All posts by Jonathan Hilton

22

Lost

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find yourselfBeing lost can be a terrifying situation, and you have no idea where you are or where to go to find safety and security. Yet it is in these times when a person has to look inside themselves for characteristics that will guide them toward a haven. 

The qualities and talents we possess work to guide us in times of trouble. When the seas are calm and we know exactly where we are going, there is no need for these talents to rise to the surface.

They lie dormant, like an emergency plan you never need to use. When we are lost, the emergency has arrived, and our talents will rise to the surface if we don’t panic and allow them to do so. In these moments, we find out just who we are, what we can do, and what makes us excel. You will find yourself and be impressed with the person that you meet who has been inside of you all along.

Steps to Find Yourself

Getting lost is not as easy as it sounds. People continually build routine into their day, which provides a find yourselfsense of security and control over life and its adventures. Unfortunately, life doesn’t play out that way. There is always a death, the loss of a job, a family emergency coming our way to destroy the routine and cause us to grow.

We need to get away from the normal and get into a place where our wits are required for us to thrive. You never know what you can do until you have to. Being lost can be the first step. Being lost in your direction and not knowing what you need in your life is a common thing. There is a need to get away from the noise and clamor of life and get to a quiet and still place. Inside and outside.

Who am I?

finding-yourself1Each of the things that I want to have associated with me will be chosen in search of myself, and that search will begin when I don’t know where I am. A chance to be still and look at the thoughts I think and what is important to me. Do I want to be fearless? Honest? Kind? Thoughtful? Reliable? Open-minded? Or would I rather be their opposite?

All of these questions are answered by each of us with every choice we make every day. When you are lost, you have a chance to observe the thoughts you are entertaining in your head consistently. These thoughts are going to describe what you are as a person. Sometimes we head down a road we shouldn’t because of poor decisions brought on by weak moments. Perhaps greed, lust, or desire pulled us into a pattern that we don’t like.

The beginning of change will come when we have the time to notice precisely what we are doing. When you are alone, “lost,” there is nothing that will bring you home but yourself.

Don’t Fear The Search.

Being alone and lost can be scary, but don’t fear the search inside you. The change will have to come as it inevitably will throughout life. We will change, and most will rise and fall like the tide in the ocean. We are moving from the peak of our abilities nowhereto the depth of our weakness. Life is a journey, and we shouldn’t fear these shifts. We should embrace them.

These fluctuations have led me from times of certainty to times of question. When I was searching, dramatic growth occurred, or the most important ideas came to me and helped move me back toward a better version of myself.

I walked through life for many years, thinking I knew what life was all about, only to be taught that I knew nothing. This lesson came as I was lost, but the best part of that experience was that it was that period of being lost that led to a flood of knowledge and change that improved everything and made me reach new areas of thought and action, and I look for that process to continue.

It happens in the deepest woods, the darkest night, the most secluded spot, that you realize that you are lost and know that there is nothing to fear at that moment. All is as it should be, and you are just a few moments away from finding your way to your best self.

 

22

Skipping Stones

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Each rock makes a unique ripple in the water, as you do in the world.
Each rock makes a unique ripple in the water, as you do in the world.

Moving around through a day, most people never stop and consider their mere presence’s influence on the things and people around them. Your mood and the way interact with whom you encounter on your daily journey will affect all in your path, but more significantly, it will influence those you interact with even more. Each day our thoughts, words, and actions are like a stone thrown into a calm pond with ripples flowing out in all directions. Imagine the energy you are sending to the world out of yourself each day. Where your attention goes, your electricity will flow. Which way does your attitude turn the lives of others? 

Throwing Rocks

When I was young, I would often throw stones into the lake we lived on for no reason at all. My brother and I would see who could throw the farthest or make the biggest splash or the most skips. As you watched

The ripple formed tells the story of the rock, as your ripples tell the story of you.
The ripple formed tells the story of the rock, as your waves say to the level of you.

All of the rocks hit the surface of the water and disappear to their murky destination, each left behind an expanding ring of ripples that carried with them the details of the size of the rock, its impact on the world, and the force with which it was discharged. Its energetic pattern remained for a brief and fleeting moment.

When I watched the ripples intersect and merge, I noticed a lot of different patterns. Some would join together and branch out and start a whole new wave. Others would override smaller ripples and completely dominate those smaller waves around them. Some would simply shine in the dwindling.

When ripples meet they combine to make unique experiences.
When ripples meet, they combine to make unique experiences.

Twilight radiates a signal all their own until they gently and almost imperceptibly disappear completely, either outside of my sight or splashing softly on the rocks of the shore at our feet.

Choose Your Energy

Today I can see that people and their attitudes are precisely like those rocks from long ago. Only the waves of energy they create can’t be seen. You can only feel them. Notice the next time you meet anyone the feeling or vibe you feel from someone. This vibration is unique to each person, and just like the stones from long ago, exudes information about that person.

