Category Archives: 21

21

Time for Hope

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“And sometimes, against all the odds, against all logic, we still hope.”

The goals we set and the dreams we create about life are the fuel that gives us purpose and allows us to thrive. It is a common occurrence for people to get overwhelmed sometimes.  There are bills to pay, family obligations to keep, personal tragedies, and work bringing us down.  Sometimes the challenges we face seem like they are mountains too high to climb, and our goals and dreams fall to the back burner as the life of obligation takes over.

But hope still exists there buried in the back of your mind and can be pulled out to fuel your fire and try to move us in the direction of success you are dreaming of. Hope can exist in some pretty dark circumstances. It serves a great purpose to provide someone with the belief, no matter how down you are at this moment, things can turn around, and circumstances can present themselves in a way that allows you to find the dream you have in life and to achieve all of the goals you have set for yourself. It is a matter of time, attitude, and perseverance.

Develop a Keen Vision

The people who can hold on in life and make it through the tough times and still move toward their goals are the ones who develop a positive vision of the world. We all know that there will be dark times. Just as the sun comes up in the morning and ends the physical darkness in the world, a symbolic sun will rise in the darker times of your life.  Your job is to develop a vision that can see through the darkness and know the dawn of the solution is coming.

Each time a person decides to have faith and maintain hope in the goodness in the world and their life, the world becomes slightly better. We are all given opportunities in life to face our challenges. Some we handle easily, and others, of course, are much harder. But the hard lessons are the ones we take the most value from and the ones that shape the foundation of who we are. If you quit too soon and never give it all a go, you never get a chance to build a solid foundation. Your positive vision and hope allow you to grow into something better.

Just One More Try

So when the challenge comes to you in some way.  A job is too hard, you have a goal you only haven’t been able to reach, something you want isn’t working out for you, or a financial problem is rearing its ugly head. Whatever the challenge you face, hope will tell you to give it just one more try.

It doesn’t matter how many times life knocks you down. Life will knock you down from time to time. If you are knocked down eight times, get up after each one and press on. If you are after something you want, a few more moments of effort are worth it. Mentally, it is the man that refuses to be beaten that wins. Talent is great, but hope in a better outcome combined with the tenacity of action will push you over the top and allow you to achieve most goals. Just one more try is all it will take.

Never Forget The Light

It is up to you to never forget your dreams and know that change is inevitable and constant even though circumstances don’t seem favorable right now. It may move slowly, but it moves, and you will have an opportunity to grow and achieve what you desire. It is up to you to take advantage of this opportunity to become what you wish. Or you can choose to give up and never follow your desire.

Keep your hope alive in accomplishing whatever it is that you have always dreamed of having. Every new day comes with the possibility of greatness, and anything can happen on any day. The key ingredient to power these dreams and goals is hope. Be ready to accept all the good that can come your way.  And hope is always there. Find your faith and allow it to work its magic in your life today.

I still maintain hope in many things a less stubborn person would have given up on a long time ago. I have confidence the sun will rise tomorrow and reveal a day I am longing for in my life. I aspire to things that could come as soon as tomorrow. I wake with a heart of hope and a mind filled with possibility. What better way could there be to live?

 “Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.”- Desmond Tutu

“There was never a night or a problem that could defeat sunrise or hope. ” Bernard Williams

“Stay positive and happy. Work hard and don’t give up hope. Be open to criticism and keep learning. Surround yourself with happy, warm, and genuine people.”   Tena Desae

 

21

Be A Hero

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Hero- a person admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities.

We need more heroes in the world today to help save the day. Since that is the case, I think we should look around and see the hero that can exist inside each of us.  Being a hero doesn’t mean you need to have special powers; it merely means that you need to look inside yourself and find the courage to do what you know is right.  Please step away from the fear that lives in us all and take actions today that are heroic.  The hero inside you will arise when you begin to develop a consciousness of how your actions affect the lives of others. Usually, this involves overcoming your fears of failure, success, or what others think of you.  It all begins with paying attention to your thoughts at the moment, understanding the emotions they bring, managing your words expressing this to others, and taking manageable actions with a purpose. That will make you a hero.

There are times in life where we all need saving. We need someone to tell us that it will all be alright. Even if we can’t seem to find the way, you can be that person to someone else with a little bit of open-mindedness and understanding. Look at what others are saying and doing, and see where you can help and be that hero for someone.

The Hero is Authentic

Why would you want to be anyone else when you look at it? You are a unique, one-of-a-kind gift.  Only you can give the world your tips, and they are great and powerful. Yet, we hide behind the perceived expectations of society or someone else, limiting our actions and accomplishments.  Be yourself, and your natural talent and the joy it brings will shine through.

