Friday, October 21, 2011

Questions of Control: Part III--Sorting

I would like to think that if I clean my crap filter I should be able to pretty well manage my thinking and thereby have pretty good control in my life. Nice. I know it's true. I still get pretty darn confused sometimes.

Life reminds me over and over that even with a good attitude I have to work very hard at sorting out what I can control and what I cannot control.

My hip hurts. I can't control that. I'm 61. I can't control that. If I live to be 75 or 80, I'm most of the way there. I can't control that. Other people don't always do what I want them to do. I can't control that. My hearing isn't what it once was. I can't control that. Some nights I don't sleep well. I can't control that. The world is crazy. I can't control that. I mean really crazy. I really can't control that. Fish don't always take my fly. I can't control that. I don't always get my way. I can't control that. People drive carelessly. I can't control that.

Oh swell... I keep my crap filter clean and I still have to work at sorting what I can control from what I can't. Dang it; that's just not easy sometimes.

It is the weekend. Please be good. Drive your cars carefully. Ride with people who drive carefully. Treat yourself with respect. Spend time with people who treat you with respect. Treat other people with respect. Talk nice to yourself; you deserve it. I look forward to hearing from you or seeing you. Keep yourself whole physically and emotionally. Enjoy your weekend.

P

Friday, October 7, 2011

Questions of Control--Part II The Crap Filter

There is a saying, “Don’t believe everything you think.” Here is the thing though; we all believe everything we think. If we think something long enough and frequently enough then we believe it. It works the same for all of us. Is that really so bad? I guess not as long as what we think isn’t a bunch of crap. I personally need a crap filter fairly often, most days in fact.

With persistence what we think becomes our reality. We not only act on that reality we make it happen; we create it.

Maybe the saying should be, “Believe everything you think; you already do anyway. Just clean your crap filter regularly.” Since we already believe everything we think anyway the challenge isn’t to stop believing what we think the challenge is to take control of the crap filter. The challenge for control in my life isn’t about controlling other people or controlling what happens to me, the challenge is to manage what I think.

It is the weekend. Drive your car carefully. Ride with people who drive carefully. Treat yourself with respect. Spend time with people who treat you with respect. Treat other people with respect. Talk nice to yourself; you deserve it. I look forward to hearing from you or seeing you. Keep yourself whole physically and emotionally. Enjoy your weekend.

P