That vibrational ripple is determined by each person’s thoughts and beliefs to pay attention to each day. The choices are between love, kindness, understanding, acceptance, gratitude, fear, hate, being mean, judgemental, angry, and ungrateful. These ripples will affect everyone you meet and everything you are involved in. Just as the waves on the water interact and change each other.

The key is that each of us has the choice each day, not each moment, to remake these choices and change the vibration that our energetic ripples exude. The challenge is to look at your thoughts and beliefs and decide how you want your energy to be perceived by others, and it is a simple matter of choice and noticing.

“The energy of the mind is the essence of life.” Aristotle

“It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan.” Eleanor Roosevelt

“Be a positive energy trampoline – absorb what you need and rebound more back. ” Dave Carolan

“Life gets easier if you choose only to think, act, and speak positive energy. Choose to be the light in somebody else’s darkness.” 

“I believe that positive energy and optimism help us to take up any challenge in life and to succeed in even the most difficult tasks. I also believe that positive energy is contagious: we can transmit it to others.”- Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum

 

22

Finding the Flow

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Find Your Flow and Follow

Life is full of little words like flow. It is something that when you have it, life goes along smoothly, and when you lack it, everything feels like a struggle. It is a factor that most people don’t spend time consciously thinking about. But shouldn’t we? It makes sense we should focus our attention on a force making our lives a better experience. Our energy is totally up to us.

The great thing is that whether we are in the flow is all a matter of choice in what we decide to focus our energy on. Getting into the flow is as simple as paying attention to the moment at hand and experiencing that part of life, singularly by itself—conscious awareness of what is happening for you today.

In the Flow

One of the greatest gifts of playing sports is that you can experience what flow feels like and what it’s like when you lose it. In each athletic Flowcontest I have ever played in or coached, there is a flow to it. Not every game is the same, and what worked yesterday and provided success may not work today and might lead to disaster. I remember being in the flow a few times; they were few and far between because I didn’t know what was happening. I remember knowing what to do before it happened, a calmness of movement, confidence of action, that led to a connection with my team, the opposing team, and the game itself. My focus was solely on what I had to do at that moment. Not on winning or losing, but on doing what I needed to do. It is referred to as momentum in a game, and it changes teams as the focus and confidence change sides.

Life is full of chances to do the same thing. Be in the moment and react to what you need to do right now. Please don’t spend time worrying about the result that will take care of itself. Focus on the tasks you are doing and how you can perform them. A joy rises from within when you operate from flow, which is unavailable without a conscious focus.

Getting into the Flow

I think that our conscious focus on life is the doorway to getting into the energy flow. The first thing you need to do is thoroughly learn to be in the moment. You have to make decisions in each moment, which move naturally into the next. There is nothing terrible about the flow, and it feels good and allows you to be the best version of yourself, even if only for a moment. Once you change your focus and start worrying about the score, it will leave you.

The score in life is when you entertain thoughts about what others think about doing. Other people’s Thoughts are irrelevant to flow and don’t matter anyway. What you think about what you are doing is what counts. Another flow killer is to compare what you are doing to the performance. Your game is your game. Their game is their game. Focus on your tasks and movements that you can control, let the criticisms of others and their accomplishments stay in their game. Life is going to ebb and flow. It would help if you were willing to move with that same energy.

Accept and Embrace The flow.

Finally, to remain in the flow as long as possible, it is vital to understand the constant and inevitable influence change will have on you. Everything will change eventually. It may be small and almost invisible, or it may be significant and unmistakable. But it will change. Know that like a river, the flow of life will change course, but you can follow it with attention.

Some stretches of the river will be delightful, you move at your leisure, and everything passes quickly. Then there will be rapids, full of potential for growth and excitement. Looking back at the comfortable stretch will not allow you to master the rapids any better. Focus on the task at hand. That is where your life is. It is the choice of every person to fight against the current and try to return to calmer times. Or to go with the flow and ride it out, learning what you can about river navigation and preparing you for what is around the next bend in the river.

Today in all that you do, be conscious of and look for the flow that exists in life right now. Where is the river taking you? Focus on your thoughts, words, and actions to determine if they are going with the flow of your life or against it. Getting into the flow will allow you to be the best version of yourself that you can be today. What more could you want?

Life will move with the ease your focus dictates.

“Let reality be a reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like. ” ~ Lao Tzu

 

22

All Connected

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Oneness- Everything is connected. We are all one.

It is the strange experience of being a human being. We exist in the world, thinking we are all different, but basically, we are the same. Each person is made up of the same building blocks called atoms, and these atoms form our bodies. Everyone has an alive organization, even though they vary in looks and proportions.

Each person has an essence inside, which is unique in the world, but we are all connected in possession of such a thing. Our personalities and thoughts are ours alone, and we are all individuals. It is one of the biggest dualities we face in life,  being an individual but part of something. It is the energy of life that connects us. This energy is generated first by the thoughts we think, then the words we use to express our thoughts and our actions as a result. Oneness is all around, but you have to look for it to notice.