All heroes are authentic.  When you are yourself, you will find out what your power is. No longer will you rely on others for your happiness. There is joy in being who you are.  You will also find that people of a similar belief system will come into your life.  It will also allow you to be more accepting of others. There is no need to change anyone’s behavior because you know who you are and what you value.  The hero is authentic and acts that way.

The Hero is Brave

There are always situations that challenge us in life. Some are from outside influences, and others, more daunting, are inside us.  The hero faces all challenges and shrinks from none.  When they see a change is needed, they devise a strategy and action.  Sometimes the bravest thing we do is take action when we want to hide.  Even if we have failed to take action a thousand times before, the heroic option is still there for us.

Now. This moment.  This time is all that counts.  To be our true heroic selves in trying to accomplish the things we want, help others, or make the world a better place.  Being brave is often the most courageous thing a person can do and one of the most powerful for their self-development, primarily when they can act positively despite their doubt and fear.  Be brave and be a hero today by taking action you know is right.

A Hero Lifts Others Up

Making the welfare of another a priority for you is what heroes do. This attitude means that you are not judgmental when you look at others. You accept who someone is and know what you can do to assist them on their journey. You don’t have to jump into burning buildings or do anything physically dangerous.  Lifting another up begins with accepting their humanity. There goes a different version of you.

With different experiences and choices, you could be living in the exact situation as anyone else on the face of the Earth. Helping the hero in others rise to the top is one of the valuable jobs a person performs in life.  Give others a chance to grow by providing them with your respect, understanding, trust, faith,  and love.  Not everyone will be at the same stage or knowledge of life as you.  In fact, the more you learn about the experience, the more you know you will never understand it all. That makes the steps you take to lift others even more heroic.  Be someone’s hero today!

Wear a Cape

All heroes wear capes. They are not very functional, but they look good in the costume.  In life, you should always wear an invisible cloak that carries with it a reminder of what you stand for. Others will ridicule, belittle, and criticize, and people do this to build themselves up and make themselves feel important.  Your cape protects you from the slings and arrows of small minds.  But more importantly, it reminds you of who you are.

Each of us has a hero inside that is willing to do the right thing. Be ready to help others. They are eager to be decisive, engaging, humble, kind, caring, considerate, knowledgeable, and trustworthy.  Your cape reminds you of these things.  You are capable of being a hero today, and you should look for opportunities where you can put your powers into action. Your actions could save someone just by reminding them of their humanity. Be a hero today; the world is depending on you. 

“Challenges don’t make heroes.  When the situations arise,  so does the hero inside us all. “

“A hero is someone who, despite weakness, doubt, or not always knowing the answers, goes ahead and overcomes anyway.” ~ Christopher Reeve

 

21

Character

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My goal is to establish a positive focus every morning by focusing on a positive word or phrase. There are enough negative influences in the world, and I believe that through a conscious focus of thought, we can improve our emotions, words, and actions and make the world a better place one thought, feeling, word, and move at a time.   What is Your character today?  

Character Is

The mental and moral qualities an individual possesses determine the contents of nature.  This benefit is not something you are born with; it is a force you manage throughout your life. Character is a series of daily choices you make in where you spend your attention, your time, and, most importantly, how you choose to deal with other people.

Your character is ever-evolving and can be redefined many times throughout your life.  Today, at this moment, is the only chance you have to reveal what you are made of, and that makes all of your decisions valuable to what you are and the energy you produce each day. Character is what you do when you think nobody is looking.  Remember, you are always looking. You can’t fool yourself.  Consciously develop the style you want to represent you.

The Shifting Sands of Character

When you are born, you do not have any character. As you grow in life, you make choices in how you deal with others and what you accept for yourself, which will define you to the world.  It is important to remember that if you behave selfishly or negatively towards others, that defines your character and is who you are.  Focus on the things you do in each moment, the decisions you make, the actions you take, and the thoughts you are focusing on in your life.  Do they honor you? At the end of your life, when you look back at this moment, is it going to be one that you are proud of representing you?

If it isn’t, then you have a chance to change your outlook by making more positive choices.  Each moment contains a decision: to be happy or sad, kind or mean, loving or fearful, the sum of your options will define your character.  Once you understand you can develop that character, you have no excuse not to become a better person.  Two simple things are involved:  honesty about who you are and a willingness to grow and improve. Only your self-imposed limitations can stop you from progressing.

Set Goals, Be Better

When you look at yourself and your thoughts and behaviors, honestly, there will be two categories: Things you are doing well and things you want to improve.  Look at your choices, which enhance and display the character you wish to possess.  Enjoy them and feel good about who you are! Then look at where improvement is needed.  Set some goals to become better, and then take action by implementing them in your life.  If you feel you need to be kinder to people, then make that a conscious focus of your day.  When you see a deficit in generosity, then look for ways to be more generous with the positive things in your life.   Don’t deceive yourself; your character results from the daily conscious or subconscious choices you make daily. Only you decide this.

