Tag Archives: actions

22

A Life Is Defined By Action

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wd oooHow many great ideas are destroyed before they have a chance to take root? How many are discarded by the neglect of time? Due to fear of failure or a lack of self-confidence? The time to wait is over, and the time for action is here. Taking action is THE ingredient that turns the perfect combination of raw materials into a masterpiece. Life is defined by the actions one takes or, in many cases, the inaction.

I wanted to share a few things I have learned about grasping your life by the throat through action. None of them are complicated to do, but they can be daunting, and I continually have to remind myself about these things.

Forget your Fears

We are all afraid at some point. Fear has served its purpose in your life to help keep you safe in a wild world, but it can become too much for people to function at the level of their highest capabilities. What is there to be afraid of? Action will defeat fear. Always!

inactionIf you stretch yourself, reaching for something you want, what is the worst thing? Fear will stop you from getting because you may be hurt, but that cocoon you exist in has become a cage, and it is time to let that go. Action will destroy fear.

Ignore the negative voices of others and even your mind. When someone behaves without fear, it can make people uncomfortable because their worries are displayed in comparison. Encourage the negative to seek positive actions. Actions will defeat fear.

Recognize your fear, thank it for caring and then do what you should. Move forward with all of the drive and ambition that you have in your heart. You are a bright light that doesn’t need to be hidden anymore. It is your time to shine through the dim fog of fear. Action will destroy fear.

Focus on Your Voice

There is a voice guiding our actions in each of us, and it performs this duty perfectly and for our greater good. Unfortunately, many of us lack a practical aptitude for hearing this voice, much less following it.

The voice is not in your mind but in your heart, and it can only be heard when you quiet your mind and listen. This is the guide that can tell you what you need to know and help guide your steps toward your dreams. To quiet the reason is a simple breathing practice, focusing on your breath and not paying attention to the endless stream of thoughts in your mind. 99% of these are not essential or relevant.

If you have a fail, it is this voice that will tell you to keep on going. Regardless of what others or your mind think, your greatness will be revealed when listening to this voice. Quiet your mind and focus on your voice. It is never wrong and will guide you into the action and places you need to go. You have to have faith and follow what it tells you. This is admittedly difficult to do, but what have you got to lose? A life of comfortable mediocrity?

Be Conscious of Your Vibration

Quantum physics has proven that each object globally projects a measurable vibration based on its physical makeup. You and I are no different, with the minor exception that human being seems to be able to adjust their vibration by changing how they perceive the world. Your thoughts are paramount to this. You can’t control all of your thoughts because they come pretty rapidly sometimes. Yet we have total control over the views we pay attention to and, of course, our reaction to those thoughts. 

In a nutshell, focus on the thoughts that come from love, such as kindness, joy, peace, hope, benevolence, empathy, truth, faith, and compassion. They provide a higher vibration and power.   Give no attention to thoughts like envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, resentment, guilt, inferiority, lies, superiority, or ego, which are all thoughts of fear. These lower vibrations will thwart your plans and make your life less enjoyable.

Positive thoughts are the motivation for our best actions. Our actions will define us. Many believe that your vibration will determine what type of life you will experience. Be conscious of which thoughts you focus on, and they will evaluate the experiences that come into your life. The quality of people you meet and the success you ultimately enjoy through your experience.

Kick  It Now

All of this is to urge you to go for it. If you have a mountain in front of you, climb it! Start swimming if there is an ocean between you and what you want. Now is your time.

All people are born with extraordinary abilities, and how much of those the world will see is determined by your conscious decisions to take action. If you want to lose weight, start doing something to lose weight!

If you want to be successful, start doing what you can to achieve your goals. There is absolutely nothing between you and your dreams than a lack of action. 

22

Integrity and Action

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thoughts and actionsThe actions we decide to dictate our lives at every moment. I will point out the critical part of that sentence; they are things that YOU DECIDE to complete. Taking actions, or lack thereof, creates our lives’ reality, and nothing will show the world more about one’s natural character. Over time, your consistent actions will more accurately describe your morals and character than anything else. Your actions tell the world what you want in your life.

Taking action always speaks much louder than words. You can decide if your efforts are for selfish gain alone or if there is hope for the well-being of others and yourself in your life. To fully understand a person’s motives, I hear their words but listen to their actions because it is what a person does that the truth lies.

Your Actions Speak for Themselves

taking actionWhen you meet someone new, it can be difficult to tell what type of person they are simply listening to their words. However, observe their actions, and you will know all you can think about them. People may say they value other people and their feelings, but if they are rude or demeaning to others, they do not. They may seem helpful in their words, but if their actions judge others, spread rumors about other people, or are plain mean, they are not pleasant. Trust your eyes.

