Monthly Archives: March 2021

21

Persistence

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persistence
Be like the river in all you do.

There is a power inside successful people, and that strength comes from the consistent practice of persistence.  To be able to continue moving forward to a goal, despite hitting some obstacles along the way. Nothing takes the place of persistence when it comes to achieving your goals, financially, physically, or even spiritually.  Many things that are worthwhile to our experience are not easy to get. In this lies their value.   It is often the steps that one has to take to reach their ultimate goal that makes the goal a growth experience.  Persistence is the ability to push past your perceived limits and find your abilities.  Consciously look for persistence today in your thoughts, words, and actions. Where can you push through, keep moving forward and find success when it would be easier to pull over to the side of the road.

Never Give Up

Everyone faces moments of darkness in life. Times when challenges seem to be stacked against them. It can seem like there is no hope at all. But somewhere deep down inside, there is a voice, if you listen,  that tells you to keep trying. Try again. One more time.   It is the thing that gives you the power to give more effort, to begin again, to believe again, to hope you can achieve. This voice is persistence.  Without this word, you will have difficulty achieving anything of value because things of value, by definition, have a cost and that cost is your effort, imagination, and ability. Too often, the easy road requires nothing and is worth that exact amount.

Remember that challenges are two-fold. They provide difficulties that are unforeseen and seem like problems. But on the other side, they also come with an opportunity to succeed.  By being persistent, you can learn the lessons of the challenges, move forward, and apply them to your life.  It reminds me of the poem my grandfather gave me once. They don’t quit poems.  Challenges provide people with a chance to grow and become better.  Most successful people faced challenges that allowed them to develop the strength to achieve their goals.

Persistence Grows Your Best

When you are persistent and keep moving forward, it can be the best personal development program there is. Skills you didn’t have must be developed, and talents unknown rise to the surface.  These are treasures that would remain buried if there was no need for persistence in your actions to move toward your goals.

Look at your own story closely. Were there times you had to dig deep to get something accomplished? Where you tried and failed at first? But you kept going.  Most people have been in these situations.  The amazing thing is that most often, we can do things, that without the challenge, would never be realized. Having the gift to be persistent grows your best and allows you to share it with the world.  The saddest people I have seen are those who shy away from challenges because they are afraid of failing. Never trying means accomplishing anything.

It’s All In Front of You

When you look at your life as if it is taking place on a game board, these are the spaces you have already moved. Some were easy, and some were difficult, but they all led to where you are now. Whatever goal or reward you have chosen that you haven’t achieved yet, is another thought, feeling, action, and step away. To find it, there is only one choice to keep moving forward because it is not behind you or with you currently. It is all in front of you. Persistence gives you the strength to take the next roll or spin and move along the board. Like a game of Chutes and Ladders, it may lead to a quick rise or a step back, but it is all the move you need to get to the next step in your development, persist.

So be persistent today in your thoughts, words, and actions. Keep moving forward to the next step of your goals, growth, and development as a human being.  The only way to reach the finish line or win the game is to make the next move. No matter how scary it may seem. Persistence makes it all possible.

Ambition is the path to success. Persistence is the vehicle you arrive in. ~ Bill Bradley

“My greatest point is my persistence. I never give up in a match. However down I am, I fight until the last ball.”- Bjorn Borg

“The most interesting thing about a postage stamp is the persistence with which it sticks to the job.”- Napoleon Hill

“In the confrontation between the stream and the rock, the stream always wins – not through strength, but through persistence.” – Buddha

“You just can’t beat the person who never gives up.”- Babe Ruth

 

 

21

Time

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Time is On Your Side

activities lose track of time

We should all find activities in life that cause us to lose track of time and, more importantly, to not worry about what we “should” be doing with those precious moments.

 In our daily lives, we are controlled by the clock.  From the time we have to go to work to the time we are allowed to eat, and the time we can rejoin the freedom of life yet again.  Time can be an all-controlling factor if you let it, but it does not have to be. You can live your life in your own time.

