The fourth is the Principle of Least Effort – this is about functioning in life with effortless ease. If I find myself working really, really hard to make something happen, then I am missing what I am “supposed” to be doing. When we are in alignment with our higher good and with the Universe, then life is easier and flows, we are able to breathe through the so-called “rough” spots.
Case in point is my husband losing his job in March of this year. When it happened, he was frightened. He started to move into a bit of a panic about living on one salary and being able to pay bills and keep up our house payments. I invited him to simply trust.
On his last day of work, he was offered a job which started the very next day. They told us they would be moving us to Denver. The housing market looked bleak and our first thought was: how can we sell our house fast, get what we want for it and buy the house we want in Denver. He was already traveling to Denver weekly and being apart made this transition more complicated.
We began by accepting what was: we are moving to Denver, we have to sell our house and buy another and do so within the next 2 months. W decided to trust that everything was exactly as it “should” be. We put the house on the market; it sold for the asking price in one week. In 3 days, we found 2 houses that we liked in Denver. We decided to make an offer on the first one and if they accepted, then that was the right house to buy. Not only did they accept our offer, they agreed to move out in 2 weeks – which fit the timing of our move from our current home.
It all happened with such grace and ease – all along the way. We breathed deeply as things that would “normally” scare us surfaced and we simply observed and allowed them to be as they were, trusting that exactly what needed to happen would happen. I won’t bore you with all of the details. Within 7 weeks, we sold and closed on a house in Ohio, bought and closed on a house in Denver and moved into that home. Two days later I left our home full of boxes and my husband and cat for training in Montana. It all happened with grace and ease – like someone was orchestrating the whole event …smile … as was the case, I believe. We were exactly in alignment with what we were “supposed” to be doing.
Yes this was a great lesson for me/us. And yes, I keep re-learning it. Hopefully with more grace and ease each time!
So the first step towards Least Effort is acceptance. Accept what is. To activate this law begin by practicing (notice I said “practicing”) acceptance. Revise the past as the past is only a thought, a memory that is based on what you were feeling or thinking at the time. Accept what is right now. This is what is, “I am in a traffic jam and no one is moving. I have choices here: to get angry at the traffic jam or to turn on some music and sing while I wait for things to clear up. Or I can simply take deep breaths.” Recognize that each and every moment is an opportunity.
We create our own perspective on situations and experiences based on our history and past experiences. Rarely are we living in this moment right now.
Have you ever gotten into an argument and have a perspective (and the other person of course has theirs). Each is CERTAIN that they are “right.” Both you and they saw the situation from your own filter which distorts what “is.” Actually, each perspective is both correct and distorted. So you can re-create that past and make it what you really want it to be. And the fact is that we do that all the time anyway, only often to our own detriment – by looking through our distorted version. Think of a challenging situation with a partner, stepmother or friend and you fine that you can get angry about it all over again. We are literally making ourselves miserable by recreating past experiences through these distorted perceptions.
The Denver Post carries “Pot Shots” by Ashleigh Brilliant and recently the quote that caught my eye said: “Somehow I have to believe that I’m worth all the aggravation I cause myself.” That one is up on my refrigerator!
Create the future that you want – what is it that you want your future to be? Filled with joy and laughter? Or something else – we actually can and do create what we really, really want! Be honest with yourself. If you like all the drama and trauma, then keep it. Just know that you are keeping it because it serves you; on some level it makes you feel good, alive, full – know that this is a temporary “good” feeling. And also know that on another level, this is making you sick, draining and exhausting you and your resources. You are simply building your ego and missing your true essence.
And finally, the present is only this moment, right now. It is the only true moment. The past is thoughts and memories that get reworked each time we allow them into this moment now. You are responsible for how you feel, how you “react” to what is going on around you. Take total responsibility for the fact that your outer world is simply a reflection of your inner world. As you get angry, frustrated, accusatory, blaming – those simply reflect how you are thinking and feeling inside and have nothing to do with the other person. If what you are thinking and feeling doesn’t feel good to you, then change those thoughts and feelings.
How you ask? By stopping yourself, taking a breath, feeling your connection with earth, and reminding yourself that you are perfect exactly as you are in this moment. There is no blame. Stop yourself if you begin to blame and stop blaming others. Remember that what you see in others is simply a reflection of yourself … both the positives and the not-so-positives.
Pay attention to what is in this moment and give it your full undivided, un-multitasking attention.
Remember if you are working really hard to make something happen, struggling and struggling, then you are not in alignment with this principle and not in alignment with Divine timing or Nature or Spirit or Source or God (use the term that fits for you). And that doesn’t feel good at all.
You want joy in your life? Be joyful. You want happiness in your life? Be happy. You just want to feel good. Then feel good. Intend it and it will be.
When you wake up in the morning, set your intentions for today. And each time you slip away from those intentions, remind yourself and come back to them. It’s your life and your choices!