I'm a creature of habits. I will do things and not even know why I'm doing them. They shape our reality. I can't even call habitual living "autopilot" - because on autopilot you set the compass, the parameters, the intention and then you let the machine fly itself. Its conscious sailing - smooth sailing. But you are still awake.
One of my habits is how I shop and consume. I'm doing my best to wake up and shift these habits - but yes, habits are hard to shake - hence why they are habits. I would buy things just because they were on sale, or they were pretty, or in that moment they felt good - sometimes and often shopping would fill a void for me. Only temporary, but then, I was left with stuff, mess, chaos and nothing that I truly needed. Now, a burden with a twist of shame.
But here's the good news, habits can shift when we choose to move with intention. Setting an intention changes everything.
As stated, my shopping habits were to just buy. I'd get what I wanted/needed (and sometimes a little bit more - "oh look at that sparkly thing over there" - because I would get distracted) and just swipe my debit card. Mindless, thoughtless, careless - habitual.
I had been using a neighborhood boy to mow the lawn and he recently moved. Alas, it was time to decide how I would care for the lawn - I decided to do it myself. Which means - I need to get a lawnmower. This time, I decided to set an intention before I went shopping. "What would it be like to stay within a budget," I wondered. So, I put $125 cash in my pocked and set my intention. "My intention," I say out loud, "is to return home with cash in my pocket."
When I got to HomeDepot I went straight to the lawnmowers and oh no! There were two options of the pushy-pushy lawnmowers. (Thats what I call them, the ones that the blades spin when you push them) One was $199 and the other $100. Now, habitual Becky would without a doubt go for the $199 - because by default the more expensive one is better, right? I touched the box, I stroked it, I wanted it.
"My Intention" I heard a voice I recognized - "Is to come home with cash in my pocket."
I grabbed the $100 pushy pushy mower. "Don't you want a cart?" Ailene the nicest HomeDepot employee out there asked.
"Nope, I'm carrying this over my head in victory and celebration" And I did - all the way to the checkout.
Friends, I came home with CASH IN MY POCKET and the exact tool that I needed and the victory dance didn't stop at the check out. You betcha I was tempted at the garden center, the hanging baskets of succulents but that feeling of living my life with intention and that cash in my pocket kept me so focused. I had a mantra that kept me within my parameters - "I want to return with cash in my pocket" It was easy to walk by those hanging baskets. Now, I'm flying on autopilot - smooth sailing.
And it just gets better, it really does. My kids were so pumped up by this mysterious lawnmower. That the very next day, they got up early and made sure they didn't wake me up. Assembled it on their own and started to mow the back yard. And because it was the quiet pushy pushy kind - I never woke up to that intrusive mower engine. I woke up to my kids in bliss in the backyard, my lawn mowed and $25 STILL IN MY POCKET YA'LL!! I swear, they mowed the lawn all day. So much so, they started 'lawn - bombing' the neighborhood - mowing front yards around our street.
I'm so grateful for this lesson, to shift from the habits that have shaped me to choosing my intention, shaping my reality, my desires, my wishes and living life smooth in the auto-pilot lane feels pretty nice. We were all rewarded for this, my kids, my neighbors and my pocket.
I appreciate and honor each and every one of you - your work, your flow, your intention, your journey. Thank you for allowing me and Village to be a part of it.
I'm grateful to share this incredible story that had a huge impact on my life. I'm always a work in progress and believe that I am the greatest projects I can ever work on. Starting next Tuesday Aug 21, I am offering to YOU to work on YOUR PROJECT - YOU!! Practice 10 days of intentional living with me with my "Master Your Morning" program. It is $10 a day for 10 days. If you want to know what its like to shift your morning routine (like checking your phone first thing in the morning) to mastering your morning with intention Reply to this email or find me Saturday at Village (www.facebook.com/VillageWalnutCreek) to sign up. There is only room for 8 people ready to shift their habits.
In gratitude,
Becky
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