Here in Oregon we’re pretty excited to have the U of O, undefeated Ducks football team head for the championship game in just a few days. I am taken with Coach Kelly’s approach to life –
his mantra is ‘win the day’.
It’s not look ahead and be sure you win the next game, or look further ahead and get all stressed about whether you’ll win a bowl, or a championship. Instead, it’s BE ‘here‘ NOW. He simply has said and continues to say every day to his team –
‘Win the day‘.
What does ‘win the day’ mean to you?
As we enter the fabulous, sparkling and magical entrance to 2011, a year I’ve heard that’s called the ‘double heart’ where love doubles, and doubles again, and again, yes inside of you. Yes, inside of you and spilling out from you, to all those around you. Somehow that feels like it’s winning the moments and translates into ‘winning the day’.
I’m convinced now and in 2011, more than ever before our focused thoughts will come into physical form faster than we can imagine. This can be a great thing if we have exercised the ability to focus on the things that make us feel good, and if we haven’t – well, pay attention to what you are thinking, and especially repetitively thinking. Notice your thoughts, where are they? What are they focusing on most? What’s going on inside of you? What are you seeing in your mind’s eye most?…those are the things that are expanding the most and will come into being whether we like them or not! Notice the chair you are sitting on, it once was a thought in someone’s mind who saw the picture in their minds eye and continued focusing on it until it was a physical creation that you are now enjoying. I’m all for creating a year of utter and complete in-JOYment.
And so, for me ‘winning the day’ is all about the moments in each day, one day at a time and gently noticing our thoughts, are they making us feel good?… and if they aren’t, compassionately bringing them back to a thought that makes us feel better, a place where we can see in our mind’s eye a beautiful, happy, flowing (and often ‘pretend’) picture that makes us smile from inside out. If we can create new pathways in our brain, sweetly exercising our mind into creations of joyful moments, moment to moment then the golden brilliant threads of gratitude weave into the tapestry of our day the most magnificent life lived….in this moment, this day, the one we chose to just simply ”win the day’.
Do I worry? yes – sometimes, and thankfully it’s a tiny fraction of what I used to. I think I came by it more naturally than others! – my grandmother who I adored used to always tell me to expect the worst so I wouldn’t be disappointed in outcomes! Can you believe it???! – if that doesn’t put you on a continual ‘worry’ path I don’t know what does!!..and yes, she had the biggest heart and was the biggest ‘worrier’ I know. Worry is a bunch of consuming thoughts compounding and expanding on each other of the worst possible scenario. This year, let’s create something very, very different. Even if the things you worry about might be true, there are so many more things completely wonderful and opposite of those worry thoughts that are true also – choose to focus your thoughts on those wonderful ‘true’ things, and watch your world simply change before your eyes! Then get clear about what you want, the life you’d live that would feel so alive, free, flowing, joyful, abundantly wonderful – absolutely pretend; play in your imagination happy things (ps. worry is playing in your imagination unhappy things). Playing in happiness – See yourself there, feel yourself there…and whenever your mind drifts back into old thought patterns, be gentle and loving with yourself and bring them back to play where your heart smiles. Begin with yourself and your conversation with you – speak softly, with love and compassion to you and wrap your arms around you… Win the day!!! and when you look back over 2011 you will have experienced the most magnificent year, far surpassing all of your happiest expectations, and it will be the life you consciously created, one day at a time – just ‘winning the day‘ today, and the next today.
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