How dropping the extras allows me to live more vibrantly
Opinion
By: Shlomo Fishman
Capital Recreation is in business to make recreation accessible to all. I am not here to tell you the what, the who, and the when. I am here to support and encourage your positive behaviors. I am a Certified Recreational Therapist (CTRS) breaking down barriers to leisure and recreation participation. This blog is here as a tool to spread my personal thoughts and ideas. But most of all, to create community!
For those who know me, or who have been following my blog – I apologize in advance – for this is not the first time I talk and write of this topic. The topic is, Letting Go To Live More, and how flipping the FOPO (Fearing Other Peoples Opinions) switch to OFF is allowing me to be more of myself and less of what is ‘expected’ of who I need to be.
We all know the idea that, the sum of what we do regularly makes you into the person you are today. When you focus on the good and positive, good things are bound to happen. The same is unfortunately true of the opposite. It is the lenses we wear and the eyes we use to look at things and the world around us. We can wear pink rose colored glasses, or we can wear ‘negative Nelly’ lenses. That is, the glasses are a metaphor to life and to the way we live. It does not mean, nothing bad or adverse is ever going to happen. Rather, it is the way in which we choose to react to the experience is what ultimately is the ‘x factor’ in this equation.
Here is a real-life experience that happened to me just a few short weeks ago. I was out and about driving my car of 6 years and 100,000 miles. It was a good car. It was the first car that I purchased (used), but still good. I took care of it and was hoping it would last for another 100,000 miles. That was until one day, when everything changed. I was out driving in-town and was planning to take the highway as a faster route to go from where I was to my home. As I was about to enter the highway entry ramp, I noticed my brakes were not working quite right. It made me concerned. Instead of going onto the highway, I made a U-turn (legally of course) and made my way to my car dealership at a snails pace. At the dealership it was made known to me that I had sticky brakes. Sticky brakes are extremely dangerous and could lead to brake failure or an accident. Furthermore, I was made aware that there were several other issues too … thus rendering my car undrivable. You must understand, at this time I needed to get to work, take care of several errands, and ultimately get my self back on the road for a trip to NY. This could have unraveled really fast!! There was lots I could have been upset about. However, instead of focusing on the things outside my control — I decided to focus on the things I could. That was my response and interaction with the others I was interacting with.
One. I took several deep breaths and said to self, everything will be okay, even if it doesn’t seem that way in the present moment. Two. I was appreciative to myself for not getting on the highway and complimented the individuals and team who were helping me. Three. If this happened to me, I know I was put in this situation for a reason, and I have the tools to get myself from ‘crisis’ to ‘control’.
Last but not least, I focused on the things I could control and let go of everything else. In real-time, it took a conscious effort to keep myself cool and under control. Because focusing on the uncontrollable is not something I want to do. Further, by keeping cool and levelheaded I was able to think more clearly and make better choices.
I know this example could be applied across all spectrums and boundaries. It is not about my one individual case. It is about the underlying messaging of the ideas and concepts that are seen throughout. I know this applies to all of us regularly. By letting go of the things outside of our control we could live more vibrantly and increase our life satisfaction.
I challenge you to challenge yourself. The next time you find yourself stuck in a pickle — Take a few deep breaths and tell yourself, everything will be okay – even if it doesn’t seem that way at the moment. This is your moment! This is your opportunity to be your best self! What are you going to do?
Finally, I always love hearing from you and your personal journey. Share your moments of growth and success on social media using the hashtag #shlomotrained
Until next time – peace, and virtual fist bump going your way!
Capital Recreation 