Why Character is Important

Developing your character matters because it will define who you are and how you contribute to the world.  All people are complicated, and we possess both the capability for great good and great evil.  The conscious choices we make determine the path we walk down.   Your preferences for the character will decide who you are in this life.   Are you a positive force for good, or do you choose to be a negative force for evil? That is why our character has value. It determines the choices we have made in the world and how we decide to work with life.

It is a constant battle inside every person to maintain the positive qualities of honesty over deceit, kindness over meanness, giving over selfishness, confidence over doubt, or love over fear.  Your value to the world and its collective experience is defined and determined by your character’s choices. Developing a better character is going to make the world collectively more positive.

Challenge today

The simple challenge today is to examine your choices right now with clarity and honesty.  Where are they leading you?  Define the areas you are doing well and feel positive about it.  Define the improvement that is needed and create goals to become better.  The character you define is your own, and you are solely responsible for the kind of person you will be today and in this life.

Quotes on Character

“Most people say that it’s the intellect which makes a great scientist, and they are wrong: it is character.” – Albert Einstein.

“Character is the result of two things: Mental attitude and the way we spend our time.”  – Elbert Hubbard

“Weakness of attitude becomes weakness of character” – Albert Einstein

“Character is what you know you are, not what others think you have” –Unknown

 

 

21

Destiny

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Destiny- the hidden power believed to control what will happen in the future; fate.

DestinyThere are always going to be questioned in people’s minds. Why is this happening? Why did that occur? Why this experience? Are there forces at work in our lives that we have little control over?  Do we have a destiny, or is life all about free will?  Or both?  Questions are the tools of all thinking people searching for answers. They guide our minds toward solutions and actions.  Whether you believe every person has a destiny or not is irrelevant to me because we all have a destination. Whether you are fated to get there or not is a matter of semantics because you will get there.  Your life will be full of challenges, changes, and choices you will have to make. Each one is propelling you toward other challenges, transitions, and options. This cycle will continue in a loop until the end of your time.

Each of these decisions you make and experiences you have to change you, your outlook, and the skills others have with you.  So do you control these choices, or does it come from the Universe?  Just contemplating this situation will increase your consciousness. It all starts with you taking a moment and looking at your thoughts, words, and actions today as you determine the extent of your experiences.

 Choices of Destiny

Why does one person become a wild success and another a failure? I think it has very little to do with what is destined to happen and more to do with our reaction to situations and the choices we make.  To believe that only one destiny is available would seem to take away the joy of growth and learning.  Who is to say that there are not two or three or a million different destinies available to us and how we react to the challenges we face determines where we land.  Each day we are faced with the simple choice to accept where we are or to do something different.  To be a positive force in the world we live in or harmful.

You will be responsible for the place you are in right now. Situations are out of our control. How we react to them is our choice always, and the definition of your life is the result.  Losing a job, ending a relationship, a natural disaster, or the sudden death of a loved one are all examples of things happening out of your control.  How you have reacted to these things defines your life today.  Good, bad, or indifferent.  It wasn’t the events that created this destiny, it was your choices and resulting beliefs developed because of them.  You are free to choose something else at any time.

Create Your Destiny

What is it that you want in life? Would you like a more fulfilling relationship? To have more money? To have an exciting career? What is it that interests you?  Knowing that will help guide your choices when facing the challenges life will inevitably present you. Many people have no clear desire or destination in life, so their reactions to challenges are emotional and inconsistent.  In the words of Lewis Carroll, “If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there.”

Your destiny can be the result of a series of conscious choices, or it can be the result of your unconscious meandering.  Having a clear idea of what you would like to have in your life will allow you to take the right road and take responsibility for those choices. Don’t hide behind the false wall of pity. No hero’s story was ever built with the boards of self-pity and fear.  Be brave, be responsible for your choices, and know where you would like to go. Picture your desired destination and take actions that most likely move you in that direction. That is your true destiny.

Be a Hammer, Not a Nail

I was once taught there are two choices in life, and at different times we are the experiencers of both: Be a hammer or a nail.  That means you are either the provider of forces influencing the events around you. Or you are the instrument being influenced by the power of situations, other people, or whatever else you allow to control you.  You have the choice in most cases where you fall into this relationship.

Sometimes, we will be the nail no matter what we do.  Accept the situation, be responsible for your part, and look for ways to influence the direction of things from that point. You will face challenges in life, and they are opportunities for growth, accomplishment, and finding your destiny.  Accept the challenge with courage and character, and you will find the lesson in the problem more quickly.

It all starts with a more engaged consciousness, a thought, and focused action. Look at your thoughts, and they determine the words you speak and result in your efforts.  It is your destiny; take control of it today.

