It’s a new year.\u00a0 What will you do?\u00a0 Resolutions, eh?\u00a0 Things will be different?\u00a0 Things will be better?\u00a0 Not going to do that thing?\u00a0 Will absolutely do that thing this year?\u00a0 That’s what goes through your head, right?\u00a0 One of those things has an emotional impact on you, and based solely on that you choose.<\/p>\n
Either you find some pleasure in one of those coming true, or terrible pain\/fear to be avoided if one doesn’t.<\/strong><\/p>\n That’s what it comes down to.\u00a0 All the complex planning, reading all the posts and personal development books, all the following of Luminaries and Thought Leaders – none of it matters because the choice is based on that simple binary criteria<\/span>.<\/p>\n I’m sick of this happening, I can’t take it anymore – something has to give.<\/em><\/p>\n or<\/p>\n Wow that would be really neat – that’s what I want.\u00a0 I deserve that, I need<\/span> that.<\/em><\/p>\n Then you decide how you’re going to make that happen, and the self help books and notes, and the posts and the people – you read and absorb all of it looking for them to confirm your desire to get, or your desire to avoid.<\/p>\n And when you do – zing!\u00a0 You jump on it, and your brain releases endorphins rewarding you for this pursuit.\u00a0 And in your mind you’re satisfied, comfortable and confident in what you just did and the outcome you are going to experience.\u00a0 No more bad thing, shortly – no more mistreatment by your boss because you’re switching jobs, no more sadness because of this relationship, no more embarrassment and unhappiness over looking in the mirror.\u00a0 You’ll have that good thing shortly – great job, new boyfriend or girlfriend, new healthy rockin body, more money and control over your life.<\/p>\n Does this sound about right?\u00a0 Does this sound exactly what you do, every year?\u00a0 Maybe more than once each year – especially if you pick up the latest book by one of the big motivational people out there.\u00a0 Or maybe you attend a seminar, and the same thing happens.<\/p>\n Then it’s the next year.\u00a0 Lather, rinse, repeat.\u00a0 But don’t forget to remove a sizable amount of money from your bank account in the process.<\/p>\n You try, and you fail, in various degrees.\u00a0 Sometimes they are minor, and nagging reminders that you’re stuck in the situation you’re in – or that you’re they type of person you think you are and there’s no changing that.<\/p>\n Or you fail epicly and it sets you back considerably.\u00a0 You quit.\u00a0 And you regret the time, energy and resources you spent on trying to change this, or get away from this.\u00a0 It’s destiny, it’s your lot in life.<\/p>\n Or worse, you say why does this keep happening to me?\u00a0 And you surround yourself with a bunch of people who all say the same thing.\u00a0 And you have drinks, and meet regularly, and yell at a screen with a lot of bulky men running into each other.\u00a0 There are good snacks, and we might win.\u00a0 So, that’s OK.<\/p>\n Then you go home.<\/p>\n All the while this epic cyclical journey of repetitive fail something real is happening.\u00a0 The sliding puzzle that is your life grinds a little, back and forth.\u00a0 Some of the squares you shoved violently in different directions work their way back.\u00a0 Sometimes slowly, almost always painfully.\u00a0 The reality of life; the mechanics of balance and equilibrium work their mystical movements.<\/p>\n Remember when you shoved a bunch of squares out of the way so you could work out?\u00a0 You said you’d work out three times a week (there was a dammit in there too).\u00a0 That happened for exactly one week, and the pressure of the squares moved them back – they had nowhere to go.<\/p>\n So, it’s over, only one week later.\u00a0 Maybe you’ll work out once a week, or find a partner.\u00a0 Maybe it’s that gym and a gym is not what you need.\u00a0 Yeah, that sounded good to your pleasure center.\u00a0 A teeny bit of endorphins leaks out.\u00a0 You’re on the right track!\u00a0 You can avoid this gym thing.\u00a0 Yoga. So then you sign up for yoga, but you don’t quit the gym because who knows, right?\u00a0 Lets hedge our bets.\u00a0 More endorphins.<\/p>\n Yoga requires the same squares be shoved, so there’s really no difference as far as time, effort and resources is concerned.\u00a0 Now in the same rebound, you convince yourself you like it, and yoga turns into talking about yoga.\u00a0 And you’re still paying for the gym.<\/p>\n <\/p>\nWhat’s really happening<\/h2>\n