Monday, April 16, 2018

Life Lesson: I Am What I Focus On

Some of you may recall a post I shared last August, in which I spoke of my decision to leave Philadelphia and move back to New York City. Well, that time will be arriving this coming September. Only 4 1/2 months away. Yahooooo!

You may have also recalled me mentioning in that post about sharing with you in the future the detailed reasons why I decided to finally leave Philadelphia. I said,

"...I don't like senselessly complaining about an issue until I can do something to change it. I won't go into everything right now, I'll save that for later posts during this next year..."

Well, a lot has changed since I said that. And by changed, I'm referring to my consciousness, my outlook on how I wish to spend the remainder of my time here in Philadelphia; choosing not to focus on what I no longer want. But instead, letting go of this city and looking forward to where I'm headed.

Why is it that when we don't like something in our lives, we seem to addictively focus our attention on that thing, creating more and more negative thoughts and feelings about that thing, giving it more and more fuel to become something even more of what we don't want. It's like an old movie that replays over and over in our heads, containing the same negative inner dialogue and pictures, depleting our spirit of energy.

In my younger years of searching for a healthier way of perceiving things in my life that I don't like, whether they be temporary or permanent, I discovered that the only way to move through those things is to stay consciously aware of where I'm directing my attention. Therefore, I should have known better than to do what I've been doing these past seven months, which has been to continually focus my energy on why I can't stand Philadelphia.

It's like the Socrates quote above:

''....focus all of your energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new"

And that's exactly what I've not been doing. Rather, I've been fighting (and reliving) the old, giving it more attention and more power.

Well, finding that quote online last month was a blessing because it sobered me back to reality; reminding me of what I've known all along...I am what I focus on.

Therefore, I've decided not to share with you the countless reasons for why I'm leaving this city because I've been focusing on those reasons way too long.

But what I will share with you, is this...

I believe that people are people no matter where you live. We all have the capability to think, feel, and express the same emotions because we're human beings. So in that respect, yes, we are all the same.

However. And this is a very important however...

I also believe that every place in this world, whether it be a state, a country, a city, etc., contains a specific energy. And that energy attracts like-minded people together, who think, feel and express similar emotions and act certain ways because they resonate to the same kind of energy.

And that's the reason why I'm leaving Philadelphia. I am not (and have never been) like-minded with its people. Nor, do I resonate with the energy here. I have always felt like a foreigner.

You see, I don't believe that you have to be born somewhere to feel a connection to that place. For example, I was not born in New York, yet I feel a deeply personal and spiritual connection to that city and its people. And that's because I resonate with the energy there.

A home can be wherever you feel at home, because a home is all about knowing that you belong.

In conclusion, I have chosen to exit Philadelphia with a feeling of gratitude. Looking back, I've grown a lot in the years spent living here because I've traveled through some of the most challenging experiences of my life.

So thank you, Philadelphia.

But it's high time to say goodbye.

Yup, I'm ready to go home...

Have a fantabulous week, y'all!

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