“It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves. It is in your moments of decision that your destiny is shaped.”

“You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backward.”

“Love is our true destiny. I can control my destiny, but not my fate. Destiny is no matter of chance.”

 

21

Detach

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We all have desires and things we want in our lives. But if you focus too much on that one thing, life can slip away from you. It is always healthy to maintain some detachment to the idea you desire.  The biggest problem with having something good is that it comes with a similar fear of losing that thing. The protection from this fear is a measure of detachment or the state of being objective. This objectivity is a difficult skill because when you have a desire, it is difficult to maintain any objectivity and the corresponding emotions, leading to a negative, fear-driven mindset.  Detachment allows you to keep positive energy as you achieve your goals.

Law of Detachment- Letting go of your desire or releasing. 

Detachment from Your Expectations

In life, there are events we look forward to experiencing.  Any milestone or accomplishment brings anticipation, and naturally, expectations will arise in your mind.  This is the place where detachment needs to come into play. When you start to place expectations on the result of something, it is in danger of not being successful.  Once hope comes to you, the mind creates negative worry scenarios about how it might not happen the way you wish. This negative energy will make success and enjoyment difficult.

One of the greatest lessons of playing organized sports is learning to let the result be and take joy and care in doing what you need to do to reach your accomplishments.  This pleasure is accomplished by detaching yourself from the outcome and attaching yourself to doing what you are responsible for in getting there. The results will be what they are, and they will provide something exceptional.  A goal will be achieved, or there will be an opportunity to reassess and try again.  If you don’t practice detachment, one setback can destroy your enthusiasm and confidence.  The results do not define your value, and your actions on the way determine your worth.

Detachment and Charged Thoughts

Think for a moment about something you want to happen in your life.  It could be a new job, a relationship, or anything else.  You will have an initial charge of positivity followed by a litany of worry and fear.  This parade of negative thoughts can derail your efforts before they even get off the ground. It is beneficial for you to maintain a positive perspective, even if others in your life don’t—positive thoughts inside lead to positive results on the outside.

It is up to you to detach from the natural thought to dream up the worst-case scenario of whatever you are involved in in your life.  This detachment is a way of bracing yourself for all outcomes, and anything result will most likely not be a disappointment.  But disappointment can only come from expectations unfulfilled. Don’t create negative images in your mind; negative thoughts inside lead to negative results. Think differently than you have and maintain your individuality of view from those around you.

Letting Go and Letting things Happen

Letting things go is very hard for people to do. It is human nature to attempt to control things from the beginning to the end. But life will teach you that it just isn’t possible or healthy to do.  When you give up your need to control events or other people, you will only be responsible for yourself and what you do.  Too often, we are spending so much effort to attempt to control events in our lives and other people in our lives that we lose focus on the fact, all we manage is ourselves.

Allow things to happen as they should.  We all want great things to happen in our lives, relationships, money, or whatever we desire. But you can’t force things to happen.  All items come with steps of experience that bring them into reality. Building a business or a relationship all come with growing events along the way.  Enjoy these events, learn from them, and allow them to grow into what they bring to your life in growth and understanding.  Many a bad relationship was created by forcing it to perform as expected.  Let go and let things develop as they should.

Detach and Let Things Flow

Control is and always will be an illusion to humankind.  We have little control over the grand scheme of life, and we can only control how we react to events and people. That is it.  We build attachments to things in our minds and find it hard not to build up imaginary scenarios of what it will feel like and how life will change as we accomplish something.  It is better to know what you want and be willing to flow in whatever direction works best. Often the best route to our goals moves in a guide we would never have envisioned.  Take that route.

The other form of control that people often rely on is the control of other people. Usually, loved ones that we want to protect from hard times or difficulties.  However, this is an illusion too. All people have free will to choose what they want. Any control that you experience with another comes only from their consent. If you think you are in charge, you will be in for an awakening.  Detach from that and allow people to follow their path, learn their lessons, and become the best they can be.

In the end, failure to practice detachment from your ego and its limited beliefs grows out of a fear of change and how it might adversely affect you.  Let the fear go and allow for things to happen as they will. This isn’t easy to do, but letting go of your conditioning from the past will enable you to accept unlimited answers and experiences.

“Detachment is not that you should own nothing. But that nothing should own you.” -Ali ibn abi Talib

“He who would be serene and pure needs but one thing, detachment.” -Meister Eckhart

“The root of suffering is attachment.“- Buddha

“Detachment doesn’t mean I’m trying less hard. It just means that fears and emotions that used to torment and paralyze me longer have the same power over me.” -Kelly Cutrone

 

21

Be Still

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Positive Thought Project

Stillness –  the absence of movement or sound.