My Thoughts on Time

getting off track with timeIn reality, time is an invention of man to measure how we are doing in life. Our entire lives are run on time, from when we start our education to when we retire and every facet in between.

Yet what is time but an arbitrary agreement between us all that how long it takes the sun to move around the sun in a year? The time that it takes for the Earth to spin on its axis constitutes a day. Would the workweek be longer if it took more time to journey around the sun?  Would we need less sleep if the day was shorter?

Really time is an agreement among all people on how we should measure our lives, and measure we do.

Getting Off Track with Time

henrydavid2x1For myself, when I am totally engrossed in an activity, there is a suspension of this arbitrary rule of time.  Whatever activity I have been doing must be my complete focus.  Not a part of my focus but the whole thing.

Writing to me becomes this many times.  Leave all other thoughts behind and commit to the task of capturing a thought.  There is no thought about what I am doing next or what has happened before but only the thought of the words and the page’s expression.

The time fades, and the thoughts continue to express.  Yet this is not the only time I have experienced timelessness.

Finding the Timelessness Each Day

meditationThis is really a difficult thing to do, but shouldn’t there be a moment during each day when time really doesn’t matter? I have found this in different places over the course of my life.  Meditation is a great one.

I currently have about 15-20 minutes dedicated to this.  Since I am relatively new at meditating, I am always shocked when you achieve clearing your mind, and time really doesn’t matter.  It still exists, but it doesn’t apply to that activity.

 I do not set the alarm, but that time seems to pass quickly, sometimes like a second or two. When you lose your awareness of something, does it matter?  This is definitely a time where I lose track of time.

When you achieve mindfulness in any activity, then losing track of time is a consequence.  If you are worried about finishing what you are doing and then doing the next fifteen things on a list, then there is no way you will lose track of time.

In fact, the time’s awareness will allow you to feel that you don’t have enough time.  That is just a perception because time doesn’t really exist anyway.  When I focus on the task at hand and experience what comes with it, I can lose track of time.

Love Of Course Takes Time

love is timelessAs anyone who has experienced the pangs of love will know, time does not seem to exist the same as it does anywhere else.  I believe that is because your entire being would not rather be anywhere else but fully engrossed with the object of your affection.

 How many days have you spent that moved by quickly in the experience of love?  Yet as you recall them later, you can remember each part of the experience?  How they smiled, how their touch felt? How much you just loved being with them?

These feelings are definitely the times in life that I have lost track of time.  Unfortunately, it isn’t easy to keep these moments and to make every day like that.  I am told that some can do it. I had only had a few fleeting moments in life when I lost in the moment with love.  They were good moments.

Conclusion

When you can focus completely on what is happening in your life, time becomes less important, and you are apt to lose track of it.  I know there is a time for all things, yet I think that much of the magic of life occurs when we stop keeping track of time and just let things happen as they should. Focus on the moment at hand, not the hands-on clock.

 

 

21

The Right Things

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How often do people take action without really thinking about the consequences? I am sure that I am called on to take action, speak, or make some other behavioral choice thousands of times in my daily life.  It would be challenging to be fully conscious of all choices. From what to wear to how you get to work, our subconscious handles many decisions.  But too often, we allow interactions with others to occur without our conscious participation.  These actions can come off without any caring or concern for the feelings of others.  For us to be present in these interactions, we can follow a few points of focus to make sure we are entirely present in the moment and with people that matter.

Honoring Actions

Each action we take involving others is going to affect them. It doesn’t matter the scope and scale of your activity. It will have a positive or negative effect on those that you interact with. More importantly, each step you choose to take will affect you as well.  If you treat somebody poorly, for any reason, it resonates with you and will determine your energy and experience.

