JC's Corner

Does even the thought of having a “Quiet Zone” at your house during the upcoming holidays sound like Sci-Fi?!?

If you’re like a lot of folks, approaching the holiday season may feel more like a three-ring circus, or even worse, like an apocalypse!  Never fear, it is not what happens to us that is the enemy… it is how we handle what happens to us ….and YOU have the power to control it!

I have always thought that my experiences served two purposes: one is continuous learning for me; and the other is sharing with others in hopes that in some way I can help them get to where they want to go more effectively and efficiently.

Story

I was facilitating a retreat for a client at the Beach House in Hermosa Beach, CA. I had showered and slipped across the street in the dark of morning to grab a cup of coffee while most folks were still snug in their beds. I bring the coffee back to my room, grab my journal and head for my second-floor balcony where I am looking forward to enjoying the “quiet zone” which is in effect from 10pm-8am each day. The ocean breeze is gently blowing against my face. I close my eyes to meditate and to get centered for the upcoming day. Well, you know what they say about roads being paved with good intentions…

The next thing I hear is loud, no… make that blaring…  music which jolted me out of my solitude! I open my eyes and there on the street below me is a maroon SUV, windows rolled up, with pulsating vibrations seemingly coming from every inch of the vehicle.

Yes, I’m guilty (and honest). My first reaction was frustration, then anger, and yes, I relocated (or retreated) inside.

But then something happened. I envisioned a young man, head leaned back on the neck rest, eyes closed, deeply feeling… experiencing and LOVING the jam.

What do you think happened next? I started laughing…. out loud!  My frustration dissipated and was replaced with JOY. I was truly happy for someone else to be enjoying one of life’s simple pleasures. What a beautiful shift.

Too often we only look through our eyes, hear through our ears, our filters, our pre-conditions, and focus on our wants and needs.

Do I think the SUV driver meant to put the kibosh on my pre-arranged, slow, quiet, deliberate approach to the day?  No, I am extremely confident, my entry into the day was not anywhere on HIS radar.

How many times have we let a shift in plans disrupt our day? I’ll admit it, too many for me. But that day, thanks to the quiet space I was able to find within myself I had created, time to be happy for someone else and in that, found joy for myself.

Are you finding time, making time, taking time, being open to others’ points of view? Are you letting go and letting the Universe pave the way for you?

What we often hear is let go and let God. Yet, how often do we do it? And what gets in our way?

I had lots of “options” that day on how to handle the situation and trust me they DID cross my mind, some consciously and others subconsciously, including:

1. I could have stayed on the balcony with music blaring and tried to silence it in my mind  (not happening).
2. I could have yelled at the car hoping that my voice would be heard over the music (wasted effort).
3. I could have asked one of the passers-by to peck on his window (and confirmed that I was crazy).

Or

4. I could have picked up my things and moved inside.

Jackpot!!! Option #4 won!!

Even better news was that I was really the winner… and am.  I learned a valuable lesson about me, and about mindset and outcomes.

A big lesson being that it was NOT what happened that determined the success of the day… instead, it was how I chose to view the event, and the thoughts and actions that I had and took as a result of what happened.

So, if you find yourself in a similar situation: someone or something interfering with your plans, here’s some helpful tips…

• Hit the pause button
• Breathe… slow and deep… repeat
• Let it go, watch it pass by like a white, puffy cloud across a blue sky… see it, watch it go
• and then hear the words of country music star, David Lee Murphy in his song, Everything’s Gonna Be Alright… because it will

That day went on to be a very successful day for the retreat, my clients, and for me.

As Jose Silva states in The Silva Mind Control Method, there are two basic principles to controlling your mind. One is that “we can only think of one thing at a time, and two is when we concentrate on a thought, the thought becomes true because our bodies transform it into action.”

This holiday season, and whenever you need it — go ahead, have a Sci-Fi moment… create the “Quiet Zone” you need… as you need it!  “Live Long and Prosper” – Mr. Spock, Star Trek

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