Don't make it a habit.

Don’t make it a habit.

         A key to being a conscious public speaker. .

         I am challenged by the statements negative aspect, how can I ‘don’t-as in not do a thing when many teachers’ state affirmations, goals, and intentions need to be framed in the positive because our conscious mind doesn’t hear the ‘don’t, or the not’.

         Are our minds so crazy that when I state I am not going to eat after 8pm, my mind defaults to eating after 8pm? Are we that contradictory?

         “That’s what you don’t want. What do you want?” Coaches ask.

         “Well I don’t want to make it a habit.” Student replies.

         “That’s what you don’t want. What do you want?” Coach asks.

         “I want to consciously, deliberately, choose, my reality.”

         So when or how does my positive intentions become a habit?

         What is a habit?

         Is it a fall from grace into a rut; sleep walking, becoming robotic?

         Is habit letting our evil inner siblings loose to do the same thing and expect different results?

         Is habit indulging to allow others to indoctrinate me?

         Don’t make it a habit really means make it how I want it.

         In dance class when the instructor says ‘don’t think ’ it means to decide to enjoy and appreciate your new dance steps. To remember your intention. That’s when the dancing happens.

         How do I stop from making ‘it’ a habit?

         I have a habit of watching my fingers as I type. This was a tough paragraph to type without watching, I kept cheating and looking. I get disturbed if I make a mistake. I feel very uncomfortable ungluing my eyes from the keyboard. It’s a battle to not watch my fingers. My habits trapped me until I recall the gradient approach to learning. I practice and I gradually free my attention, and stop looking.

         In speaking, breaking a habit can be a way of finding more time to be present, more space to allow ideas to resonate with my audience. Finding the magic of the space behind a note, a beat, that allows more freedom of expression to create fully. Not rushing the thought, being gradiently uncomfortable to break the habits.

         Be aware of what’s a habit and what’s not. Use the feedback to support goals. Don’t make anything a habit, unless it’s your intent. 

A Way to Handle Limits

         ”Imagine there is a deity or a machine in the sky, a giant Hoover vacuum cleaner that’s purpose is to suck up our limits when we perform the appropriate gesture. It is a gesture of ‘offering up’ our limits.

“Imagine the limit is in our hand and flip them up into the sky to feed the Hoover. This gesture can be a noticeable large two-handed gesture or it can be small and invisible to everyone else. It is a gesture of conscious awareness. Sounds hokey but being aware of a habit, and our limits have become habits, the offering up gesture relieves the attachment to the habit and begins the practice of being unlimited.

“Here is an example of how to use the HOOVER. Sitting among a group of people someone begins share their tale of sadness and woe full of stinking thinking, limits and negativity-“I can’t believe … people should always….I hate it when….nobody can be happy…I can’t remember anything…. I can’t….You know limits, critique’s, naysayers-bummers!

“The HOOVER is hungry for those limits. OFFERING THEM UP and  build your Unlimited Freedom of Choice Muscle.

“The gesture need not be grand and embarrassing, a flip of the thumb or tongue, a shrug of the shoulder is enough to catch a NOW of Limits and send them into a moment of non-limits.”

 Why does the Hoover work?

         “The Hoover works because it is your attention,” continued IAM, “ coupled with your awareness, intention and a universe, or multi-verse, that supports each of us in having what we want. Life wishes to evolve. Life may be neutral and have a propensity that encourages enlightenment. It is the opposite of the plumber’s union credo-Shit runs down hill and pay day is on Friday.

         Paying Attention is our Best Investment and the HOOVER is here suck up all negativity and limits. It’s automatic. No need to even empty the bag. Use it when you feel limits or negativity anytime from now on.

         “Place your open palms in front of you. Imagine any negative or limiting thought in your hands and toss it to the Hoover in the sky.”

EXCERPTS FROM Gary’s new Novel:
Art Deco Meets the Ancient Wisdom Experience-AWE