"Honey, You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet!"
Highlights
My old daily walks in this new urban place (0:50)
Something (or someone) had to change (3:00)
Your turn… (6:05)
“HONEY, YOU AIN’T SEEN NOTHIN’ YET!”
MY OLD DAILY WALKS IN THIS NEW URBAN PLACE
Since moving to Sacramento four years ago, I had given up my daily walks, and consequently, I’ve gained 40 pounds, many aches and pains, and a really negative view of what humans tend to do to the Earth in urban places.
Some of you are aware that I’ve struggled to align with living in an urban area. There are things I love so much about it, but the impact of so many humans on such a condensed piece of our Earth makes me shudder, and I often think, “Oh, this is so terrible!” and consequently, the Universe responds with, “Beth, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet.” And then all I can see is more trash, more shopping carts in the river, and more people struggling to make a home and a life in places that just aren’t that well-suited for living.
I decided about three months ago – with some significant urging from my doctor and my rising blood pressure, as well as my mental health – that I would resume my daily walks, no matter how dreadful the scenery.
But I became so frustrated as I saw those broken bottles, discarded fast-food containers, car parts, and paraphernalia of all kinds littered along the playground fence, strewn in the gutters, and all along the sidewalks.
I became so angry when I walked the river and saw a shopping cart, cigarette butts, and other unmentionable items discarded in and around her beauty or, when I went to get in my car with my grandson one morning, saw a woman light up a meth pipe in the vehicle just a few feet away from us.
SOMETHING (OR SOMEONE) HAD TO CHANGE
I wanted the people around me to change. I wanted to call some authority to tell them it was their job to make things different, and simultaneously, I was missing the significant beauty which was abundant and all around me.
My friend and colleague, Sasha Mobley, said to me a few weeks ago, “Beth, I’ve been re-listening to Outrageous Openness: Letting the Divine Take the Lead by Tosha Silver. For some reason, I feel like you might be wanting to listen to it as well.”
So, as I walked my neighborhood this morning, Tosha whispers in my left ear – only my left ear because safety first, so only one earbud – and she said to me:
When you say to the Universe, “Oh, this is terrible!” the Universe responds with, “You ain’t seen nothing yet!” and when you say to the Universe, “Oh, this is so wonderful!” the Universe responds with, “You ain’t seen nothing yet!”
This was a light bulb of insight that I needed for my own shift. I’ve been walking around with anger and resentment and the thought: Why can’t they be better? Why can’t they change?
And now I’m asking all my Navigating Challenging Dialogue people out there: What is the mantra for this experience I’m having? Yeah, here it is:
The only person I can change is myself.
Tosha-via-Sasha reminded me that if I choose to stay in the Why can’t they? Why don’t they? mindset, the Universe shall respond to me with, “Honey, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet.” So, here’s my practice (because it’s all just a practice): See the beauty, and be grateful for it.
And as I shifted to that place in my head … the place of seeing moments of beauty? It was all waiting for me, as it had been since I’ve moved here four years ago. And guess what…?
I ain’t seen nothing yet!
YOUR TURN…
So where are you – in your personal life, in your professional life, in your relationships, or in the world around you – asking the Universe to show you more of what you don’t want instead of all the joy, abundance, peace, and happiness that is available to you?
Because what I can tell you is: Honey, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet!
- Beth