How to prepare for LIFE's curveballs

Happy Friday World! 

It took me a little while to decide what topic to target as my first official Live 

Life Through Your Senses post.... But I have it now! Yuppy! 

Curveballs... Somebody even asked me what that terms is (insert Duuh!)

And then it got me thinking...

We all experience curveballs i.e. life's bitterness, at different times in our lives. Some of us have their first taste from the earliest age of three or four years old if we do happen to be born in a mentally or economically poor family. Others get a spoonful in their adulthood when their 20+ years job is being outsourced to India. All in all, curveballs come in all different sizes and shapes and.... You guessed it! C.I.R.C.U.M.S.T.A.N.C.E.S. 

Now, you would probably assume that I will bring in some research on circumstances, maybe some brain imaging on fmri to show you the actual areas of the brain that get activated when we go through our sorrows? Well, lets not do that! Let us take a step back, or forward, and look at Y.O.U. and I. 

Let's start with the beginning... Google dictionaries says:

curve·ball

ˈkərvˌbôl/

noun

BASEBALL

1. a pitch thrown with a strong downward spin, causing the ball to drop suddenly and veer to the side as it approaches home plate.

   • NORTH AMERICANinformal

     something which is unexpected, surprising, or disruptive.

     "there's always a curveball on every mission"

     
     

     Bingo! 

     
     

     Something disruptive! 

     
     

     Something that shakes up the status quo, a change in the direction of the winds, an extra teaspoon of jam on your morning yogurt, a regular 3% cappuccino when you asked for a decaf 1% white flat. Something that comes at you with full speed, you can't see it's aim but you know the target. 

     
     

     
     

     Can it be hurtful? Y.E.S. Can it be devastating? Y.E.S. Can it change your entire life? I certainly hope it does... 

     
     

     So let's take a stance here! 

     
     

     Let's create a legacy consisting of:

     
     

     1. Letting Go

     Of the thought that you can control everything. In our society YES it is important to have a plan, a second plan and a third plan, but this entire strategy is rooted in our own insecurities. We all feel the need to be in control of our choices, our careers, our friends, our minds... Exercising control in all areas of your life will only leave you empty and robotic. It depletes you of the enjoyment of surprise a.k.a. the curveball, and it leaves you frustrated and ravished like a tornado passing through a small Texas town. So instead of having a deadline for every single milestone in your life, why not allow it to simply happen? I really wish I could give you some stats and research papers on intuition and subconscious, but the truth is, we are all blinded in this area. All we know is that curveballs will shake us, and we can only fight back by letting go and camouflaging as best we can.

     
     

     2. Accepting Spontaneity 

     As it flows into your life. It really is great to have the big picture of how your existence will impact this Earth. It may be through your amazing career, your kind words and actions, your offsprings a.k.a. those adorable devils carrying your bloodline or simply calling you mom n paps. It really may be exactly how you envision every aspect of your life, however, the power of the unknown is much greater than accredited. Being open to these uncontrollable phenomenons called C.H.A.N.G.E.S. will prepare you to react accordingly when they actually do happen. All you need to do is stay open and believe that no matter what comes your way, good or bad, you will deal with it! Remember that HOW we react to things is more important than the curveball itself! Let me repeat that HOW WE REACT TO THINGS IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE CURVEBALL! Allow the unexpected your way and keep calm.

     
     

     3. Conditioning Your

      Beautiful mind. Keeping your mind active is important for both mental and physical health. Books are the most amazing gifts of life. What can be more powerful than to get in another person's head and observe their thought patterns? That's exactly what happens when we read... We go through someone else's mind! How is this helpful to us? The average person speaks to themselves at a rate of 300 to 1000 words a minute (i.e. speaks to themselves silently, in their own heads). How much more powerful do you think your mind will be if singing songs and thinking about the people you can't stand at work miraculously transcends into inspirational material, the anatomy of the human body and movement, the history of coffee? 

How can we bring these changes into our lives?

Enter R.E.P.E.T.I.T.I.O.N. ... and Google Calendar or any other gaged with a reminder!

Make time in your week to write in a journal, or a notebook, for 30 minutes. The topic should be you being open to the unforeseen wonders of life and willing letting go of being a ... ? You know it! Control freak! The words themselves do not matter so long you focus on this topic. You can narrate, write poems, draw flowers on your page, etc. But stay on topic! No 'Billy didn't clean the microwave again' divergences. 

Make time in your week to read! 

Make time in your week to read!

Make time in your week to read!

Make time in your week to read!

Should I go on, or are you getting this?

This week, I'd suggest Art as Experience - John Dewey. 

Now, be a NIKE and Just Do It!

oxx,

Andrina

P.S. We will be getting smart about coffee this upcoming Sunday, August 10, from 11-2PM at Boxcar Social Cafe (1208 Yonge St.) learning about the art of drinking coffee and how one espresso shot can make you happier, smarter and more successful in your life journey. Join us here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/the-rich-taste-of-life-through-coffee-tickets-12157586669?aff=eac2