Each One Has Energy

All of our physical experiences, conscious and unconscious, are caused by an electrical reaction. Each thought is a firing synapse that sends a message to the body, to do or not to do something. We are driven by electricity, and that electricity flows between us all. Isn’t physical death the point when our energy can no longer flow through our body? Our powers are not unique, as all people have access to creating thought and energy. We are all the same through this energy, and we are all one.

We determine our energetic impact on the world through the tenor of our thoughts. Thoughts of love describe later on or the opinions of fear determine our active influence on the planet. It is the same for everyone. We are one. Focus on the fearful thoughts of anger, judgment, hate, jealousy, resentment, greed, lies, or ego. Your energy and the results you get in life are based almost solely on your energy. Each individual has the same opportunity to create positive thoughts and conclusions.

The Myth of Separation

We have all been conditioned to believe that we are all separate and alone in the world. This perceived separation can be used to manipulate people into behavior that isn’t in our best interest. That behavior is usually driven by fear. It starts when we are young and continues into adulthood. We are given a set of experiences and memories which belong to us alone. Society judges us on our accomplishments, education, relationships, possessions accumulated, and relative intelligence.

It makes you feel like you live in an isolated place. But there is a connection you can feel between people if you look for it. Some will call this force God, the Universe, or whatever makes you comfortable, but it is clear there is something that makes us all unique and together at that same time, and that energy is what makes everything work. No other person has ever existed who is exactly like you, and there never will be. That is the case for everyone, and we are all connected through that oneness.

Love is the connector.

Focusing on the positiveness of love is the road to seeing the oneness we all share. Love is a powerful, positive force that respects others, life, nature, and you. It comes in all its different levels and costumes to make us see that we are not alone in the world, and all people have basic humanity that connects us all. No one is better than another because of age, ethnicity, nationality, or religion. We are all equal, the same, and connected.

These connections can be seen when you practice love in your life by treating people with the thoughtfulness that love demands. Joy, peace, love, hope, humility, acceptance, understanding, kindness, empathy, and truth are all creators of positivity and allow people to realize that although there are minor differences between us, we are all the same underneath. Focus on the positive forces of life, and those connections with others become easy. Stray from them or ignore them, and isolation or poor company is inevitable. The choice is always yours. We all experience oneness in this.

Look for the Oneness 

Take a moment today and look at someone else. Maybe someone you know or someone you see in passing and look at them, we all have eyes to see, ears to hear, noses to smell, hands to touch, and voices to speak. Think about the miracle this is. We are all the same, and we are united at that moment. Life is an experience that we are all sharing—a one-of-a-kind set of circumstances unifying us if we let it. Seek the oneness in each person, and you will find it.

It will all start with a conscious awareness of your thoughts and their tone in your life. Positive will lead to growth, wellness, and enjoyment, and opposing will lead to less than enjoyable circumstances. Whether you are conscious of your thinking or not, it still belongs to you, and you will always reap the benefits or negatives of that effort. Look at your words and actions that result. The difference between positive and negative is evident for all people to understand.

 

“Wisdom is knowing we are all One. Love is what it feels like, and Compassion is what it acts like.” ~ Ethan Walker

“The sun shines down, and its image reflects in a thousand different pots filled with water. The reflections are many, but they are each reflecting the same sun. Similarly, when we come to know who we truly are, we will see ourselves in all people.” ~ Ammachi

“When I look inside and see that I am nothing, that is wisdom. When I look outside and see that I am everything, that is love. And between these two, my life turns.” ~ Nisargadatta Maharaj

 

22

Raise Your Energy

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Vibration—a person’s emotional state, the atmosphere of a place, or the associations of an object, as communicated to and felt by others.

The Universe runs on laws that dictate everything. One of these is the Law of Vibration, which states: Everything in the Universe vibrates or offers a vibration. When it comes to an understanding how things work, this is a great place to start. All items have a level of vibration, focusing on everything from quantum physics to holistic medicine. Since you and I are a part of everything, we also offer a beat, and what constitutes that vibration is where our focus of thought most often lies. We have complete control over this because we are the only ones who can decide how to react to anything.   The frequency at which we vibrate is determined by the thoughts we think, the corresponding emotions, and our actions at any moment of each day. You are responsible for your life experience — nobody else.

High or Low Vibrational Frequency

Since we all have a frequency and vibration, our thoughts bring energy to our life. Positive thoughts and their corresponding emotions vibrate on the higher level of the scale. While negative thoughts and feelings vibrate at a lower level, they will have that effect on your life. Knowing where you are on the ranking of vibration is essential because it directly relates to what you are inviting into your life. Like attracts like. When you drift into a bad mood, you have decided to focus on something negative. Changing an attitude is as simple as consciously changing your thoughts.

