Monthly Archives: March 2022

22

Magic Words

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Word- something that someone says or writes, a remark or piece of information.

wordOne of the three things I think you have to focus on to raise your level of consciousness is the words you use every day. Word use is essential to your actions and the feelings, thoughts, and steps you create in others and yourself. How you speak can make someone more confident and empowered, or it can quickly destroy someone’s confidence and abilities.

The choice of your words can also dictate the life you grow, either positive or negative. Today I am putting your focus on each word you use today. Is it helpful? Is it harmful? What exactly is the purpose of this thought? It all begins with looking at your thoughts,  which lead to your words, leading to feelings and actions in your life.   Most importantly, let’s look at the words you use every day.

The Words are Magic

Just for a day, focus on the words you use. Why do you say things the way that you do? There is a reason you speak to someone the way you do. Is there a trust or a distrust of this person?   Words are how we either clearly or not so clearly let the world understand our thoughts. That wordcan be a scary proposition for some people. Comments can be helpful, but they can be extremely harmful as well. A relationship can be destroyed, trust can be ruined, or someone can be saved through the words we use. Trust can be built when our terms are backed up with decisive action.

The point of focusing on your words is to make sure that you are the force in the world you intend to be. A person has an equal ability to be a positive force in the lives of others or to harm them with negativity. This choice all happens through the use of their words. Be complimentary, supportive, and kind in your terms, and their influence will propel people forward to being their best. But most importantly, your words will drive you toward being your best. Focus on your words and the thoughts and feelings behind them. Are they planting the seeds you want to see grow in the future?

Avoid the Negative

Our words can cause people pain. There are countless examples in every life on Earth of this being the case. Gossip is one way this happens, which is the mindless chatter of small minds. It can be hard to stop yourself from participating in gossip. This practice is foolish talk about others which most often are not based on fact. Even if it is true, it doesn’t do you any positive good to do this.

Words can be loving or feel like a punch in the face.

Words are used by all people with the capacity for speech, and there is little to no conscious thought associated with their use. We speak to express ourselves to others and rarely contemplate the message we are sending. There is power in your words, which exists in all verbal communication. Pay attention to the power of your words. These words can change our lives and the lives of those we take the time to speak with daily. What you choose to talk about grows. 

Our Thoughts Expressed

What is a word but a way to express your thoughts to the Universe? All words have power. Positive words can nurture a relationship, create peace, build a community, inspire great action, or create justice. Words of love, prosperity, and gratitude will bring those things into your life. Conversely, if your words are spent on gossip, hate, judgment, or jealousy, they will bring those things into your life. When you plant these positive words day to day, then the crop you reap will be a pretty positive one.

And so are you!
And so are you!

This is simple enough to test. Be aware of the words you are using and focus on really speaking words of love, prosperity, and gratitude for a week and see what grows from it. If that is too daunting a task, do it for just a day. The trick will be to stop yourself from speaking words on the negative side and sticking to the positive. I am always surprised by how tempting it is to say the words that don’t help anything or anybody, the gossip that provides a connection—the “harmless”  joke at someone else’s expense. Watch your words and see what happens. If you can, you will see a positive difference in your life. Those who continually gossip and judge others will bring negativity into your life, and it will become apparent when this is happening.

What you seek, you will find

This works so well because once you start to seek positive words and situations that be carefurequire positive comments, you become more aware of these situations in all areas of your life. When you deal with all people, tell them what they do well, explain why they are valued, and how your experience is better because of them in your life.

When you are looking for things to express positive feelings about, you can’t help but find items worthy of your positive thoughts and words. More than likely, these things have been there all along, unnoticed. But it is a conscious choice to look for them that reveals them to you and allows you to use your words to speak of them. It isn’t easy to make things happen if you don’t speak. 

Use your words to allow for the growth of love, kindness, peace, acceptance, and understanding in the world and your life. It takes just a little effort to have the consciousness of your words expressing the positive expressions of your thoughts. It all begins with paying attention to those thoughts, the resulting feelings, the words that follow, and your actions because of the great good you can accomplish with them.

“Be mindful when it comes to your words. A string of some that don’t mean much to you may stick with someone else for a lifetime.” -Rachel Wolchin

“Words are free. It’s how you use them that may cost you.” –Kushand Wizdom

“One kind word can change someone’s entire day.” -Unknown

 

22

Expand Your Mind

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How much time do you spend consciously expanding your mind?

Our constant companion is our mind. It continually spills a non-stop stream of words into your reality that only you can hear inside your head. No matter what is happening, your mind has something to say about it. As you get older, I think either you succumb to the fact, this is the way it will be. Or you actively start to understand how this tool of a mind works and see if you can make the relationship between you much more positive and productive. The natural flow of thoughts is not very positive or helpful to anyone’s life. To change this, you have to take some action and gain some understanding. Here are some things I have learned and observed.

