The first step to Improving Your Life, Get Out of Your Own Way
Determined to find some answers Leo went to the bookstore.
Everything is so strange and confusing today, he needed a way to break through the clutter. He planned to consult age-old wisdom.
His thinking is if we look back to a simpler time and find common themes they must be universal. Something deep in our DNA, some universal truth that has survived for decades or even centuries.
Leo wasn’t a big fan of the modern world anyway, he longed for similar times. He could always go live in the woods and had thought about it more than once. But in the end, decided against it.
The truth was Leo knew he had something to do, something inside he needed to get out.
Rotting away in the woods alone wasn’t going to be his future. He was determined to leave his mark on the world.
The sun was shining bright and the breeze was cool on his skin. His new perspective and mission gave him a new zest for life. Allowing him to really feel the sun and wind, to appreciate the beauty of nature.
Only yesterday his focus would have been on the car leaking oil into the street or the car speeding down the road while the music blared way too loud. These are the kind of little annoyances that normally dominate Leo’s attention, but not anymore.
Did those things still annoy him, sure, but that wasn’t going to get him down, not anymore.
Upon arriving at the book store Leo was blasted with cold refreshing AC and the smell of thousands of books crammed into every shelf. From wall to wall with many rows in-between shelves of books overflowed with words and wisdom.
Slightly overwhelmed and slightly aroused Leo entered the book store.
He walked up and down a few isles, checking out the books and the cute girls that walk by.
Leo couldn’t help it, he was on a mission but was also a hopeless romantic, always looking for love.
He finally reached the philosophy section, and then the religious section, and then the self-help section, until he had amassed a small library of books to help him on his quest for truth.
Leo quickly returned home to begin his plunge into the depths of human understanding. Immediately, one of the sentences jumped out at him, resonating with something he experienced earlier.
“The present moment is filled with joy and happiness. If you are attentive, you will see it.” Thich Nhat Hanh
Reading those words sent a shot through his body.
He knew what it meant because he felt it.
Earlier that day, while walking to the bookstore, Leo noticed the beauty of life for the first time. Normally his thoughts are consumed with himself or something that was upsetting him.
He was always looking for something wrong about everything and forgoing most things because of a personal vendetta.
No wonder he was miserable and upset all the time, he was doing it to himself.
He has the power to control his thoughts and actions, but he is giving the power away to other people. Anyone he doesn’t like, anything he doesn’t agree with, any nasty words that upset him, has control over him.
He is determined not to let the negative side of life be his guiding force, he was ready to be happy.
Leo marveled at the power of his brain. Capable of creating whatever reality he chose.
That is why our thoughts and the things we focus on are so important.
We control our thoughts and our thoughts control our lives.
Leo made a conscious decision to spend some time outside every day. When he is inside too long he becomes bitter and reclusive.
When he goes outside he can experience and enjoy the beauty of nature and the women walking by.
This is the third story in the series, here are the previous installments if you want to read more.
