Photo by ~pabloleda
There’s so much noise in your life coming from every possible direction. This noise often leads you into making choices you really don’t want to make.
Some examples of the noises would be: Wanting to go to bed early – but instead checking twitter one more time… Wanting to write a blog post, but instead checking e-mail for the 10th time… Or, wanting to be the master of your diet, but eating chocolate cake instead.
You get the gist.
Think of your life as an illustrious orchestra. You need to be the conductor. By doing so – you will create truly magnificent music. Conversely, if the outside noise begins to influence your orchestra, the orchestra will sound like random clanks, book shelves falling like dominos in a haunted library, and pyramids of soup cans plummeting on aisle nine after little Billy runs into the display while playing tag with his brother.
If you direct your mind away from the noise and follow through with what you really want to do: spectacular music will be created. Never forget it’s your life. Conduct it how you will.
There are all kinds of reasons we sabotage ourselves – but that’s just noise - there’s no rule you have to listen to it.
When you feel yourself veering off from the direction you desire to go, visualize yourself being the conductor of an orchestra, and focus on how you want the orchestra to perform. Create the music you want to create. Don’t be distracted by the competing outside noise.
Ultimately the resistance you encounter is not what’s in control; understanding this is at the center of your taking control of your life.
So… it’s nearly 1am where I’m at, and I just spent the last two hours watching Volcano, which is arguably the 18th worst movie ever. Why is it that the public library can’t stock decent flicks? What I’m trying to say is thus: I’m not doing a very good job orchestrating my life, and this post told my tired eyes to tell my tired brain to stop being such a slacker. Oh, and did I mention I couldn’t just go to bed after finishing the movie–oh no, I had to check my reader one more time.
I need help.
Good analogy with the orchestra Bamboo Forest. There is no rule we have to listen to the noise… so true! I suppose that when we stop listening to the noise it disappears because we’re not in the frame of mind to “hear” it. Kinda like when a tree falls in the forest, does anyone hear?
@ Ryan: Heh… I’ve tread that path many times. The trick is to stop listening to the noise, and be your own conductor.
@ Davina: Indeed… So many books written on what causes us to do what we do. And those books often have merit. But, as the sun is setting… the reality is regardless of why we may do what we do, we don’t have to listen. And we always have the option of listening to what we truly want.
I think there is truth to what you say and that’s a very good point… that in a sense it does disappear. Such as when you develop new habits. It becomes natural after a while, and the resistance subsides… The noise subsides.
Bamboo- Loved your post- if I could recap it in one word- it would be focus!!!
Great analogy using the theme of conducting your own orchestra-and you are so right- about losing your focus- when you allow superfluous “noises” to filter the perfection of your “arrangement”.
Great comparison between orchestra and the noises in life. You’ve given me an image in my head to think about!
Bamboo: I think this is excellent. You choose which instrument should play and when, don’t leave it up to the instruments to decide when to start playing because then you don’t have music, you just have pandemonium.
I like your suggestion and your example. Visualization is a very powerful tool.
@ BC Doan: Thank you.
@ Patti: Focus is a very good way to recap the post in one word. Good observation. Nicely said.
@ Marlisa: Thank you. “pandemonium” I like that word. And definitely, we don’t want that.
@ Vered: Thank you. Visualization is indeed a powerful tool.
I love your orchestra analogy. In fact, I’m listening to Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra right now. I’ll definitely be thinking about myself as the conductor of my life and the activities that surround it from now on.
Thanks…………………:)
@ Lisa: Thank you for the good words. Glad you enjoyed it.
I love the idea that our lives are an illustrious orchestra, and how quickly we forget that the power and responsibility is completely our own.
Fantastic post Bamboo Forest, I’m happy to have found this today when cutting out the white noise has been on my mind of late. I really enjoy your writing style and humour too.