We Don’t Create Our Thoughts

You would think the one thing in the world you control would be the thoughts in your mind, but in reality, we don’t control very many of them. They come from our conditioning, projecting our biases and beliefs into our lives. It doesn’t matter if you want them or not. There is a constant, natural stream of thoughts conversing in your mind. You are not the creator of these thoughts; you are the listener and observer of these ideas. So who is thinking? That is a conversation for another day, but suffice it to say, it is not you and your conscious self. You are free to listen or not. That is your decision.

To even notice them takes a little effort. You have to be conscious of them appearing. Remember, your mind, left to itself, will comment on everything that happens, from that car you see driving past to the people you see in your day-to-day interactions. Usually, it is neither positive nor friendly. The good news is, these thoughts are not you, and you can dismiss them with a little bit of conscious effort. We will discuss this at the end.

Why are we are so negative and set in our thoughts?

There are two natural biases we all carry that answer this question. First, there is a negativity bias we all have. We are more likely to focus on possible adverse outcomes to protect ourselves. If you expect the worst, you can never be disappointed. So our thoughts tend to reflect this bias. We see the hurricane that might come and the damage it will do. We

What are your thoughts focused on?

Experience these things as if they have happened and that stress is real to us. Of course, if that hurricane should hit you and bring all the bad things you imagined, you will feel prepared, but the sad truth is you will not be—this mode of protection doesn’t work, and you can’t dream up all the bad things in the world.

You can combat this by recognizing it and dismissing the negative thoughts for what they are, unnecessary. One learns to control the ideas and limit them through meditation by quieting the mind and focusing on something else. Your breath or a mantra of some kind, you stop the mind from speaking because you are somewhere else. This includes the negative bias you perpetuate pretty naturally. It is easier to change your outlook to a more positive one when you experience a little peace from the constant stream of thought. The negative bias can be changed with conscious effort.

Why are people so narrow-minded?

Another bias we carry is confirmation bias. Meaning we will search out facts and information that seemingly confirms a previously held belief and ignore or dismiss it out of hand as wrong anything contrary to an already held belief. We are just not very open to new information in any natural way. If you have a particular political leaning, information supporting your beliefs will easily be accepted, no matter how questionable. At the same time, information that contradicts your firmly held beliefs is dismissed without question, no matter how accurate.

The close association people feel with their beliefs and thoughts make any questioning of them an attack on who they are as people. It will help if you look no further than any long, angry argument anyone has on social media. I see people I know get into meaningless arguments about politics, social issues, mask-wearing, or other beliefs. The confirmation bias makes us angrier and more defensive than we need to be and makes people attack others in words to protect their closely held identity.

I often wonder at the venom people state to each other online and hope that a little bit of conscious reflection might ease some of this suffering. Perhaps not taking an opposite opinion as a personal attack on you and your value system might be a good start. Or you can continue as you are and be mad at everyone for everything that doesn’t fall in line with what you think and believe.

Meditate and Let Go

The simple way to get to know your thoughts and recognize your biases is to start to watch your thoughts, and meditation is the way to do that. It isn’t challenging to do, and many great apps can guide you. I use one called Insight Timer, which works for me, but there are several good ones I have tried. Calm and Headspace are two of those. Meditation allows you to handle all of those thoughts and decide which ones represent you and which ones don’t also enable you to understand yourself and why certain emotions and thoughts come up when they do. What is bothering you, and what types of events in your past are still harming you. You have to let it all go to move forward with life, and meditation allows you the chance to do this.

“Watch your thoughts, they become your words; watch your words, they become your actions; watch your actions, they become your habits; watch your habits, they become your character; watch your character, it becomes your destiny.”

“Great many people think they are thinking when they are merely rearranging their prejudices.” —”William James

“Clear thinking requires courage rather than intelligence.” —”Thomas Szasz

“Did you ever stop to think and forget to start again?” —”Winnie the Pooh

“Few minds wear out; more rust out.—”Christian N. Bovee

“It is well for people who think, to change their minds occasionally to keep them clean.” —”Luther Burbank

“Language shapes the way we think, and determines what we can think about.” —Benjamin Lee Whorf

“Misery is almost always the result of thinking.” —”Joseph Joubert

“Most of the mistakes in thinking are inadequacies of perception rather than mistakes of logic.” —Edward de Bono

“Thought is the blossom; language the bud; action the fruit behind it.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson

“What we think, we become.” —Buddha

 

22

True Or False

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There are two parts of our identity, our soul or true self, given to us at birth. It’s the true person we are and the one we are always looking to get back to in life.

