Today's blog post is a reprint of my January 2011 monthly newsletter feature article (subscribe here):
Here is my
gift for you, my reader, as we are on the verge of entering a New Year. But
even if we weren’t, or even if you read this article at any time at all during
the year, you can begin the three week process whenever you wish. We want to make New Year’s resolutions, we want to change our lives, but life seems to get in the way and we wind
up doing nothing. And yet, just like learning how to play a sport, or a musical
instrument, or learning a new language, or learning your way around a new city
you have just moved to, all it really
requires is that you practice and that you keep yourself focused – on a
daily basis - by spending a little time (and it truly is just a very little
time) on reading or viewing something that strengthens your resolve to continue
with this new practice.
In a
nutshell: each day you will:
·
do
a brief “activity” and
·
read
a brief article or
·
view
a brief video or
·
listen
to a brief audio or
·
reflect
on a thought
Note: When the instructions for a given day indicate
you should repeat something from the day before, it never refers to the bulleted activities.
The Three Week Plan
WEEK ONE
During this
week you will mainly begin to practice becoming aware of your thoughts.
Day 1: Pick a time when you will have 10
free and uninterrupted minutes. Scan your day up to that point, and become
aware of any time during that day that you were not in an optimal frame of mind
(there will probably have been many such moments). Simply jot down a few words
in bullet fashion about any or all of the moments of that day that you
remember. You could jot down what had just happened, what you felt and/or what
you were thinking, if you remember that.
Day 2: Do the same as on Day 1, but now
insist on remembering what you were thinking when you were not in an optimal
state and write down those thoughts in brief, bullet fashion. This process helps you become aware of your
thoughts. Do this at least twice today.
·
Reflect
on:
Day 3: Repeat what you did on Day 2, but
this time, take note of your feelings as well. What feelings appear to manifest
in conjunction with those thoughts? As on the day before, note it all down in
bullet fashion. Do this at least twice today.
Day 4: Repeat what you did on Day 3, but
this time, take note of your body as well. What physical sensations appear to
manifest in conjunction with those thoughts and feelings? As on the day before,
note it all down in bullet fashion. Do this at least twice today.
Reflect on:
Day 5: Paste post-its in as many places of your home
and office (perhaps even your car), such as bathroom mirror, refrigerator,
computer screen, etc., and write on these post-it’s something such as:
·
What
am I thinking?
·
What
am I feeling?
If the
above sentences cause embarrassment when you think others might see them when
they come to your home, or perhaps even members of your family who don’t know
what you are up to, and to whom you don’t wish to give explanations, write
brief quotations instead, from favorite authors, philosophers, etc., but
knowing that when you read them, you know
that what they are really reminding you to do, is to think about what you are
thinking and what you are feeling. Some sample quotations could be:
·
An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.
Gandhi
·
Unless you try to do something beyond
what you have already mastered, you will never grow. R.E. Osborn
·
The only people who can change the world are people
who want to. Hugh MacLeod
·
Nothing will ever be attempted if all possible
objections must first be overcome. Samuel Johnson
Repeat
everything mentioned in Day 4.
Reflect on:
Day 6: Begin to become aware of your thoughts,
feelings and physical sensations as often as possible throughout the day, and
certainly each time you see the post
its. Make a very brief note of each time you become aware:
·
On
your own
·
When
you see one of the post-its
How many
times did you notice your thoughts, feelings and physical sensations today?
Day 7: Repeat Day 6 and each time you become aware of the thoughts, feelings, and
sensations, ask yourself: is this where I
want to be?
·
Reflect
on:
WEEK TWO
During this
week, you will mainly practice choosing to take your thoughts elsewhere when
you have become aware of them and realize they are not serving you well.