The focus of your conscious thought should be on honoring yourself.  In all that you do and think during the day, make the first choice to accept yourself.  Even if you believe someone else deserves your scorn or ridicule, it doesn’t do you any good to participate in this. Let it go and focus on the positive things in your life.  Putting others down puts you down.  Make choices honoring you, and the world will acknowledge you.  That is the benefit of focusing on creating honoring actions.

Release Judgment

It is a simple choice. The judgment of other’s personal lives, heritage, clothing, physical appearance, or any other thing is never going to end well for you.  Our instincts have developed over thousands of years, and we identify with people similar to ourselves because it is safe to do so. In our ancestral past, our survival depended on it.  But that is not the case today. We find others’ judgment is addictive to us and allow us to prop ourselves up in self-esteem in some way, on the backs of others.

Release judgment from your mind and learn to accept all of those who are different from you. Letting others live how they feel comfortable will allow you to live as you feel comfortable with yourself.  Make the conscious choice to respect others and live with a sense of compassion toward them.  Your actions will come back to you in the end. To live in judgment is to bring judgment upon you. Respect and kindness will also come back to you.  It is your choice which energy you release into the world and receives back from it.

Acceptance

The more you choose love for and the approval of others and their situations, the better energy your life will experience. By accepting this path, you are deciding against fear and all of its negative energies.  Whoever you hold negative feelings about, let them go.  Those from another region of the world practice a different religion, are economically challenged, addicted to drugs, or just making poor decisions. Let go of your judgment.

Choose to be more conscious of your thoughts and the right actions you can take daily to make the world a better place.  Let go of the vision that you are in competition with everyone else and choose to see the positive benefits of cooperation between all people. You can make all interactions a blessing to yourself with your attitude.  Acceptance of yourself and others as they are on the path to doing this.

Work for Today

So focus on your thoughts and actions today and see where they are going to lead you.  Are they taking you down a negative path or a positive one?  Are your choices making the world better or worse for someone else?  Are your options honoring yourself? This action is the beginning of being more conscious about your effect on the planet and taking responsibility for that experience.

 

21

Mirror

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karma-card-front-12-copy

I was thinking about honesty today and wondering why we do the things we do and speak certain words. Am I sincere? Is that really what I think? Most people go through an entire day and never consider the honesty or value that their terms contain. Do you?

“I Love  the way you look!”

Thoughts come to us all the time, and we can’t control when they go and what they say.  The statement above, “I love the way you look,” is one that I just had.  It brings to mind the Law of Mirrors in karma.  It states that the things you can observe in others exist in you.  If it doesn’t live in you, then noticing that it exists in others is impossible, and it won’t jump out at you. How often do we find fault with others, and upon introspection, realize the same thing lives inside us? That is because they do.

Try a Little Honesty Inside

I challenge you to give this phenomenon a try in an honest manner, and I think you will be stunned by the accuracy of the Law of Mirrors in your life.   Notice all of your thoughts about other people you come in contact with during a day.  Evaluate them as they come. Some will be positive, and some will be negative, don’t judge, notice. Then look at yourself, and see if that thing exists inside you.

Sometimes the thoughts I produce each day are not helpful and can be overly Fotolia_21529305_Mkarma-law-of-mirrors-copymean and critical of someone else’s physical appearance, job, or family life.  I think that it is instinctual to judge others. That is how our ancient ancestors assessed danger and survived. What we choose to pay attention to is vital to the quality of the life we live and, in this case, in understanding ourselves.

When you look at the people you see from this perspective, it becomes increasingly difficult to be critical of others, and it becomes a lot easier to look for the good in all people.  This law is not negative or positive; it just is.  Just as the mirror you peer in to check your hair, the mirror has no choice about the reflection it sends back.  The same is right about your mirrorssoul.

Try to notice all of your thoughts and recognize the things within yourself that need to be improved or, more importantly, the great things about you that exist.  There are only two ways to go in life, and they are getting better or getting worse.  I know which way I want to travel.

Notice your critical or positive thoughts of others.

