attention, please

today's abraham-hicks.com daily quote:

People often believe that they would feel so much better if their mate would just change in this way or that way, but that truly is a backward approach to things.

When you say, "I'll feel better if you will make this change in your behavior or personality", what you are actually saying is, "My happiness is dependent upon your willingness and ability to modify your behavior; therefore I am powerless."

The reason why so many people are so hard on those they live or interact with is because everyone inherently wants to be happy, but they also believe that their happiness is dependent upon things over which they have no control.

- Abraham-Hicks


It's impossible for me to hear this reminder too often or in too many different ways. It's just so dang easy to forget that I always have a choice about what to think about and focus my attention on, regardless of what is going on around me!

Come to think of it, I have that same choice regardless of what is going on within me, as well. I've written before about my grandpa, who when asked how he was doing, would say that his top half was feeling great (and chose not to mention that the circulation problems in his legs were creating significant pain in his bottom half.)

I have a ways to go on that one. When my head hurts, I find it next to impossible to notice that my feet don't! But it's a process, and I'm okay with that.

Lately, I've been feeling quite grateful that it seems to be getting easier to simply re-direct my attention as soon as I notice that it has been on autopilot and is focused on something out of my control. Rather than getting upset that I am not more mentally disciplined and did not notice sooner, my inner critic seems to have mellowed out some.

Instead of hearing a harsh mental voice asking, "What is wrong with you? Why can't you get this figured out?" I'm hearing a kind and gentle one crooning, "That's okay. You can just shift your attention right now."

I don't know by what grace my own mind has become a friendlier place than it used to be, but I sure hope the trend continues.