Leading up to the official book launch at the Pleasantville Library, not everything was working out perfectly. From the angle I was looking from, some significant aspects weren't in place, and I didn't know how to get myself into a space of excitement if they wouldn't get sorted, including a mind frame of embracing the accomplishing of writing a book.
I’ll skip the details, as they don’t contribute to gaining a new perspective. I want to walk you through how to reflect on what's going on in the moment and then realize what needs to be done next so that we can authentically show up as ourselves while accepting that some things aren't working out.
I am grateful to have people in my life who understand the frustration when things don't work out, especially when they are out of one's control because my friends were there when it came down to the wire to get back into the groove of joy, happiness, and pride.
During these four necessary and meaningful conversations, five points came up consistently and are relatable to anything we go through in life, and I want to share them with you. Facing imperfect experiences requires a shift in perspective. Now, let’s delve into five crucial points that emerged during this journey.
Aid (well, support is more fitting, though I wanted the word to start with an A ;)
Awareness
Acknowledgment
Acceptance
Adjustment
Aid
Without the help and support of my dear friends, the week before the main event would've been much more challenging. We need people in our lives who can listen without judgment and know when to offer insight and suggestions. This point isn't always given and available when we need them. Therefore, it is even more essential to have a practice asking for help and letting our helpers know what we need. When we try to figure things out, we often solely seek an open ear. Someone that can be a soundboard to what's going on. If we don't have anyone available, we can always use a voice recorder on our phone to speak our experiences out loud so we can hear ourselves and our thoughts.
Awareness
Once our thoughts are shared, we can move into awareness. To begin a shift in perspective, we need to start with awareness. Unless we are aware, nothing else and nothing different can be accomplished. Awareness can revolve around what we are feeling, what the circumstances are, what we wish would happen, and what we want to feel and experience. Once we are fully aware, we can move into acknowledgment.
Acknowledgment
Acknowledgment takes our reflection and awareness a few steps deeper. When we acknowledge the situation for what it is without changing it, we shift our perspective—not only about the situation but also about our personal impact on it. For example, in the situation of the book launch, at the beginning of the week, I couldn't and didn't acknowledge the accomplishment and work that went into creating this book. With the aid of my friends, the awareness of the bigger picture and the acknowledgment of where I was in this moment allowed me to move into acceptance.
Acceptance
When we get the support, we are aware and acknowledge what is happening. Then, we can fully accept what is and what we wish was and isn't happening. With the acceptance of the situation and, more importantly, the strength and accomplishment of ourselves, everything else seems insignificant. We can see the moment for what it is and learn from our experiences. It allows us to shift our perspective in a way that gives us new insight, and we can build on the lessons learned.
Adjustment
The lessons learned through these experiences are here to build in any adjustments required. We can implement new ways of handling an upcoming event, for example. We shift our lens from a microscope to a bird's-eye view. We start focusing on the bigger picture and away from the details. Not that details aren't helpful, but if they keep us small and resistant, we won't be able to move on and create an experience worth remembering. Especially when we have done the work and we gave all we could. We can let go and start a new experience.
Looking back on how the official book launch turned out and how I feel about it, I am thankful that I allowed all my experiences and feelings to be present and move through them in a timely manner. And the theme of this story is never to sweat the small stuff. There are way more joyful moments to be excited about.
#mindfulness #breathe #bepresent #compassion #love #connection #trust #awareness #thoughts #language #emotion #art #exploration #understanding #ease #peace