Actions are the accurate lie detectors of life. It is impossible to fake your actions forever. You can affect it for a short time, but keep observing a person’s activities, and you will see their true selves. Watch others, and then watch yourself and see what the actions you follow tell you about the person found. If you can look without bias at your actions, you will see your message to the world. Is it the message you want to represent you?

Make Your Actions Count

taking actionOur actions will speak for us, not only to those around us, but to get what we want in life. It is one thing to say I want to be successful, but another to take the steps and perform the tasks that will get you to that goal. Nothing will happen by magic unless you count the magic that does come from taking simple actions toward reaching your goal.

What is stopping you from taking a step? Failure? Failing is in the eyes of the beholder and depends on how you evaluate your experience. Sometimes things don’t go as planned, but the lessons we learn from the action allow us to find the secret to completing that goal and doing it uniquely. When you make a demand on the Universe with your activities, there will be a response, and it will most likely lead you where you want to go.

Finally, to defeat fear, there is no better remedy than action. Fear is just a thought in your head that gains momentum as you worry about it. It is usually not a real danger that you are in but a fear of uncertainty. It may be coming in the future, but it will likely not. The action tells the story of your ideas. Are they valid, or are they foolish? Only the test of deeds will show this.

Your dreams are there on the other side of fear. Trust your faith; it will all work out for the best.

“Do you want to know who you are? Don’t ask. Act! Action will delineate and define you.” ―Thomas Jefferson.

“An idea not coupled with action will never get any bigger than the brain cell it occupied.” ―Arnold Glasow.

“People may doubt what you say, but they will believe what you do.” ―Lewis Cass.

“Let your performance do the thinking.” ―Charlotte Brontë.

“Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.” ―Dale Carnegie

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsPM3iWzlCo

 

22

Shooting for the Moon

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goal settingHow many times have you allowed the opinions of others to limit your potential?

When I think of the beautiful people I meet each day, I find myself amazed by the potential success in all people they can’t see in themselves. It is like looking at Michael Jordan, who doesn’t realize that he is a great basketball player.  Greatness exists within everyone in one form or another, and learning to listen to your heart and following your interests is all it takes to start to see this.

Set Your Goal

goal settingIt all begins by knowing what you want out of life. That may sound like it should be common knowledge for each of us. I know that I have been in a position where I could do anything I wanted, and I had no idea what I wanted to do.

I have talked to many others who have had the same experience. Set your goals and start to dream about your dream. Imagine what it will look like and feel like when that goal has been achieved and is a part of reality.

Action will Take YOU There.

It is then up to you to take responsibility for your dream and take makethingshappenaction. Actions are the keys to achievement, and until you choose to take action, nothing will happen. You may be talented in some area of life, but if you never do anything, that talent and greatness will atrophy and die away.

Developing an action plan and taking those steps will allow you to defeat and eliminate fear from your life. There is no time for concern when you act, and the fearful thoughts will fall away as you succeed or fail. At least you will know. Take action in all phases of your life, and see what comes to you.

Shoot For That Star

There shouldn’t be any limits on your dream. Dream the vision in your way. Want to sing on Broadway? Dream it and shoot for it. If you have a terrible voice that will come out, you may need to take some extreme action to get this done, but who can tell you that you can’t do it? Give it a shot, and maybe setting goals and taking action will put you on a different path, where possibilities exist.

Shoot for the moon, and you won’t limit yourself. If you want to be rich, set a goal for it. If you’re going to fall in love, set a dream, and take action. If you want to be healthier, make a plan, take action, and see what happens. Anything is possible for you.

 

22

Choose Your Change

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Every day is a new chance to rise!

Sometimes you reach the point where things are just not working in your life. There needs to be a change. The path you follow is dictated at this moment. Good, bad, propitious, right, or wrong, all of these adjectives will be applied to you and your journey depending on the tenor of your choices when change comes knocking. Some people will look at their circumstances and see no choices at all. But there are always choices, and they usually are triggered by the questions we ask ourselves about moving forward. There has to be a fundamental belief that life can be different from what you are experiencing now.

Believe Change is Possible

The first step to initiating change is to believe that it is possible. Many people have been told so many believe in Changelimiting things in their lives, and change seems like a fairytale located in the far reaches of reality. We hear, “You can’t do that.”, “You are wrong for thinking that way.”, “You can’t make a living doing that.”, “Your dreams are unrealistic or impractical.”, or “That is not normal.”.

All of these ideas that we have chosen throughout our lives have provided us with limiting beliefs that have led to painting us into the corner of life we are currently living in. If you are unhappy, it is time to change, and it is going to start with your limiting beliefs. All of them will have as much power as you give them. It may not be easy, but it can be done, and it can be done now, today, here this very second. Change the way you pay attention to your thoughts.

