PTSD Professional Perspective – The Butterfly Code, Part 4

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Mike Blackstone has a way of understanding how to get things done with the right mindset! This month’s “Butterfly Code” installment offers a new key about “probable possibilities”, expectations, and how to stop yourself from feeling disappointment. Exactly what every healing PTSDer needs to know…

Project Butterfly Code, Part 4

Up to now, we have covered the first four Keys of the Butterfly Code:

1. Make a committed decision
2. Identify a natural first step you could take the next day, supporting that decision
3. Admit to yourself, all your fears, concerns, and doubts about how it won’t work for you
4. Entrust and surrender the unfolding of your committed decision to All That You Are

Expectations will derail your success

Some years ago, my wife, little son and I were driving to my folks for the holidays. I was excited with visions of great times, and I said so to my wife. I was shocked when she said she didn’t want to go and was irritated she felt obligated to. Well, that irritated me and we got into an argument. We argued for awhile (mostly me) and it was getting ugly when a flash hit me. Somehow, I was suddenly aware how my expectations were behind my upset, and how utterly futile it was for me to try to argue them back into existence. In a rare moment of insight, it was crystal clear letting them go was the only path to peace — mine and my wife’s.

I remember the moment so vividly when I let them all go. The arguing stopped, I listened, I understood where she was coming from, and there was peace. To this day, I am acutely aware expectations that are too specific are toxic to any committed decision. Lesson learned: Keep your committed decisions at the level of strong intentions and general expectations of success, and do not allow general expectations to get too specific. If you do, it’s a recipe for failure. Listen, I still make mistakes and sometimes daydream expectations that are too specific before I catch myself and let them go. You will, too. Your disappointment will be your signal to let them go. Ditch the details.

Enabling “probable possibilities”

A probable possibility is an occurrence supporting a committed decision that is well within the realm of realistically happening.

The 5^th Key of the Butterfly Code is all about creating a mental environment of “intentioned improvisation” — free of specific expectations except for the strong intention and general expectation of success for the committed decision. This allows for multiple, probable possibilities. When you apply this Key of the Code, you can know a probable possibility will happen that is going to support your committed decision, but you do not know which one. After some experience using the Code, you will begin to have a sense of wonder and calm anticipation, waiting to find out how it’s going to unfold. Now, you don’t literally just watch and wait, you are absolutely in action around your committed decision; and while you are in action, one or more of these probable possibilities will occur.

To your satisfaction, the great majority of those occurrences will forward the fulfillment of your committed decision. I also want to make clear, these probable possibilities ARE NOT accidents and they ARE NOT random. They have all been set up as positive possibilities by YOU turning the first 5 Keys.

In the beginning few weeks of using the Code daily, this letting go of expectations is not “fall off a log” easy, but it comes quickly as you develop an experience base of regularly being pleasantly surprised at how things work out, AND how smoothly you handle each turn of events… almost as if you HAD planned it that way!

Now, might one or the other of those possibilities occasionally appear as a setback? YES, it may APPEAR so. But it will not BE so. Time after time, you will discover a step back was needed to move more steps forward, along a different path of probable possibilities — even more unerringly on your way to fulfilling your committed decision.

The Butterfly Code enables you to merge ALL the positive capabilities of your mind, both hemispheres (personalities) of your brain, your body, and your heart into a unified and powerful “zone.” From that zone, you can and will create an amazing and astounding sequence of events around any committed decision you make.

Remember, you are not buffeted by life. You create it, either subconsciously or consciously. So do it consciously and intentionally by making committed decisions about what you want. Then leave the rest to all that you are. You will usually find how it unfolds is better than you expect.

Key 5: Opening up to a multitude of probable possibilities

Before you go to bed at night, say out loud to yourself the first four Keys along with this determination:

5. I am ready and open for this committed decision to unfold in surprising ways — ways I do not expect, and I remain committed.

Remember, with the turning of the first 5 Keys, you are perfectly set up to EFFECTIVELY improvise with ANYTHING that occurs. By turning the 5^th Key, you open up the field of play to having any one (and more) very interesting possibilities become PROBABLE — that is, realistically happen, moving you toward fulfillment of your committed decision!

For a fuller explanation of all 6 Keys of the Butterfly Code, go to http://mikeblackstone.com

Next month, learn one of the most satisfying and fulfilling applications of the Butterfly Code, transforming your relationships — personal and professional.

Copyright © 2010 by Michael Blackstone

Butterfly Code, Part 3

Butterfly Code, Part 2

Butterfly Code, Part 1

The opinions in this post are solely those of the author. To contribute to ‘Professional Perspective’ contact Michele.

Tags: Butterfly Code, ptsd, relationships