Success In Progress

Success In Progress

I am always fascinated by what we can find out when we observe. We can see what we are committed to just looking at what is in our lives. Usually, we are successful at the things we are committed to, because of that commitment, and yet, so often we feel like failures.

Attitude is the Coyote Trickster of mental health.

When I am committed to, and successful at something I don’t like, I don’t see the amazing dedication to that thing, I only see something that makes me a “bad person”, or a failure, or some other unsavory aspect of self. I don’t see the behaviors that lead me to accomplishing something I’m committed to, and I certainly don’t seem to feel successful when I succeed.

I feel like a failure, but the only failure is my failure to see my success.

Trickster.

So, I need to take a step back, as an observer, and observe my life without that attitude of judgment attached. I need to see what I’m committed to, and then I need to see where I have been successful in that commitment.

Am I fat? Then I am committed to being fat. It’s that simple. I may need to change my diet, I may need more movement, I may need to address deep, emotional issues, but I certainly need to change my commitment.

Am I poor? Then I am committed to poor-ness. I may need to change jobs, gain some knowledge, deal with my beliefs about money, but I certainly need to change my commitment.

I know people with long-term health issues. Some of them are committed to living a quality life, full of happiness and connection, and satisfaction. Some of them are committed to The Chronic, and complaining their lives away. Both sides are successful.

Until I make the decision to look at my life with open eyes, and open heart, to own my choices, to own my commitments, I’m just stuck. I can’t change anything until I commit to it, and I can’t commit to wellness when I am committed to feeling bad. It’s like those 1-10 scales where they have you pick a number between one and ten, where one is “hate it” and two is “love it.” We don’t get to pick two on the same scale.

Sometimes, our commitment is unconscious. Oy. The way I can tell is by looking at something I think I’m committed to, and if I’m not getting the results I want, and I think I’m doing everything I can, I’ve got some unconscious program cooking. Creative Questions can help you shake it all loose. How could I be slim? How would I have $20,000 in a rainy day fund? How can I enjoy the wellness I have?

When I feel like a failure, I act like a failure, despite all the successes I rack up. Owning my choices, owning my commitments, owning my successes, is a way of owning my personal power, my own strengths, talents, and brilliance. When I own that, I can harness my own self to work for my benefit, rather than the benefit of my glooshy, unconscious mind. I am a way better boss.

How have I changed from dismissing my successes to owning my amazing power of accomplishment?

(c) Pam Guthrie 2013 all rights reserved 07132013