When a planned luncheon meet with my friends turned out to be a totally different proposition in terms of change of venue, direction and most importantly time, I had to make up my mind in a couple of seconds whether to go with the flow and enjoy the afternoon or rant about it and head back home. Well fortunately I chose the former and learnt more about going with the flow.
what I realised through this incident is that with each one of our lives there are sudden disruptions, change of plans or unforeseen incidents which if allowed to seep into our system trigger anger, frustration and stress. A better alternative would be to just go with the flow which means rolling with the punches, accepting change without getting angry or frustrated. It’s basically taking what life gives you rather than trying to mould life to be exactly as you want it to be. Some of the obvious learning’s I would like to share here are
Realize that you can’t control everything: However good we are one thing we need to realize is that we cannot be in absolute control of everything which happens with and around us. At times it is better to accept this and move on. There are things that we cannot control that will affect every aspect of our lives. We must accept that or we will be constantly frustrated. I have realized that most mistakes are committed during the time we are most frustrated.
Knock on the doors of Awareness: I have mentioned this in my previous Blog’s that self Awareness is the most important habit one can inculcate. What this does is that it makes you aware of your shortcomings and helps you take that mighty step towards working on it. This according to me is a big favor you can do to yourself especially since we live amongst a skewed and confused society. End of the day I believe that you can’t change the thoughts in your head unless you are aware of it in the first place.
Get a different perspective: When things do not happen the way you want there are better options than been frustrated. I advocate this strongly during my Coaching calls. Look at the situation by stepping back in your mind’s eye and seeing it from a distance. What it does is to ensure you do not have an impact as you see it from within you. This is a very effective technique to reduce the intensity of feelings to a given situation.
Laugh at the situation: There are many times where I would have done something stupid and laughed it off. . Try working on moving away from the situation and looking at the funny side of it. I will guarantee you that it does make the whole situation lighter and surreal. The idea behind this thought is that Life is not always the way we want, but we can make the journey more noteworthy by looking at the funnier side of it. I know it does not sound easy but put some steps forward and eventually you will master it.
Realize that you can’t control others: What I have learnt over the years is that we do not have any control on how people behave and react to situations. They have their own personality,DNA structure and upbringing. They do what they feel is right. We have to accept that. Accept that we can’t control them, accept them for who they are and accept the things they do. It’s not easy, but again it takes practice.
Enjoy life as a flow of change, chaos and surprises: Finally when we accept something as not perfect then our whole outlook does seem to change. Look at situations where we have no control. When we accept things as they are, then we will eventually find peace at the deepest level. This i feel is lacking with many people who do not stop to catch a breath but are trying to constantly move forward.
Practise, practise and practise: As with everything nothing would become easier without working on it couple of times irrespective of the number of times you fail. By working on going with the flow you are allowing yourself to be that much more flexible. Nature shows that to survive and thrive in this world, being flexible is the key not only in the mind but in the body too. This is because there is a strong connection between what the mind thinks and the body does.
I sincerely hope that this Blog article has struck a chord within you and probably made you wear your thinking cap on. Try going with the flow in just one or two situations in your respective lives by using any one of the ways I have mentioned above and you will be surprised with your own reactions. I look forward to hearing from you on this exact change in behavior or any other thoughts which you are working on to make each one of your lives more forthcoming and content. I look forward to hearing from you on the impact of my thoughts if you have been following my advice in your respective lives. connect with me on my Facebook Fan Page or even mail me on coach@satishrao.in