Are You Really Alive? -The Mind Loops Blog – May 2017
One morning I woke up while camping with my partner Jim in a completely FREAKY, AWESOME location and said… “Hey, let’s shoot a music video!” Always up for an adventure, he responded with an enthusiastic, “Sure!”
How does the video and song relate to Mind Loops – and possibly to your life? Because they’re are all about being fully ALIVE.
Want to see what we came up with? Check out the video here.
Here’s the thing: We all breathe, we all have hearts that beat… But is that all that’s required to be really alive?
To me, aliveness = a feeling of vibrancy, passion, excitement and gratitude for each moment.
After my near-death-experience in 2010, I realized the significance of every moment more than I ever had. Since that time, I do my best to not let my own mind/thoughts, behaviors, or other people get in the way of me feeling, living, and BEING truly ALIVE.
If you read my book, How To Stop Negative Thoughts, maybe you remember my description of what life was like for the month following my near-death-experience…
I was fully PRESENT, so life was truly astounding. Savoring food was an ecstatic experience. Things like bad dreams, people cutting me off on the freeway, or gross smells didn’t bother me at all because I realized they were just another facet to the experience of being alive. And music not only sounded richer to me, but the act of composing was amazing, because songs would just “download” into my head without me even trying. (The majority of tunes on my 2nd album, “Red,”were composed that way).
While (sadly) that super high level of presence didn’t stay with me to that degree after that wondrous month, I do remember what it felt like. That feeling – along with the near-death-experience in general – have guided my actions ever since.
So… Want to feel more alive? While there are a lot of ways to get there, here’s one of my favorites because it never fails to boost the “aliveness quotient”!
Take a step (even if small) outside your comfort zone.
Once our survival needs are taken care of, it’s easy to get comfortable. Why? Because avoiding risk and “playing it safe” can feel darn good! But the danger is that it can lead to a life that feels flat and sterile, or lead to a deep, quiet longing for more – whether that’s more adventure, purpose/meaning, or simply joie de vivre. And longing of that nature is NOT comfortable.
But when you take a step outside your comfort zone – which yep, means stepping into fear (just a tad!) – you instantly feel more alive!
Three ideas (just to get you started!) to move of your comfort zone:
- Is there a skill you’ve always wanted to learn (ie, improv acting) or an activity you’ve always wanted to do (shoot a music video on the fly perhaps?) that makes you feel a little scared – but excited at the same time? Take a step toward doing it today.
- Is there a person you need to express something to – whether that’s an apology, a boundary or need, or to say, “I really love and appreciate you”? Write a letter or email, make a phone call, or even better set up a time to meet with that person and make your voice heard.
- Is there a quality you want to possess: Adventurousness? Compassion? Playfulness? Creativity? Write it down, plus 3 different activities you could do that would express that quality – then choose one to do today.
What other ideas do you have to help move out of a comfort zone?
When you take (or took) that step… how do/did you feel?
Please SHARE your thoughts, experiences, ideas below – I’d LOVE to hear from you!
Wishing you a ton of aliveness this week!
Barbara
Barbara Ireland is a transformational speaker, singer, and founder of the “De-Looping Method” that stops repetitive, negative thoughts. She is author of the Amazon bestseller, How To Stop Negative Thoughts: What My Near Death Experience Taught Me About Neuroscience, Mind Loops, and Happiness.
HOW TO STOP NEGATIVE THOUGHTS 