Believing there’s a reason to suffer? Join me in inquiry!

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It’s funny when the calendar year changes, it makes many of us think about the Whole Year ahead.

That other year, the one we just had, is now over.

We’re using a different number now when we write out the date, and we’ll keep doing this for 365 days in a row, all over the world.

I see and hear people saying things like “let’s have a great 2016!” or “make 2016 your best year ever!” or “set your 2016 goals NOW, no time to lose!”

Now, don’t get me wrong.

Those are sweet ideas, and can be encouraging, good ideas.

Except….we have absolutely no control, no way to really truly assert this “great” year we’d like to have. No way to predict the actual outcome.

And it doesn’t take special goal-setting or drive or discipline to have a great year.

It’s even better that that.

Right now, today, you can live, feel and be what you hope to have by the end of this year.

That’s it.

I know it sounds weird.

But why wait?

I’ll explain.

OK, so let’s say you’re single and you want a partner. Or, let’s say you have a business and you’d like to double your income (or multiply it by ten–I crack up with all the 10x this and 10x that). Or, let’s say you want a new job. Or, how about finishing that book (my thought) or getting into tip top physical condition or reconciling with your dad or moving to a more compatible home, or serving your community in a bigger way, or repaying your debts, or speaking on a stage to 1000 people.

All valid, beautiful, positive visions.

And I love bringing attention to this moment, NOW.

In fact, it’s the only way any of these visions for a future ever actually come into reality.

Today.

It’s a lot easier than picturing the whole entire year and all those days and all that work.

When we consider huge projects and pushing and effort and persistence….

….you can get really exhausted, just thinking about it.

You can start out super crazy strict, and hyper-alert or disciplined, and pretty soon you’re burned out, and unhappy, and your thoughts are that it’s not worth it.

Too hard.

Instead, I love questioning the thought (because it can be very stressful) that this year I must accomplish x, y, z.

So like I said…..

….how about looking at today, instead?

Here’s what I mean, or how you can work with your visions and thoughts about a great future.

Let’s say I like the idea of making more money.

First, I explore my beliefs about why on earth I would want more money.

What would more money give me, if I had it?

Security, breathing-easy, more empty down time to relax.

I could share more money and experiences with my children and family or others in need, I could travel to more meditation retreats, or exotic places like Istanbul or Europe or Vietnam. I could fix all the broken things in my house. I could buy an electric car.

Life would surely be more fun, exciting and learning-filled.

With money.

Yep, that’s what I need more of.

Is it true?

(See how I snuck self-inquiry in there? I know, it was clever).

Well….it sure seems like with more money I could do all those things and therefore have happiness, relaxation, freedom and joy.

But is it absolutely true I need money to have these things?

No.

How do you react when you believe more money is better for you in the upcoming year?

Wow, I focus on it like crazy. I stay up late working. I get frantic creating new programs and packing in as much as possible to my daily schedule. I don’t even care about my daily quality of life, or spending much time with my children or family. I feel jealous if my friends are leaving for Thailand. I feel awkward when I get invited to someone’s house for dinner and they live in a palace. I’m assessing how much money I “think” people have when I really don’t know. I get resentful of paying taxes.

Now for the wonderful question.

Who would you be without the thought you need to focus, push, reach this goal during this upcoming year?

Who would you be without this belief that more money is required, right here in this moment, looking around at your life?

I notice right now, I’m sitting on an airplane traveling from Los Angeles to Seattle where I live. I have a lap top. I have a tray table holding the lap top. I’m wearing a really beautiful and warm pink wool sweater. The sky out the airplane window is a ribbon of brilliant robin’s egg blue, then orange, then black at the edge of the earth.

My body feels warm and soooo relaxed.

I’m full of joy.

I think of my kids and family and husband and smile. Even my father, who has been gone for nearly 25 years I think of right now and feel a warm joy of “thank you”.

I have pictures flashing of an electric car, or a perfect house, or hiring an employee, or having adventures or going on meditation retreats or having the perfect body, and without the belief any of those are required for happiness or peace….

….I feel incredible freedom.

More money will bring security, ease, fun, safety, joy, success….

….could these qualities already be here, no matter what money is doing or not doing?

Wow. Yes.

I find examples of how what I think “more money” would bring, is actually already here.

You can do this with the thing or achievement you dream of, too.

As Byron Katie says….

….skip the middle man!

(In my case, skip the money–and this doesn’t mean reject the money, not at all).

Do you think you’ll be closer to what you envision for yourself by feeling joy, love, contentment, ease, relaxation, peace, gentleness, kindness, safety, security, calm right now in this very moment, today?

Or do you think you’ll be closer to what you envision for yourself by feeling angst, worry, upset, nervousness, anger, frustration, intensity, disappointment, fury, scarcity, or fear?

Ha ha, kind of hilarious, right?

Try the first way.

Even if you don’t reach your goals….

….you’ll have fun on your way down.

“You move totally away from reality when you believe that there is a legitimate reason to suffer.” ~ Byron Katie