The other part of our identity is our ego or false self. This mistaken idea is the person we are programmed to become. We are taught these beliefs from our parents, family members, teachers, peers, and societal influences. The false self, or what others believe we should be, takes us further from our true self.

The further we get from who we are, the more unhappy we become. But we are trapped in an illusion of ego, trying to follow a script that we did not write with our best interests in mind. Most people never consider any part of their existence in any authentic detail or depth. I challenge you to look at your thoughts and beliefs and determine if they bring you closer to your true self or further away.

Some Thoughts of the False Self

  1. Being obsessed with perfection- Many people will never accept anything but perfection. Since perfection is impossible to achieve, this pursuit causes difficulty. It causes some never to give a total effort because they can never achieve perfection. Some will cheat to appear to be perfect. Some will steal to look perfect. Whatever the resulting action, thoughts, and feelings, they will make you feel wrong about who you are.
  2. The feelings of greed, a limited mindset, and selfishness show that the fixed mindset has a stronghold on you. Getting as much as you can, as quickly as possible, is a sign you are lost in excessive desires. What you have doesn’t define who you are and never will. Fearing, you will never have enough is a limiting belief that takes the joy out of everything you have.
  3. New experiences are scary. In the best of circumstances, a unique experience will cause uncomfortable feelings. In less than ideal conditions, fear of participation can result. We all have an innate fear of rejection, humiliation, failure, getting old, and the unknown, and these all lead to resistance, avoidance, and apprehension of new experiences.
  4. They are using incomplete facts and questionable logic to justify everything you do. Because what is happening doesn’t feel”good,” people apply a created justification for what they are doing in life.

How to Find Your True Self

  1. A choice is the first thought process we all have, which will allow or destroy the ability to grow. No matter where you are in life, you can make choices to change your circumstances and have something else happen for you. If you are unhappy with your situation in life, you can choose another way. It is easy to feel trapped by circumstances, but that is a choice. There is a power in choosing your action based on what you think is right that empowers dreams and gives positive energy to your life.
  2. Faith in yourself and life, in general, will allow you the ability to seek growth. All things will work out, one way or another. Even if you can’t see how they are going to come true, pursuing your goals is one of the most potent acts of faith you can undertake. Looking at how specific actions lead to thoughts and emotions that attract or repel you. Having faith that the best of things is coming your way, even when it seems dark and far away at the moment, is a genuine act of strength. Faith that you will find your significant purpose.
  3. Seeking growth opportunities in your life. Dismiss the idea that you have to be perfect in every way because it is an unreachable standard. If you approach all things as if you can master them with a bit of practice and dedication, you will be able to do just that. Having natural ability is helpful, but those who work to improve will always benefit the most and, in the long run, be able to handle challenges and setbacks. There is a strength we develop about this time. Shift your focus from, I know everything! To I can learn anything.
  4. Surrender to what is. This is the movement of the soul. Resistance is the voice of the ego. The former pulls you closer to your true self, and the latter pushes you further away. Fear is the ego’s tool, but surrender does not mean you accept poor treatment or behavior from another. You recognize it for what it is, which will dictate your thoughts, feelings, and actions. Most often, to accept a situation means you can leave a wrong place or difficult circumstances for something more positive.

It is up to each individual in the world to decide if they are going to seek their real purpose in life or follow the general script that society has programmed into them. Each person has a destiny when they enter the world, some task to accomplish, a message to leave, or some work. Our lives have meaning, and it is up to us to determine if we are following our correct path or not. You are a powerful force of destiny, but you have to start by looking for who you are and what that purpose is. Our most important journey is to leave ego and live our life from the soul.

“It’s not enough to have lived. We should be determined to live for something.” ―Winston S. Churchil

“The path to our destination is not always a straight one. We go down the wrong road, and we get lost; we turn back. Maybe it doesn’t matter which road we embark on. Maybe what matters is that we embark.” ―Barbara Hal”

“People take different roads seeking fulfillment and happiness. Just because they are not on your road doesn’t mean they’ve gotten lost.” ―Dalai Lama

 

22

Stages of Life

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Cycles- a series of events that are regularly repeated in the same order.

Tunnel vision seems to be a talent people develop. Looking at the one moment or situation and only seeing what is in front of them. They understand their experiences as individual events, affecting only them in this one moment. But there is a more massive game at play as we move through your life cycle. Things are moving together at once to a conclusion we are neither in control of nor conscious of their happening.

Today the challenge is to be more aware of the cycles we are moving through in our individual experiences. It starts with looking at the thoughts you are thinking to lead to events, the words we use to describe them and ourselves, and our actions to make things happen. Life is not a snapshot. It is a video, and watch the whole thing.