As a young person, stillness didn’t factor in my life.  I often got impatient with what life was bringing. Hurry up! Let’s get to the next stage already. I couldn’t wait to have new experiences and see new things. Being impatient is one of the shortfalls of youth.  There are patterns in life, and each has its purpose; as a young person, I didn’t comprehend or appreciate the value each stage brings.  Life presents us

Quiet moments at dawn or dusk can provide more answers than many other experiences.
Quiet moments at dawn or dusk can provide more answers than many other experiences.

With many challenging circumstances, thrills, accomplishments, and disappointments.  It is essential to find moments of mindful introspection, a relaxing lull in life with all the excitement.  Taking advantage of the down moments begins with paying attention to our thoughts, words, and actions.  Every day we have a chance to enjoy the stillness around us and grow from the simple act of introspection.  Contemplating how far we have come, where we are at right now, and the destination we would like to reach in the future.

Quiet Time

A quiet period is a time life gives you a space to look around and take a breath or two.

Quiet periods come in life to give you the space to look around, take a breath or two, and see how you are doing. Often there is a lull period after any big moment, positive or negative,  where a person needs a chance to gather themselves before moving toward the next goal, adventure, challenge, or life experience.

Unfortunately, in our society, downtime is not appreciated or valued.  It is looked upon as wasted time or an unwanted time of emptiness. A time that you could spend doing something. We work to fill all of our moments with mindless entertainment. Games, TV, movies, or just music in the background all engage our minds and stop us from thinking about anything of substance. What are we afraid of after all?

Wisdom in Silence

We are afraid of the silence because if we think about our lives, we might see the places we are falling short.  There is a wisdom in that silence we might catch if we find a quiet moment.  Your thoughts may lead to a change in behavior and a greater appreciation for the people and things already in life. So often, we are always looking for that job or that relationship that will make us happy. We never realize that we are capable of being happy right now.  That is the gold one can find in the stillness.

Reflection

Reflection is am important part of learning. Take the time to reflect on what you experience.
Reflection is am an essential part of learning. Take the time to reflect on what you experience.

Reflection is one of the most valuable things that I have taken from the lull periods of my life.  Whenever there is an ending of any kind, there will be a calm period. Sunshine after rain, tranquility after turmoil, seems to be the gift of life. It may be only for a moment, or it may be longer, but the time should be used to evaluate and appreciate the situation you have just experienced, who you are, and the value it has brought to life. Then let it go, taking the lessons with you, into the gift of the stillness and out into the world beyond the learning.

Processing traumatic, emotional events is not always easy. The value of experience can’t be seen through pain, fear, and doubt.  The dots can only be connected, looking backward.  We choose to embrace things or ignore them, but they are still there. It is in the stillness that we can choose our path.  We need to learn specific life lessons before moving on to something else, more complex or advanced. The silence allows us to evaluate a situation you have just gone through and the feelings that have arisen in you, and how it has affected your mind and heart.  That is the gift that stillness can give you a moment to understand, learn, evaluate, process, and hopefully move forward with a complete toolbox.

Questions Lead to Answers

Reflection is a time that I have learned to cherish. To look at even bad situations which are not enjoyable to find that lesson. It has always been there, and if you don’t learn it now, it will present itself again, later.  Before long, you will be on to the next adventure of life, and there won’t be time to look back appropriately and to find the answers.  When the calming times present themselves to you, take advantage and look for the meaning of the experience, ask the questions; What did I learn? How Was this valuable? What am I not seeing yet? Seek the motive in the situation, understand the movement of life around you, learn what you need to know to be the best version of yourself.

There is a lesson to learn about the relationship, the job, the trip, the climb, the project, the graduation, the birth, the death …………  In a moment of quiet, there are the answers you are seeking. They are waiting in the ripples of a lake or underneath the rocks of a river, or in the quiet of a moment. Take that moment and look for them. They provide beauty to all of life that most people miss because they are too busy avoiding thought to look inside the stillness and understand the message that is living there specifically for you to hear.

Life is full of patterns, of “highs” and “lows” that are only different moments of mental intensity that allow for learning or understanding.  Many live their entire lives with questions and never take the time to seek answers. Experience makes a deal with us that there is always a reason behind it all.  The stillness provides time for reflection and contemplation; we can find solutions if we recognize the lull’s value and appreciate the silence and the answers it gives. It all starts with how you look at your thoughts, words, and actions. Be still today, know what you have experienced, see where you are, and plan for going.

“Look at a tree, a flower, a plant. Let your awareness rest upon it. How still they are, how deeply rooted in Being. Allow nature to teach you stillness.” Eckhart Tolle

“Nothing in all creation is so like God as stillness.”~Meister Eckhart

21

Greater Things

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Life gives us all a daily fill of experiences. Some are fun, interesting, and naturally rewarding, while others are boring, difficult, and even painful. All of our experiences combine to create who we are, or better said, they make the thoughts that tell us who we are.

