I have come to believe that we all create our lives from the quality of our thoughts. Our perceptions of what happens to us each and every day create other similar experiences because the energy of our experiences has a snowball effect and we tend to draw to us more of the same. If we start out having a bad day, the accompanying thoughts tend to create more negative experiences- or positive, if we realize that by changing our thoughts we can turn our day around. What we think about expands.

Although I live this reality every day- it isn’t always a breeze. When I get stuck in negativity I sometimes find it hard to get out. I think everyone does. Recently I have found a teacher in the most unusual form- my car.

I purchased my car in May of this year, and when asked if I would like the run-flat tire insurance- I declined, since in nearly two decades of driving I have never had a flat. Living downtown Vancouver in the midst of mad construction I thought that by adopting the attitude that insurance was simply unnecessary given my history of flat tires I would be just fine. This may have worked had I not driven through each construction area tensed up and stressing about getting a flat. Two weeks later- guess what? I got my first flat tire. I had begun to fear the exact thing I hoped to avoid- and voila! It became my reality.

So, lesson learned, right? Wrong. Earlier this week I was late for work-again-and I had absolutely no good reason. Upset with myself at my lack of time management I started to criticize myself. “Late, again?” “Did I really need to hit that snooze button the fourth time?” “This is getting embarrassing. I don’t even have a valid reason. If I only had a valid reason for getting late this time so I actually had an excuse…” Well, no more than one minute after making that statement I was given a valid reason. I got another flat tire.

I called the dealership and asked if maybe it took time for the tire pressure to register low and the lady informed me it was almost instantaneous, within one minute. Needless to say I was shocked.

I asked to keep the screw that gave me a flat tire as a reminder. It sits in my car and I have to move it out of the way every morning to set down my coffee. It reminds me that our thoughts do in fact create our realities. It also reminds me that often situations in our lives act as lessons in mindfulness. We only have to look at what we have created to redefine what needs to change to live more positive, rewarding, and fulfilling lives.

- Keyla Stuart, founder of Manifest Destiny. For more information: manifest.destiny@ymail.com | www.manifestdestiny.ca