This weekend, I decided to stay in Dallas versus flying in thunderstorms back to San Diego. So, I had some time to reflect. I had a cool Uber driver taking me to my hotel when someone cut in front of him. Then, on the freeway, the other driver expressed his anger (you know what I mean!) Mohamed, the Uber driver, remarked that there is so much anger today.
I concentrated on that statement for the next couple of days and it was amazing to be consciously aware of how pounded we are, all of the time, with negative messaging. The news is terribly negative. Most television shows —other than Diners, Drive Ins and Dives (my favorite) are so negative I can hardly sleep after watching. So I was trying to stay in a positive vibration, no matter how much negativity bombarded me, and really, consciously, working at it.
This required me to turn off all the news feeds I typically surround myself with and to be very conscious not to have any negative thoughts at all. Yup, none. Well, almost none.
Wheewww! What a challenge this has been and what an eye opener to the environment that surrounds us. This has not been easy, for sure.
What I have been trying to do is, in effect, fly above the negativity. The analogy I have been using for myself is flying a plane. In the same way that flying a plane at 35,000 feet is much more energy efficient (because the air is so much thinner than at 20,000 feet) no matter what the situation, I elevate myself to a higher thought process —a kinder, more empathetic, bigger view.
Last Friday, a colleague, who was across the county, yet still flying in the same thunderstorms I was, gave me the gift of this analogy to me. He said the pilot came on and told them that it was more fuel efficient to circle for an hour at 35,000 feet than to try to circle at 20,000 feet for 20 minutes.
Everyone on the plane began to kinda process the math and the common sense of it —that the air would be much lighter at 35,000 feet and that the atmospheric pressure and gravity would increase the closer the plane got to the earth. Little did I know at that time, what a special gift that was and that that analogy was going to be my tool, my saving grace for eliminating negativity around me. I can’t tell you how many times this weekend I have said, almost out loud, that I am just going to fly at 35,000 feet and refuse to go any lower. No matter what.
I will tell you, 35,000 feet is a really incredible place to be. You do feel so much lighter. Negativity can feel, many times, like trying to move mud. As a result of just my partial success in accomplishing this a few times during the day, my spirit is much brighter and bolder and I am excited about everything that is unfolding in real time.
So, my thoughts and actions today are focused on doing everything I can to keep my vibrations at 35,000 feet and just appreciate the beautiful people that I am meeting and enjoying. As I have said in other blogs, high vibrations attract high vibrations, and this is a beautiful thing. Just by flying at a higher vibration, I have met some really interesting and cool people this weekend.
Oh, and Mohamed is picking me up to visit the cultural aspects of Dallas and Ft. Worth. Out of probably 100 trips to Dallas, I haven’t done this and typically wouldn’t even think of doing it. Amazing how much more time I have by not watching the news or reading newspapers and magazines. And how fun it is, flying at 35,000 feet.
It will be really interesting to see how this goes once I get thrown into the mixed vibrations of my next stop this week, New York. Oh my, that is going to be a challenge! Even though, truth be told, I do kinda miss the news. Oh no! I am sliding already… What will I do?
I will be highly conscious of how flying at 35,000 feet works in the New York business environment. Really, as I write and think about it, I am kinda hyperventilating about it.
So, maybe we should all try this together. Let’s make this a challenge for all of us. So here is the challenge: just one time during the work day, practice flying at 35,000 feet — above the negativity — versus getting negative, angry or saying something that isn’t kind in meetings, even though you may want to.
Catch yourself. Pause and change your thought process to positively. Think about the situation and the person and rise above —to 35,000 feet. Visualize flying in light air, above the rocky thunderstorms, by thinking and being sympathetic and helpful, and saying something kind. Yup, aim for just one fly over at 35,000 feet each day to start. Then, when we each get home or with the team for dinner, do it one more time with family and friends.
My hope is that flying at 35,000 feet two times per day — one at work and one with family and friends — will turn into 4 times per day and then 6, and on and on, until you are in a positive and gracious vibration all the time.
Oh, my, what a beautiful thing. It gives new meaning to onward and upward.
AZ
