But It’s Going To Be So Hard!
Yes, I admit it. I have been guilty of saying that too. Before I actually knew if the “it” would indeed be hard. Or not. I have decided it’s hardness right away.
Like a true know-it-all.
We fill ourselves up with excuses all the time.
I am going to be so tired.
It will be hard.
I won’t have enough money.
I am too fat. I am too skinny. I am too old. I am too young.
It’s going to take forever.
There are so many excuses that I am actually getting tired thinking of them.
One of my favorite books by my teacher Wayne Dyer is Excuses Begone! where he delves into this idea beautifully.
Lately in my yoga classes I have been working with mantras. Whenever the students hands come into prayer, or together at any point in class, they say a silent mantra.
Whether the mantra is simply “Thank You” or “Today I am grateful for _____” depends on the theme of the class.
My own personal mantra lately has been ” My life is filled with ease.” Also ” I remain unattached to the outcome.”
The ease thing is one I struggle with. I too, like a lot of folks, have an old tape that tells me how difficult things are going to be and how long they will take. If I get stuck listening to that tape, I end up simply sitting in my house and having a panic attack.
And guess what, my Dear Manifesters? When one has a panic attack, one gets very little accomplished.
Very.
Little.
Slowly.
So here it is: My life is filled with ease.
(It’s also filled with joy.)
(Feel free to borrow my mantras. I share willingly.)
Today I had lunch with my friend Lori Deschene. Lori is the creator of one of my favorite websites called TinyBuddha. I recently had the honor of having an article published on TinyBuddha and my next one comes out my birthday, December 12th. Lori inspires me endlessly, but the biggest thing I am applauding her for right now is her new book.
As I sit here and begin the process of writing my book, I struggle with that tape “But Jen, it will be so hard. And it will take so so long.”
So I asked Lori this: Was it hard to write your book?
She told me, in so many words, that for a long time she told herself how hard it would be so she didn’t even attempt it. (An Aha! moment for me.) Once she actually started, it was a joy filled journey and the word “hard” never entered the equation.
And now her book is published and selling like hotcakes.
It’s good, Dear Manifesters. The book is very good.
So what is the point, you ask?
The point is this: Stop talking about how hard it will be and just do it. You have no idea what it will be like so please stop assuming the worst. Assume the best and get to work. Now go! Get off the computer. Get!
(Just to be clear: that was me talking to myself above. But feel free to pretend I am talking to you too.)
Please do not misunderstand me, either. I am not claiming that everything in life is a red velvet cupcake. I am simply suggesting that you might want to visualize something better than “It is hard” or ” I can’t afford it”.
Just try it and let me know what happens.
In the comment section below write down your old excuse. Begone with it. Be accountable.
And also feel free to make a list of your excuses (as we do in my workshops.) Make a list of those excuses and then rip it up and place them in a pile labeled Dookie.
Manifesting Your Life,
One Laugh At A Time,
My-life-Is-Filled-With-Ease-Jen
The Tiny Buddha book makes a great gift too. Support someone who followed their dreams and is living their bliss. Order here.
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I will leave the following in my pile of “dookie”
It is too hard to quit smoking
I can’t write my blog because I am too tired
i can’t be organized because i am too unorganized….LOL
i can’t finish my college degree because there is no time
ok pile of dookie be gone
those are good Rachel. I forgot my “i can’t be organized because i am too unorganized” b/c I have that same one in my blood. begone!
Ha Jen, don’t forget I organized you before I went to Georgia:) Follow the cookie crumbs to the filing cabinet. Remember the kitchen table is a no/paper zone.
Rach, that goes for you too. The arrow leads downstairs to the empty filing cabinet I set up for you.
Now about me: I am not old Telling that to my back.
The rest will fall into place.
Mom, you are really funny. Love it. *cookie crumbs. Nom, nom, nom.
The best excuse is the one you DON’T use.
When I was a Marine Officer in charge of these incredible young men and women, one kid (I mean that out of respect – heck I was still a kid at 23!) told me he wanted to be a rock star. He had taught himself how to play guitar and was very talented. I always tried to talk him into going to school because we have all these great opportunities in the military for schooling and the music business is tough and not everyone who dreams about being a rockstar will be a rockstar. He always told me, “Ma’am, if you have a plan B, you will use it,” with so much conviction you knew he’d be the one to make it. I was and still am amazed by his dedication to his dream. He’s in a band now and while they aren’t a nationally recognized group yet, he still plays enough gigs to make a living (with the GI Bill to go to school for either business or music business, which I think is perfect). In those four years on active duty, I learned that as a leader/mentor you aren’t the only one teaching and each Marine taught me something that made me a much better person today (a humbling lesson I wish more officers would learn). On days when I’m really struggling with planning my future and long term goals and it’s all too overwhelming to believe that I can make a life outside the box and outside of my comfort zone, I tell myself, ‘If you have a Plan B – you will use it.” I think we should all tell that to our excuse pile before burning it to the ground!
I definitely needed to remind myself of this story as my own pile was getting out of control … time to go burn and bury ’em! Thanks Jenn.
this was an awesome sharing…thanks so much! i love it!! 🙂
If I mix my excuses in with my fear, i’ve got more yuck imaginable. My excuses run from the standard don’t have enough money, too old and it won’t work out, to the absurd like what if asteroid hits earth before the task is done?
Great job jenn!
I’ve been discouraged and whining to my self all week. At 48 years old, I am presently earning my first college credits (while working fulltime, swing shift in a steel mill). LOVE the challenge and process but I keep hearing myself say it’s not worth it… “I’m too old to be what I wanna be when I grow up.” I just isn’t do-able. So thanks for the encouragement Jen. I’m using the “Im not attached to the outcome” instead and I’ll continue to enjoy the journey.
Peace & Love
awesome blog jen (as always!)!! 🙂 my dookie pile (which i work on perpetually…) is comprised of:
* i don’t have enough time (total lie!!)
* i can’t let go or stop chasing down people for commitments (which wastes my time and is me gripping onto something i need to let go of)
* my goals are possibly too big for what i am capable of (not true…just a matter of getting there and continuing to manifest!!)
* there are so many similar products on the market already (but i have a unique spin)
* it takes so much energy (well, maybe but no more than what i was doing prior to pursuing my dreams…less really!)
…and it goes on and on…
when we align with what we are truly meant to be doing, the drive is there, because it’s something beyond us. we are purely a vessel to spread the teachings and messages, and so we can’t give up on our dreams because they aren’t for us…they’re for everyone that we could serve by bringing them to life. it is because of all the people that i can help that i keep pushing on. i know that i can’t give up. it’s not fair to them. the same goes for you…it is so evident that you are on the right path and doing what you are meant to do because you just shine! so how dare you even think for a second that you shouldn’t write your book! you owe it to me and everyone else that is already standing with money in hand, waiting to read your written word! we’re all waiting to program that DVR for GMA as well!! 😉 we’re put on this planet to live boldly, and so keep rockin’ on, sister!! *hugs*