Look at the thoughts that you focus on and the emotions that result. It is, again, a simple choice for me. Ideas of joy, peace, love, hope, humility, acceptance, understanding, kindness, empathy, and truth will create a higher vibration level. At the same time, a focus on the fearful thoughts of anger, judgment, hate, jealousy, resentment, greed, lies, or ego will vibrate on a lower level. I am not judging, just observing. I see these thoughts in myself and have to deal with them. Each of us has a choice to make in our actions and interactions with others. The decision we make will define us to the world and ourselves.

Choosing Your Vibration

The choice is a simple one. Be conscious of your thoughts and understand that a lower-end vibration results when you entertain fear and let the emotions permeate your consciousness. This result is essential to understand, and I think it isn’t easy to accomplish anything from this level of consciousness. Honestly, look at your life and when you have been operating at your best. What were you thinking? Feeling? Doing? It is often something you believe and feels optimistic about in you.

To start choosing the vibration you offer to the world. It begins by looking at your thought and noticing where it leads you emotionally. Then choose to follow the positive and move away from the negative. This movement doesn’t mean you ignore bad things, but you don’t wallow in them. Change your focus from conflict and separation to cooperation and acceptance. In the end, it is all up to you, and the reality that you experience will be a result of the choices you make. Some people can’t seem to move their thoughts in a positive direction because their conditioning on a subconscious level is negative. That is not a death sentence to positivity but a roadmap to improvement. Seek high vibrational activities.

High Vibrational Activities

Activities you can participate in that will allow your vibration to rise are common sense. Increase your level of physical activity. The human body wants to move, and the mind releases endorphins that improve your mood, make you more optimistic, and allow your vibration to rise. Not to mention the added benefit of having a higher quality of life. Spend some time contemplating nature. Noticing the things that naturally occur all around us can create a more positive mood in your life. Being conscious of the foods you eat can raise your vibration.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that there are things that feel good in life and those that don’t. Being honest, practicing kindness, meditation of some kind,  and pure gratitude for what we have in life will create a higher vibration. Focus your thoughts on these things and see what makes in your life—thinking of others before yourself and being unselfish will also vibrate on a higher level.

Lower Vibrations to Avoid

These are as varied as there are people in the world. For me, a good rule of thumb is that if it doesn’t feel right, it should. The mainstream media is something that I avoid because they sensationalize events to create fear for the sake of ratings. There is nothing positive about their productions, and most are overhyped looks at people’s worst behavior. But simple things like judgment, gossip, and even sarcasm can vibrate lower because they are harming someone else. You can never hurt someone else without hurting yourself, which is the vibrational truth.

Avoid people who are continually complaining about things or criticizing others. You can feel the negativity, which will stay with you for a time. At the very least, it will take a bit of effort to get yourself back on the upbeat track. Life is too short to waste, criticizing others and their choices. Focus on the positive choices you can make.

Your Overall state of being

Life will be defined by the choices you make in thought. Each decision carries its energy into your life and the lives of those close to you. It involves the way you eat, sleep, exercise, and work. Take a moment to look at all of these areas. See if you are vibrating on the low or the high side. Like attracts like and living at a higher vibration allows you to draw more of the same into your experience. Spend time each day looking at the manner you treat other people. That is your gift or curse on the world. Each person matters as much as the next. How you treat others provides a mirror you can look into to see yourself. What you give to the world will get back in return. It is Karma.

“Vibrate at the highest frequency possible.”- Anonymous

“Everything in life is vibration.” -Albert Einstein

“Your vibration or energy state is a blend of the contracted or expanded frequencies of your body’s emotions and thoughts at any given moment. The more you allow your soul to shine through you, the higher your vibration will be.” -Penney Peirce

 

22

Honest Soul

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There seem to be many layers of human behavior I can’t seem to grasp, in others and myself.  Why we are not more honest is one of them. I was told once that all people lie at least once every day. I argued against that, but after analyzing my behavior, I can see that there are times we are all less than honest, despite one’s good intentions. They may be white lies not to hurt someone’s feelings, but an untruth is an untruth. So my hope is that after reading this, and thinking about our behavior, one will be conscious of how honest they are in thought, words, and actions every day of life.

White Lies

We must agree on the first honest thing is, “we are all experienced liars.” Everyone has done it for various reasons, but honesty about that is an excellent place to start. White lies are the “harmless” lies we tell others to avoid causing unnecessary pain. These fibs may be a good practice, but I would rather know the truth. When you lie in this fashion, you choose someone else, what they can deal with, and what information they need.

What is the limit when it comes to being dishonest? Where do you draw the line? Become conscious of your thoughts when it comes to honesty. Be aware of the words you choose and take action to be more honest in life. I believe that even moral wrongs are still wrong. Give people in your life the power to decide how to deal with things. That is how they will develop. It isn’t your responsibility to hide the truth in any way.

