Buttons Pushed

[songbird]

Buttons Pushed
Cheryl Richardson


Last week I had a conversation with a good friend who shared a smart (and effective) exercise she uses to re-center herself when she gets her buttons pushed. As I listened to her describe the process, I knew I had to share it with you.

The next time you get your buttons pushed and you find yourself fixated on a negative experience, in the middle of a shame attack, or ruminating about something that's upset you, try this. Take out four pieces of paper and put one of the following four sentence stems on the top of each sheet:

1. I know I'm acting in alignment with my Highest Self when I...

2. The things that knock me out of alignment are...

3. When I'm out of alignment, the behaviors I engage in are...

4. The best actions for me to take to get back in line with my Highest Self are...

Once you have each sentence stem listed on a separate piece of paper, set aside twenty minutes to do a "mind dump" for each category. List lots of examples for each one. What do you do when you're at your best? How do you think? What actions do you take? What kinds of situations knock you off track? And then, what habits or behaviors do you engage in that keep you off track and feeling stuck? Finally, what do you do that helps you to re-center so you can get back in alignment with your Highest Self?

I intended to give you examples for each category but, after doing the exercise myself, I discovered that it's better not to have any preconceived ideas. They interfere with the process. So, let yourself go, write down whatever thoughts or ideas come to mind, and when you're done, I'm sure you'll learn something valuable about yourself. I know I did.  Have fun!


Don't wait to get your buttons pushed before doing this exercise. Instead, give yourself the gift of twenty minutes and use what you learn to respond differently the next time you're faced with a challenge. I'll post each individual sentence stem on my facebook page this week and invite you to share your ideas. But, don't look until you've done the exercise yourself . And be sure to use what you learn to keep yourself empowered and on track!

www.cherylrichardson.com.

[lavender orchid]

there might have been a first
and it would seem there definitely is a last
button to push
what should come afterwards?

[Lori Anne]

1. I know I'm acting in alignment with my Highest Self when I...

2. The things that knock me out of alignment are...

3. When I'm out of alignment, the behaviors I engage in are...

4. The best actions for me to take to get back in line with my Highest Self are..

I can answer some of these questions because I feel like I was fighting with my highest self for the last couple of days.  I've been having relationship issues,  it's ending and i have been trying to do it in a nice way.  Several people have told me I'm too nice and being a doormat so I seriously thought about doing things in a not nice way,  ie packing his bags and leaving them outside versus waiting patiently for the two weeks until his flight.

I was giving myself a stomach ache yesterday,  trying to do the not-nice thing against my better judgment just because I didn't wanna be a pushover.  Had a ruff day fighting myself.
It was only when I decided that these actions weren't true to myself and made a decision not to do them,  that I began to feel better and everything fell into alignment and then began to flow.
As a result of this, I was pleasantly rewarded,  a nice surprise but also something I needed very much.

So I know I am acting in alignment with my higher self when I feel at peace and the my life is in the flow rather than against it.
 

[//^\\]

~

"I did this...I did that....MY higher self vs Me..."  etc., etc.

Imho, when we artificially seperate ourselves in this manner it only causes more issues.  I-AM.  One, not two.

Figuring out and understanding 'the self' is a worthy endevour, and when a bit of this is revealed and understood most everything else falls into place.

[Lori Anne]

~

"I did this...I did that....MY higher self vs Me..."  etc., etc.

Imho, when we artificially seperate ourselves in this manner it only causes more issues.  I-AM.  One, not two.

Figuring out and understanding 'the self' is a worthy endevour, and when a bit of this is revealed and understood most everything else falls into place.

The point is though,  that I was separating myself, which is what was causing me to feel inharmonious....

True,  I am all one but there are definitely different aspects of the one.

[//^\\]

The point is though,  that I was separating myself, which is what was causing me to feel inharmonious....

True,  I am all one but there are definitely different aspects of the one.

Nice.

What are you doing to get to the root of the inharmonious feelings?

Sounds like a great opportunity...

[lavender orchid]

... to fall silent, yes. altogether.

[Lori Anne]

Nice.

What are you doing to get to the root of the inharmonious feelings?

Sounds like a great opportunity...

**What am I doing to get at the root..??***
Many different things actually,  a little meditation,  a little dreaming...
Aside from that I've begun tapping exercises as an emotional release and that seems to be dislodging some old stuff.

As usual awareness is important.  So, for me, once aware of the issue and its probable origin,  I usually talk about this with someone, or write about it,  particularly if there's a realization,  because I have a tendency to forget and fall back.  If I tell someone else or write about it,  kind of seals the deal. 

I like what you say here, |+|:

Figuring out and understanding 'the self' is a worthy endevour, and when a bit of this is revealed and understood most everything else falls into place

.