Inevitable Cycles

There are some events that we are destined to go through. All things come, and they go. Life as a whole is one of these inevitable cycles. You can’t avoid it because the control lies with nature, and we are just players in this action. We are here through its production from the beginning, middle, and end, which is not negotiable. We have no idea when the end is going to come. That makes the cycle a little more exciting, but most go through the period without noticing something in arcane ignorance.

The one thing we do have control over is how we respond to the larger cycle of life. We can hide in unconscious entertainment activities, letting each move in the period pass us unnoticed and unappreciated, or notice the changes and turns in the life cycle. As the twists and turns on a rollercoaster, you can choose to prepare and enjoy the moments or hide your eyes and let them slip away. Some will be sad, of course, but most will be glorious. Don’t wallow in the tragedy. Enjoy the magnificent. Get into the cycle of life you are currently experiencing. It will not go on forever.

Some Cycles Need to be Broken

On a smaller scale, we all establish cycles in our lives. The routines run them we create to manage our lives and make them as productive and enjoyable as we can. How we prepare for the day, get to work, eat our meals, and spend our free time can all be included in our daily cycle. Sometimes these cycles bring a narrow scope of life or include bad habits, which are not suitable for our health, mentally or physically. The good part is that we can break them at any moment.

It starts with becoming aware of what your particular cycle brings into your life. Perhaps it is causing you to shut out opportunities for new adventures because it would mean a change. Maybe it is keeping unhealthy relationships and habits in your reality because they bring comfort. The person in charge of breaking a destructive cycle is you and you alone. Become conscious of the results of the cycles you are experiencing today, like old clothes that are out of style or worn out. Once, they had a purpose, but now it’s time to move on and wear something new. Break a destructive cycle and start a new one. It can happen any time you consciously choose to do so.

New Cycles

It is also interesting that we can create cycles and routines that include all of the healthy and enjoyable things life offers with a little conscious effort. When you want to do this, look for something that you know has to change or another that you want to add to your life. Then see where it fits. Exercise can be one of these things. When it moves from something that you would like to do to something that you must do, it will become a part of your life cycle.

New cycles are painful at first, but slowly they become a part of your life, and you move through them seamlessly as if they were always there. This experience happens when you change jobs or move to a new location. We seek familiarity in our routines to find ourselves in a unique situation. There is a comfort in the known that makes even the strangest place feel like home. Look for the cycles you can create that will make you feel this way.

The Endings are the Beginnings: Cycles

All cycles do end for us, eventually. Rather than be sad about the loss, be happy about the beginning that will result from it. Even the end of life brings a new start in some way. As our consciousness ends, another may be born. If left to our own devices, our bodies would return to the Earth and provide nutrients for a new life. Take a moment today and notice the cycles around you and the many endings, beginnings, and middles that exist everywhere.

It can come from enjoying a cup of coffee to appreciating a conversation. They are in everything, and by being conscious of them, you become more aware of the substance of life. One thing ends, bringing the beginning of another. The cycle of life is there for you to watch. And it all starts with you paying more attention to the thoughts you entertain, the words you speak, and the actions you take because of it. Notice your life cycles and honestly seek to make them more positive and healthy every day. The life you improve will be your own.

“Each thing is like form from everlasting and comes round again in its cycle.”~ Marcus Aurelius

“Karma, memory, and desire are just the software of the soul. It’s conditioning that the soul undergoes to create experience. And it’s a cycle. In most people, the cycle is a conditioned response. They do the same things over and over again.”~ Deepak Chopra

This, too shall pass. 

 

 

 

22

Working with Change

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Change-1. Make or become different. 2. take or use another instead of.

Change is a force that all people deal with from the moment they are born until they die. It is inevitably happening all around us. Learning to handle change constructively is one of the most valuable life skills a person can develop because it will be used continually and make your life a much more enjoyable experience. Change comes like the tide in the ocean, and you can spend your energy fighting it or be working with it. Be conscious of the difference in your life today in thoughts, words, and actions.

Opportunity for Change

It is human nature to resist change. Especially if life is going well, a person will look at difference as a thief of the good things in their lives. Even if you are unhappy with the way things are right now,  the situation is known and changed. It means it could get worse. Also though it could get better, that fear of losing what you know can be paralyzing.

The focus needs to be placed on the potential good things you can gain from a change in any situation. Since change is inevitable and consistent, resisting it and looking to the past in reverence is a waste of time and energy. All things change and develop over time, and put your conscious thought into everything you can gain from the process.

