Pages

Sunday, December 26, 2010

Recognizing different choices.


My mind keeps going to that directive on the Lululemon bag, “Do one thing a day that scares you.”


Um. Okay.

And at the same time I am berating myself for buying into a part of a marketing message…

(I also think that I probably need to question my assumption that marketing messages should always be mistrusted. I understand that these messages are describing whom Lululemon sees as their customer base, but might these messages also be helpful? Is it possible, or do words necessarily loose integrity when they are harnessed to the marketing machine of a big company?)

But I’ve been realizing how much I seem to be drawn to activities and situations that make me feel “safe”. Perhaps making choices based on a promise of safety isn’t the best way to choose…

A part of me says, “Duhh,” here.

The safe choice I am talking about is a situation where I can predict a comfortable experience for myself.

Time to get uncomfortable, I think.

I'm not talking about real physical safety. I promise to do my best to maintain my health and needs for safety in life.

But, if I can predict a comfortable and easy experience, I’m probably not really going anywhere…

It’s like the promise of, “Again!” which I love, and think it feels so good… What’s better than having a pleasant experience repeated? Yeah, again!

And again, and again! (Gettin' tired…)

Suddenly, I find I am “again”-ing myself onto a beaten-down path. Nothing can even grow there. It’s become muddy…

So I am telling myself:

I am taking fresh steps toward my future, and it might mean doing more things that scare me (that I might have been overlooking in my recent daily choices…). I am choosing differently in a situation that might seem the same as an earlier moment, perhaps leading to a new outcome.

And I really anticipate much more than, "telling myself" this. I see myself doing it.

(I know… The Nike company said 'Just do it' in a old marketing message…)

Cheers! Happy holiday week to you! May your dreams come true! Do what you wanna' do!

12 comments:

daphnepurpus said...

Thank you for your post and as someone who has lived in fear for most of my life, I find that doing something scary every day is part of my uncovering who I am and finding my true path. I wonder if Eleanor Roosevelt is given credit for this quote as it is hers and she was a magnificent woman. Not sure the marketing professionals would note that, but that's where I first found the quote years ago. Anyway, best of luck to you and I really enjoy your blog.

Brooks Hall said...

Thanks, Daphnepurpus! I appreciate knowing the source of the quote… It seems that the original purpose was not marketing, after all! Best to you!

daphnepurpus said...

I thought if you didn't know that you'd want to. I had never researched it to see if the Nike phrase "Just do it" has another source other than marketing, but I just did and in that wording the only source is Nike, and it has bothered me to be following a marketing quote. But following the advice of someone like Eleanor Roosevelt seems excellent! Have a great day.

Anna Guest-Jelley said...

Love this, Brooks! I'm currently in the process of accepting doing things that scare me and resisting them--a see-saw with which I'm quite familiar and always seems to tip back to resisting. Here's hoping 2011 tips the other way.

Sevapuri said...

Where does one go with maketing messages or directives and is it marketing when it comes from Lululemon and Nike and not marketing when it comes from Depak Chopra or Swami Satchitananda?The constant self help,self improvement messages(and if your on Twitter you'll see a lot) leave me in a swirl of confusion,to extricate myself from this mele of messages i turn off everything and turn inwards through medtation to get some inner perspevtive on the outer world, a good place to also contemplate the scary before putting it into action.

Laura said...

Hi Brooks,
You and Eleanor are so right...befriending our fears, or at least "doing it anyway" is the the seed of courage that we can plant in that muddied up place of habit (aka safe/easy choice)...in time roots will sink down and shoots will push up and out and we learn something new about who we truly are, not just who we thought we were. Plant the seeds one at a time with gentleness and mindfulness, not in haste, always from a heart of love and generosity...and before you know it you will have cultivated a garden of courageous blossoms.

Brian Sylvester said...

Brooks,

A awesome post and a beautiful blog! I look forward to following you on your journey! A very Happy New Year to you!
Greetings from a very snowy Boston, MA.

Take care,
Brian

YogaforCynics said...

With apologies to readers on the hardcore-guru path, even the most wise and trustworthy person can be completely wrong now and then, so why wouldn't advertising give good advice occasionally?

Remember, even a broken clock's right twice a day...

Bob Weisenberg said...

Good thoughts, Brooks. That's part of why I took on this Yoga Editor job at Elephant. Jump in figure it out! It is a dangerously exciting process.

Bob W.

Meredith LeBlanc said...

I have to tell you that I constantly look at that quote on my Lulu tote and think to myself, yes ROCK ON! Frankly I think it's the best one on there and I am grateful to daphnepurpus for giving us the source.

Anahita said...

Also for what it's worth, I used to use that quote on the lulu-bag to remind me not to be afraid to practice going into shoulder-stand back when it still freaked me out. We will each draw something different from it, it seems.

Shahbaz Ali said...

its really amazing and good work done by you.i really appericate it.