What Does It Take For You To Pay Attention?

Planet Earth as a school is in some ways like an interactive computer game. If through your actions you are in violation of your karmic contract or on the wrong path, you will get the appropriate negative feedback. These reminders can come in all different shapes and sizes. Sometimes, they come in the form of a friend expressing concern, a bone-chilling nightmare or a little thought that slowly grows into an obsession, continuously tickling your brain. At other times, you will have a gut feeling that you should change your current course or it will lead to disaster. The question is; what does it take for you to listen?

When we don't listen to the gentler nudges, we do provoke the noisier, less pleasant wake-up calls in the form of illness, accidents or big losses in our lives. Some of us have to hit rock bottom in order to change our ways.

I used to be very stubborn and not yield easily, once I had decided on a specific trajectory.

Thirteen years ago, I got myself into some serious trouble and ended up in bed with viral pneumonia for six months. It took me another three years to fully recover my health.

In retrospect, I had to face how many warning signs I had chosen to ignore.

In my stubbornness, I held on to a relationship that I knew wasn't healthy for me. I overstayed for at least four years. During that same time I was going to school, I worked too much, played in a band and allowed my ambitions to run the show, I chose to ignore my physical limitations and any sign of exhaustion.

Well Ego, time to swallow some dust!

These days, I listen to the quiet wake-up calls and am a lot swifter at adjusting my course when necessary.

Discipline and stubbornness can be great allies in reaching certain goals, but be honest with your self, when they are nothing more than glorified ego messenger and executers.

Internally we have a choice to pay attention or to plow ahead.

I have learned that pacing your self oftentimes is the wiser choice when it comes to long-term strategies.

Pay attention and learn to cooperate with the greater flow of the Universe and you might be in for a less bumpy ride.