Sometimes we make assumptions about ourselves and the world around us that are inaccurate. These false ideas are based on our lives and the pain, suffering,  joy, or enjoyment we have experienced throughout our lives.  We have the ability at any time to permit ourselves to open our minds to the possibility that there are many positive things for us to find in our future lives.  When you feel you need a change in life, permit yourself to move into a more favorable situation.  In short, change your perception of yourself and your abilities, which will improve the experience you have in your life. It sounds simple, but let’s look at how this will work and what it will look like in the future.

Letting Go- Moving On

Too often in life, we find ourselves in desperate need of change, but we are unwilling to take action or let go of the past.  Things may be quite comfortable where you are, and it seems like it would be crazy to change from the secure cocoon of your environment.  You know you need change when you start to have some tentative feelings, which you know whatever it is will be right for you. Perhaps you spend a lot of time regretting never saying or doing certain things. Or feeling the fear of change but still wanting to do it anyway.  Look inside of yourself and listen to the guidance you have.

The past is great, it creates learning experiences, and we have positive and negative ones based on the amount of suffering connected to them. Too many lives get to a certain point in a career or a family where they feel there are no new options or that the way things are in the way, they will always be.  I would argue that things are never going to be as they ever were.  You can be a catalyst for change, or you can be the victim of it.  Permit yourself to let go of what was, good or bad, and move forward with what you want to become. At this time, you are ready to learn something new and remind yourself exactly who you are. You have way more input into that than you realize. You can permit yourself to let go and move forward any time you choose.

Learn and Grow

Permitting yourself to change, move forward, or, more accurately, grow into the person you are is empowering.  Change is happening all the time, and giving yourself permission to learn and grow, gives you a chance to create a future orientation around your thoughts. No matter where you find yourself right now, the opportunity exists to learn and grow from here into whatever type of person you want to be. Then you can move forward with a statement of what exactly you want to experience and feel in your life.

As your mind expands and the thoughts you create become more forward-thinking, you introduce a potential of what a life can be and mean to you. You have the opportunity to become whatever type of person you want to be. It all starts with permitting yourself to do so, allowing yourself to begin engaging your competency in thought and actions, and being creative with it. Your expansion of possibilities outside of the accepted norms you have been bound by up until now. You have permission to learn and grow any time you want to claim it.

Give Permission for What You Want

There are no natural limits to what you can permit yourself to go after. Whether you get what you want will be up to a combination of your persistence, talent, and heart, but knowing you deserve whatever it is you want should never be a debate.  Permit yourself to change to a better version of yourself.  It may be the bravery you seek in life to do the things you haven’t dared. It may be the strength you need to maintain your efforts over time. It may be honesty you would like more of in your world to be more truthful in all situations. Perhaps it is defensive actions you would like to use to protect yourself from the slings and arrows of the mean people in the world.  Whatever it is you need, permit yourself to have it.

Most of us have been permitting ourselves to feel wrong about some aspect of our lives. It is just as easy to permit yourself to have and enjoy whatever you want to have. It will excite the bravery inside you and allow you to perform at your highest level of power. Permitting yourself to acknowledge your accomplishments, large and small, will build your confidence and enable you to achieve whatever goals you have. Give yourself permission to feel good and be the best person you possibly can be.

“We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone, and as we let our light shine, we unconsciously give others permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”-Marianne Williamson

“Nobody can hurt me without my permission.”-Mahatma Gandhi

“Nature doesn’t ask your permission; it doesn’t care about your wishes or whether you like its laws or not. You’re obliged to accept it as it is, and consequently all its results as well.”-Fyodor Dostoevsky.

21

The Truth

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Is it possible to know the truth without challenging it first? 

seek truth jonathan hilton
The truth fears note.

A part of me will argue that you have to challenge everything before accepting it as truth; otherwise, you are susceptible to believing anything that someone tells you.

Yet I have another thought that sometimes you can know that something is right without investigating it at all.

I contend that you should often challenge the truth because even the wisest people don’t know when to accept something as it is.

When it Comes to Science

When it comes to knowing the truth, a good challenge is appropriate and should be welcomed because if what you are looking at is the truth, it will withstand any investigation or inquiry and still be the same afterward.

At one time, the most prestigious scientists believed wholeheartedly that the world was flat and that the Earth was the center of the universe.  Challenging either of these facts would have gotten you into a lot of trouble and certainly would have lost you any chance of advancement in a field of science. However, these ideas were proven to be false, and other thoughts took their place, to be challenged in their turn.