Pain and Change

To experience change can be painful. Sometimes you leave behind things you have enjoyed and people you care about. It is sad to grow sometimes, but growth is necessary to learn and become the best version of yourself possible. We are not born a finished product. Our development is evident in childhood, but it doesn’t end when you turn 18 or 25 or 35 or 75. Change continues, and one until finally, the game is over. The thoughts of change may be painful but not as painful as resisting the inevitable.

There is probably nothing as painful as clinging to a thing or place that you no longer belong to. When you stay in a situation for staying, not rocking the boat, or hoping the changes aren’t fundamental, misery will follow. What was once pleasure will become a pain. The only cure is moving forward, accepting the difference, and taking the next inevitable step. The pain exists to force you to do what you need to. So could you do it?

Growth From Change

Since change is happening all around you and to you at every moment, it would make sense to create a plan to try to benefit from this process. Rather than be an object helplessly tossed around by the waves of change, it makes sense to have a plan to deal with change and ride those waves. The waves are coming. You will change, and life will change. It is your choice to grow or not from experience.

Be conscious of the forces of change working in your life today. In your personal life, professional life, or life in general. The places you go, and the people you spend time with. Change is happening, and conscious of it in thought, word, and action allows us to move with it rather than fight against it. Recognize the variation that exists all around you and roll with it.

“The world, as we have created it, is a process of our thinking, and it cannot be changed without changing our thinking.” ― Albert Einstein.

 

22

Truth Seeker

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truth pinoccio
All people create their truths.

Truth should be a universally known entity. But it becomes increasingly evident every day each person carries their thoughts about what is true and what is not for themselves in their own life. Each person sees the world through their lens of life, which will, in most cases, support their individualized ideal of what constitutes reality for them. Anything outside that realm is rejected with judgments, delusions, or denials. My challenge for you today is to look at the happenings in your life and decide if they are correct for everyone or just for you?

Perception

Our truth leads to how we look at things, which is our perception of life. The most basic of facts comes from our basic view of the world. Is it the right place, or is it the wrong place? This fundamental thought colors all of our experiences and determines our essential positivity or negativity in life. One person wakes up and ventures out into the world, expecting a hostile,  very dark, and dangerous place, and if you don’t look out for yourself, nobody else is surely going to.

Some see the world as a beautiful place.

Another person living in the same town, maybe just one house down the street, wakes up and faces the world with a vision of kindness and acceptance. One thinks we are all in this together.

Some see the world as a cold wasteland full of dangerous white walkers.

They see the good in other people and know they are not in this altogether. They expect good things to happen, and they most often do.

These two perceptions are the basic was we all look at the world, and only you know for sure which of these paths you choose to walk.

Truth and Perception

Each moment in life will bring you a set of experiences. People leave, come. Accidents happen, great fortune occurs, success, failure, and every conceivable combination of life events. If something we believe and accept as accurate, then we deal with it, no matter if it is positive or negative. For example, a person suddenly loses the job they have been at for 14 years. A person will not be able to move on positively until they accept the loss as a part of their reality. As long as the truth of the situation is muddled through blame, anger, frustration, disbelief, or denial, you can’t move on. The same is the case for the end of a relationship. Until you accept the reality of the situation, you will never be able to move on.

Acceptance of reality should not be as hard as it is. Our mind’s job is to protect us and get us through this thing called life. It will tell you something which is not accurate to fulfill its prime directive of protection. You can’t trust what your mind tells you. It will lie and exaggerate, make excuses, and throw all kinds of judgments onto others. Being conscious of your thoughts and comparing them to what is happening in your life will show the level of truth existing in your experience.

Responsibility

This perception of truth leads to accepting who you are and the happenings of your life or putting a lot of effort into resisting things. Resistance comes in the forms of denials, postponements, and blame on everyone and everything else in the world. Whatever is happening which you don’t like is not your fault, and you have no responsibility for it. That is the attitude of failure and unhappiness in life.

The flip side of this is to take responsibility for everything in your life. Accept it and embrace it and understand even things occurring that are far removed from your direct control, you can take responsibility for and bring that into your truth of life. Taking responsibility for items puts you in the driver’s seat and controls your life and destiny. When something happens, embrace it even if it hurts because it is happening anyway, and spending time and effort resisting it, is a significant waste of time.

Final Truth

Events are what they are, and to employ any denials for that fact will detract from the quality of life a person will experience. Your truth will be colored by the perception you create about things and how any anticipated event will affect your life right now. Putting negative thoughts or resistance in a situation makes a negative experience in your life. You control how much of this type of negativity you allow in your life. You are proactive with your use of responsibility.