Deception and Perception

All you need to do is look at social media accounts, and you will see that honesteveryone is very talented at crafting a story of their life. They want others to see. Many of our thoughts, words, and actions are less than honest because we show what we want the world to see. It is natural to want to shine the most favorable light on your life, but it is still not honest. The things we omit are still not accurate. What other people think doesn’t matter. It is all just a thought in your mind of fear.

What kind of world would this be if people were honest all the time? Most people are guarded in this way because we are afraid that we couldn’t be accepted if people knew the truth. In relationships, this is also true. We all “hide our crazy” initially because we fear that nobody could take us if they knew about the flaws. Yet, I argue it is the flaws that create the masterpiece, the uniqueness that is beautiful in its own right. People are afraid to be honest because some may reject them. Be realistic about who you are and what you think in thought, word, and action. Those who run from simple words or actions make your life better by leaving. Let them go.

Value of Truth

If you took all the money in the world away, what value do we each have? The amount of honesty we bring to the world is the highest currency there would be. There is comfort in being honest in life. If you do not accept lies from yourself, it is easy to spot them in others. How correct someone else decides to be is their karma and their problem. You can only worry about yourself and the level of honesty you bring to the world. I think that to be the best version of yourself, being honest about your actions and, more importantly, your feelings are a requirement.

Spend as little time possible worrying about how your thoughts, words, or actions will affect others or their perception of you and be concerned about being honest. In the end, your name is all that you have anyway. Focus on sincerity throughout the day. Make a note of anything less than truthful. Please correct it. See what happens.

The main reasons people don’t always tell the truth are:
  • Fear of harm: The most straightforward reason to understand why we lie is for self-protection, including self-deception, to prevent damage to ourselves. This harm can be either physical or mental.
  • Fear of conflict: To some degree, we all fear to argue.
  • Fear of punishment: When growing up, how often did we lie about how well we did in school or started fighting? How often do we cover up our mistakes and transgressions?
  • Fear of rejection: Sometimes, our insecurities are the foundation of why we lie to each other because we want to remain popular in our relationships. Typically, it is harmless boasting to make ourselves appear more admirable to other people.
  • Fear of loss: This is usually the loss of personal objects, such as money or expensive valuables. Greed is the foundation for this reason and can be found in us. We often lie to make ourselves more desirable to other people too. Most conventional, people lie for fear of alienating their significant other. Other times, when our self-esteem starts to decline, we even lie to ourselves as a means to prevent loss of morale.
  • Altruistic Reasons: We often lie to help our friends and loved ones. How often do we flattery someone to make them feel better? Or don’t tell the whole truth because we are afraid of hurting someone’s feelings? Telling something you don’t think is true to make them feel better is the only selfless reason we lie.

“Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom.” -Thomas Jefferson

“Integrity is telling myself the truth. And honesty is telling the truth to other people.” – Spencer Johnson

“Honest hearts produce honest actions.”- Brigham Young

 

22

The Ocean Connection

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Ocean- a vast expanse of sea, in particular, each of the main areas into which the sea is divided geographically.

The Ocean is home.

The Ocean must be a strange concept to those who have never visited its shores and seen its vast waters. A sea is a place that draws people toward it and provides solace, advice, and comfort than most other sites. Why is the Ocean such a magnet for peaceful feelings? I think that if you have a history near one, it is in your essence, and you are continually connected to it.

There is something magical there connecting in us that knows our inside thoughts. Powerful thoughts are realized looking into the waves, and somehow they don’t seem so distant or unattainable. Whatever your attraction, the Ocean is a big part of many lives, and being conscious of its pull and power can allow a person’s consciousness to rise. It all starts with paying attention to your thoughts, words, and actions when you visit this expanse of nature. 

Ocean, The Counselor

When the worst happens, and there are no answers another person can give you, the Ocean has a way of providing reliable counsel to those who come to its side. Ocean therapy calms you down with the soft, continuous pounding of the waves, the sea breeze in your face. The faint call of gulls in the distance carries your worries away with them as they dive for a meal. Then float confidently on the water. Challenges are a part of life, but looking at something more significant than any problem we will ever face builds special confidence in people. We may just have a hidden power underneath our surface, and tapping into that power will allow you to grow.

There is a comfort that comes from visiting the Ocean in the smell of the salt in the air,  and the experience seems to take all the negativity in life away with its ever-rising and falling tides. You feel as if you can toss all of your problems in the churning water, and they will disappear beneath the waves and be lost in the mass of ocean depth. If you seek the peace of mind, look for it in the Ocean.

Ocean the Connector

The Ocean connects all things in the world. When you look out on the vast, seemingly never-ending sea in front of you, it encompasses everything. But you know that out there somewhere, all of life is happening. Boats are sailing, fish are swimming, and on the other side, someone is more than likely looking back at you. Wondering how it is all connected, just like you.

