discipline (and other nasty words)

Each new blog entry has me promising myself to become more disciplined in my writing and posting. As you can see from the dates, I fail. So I changed from grandiose dreams of daily submissions to a more practical goal of once a week. Procrastination trickles into my exercise schedule, my Face Book management and other media posts. It even affects my correspondence efforts. Does anyone else have this problem?

My days feel like there is just too much going on. As I reexamine my activities and what could cause the hours to  vaporize, there are so many different interruptions and distractions that I don’t know which one to blame. Yet, the searching raises a reoccurring question. "Why is it easier to give-in to self-destructive behavior than it is to follow a sound, healthy, habits?

My understanding is that we invest the most time into the things from which we feel the greatest (immediate) benefit. An example of this would be in the case of a child that learns that misbehaving brings more attention than being good. This often re-enforcement causes the child to chose naughty behavior-even if the attention is painful. There is an endorphin release from every emotion whether it is pain or pleasure. After a while, our addiction to the chemical creates a 'scar;' something similar to a scratch on an old LP record or a rut in a road frequently traveled. It becomes something easy to fall into.  I believe that when we feel there are not enough endorphins from happy or healthy habits we chose the other direction. It is illogical but satisfying.

Discipline is its own reward but I am trying to establish a baby step program that begins to erase the old behavior by giving me a new stimulus. A few years ago I learned a handy sales tool. It was to write a ‘5 Most Important Things’ list. It’s part of breaking a big goal  down into baby steps. To do it, write a list of 5 things that you want to complete  every night before going to bed. These should be things that will help move you toward your ultimate goal.

It helps to write the items in order of their priority. The next day give your attention to ONLY the first thing on the list. Draw a line through it as it is completed. The line drawing is a nice little neuro-chemical release in itself. When it is completed celebrate with a stretch, a glass of juice or some other short feel good reward. Working from a list helps keep you focused regardless of interruptions. If the list is not completed by the end of the day, just move any remaining item(s) to the top of the next day’s list. 

As human beings, we often feel that we dance through our days in a  "deep sleep." We believe that our destiny is controlled by a higher power, when in truth, we are the choreographers given full authority by the Creator.

THE new year CHASM

Am I the only one who feels that they are floating within a chasm? It’s as though ending the old Gregorian calendar  year and the birth of a new year under the Chinese calendar  has created a cradle or fertile furrow to birth new purposes and ideas. Having a full moon and its energy influence overseeing this period adds confirmation that this is a time to set new sites and take first steps toward seeing desires happen.

Since developing a 4^th dimensional approach to healing and the negative influences that affect health, I have started viewing most everything from an energy perspective. Overtime (and practice) a greater sensitivity and understanding to what might be labeled as Feng Shui, intuition or Shamanism has occurred which is a bit like peeking through stage curtains before a performance. Energy is what it is all about.

As for this calendar thing, part of the influence we’re feeling comes from (the energy) having a major part of the world population accepting and following a calendar based on the sun (which is changing) and trade. It is almost the 100^th monkey situation; enough people thinking (applying energy) about the same thing makes it true. However, in following the Gregorian calendar, we live just one beat out of step with nature . We are so used to the miss-beat that we ignore the sensation. 

On the other hand, there are a great number that have been placing their faith (energy) on the Chinese system of time marking for thousands of years. It is a calendar that follows lunar AND solar (lunisolar). This system follows natural movements untouched by the influence of commerce…and yet following its energy flow can have a positive influence on prosperity.  Each month follows one cycle of the moon.  Over history it has become common knowledge the moon influences the oceans and other bodies of water such as our physical form and brain.

Setting direction  for my new year as I float  in the energies of this chasm, have me wondering,  how might it  enhance my  health and future designs if I were to follow the current trend of most of East Asia? That is to use the Gregorian calender (called the Yin calendar), for day-to-day activities (business, birthdays, etc.) but the Chinese (or  Yang) calendar for season changes and other important aspects of life.  I believe it would benefit my efforts (energy) similarly to how the old Poor Richard’s Almanacs helped farmers in the past.

January 23^rd begins the Chinese year of the dragon. As a person born under the “Rat” sign, I’m looking forward to a very auspicious year.