It Can Be Hard To Let Go

One of the funny things about being human is that even though things may be wrong, not enjoyable, hard to changeunhappy, or even downright depressing. We seem to be wired to resist change, to avoid it at all costs. Change is the only real option. The road to change is right in front of us, and we either standstill, refusing to take it, or worse, retreat from it. It exists, and we are moving down that road, like it or not. Change is inevitable and constant.

The devil you know is better than the one you don’t know, and even an attractive change can seem covered in peril. Our beliefs have been guiding us for a long time, and yes, change might be better, but what if…………..they get worse. This feeling is a fear that keeps many people away from changing behaviors that are not making them happy or even causing them harm.

Letting go of these comfortable, all be it, limiting beliefs always seems to start with a question. How can this be better? What can I do to make this better? If I was happy right now, what would it look like?

What Changes am I looking for?

Any journey needs two things, a starting point, and a destination. The starting point is where you are, and the target will change as your understanding, life experiences, and knowledge grows through time.

Hit your target by being clear about your desires.
Hit your target by being clear about your desires.

But it all begins with having the guts to create a goal to reach that destination you want to arrive at. What is it that you want? If you don’t have it right now, something is blocking you from having it. If you are looking for the right relationship and don’t have it, look inside yourself and see what you believe about relationships. Find the opposing points of view you have about love and relationships and recognize them as simply thoughts. They only have the power that you give them. Ask yourself, how can I change this? Why do I think this? LET IT GO!

It is like being in a prison where the doors are unlocked, and all you have to do to leave is push open the doors and walk out. Many stay, though, because it is safe and secure, and you always have the prison to blame for the things you aren’t happy about. It would be costly, and I would be satisfied. I would be in love if it weren’t for these prison walls around me. You are the warden of your prison, and you can walk out. Just choose to follow that change. Some people find all those walls, cells, and bars too safe to leave. Don’t be one of them.

A Time For Action

All things of power need power to fuel them. Your power comes from taking action. Action will eliminate fear. Answers to many questions will rise to the surface of your consciousness. Action will take you from where you are to the described destination. Sitting around, wishing will get you another day living exactly where you are. No house gets built without the action of putting up a frame, pounding nails into boards, and putting on the roof. The blueprints are great, but the act of putting them all together will give you the result you want. Taking action can be difficult, and taking the first action toward a dream can be intimidating. But there is a time for action, and this is it for you.

Make a plan, decide what you want, ask for it, take action to get there, and have confidence that you deserve what will happen. Get rid of limiting beliefs and weak points of view and move forward into a future that is made up of things you want and steps away from the situation that you are currently unhappy with. You are the master of your journey. It is time to start changing, and it is inevitable and constant.

“Do you want to know who you are? Don’t ask. Act! Action will delineate and define you.” ―Thomas Jefferson

“The path to success is to take massive, determined actions.” ―Tony Robbins

“An idea not coupled with action will never get any bigger than the brain cell it occupied.” ―Arnold Glasow

“God provides the wind, but man must raise the sails.” ―St. Augustine

“People may doubt what you say, but they will believe what you do.” ―Lewis Cass

22

Take Action

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Taking Action

Taking Action
Take action, there is no telling what will happen, but you know what will happen if you do nothing.

Many things have stopped people from taking action in life. There are dreams that people have wanted to chase that they thought about but left untested because taking action appeared just a little bit too scary or confusing. The lesson learned was clear that no matter what a person is dreaming of accomplishing or experiencing, it can only be realized by implementing action to do the thing and see what happens.

Each day, thousands of people look at their lives and have big dreams about what they would like to do, but the lack of action leaves these things in the fog of thought and out of the clarity of reality. Choosing to do things that are a part of that dream or bring that dream to life will allow you to realize your dream.

Action Time

Action can be taken at any time and will provide those who take it with many adventures and exciting experiences in life. Inventions will be invented, books will be written, and knowledge will be gained as soon as you decide to take action must happen. The best thing about it is that anyone, as far as I know, is capable of doing it. If you have been hesitant or fearful, taking action is the cure. Fear is erased with action because then, at least you know.

Many people can do great things and think great thoughts about how the world should be run or different businesses. All possess the capacity to take action on those thoughts and create them in this reality, yet very few do this.

Please Don’t Leave it for someone else.

Too often, we want to leave the chores to somebody else and conveniently forget that we are We are what we dosomebody else and can do everything. Why not us? Why don’t we take action and make the change? First, in our own lives and then to the benefit of others.

Gandhi was just a man living in India who saw racial injustice and remote control. He specialized in organizing non-violent protests that raised awareness of the cause and won the support of the world. Gandhi has been one of the most often quoted human beings from the 20th Century, and one of my favorites is, “Be the change you want to see in the world.” Meaning that if you want something to be different, then act like that yourself.

Some will read this and think that they don’t want to change the world or that they don’t want to lead a revolution. That is fine. Not everyone was cut out for that type of life, but is anyone too busy or too meek to institute an action in their lives that will provide a positive

small actions define the world you live in
These define your world

change?

