At fifteen I learned what a governor was. No, not of a State, but a governor on a three ton lorry.
I persuaded some young airman to let me drive his lorry. It didn’t end well, and not because I crashed into a couple of dustbins…hey it was a big truck, it was a stick shift and I’d never been behind a wheel before.
On the third circuit around the block, when I was trying to get that baby to really move, two things happened. I discovered that these vehicles had regulators that kept them from travelling above a certain speed, which was interesting and my Dad came home unexpectedly early…not so interesting. We were done for, my cohort and me.
Years later the lesson of the governor would come to mind as I saw the same struggles over and over again. Losing weight only to put it all back on. Having a great sales month, only to go back to the old mediocre numbers. Kid’s changing a C grade for an A, but just for a while before they went back to being a C.
Putting together some of the things my Mum and Grandma had tried to teach me over the years I began to understand what was happening. It was all to do with the governor. Not the one in the truck, but our inner governor. The one that prevents us from experiencing and living the best life we can imagine. Our inner regulator.
Just like that three ton truck, we have an inbuilt governor that gets in the way of our greatest dreams, our joy and divine destiny; and it shapes and forms our world. Our regulator is the image we have of ourselves. We can never rise above it. It acts like a governor, or a thermostat. Returning us again and again to our default setting.
This image or self concept was likely unconsciously formed from past events; the success and failures we experienced, our defeats and victories. We accepted opinions about ourselves from an early age, unsolicited gifts from parents, siblings or teachers and so our self image was formed.
Ouch. But have no fear, we’re not stuck. We’re never stuck. Awareness and practice set us free. We are free to choose how we see ourselves and if you’re not sure, take a look at your life, it’ll tell you all you need to know about who you think you are. We know what must be done.
Determine the direction of your attention, control your attention, focus your attention, concentrate your attention, regulate your attention all towards the image you want, the desire awaiting fulfillment. Fall in love with this new you so that it takes over your thinking. And don’t stop, insist that your mind stay focused on your desire, accept no thought to the contrary.
If it sounds like effort, it is. If it sounds challenging, it is. If it sounds hard, it is. But if you decide you can do it, then you can and the rewards…oh the rewards are so great – all your dreams coming true. You are so worth it.
Encourage each other.
Love Elle
xoxo
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1 Comment
Ah yes, it’s the standing on the edge of change that can either grip us with the paralysis of fear or fill us with the exhilaration of the new. I find myself moving more and more towards the latter. And thanks in large part to your articles, I am really understanding that – we are what we feel. Thank you.
Write on, Elle !