How You Park is How You Live
During a coach training I once facilitated, one of the students shared with the group an insight she'd had while parking at a party the night before.
She'd seen this tiny parking spot, said to herself, "I'm from Paris, I'm used to squeezing into small spaces," and proceeded to finagle her way in to the spot (with her passenger thinking it was never gonna happen).
As she walked toward the party, she saw a bunch more spacious spots even closer to her destination.
And in that moment she realized that this was how she'd lived her entire life:
Trying to contort herself to fit into situations and relationships that weren't a good fit for her.
This is how it works.
Our perspective on life not only filters our experiences, but literally creates them.
This highly intelligent woman had become so cozy with her identity as someone who squeezes herself into situations that aren't right for her that her mind didn't even allow her to look around and notice what better options were out there.
And every tight spot she works her way into in her life reaffirms the belief that she doesn't quite fit anywhere, and that that's just the way life is.
I used to take the first parking spot I saw that was even remotely in the neighborhood of where I wanted to go. The pattern mirrored how I'd approached my life to that point:
"This spot's fine. No point in wasting time looking for something better that probably doesn't even exist for me."
I have a friend who does just the opposite. She gets literally as close as possible to where she's going, asks everyone in the car to rally good parking juju, and insists there's always something closer. And, lo and behold, for her there usually is.
Our beliefs create our life experience.
So if how we park is how we live, what do your parking habits say about your view of life?
Do you trust that there will always be something that's a good fit for you, or do you take whatever you can get for fear that might be all that's going to come your way?
Do you believe there are always enough spots for everyone, or that you have to fight to protect your space?
Our minds are constantly on the hunt for evidence that corroborates our beliefs - so we get to feel right and certain (in a life in which actual certainty doesn’t exist).
So the next time you feel your parking habit kick in, check out your thoughts.
Are they providing you with more proof that life is a struggle and never meets your needs, or that life is abundant and always provides the perfect things in the perfect ways at the perfect time?
And as a perk of your increasing awareness, notice what happens to your parking karma as you shift your beliefs about what's available to you. You may be surprised to find you become one of those people who has uncannily awesome parking "luck."
Lots of Love,