Just the Other Day
A big flash appears on my screen. Something got through my pop-up blocker. “Make $3000 - $7000 in a week, no experience necessary!” the ad window on my computer screams at me. I push the “x” in the corner to get rid of it. No such luck.

“Lose 10 lbs this weekend without dieting or leaving your armchair!” flashes the next pop-up window, just underneath. Then: “Gain ultimate enlightenment in three easy steps!”

They’re Everywhere
Aside from the sheer aggravation of pop-up ads, this experience drove home to me an interesting point. We live in a quick-fix culture. The charlatans and advertising folks scream at us from all directions:

“Use X-brand jeans to look slim and sexy!” “Buy the Y-brand car, and you too can be successful, attractive, and invincible!” The messages seep into our consciousness every day from our TVs, our radios and computer screens, from magazines on store shelves, from billboards on our way to work…

What They’re Telling You
Of course, there’s nothing wrong with wanting any of these things. But did you ever stop to think what these ads are actually telling you? Beyond touting brands X and Y, I mean. What is the underlying message that’s been permeating our surroundings for decades now?

What they’re really saying – the message seeping into our collective subconscious – is: “You’re not attractive enough, not slim or sexy enough, and certainly not successful or attractive enough. And you know what? You’re simply not enough, period! Don’t you want to fix yourself, finally? Don’t you see just how not ok you are?”

Quick and Easy – How Else?
And that’s where the trouble starts - when we want all these things because we're feeling fundamentally “not ok” with where we are, and who we are, right now in our lives.

And, how else to fix this, than with the next big “quick fix” remedy, be it a pill, a seminar, a book, or a fancy car?

The Price of Being ‘OK’
Problem is, that the price we pay for these quick fixes, far from being just monetary, is the price of our souls, of our self-reliance, our self-esteem, and self-knowing. By looking outside of ourselves for the magic quick fix to our basic sense of "ok-ness" in ourselves, we’ve become a society of victims.

We have lost touch with our internal barometer of what’s true for us, of what actions to take, and which activities to pursue.

Ask Yourself
All those things we chase after – the perfect job, the perfect mate, the perfect body, and on and on – these are all shadows, smoke and mirrors.

Did you ever stop to think, to really ask yourself – what is it that you’re really chasing after? Is it really about looking more attractive (for some definition of “attractive”), or about having more money? Is it *really* about losing weight or appearing successful (again, for some definition of “successful”)?

Another Quick Fix? – The Fundamental Mind Shift
What would you do if I were to wave my magic wand and make you be totally, fully, and irrevocably “ok”, just as you are, right now? No pills, no books, no programs. You’re just totally perfect, exactly where you need to be at this moment.

What if you were to really believe this, to truly internalize this feeling? What if you were able to get out of your head, and embrace your deeper knowing – from your belly, from your heart? Who would you be then? What would be possible…?

Guess What?
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Poof!!!

So, how are you different? How does it feel to take back your power?

The Choice is Yours
Here’s the biggest secret of all, and you’ll know it is so as soon as you connect with your truth. You get to choose what you believe in. It’s really your choice to believe that there’s something wrong with you or with your life situation. It’s certainly a valid choice, and you can live a full life from that belief. Just know that you chose it.

Try It On
But, what if you were to choose differently? Why not try on, even if just for a minute, that who you are right at this moment – with unpaid bills, and dirty laundry, and excess body fat, and lots of unfinished business – is just perfect, is exactly where you need to be right now? What if there’s nowhere to get to, and nothing to fix?

Take a Minute
Take a minute, right now - really - and re-read that last sentence. Sit with it for a moment. Can you take it in?

Sure, there are goals to set and achieve, dreams to dream, and actions to take. But know that there is nothing to fix, and there is nothing wrong.

Epilogue
And you hold that magic wand yourself. You can "poof" yourself into total "ok-ness" anytime you choose. No matter what the media messages may say to the contrary.

Plant the Seeds:
Three Un-Quick-Fix Steps
Now it's your turn. Far from a quick fix, here are three simple - though not necessarily quick and easy – steps to getting back in touch with your total ok-ness, your own internal messages – from your inner wisdom and knowing.

• Step 1: Minimize the Media Messages
  You don’t need to put yourself in the way of all these media messages that tell you just how not ok you are. Don’t get me wrong – it’s entertainment, and there’s nothing wrong with that. But make a conscious choice about what you expose yourself to. Take your power back. (Yes, this can mean turning off the TV).

• Step 2: Become Conscious
  When you do come across those messages – the ones that tell you that you’re not enough, or not ok, and offer you a quickie external solution – recognize them for what they are. They are not the truth. Become aware of what you’re seeing and hearing, of the impact it has on you.

  And then – remind yourself that you’re just fine the way you are. In fact, where you are right now is perfect. Make that a mantra, and repeat it often. (Remember – you do your own magic wand “poof-ing”!)

• Step 3: Start a Daily Practice
  This is the most important and direct path you can take to re-connecting with your own inner truth. A daily practice can be as simple as just sitting in quiet meditation for 5 minutes every morning, taking a walk around the block, or setting an intention for your day. It can be writing in your journal, practicing yoga, or paying attention to your breath. In fact, it can be any action (or non-action) at all, done mindfully. The important thing is to do it consistently, mindfully, and with love.