This morning while I was meditating, the lyrics to the Rolling Stones song, You Can't Always Get What You Want, popped into my mind out of nowhere. Just these two lines zipped through: "You can't always get what you want; you get what you need." It was bizarre. But I tried to just let it float by like clouds, because that's what I was supposed to do while meditating.
Later, I let myself think about those lines. I remembered that recently my Zen teacher had said something to the effect of, "We don't always like what happens to us, but we can always trust that what happens to us is in the best interest of our enlightenment." (Insert disclaimer here in case I totally mangled or misheard what my Zen teacher said!) If what my teacher was saying was true, then maybe that is the "you get what you need" part?
I do believe that. When I think back on my life all sorts of things have happened that I didn't like or didn't want. But they did end up serving me in some way.
HOWEVER, and this is an important however to me, I also believe we CAN get what we want. In fact, my experience has shown me that when I turn my attention to something, when I focus energy on getting something I want, it often happens.
So as I enter the new year, I am thinking about holding these two beliefs simultaneously. I know life will bring me things that I don't like and can use as grist for ye ole enlightenment mill. But I also know that I want to do everything I can to CREATE what I want.
This is where the title to today's post comes in. The question of how we bring more of what we want into our lives. How do we start taking steps toward creating the life we want? How do we believe in ourselves and the possibility of our own dreams?
Recently I've been following the work of someone who is an expert at visualizing what she wants and seeing it come to fruition. It's someone you may have heard me speak about on Facebook or in the newsletter — my friend and Mastermind buddy, Pam Sterling.
Pam is dedicated to living a life of outrageous joy. She is also dedicated to helping other people live lives of outrageous joy. I love that mission! I love how bold it is. I love how she courageously steps into it more and more for herself every single day. And how strongly she believes that it is possible for each and every one of us to live amazing, extraordinary lives.
Simply Celebrate interviewed Pam for our January Lively Conversation, Dream Building: Is Your Dream Worthy of You and I encourage you to listen in to hear about Pam's personal journey, as well as the teachings that have organically grown out of her life and studies. Click here to access the free audio. You can download it as an MP3 and listen in the car or while walking!
This week, Pam has also begun a series of short videos, which ask key questions about whether the dreams we have are worthy of us. That's right. Not about whether we are worthy of our dreams. But are THEY worthy of us. I've watched the first two and have gotten so much out of Pam's warm and heartfelt stories, as well as the evocative questions she poses. The video series is absolutely free and you can access them here.
Once you listen to the Lively Conversation and watch Pam's videos, mark your calendar to "meet" her live when she joins us for Happy Hour on Monday, January 10 at 12n on the Simply Celebrate Facebook page. If you've never joined us for Happy Hour, click here for easy instructions. I hope you'll stop by to share your thoughts, ask some questions, or begin dreaming aloud with us.
We can't always get what we want. But sometimes we can! Let's work together to make that happen. Let's join Pam in creating and living lives of outrageous joy! You in?!
Photo copyright The Image Bank