Understand that whatever you notice exists in you.

Accept it, change it, or let it go.

What annoys you or makes you happy exists inside of you!

What is it that YOU observe?

 

21

The Happiness Choice

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Why Don’t we all choose Happiness?

Happiness is a goal that everyone wants to experience. How many times have you just wanted to be a5c051b4717d998bbf35faca2927241chappy with life, your choices, the people that you know, and the things that you own? Yet, there is a deep feeling of angst inside that what you have and what you are is not enough. You would be happier if you were taller, thinner, had a more beautiful car, or a more interesting significant other. The real source of happiness is within you.

The Difficulty with Things

One of the reasons that everyone isn’t happy is that they depend on things to make them so.  If you need something to happen or something to own to make you happy, then you are in trouble. What is going to happen if that thing is taken away from you?  Or it might never occur, so you will run the risk of having your happiness stolen or never happen at all because you are dependent on some exterior force to provide you with the feeling of joy.

Happiness is nothing more than a choice. Although it is unrealistic to expect everybody to be happy all the time, it is a personal choice to decide if you are comfortable at any given moment or not. Only you can make that decision for yourself.

What Makes YOU Happy?

choosing to be happy
Your choice

What makes you happy? Money, property, things?   Or do you look for love, friendship, meaning, kindness?

It is all up to your choices to look for something to be happy about or, conversely, to be unhappy.  There is always a reason, and it depends on where you focus on how emotions and feelings will go.

Often the problem isn’t with other people but with you because you have such a small list of things to be happy about and such a long list of things to be angry or unhappy about that it is challenging to be grateful for the great things that you do have.

You can change your outlook simply by adjusting thoughts you focus on, like the good things in your life.  All negative thinking, emotions, and ideas of an unhappy nature stem from fear, whereas all happy or positive emotions stem from love.

When you look at the things that make you happy, they always stem from some form of loving emotion, and when you are unhappy, you are focusing on some fear-based foolishness.

Fear Makes You Unhappy

It is important to remember that if you are happy now,  not everyone will be pleased because too many people are focusing on fear.  They find your happiness almost an insult to them. Since misery loves the company, they are often not satisfied being unhappy by themselves. They feel the need to make you miserable too, and everyone else comes in contact with them.

But these energy drains don’t have to be a pain in your life. Understand that your choices and experiences result from what you decide to focus on and nothing else.

It would be a much better world if the things that made you happy could make everyone happy, but that is not your responsibility or job. You can only manage your own experience and determine if you will have happiness or misery in your day. Nobody else is responsible, and you are not responsible for anyone else’s happiness. It is impossible.

I believe that when we do the things that make us shine, we will bring happiness to others.  In a world full of self-centered, egotistical people, that is the best you can do to find one real connection.

We only have one chance in life to live, create greatness, make mistakes, learn our lessons and decide to get better as a person or allowing the perceived weight of our shortcomings to weigh us down.  Happiness is there for us if we choose to carry it with us. Joy is found in the memories of loved ones, here now and passed on. Or in the smile of someone who likes spending time with you.  Every person has a heart capable of creating unlimited happiness.

 

 

21

One of A Kind

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The human experience can be a confusing ride. We are all created with unique gifts, Be Differentpersonalities, talents, looks, and likes.  Each of us a one of a kind wonder, but in our society, it seems that our individuality is either discouraged or ignored.  We spend a whole lot of time trying to be the same as others and worrying about fitting into the expectation of society or, more significantly, the approval of others. As I grew up, I was inundated with messages to fit in. Being unique was a horrible fate and avoided at all costs. Life was a struggle to continually “be normal” and not deviate from what society told me we could and should hope to be. If I was experiencing this struggle, I am sure others did too. There have to be others who are hiding their true selves just to fit in.  Don’t let life take away your individuality.  Letting society tell you what you should be, rather than working on being who you should be.  Be unique today, and it all starts with a greater awareness of your thoughts about yourself today.  Notice these ideas and the emotions they bring to the surface in you. The words you use, and the actions that you take.  We are all gifted, and it’s a journey to find our gifts and share them with the world.

