What Helped Me Decide to Migrate?

I guess a trip back from Perth on a 737 can often elicit some strange thinking patterns.  I actually find that flying generally causes my brain to go off some tangents.  The trip last week home from Perth included some reflection on my decision to travel down-under and seek to forge a life as an Australian.   There were many factors in this equation but one in particular I wish to note here. Bob Hawke.  Yep – that’s right.  As a young man I alway perceived Australia as a progressive society with a can-do attitude to make things good for everybody.  It seemed to have a culture that was more concerned with ‘who you are’ rather that ‘what you are.’  My tipping point came when I saw Bob celebrating the America’s Cup win achieved by Alan Bond and his crew. I knew I had to live in a country that had a Prime Minister who stuck up for the working people by foreshadowing massive celebrations and absenteeism at work.  Bob was my kind of guy; in fact he was everybody’s kind of guy who expressed the most profound joy at the win his country had just achieved against the Yanks and particularly the NY Yacht Club. I liked his politics for the most part too.  Now – imagine that happening now- in 2009.  I am not sure it would be the same.

Intention

What is your intention today?  Did you wake up and consider how you are going to spend your day?  I am talking about more than a to-do list or calendar.  I am speaking here of a thought process cloaked in the joy and awe of being granted another day of life.  If you can imagine waking up every day with a sense of absolute joy without external forces influencing your activities; what would you do?  Of course we can all imagine such a reality but few of us realise such reality.  It does not matter.  Our intention can be applied to every activity and can dramatically shift our consciousness while we undertake our day to day activities (or to-do list).  What is your intent as you enter the office?  Are you kind or aloof?  Is your intent to spread happiness and positivity or are you indifferent.  I guess the best the way to get started is take the time to consider your intention.  It could be a part of your morning routine; half conscious in bed, enjoying a coffee or a warm shower.  Capture the intent in words and then link that to an emotion- usually happiness, joy, peace, serenity etc.  Once you have captured the intention in a word or phrase and you can feel the emotion you then create a visualisation of the acitivities of the day being undertaken with this intention.  You can imagine the spreading positivity as you walk in the city with a pleasant face and eye contact with others.  You can visualise positive interactions with other people, successful meetings and a wonderful evening with your spouse or partner.  Intention- emotion- visualisation.   Intention has helped me drive focus, maintain mental equilibrium, enhance my awareness, and provide a behavioural compass.  In the next post I might write about dedication; a higher degree of intention and one not commonly explored.