Perception, change and motion

Now is the time..

I think something infamous started with that.

However.. now IS the time... and I am pushing to change.  Not myself.. for who I am will evolve naturally.  But habits, actions, reactions, and fears.

I was stuck.. but now I am in motion.. movement is the root of change.

Shift happens... and everything is about to shift around here.

Time to stop being afraid of judgement... open up and let myself be judged.

One of my favorite sayings is this one:

The Paradoxical Commandments

by Dr. Kent M. Keith

1. People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered.
   Love them anyway.
2. If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.
   Do good anyway.
3. If you are successful, you win false friends and true enemies.
   Succeed anyway.
4. The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.
   Do good anyway.
5. Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.
   Be honest and frank anyway.
6. The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds.
   Think big anyway.
7. People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs.
   Fight for a few underdogs anyway.
8. What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.
   Build anyway.
9. People really need help but may attack you if you do help them.
   Help people anyway.
10. Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth.
    Give the world the best you have anyway.

.. because we often and all too easily fall into the place of non-confrontation... whereas we don't do something, because we're afraid of the reaction it may receive.  We perceive that it will be reacted to that way, and in turn CHOOSE not to do it. 

Reality is all in the perception ...our own perception.. and those of others.  We choose to do or not do something... and our perception of the possible reactions of others can limit us.. in our thinking, as well as our actions.

You are wearing a shirt.

You ask me what color I would call it. - You're asking for my perception of the color.

Now, the answer doesn't really matter.  I may say "blue", but you may see it as "teal".  Neither answer is really wrong. Each of us has our own perception.  We believe that our perception is right.  If I look again and decide that you are more correct than I am at describing the color, my perception will change.  If we don't discuss it, unless I decide that it's actually teal, my perception won't change.

So... into the mix of changes to make, my perception is now also involved.

I am actively listening to other perceptions, and it is changing the way I currently perceive things, which when asked "And how is that working for you?"... is obviously not everything that I wish/want/dream it to be.

When I learn to let go of my existing perceptions, new things will appear, so I am consciously listening to and watching for the new things that are appearing and therefore, shifting towards new patterns.

In this shift, I am experiencing places in which I am uncomfortable.  You can't get somewhere new without being uncomfortable.

Remember learning a new language and the teacher asked you to say out loud a word you had not yet tried to pronounce? - Some people aren't even comfortable about speaking in front of others... on top of that, add the possible embarrassment of saying it incorrectly.  Go a little further ... how about being asked to do something you're afraid of?  Your brain starts to panic, your heart races, and you are definitely uncomfortable!   Do you keep going?  Are you worrying about what someone might say if it goes wrong? That depends, doesn't it?  

I sang in a band. I wasn't the lead singer, I was back up.  I really enjoyed it.  When it came time to perform on stage, I had already managed to get out of it.  I did not want to be on stage... and yet, there was no real reason at all for that feeling.

I have gone to karaoke many many MANY times. I really enjoy singing, and I believe that I am good at it. I will even go so far as to say that I really don't mind too much if it comes out badly in parts.  I've intentionally gone up to sing songs that I am not familiar with.  My secret is that I have already gone up once or twice and sang a song that I ABSOLUTELY know that I will receive high praise for.  I will get my recognition.  So when I go up and do something I am unsure of, I am a lot LESS worried about what people will say/do.  I've already proven that I can sing.

So right now, I am consciously looking for other things I do that with, primarily involving my business. I was feeling stuck because of the walls of my limited perception.. but now, they are moving away and clearing a path for forward motion again.

(go me!) :)