Taking Action of Kindness

One of the most significant actions that a person can take is to perform an act of kindness. This positive feeling doesn’t have to cost money, and it doesn’t even have to take a lot of time. It merely has to be kind and thoughtful. Hello, and a smile to someone who feels like nobody cares can buoy their soul for an entire day. Giving someone a sincere compliment can make them feel better about how things are going. All of these acts, which are pretty small in the massive scheme of things, can be done by you every day. And without you, they will remain undone. The person who receives the compliment will continue to be sad, the person who needs a smile will be going without that human comfort, and your small actions can make a massive difference in someone else’s life.

When you move through your day and you see an opportunity to make the world a little better place, you can be the change and start taking action. In the most severe cases, one small, seemingly trivial act of kindness could save a life or, at the very least, make the experience a lot more pleasant for everyone you come in contact with but most importantly for yourself. It all begins with taking action.

  • “You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.” ~ Joe Sabah
    “Don’t be afraid to take a big step. You can’t cross a chasm in two small jumps.” ~ David Lloyd George
  • “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then is not an act, but a habit.” ~ Aristotle“
  • The superior man acts before he speaks, and afterward says according to his action.” ~ Confucius
    • “The superior man is modest in his speech but exceeds in his actions.” ~ Confucius
    • “You cannot score a goal when you are sitting on the bench. To do so, you have to dress up and enter the game.” ~ Israelmore Ayivor

21

Suffering

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There are two sides to every coin, and in my life, I have found joy on one side and suffering on the other. The pain appears as the worst of things to experience in life and should be avoided at all costs.

Although I agree it is something that is not pleasant, it provides a necessary function for people. I wish things were always easy, and there was nothing but joy in my experience, but life offers difficult obstacles for each of us to overcome. How we think about our experience will bring us suffering or lessons. Pain is a choice of how we feel about each situation we are in life. It is a natural and inevitable part of life. We will have catastrophic loss and sadness in our lives. How we deal with it will define much of who we are and how successfully we live our lives. Your suffering is a choice and one I have made all too often.

Crutches of Life

Crutches are everywhere in life. These are things in our experience that limit us in one way or another. Some fall prey to wild pleasures and excesses in life, which distract you from your purpose and determine what can be accomplished. Others find jobs that are just enough above water to be acceptable but will never allow you to grow into the person you could be. All crutches of the world we adopt to “help” get us through life will cause suffering and move us further from ourselves. Life can seem like a prison if we let it. Keeping us confined to a particular place and set of circumstances. This limit is only the case if you choose to allow it. Or you can choose to be free in your actions and your mind.

Limiting my options is a game I played from early on. Allowing others to put their labels on me and the corresponding limits from the earliest moments in life. “You just aren’t athletic.” “That’s nice, but you will never make a living from it.” “You just aren’t very book smart.” Or one of a million other limiting statements I accepted as crutches and eventually even stopped questioning. Any belief that I have allowed to limit me in any way needed to be reevaluated and changed, even in a small way, because these are the chains that life has put on you, and you won’t eliminate the suffering they cause until you change them.

This reaction is a choice, and it isn’t as difficult as most would have you believe. Change is a constant and inevitable part of life, and you can fight against it or learn to choose to move with it. Ending this limiting suffering is a race between your mental capacities and your biological limitations. Some will win, and some will not. Which side will you be on?

Becoming Your True Self

All people are born with a purpose in life. All of those intentions are positive, and there is some message to bring or a goal to accomplish before our time is done. Unfortunately, we are almost immediately piled with expectations and experiences that push us further from that mission. The programming we receive is mainly in the name of love but delivered in the voice of fear. Parents generally want the best for their children, but often their idea of precisely what the “Best” means can make your choices seem “worst,” even if you are following your heart. Chasing your dreams is your life; nobody else’s.

The suffering that this can cause is lifelong and painful. With each step, a person takes in the direction of someone else’s expectations the further they get from their true self, and soon that person you were born is hidden behind a lot of trees and weeds. It can be challenging to find your way back. The further you have moved from your true essence, the higher the suffering is going to be. It seems like the journey back to who you are is never too far to reach or too late to start looking. The limits we accept are the ones that will affect us. So begin today looking for what message you were born to send and what gift you have to give.

Loss and Suffering

To live life and love others opens you up for the loss, which leads to suffering. If you have lost someone close to you, you know this kind of pain is a painful experience nobody wants to have. But life is a tenuous experience with no guarantees. We never know when the ride will be over should. It is easy to get lost in the routines of the days and take things for granted. Each day is a gift. Open it! Be motivated to do what you want to do, be with those that make you happy, and enjoy every moment.

