YOUR CURRENT STATE OF MIND DETERMINES YOUR FUTURE

Yes, that’s right! This is the key to manifestation and a happy life – focus on the right now vs. tomorrow or yesterday.  If you are unhappy/resisting what is, that is what you will manifest.  And, I’m here to tell you that choosing PLEASURE as your guiding principle is key to being happy and gratified RIGHTNOW. And creating more of that for yourself in the future.

See, the body naturally moves toward pleasure and away from pain.  It’s just its nature. But we tell ourselves lies like, “I’ll be happy when I get a new job” or “I’ll feel better when I lose the weight” or “I need to put up with this,” which goes against the body’s nature.  The body then responds by shutting down, holding onto extra weight, and creating dis-ease and injury. 

So how to change your state of mind right now?  Here are some tips to consider:

1.     Assume that everything is happening FOR you instead of TO you.  This is revolutionary and a key to learned optimism and feeling great NOW (which if I need to remind you is the key to creating a great future for yourself.) Decide that where you are right now is the perfect place to be, even if you don’t quite see the beauty or wisdom in it just yet. Stop waiting for things to change and choose joy NOW.  If this upsets you, you may be attached to your misery.  Don’t worry – that’s easy enough to change and quite common.  You see, we get payoffs from everything, even if we don’t see it.  Begin by simply asking yourself, “How would I see this differently if it were happening FOR me vs. TO me?”

2.     Love your flesh! as Mama Gena the Pleasure Queen would say.  Our culture promotes the devaluation of our physical existence in many ways, but come on, it’s all we have!  Learn to celebrate the parts of you that you DO like, and stop focusing on the parts that you don’t.  If you are a serial dieter, try to stop dieting and focus on becoming comfortable in your own skin for awhile. I know that when I began focusing on what foods REALLY nourished me and what movement REALLY nourished me, the pounds began to fall off effortlessly.  Celebration of my body – NOT DIETING – led to my own weight loss. So stop being your own worst critic and cultivating self-doubt by seeking the approval of others. Cultivate your own approval and find true love within you.

In the end, pleasure IS love – love of yourself first and foremost. This requires discipline and courage because our society deems this selfish.  But actually selfishness can lead to generosity.  I believe true, sustainable generosity can ONLY come from giving from your own surplus. If this upsets you,stay tuned to (and participate in!) this ongoing conversation on pleasure… 

Or, you could just sign up for my Pleasure Bootcamp Retreat in September and learn to live it for yourself!