It seems that today, we feel like we know everything, and you should never challenge science. Who knows what we will learn next if we keep questioning things.  A question can never be a bad thing.

Social Norms Should Always be Challenged

truth jonathan hilton
This is a great way to go, even if it makes you uncomfortable

Socially people seem to take a nearly deranged pleasure in putting people into groups. 

Fitting people into beautiful, neat little boxes based on dress, religion, sexual orientation, or even skin color provided an excuse for separation.

This type of discrimination has been systematically challenged and destroyed over the past one hundred years or so.

People who challenged societal norms always faced initial opposition, but after a concerted effort, there is more and more acceptance of all people. There are still challenges to make, but that seems to be the case for people. Growth comes after challenge.  I have to believe that the level to which we will accept differences will continue to grow.

Why do people hate to challenge

There is a lot of fear involved when the truth is challenged and found to be false, and some people doubt that if some idea they held as absolutely correct now is mistaken, then: What else are they wrong about in life?

This question can knock the sense out of people.  Some will accept the changes as a typical growth pattern, and knowing the truth shouldn’t be seen as a bad thing.

However, many people turn the opposite way and cling ever deeper to their beliefs, never wanting to let them go because it is just too scary for them.

Most of the time, the truth needs to be challenged because if it is the truth, it will stand up, and if it isn’t true, it will never lead to happiness.

Higher Power Challenge

jonathan hilton intuition
Sometimes your heart is right and needs no proof.

Sometimes though, there are things that you have to accept as truth, even if you can’t see it one way or the other that they exist.  Any religious belief has to be undertaken this way because there is no proof of God’sGod’stence; we must accept it on faith.

What God is and if he exists is a debate that has affected the history of humanity for thousands of years.  Does that mean the idea of God shouldn’t be challenged?

No, not at all, but I am not sure what kind of experiment you could perform to see that God exists definitively.   When you look at all of the world’s religions, most of which differ only slightly in doctrine and practice, it is hard to believe that they could have all gotten it wrong.

But the conventional thought is not conventional wisdom.  For me, I think that there has to be a reason that we are all here to accomplish something and that there is a reason why we can reason, be creative, and make moral decisions.  Test away, and when you can prove God exists or not, I will listen with an open mind.

Still Seeking The Truth

For the most part, it is impossible to know the truth without testing it because the truth is everlasting and unapproachable; if something is correct, then testing, trials, or questioning won’t harm it in the least.

When it comes to things you can’t prove or challenge, like the existence of God, it has to come down to your faith.  Either we are a cosmic accident that happens to be here, or we are a magnificent creation to do great things if we let ourselves.

“All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident.”

“He who has truth at his heart need never fear the want of persuasion on his tongue.”- John Ruskin.

“Those who know the truth are not equal to those who love it.”

“Lies run sprints, but the truth runs marathons.”- Michael Jackson

One truth is we all want to get home again:

21

Improve

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Improve-make or become better.

improveIn all aspects of life, you are getting better, or you are getting worse.  People never stay the same for long. It is your conscious choice to evaluate where you are and decide what steps to take to improve your situation. Look honestly at where you are physically, spiritually, and mentally and determine what steps you can take to become better as a person contributing to your life.

To improve is very important not only for you but for those around you. When you educate yourself, you will improve the world as well. It may be in a minimal way, but change the world you will.  It all begins with conscious awareness and honest evaluation of where you are and how you can improve.  This change manifests in your thoughts, words, and actions.

Always Seek to Improve

I believe that people spend too much time in comparison to the accomplishments and activities of other people. This measuring leads to envy, disappointment, and low self-esteem. An analogy is a highway to frustration. There will always be someone who is perceived to be improvebetter. This form of competition is never going to be productive.  You will spend so much time worrying about how you measure up to someone else that you will lose focus on the most vigorous competition. That is with yourself. If you think you will not be happy until you achieve this feeling of being the best, how can you ever be happy today if you perceive you are not in this position?

The only person you should try to improve from is the person you were yesterday.  What are the steps you have taken to improve? If you are better than you were yesterday, you are moving in the right direction.  Look at people around you who are vital and thriving. I will bet there has been a focus on seeking improvement in their skills and abilities. We are all given some talents. It is up to us if we try to develop them or not.  When you improve yourself, you improve the world in a small positive way. These improvements most often will not come in giant leaps, but through consistent, small steps each day, moving you continually upward toward being the best human being you can be.

Attitude is Everything

Establishing the right mindset will allow improvement to come to you more easily. Understand that you have areas that you need to improve in to become your best. No improvematter how good you are at something, you can be better. This growth is an attitude that will allow you to find new limits.  The other choice you have is to be satisfied with where you are, which will lead to stagnation and a loss of skill or talent.  The amount of this loss is all determined by your attitude toward life.

