I'm fortunate to be in Mexico, up in the mountains, with the locals, able to practice my very rudimentary Spanish - it's very far from my norm; by day I love the local vibe and at night I see the sunset, the twinkling lights of the city below and sometimes even fireworks.
But... the noises - muy ruidoso!
As I am trying to work, sleep, read or talk on the phone I am distracted by so many sounds - most annoyingly barking dogs. I really dislike barking dogs. But these barking dogs are mine, at least temporarily, while I house/pet sit for my friend in Puerto Vallarta. Add on the roosters, the hammering of metal and other sounds of life here and I'm really reminded I am not in Kansas anymore.
My WOTQ (word of the quarter) is 'listen' and so I am - but I'm hearing too much and it's driving me up the wall.
Well, it was driving me up the wall until I had a change of heart.
I can't stop the roosters from cock-a-doodle-doing. I do not influence the construction. And me running around after the dogs yelling at them to shut up (callate in Spanish) only made me (and them) more stressed.
So I am doing some open heart 'surgery'.
So I chose to release it. I chose to let it go. I chose to embrace the sounds that make this experience unique. I chose to think of the good; the roosters are a sign of prosperity for the mountain people who are my temporary neighbors, the construction is work for them and 'my' dogs, who were rescued from the street, take their job of protecting this home very seriously. I am safe here. I am living in their space.
With a nod to the book, Living Untethered, by Michael Singer (a book so meaningful to me that I plan to read it again this year) I will try to let go of the little things, the things beyond my control, the things that won't matter this time next year.
I will try, instead to focus on what I have some possibility of controlling; my thoughts, my mind, my feelings. I will check in with myself to see if my heart is open or closed. I will try to live with my heart open to what is put in my path.
The interesting thing about this process was that I didn't notice when the noise stopped, I only noticed it when it started again. So then I would release the noise again, focus on my breathing, imagining my heart opening and the annoyance would slip away.
Now...your life, your version, your plan...
What are you tolerating?
Can you do something proactive about it?
If so, what are you willing to do to make it better? If it was going to get better on its own it probably would have by now; perhaps it is time to take action.
If this tolerance is not in your circle of influence, what three things you can do to stop it from being a burden to your mind/heart?
Open heart 'surgery', it's one more tool you can use to live Your Life, Unlimited.
Cheering for you, Steph
On The Road with Steph - There's a first time for everything!