You can connect with someone who has left your life and moved on, only living in your memory. I have been able to find those who have passed away, but still, their voices and a connection can be found by looking into the sea. The link is there as you contemplate its depths, all of those voices of the oceans of people you have known speak to you. All you have to do is listen. That is one of the many magical qualities of the mighty waters. What or whom you seek,  there you will often find. Our thoughts seem to be carried throughout the range of the Ocean to other places. There is reassurance in that.

Ocean the  Energy Source

With such an extensive collection of moving water, there will be energy produced that draws people. It is a natural flow that you can feel by being near, on, or in the water. There is nothing negative about this natural energy, and that is why it feels good to visit. You may not understand it, but you know the Ocean is a place of rejuvenation, and it can transfer its power into your soul.

Even if you don’t believe this, it doesn’t matter. The irrefutable fact is that the Ocean changes you. It gets in your soul, and if you contemplate the meaning in life, the sea is one of nature’s most exceptional assistants. If it is hot and sunny, the Ocean cools you down and makes you calm. If it is cold, the sea is still there rolling along, offering its advice for all people to take advantage of in their lives. There are few places so positively charged. It stuns me how often people live near this authoritative source of wonder and pay no attention at all.

So raising your consciousness today, look at the natural wonders around you. If you live near the Ocean, visit that old friend. Be one of the people in the world who notices the power and change that can come from this vast expanse of sea. And it all starts with your thoughts about the magnificence of the Ocean. The emotions attached to your ideas. The words you speak of and around it. And the actions you take in your life because of it. The shore is the waiting room for peace and wonder, and you don’t even have to make an appointment.

“We are tied to the Ocean. And when we go back to the sea, whether it is to sail or to watch – we are going back from whence we came.”
John F. Kennedy

“The ocean stirs the heart, inspires the imagination, and brings eternal joy to the soul.”
Robert Wyland

“The cure for anything is saltwater: sweat, tears, or the sea.”
Isak Dinesen

 

22

Things Happen for A Reason

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leapI should stop being astonished, and there should be a moment where I finally get it. All of the things that happen in life do happen for a reason, and all I need is patience to see what lesson I need to learn.

The problem with me and I think many people are that we spend way too much time planning and plotting to prove how smart we are and not enough time enjoying what is happening in our lives right at this very moment. Or we are just so sure we know what the best outcome for us would be if only the Universe would stop toying with us and make us better.

This post is for the little leaps of faith that people take each day to get to where we are destined to go and hopefully find happiness. I need to remember these faithful spells are available to me at all moments. Too often, I will resort to fear and lack faith.  It starts with the thoughts, words, and actions we entertain every day to see the wisdom in life.

The Stones Appear From Nowhere

It used to be that I thought you couldn’t do anything unless you saw the next step river-rocks-nan-wrightin front of you.  That got me moving through a lot of days of mediocre existence.  There were few lows and very few highs, just a constant middling life. I was not open to anything outside of my control. How could it be possible?

Eventually, it got to the point that there was a clear choice in front of me.  Stay in this existence for the rest of my life, or move in a new direction where the potential for downtimes was there, but the potential for significant achievements as well. I paused at the crossroads like when I was young, summoning the courage to take the plunge into the cold lakes of Maine in the summer.

I took the first hesitant steps into the unknown, and the adventure of life truly began.  I often took those steps out into the foggy mist, and I did not know what was there. I almost always find the feel of a sturdy stone under my feet with each step and open myself up to the wonder of the world. Sometimes I have slipped and fallen.  That is the price you pay for excitement and learning something new, but I have also been able to experience jobs, people, and things that I would never have imagined.

Open Your Front Door

It is too easy to look at everyone and mistrust them thoroughly.  If you watch the media view of the world, I don’t blame you.  It seems like a mass murderer is living around.

Open a door and you never know who will walk in.
Open a door, and you never know who will walk in.

Every corner, but that is a lie.  There is a great human being around every corner.  You can choose to be suspicious and not trust anyone. But you are limiting yourself.

Often I have made this choice, and sure enough, I was safe enough, but at what cost?  How many opportunities for growth did I miss out on? Were there people who could have helped me on my way?  I will never know.  Instead of keeping the front door locked and bolted all the time, try opening it once in a while. See who stops by for a visit.

I can’t guarantee you that the people you will meet will be great, but they may be just what you need to experience in your life right now.   I don’t know if it is good or bad, but it is my experience that the more people in your life, the more opportunity for growth. So try opening that door.

Master Your Fear and Grow

I probably should have started with fear, but it always makes a good ending.  In life, we all struggle with this factor.  It is the root of many of our major problems in life, from Thinking-will-not-overcomewhat job to pursue to whom we should have a relationship.  Fear is the factor we must all learn to overcome to have a life. Its potential exists in every person and everything we do.

These leaps of faith, from choosing a new path to giving people a chance in your life, are exercises in conquering fear.

