Don’t Turn Left at the Post Office
When you actively work to change the way you’re thinking, you start to notice little things that are different from what they were earlier.
The other day I had to run some errands. As per my long established thought patterns, I mapped out the most efficient route to get everything done as quickly as possible. I think through the route details to get in and out of parking lots and make as many right turns to avoid lines of cars turning left.
This particular day I didn’t have a lot of stops, but nonetheless, I planned my route.
As I approach the first traffic light, I notice a line of cars, and I cued up about ten back from the intersection. As I’m sitting there at the red light, I see the Post Office on the left. One of my stops is to drop off a few packages to be mailed. I realize I’m lined up at the perfect spot to make a left turn into the Post Office parking lot.
In the past, I wouldn’t have even noticed the opportunity (no cars were coming) to make a left turn and take advantage of the opening. My planner/scheduler logic would have kicked in to say I would have to make a left turn coming out of the parking lot and there would likely be lots of traffic, so better to stick with the planned route.
I stayed in the moment and decided to turn left. As I pulled up to the front door of the Post Office, someone was backing out of the first parking space, and I pulled right in.
Again, going back to my old thinking patterns, I would have thought ‘how lucky I am to get this spot.’ But now, I view it as validation that turning left when I did was the right decision.
It’s taken me some time to shift my thinking and to see the opportunities that show up when I change my thought patterns. This specific situation is a tiny example of how little changes in your thinking patterns can add up to improved flow in your life. By allowing events to just happen, we encounter less resistance in subsequent events.
The rest of my errand run went just as smoothly. As I left the parking lot, I turned left. There were no cars in the way, and everything flowed.