Not only are the days a gift, but you should take the time to look at the beauty of your day. All the people in our lives are precious too. It is human nature to take things for granted, only realizing how consequential or special someone was when they had left us. Then we mourn the loss. Which is natural, but there is an opportunity every day to celebrate all those in your life, contributing to the experience of living life. It is a short ride, this life, and it makes no sense to spend the bulk of it in misery when you don’t have to. Spend it in appreciation of the magic that is you and your unique presence.

Emotional Rescue

We will all have emotions that bring us down. Anger and fear are natural reactions to life when you start to look at things from the perspective of, “What am I getting out of this?” Then you have to learn to deal with it and either let it consume you or change your thoughts, emotions, and actions to something more positive. I know it sounds natural, and when you feel anger or fear, it isn’t too easy to change. But YOU can modify it by looking at the thoughts causing your suffering and changing them to something else.

Find something or someone who brings out the positive in you. It seems like much of our suffering comes from our feelings of inadequacy, and to change means doing something more worthwhile. Learn what your emotions are telling you and how to change them from negative to positive for you, and you will find a tool to help you end some daily pain nobody needs to deal with in life.

Suffering is a message in life that we are attached to something temporary in a permanent way. Nothing in life is stable, and that is what makes it unique. So the choice is up to you in the end as it always is, spend your time suffering or spend your time in joy. It is all up to you.

“Suffering becomes beautiful when anyone bears great calamities with cheerfulness, not through insensibility but the greatness of mind.” Aristotle

“The reward of suffering is experience.” –Harry S Truman

“Suffering by nature or chance never seems so painful as suffering inflicted on us by the arbitrary will of another.”- Arthur Schopenhauer

“Suffering is but another name for the teaching of experience, which is the parent of instruction and the schoolmaster of life.” Horace

“Suffering is the substance of life and the root of personality, for it is only suffering that makes us persons.” – Miguel de Unamuno

 

 

21

How Are You Programmed?

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Programming- a:  the process of instructing or learning utilizing an instructional program. b: the process of preparing an instructional program for a device (such as your mind)

Everything seems to run and be limited by the programming it has received.  As people, we obtain our programming from society and those influential in our lives from the moment we are born.  We get instructed on how to think, what actions are acceptable and where our value lies in constructing the situation we are experiencing.  These factors are the programming of our lives, and it determines what we can create, the amount of wealth we accumulate, and the types of relationships we accept for ourselves.  It is all programming from outside sources, and we take it all as truth.  But it isn’t, and that is one of the biggest lies of life.  It all starts with looking at your thoughts and being aware of the origin of their source. Is it original, or have you been taught to think that way? Ideas have corresponding emotions attached, which color how you feel about things. Then there are the words you use to express those thoughts to the world and their power validating your programming or contributing to the programming of others.  Of course, it all results in the actions you take. Every choice will determine your impact on the world with all of those you interact with daily. Your power comes from your programming.

We Believe our Programs

It is our programming that sets up our beliefs, and the chain reaction begins. Most of the results we have experienced in our lives result from the type of programming we have received throughout. Each interaction and experience provides an input of information we internalize. Either we choose to accept it as a part of who we are, or we reject it.  The scary part is that much of what we get as accurate is faulty, cynical, and just plain untrue.  So the system, our life, is running on information with no factual or healthy basis.  Our programs take each choice, decision, thought, feeling, word, and action.  We believe what we are programmed to think, and our programs run our lives.

If your programming tells you that you are no good, overweight, ugly, and unworthy, then that is what your reality is going to be. What is the significant difference between someone who achieves easily and someone who doesn’t?  Programming is the answer and the way they see themselves and their place in the world. This programming left unaddressed will continue to run in the background of your mind, influencing all attempts you make to change your situation in any way. They are not permanent, but these programs are persistent and will not change by magic or wishful thinking.  Real change starts with looking at your thoughts, which will tell you the current plan you have running.

How Thoughts Reveal Programming

Your thoughts are running all day long, and sometimes we are conscious of the ideas we accept, so we pay attention to them.  But most times, we allow our thoughts to run in the background of our subconscious mind. How does your subconscious know what opinions are critical and which ones to discard?  Programming, of course. Where you have traditionally placed your emotional attachments and beliefs before determining this, you may consciously think about losing weight, but when your guard is down, and your subconscious programming takes over and will sabotage a lot of good work you might have done.

Look at your thoughts and notice how they speak about you. There is a constant dialogue in your brain, revealing everything you think and feel. Most importantly, look at your thoughts about your value in any area you think is lacking. Finances, relationships, or health, your current condition is mainly due to your programming.  Listen to your thoughts and notice the negative beliefs you accept without question. This truth is your programming, and it is NOT permanent, but it is pervasive in everything you do.  Change involves focus and learning how to change your programming.