It can be difficult to accept criticism in life. It would be nice if we were born perfect, but that would rob us of the journey. Each choice we make to become better in some way makes us better in other ways as well.  It takes dedication to improve your health. It takes consistency to improve your mind. It takes practice to grow spiritually.  All of these characteristics that you develop when you progress in one area will also carry over to improvements in other areas.

Evaluate to be Great

The challenge for you today is to become more conscious of where you are in life and where the roads to improvement lie.  It will not be the same for everyone except that we all have opportunities to improve right now. It can improveexist in any aspect of your life, financial, physical, relationships, career, family, spiritually, or any other part of your life. You can think of that holds within it a desire from you to be better at it.  Evaluate where you are and set a goal for where you want to be.  Then take action to try to move in that direction.

You will find your ideal direction being reached. There is a satisfaction that comes as you improve. It is a confidence that allows you to do things you never thought you would be able to do.  It begins by becoming more conscious in your thoughts, words, and actions as to how you can improve.  Be just a little bit better today than you were yesterday, and the world will open up for you.

Take a moment and observe your thoughts and feelings. If you are unhappy, what idea is making you that way?  Learn to improve the way you think about things and the thoughts you pay attention to every moment.  It is in these practices people find a key to continual improvement in the enjoyment of life.  It is not what happens to you that counts, but how you think about what happens to you that will provide happiness or sadness to your existence. You are the only one who can choose which dominates your life.

“To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.” ~Winston Churchill

“If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always be where you’ve always been.” —T.D. Jakes

“You’ve got to have rules to live by, and one of mine always says yes. Put yourself in danger of something amazing happening to you.” —Tom Bilyeu.

“The health of your brain is much more about your actions than your age.” —Dr. Daniel Amen

 

 

 

 

21

Responsible

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Responsibility- the state or fact of being accountable 

One of the constant challenges people face is accepting responsibility for the choices they make.  The finger of blame is often the first thing people do when a situation arises. To be responsible is the best way to find solutions to problems rather than clear ourselves of wrongdoing.

Avoid excuses and look for manageable actions that you can undertake to find solutions to problems. Energy spent on anything else is going to be a waste of time.  It all begins by looking at your thoughts, words, and actions when any situation arises that is deemed harmful or positive, and you are in control of creating your response.  Be accountable for your location, and you have power.

Excuses are the nails in the house of failure.

When a situation arises, it is human nature to want to distance ourselves from all things negative. Pointing the finger at someone or something else is one of the earliest lessons we learn. We don’t want to be punished as children, so throwing someone else under that bus is a good strategy.  But it isn’t a healthy or positive one. We are only as strong as the most plausible excuse we will accept from ourselves. We learn to use reasons to avoid taking responsibility.  When this process is transferred to other parts of our lives as we grow, the first thing we look for is a plausible excuse and deniability.

What you are saying when you accept an excuse is that “I couldn’t help it. I am weak and helpless.”  That is a message that will resonate with you in all areas of your life.  You will believe that you are weak and helpless.  The fact is that you are just about as frail or disabled as you choose to be, and that choice lies in any plausible excuse you accept about yourself or your situation.  Learn to leave the reasons behind your thoughts, words, and actions. The method is responsibility.

Manageable Actions Equal Responsibility

When you are looking at any situation, begin by seeing the result as positive or negative. Then look at the causes that brought the case about. Which objects are manageable, and which are not?  For example, acts of God are not compliant, broken beyond repair, or depleted resources are out of your control. What is never out of control is how you react to it. Use that factor as an excuse, and you will fail. Find an activity that you can take, and you will most likely succeed.  Find a manageable action.

There are always actions you take or inactions you choose that help or hinder any circumstance you may find yourself in.  Identify the actions or inactions that led to your current situation. If the condition is favorable, repeat them; if the state is negative, change them. Either way, accept responsibility for where you are at. Use your power rather than give it away in the form of excuses.  You are as solid and robust as a person, as you are willing to accept responsibility for being.

Improvement Is a Choice

Therefore, it is up to you to learn to repeat the manageable actions that lead to favorable circumstances in your life.  Along with that is the talent to see the plausible excuses you are using to weaken yourself. Accept your strength with responsibility and move away from your weakness of plausible explanations. There are many good excuses for failure. If you accept one as your own, failure is where you end up.

It all starts with a focus on your thoughts, words, and actions. As you develop your consciousness and become more aware of the forces you allow to control your life, look for the steps you can take to move forward rather than the excuses you can accept to justify yourself.  The result will be success, contentment, happiness, and reliability.

“The price of greatness is responsibility.” ~ Winston Churchill

“You must take personal responsibility. You can’t change some circumstances, the seasons, or the wind, but you can change yourself. That is something you have control of.” ~ Jim Rohn