Baby Steps

Everyday provides a new opportunity for growth and change. Each day starts out with a choice. We can make the best of the 24 hours that lay before us or fight them every step of the way. I think the fighting is the thing that wears ones soul out the most. It's hard to go against the grain all of the time.

The Universe in it's infinite wisdom tries to provide moments for us to jump on the train and ride to the next station but often we are so focused on where we think we should be or where we need to be that we miss the train. Maybe 2010 is a year of standing a little still and listening for the whistle?

Baby steps....we can't just switch gears overnight. Although it seems like a really good idea it's just not possible. I started my gratitude journal again. The idea is that right before you go to bed you write down 5 things you are grateful for. It's a lot harder than you think. It can be little things like "I'm grateful I didn't kill anyone today".....you get the idea. That way as you drift off to la la land your head is filled with good not bad. I tend to focus on the not so good things. Things like I wish I would have done this or I should have gotten this done or why didn't I hear from this person? I tend to want to control all parts of not only my own life, but others. I want what I want when I want it. Nothing wrong with that except it may not be what the other person wants too. It's so complicated to be not only and adult but to be me.

I was reading this book and it was talking about being content and happy with where you are at right now in your life. It gave you an exercise to do. Think back to a happy time. A really, really happy time in your life. Go back as far as it takes, to a time when you felt so light you thought you might float. Do you remember it? That carefree feeling? The acceptance of the moment, of yourself, of life? Feeling unfettered by thoughts of the future and oblivious to the past? Now what's stopping you from feeling it a little longer?

Got me to thinking....we are our own road blocks. We put all these conditions on our own lives. I will be happy when this happens, I want to have this much money, I need to have someone in my life, I want a new car......we convince ourselves that when we have more, we will be happy, content, feel loved, feel important....something. When do we realize that maybe all we already have is enough? All we are is good and our lives are already filled with abundance?

The Universe then presented me with this thought today:

I understand that you must wonder, sometimes to the point of bewilderment, at what you're truly capable of doing. Yet, therein lies the "problem," because living the life of your dreams is far more about what I'm capable of doing. All I need from you is a vision, followed by an unending march of little, tiny baby steps in its direction.
Surrender - The Universe

How can baby steps evoke so much change and acceptance? How can something so little make such a big difference?