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mindful minute

“We are freed and imprisoned by our thoughts”

January 8, 2011 Empty Hands

Empty Hands

Are you afraid of uncertainty?  Do you focus on negative “what if” scenarios or do you focus on the positive “what if” scenarios?  How do you deal with uncertainty?  Is it possible to be happier under uncertainty?

We come into life empty-handed and then try to grab and hold onto everything. We seek ownership. We want everything and we want it immediately. We want to receive, to hold and possess forever. Yet, what really belongs to us?

Loss aversion is a natural part of human behavior.  Can we work with Mother Nature instead of against it?

When we look back and really examine periods of chaos in our lives we see that the periods of uncertainty were also the phases of growth that led us to where we are today.

The one thing you have control over is yourself. Your emotions and the way you react to those emotions are entirely in your hands. Your life will unfold according to your reaction to it. So stay mindful of the present.

Remain focused on the emotions of right now. What are they telling you? Why are they present? What happened in the past that makes you react the way you do? Does this way of thinking still serve you? Do you need to let go?

Some people believe that the best way to deal with uncertainty is to eliminate it and try to control everything in life. People who think that way become control freaks, but they are the most likely to lose control.

One of the reasons that makes some people unable to handle uncertainty are the accompanying negative thoughts they get when they perceive they have no control over outcomes. They keep thinking about worst case scenarios and end up feeling stressed and frustrated.

Put yourself in a position to take action, then act as fast as you can. Uncertainty pushes you to play it safe.

In the end, the only control you really have is over yourself. You can rely on yourself. Therefore, you must get to know yourself inside out, especially under pressure. Self-knowledge creates resilience.

Come to a problem with nothing but empty hands  Usually our hands are full, filled with tasks, demands, relationships and material possessions that seem impossible release.

Our natural reaction is to hold on to what has been. The harder we hold, the more we crush whatever it is we have in our hands. Our will demands that life meet our agenda.

Gripping creates fear. The sense of crushing and being crushed is at the very core of the anxiety we create by resisting the flow of life. We become afraid of losing that which we have been acquiring. Everything seems precious. We must stop and ask, “Do I need this anymore?”  Can you allow yourself to be satisfied to say to yourself, “Thank you. I have enough.  Change is the basis of my life.  I can lose these things and still be me.”

Empty hands provide the clarity to reach out to others and live unfettered and joyuously. Empty hands are flexible and adaptable. They can reach out touch, feel, comfort, give and receive.

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