Change the Programs Change Your World

Changes in programming happen on the inside. We start to notice the negative programming and seek to replace it with something more positive. Know what you want in life and create a clear picture of it. Notice the thoughts you have when you think about that thing.  They will reveal your programming in that area of life.  If you want to change the outcome, then replace the negative programming.  One of the best ways I have found to do this is through positive self-talk.  Our programming controls the way we talk to ourselves in our minds. Much of this is negative words and thoughts that result in negative results.  You may have success for a day, a week, or a month but in the end, we will all default to our programming.

To change your programming for good is not all that complicated, but it isn’t easy either.  Replace the negative things which are stopping you from being healthy, wealthy, and happy in life with positive programming, which will allow you to grow as a better person.  Being better is done by the talk you allow in your mind.  If you support programming that limits you, like: I am not good at that. I have no balance. I am clumsy. I am not good at math. I am not intelligent. I am not attractive. Things never work out for me. I am just not good with money or any other harmful program, and you will be limited.  A person can replace all of those thoughts with something positive. It takes a little persistence in action and positive thinking.

A Willingness to Change

Our programming in our lives is what it is. The natural choice is to see an area of lack and to have a desire to change. Then you will be looking for the faulty programming stopping your progress and replacing it with new programs that are more beneficial to producing the results you are seeking.  A willingness to try something new and realize your programming can be changed to bring a different result will succeed.  What if everything you ever wanted is right there for you on the other end of better programming? Of course, you have to be willing to change your situation. Look honestly at your thoughts when you think of a job, which is your programming. If you like what you hear, reinforce it. If you don’t, then seek to replace it.

The thoughts we accept will lead to the emotions we experience,  the words we speak about that situation, and our actions. Of course, the steps will lead to results. If you think you are unattractive and overweight, you will subconsciously do things living up to that programming.  The encouraging part is it is all up to you what kind of programming you accept in your life.

 

“Successful weight loss takes programming, not willpower.” Phil McGraw

“In philosophy, they talk a lot about humans being actual organic machines, and the idea of free will is something that we’ve made up. We don’t have free will. We’re acting according to our programming as organic mechanisms.”– Joel Kinnaman

“The secret of living a life of excellence is merely a matter of thinking thoughts of excellence. It’s a matter of programming our minds with the kind of information that will set us free.” –Charles R. Swindoll

 

 

21

Technology

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Raising My Consciousness One Word at a Time

Technology– machinery and equipment developed from the application of scientific knowledge.

Electronic devices surround our lives.  Virtually all people carry their own devices to allow communication with the world.  Technology has given us amazing things.  A greater ability to communicate, transfer information, travel, and create at a capacity only dreamed of 30 years ago. Now there are problems which have risen as well. Our devices seem to run our lives, as we are all “connected” on social media sites, are we really connected?  Or is it all an illusion?  The challenge in life is to use the technology and not have it use us.  That begins with a focus on our thoughts on using our phones and corresponding social media sites.  Recognize the emotions that result from that and your words and actions, which all come from your technology.  How much of your time is yours? How much belongs to your device?

Attachments to Devices

It is a relatively recent phenomenon that people have developed a significant attachment to their personal communication devices.  They didn’t exist 20 years ago. Now we are all attached to the technology our phone provides to some degree.  It is a one-stop interaction stop, but that attachment brings problems with it—a significant lack of real interaction with other people and the world around you.  The phone provides a link to the world through social media, Facebook, Snap Chat, Instagram, Twitter, or whatever your choice of communication is.  That is addictive.

The addiction can become real, someone likes your picture or shares your story, and your brain reacts chemically to that in a positive way. That leads to seeking more, which leads to more time looking into the false light of your phone, scrolling endlessly through posts to like and judge and like and judge.  The attachment to this activity is solid and real.  The problem is that you are looking at a fantasy of what life is, not life.  Looking at a picture of a beach is not visiting that beach yourself.  Visit the beach!

Building Real Healthy Attachments

How to improve this issue should be easy.  First, you have to become conscious of what you are doing and why you are doing it.  How many times do you scroll through your Facebook feed for no reason?  Start to build attachments to people and things outside of the electronic world.  For example, have real conversations with people.  Real interaction with people is better than any form of social media. I think that people have forgotten this.

Set a bit of time aside each week to be totally electronically free.  No access to the world in any way other than through your five senses in the natural world.  This will wake you up to the things you are missing each day.  What great things do you see every day that you never notice? Start to notice them.  Go for a walk with your eyes directed all around you and with no concern for the things happening in the electronic world.  Allow your consciousness to become aware of real people, sights, activities, and places right in front of you.  Break the electronic attachment, at least for a while.

