By Tanya Kawan
This new project I’m working on has to do with developing a program to help people take control of their lives. For that I need to interview several people and, thus, be able to know how to help them in the best possible way.
I placed an ad on social media with the aim of getting people for my research. I was very surprised to receive so many people willing to help me, so I scheduled several appointments for the following week.
The interviews would be via zoom so, a few hours before our appointment, I was very happy to sent the link to the first person I would interview. After a few minutes, she told me that she would have to move the appointment for later because of health reasons, she had to go to the doctor. I sent the link to the second person, with whom I would have the second appointment later in the day. I received a similar response, now related to their internet malfunctioning and she had to cancel the appointment.
This brought a lot of frustration in me, since something similar happens to me in my yoga classes, where there are also students who tell me that they are going to attend and cancel at the last minute.
I took the opportunity to observe that frustration in me, to ask myself why this situation was bringing such emotion. I realized that it was due to seeing the lack of commitment of people with themselves, when it comes to doing something for their own good. Knowing that, what makes us react negatively to the attitudes of other people, maybe because there is something of that in ourselves, I asked myself the following question: what is the way in which I am not committing myself with my own being?
I do not commit to myself by taking the actions of others, as an excuse to fail to meet my goals and self-sabotage my project. Nor by having negative thoughts towards myself and towards people who behave in the same way, since, as a result, I vibrate in an energy that is not good for me. Another lack of commitment is by falling into depression and choosing to eat things that are not good for me, as well as going to sleep affirming in my mind that there is no point in continuing with this project.
After this questioning, I decided that I would not let myself be overcome by the first obstacle that presented itself and, with the best attitude, I continued my day transmuting that energy of frustration into creativity; that’s how this writing came about.
In response to my great energy, the Universe gave me a gift: the first person who canceled, called very excited to do the interview that same afternoon.
There is no doubt that one of the most important things in life is the attitude with which we face the challenges that are presented to us.
Like the man who, even having sex two or three times a day, and free food and shelter, complained about being in prison.
