I can’t believe we’ve already gone through two weeks of the 21-Day Meditation Experience on Manifesting True Success. If you missed week 1, you can find my recap here. And if you missed week 2, keep reading along as I share how this week took me back to my days as a Human Resource professional (yup I worked HR for several yrs, even have my masters in it 
). Talk about coming full circle. Just another validation that I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be. 
As week 1 taught us that success is not something we need to find outside of ourselves, week 2 aimed at showing us how success comes
from making dynamic choices not bound by old habits and beliefs.
Deepak explains that there are 2 types choices – one that is static – based on past conditioning and beliefs and one that is dynamic, open to the here and now, filled with fearless optimism that your choice will inevitably move you to success.
The goal obviously is to move from making static choices to making dynamic ones. To help transition us along this path, Deepak has embraced the S-M-A-R-T concept, which in my HR role I used to teach to employees how to create goals for their performance evaluations, but which Deepak has converted into a consciousness awakening road map to allow flexibility, openness and ultimately success into our lives. Here’s his interpretation of S-M-A-R-T.
S – Stretch more than you can reach
I love that Deepak compared this form of stretching as physically stretching before you exercise.
Stretching more than you can reach requires curiosity about the world and a desire to go beyond the limitations of your present knowledge and experience. This mental stretching prepares your mind for making smart choices in every circumstance that arises in your day, just as stretching before a workout prepares your muscles for whatever exercise you will be doing.
It’s about being open to new ideas, approaches, and practices – looking from a new angle without judgment, prejudice or risk of failure – so that you’re willing to explore them further and try them out. I know that’s why I’ve labeled myself a life long learner. Ever since I was a child I knew that power lied in knowledge, so I always sought to learn more about everything that I found interesting. It’s this constant quest that has brought me to my true self and I love it here.
M – Make everything measurable
By evaluating our work in measurable terms, we remain in control of our progress, our time, and our resources. We know where to cut back, and where to redirect our focus and energy. Most importantly, by making everything measurable, we can make smart decisions that are aligned with our values and worthwhile goals.
This is where the rubber meets the road and you align yourself with what you really want vs. the have to’s that sometimes clutter our lives. When you place your awareness in what’s right for you, your choices align with true success. Why? Because you have clarity controlling your choices vs allowing your moods, stress, etc take you out of the here and now. When you check in on a regular basis and get rid of those toxic people, situations and emotions that are holding you back, time will always be on your side to help you reach your true success.
A – Agreement with your inner self and those around you
For there to be agreement between the inner world of our values, goals, and beliefs and the outer world full of contentious individuals with conflicting ideas, we must find a deeper level of commonality.
That commonality comes when we connect our inner self to the reality around us. When those things aren’t aligned, you feel resistance, stress, etc. This is not the best time to make decisions. The best thing to do when that happens is to take time to quiet yourself, listen to what life is saying and reset so that both return to alignment. It is at this time that Deepak suggests you sit with your decisions for at least a day and reach out to others for advice, developing an environment of sharing and support for you and those you love. We don’t have to go at it alone or harbor all our success just to ourselves because there is enough for everyone.
R – Record your progress
Once you’ve made those adjustments, it’s time to
notice and acknowledge the inner growth that is happening in our consciousness. By recognizing the ways in which we are being transformed, we firm up that transformation and establish that change as something real and useful to our forward progress. Without this kind of deliberate affirmation and confirmation, subtle yet profound spiritual experiences can be casually disregarded and forgotten. If they are recorded and registered in our mind, they can be like sprouting seeds that can continue to grow.
When we choose to live in the moment, trust our inner voice and reflect on the messages we receive daily, we begin to feel valued in the scheme of life which makes us feel light, energized and ready to grow and accept all the good that life has to offer – true success. Most recently I reflected on my getting fit, getting healthy journey using the same mind set to keep me going vs to allow myself to feel defeated because it’s not moving as quickly as I like (time, which I cover in the last section below). What I had to realize was that I needed to celebrate my progress in order to propel myself forward and it’s working.
T – Time limits for acting and getting a result
Now is when we need to synchronize our new found awareness with that of the universe, acknowledging that while we are not bound by time, there are 7 different ways to spend our time daily to optimize our brain and bring a sense of fulfillment. Deepak embraces Dr. Daniel Siegel’s list of seven ways to spend time:
• Sleep time – Getting a full night’s restful sleep
• Physical time – Taking time to move and let your body be active
• Focus time – Being alone for a while to concentrate on what matters to you
• Time in – Taking time for meditation, prayer, or self-reflection
• Time out – Setting aside time to simply to be here and rest into existence
• Play time – Time to have fun and enjoy yourself
• Connecting time – Intimate private time between you and those you love and care for
This is something I’ve been trying to make a part of my everyday for years, but which I still struggle to keep up with the consistency necessary to make it routine. But it’s a start.
A S-M-A-R-T consciousness however takes the what if’s out of all our decisions, which tend to take our focus from living in the moment and instead allows us to trust our decisions knowing that there is a higher intelligence in play which will guide us. Whether we experience set backs and disappointments along our path, we know everything happens for a reason and they are there only to bring us back to self awareness. Once we connect with our true selves and reexamine what we’re doing, we know that a new opportunity is coming our way because everything is always working out for our greatest good.
As you can see S-M-A-R-T choices require us to move out of our comfort zone and into the law of intention, where the universe will reflect it back to us. Choosing to follow along for this 21-Day Meditation Experience is a great start toward being open and flexible to all the possibilities available.
How will you incorporate S-M-A-R-T consciousness into your world?
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Your meditation reflections always make me stop and think. Taking care of my baby keeps me so busy and my mind is pretty much occupied by him that I dont make it a point to reflect on myself without him in mind. So the last part of the SMART concept is ringing a bell for me. Taking the time to think about my needs and my personal goals I know will let me feel “bigger”, if that makes sense.
Awesome post!
Yes! It totally makes sense Liz and that’s what it’s all about. Yes we are here to be in service to others – our children, our family, our friends, etc – but that doesn’t mean that we forget about ourselves in the process. Because if we aren’t taking care of us, we’re not being of service to our fullest abilities. So yes, continue to take time for yourself, your needs, your goals and trust that it will make you a better you to everyone you love and who loves you. Can’t wait to hear how that all turns out for you! Have a wonderful week 😀
This SMART concept sort of resonates with me. Especially the ‘record your progress’ part. Just like keeping a diet journal, it’s a great way to hold yourself accountable. Interesting stuff!!
It is Melissa, glad you stopped by and kind find a way to incorporate into what you’re already doing – love that! I’ve done the same 😉 Enjoy your week!
Love it! Very inspiring and motivating.
Thanks for stopping by Claudya and hope it inspires you and motivates you to the path of true success! Have a wonderful week!
I wish I had more time to meditate, great tips!
Thanks Jessica! And meditating can be done in those 5 mins you lay in bed contemplating getting out of bed, or when you’re in the shower, etc. It doesn’t have to be when you’re at a picturesque retreat. It’s just about bringing awareness to where you’re at or why you feel the way you feel about a certain event, person, thing etc. That’s really the extent of my meditation practice at the moment and it’s done wonders for me. Try it & let me know what you think☺