Awareness of Problem

So now you are aware of the attachment you have to the electronic world of likes, shares, and follows. It is important to become aware of how this can enhance your life.  Social media can be a good thing, but it seems like the negatives are piled high against it.  The process seems to force people to develop unhealthy thoughts that worry about what others think of you and what you are doing.  Then you have to ask yourself, “Do I do this because I want to or because other people will like it?”  The honest answer is probably a little bit of both.  Learning to function for our own approval and nobody else’s is one of the most powerful experiences in life.  Tough to do with social media.

Another of the things people need is to express themselves creatively. This can come in almost any creative form from writing, painting, drawing, woodworking, or any other form of expression.  Creativity is your soul speaking to the world.  Time spent in the vortex of social media is time spent away from creating or learning, or developing yourself as a person. You don’t have to drop off social media, but become conscious of your attachment to it and let that attachment go.  Develop who you are, not what people see about you online.

Letting Go of Attachments

When you let go of all attachments, not just electronic but also those to unhealthy ideas, you open up space for you to develop as a thinking human being.  Then you can let situations be what they are without expectations of your attachment to them.  Each day then contains a little more potential to become whatever it can become.  It all starts with a conscious choice to see the attachment you might have with your phone. Looking at it 900 times a day, seeking validation and support. Those things are already in you. All you have to do is choose to see and pursue them.  It all begins with an awareness of your thoughts, emotions, words, and actions today because of that heightened awareness of technology and its hold on you.

“The word ‘friend’ has become so utterly void of meaning in a world governed by social media. How can anyone truly claim to have eleven hundred friends? In my book, that would involve making time to meet at least three of them every day of the year.”? Alex Morritt

“Social media sites creates [an] illusion of connectivity .”   – Malay Shah

 

 

 

 

 

21

Gratitude Attitude

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Another holiday is upon us, and we are still faced with the same old choices of how to respond.  On Thanksgiving, more than any other day of the year, it is a natural time to pause and consider all of the great things we have in our lives and, more importantly, all of the people who make your life go.  In today’s minutia, it is easy to pass by these things and people without so much as a mental mention. My challenge to myself and you is to find gratitude deep inside yourself and allow the thoughts to bring it to you to surface.  Here is my quick attempt to capture my own gratitude today.

See

How much around you do you notice? Really notice and appreciate it? From the way, it feels when cold snow hits your face to the old, worn-out way a tree looks in late November, with a few stray brown leaves clinging to branches as the chill wind blows them around in the dance of the inevitable. Most moments, we are wrapped up in our thoughts too much to notice much of anything outside of us.  That is a shame and a loss of possibility.  Start right now and put the thoughts of gratitude for the things all around you.  The sunshine on your face shows you all will be ok,  The rainfall and how it feels.  Too many people rush through the rain as if it is a major inconvenience, and in some ways, I know it is, but think of life, somewhere a person is lying on their death bed, wishing that just one more time they could feel that rain on their face. Please don’t take it for granted.

See the world, and appreciate it.  We all will face challenges, and people will disappoint us, and life will push us. Yet, it always gives you these tiny reminders of beauty to help us along the way.  If your troubles are too big to notice the small salve of nature and the miracles all around you, then you are too wrapped up in yourself. I have been there, and unwrapping your mind and letting the meaningless thoughts go is the first step. Be grateful for all the things in your life you never notice.

See Your Cast

Shakespeare claimed all the world is a stage, and we are merely players.  You are the star of your production of life, and you also choose who is cast into the leading roles in your life.  Too often, we allow people who don’t deserve to be even minor characters in your life, assume staring roles.  You determine who these stars are or are not.  Be grateful for the ones who deserve to be in your life. You will know

You have a choice to decide which roles you play and who is on the stage with you. Choose wisely, and your life depends on it.

Because they feel like sunshine. Not just once in a while, all the time. Warm, comforting, and accepting.  A wise person constantly evaluates their cast and makes sure to make changes in the production if warranted.

People are good actors, so sometimes it is hard to know who to keep and who to move on from, which creates all the good drama in your live production. Those who are not what they seem will eventually display their true selves.  Be careful of the attachments you build to the roles you play, they will change, and the people with you may change too.  Allow change to happen, create your cast wisely, allow those who care about you, and contribute to your best self to be in your life. You cast your troupe of players every day and have the opportunity for change. I have learned this lesson the hard way.

You Decide

You make all of the choices in your life, be grateful for that ability, and take full responsibility for those choices’ results.  Too often, we want the choices but only claim them as ours if it works out.  If things do not happen as we envision, we point the finger of blame at the situation, other people, the weather, God, or everything else but us.  We are the driving force behind our lives, be grateful for this gift because it means you really can do whatever you want.

Our thoughts are the power behind the momentum of our lives. A thought leads to an emotion that then will lead to action, and the results of those actions are what we call life.  You are the creator of thought and, therefore, of emotion and action. Choosing thoughts that will help you and not harm you is the first step in accomplishing anything. If you don’t like the results of a certain thought, then it is time to make a different choice and think some other way.  It is a great day to appreciate that skill in yourself. If you are not where you want to be right now, you have time to think of things you would like to experience and start moving toward it.