Strength Arise When You are Unique

be differentEach of us is unique, and it is one of the gifts that you get just being alive. It is a cruel joke that so much of our programming in life is to deny us the awareness of our unique magic inside. It is no wonder that there is rampant drug use and increasing cases of depression when nobody is really encouraged to be themselves. What could be more painful than not being allowed to be who you are in your natural state?.

I believe that denying our skills, talents, creativity and unique abilities is a punishment that causes much pain and suffering in the world. We should develop a society that embraces differences, not criticize them. All differences bring strength to a family, a workplace, a school, a town, a city, a country, and the world. It is only fear that stops this from happening. Be Unique. Don’t fall in line like a sheep, color your way, run, don’t walk. Be who you feel you are, and never apologize for it.

Defeat Fear, Be Different

Our society has done a masterful job of making all people feel inadequate with themselves in every way be differentpossible. We are bombarded with images of “perfect” people that we should try to look like. This is impossible, so we feel inadequate, and we try to fill those insecurities with “stuff.”  Which is what the marketing propaganda wants. Buy this, and you will feel better. The story we are told makes us believe that we will never be happy until we have all of the “things” we are being sold.  But this has never worked to ease the pain I have felt. You end up with a lot of meaningless stuff and an empty soul.

To allow uniqueness to be really celebrated,  we have to find a way to get over this type of brainwashing, be happy being ourselves, and be comfortable being different and wonderful.  This will only happen when we start to appreciate our unique talents and perspectives. That will allow us to look for and appreciate the uniqueness of others as well. It starts by noticing the programming that you are inundated with and ignoring it. Be different, be yourself, and be proud of being who you are.

 Uniquely You

So how does it feel to know that you are the only one that has ever existed exactly like you? In all the billions of people throughout time, nobody has been like you, and you are one of a kind and unique to you. Others may try to imitate, but they will fail in matching the real thing. That is you and your special ways of doing things.  From how you make cookies to how often you work out at the gym.  You are the only one who does it like you.

There is power in this knowledge. Yes, we are all connected and have similarities with other people, but there isn’t anyone who can think as you do, talk like you do, act as you do, provide the joy you do, or do anything that you can do.  One of the things I find is people who really learn to like themselves. Their strengths and their flaws become unique and special in their lives.  In the end, it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks about us and the things we have done. It matters what we think, and those thoughts are one of a kind to us.  Look at and notice your thoughts today and how they make you a unique person ready to contribute to the world. See how your unique thoughts lead to your emotions, your words, and, of course, your actions.  Your choices are unique to you.

“You are unique, there is no denying it, and that gift makes you powerful.”

“Always remember that you are absolutely unique. Just like everyone else.”-  Margaret Mead

“Being the best is great, you’re the number one. Being unique is greater, you’re the only one.”  –  Anonymous.

“Embrace your uniqueness. Time is much too short to be living someone else’s life.”  –  Kobi Yamada.

Ah, we can dance if we want to, we can leave your friends behind
Cause your friends don’t dance and if they don’t dance
Well, there are no friends of mine…………

 

21

Getting Better

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Are you getting better or worse?

ImproveIn every moment of your existence, you are getting better, or you are getting worse.  Rarely does an individual linger on the same level? Your abilities, talents, and focus fluctuate like the stock market. The center of your consciousness will determine the determining factor of which way your stock is going. The things you place your thoughts, words, and actions on and about will assess your ability to achieve and value those things you accomplish. Look at where you are and what you are doing and ask the simple question: Is this making me better or worse?

