Am I the effect of this?

Do you ever find yourself talking about a particular topic to anyone who'll listen? Something you'd like people to notice and agree with you about? It could be about the state of the nation, the office, or people's houses, clothes or bodies? The Latest Crisis of the Week?

When you do that, notice your energy. Do you talk about it lightly as a question with an interesting point of view energy, and then get on with the fun of life?

Or do you sense a heaviness, a stickiness which distracts you from being joyful?

When you say interesting and get on with it, you are being aware and in allowance of it. When you get gummed up with its heaviness, you are the effect of it.

So if you'd like to have uninterrupted access to joy in life — no matter what is going on in the world — next time you notice yourself repeatedly thinking, saying or doing something, ask "Am I in allowance, or the effect of this?"

If you'd like to change something — not simply talk about it — ask more questions, like "What is this? Can I change it? If so how?" and "What action can I take"?