Mind-blowing realizations around judgements
Be careful what your mind is making up!
This week I went on an experimental challenge to experience something rather extreme for myself: I travelled to Stockholm to visit designer stores. Feel free to have a look at my last post here:
I had googled certain stores and also decided that I will dress nicely. Meaning more elegant than in my usual outdoor clothes or flowery dresses. I wanted to feel that I put effort in my appearance as I planned to enter Gucci, Prada, Luis Vuitton, Chanel and other designer stores.
As I mentioned in my last post, I had plenty of prejudice, assumptions and expectations of how it will go, how I might feel and I made up a whole world around why I disliked those stores, people in them, money and spending it on “things” and “stuffs” like clothes and bags.
When I finally was on the shopping street in Stockholm, I decided to first enter some middle-class stores that were above average expensive to somehow ease myself into the whole experiment.
I didn’t even know if I would ever try something on in any of the stores, if I am honest, I rather felt not doing it, but I thought to maybe buy some earrings! Upon entering the first store, I was welcomed super friendly & I started to have a look around… and my glance fell on a dress. I immediately loved it! So my impulse was to ask the lady in the store about it & she immediately helped me. In a very kind, humble and not pushy way.
Then I realized, that I internally have decided to try on that dress. You can’t imagine how surprised I was about myself! I didn’t expect that at all! When trying it on, it basically fit perfectly and the next thing I realized was thinking: OMG, I totally get why people would buy more expensive clothes!
Two big shifts & realizations already in the middle-class store. AND! The fact that I immediately loved the dress! I was blown away & decided to come back later again as I did not expect the first store I enter to cause all that.
So my journey to Chanel, Gucci, Tiffany & Co, Prada, Luis Viotton, Rodebjer & more continued. I felt very well, not intimidated, not judgmental, not grumpy, not full of prejudice or assumptions, not negative; instead I felt light, happy and excited to see what comes next!
And I can tell you: it was everything else than what I have made up in my head! The complete freaking opposite! Total mind explosion!
As a side note: I deeply believe that what we feel inside, how we are, what thoughts we have, in short, the energy we internally possess, has an effect on our outer world. Whatever is inside of us, we will meet on the outside. In all circumstances. The outside basically mirrors what we have going on inside of ourselves, on an emotional, mental and energetic level.
So when I was met with kindness, openness & curiosity, when I was welcomed in all the stores I entered, when I got personal assistants, people helping me out, showing me clothes & even chatting for more than 20 minutes, I was seriously blown away!
HOW could that be, if I had all these negative and judgemental thoughts & feelings inside of me before? I realized, that they actually do not exist inside of me. At all. None of them. Nada. Zero.
My head and mind had made up certain scenarios, stories and assumptions that entering high-priced designer stores would be a certain way. Even though I have never entered them! And when I did, I was just blown-away by my way of being, feeling, thinking and not judging at all.
Not once did I think: “Uh, what snobby people.” or “How unfriendly the staff is.” or “What a waste of money!”. I was payed attention to, taken serious & cared for.
Clearly there were products that I didn’t like, as they just did not appeal my taste. BUT: there were magnificent pieces as well! From clothes to bags, to accessories, everything! My favorite store was Prada, as I had several super nice & personal chats with one of the salesladies. She told me about thee history of the brand, how they make their pieces (ALL hand-made), their philosophy, how it works generally etc etc.
I was just standing there thinking “Oh wow, each one of these is a piece of art! A true piece of art!” How could I, who really appreciates art and paintings and sculptures and crafts NOT HAVE SEEN THAT? If a Designer designs a wonderful piece of clothing or a bag, with the best materials, the best people and has a limited amount of these, why would it be anything bad to buy something like that? There is nothing wrong with that!! AT ALL!
(I notice I write in a lot of capital letters, you can see my excitement about this experience & the realizations I made :-D)
One of the stores I entered felt like a gallery even, with artworks & sculptures and just touching the materials of the clothes and looking at the beautiful colors made me feel happy. I even tried on a piece I would have never tried in that color combination: & I loved it, it felt amazing.
Overall, I realized that my energy inside of me was not as screwed and messed up with regards to money, rich people, designer clothes and stores. I was the way I always am and that was exactly how I was treated by everyone. Even the guards who unlocked the doors for me.
It made me question, what type of other bull-poop stories and assumptions I have made up in my head, without having any experience about it. And THAT was the essential part here: to get out of my comfort zone, into what I perceived as danger or bad and actually EXPERIENCE it, feel it, perceive it and only then realize what I truly believe about it.
I do know that I have still several limiting mindsets and preconceived notions, especially about myself and my capabilities and I also know that I have gotten rid of many already, within myself and also with regards to others. This experience however has made it clear to me, to ramp up my game on that as well. From now on, I will consciously get rid of whatever assumption I come across that does not serve me well. And if possible, I will test & experience a situation rather than judging it. Basically: I will question myself and my reactions even more & clear out my system from those.
Oh, and maybe the realization that was the biggest was that I hugely underestimated my own energy & what I spread into the world. Cos because of it, I was able to experience this trip in that way.
How do you feel about all those things I described to you today?
Oh, & in case you wondered: I went back and bought the dress I fell in love with ;-)!
Love,
Daria