The More You do a Thing, the More You Become It - episode 237
At age 15 he had a choice to make. Was he going to continue down the road he was on and get expelled from school or was he going to change? This week’s Grief and Gratitude guest, Brian Santana wasn’t entirely sure. School had been his happy place where he could get into trouble with his friends. But now he had something to prove and not a lot of options. He started acting like a ‘good kid’ in his new school situation, met new friends, and ended up drastically changing the way he did things. Brian realized the more you do a thing the more you become it. And he is so grateful.
Brian has been on the podcast before in Be Your Authentic Self. You can find him on his website at Brian Santana.
Those were tough times, drop your guard and let go.
— Brian Santana, advice to his 10-year old self
I Can’t Help but Smile
Thoughts from The More You do a Thing, the More You Become It
I find I am not good at meditation. I don’t know if it’s because I’m type A, first born, Enneagram 1 or whatever other label we could apply but it’s always seemed like a serene, helpful practice for many. Not so much for me. Prayer, kind of the same thing. As a woman of faith I am compelled to pray. I consider it a privilege yet my mind wanders especially if I keep the prayer in my head as opposed to speaking words out loud. That seems to work better. What’s the difference between the two or is there crossover?
Let’s find out what Google says.
Meditation: observing, internal focus, focuses on stillness, listening to universe
Prayer: communicating, external focus, active expression of faith, monologue
Hmmm. I’d say there are similarities and depending on your intention they could be very intertwined. In prayer quietness can be a time of listening for God’s leading. It can be an impression, a thought, something that helps you better understand. Sometimes nothing really comes and that means waiting, patience. There are different structures for prayer that can be helpful. I have friends who pray the Rosary and others who use verses as their prayers. There are models that many use to help guide them. ACTS is one: adoration, ‘confession’ thanksgiving, supplication - praying for yourself and others. Each of those letters creating the acronym ACTS.
As a complete aside I abhor the words sin, confession, and repent - there may be others. As I’ve written about in these pages, they are words that have been used to shame people and have so much baggage attached they no longer simply represent what they mean. I have my own way of translating them and it goes as follows: sin is ‘hamartia’ or literally missing the mark; confession is simply sharing with God what he already knows - the thing and your responsibility for it; repent is literally to turn around and change direction, so a change in heart and mind leading to a change in behavior. These definitions which harken back to their original meaning are not tainted with the damaging, accusatory-shame weaponized and used to keep people oppressed - hardly free and forgiven.
When Brian talked about meditation you could probably tell I was intrigued. Intrigued because as mentioned before, never quite got the hang of it. So I appreciated that he was using a structure for his meditation time. Now that is something I could try and get behind. I thought it would be good to share his thoughts via Tony Robbins here.
3 things you are grateful for. What are the things you are able to do because of each one?
3 people you are grateful for. What do they do in your life?
3 things you want to accomplish. What would it look like if you actually did them?
No doubt there are other models for meditation. Whatever works, whatever helps. Whether it be prayer or meditation or a hybrid of both, it doesn’t really matter. I think the point is being still, allowing quiet to take center stage (and for me, spending some time with God). Some of us resist this necessity. I know I do. I also know when I discipline myself enough to sit, and just be, I am always glad I did. I feel lighter, I feel fuller, I feel a deep sense of peace, and I can’t help but smile.
You get good at a thing by doing it.
And it’s the hard things that bring the most joy.
