More money? A thinner body? A different job? A bigger house? A new car? A trip around the world? Someone to share your life with? A child? A new wardrobe? World peace? What do you want?We often want people, places, and things because of the feelings they’ll create…the jolt of excitement, the rush of adrenaline, the wave of pure contentment.
There’s nothing like that moment of raw joy when all your senses inhale, “I got exactly what I wanted!”
We might think it’s the new car that creates our feelings of pride and joy; yet it’s really our thoughts about the bright, shiny object that create our feelings.
For example, what if today you got a super big raise, inherited a lot of money, or won the lottery, how would you feel?
Mostly likely you’d feel ecstatic overwhelming excitement, right? However, someone else might feel remorse, guilt, or even shame.
Why?
Because it’s not the raise or the money that creates the feelings. It’s the thoughts about the raise or the money that create the feelings.
If you think thoughts like, “I made it! My money worries are over!”, then you’ll most likely feel positive emotions such as excitement, exhilaration, and thrilling elation.
If you think thoughts such as, “I don’t deserve the money. What will people think of me?”, you’ll most likely feel guilt, shame, and remorse.
So, back to my question, “What do you want?”
“What do you really want?”
Do you want people, places, and things or do you want the feelings that the people, places, and things create?
In other words, what feelings are you seeking that you believe certain people, places, and things will create?
Be honest with yourself.
When we really contemplate the question, we discover that the people, places, and things that we want in our lives we want so that we can feel certain feelings, such as happiness, excitement, peace, joy.
We’ve never really stopped to consider that we can create the feelings we desire without having to have the person, place, or thing! Cool, right?
So then…
How do you want to feel?
Think about it.
What if you could create the feelings that you want most in your life without any attachment to people, places, and things?
What might be possible if we could feel exactly how we want, anytime, anywhere, simply by changing our thoughts?
Here’s what I think might be possible.
The percentage of DUI’s and drug convictions would decrease.
We’d let go of expecting other people to fulfill our emotional needs.
No longer would we be burning up are bank accounts and credit cards.
Food could go back to being fuel instead of comfort.
We could simply think thoughts such as, “I have exactly what I need,” “I accept myself as I am right now,” “I love all people unconditionally,” and “I feel great!” or any feeling that we want!
It doesn’t mean that we won’t experience negative thoughts or strong, painful emotions. It simply means that we have the capacity to create the feelings we want by changing how we think.
By managing our minds and choosing to think thoughts that create our desired feelings or feelings that serve us well, we discover that we no longer need to run up the credit cards, eat ourselves into a food coma, or drown in a Black Box, in order to feel good.
We can literally feel anyway that we want simply by using our minds.
Sending you inspiration,
Brian says
Important stuff to remember.
Kelli says
Thanks, Brian. I appreciate you taking time to respond. It continues to blow my mind how I can feel exactly how I want to feel simply by changing my thoughts. Wild! Reminds me of one of my favorite Geneen Roth quotes, “What we are looking for is who is looking.” Thanks again! Take care, ~Kelli