Nobody lives their life free of fear, and it is such a part of our psyche.  Sometimes the fear is so ingrained that we don’t even recognize that is what is controlling our behavior. It is hard to open up and give people a chance because they can hurt you, and that is an experience we would all like to avoid.

Learning to recognize when you are experiencing fear and managing it is one of the most significant leaps of faith you can take.  You fear because you don’t want to be hurt when you open yourself up, then you may be injured.  The risk is worth it because the best way to grow is to take a chance on a path, a person, or overcome fear, and find that you are more powerful than you thought.

Then as you grow, you are willing to take more significant risks and put yourself into a position where you could be hurt again, but accept the opportunity to experience great achievement, love,  or anything else that you value.

The choices are really for you to decide.  Stay in the safe zone you live in, or take some brave steps into the unknown and see just what growth is coming your way. It all starts with your thoughts, words, and actions.

Grasp your opportunities, and grow like you were meant to!

“Do not constantly spend your time complaining about a problem you may be having or may be up against. Focus your time toward correcting the problem. Always remember, Time values!”  Victoria Addino

“Ultimately there is no such thing as failure. There are lessons learned in different ways.”  Twyla Tharp

“I believe that nothing is more important to our ability to effectively address our present than understanding the lessons learned from those who have come before us.”  Charlie Gonzalez

“The lessons learned as we try to build ever more sophisticated nanomachines will almost certainly inform our understanding of the origins of life.”  Paul McEuen

“I’m thankful for every break in my heart, I’m grateful for every scar, some pages turned, some bridges burned, but there were lessons learned.” Nishan Panwar

 

22

Lose Your Attitude

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Attitude-a way of thinking or feeling about someone or something, typically is in a person’s behavior.

attitudeAttitude is everything because it is a result of the way we think and feel about everything in our existence, and shows the world just what we believe about ourselves. If you are not conscious of your attitude and why you think or feel a certain way about something, then you are at the mercy of that thought pattern. Many of our destructive issues resulting from low self-esteem stem from our attitude about ourselves and perceptions of the value we bring to. Today perceptions make a pact with yourself to be conscious of your position and the resulting experience that comes into your life because of it. Look at your thoughts, words, and actions and see how they reflect your attitude toward life, other people, and, most importantly, yourself.

Attitude Toward Life

Most people look at themselves as adults like they are set in stone. It is as if their attitudes about the world were poured into concrete when they were very young, and they never seek to revise them or improve them in any way. It is our attitude toward life that determines life’s attitude toward us. You attitudewill get precisely what you believe you will get from experience—your att, and yours the catalyst for life’s behavior toward you.

What do you believe about life? Is it fair? Is it cruel? Is it difficult? Whatever your attitude is toward life is what you will get from experience. Take a moment and become conscious of what those beliefs are.   If you radiate confidence and self-assurance, then the world will react accordingly. The same will be true if you lack confidence and are insecure. Life is an equal opportunity provider of challenges. Your attitude will determine the ease or difficulty with which you will face challenges. Create awareness in yourself of your feelings toward life. Expect more good than bad, and that is what you will experience.

Attitude Toward Others

It is essential to develop a positive attitude toward other people attitudebecause success rarely comes to one person by themselves. We are all interdependent in living our lives every day, and there is someone you rely on and someone that depends on you. It is our attitude toward others that determines their attitude toward us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Your attitude should be to treat every person that you meet as if they are the most critical person in the world. Developing this mindset is a much more difficult task then it sounds. We are filled with bias, discrimination, judgment, and selfishness that limit our interactions with others. Being conscious of this will eliminate it as you treat others to treat you. Change your life by putting your interest in the stories of others ahead of your own. What can you learn from them? How can you help them? This attitude will increase your enjoyment of life and opportunities for success. Life isn’t all about you, understanding that is the beginning of really living.

Attitude toward Self

All people look at themselves as the hero of their own story. Their attitude and will determine if it is a success story or not. Your opinion about yourself develops continually over your life, and you can change that perception at any moment for the better or, the worse. It changes because of your actions and your attitude about these actions. Before a person can achieve attitudethe kind of life they dream about, they must become that kind of individual. If you want to be successful, then do the things successful people do. Set goals, take action, and be persistent in those actions until your goals are achieved. If you think you want to be something but set no goals and take no steps toward it, then you do not want that. This is your attitude.

Too often in life, we shortchange ourselves because we fear failure or what others are going to think of our efforts. These fears manifest in our minds and tell us: “You can’t!” “You mustn’t,” “People will think I am crazy.”, or any other negative message you can think of. A positive attitude toward yourself will erase those things. The human mind is only capable of entertaining one thought at a time. There is no benefit in negativity and many benefits to being positive. Why not consider positive thoughts and create an attitude of success for ourselves? Attitude is everything when it comes to success or failure.

So the challenge is to be conscious of your attitude today and be honest with yourself about what you find. If you lack in confidence and self-assurance, then start to change this. Set goals, write them down, take action toward them, and be persistent in following through until the goal is achieved. Your attitude will determine your experience in life with others and yourself. It all starts with knowing your thoughts, words, and actions today. Act as if success is already yours.

