Are you curious yet?
Life lessons from a Balinese rooster and a dog…
I am not sure exactly how much of a roosters head is filled with brain matter, but I am guessing it is not that much. So how could a rooster teach me such a profound lesson?
I guess you are going to have to read on to find out…
What I Realized #1: The things we notice when we become more conscious
Want to know my ‘purpose’ in life?
My ultimate purpose is to help people (and myself) become more conscious so we can make even better decisions and choices, which positively impact ourselves (in a healthy way), positively impacts others, and positively impacts this planet called home.
So I am always doing work on myself to increase my levels of consciousness (and the duration of my consciousness throughout a normal day).
When I become more conscious, I see things from a very different (and much broader perspective).
This is what I became conscious of when I brought my (conscious) attention to the sound made by a neighbours dog, and the sound made by a rooster.
1. The sound of a neighbour’s dog barking agitated me somewhat.
2. The sound of a neighbour’s rooster crowing (incessantly) did not bother me at all.
WHY?!?!?!
They are both noises. About the same volume. About the same distance away. For about the same duration (I am actually listening to both the neighbour’s dog bark and another neighbour’s rooster crow as I type this at my home in Bali).
And yes, the rooster sound does not bother me (even though when I pay attention it, it actually crows more frequently than the dog).
And yes, I am definitely a little more agitated by the dog barking.
WHY the big difference?!?!?!
What I Realized #2: If it is not the ‘noise’ that bothers me, what is it?
Are you ready for the great reveal?
Drum roll please maestro…
It’s the STORY that impacts my emotions in a different way. It’s NOT the noise. IT’S THE STORY.
And who creates the story that causes me to have a different emotional experience (neutral vs agitated)?
ME!!!!!
I am causing myself to feel different emotions, and trigger my autonomic nervous system in a different way (one less beneficial for my health and state of mind) because of the stories I have created, associated and have not challenged.
So (out of curiosity) what were the stories…???
What I Realized #3: Different stories = different emotions
Here is what I realised when I analyzed both stories.
Internal Story 1: The Rooster
It has a very small brain and it is just doing what it does. It’s natural. That’s what roosters do. They crow. And it is not always just in the mornings as the stories tell us, but throughout the day. But they don’t know any better and they can’t be trained not to crow…
Story 1 Summary = It’s a ‘natural’ occurrence.
Internal Story 2: The Dog
What is that dog barking at? Is there anything there or is it just barking for the sake of barking? When will it stop? Doesn’t their owner know how to train a dog to stop barking if there is nothing or no-one threatening their property? Is the owner stupid or something…judgement, judgement, judgement…
Story 2 = someone is doing something wrong (to me), which they should know better, and because they are not doing what they ‘should’ do when it comes to owning a dog, I have to put up with the noise of their dog barking. That is…someone is to blame. And my EGO cannot handle the thought of someone ‘doing something to me’ that I do not like.
Note: My consciousness outranks my ego, when I choose to turn it on.
What I Realized #4: I made up a story that might not be true
The story I made up about the dog might be true, or not true, or partially true.
Regardless; it is not an external experience (in this case a noise) that causes me to feel different levels of emotions. In the majority of cases it is the STORY I tell myself about the experience that has the greatest impact on the type and level of my emotions.
My new story about the neighbour’s dog is: ‘Their dog is barking’. The end.
And when I take the emotional story away I realise the dog is not barking all of the time. In fact, in a day, it might be making a sound out of its mouth for less than 0.5% of the day. Can I deal with that? Of course I can. I am not made of fine china. I will not crack or fall apart. Level up Carl Massy! What stories are you attached to or telling, which are not serving you?
Parting words
These days I practice getting CONSCIOUS and CURIOUS whenever I am being triggered by an external event or an internal dialogue.
I challenge my stories if they are not serving me. This is the essence of my latest book The Successful Mind.
This is what I do with all of my coaching clients. I see where they have the greatest ‘disturbance’ in their lives and then we curiously and with an open-mind see what the story is behind the disturbance. That is becoming more conscious and it is the path to freedom, peace and joy.
And this is what I have found…in the vast majority of cases the story my clients are telling themselves are either not even close to true, based on a series of assumptions, or is someone else’s story that they happened to be carrying around (for way too long!).
So again…what stories are you telling yourself that are messing with the agitation dial??
I would also like to publicly thank my neighbour’s rooster and dog for the wonderful lesson I got in what makes me react differently when it comes to different sounds entering my ears.
Let’s all get a little more conscious, and change our relationships, communities and the planet as a result.
Have a wonderful day.
Take care and much love.
Carl
Want help with getting clear about you path, priorities and a sustainable plan? Then get in contact. Just reply to this email or connect with me on Facebook. Also check out PROCESS YOUR LIMITING BELIEFS workshop if you want help with overcoming obstacles and getting clear of the stories and beliefs that are holding you back (and then processing them).