Think, Do, Be

There is a process to change. As Dr. Joe Dispenza explains it, first we are Philosophers, then we are Initiates, then we are Masters.

Mind, Body, Soul.

I love studying the self. I am a student of life, and constantly looking for information, for ideas, for philosophies that I can consider. Things I can discuss. Talk about. Write about. Toss around in my mind and feel like I, somehow, have a grasp on some piece of this infinitely complex experience we call Life.

But when it comes to the practice, the application, of these philosophies, I consistently fall short. Or fall off the wagon, if I ever was on to begin with.

In order to affect real, significant change, one must embody the changes they seek. So what does that mean? How is that achieved?

First it begins with knowledge. Understanding is the foundation of change, because first you must have insight into where you are and why. This part of the process is my bread and butter. I love to think, to analyze things. Why am I the way that I am? Why am I doing the things I’m doing, even when they aren’t working? Why do I get stuck? Why am I not moving forward?

In other words, I am a perpetual Philosopher in my own process of self-development.

So, for example, these goals I’ve had this year to lose weight, to ditch bad habits, to change my routine, have been fascinating to consider. But I’m stuck here, running a loop in my head about what the bad habits are, why they are so sticky, and how I can begin to shift in order to release their grip.

But in all honesty, those goals remain ideals in my head. Words on a page in a blog. Ephemeral ideas. Stuck in the Mind.

To become an Initiate in our new version of ourselves, we must practice what we preach. We must not only understand, but begin to express those ideas, signalling to our bodies what our minds have begun to understand.

I know that if I were to choose meditation, or yoga, or reading a book in the evening instead of my default couch and cookies, I would feel lighter, freer, and more empowered. I KNOW this. But my body doesn’t. Because I don’t DO this. There is no signal, no wiring in my brain, that demonstrates to my body that this is true.

There’s just no shortcut to this. Not like in high school, where I would listen to a lecture and know that I could ace the test without homework, without practice. Lesson learned, progress made, moving on. This isn’t life. In order to Be, one must first Do.

I tell my daughters this all the time. You don’t start off a Master. You must learn, and then you must practice. This has always been my challenge. I want to be a natural at things, right away. I don’t like to struggle. I don’t like to “work at it”. I want to “get it”, and demonstrate my innate understanding of it immediately. I like to be good at things, and I like skills to come naturally. It’s why I avoid the piano - that beautiful excuse for pleasure that sits collecting dust in my living room. Piano requires practice. Fingers don’t spontaneously play out the notes on the page in perfect rhythm. You must practice to build muscle memory - to master the music.

A Master is one who has internalized a new set of ideas and expectations and habits. When you don’t have to think about something any more, and your body is hard wired to stimulate a certain response, you BECOME that new version of yourself. You are a Master.

I can make a million promises to myself, and read a million books on how to change, but until I Do, and Do consistently, I will not rewire my brain - not train my body and soul to incorporate that change. It will remain as a concept, a dream, a fantasy, validated only by a philosophy with no grounding in my physical experience.

One small step, done repeatedly, builds momentum. This is training. This is where the work lies. This is where the change occurs.