“If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.” ~ Maya Angelou

“Take the attitude of a student, never be too big to ask questions, never know too much to learn something new.” ~ Og Mandino

“The question isn’t who is going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me.” —Ayn Rand

“Do what you have to do until you can do what you want.” —Oprah Winfrey

“Scar tissue is stronger than regular tissue. Realize the strength, move on.” —Henry Rollins

 

 

22

Variety Pack

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Spectrum- An assorted range of responses, individuals, ideas, etc. 

The experiences in life are the things that build your life. Not the things you buy or own but the people you choose to spend your time with, the places you go, the activities you take part in, and the thoughts you want to contemplate the higher spectrum of these things you find in your world, the more well rounded your experience will be.

It seems too many people are working very hard to provide as little variety in their experience as they can. You are always looking for reasons to separate yourself from others and creating a false sense of “us” vs. “them.”  There are no real teams in the human experience, and we are all unique individuals who are connected to our humanity.  Today the challenge is to increase the spectrum of responses you have to live, people you accept, and ideas you agree as accurate about yourself.  It begins with a conscious effort to look at the thoughts you focus on each day, the emotions attached to them, the words you speak because of this affecting the world, and the actions taken in your life.

A Box of Chocolates

People are one of the biggest influences in your life. The spectrum of folks you allow into your life is going to determine the ideas you entertain, the enjoyment you have in doing things, and just the overall happiness and joy you have in your life. Surround yourself with people who are focused on material things and shallow pursuits, and you will find life a rather unhappy happenstance. But choose your people more wisely, and you will find the experience a much more positive one.

Look at the things you discuss with a friend or acquaintance and the energy attached to it. How do you feel after the conversation? Are you drained, or are you fulfilled? Back away from those that drain you and gravitate toward those that fulfill you. These are the people of ideas, possibilities, understanding, and growth.  Variety is essential to accumulate in your tribe because new insights and knowledge will come with them. Choose honesty, kindness, understanding, character, and you will have a substantial spectrum of folks providing positive to your life and avoiding negative things.

Responding With Thought

It is easy to develop a subconscious program of response. A stimulus or situation arises, and you respond out of hand one particular way or another. But learning each case in life is different and unique and may deserve a new or different level of response to be appropriate and thoughtful in all things.  Increase the spectrum of your answers, and you will increase your ability to become a more positive influence in all the lives you touch, including your own.

To respond by the impulse to a specific type of stimulus or action will cause you to stereotype and group things. That means you are not giving situations a chance to teach you before you judge them and dole out your rote thought, emotions, words, and actions surrounding them. Instead, take a moment and look at each moment and create a broader spectrum of responses you can choose from. This will allow you to grow and to influence things in your life more kindly and gently. Rather than being a robot of responses, be a caring responder with a spectrum of offers to others.

Idea Creator

Ideas are the real currency in the world. All things provide an opportunity to seek a new perspective and to develop a broad spectrum of views. Each situation you are exposed to gives you an excellent opportunity to develop ideas that can make that experience better, more efficient, and more productive for all involved.  Look at your life and the way you move through your day.  Start there and come up with ideas allowing you to get more out of your life, get up earlier, move a little faster, changing your schedule of activities. Each little change can have a significant impact if you develop and implement new ideas.

New ideas are hard to implement because a new design means change, and we are programmed to be suspicious of change. It can be great, but it can also be a painful experience, so better to stick with the prevailing situation than to risk a bad experience. But it could result in a better life, and nothing ventured means nothing gained. New ideas will be the things that are going to separate you from the crowd and allow you to thrive in any circumstance. Your creativity of ideas is the only limit you have in all of your successes. Increase the spectrum of ideas you are exposed to, and you will increase the number of ideas you have.

You should use many things in life to grow as a person for each item you understand. We are either getting better in life, or we are getting worse, and it’s right about all areas of our life, work, creativity, relationships, how we treat others, practicing positive thinking, or any other thing. Take a moment and look at the simple ways you can focus on something and expand the spectrum of factors contributing to it.  It will all begin with the thoughts you entertain about that particular thing, the emotions naturally attached to them, the words you use to express your ideas to the world, and the actions you decide to take, which affect the world in the way you want.

Quotes

“All that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream.” ― Edgar Allan Poe

“To change ourselves effectively, we first had to change our perceptions.”― Stephen R. Covey

“We sit silently and watch the world around us. This has taken a lifetime to learn. It seems only the old are able to sit next to one another and not say anything and still feel content. The young, brash and impatient, must always break the silence. It is a waste, for silence is pure. Silence is holy. It draws people together because only those who are comfortable with each other can sit without speaking. This is the great paradox.” ― Nicholas Sparks, The Notebook

“Humans see what they want to see.”― Rick Riordan