Your Mind is Yours

When it comes to your thoughts, nobody controls them except for you. However, you have to be aware of what you are thinking and why you are thinking. We are all creatures of input. From the time we are born, we are looking for information that will allow us to thrive and enjoy life.  Sometimes we get off track and let our thoughts drift to a focus on things improvethat do not make us better or honor us at all.  It is a simple list of the ideas that make a person better, and they are the thoughts that come from love. Gratitude, kindness, caring, acceptance, understanding, and the like will help you improve both your experience and the experience of those you interact with.

The thoughts to be avoided are all based on fear.  Gossip, judgment, hate, anger, selfishness, greed, and all of these types of ideas take you down the path of a weaker mind.  Your mind belongs to you, and what thoughts you choose to entertain is your decision alone. Taking responsibility for this is one of the first steps for mental improvement. Do not let the media, a teacher, a parent, a friend, or an institution make your choices of thought for you, or not improving will be the least of your worries. Be conscious of your options every moment, and you will be able to progress steadily to enjoying life more, and you will be able to help others as well. You can improve by being conscious about your thoughts every moment of every day.

You Only Have One Body

When we come into this life, we receive a body to go through this ride, and it seems that we are intent on abusing it until the day we die. How many people are killing themselves slowly with addictions, which also limit the improveenjoyment of life?  Smoking, drinking, abusing drugs, problems around food, and unrealistic body image problems are all ways we consciously or unconsciously need to improve.

Your body is a gift that, when you’re young, you take for granted. It does incredible things in movement, jumping, throwing, and running.  Yet, we seem intent on diminishing these skills from the start.  All addictions begin with a choice that something in you missing and can only fill it by adding something to us because we feel we are just not good enough.  Here is a secret that most people never hear. YOU are good enough. You are great, and no matter where you are today, you can improve and be a little bit better tomorrow.

If you have weight issues, do something to improve. Exercise, eat more consciously, or both. It is not easy, but anyone can do it. There are thousands of opportunities for life improvement, and they will only end the day you die.  Make the most of your opportunities to improve your body and your physical experience of life. Be conscious of your thoughts, words, and actions in all of your physical activities.  Are you getting better or getting worse?  It can seem like a mountain to climb, but you can’t undo 30 years of poor choices in an afternoon, it takes a continual focus, and that can happen. Improve your physical self today. Take a small step on your journey to enjoying life more.

We are All Connected

What is spirituality? I define it as how we look at life and what it means to have this human experience. Why are we here? There are many people much smarter than me who have come up with great answers for this. Unfortunately, each of us has to answer this question on our own. Improving your spirituality a matter of answering this question for yourself improveevery day.  How do your thoughts, words, and actions help others on their path? Or do you prohibit the development of others?  Your actions define the energy that you put into the world.

If you don’t believe it, look at your own experiences. If you spend time with someone who holds a negative view of the world and is always complaining, that negative charge can be felt and even transferred into your life. A person can do the same with a positive outlook. Their brighter outlook transfers into the lives of those they touch.  What type of energy are you giving to the world? I think that at its core, that is what spirituality boils down to in your life.  How you look at the world and your place in it.  Are other people out to hurt you or help you? Are you here to hurt others or help them.

Your conscious thoughts, words, and actions determine if you are getting better or getting worse in this area.  Choose to improve, and the world will improve as well.

Today you have a choice to improve and get better in all phases of your life or not. Nobody can control that choice unless you allow it, and in the end, when your life is slipping away, you will be the only one responsible for what you have done. Did you try to improve or allow other influences to determine what you did mentally, physically, and spiritually?

When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too. ~ Paulo Coelho

21

The Past

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udestiny historyrl So much of our lives revolve around the stories we tell. Not only the ones we tell others about our past but, more importantly, the stories we tell ourselves about the past. These stories about our perception of our history tend to color and temper our expectations for ourselves today.  What is the value of this? It is time to let go of history and move forward.

