Choosing Change or Contentment

When your life brings about uncertainty you have choices. You can choose to make changes or find yourself in a place of contentment.

When things aren't going right - relationship, home, work, job, your body - they can weigh heavily on you. 

We tend to forget that we have choices. Life is really nothing more than a series of choices made every single day. Most choices are made unconsciously, however. 

So when you recognize something is troubling you, make constructive choices - either to change or to find contentment with the situation. 

Making Change

Successful change requires that you create a plan and map out what the change you want is and what it's going to look like. Identifying how and what you need to make the change is an important part of the plan. 

When you do this work it is very empowering; you remember you have agency in your life. You are in the driver's seat. 

Coming up with a timeline is an important element in the planning for change as well. Elements of your game plan need to be plotted on your timeline. 

Change doesn't have to happen overnight, it may be months or even years in the making. But the positive thing is you are becoming the agent of change. 

Set a Sankalpa, an intention, of what you are working towards. This subtle element has the effect of changing the neuropathways of the brain.  You'll be even more embolden to change.

Finding Contentment 

With respect to contentment, when something is not going well sometimes it's a matter of making an attitude adjustment to shift the energy and thought processes around the issue. Shifting your attitude towards the issues from one of discontent to one of being content is within your capacity, though not always easy.

You can create a list of favourable and not favourable aspects of the issue. Draw your focus to the favourable list and move from there to begin making your attitude adjustment. 

Ensure that the issue, your job, for example, is not your "definer".  Your job, for example, is really a means towards an end. It is not you. 

Focus on things that bring you joy as your definer(s). 

Attitude adjustments can help you recognize some things aren't as bad as originally thought.

From a yoga perspective, it is our systematic practice of meditation, contemplation and more that allow us to move into these changes. We make these choices from a place of clarity and ease.

Through systematic and regular meditation you achieve a smooth and steady flow of the mind from where you can make your choices - to change or to find contentment - to serve your highest fortune. 

This, like everything, is a practice.