“If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything.” ~Mark Twain

 “If a thousand old beliefs were ruined in our march to truth, we must still march on.” ~Stopford Brooke

“A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes.” ~Mark Twain

“There is no truth. There is only perception.” ~Gustave Flaubert 

This song is about the truth of the 1980s, James Brown, Rocky, Living in America my brothers and sisters, Happy 4th of July.

22

What We Believe is True

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What do you truly believe in? Where did these beliefs come from? Our lives are run on the things we are sure are true, and for the most part, those truths were taught to us a long time ago by our parents, adults, school, peers, relatives, society, religion, or just on our own observational experience.

Once accepted, these thoughts are put in the category of absolutely true, never to be examined or questioned again. You were programmed early in life about the things “good” and “bad” people do and how you fit into those scenarios. We accept these beliefs as valid and rarely do we challenge or adjust them. I am urging you today to take some time and evaluate your opinions. Are they empowering or disempowering? Are they true? Or are they faulty programming that needs to be rebooted? Let’s look honestly at your programming.

Know Your Programming

What we believe about ourselves, our abilities, and the world is a choice, and that choice dictates much of our experience and how we perceive it. Some people were taught to believe the religion they follow is the only “right” belief at the exclusion of all others. There are many reasons for this, but most importantly, it was taught to them. Other people believe one’s racial background has a bearing on the quality of an individual a person is. These are both examples of beliefs people are taught, and if they are never placed in a situation that disproves them, they will never expand their lives to be more inclusive.

Looking at the beliefs, we are programmed with is difficult because our lives are pinned together by the ideas we carry in our minds. We believe that most of what we think is an indisputable truth, Not just a strong opinion we were taught. This truth can be a little frightening. But it is also liberating. A great place to start is to look at what you believe and see what separates you from others. Separation is an illusion created by humans to control other humans. Religion, race, nationality, regionalism, or anything that separates us probably has limited programming behind it.

Change Your Programming

This change can happen and should be sought continually throughout life. The learning process should never end. Start by looking at yourself and understanding the things that limit you. Is it money? Relationships? Or something else? Whatever it is that you have trouble succeeding at, look deeply at what you believe, and there is a belief there that is holding you back. It could have been something someone said or the general prevailing attitude your family had about what is limiting you. We accept the thoughts as accurate without question, and they are adopted into our subconscious thoughts. We never question them. Live life like they were right. The problem is that even when you want to change, nothing is going to change unless you address this programming. Change is always tricky, but knowing where you want to go is a start. If you’re going to be more financially successful, look at what you think about money and those who have it. Often the programming is subtle, and we picked it up before we were seven years old. You are finding it, understanding it, and recognizing the differences between where you are and where you want to be. There are excellent resources on how to change your beliefs, which do a much better job than I can in this short post. Read this resource here. 

When you Question a Belief

If you genuinely believe that one religion is superior to another in moral code or rewards in the afterlife, meet with many other faiths rather than try to convert everyone to your train of thought. Learn about their traditions and beliefs. Many people speak of their faith as the final word on salvation. Rather than understand other religions, they dismiss them and chastise them as wrong. This intolerance is an excellent example of separation, and being separate is negative. We choose to stay apart because it is safe in our minds, but to expand our thoughts will never be a bad thing.

It is tough to understand all of the many beliefs we carry around in the matrix that is our minds. But you can do it with a little consistent effort. First, you have to become conscious of what you think and how it makes you feel. All thoughts lead to corresponding emotions. It doesn’t matter what it is, and the feeling will always rise because of what you are thinking. Ask yourself what about that thought provides that particular emotion. If you do not like your feelings around any idea, you can choose to change them.

Why It’s Important

I believe we are all born with a purpose to achieve in life, and our programming often moves that purpose into the background. The further we are from our mission, the less we enjoy the circumstances of our lives. Many people live a large portion of their life under false programming, only to realize later that it was a lie and we were meant for something else. That is a painful realization, but it can help change you and bring your soul’s purpose that you were born with closer to your focus.

To find this purpose will be something that feels good to you, and to move further away from it is painful. It is that simple, to be who you indeed are. It is not a job, or something you own, your age, ethnicity, or anything else. It is who you are. I always wish that it was clearly labeled on our forearms so we could quickly seek it, but part of life’s journey is to remember exactly who you are and become that person again, regardless of the many obstacles that life puts in your way. Change your thoughts, and you will change your programming and move closer to your original self.

“You begin to fly when you let go of self-limiting beliefs and allow your mind and aspirations to rise to greater heights.” ―Brian Tracy

“Don’t limit yourself. Many people limit themselves to what they think they can do. You can go as far as your mind lets you. What you believe, remember, you can achieve.” ―Mary Kay Ash

“Do just once what others say you can’t do, and you will never pay attention to their limitations again.” ―James Cook

“Learning too soon our limitations, we never learn our powers.” —Mignon McLaughlin

“Every person takes the limits of their own field of vision for the limits of the world.” —Arthur Schopenhauer

 

22

Confident In Me

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If you are not confident in yourself, who will be?