Faulty at Best

One of the things that I am sure of is that the history we remember and the stories we tell are not very accurate and controlled by the beliefs we choose to entertain. Memory is not a very trustworthy tool to use when looking at the past.  When five people witness an accident or another event, the stories will only have a base of consistency when interviewed separately. That is because we all have biases and beliefs that influence how we interpret the events in our lives. Accept that is true, and you can move forward without being attached to the results of stories from the past. Your memory is faulty, and you can’t trust that you remember things accurately at all. So living your life based on these lessons is faulty as well. Let go of history and move forward.

It Limits Today

Another reason to move past the stories that you let define you is that they will limit you. Focusing on the stories of the past that make up your character and experience establishes your identity. Who knows what new information and experience will do to change who you are and what you believe. Clinging to the past as an identifier for who you are will limit who you might become. It is like wearing a costume that you can’t get out of. Look at it, learn from it and discard it. There are no reasons to accept limits in your life.

You Can’t Change It

change the pastOne fact that is irrefutable is that no matter what has happened in the past, there is no way to change it. No matter what has happened, good or bad, it is what it is, and changing it is not an option. Many people spend their lives reliving old positive memories and glory days to remind themselves that they felt good about themselves at one point.  Or they spend a lot of time reliving mistakes and reminding themselves of the problems they caused themselves, like a badge of explanation for the problems faced today. Neither of these options is healthy or allows you to move forward. Your past can’t be changed, altered, or adjusted in any way. To think otherwise is a delusion. Learn from it and put it away, understanding that the only moment that matters is the one that you are in right now.

Our personal history can be an interesting thing to visit. There are people we met who we learned from, either good or bad. Some events affected the way we view life.  Some have allowed me to see the potential in all situations. Others make me wonder about the honesty of people. Regardless of the value, all of the past needs to be put away, so there is room for new growth experiences coming to you at this moment and in all the moments of the years to come.  One’s vision can only be clear without the shaded lens of the past.

21

Creating Outcomes

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Every day we are inundated with all sorts of experiences, some we see as positive. Others cause us pain. And still, more is generally neutral in their appeal, but most of us don’t have a plan to deal with the things we face consciously in a manner that makes us the force behind the outcomes of our lives. Most of the time, we react through a series of subconscious thoughts and emotions which arise automatically to any stimulus around us.  This moment is where we have a chance to take the controls of our life and steer it where we want to go.  Just for one day, imagine you chose to react to everything in a manner that projected your best self to the world.  Here is a simple formula to focus on to build mindfulness of action.  Events + Response= Outcomes, E +R = O.

Events

From the first moment you open your eyes in the morning to the time you close them for sleep the next night, you are faced with a nonstop stream of events. You are waking up, breakfast. You are running late. Someone is in your way at the gym.  Traffic is bad. Someone calls out of your work and makes your job more challenging. A project is assigned at work. Someone is rude to you.  You drop your lunch on the floor.  Your coworker is very annoying. There is a nonstop stream of these things happening to everyone in the world all day long.

The thing about events is that we have very little control over them.  They can be brought on by others’ actions, nature, or God, but we are generally going to face a lot of things in a day that we didn’t create or ask for in any direct way.  That is what makes the challenge. Many of the events we face are designed to bring a challenge into our lives, and in meeting that challenge, there is the possibility for growth.  Since growth is the purpose of life, learning to embrace all events will lead to the most favorable outcomes. We have little control over events, and they are going to happen whether we like them or not.

Response

This is the area where you have the opportunity to make all of the choices.  All of our responses are 100% in our control.  No matter what happens to you, nobody but you can decide how you respond. Drop your lunch on the floor, and you decide if you let it ruin your day or if you see it as an opportunity to eat something else. Or you can be grateful that you have something else to eat.  Someone cuts you off in traffic, or a loved one leaves a mess behind on their way out the door. You decide if anger or something else is the right way to respond to that situation.  Since you control your responses, always that means you are responsible for every aspect of your life.

