Attitude… mine foremost.
Is that not a fundamental, if not the most fundamental, ingredient of any experience we might have?
Our attitude – our disposition directly relates to how we perceive, experience and conduct ourselves.
I was gobsmacked when I caught myself out one weekend recently. I had signed up for a 3-day course that ran over the weekend and I was fully aware of that fact. I was also fully aware of what it entailed; hours, commitment, the fact that it would be online. I chose to sign-up and felt quite excited about the prospect of learning.
The weekend arrived. There I found myself waking up ‘early’ quite disgruntled… it was a Saturday morning after all and I’d had a long week. I had to log on 10 minutes before the course started, which of course I did not – they wouldn’t get my time until 1 minute before the course was due to start. I couldn’t in any case be bothered with all the ‘ahh’s’ and ‘ooohs’ before the course started…
I was then rather irritated by the fact that I had to sit on my bum, indoor for hours, and my involvement to begin with was pretty ‘off’ to be honest. I wasn’t fully participating and I was quite judgemental and negative towards the presenters and other people in general. My heart was not in it, yet I chose to sign up myself. How did that happen? Was it only me? Was this a one off?
I then thought about the classes I taught, group and individual, and I scanned the list of names in my brain and I started to assign ‘attitudes’. The reality, at times, is that I wonder why some even sign up for the class as ‘they are so NOT in the mood’ – it’s as if there is an internal war, someone telling them ‘you should’ and yet someone else telling them ‘I cannot be bothered’ or ‘I am too tired’…
Back to the course. We had to introduce ourselves and then we each had to say, as an individual: “I take full accountability to be present throughout this course, starting with being present now. I take full accountability for my experience during the course. I take full responsibility for the outcome of my course.”
That introduction has been a game-changer in my life. Completely. I took full accountability. It was as if someone threw cold water over me and woke me up to my reality. From a despondent, negative disposition to an alert, fully engaged mindset.
I now apply that attitude to everything I do. There was not much of a victim, however glimmers of victim inside of me at times. Those glimmers are very few and very far between now.
I hope that you are feeling the rise in your chest and the feeling of empowerment that I feel as I write this.
My next patient is here for a full body treatment; she wants nurturing. I will start my session by asking her whether she is fully present for her nurturing session and whether she is ready to take full accountability for her relaxation and nurture.
An Accountable Attitude – I Applaud.
Live a Fully Engaged Life.
Make a Masterpiece of your Life.
