Paying Attention

Being a spiritual teacher has continually frightened me. Not because I don't want to do it but that I don't feel adequate for the job. And yet, the role unwittingly is engaged by me as I seek out truths for our lives, who we are, what we're here to do, and other such questions.

The biggest problem is that while it may be easy to tell someone what to do, we can often times recognize that doing it ourselves is not always so easy. This can be a good thing though for the teacher to experience. It permits the student the luxury of receiving compassion from a teacher who understands the difficulties that this quest will involve.

As I wondered today about some simple events leading to these thoughts, I found myself querying the lack of progress in my life in the past. What came up was, "Have I been paying attention?" I realized immediately that a significant part of the problem was that I had not been paying enough attention. For that matter, I think most of us don't pay enough attention.

Paying attention to what? Good question to ask. I don't think that we pay enough attention to ourselves. We're so busy trying to do something, prepare for something, get ready for something, compete for something, to get ahead, to fit in, be a part of the crowd, wondering what other people think, that we forget to pay attention to the most important person in our life: Our own Self. How do you do that?

Oh... good question! Really good question! How do you pay attention to your own self? Well, I have noticed that when I stopped trying so hard and slowed down long enough to pay attention, I began to notice something extraordinary going on in my mind. Yes, many conversations happening within the creative mind: Interesting, conflicting, fearful, worrying, funny, fantastical conversations with two to three sides. Ever notice that? I'm sure you have.

Here's the real kicker. When you can notice all these internal conversations that you're having with yourself, try to notice the quiet one. There is another part of self that sits and watches all this crap going on and around "itself" inside your mind. Who do you think that quiet one is? Really? Who?

That's the spiritual you. The one that wishes you'd stop bickering with your self, your life, and stop listening to all the crap the outside world fed you. That is the one that wants you to trust you - that quiet you - the one that knows who you are and what you are here for. Have you learned to trust that quiet one? We always seem to pay much more attention to the noisy shouters in our minds. I challenge you to pay closer attention to the real you.

Lee Down is a Professional Coach, Trainer/Facilitator, Speaker, & Writer of One Man Can Human Capital Development that focuses on relationships, the key foundation to success in business and life. With more than 15 years professional experience and a thirst for truth and understanding, he focuses on the human spirit and human capacity.

Working with clients, he facilitates the breaking down of beliefs, barriers or obstacles that bring clients forward on their journey of discovery with spirit, energy, abundance, passion and purpose, integrating the mind and body experience. Working with business, he brings visionary leadership and relationship skills to the forefront that witnesses an empowered culture evolve and develop directly impacting the improvement to the bottom-line.

In The News:


pen paper and inkwell


cat break through


Self Esteem

Self-esteem is very important. It is the way we view... Read More

Success Lessons From Tennis That Can Change Your Life

Most sports are full of lessons for the discerning. Tennis... Read More

Why Aren?t You Seriously Wealthy Already?

I bet you want to be wealthy, but somehow the... Read More

4 Scientific Strategies to Become Brilliant At Anything

In this brief article we will explore four methods that... Read More

3 Basic Steps to Success in Anything

Since belief always precedes action, simply changing your beliefs can... Read More

Nice Guys Really Finish First - Really?

How can anyone with the brain of a cockroach make... Read More

Elements of Success

There are twelve necessary elements involved in achieving success:1. Spend... Read More

The Secret to Intense Focus By

One of the common elements you see in almost all... Read More

Liberating Success Lessons from Singing - If It Is Rubbish, It Is Rubbish; If It Is Not, It is Not

Reggie Yates, a pop song presenter, was singing on 7th... Read More

Filling Your Bucket - How Negativity Can Make Or Break Your Business and Personal Success!

I received an advanced copy of a book called How... Read More

I Would Give Anything To ?

A couple days ago I was listening to a CD... Read More

In Success Language, Failure Means You Are Almost There!

We all know as we are progressing towards our personal... Read More

Changing Your Luck

In this week's New Age Notebook, I am going to... Read More

Avoid The Thirteen Habits of a Failure

Jim Rohn, the success guru and mentor, said, "Failure is... Read More

The Synchronicity of Success

I love the idea of synchronicity.Perhaps it's just part of... Read More

Success Lessons I Learned From My Single Mom

I was at a dinner party the other night when... Read More

How To Prepare Yourself Mentally For Success

Okay, so you've finally made that big decision to start... Read More

Reach Your Goals - Get Your Act Together

Get your act together Make sure that you have all... Read More

Youve Got To Find Passion In It

People often ask me, "Josh, if you had one bit... Read More

Failure IS an option.

I wrote an article on this very subject, with the... Read More

Knowledge Is Not Power

Whoever first said that knowledge is power was probably selling... Read More

Do You Really Want To Be Successful In Life?

How many times have people asked you what you really... Read More

How to Lose Your Money, Fake Your Destiny with Great Success

Everyone talks about how to be successful through hard work... Read More

Masterminding Your Way To Greater Success

Napoleon Hill coined the concept of the mastermind alliance in... Read More

Breakfast of Failures

"If you want to increase your success rate, double your... Read More

3 Steps to Defining Success and Defining Your Future

Q: Are you a success?A: Its all in how you... Read More

Is Shyness Affecting Your Job?

It is accepted that most people have felt shy at... Read More

How To Stop Having Problems

If you are like me you have probably lost a... Read More

More and More and More and More

About six years ago I began to study tai chi.... Read More

Becoming a Success Giant!

IntroductionSuccess - we all read about it, hear it on... Read More

Success Lessons From Josey Wales

The Outlaw Josey Wales is an interesting Western that I... Read More

Lessons from My Garden

What does "Lessons from My Garden" have to do with... Read More

The True Key to Prosperity

To have a high probability of becoming prosperous, you have... Read More