Think about it, even if you are making subconscious choices about your responses, based on beliefs you hold from your upbringing and experience, you are responsible. Therefore you can create anything you want to. Look for the good in a challenge, see what it can bring to you that may not have been there before.  What growth came to you because of the events you faced? There is always something you gain and some way you grow, and development is the purpose of life.  You are responsible for your story, your reactions, and, therefore, the value of your life and all of the outcomes you experience.

Outcomes

Since you can react any way you can, then creating the life you want to have is achievable to everyone. We can choose to quit if things are too demanding. We have the talent to persevere and find a positive result even if we fail at first.  Choosing to learn lessons, apply them on the next attempt until we finally succeed is the recipe for success. In your job, your relationships, hobbies, and every aspect of your life will result from your reactions.

Challenges are going to come to everyone. When our reaction is to face them and learn what we need to know from them and become a better person in some aspect of our other alternative is to continue to get run over by the things we face in life. The simple choice of growth or stagnation of things. Right now, with no filter, our lives are a direct representation of how we have approached this little equation of life.

Take a moment today and evaluate how much you have let things out of your control, put you in a bad mood, or taken a pessimistic look at life.  Then try to spend an entire day deciding how to react to events positively. Some people will be incapable of seeing around their beliefs. It seems too daunting a task and too scary to let go of the things they cling to.  Life is a journey, and we may not always get to choose the transportation, but we still have the option to enjoy the view or not.

E+R=O

“It is our attitude at the beginning of a difficult task which, more than anything else, will affect its successful outcome.”  William James

“A positive attitude causes a chain reaction of positive thoughts, events, and outcomes. It is a catalyst, and it sparks extraordinary results.”- Wade Boggs.

“The POSITIVE THINKER sees the INVISIBLE, feels the INTANGIBLE, and achieves the IMPOSSIBLE.”- Winston Churchill.

21

Dancing

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Your Dance Card

Enjoyment and being happy are things that seem to be harder to find for many people as they get older. People live to survive from day to day, but there should be a deeper calling to participate in experiences that bring joy, happiness, and contentment. It seems many people are spending a whole lot of time becoming good at making fun activities, not that enjoyable at all. These folks have a genius for supplying the all-encompassing wet blanket to any event. Why is it that people are so good at looking for ways to do fun activities and not enjoy life at all?  Life is a dance, and we each have our way of moving around the floor.

What is Happening in Your Dance?

enjoy life 242Life can be a magical experience; we are moving along this path, seemingly for a purpose. The destinations are as varied as there are people in the world and dreams to follow. Most of the time, the problem is that our focus is on the destination, and we forget to pay attention to the occurrences we see along the way.

The challenges overcome, the friendships built, the people met, or the new things seen.  What have you experienced during your dance? Enjoy each step along the way.

Worry Lessens the Experience

It seems people are always worried about getting there or not getting there. Or what is in the way. Fear becomes the focus of life. No sunset or sunrise can be appreciated when a concern is on your mind. Each day there are beautiful things to see and experience. Nature makes sure of this, and it is up to us to take in the moments and enjoy them for what they are.

The beauty in each moment is there if you take the time to notice. It is hard to notice when your focus is on a destination in the future or the distance. Enjoy every step, see the movement and the joy that it brings. Dance with all your being.

Be In the Moment

enjoy life 132Living in the moment is the only way that this can happen. Not in the future, when the goal can be achieved and what life will be like tomorrow. Not living in the past and reliving moments gone by that you might or might not be remembering accurately. The past is over and can’t be changed. It is done.

The future is not guaranteed, and no goal or dream is written in stone. No matter what you do, it just might not happen. All we are guaranteed is this dance today, right now, so you had better learn to move with the music that is around you and enjoy every step. Enjoy today, today, and tomorrow, tomorrow, and you will have no regrets about the path you have traveled. 

“When you dance, your purpose is not to get to a certain place on the floor. It’s to enjoy each step along the way.”  ~Wayne Dyer