“Accept–then act. Whatever the present moment contains, accept it as if you had chosen it…This will miraculously transform your whole life.” Eckhart Tolle
Our minds are so powerful. What we think about dictates so much of how we feel in the rest of our bodies. When we are in gratitude, love and acceptance, our bodies feel peaceful and our parasympathetic nervous system is active, keeping us soothed, calm cool and collected. Our aura is in a healthy expanded state, and we feel open and connected with all that is.
In contrast, when we are feeling frustrated, angry or stressed, the sympathetic aspect of our nervous system is turned on, filling us with cortisol and adrenaline as if we’re ready for battle. Over time this leaves us feeling exhausted and depleted energetically. Our aura contracts, and we feel closed down and disconnected.
Perception is so powerful. When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change. I talk to many people who are stuck in fear, knowing intuitively the right direction to go in but feeling stuck, or feeling frustrated at the way their life is but not knowing how to change.
It’s so important to have some awareness around how your mind is perceiving things in your life and shifting those perceptions if they are no longer serving your highest good.
I talk to many people about situations in their lives that create frustration. I pay attention to the language that they use when they are describing things in their lives that create distress.
Often, people use language like “It’s too hard” or “Why do I have to do this” or “If I only had that (fill in the blank) things would be amazing.”
Resistance, resistance, resistance! It’s normal and human to be triggered into resisting what is. In order to transcend this human experience and connect to the freedom of the universe, practice acceptance.
When we can remember that we chose all of this and remind ourselves of the gratitude and learning that can come from this, our lives feel much easier and more fun.
Here are some ways to practice staying in the energy of “I chose this” instead of “why me?”
1. Notice when you are Feeling Stuck or Frustrated:
Thoughts such as “Why me?” and “I don’t want to” are indicators that you are not in aligned energy.
These types of thoughts indicate that you are in victim mode, rather than remembering that you are a powerful cocreator of your life.
When you notice this is happening, don’t judge yourself. You have to practice awareness of your patterns before they can change.
Simply create awareness of this pattern and what triggers it, so that you can work on shifting it with kindness and compassion towards yourself in the process.
2. Doing Hard Things is Hard:
When you “have” to do something, practice tricking your energy system into remembering that it chose this instead. 
Whether it is an annoying chore, or you are procrastinating because of fear that you are not enough, a simple perception shift is amazingly helpful.
It can be hard and scary to make changes, but practicing reminding yourself that you are choosing this, even though it sounds simple, really helps rewire your neurotransmitters.
When you can shift your perception to “I’ve chosen this, and I’ve chosen to feel really great about this,” everything changes.
For example, if you are struggling to clean your bathroom, remind yourself that you are grateful to have a bathroom to clean, and you are excited to have a lovely clean bathroom afterwards. You don’t have to clean it; you are choosing to, so that you can enjoy taking a lovely bubble bath in a sparkly clean bathtub afterwards.
This allows you with practice over time to feel more excited and energized and have the drive to do the things you really want to do.
3. Remind Yourself that You Chose This:
Gently remind yourself that you are empowered and are choosing the things in your life. You are powerful!
You chose your husband or wife, you chose your job, you chose all of it, so you can make a different choice if it’s not serving you!
All day long, when you notice yourself feeling victimized, practice reminding yourself that you created all of this.
When you are annoyed with your child, think about what you appreciate about them, when you are frustrated by your house, remind yourself of the excitement you had when you moved in to increase your appreciation again.
4. Shift into Gratitude:
Mad at your job? Remind yourself that you chose it. You are not a victim. It allows you to pay your bills and have the life that you currently have.
When you are mad at your boss, or not getting a promotion, etc.., remind yourself that you are choosing all of this.
You can still find a new job if it’s not a good fit for you, but first cultivate gratitude for all of the gifts in your current situation. In order to manifest something new, you have to have your energy in a high, empowered state.
Trying to find a new job when you are feeling like a victim in your current job will only recreate that same pattern in your next job.
If you can shift your frequency, remember that you chose all of this, and then make changes if you still choose to, you will attract a role that will match your new, more empowered energy!
Acting as if you have chosen all of the events in your life increases your energy, your motivation and your alignment with the universe.
Reminding yourself when you are in resistance or fear about circumstances in your life “What if I chose all of this?” and “I choose to do this, and I feel great about it!” brings you back to the truth of your powerful higher self.
It reminds you that you are not a victim. That you are a powerful co-creator, here to learn and evolve through contrast. There are no problems, and that evolution is a beautiful thing.
Read more about Relationship Issues with Shana Olmstead.
