Be Yourself #5

RELAX.

This one sounds great doesn't it! Finally, something we all enjoy doing. But can we do it when we want to? This means relax about ourselves. Don't take yourself too seriously. We are not going to die if someone sees something stuck in our teeth or if we slip on the sidewalk or in my case, (this is a good one and really happened to me) get my bike tire stuck in a rain grate and end up in a handstand with my feet in the foot clips in front of a line of stopped traffic. It was a little embarrassing but funny and I have to say it was an AMAZING handstand. After falling completely on the ground I had to pull my bike tire out of the grate, brush myself off and continue on the bike past all the cars who just saw mw wipe out, I definitely got an applause from a whole carload of college guys along with ROARING laughter. Think about it. It was funny!! When our reactions to things are relaxed, open and present other people feel able to connect.

I learned a funny thing the other day from someone very close to me. He doesn't mind if people single him out for the laugh. If he has done something to attract attention to himself, he believes it relieves attention from someone else who may not feel able to handle the joke or the mean behavior. He doesn't take anything personally. He really believes the person who has the problem is the person making the comments. He would rather be the one they target if it has to be someone. This is coming from someone who is not particularly out going or attention seeking. His attitude has come to be that way because he has relaxed about himself.

RELAX.


            Laugh at yourself.


                                  Let other people giggle.


                                                             Move forward and Cultivate.

Those Sneaky Bad Beliefs

Ahhh..... rolling along in a good mood with lovely happy thoughts and then BLAMO! There they are, these negative thoughts that just pop into my head about my past.  It wasn't that I even did anything horrible. It wasn't that the actual event that took place was even that bad but reliving the memory of it seems to be worse than the actual event.
If this happens let yourself think the thought. Ask yourself if you believe it, really believe it. Ask yourself if it matters anymore. Ask yourself if what you remember is really what happened. Are you assuming other people's thoughts about you? Did these thoughts and opinions about you exist only in the past if at all?
Go through the emotions you are presently feeling with compassion for what you are feeling and no self judgment and then let it go. Breathe and be present. Come back to your happy thoughts.



To get rid of an internal attitude you must clearly see the mistaken belief it is based upon.
                                                                                                     -His Holiness the Dalai Lama