One of the most important things we can do to find our strength in life is actively and consciously groom our confidence.  If you believe you can do something, nobody else will be able to stop you.  There are definite steps you can take to let your natural confidence thrive, which will allow you to be more productive and become the best version of yourself possible.  I  have a few suggestions to drive your confidence train into the station of success.  They are simple but not always easy.

See It and Be It

Visualization is a valuable tool to help you build your confidence.  One of the great things about being a human is that our minds are a great tool to create anything we want.  Visualize yourself as you would like to be in a year, a month, and a day.  Then live your life.  Consistently visualize your outcome, and you will take steps to reach the goal you have in your mind.  If you are consciously aware of where you want to get, you will take steps to get yourself there.  Once you achieve this way once, your confidence will soar.

Create a Mission Statement

Creating a positive statement that you use daily to remind yourself of what you are all about in life.  If you aren’t thinking about what you can do, you may listen to other people who will gladly tell you what you can’t do.  Using an affirmation to remind yourself of your strengths, goals, and ability will allow you to increase your confidence.  Write it down, read it, remember it every morning and let your thoughts of faith permeate throughout your day.

Do Things That Scare YOU

It is easy to think that you know your limits.  But once you step out of that comfort zone and survive them.  Once you know that you can do one thing you are scared of, you can move on and do other items you might be afraid of tackling.  Confidence grows from conquering your fears.  Most of them are just limiting thoughts we have carried from our youth.  If you allow one thing to stop you because of doubt, you will enable many things to stop you.  Overcoming the thoughts of fear in your head will let you be more confident.

Be Kind To Yourself

Simply watching your inner voice and noticing how you speak to yourself and think about yourself can help you increase your confidence if you learn to recognize the cynical inner critic and replace those thoughts with positive and supportive ones.  It is easy to build every slight misstep into a giant mistake.  Nobody is perfect, and mistakes are going to happen.  Use them as learning experiences and not definitions of your character or talents.  Only let your mind speak to you as you would talk to a small child.  You deserve the kindness, and it will allow your confidence to grow.

Confidence in our abilities and developing into the best version of ourselves is a realistic possibility for us.  Your mind is a thought-creating machine, it is better to take control of those thoughts and focus on the good ones and allow yourself to see the best in all other people, but most of all, to see the possibilities inside of yourself.  Be conscious of your level of confidence, and good things will happen.

“Because one believes in oneself, one doesn’t try to convince others.  Because one is content with oneself, one doesn’t need others’ approval.  Because one accepts oneself, the whole world accepts them.”― Lao Tzu

“Life is ten percent what you experience and ninety percent how you respond to it.” ― Dorothy M. Neddermeyer

“Noble and great.  Courageous and determined.  Faithful and fearless.  That is who you are and who you have always been.  nd understanding it can change your life because this knowledge carries a confidence that cannot be duplicated any other way.”― Sheri L. Dew

“Each time we face our fear, we gain strength, courage, and confidence in the doing.”- Theodore Roosevelt

 

22

Time To Be Happy

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Happy- feeling or showing pleasure or contentment
Happiness is a choice. Choose wisely.

Take a moment, right now, and look at your level of happiness with life. Where does this moment rate? Is there happiness inside you, or are you looking off in the distance for it? Too much time is wasted in the pursuit of finding joy in a job, another person, or something that you own. Happiness doesn’t live in any of those places. Being miserable today to earn pleasure in the future is an equation that will always fail to deliver. Satisfaction is not out there somewhere; it is inside you and can be accessed simply by changing your perspective about your experience and the thought pattern you are following.  

Finding happiness, at this moment, is done by becoming conscious of the things that are happening all around you. Having a goal of where to work, the kind of relationship you want, or how much money you want to have are great things but don’t tie your happiness up in them. Being happy today right now is a choice you can make. Use the simple tool of gratitude for what you do have to build positive emotions and happiness.

Make goals and strive to achieve them because a purpose is vital to your whole life. But never forget to enjoy the trip along the way. Each step you go through provides information and experience to help you down the road. Be happy about that. Life is a long game, full of twists and turns. You can choose to be satisfied along the way anytime you want. Don’t postpone your happiness. Embrace it, share it. Today, now, at this moment.

