For this Positivity Project Day 2, I am going to focus on questions. Our minds are a tool that works best when it is under direction. We can put our thoughts under direction by asking questions. The quality of the questions we ask will determine the quality of the action that results. Learning to ask the right questions for ourselves can make us more productive and happier. Questions provide direction, focus and of course answers.
Questions can take you toward all the things you want,
What can I do to build better relationships? What actions can I take to gain wealth or success today? What activities will make me happy? Fulfilled?
All of these can lead you in a positive direction.
Questions can also be used to delete negative behaviors: What can I stop doing that is slowing me down or hindering my success?
Questions are dangerous because they will lead to change and that comes with risk: Risk of failure, a risk of learning, a risk of what others will think,
But life is a risk and we are put in this game of life to be our best. Questions will lead to this.
Here are two questions for you today:
1. What do you want in life?
2. What do you have to do to get it?
Question Quotes
“It is not the answer that enlightens, but the question.” – Eugene Ionesco
“The key to wisdom is this – constant and frequent questioning, for by doubting we are led to question, by questioning we arrive at the truth.” – Peter Abelard
“The big question is whether you are going to be able to say a hearty yes to your adventure.” -Joseph Campbell
“The only true wisdom is in knowing that you know nothing.“ – Socrates
Kindness-the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate.
“Remember, there’s no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end.” – Scott Adams
In every thought, in every word, in every action a person takes, there is an opportunity to practice kindness. It comes down to a simple choice to make life a better experience for someone else or to make it more difficult. You make this choice a hundred times a day. Look at all the interactions you have, either in person or even in the world of social media. Each comes with a chance to be kind or not, and you are the only person who can make that choice.
Ripple Effect
Much like casting a stone in the water, that water will ripple outward from the point of impact is clear and constant waves. You never know where those waves are going to end up. But they do exist and move out affecting the world in some small way. Kindness is like that, even though you may not be able to see where the ripples of a kind act land, they do exist and will land in some small or large way in the world. So do the deeds of insensitivity, judgment, or meanness.
All of the actions you create are going to have an impact on the world. They provide energy to the lives of all the people that you interact with and to yourself. Think about the effect you want rippling out from your life. Is it going to be positive or negative? The quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate has the power to make your ripples positively change the world.
All Things Get Better
Whenever you choose to practice kindness in your life, it will make whatever situation you are in becoming a better one. You never know what struggles a person is suffering on the inside behind a happy front. Your choice of kindness may be the
Kindness makes all things better
thing that keeps hope in humanity alive for these people. Being kind is not something a person does for what they can get, but because that is who you are.
No matter what choices you have made up until this point, today, you can make a change by being kind to someone else. Kindness in its most basic existence is to see the humanity in someone else and put the happiness of that person as a priority. It makes all situations more enjoyable, memorable, and fun. And again, we choose the level of kindness we spread in our lives. Kindness is a gift we give expecting nothing in return. But we get a great deal in our soul, and that is not something that needs to be recognized by anyone else. It just is.
Be Kind Today
Make an effort today, when the situation arises, to give a compliment from the heart, to smile at someone to spread joy, to be supportive of another when you can. Stay away from speaking poorly of another, or gossiping about someone else’s situation. Rather than judge, accept. The life that receives the most benefit will be yours. Take a moment and be conscious of the kindness you can give today
“Sometimes, it takes only one act of kindness and caring to change a person’s life.” – Jackie Chan
“Do things for people not because of who they are or what they do in return, but because of who you are.” – Harold S. Kushner
“Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you.” – Princess Diana
This is the beginning of a video project that I hope will last 100 days. It has been quite a learning experience already and I hope to improve my consciousness, improve my confidence in speaking, become a better person, and to hopefully help other people raise their consciousness as well.
Day one of the Daily Positive Thoughts is about Kindness. Enjoy the video below and get prepared for at least 99 more in the future.
Daily Positive Thought: What are YOU grateful for?