Day 8: Repeat Day 7 but today, as you ask yourself Is this where I want to be, you begin to
choose to be in a different place in your
thoughts. Here is an example:
·
A
scenario you have imagined about an ideal place or situation in which you would
like to find yourself. The more detailed it is, the better, because you will be
able to totally enter the scenario and enjoy it, noticing that your state of
inner well-being will have changed: imagine yourself on vacation, or imagine
yourself working in your ideal profession, or imagine yourself with the home
life you desire, or imagine yourself perfecting a hobby or sport
Day 9: Repeat Day 8, but include at least one time
during the day this other alternative
for changing your thoughts: as you become aware of thoughts that are not
serving you well, that are sabotaging you, go for a brief, 10 – 20 minute walk,
a walk that we could call a “mindful” walk because during the walk you are
going to do your utmost to be fully mindful, aware, of yourself, your body and your surroundings. Start out by
noticing your feet as they touch the ground, your legs as they move forward,
your torso as it also comes forward, your arms as they swing by your sides,
your shoulders as they move rhythmically, and your head as it rests on your
neck. Notice the breeze (wind, rain, sunshine) on your face, notice all the
smells, aromas, perfumes you are able to perceive, notice everything you can
hear (a child laughing contagiously, a dog barking, a car braking, the wind
soughing through the trees, etc.), and thus be totally aware not only of
yourself but also of your surroundings.
Day 10: Repeat Day 9. 100%
Day 11: Repeat Day 10. 100%
Reflect on:
Day 12: Repeat Day 11. 100%
Day 13: Repeat Day 12. 100%
Reflect on:
Day 14: Repeat Day 13. 100%
WEEK THREE
During this
week you will mainly practice consciously choosing alternatives to those
thoughts that are not serving you well, that are of most benefit to you, and
thus you will grow and stimulate the habit of doing this on a daily, 24/7 basis.
Day 15: As you repeat Day 14, each time that you become
aware of thoughts that do not serve you, and also during your mindful walk, begin to bring your
thoughts to something you are grateful for in your immediate presence. As you
will have practiced being aware during the previous week, finding something to
be grateful for, will be simple. The contagiously laughing child, the
frolicking puppy, the butterfly, the bougainvillea climbing up a white-washed
wall, the brilliant blue sky, the deep dark rain-filled sky, the falling snow,
the sound of the waves lapping on the shore, the sound of lawnmowers, the smell
of freshly-mown grass, etc. It makes no difference what it is … the important
thing is to notice something that fills you with gratitude for its very
existence. Notice that as you feel this gratitude, your inner state of
well-being improves. Notice that as you do this more and more often – even
though each time you do it, it’s only a nano-second of time, your inner feeling
of peace increments. This is worth gold
and will serve you for the rest of your life.
·
Reflect
on:
Day 16: Repeat Day 15. 100%
Day 17: Repeat Day 16. 100%
Day 18: Repeat Day 17. 100%
·
Day 19: Repeat Day 18. 100%
Day 20: Repeat Day 19. 100%
Reflect on:
Day 21: Repeat Day 20. 100%
·
Reflect
on:
What you
have just done in 21 days has begun the process of changing a neural pathway in
your prefrontal cortex. If you continue with this, it will strengthen so
rapidly that you will have a hard time not doing it in future, because the neural pathway associated with
your earlier behavior, where your negative thoughts were running your life, has
become weaker.
And therein
lies a large part of the secret of being in charge of your thoughts. By doing this
you have begun to free yourself of all that previously enslaved you, of all
that previously made you believe that your life was not in your hands. By doing
this you give yourself peace, joy and harmony. By doing this you see light
where before there was darkness. By doing this, you give yourself freedom.
May your New Year be filled with freedom,
joy, harmony and peace.

Reviews from the Book's Page on Amazon:
"A revelation of insight into the foundations of human suffering & transcendence. It not only lays out essential steps for inner freedom & joy but illuminates the way to true human potential. Dr. Kortsch is a spiritual master for our time." Paul Rademacher, Exec Dir, The Monroe Institute; author: A Spiritual Hitchhiker's Guide to the Universe
"The masterwork of a profoundly gifted healer of the soul. Dazzling, challenging, wondrously useful." Peggy Rubin, Director, Center for Sacred Theatre, Ashland, Oregon; author: To Be and How To Be, Transforming Your Life Through Sacred Theatre
"The instruction manual on rewiring the soul. An in-depth guide on life, love, spiritual evolution & our integration within the universe." Michael Habernig & April Hannah; Producers: The Path- The Afterlife & The Path 11 Documentaries
"Rewiring the Soul is one the best introductions to the spiritual life I've ever read. Not esoteric but real-world & practical. The implications are profound." Peter Shepherd; Founder Trans4mind.com; author: Daring To Be Yourself
"The human being's directory to the soul. A breakthrough for those seeking practical assistance, those of a more mystical bent & every soul awaiting discovery." Toni Petrinovich, Ph.D.; author: The Call: Awakening the Angelic Human
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