Managing FITS

Are your FITS in charge?

Last week we spoke (I am referring to the class I currently teach the I Am curriculum to) about FITS.  FITS is just an acronym for feelings, impulses, thoughts, and sensations.  I recently concluded that I teach subjectively and experientially - not based on any absolutes.  So please read my ideas on FITS with an open mind.  I consider myself to incorporate everything and anything into my teaching that I have found meaningful in my own life (don't we all do this?).  It's funny how life is, as soon as I settled on this 'subjective' approach to teaching I was brought back to the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People/Teens that talks about the principles that govern us in spite of what our beliefs are (ie. absolutes).  Funny.

I used to facilitate SEL (social emotional learning) lessons based on the idea that 'thoughts' trigger 'feelings/emotions' which dictate 'behavior' and then ultimately lead to the 'results' we get in life.  I now facilitate the idea that when we intentionally practice being mindful or still (present in our body experiencing the moment) we bring awareness to our body and notice FITS.  As we learn to identify FITS we start to recognize how our FITS play off of one another as if they are a bit enmeshed especially when we aren't mindful of their independent roles.

For example....  How many of us have allowed a pet or a child under the age of three to upset us?  To upset us in a way that we believed the child or pet purposely did something to us to intentionally receive the reaction we gave them (?).  What if we were instead reacting to the FITS concept?  A two year old tells us to go away or clings to their parent when we approach.  What reaction may we be having in our body?  And which happens first?  A feeling of rejection could lead to an impulse to leave the situation (sometimes this may be a good reaction, however an adult leaving a two year olds birthday party would not be so cool).  A sensation may flood our body - the same sensation we had at sixteen when we were rejected by 'the crush.' The sensation could create, reinforce, or contribute to feelings of unworthiness that (if not intervened upon) will now trigger thoughts from the past or possibly the future (now we aren't in the present moment anymore) that will feed the feeling of rejection and contribute to an overall sense of 'I don't matter.'  Yuck.  What if our FITS are just part of being human and responding to our own energy and that of the collective whole?  What if our FITS constitute what we refer to as our 'emotion' and we 'emote' based on our experience of the FITS?  What if the FITS can just be allowed?  What if we can learn to observe FITS and purposely allow for the experience with the idea that when we give up control we give up resistance which can disempower the whole process?  Does a two year old really have the power to limit us?  If you like, return to the beginning of this paragraph and create your own personal example of the FITS idea.  Have you ever limited your life experience by reacting to FITS?

Our FITS will govern our life experience if we do not intentionally practice being mindful of our 'inner being.'  We are the mayor of Self town.  The FITS belong in the town but they need to be put in their rightful place.  When we are aware of FITS and allow them to be as they are with intention to release that which limits us and our life experience in any way, we can then use this awareness for purpose.  Used constructively, FITS can empower us by willfully contributing to creative ideas, inspired thinking, and unlimited possibilities.

'Everyone has a capacity for greatness that transcends anything they've been taught to believe.'

'Your appointment with life is always in the present.'