Next year you will have more to be thankful for and different people to think about, and probably new adventures to embark on.  Understand that you are the creator of it all and with great power comes great responsibility.   I wish you well on your journey.

Word of the Day

100 Day Reflections of Consciousness

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Raising My Consciousness One Word at a Time

Reflection– serious thought or consideration.

On Wednesday, November 22, 2017, I began a project with a simple goal.  To give an encouraging word to others every day for 30 days. What quickly resulted was a change in my awareness and quickly I saw my consciousness become more of a focus.  So then I hoped to raise the consciousness of at least one other person with each word. When I reached 30 days, like Forrest Gump, for no particular reason I kept going.  Here I am.  It has been 100 days since then and that is 100 words and 100 thought-provoking posts, that I have completed one way or another every day.

In that 100 days, I have managed to maintain my normal schedule and find time to create a post a day.  I changed jobs, which led to an entire schedule change but still was able to persevere.  People have entered and left my life.  So this is a reflection of the project at the 100-day mark.  What went well and what could have been better.  It deserves serious thought and consideration.  I will begin by looking at my thoughts, the corresponding emotions, words and actions that have arisen.  Welcome to my journey of consciousness.

My Evolving Consciousness

To me, your consciousness is simply what you are aware of in life. Too many days go by without an acknowledgment of their significance. We move one day to the next, just trudging through life. Hoping to find some distraction from life. Life is the entertainment, not the distraction. Although, I didn’t always see it that way. This project forced me to take a moment every day and set my mind toward something positive.  Each thought leads to a corresponding emotion. So if you think of frustrating things you are going to feel frustration, that will lead to words about frustration and of course, you will act on that.  The same is true for positive things.  They are there for you in every day. If you choose to look for them.

As I looked at the encouraging words for the day, I found them becoming a part of my life.  In times where I might have been angry, I was patient and able to maintain a better mental attitude. The focus on the positive things in life became more of my daily outlook. This was a conscious choice each day and it has made a positive difference in my life.

The Power of a Word

It is strange how a word can create a mindset for a day.  I started with the word kindness, then moved to encouragement, and through the 100 words.  With each consecutive word I wrote about I almost always ran into a situation that day where I could apply the lesson.  Each time, I would be consciously aware that the word was showing up in my life.  Confidence, choice, forgive and choice all came and went and as each day passed I realized that the person really benefitting from this project was me.  I am

Finally, I changed the beginning from “word of the day” to “Raising my Consciousness One Word at a time.”  There are others who have read a word here or there and found some thought from it.  Others who read every word and write to me to talk about their thoughts on that aspect.  All I know for sure is that there is a power in words.  They can lift you up and make the life of those around you better as well.  It all starts with a thought and that leads to an emotion, the words you speak, and the actions that you take.  All from the thought of a word.  Awesome.

What can get Better?

Like all projects, there are always things you learn along the way.  In this case, I would have kept better track of the words as I went along.  At first, I thought the project would only be 30 days, so I didn’t pay close attention, but then as the list got longer, I needed to be careful or the same word would be used again.  It is easier than you think.  I used the same word twice and wrote totally different ideas about it.  On the good side, there were things that I obviously needed to say.

I also would have found a way to share more of the beginning of the project with people and made a clearer agenda of what I was hoping to accomplish. However, if I had done this the project would have only lasted 30 days and would have been called the encouraging word of the day.  Much of the good that I have gotten out of this so far, might not have happened.  Overall I am happy with the result but there is always room for growth.

How will this grow?

There are a few natural paths for growth here I think. One is to do a weekly podcast on the words of that week.  I will publish it on the blog so you can hear my thoughts on the points of interest during the week.  Also could include guest appearances from people important to the blog.

Another way to grow the project would be to create a short video for each word that explains my thoughts on how focusing on the positive aspects of that word can help you become more positive in your life.  Also, I think that this format could lend itself quite naturally to becoming a book.  But that will all be in the future.

Finally, I am grateful to have made it this far, and it really doesn’t seem like a hundred days has gone by.  Because when you take it one day at a time, they just start to fly by.  I am also grateful for what the project has brought to me, what I have learned and how I have been able to express my thoughts.  It has been a great experience to have other people provide their feedback to me and to gain something positive from my little creation themselves.  So take a moment each day and really focus your thought on the words you are using in your life and look at the actions that result.  Raise your consciousness to the level you want.  Be aware of the life happening all around you. It is a pretty good thing.  100 thoughts, 100 words, 100 actions.

“Reflect upon your present blessings of which every man has many not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.”  Charles Dickens

“Sometimes, you have to look back in order to understand the things that lie ahead.” ` Yvonne Woon