Whats next?

      One of the more empowering questions you can ask yourself when life throughs you a curve is "Whats next?" Things happen, change happens and it isn't always welcome or expected. Once you accept what is you are in a more spacious place to do something about it or with it. You can accept, acknowledge, regroup and ask yourself "what's next?" 

      Resistance and conflict comes from an inner state of opposition to what is.  When we are in an inner state of war we are literally dysfunctional.  It is extremely painful to live in a state of resistance. It takes a lot of energy to fight back, clench your teeth, put on blinders and try to change what is. 

      We have cultivated the mental habit of judging everything around us as good or bad, like or dislike. We also created internal habits of self blame and feel guiltily responsible for everything. "I have only myself to blame. I should have known better. I did this to myself." 

      It is most sad to me when I see someone in challenging health conditions be so wrapped up in self recrimination and blame that their body is too tense and stressed to even begin the healing process. Our body, mind and emotions are all interconnected and related. The first step to healing any condition in life starts with acceptance. 

      Acceptance is akin to paying attention. Life is our greatest teacher and is whispering to us at all times. Everything and everyone is our teacher, teaching us about ourselves. Are you sleep walking or living on auto pilot? Are you too busy in your mind, your habits and lists of should's to be present in the moment?  Are you living in a state of denial? Were there signs of change around you that you refused to admit, like in a relationship?  Do you ignore the messages from your body?  Pay attention to what you are paying attention to. 

If you don't pay attention to the problem, says Oprah, the pebble then becomes like a brick. "The brick upside your head is a crisis," she says. "[If] you don't pay attention to the brick upside your head, the crisis turns into a disaster and the whole house -- brick wall -- comes falling down."

      
      When you accept the moment for what is you can feel a sense of spaciousness and compassion deep within.  Free of resistance you open to the possibilities and solutions that can present themselves. "Okay here I am, whats next?" We can look to the past as the teacher and learn from our choices and actions. We learn what we want through the contrasting experience of that which we don't want. No need to take life personal. It is not happening to you but through you. Looking back we can see what works and what doesn't work so we can carry on with new ideas and actions. Edison and his 1000 attempts before a successful light bulb is a great example of accept, adapt and continue. 

      We can indeed continue with gritted teeth and resistance but you won't really go anywhere. The saying is "Wherever you go there you are." Release the inner conflict with what is, accept what life has offered you, know you are capable, open to solutions and do your best each day with what you have. 

    PS:  The worst thing to ask is "WHY"  For me, asking why is like whining pathetically "Why? Why me? Why now" Whyyyyyyyy. You would have to travel back to the beginning of time to get the full answer. Empowerment starts with saying WHAT. What happened, what changed, what can I do about it now?