Episode 242: Letting Go of Chaos in Chaotic Times

Improv Class I have a choice. I can get involved with the turmoil and, you know, continue to make it more miserable for others and for myself. Or I can stand for peace and reason and strength within myself. It's really about keeping the focus on yourself during the chaotic times, especially when there's so much chaos around us right now. The Language of Letting Go "Letting go of chaos. No good work comes from unrest. Unrest, fear, anger, or sadness may motivate us. These feelings are sometimes intended to compel action. But our best work emerges after these feelings have been replaced by peace." When I am too hot in my response or my reaction, I'm just getting into the problem and trying to control it. A response is a reaction with a pause and a thought behind it. And really, what I'm talking about there is when I have given myself a cushion of peace. Because I don't do my best thinking, I don't make my best choices when deeply embroiled in fear, anger, sadness, or some other huge emotion. And again, what I talk about in the core work is working for you instead of working against you. And I'm working against myself when I react because I'm hot, in flames, turned on by anger, fear, excitement, or any large emotion. But when I give that cushion of peace, I'm working in tandem with the universe. I light a candle before I coach, and I light a candle before I do a podcast. And I do that to create that cushion of peace, to invite the universe into something I'm going to do, or a situation that may be difficult because I'm reminding myself, I want the universe to be in charge of this, not me. And that is how I can let go of chaos. "We will not accomplish our task any sooner or any better by performing it out of a sense of urgency, fear, anger, or sadness." Now my ego will say to that bullshit. That is not thinking and acting and choosing my actions and thoughts with thought and intelligence, and with one of my favorite words, if not my most favorite word, wisdom. Whenever I act impulsively, I am reacting and want to respond to my life. I don't want to react to it anymore. Our reactions were given to us to save our lives. Fear was given to us to save our lives, not to panic about things we're trying to control. If you can understand how you are around these bigger emotions and be able to give yourself again that cushion of peace, wiser choices, choices with wisdom, can come out of that. "Let go of unrest. Let peace fill the void. We do not have to forfeit our power, our God-given personal power. Our universe-given personal power or our peace to do the work we are called upon to do today will give us all the power we need to do what we are meant to do when it is time." And again, that goes back to that serenity prayer I've talked about so many times in our podcasts. "Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change. Courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference." Which is really asking for the wisdom to know the difference between what I can handle and what I'm trying to control. It is my job to handle this day. It is not my job to control it. "Let peace come first, then proceed. The task will get done naturally and on time." So basically, what that's saying is allow yourself to stop and invite the universe in. Invite that cushion of peace in and then proceed and trust that it will get done. Take the actions, and let go of the result. I have found in my past, in my early actor years, that when. Situations like a strike or a difficult situation on a set would happen. I could really get in there with the emotions, but I don't think that was really ever helping anything. My presence at a picket is enough. My chanting is enough. If I am involved in the board and with the strike committee, fantastic. But I cannot control the strike. I can't; I can support it. I can be there for it. I can thank my fellow members for participating, but I don't need to get so heated up. I need to stand up for what's right, but I can do that better if I let go of the chaos and insert that cushion of peace. I will stand a greater chance of being listened to if it's actually essential that someone listen to me because I'm only one member in an incredible, incredible union.