I wonder if we when we look back on this period in years to come, we will remember it as another winter of discontent.  The winter of 1978 and 1979 was labelled as such due to widespread strikes in the UK and trade union activism.  Whilst we don't have widespread strikes, we have had the worst winter in 20 years or more and the shrinking economy is beginning to reveal cracks in the infrastructures of small and large businesses alike.  If we choose to accept the reality that is being presented, then the years ahead don't look promising, particularly in the UK.

The truth is, each and everyone of us will experience a reality that is defined by our ability to respond to our environment.  My next door neighbour in Harley Street is a Kinesiologist, Kineseiology is about muscle testing.  A very simple explanation of this therapy is a test of your muscular reactions to certain thoughts and feelings.  For example, if you are stood upright with your right arm extended out at right angles, I then ask you to think about something that you are uncomfortable about, or fearful of, AND I then start pressing down on your right arm, it will invariably fold down by your side very quickly.  If I then repeat the same exercise, except this time I ask you to think confident and and purposeful thoughts, you will notice that as I press down on your arm, it will resist the pressure being asserted upon it.  

What kind of extraordinary belief system do you need to employ to strengthen your muscle groups?    If you set out on a journey expecting it to be difficult, you will find difficulty.  Your mind is filtering and searching for it, and of course, you find what you are looking for.  'Fake it till you make it' is a useful way to lull yourself into new patterns of thinking, especially when there appears to be internal parts of you that are resistant, or doubting.  If your expectation is a different one, the kind that just expects that you will discover some amazing new things about your resourcefulness, you will notice that new opportunities show up.

In a snow covered West London suburb last week, I took to heading off to the supermarket by foot and I noticed a difference in people that I met whilst out.  They seemed more caring and courteous.  They took time to help one another.  I smiled at this experience and thought about the months and years ahead and realised that there are untold opportunities for different levels of contentment and new depths to human behaviour.  Out of adversity come the richest gifts.