You've known yourself all your life, but chances are you've been filling a role rather than fulfilling your dreams. If you're not developing self-awareness, you're probably disconnected from your authentic happiness and existing on autopilot.
But it's not just you. This is a byproduct of our consumption culture. It's an issue prevalent in this society. And in some ways, it's probably a coping mechanism.
Here's an example: Back in the 70's, when I could count my age on both hands, the average person encountered between 500-1600 ads per day. Time warp to 2020 and that number is now estimated at 6,000 to 10,000 ads. Every. Single. Day.
We simply can't process everything coming our way. Our brains are geared to conserve as much energy as possible. So the stuff we're repeating everyday becomes reflex...kind of like breathing. We don't need to think about breathing because it's an autonomic activity. It's on autopilot.
Problems start showing up, though. When we've become so busy consuming life that we've neglected the critical process of self-evaluation, our inner voice starts to scream at us. Maybe its burnout, muscle tension, illness, or even dis-ease. It starts out small, but the more you neglect yourself, the bigger the problem gets...until it demands your attention. Self-evaluation requires self-awareness.
Personally, I think we've been on autopilot so long, we've forgotten that our inner compass is set to TRUE NORTH. We've literally and figuratively steered ourselves off-course.
And sooner or later the warning lights trip, which wakes us up out of our trance-like routines. We realize something has gone missing...OUR HAPPINESS.
Did you realize happiness can only be experienced in the present moment?
Think about it. You might have happy memories, but that doesn’t mean you’re happy right now. And you may think about something that will make you happy in the future, but that means right now something is missing. Happiness is s presence thing. You have to be aware and in the moment to feel it.
Autopilot robs us of days...weeks...even years of happiness! Guaranteed, when we're not happy it affects our body, our mind, our emotions, and our spirit. It can no longer be ignored.
And that's where I come in.
It's not easy breaking the autopilot habit. And generally speaking, most people aren't so comfortable doing the inner work necessary to reconnect their True North.
Society teaches us how to work, make money, buy stuff, and accomplish things. Inner work Is hardly ever part of that list. Today, self-development comes with a caveat...it's meant to help us get ahead in society. It's mostly about mastering externals like work and money.
But there's a whole different kind of success that runs counterculture to mainstream mayhem. I call it "Self-Success." It's a wholistic, heart-centered, values-based life practice. It's all about creating the kind of success you enjoy in the moment...not somewhere off in your future.
And that's what happiness is all about!
Being present, aware, and mindful in the moments we spend doing what we do is the opposite of autopilot. And if you’re cruising on autopilot, it’s not an easy vehicle to turn around all by yourself.
When you're ready, we're going to embark on a journey of self-discovery, creativity, and achievement so you can advance your Self-Success. We'll reinforce the foundation by focusing on the Four Bodily Dimensions:
To become masters of our bodily dimensions, we must ”wake up” from our programmed routines. Day by day, we learn to set our attention on our senses, our emotions, our thoughts, and our values.
When we do, we learn to define success for ourselves. Instead of chasing the shadows cast by society’s ideals, we find the true direction that radiates from within...and we set forth on that path with intention.
Luckily, it’s super simple to bring yourself into the present moment. You can even try it right now while you’re reading this post. Here’s how:
Take two deep, slow breaths...inhale...exhale...inhale...exhale!
Clear your mind of any thoughts or narratives going on inside your head.
Be silent. Be still. Do this for several seconds.
Bring your attention to any noise you hear going on around you. First notice if there’s lots of noises, or just one noise. Either way, pinpoint and focus on ONE noise. What is it? Is it soft? Is it sharp? How would you describe it?
That’s it! You were just practicing mindfulness. Way to go!!! Explore it for a few more minutes and then post a comment letting me know what that was like for you. It’s easy putting yourself into a state of mindfulness. Experiment with how long you can make it last before you catch yourself going back into autopilot mode. Be sure to share your results!
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