Simple Happiness Activities (They Cost Nothing and Bring Everything)
  1. Be grateful for all the good in your life.-  Practice daily gratitude and see all the things you already do have to be happy for, and more will come, and you will be even happier.
  2. Forgive those you perceive to have wronged you. (true or not)- Forgiveness has the power to set you and your emotions free. That is a happy thing.
  3. Give something to somebody.- Giving is vital in the flow of energy in life. And that flow will make you happy.
  4. Accept responsibility for your choices always. You can feel sorry for yourself or choose to take responsibility for where you are right now. Being responsible will make you happy, and feeling sorry for yourself will not.
  5. Live in the moment, Enjoy the little things. Each day will give you small moments of coffee, conversations, sunshine, and blue sky that you can choose to appreciate or ignore.

Shift your focus today if you are feeling unhappy. Look for the good things out there, which are right in front of you. It is a choice to enjoy a sunrise, a sunset, the blue sky, a lake, the ocean, birds flying south for the winter, the warm smile of a friend, good company, or any other little thing you come in contact with during your day. Focus on your thoughts, emotions, words, and actions today, and see what can make you happy today.

What has made you happy today?  

Where have you overlooked the chance to be happy? 

Happiness Quotes

“When one door of happiness closes, another opens, but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one that has been opened for us.” Helen Keller

“Folks are usually about as happy as they make their minds up to be.” Abraham Lincoln

“People don’t notice whether it’s winter or summer when they’re happy.”– Anton Chekhov

“Happiness, not in another place but this place…………not for another hour, but this hour.” – Walt Whitman 

 

 

 

 

22

Power of Love

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Law of Love- States love is the most potent state we can experience in life, and it is pure and Powerful. 

We have been told that we need to go out and find love for many of us. It is out there somewhere waiting for us, but that is a processed version of what love is. Fairy tales and Disney movies are beautiful, but I think they give an unrealistic idea of what love is all about. Love is not something you will find out there in someone else, no matter how hard you look. Love is a force, and the only place you will find it is inside of yourself. All people have the power of this emotional experience inside. It is waiting to be chosen by our thoughts, words, and actions. It doesn’t only mean romance, sex, and relationships. It is one of the two choices we make regarding all things, and we choose to love or fear. That is the initial decision that will define our experience in life. Where does love fall in your life?   

What is love Exactly?

The world has used love to market to you. That means convincing you to buy things to feel more loved. But of course, love doesn’t come from ideas, and all of that marketing pushes us further from the truth inside. We choose to love or fear in all things. So looking for the best definition of love, I went to the Bible 1 Corinthians chapter 13, verses 4-8. It is located at the bottom of this post. Love is patient, and love is kind. It is the beginning, and it gives a pretty good description of what we should be experiencing with respect. The choice to be patient and kind is one you can make every moment of every day.

Love does not envy, and love does not boast. It is not proud. Those are all qualities of fear that people choose because they are scared that they will not have enough of something, recognition, importance, or fulfillment. Love does not dishonor others; it is not self-seeking, meaning love builds people up and never tears them down. You could save many a relationship by practicing this when you think only about what you will receive from something you are not functioning from love but fear. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

The power of Love

There is a power that love can bring, and it is not complicated, but it is challenging to practice. We all have the ability inside of us to practice the best parts of love. They are the choices of joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. These are choices of thought and behavior that each person experiences every day. We can only give what is inside us to the world. If these thoughts reside in us, then our actions must directly result from these things.

Fear is the opposite of love, and it consists of anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego, to name a few. These negative attributes can sneak into your life through your thoughts. Love in response to any of these things will neutralize it. You have control over that responsibility in any situation. Just because someone else is wrong in your eyes, you don’t have to respond with anger. Respond with one of the positive aspects of peace.

Practice Love Right Now

If you practice love in your daily life, keep it up. But for most of us, we need to evaluate things and see where we can challenge the forces of fear with the opposite energy of love. To carry a superiority rather than to be humble. To judge others rather than accept their differences. To be angry rather than find peace. Today’s challenge is to notice what you are producing in the world and decide what you want to be in your life—the forces of love or hate. Love is the most powerful force you have at your disposal. Use it wisely and use it often.

Love vs. Fear Quotes

 “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hope, always perseveres. Love never fails.”
“All healing is essentially a release from fear.” — A Course in Miracles.
“If you knew the secret of life, you too would choose no other companion but love.” — Rumi. 
 “Try not to confuse ‘attachment’ with ‘love.’ Attachment is about fear and dependency and has more to do with love of self than love of another. Love without attachment is the purest love because it isn’t about what others can give you because you’re empty. It is about what you can give others because you’re already full.” — Yasmin Mogahed.

“It is common to say that we are doing something out of love when we are actually doing it out of fear. Love and fear are complete opposites. So be honest with yourself, are you doing it out of love, or are you doing it out of fear?” — Teal Swan