Sometimes in life, things don’t go the way we think they should and it is easy to get discouraged or down at these moments. A relationship ends, a loved one passes, a job is lost, you are having a physical ailment, or even much more minor problems come into our focus and make us angry, fearful, anxious and our attitudes and feelings reflect on this. This is the energy we are bringing into our consciousness.
A human mind is a powerful tool that creates thoughts and can help us to solve complex problems. Our thoughts push us in a direction of achievement and if we are conscious we can control and direct this tool in a certain direction. One of the facts about the human mind is that we can only entertain one thought at a time. That is it. Our thoughts can come fast and furious but they arrive in our consciousness one at a time. They bring with them a corresponding set of emotions and this all combines to create our energy.
This is where thoughts of gratitude can bring their true power to you. When you are angry, fearful, or just worried. Take a moment and list the things in your life you are grateful for. First, it is easy to take things for granted, even great things. To spend a moment to focus on the positive things we do have is important. When your thoughts are focused on gratitude, your corresponding sets of emotions will be positive. That will lead to words and actions that are positive as well. All stemming from simple thoughts of gratitude.
Take a moment right now to honestly look at your life and make a quick list of the three things you are most grateful for. Keep these things in your mind and when you are feeling overwhelmed, angry, frustrated or fearful, take a moment and think of them. Really think of them. Spend your time with them in your mind. Think about what is good and your mood, perspective and attitude will change.
Being conscious of our gratitude also opens our mind up to receive more good things. Give it an honest, conscious try and see what happens to your mood. I think you will be pleasantly surprised.
What are three things you are grateful for right now??????
Quick list to help you find gratitude:
community, relationships, love, kindness, friends, family, earth, sun, health, job, money in your pocket, this moment, positive memories, special moments, rest, play, action, thoughts, acitivity, intelligence, learning, healing, experience, joyful times, kindness, food to eat, safety of being, freedom, your mind……….
Daily Positive Thought: Don’t let your past define you.
The past is a mental image we have created about our history. It is very easy to allow these thoughts about the mistakes and the victories of the past bubble up and dictate the way we feel about ourselves today. It can be convenient to lose yourself in a memory, but a memory is just a thought and although we can learn from the past, living there makes for a poor reality. Today is all that you are guaranteed in this life, yesterday is gone and you can’t bring it back, tomorrow is a hope, never a promise. To live your best today, don’t let your past define you.
Leaving the Bad
Every person in the history of people has made mistakes. Some are big, and others just small misjudgments. We are all responsible for the things we do and the decisions we make, but that doesn’t mean you have to carry them with you for the rest of your life. Admit them, see the value in the mistake and move forward in your life. Our memories are a funny thing, we can remember things, they are not infallible. People seem to remember things exactly how they want to or need to. Letting a memory dictate your self-esteem seems like a losing battle.
We build attachments to the events in our past, and they become a part of us, just like they become a part of our story. The thing to remember is that as long as you are alive you are still writing your story. It is going to have the things in it you allow to have today. Learn from the past, become a better version of yourself and leave the past where it belongs.
Glory Days
There are many events of the past which were very rewarding and enjoyable. These days are hard to leave behind because they still bring joy in our thoughts, even when times are not so good right now. But they are still just thoughts, and what you accomplished in the past, can act as nothing more than a lesson today. To focus on it is living in a fantasy. Let it go.
Nobody is defined by their past, but by the choices we make today. Many of them are because of our past, and the attachments we have built to it. Each movement of your body, choice, and decision you make are what dictates who you are in the present moment. That is the extent of what you need to worry about. What happened yesterday, ten years ago, or 25 years ago is over and done with.
Don’t let them decide who you are today. Make the choice to be the best person you can be today. If we all make that choice, the world would be a pretty kind and interesting place.
“You build on failure. You use it as a stepping stone. Close the door on the past. You don’t try to forget the mistakes, but you don’t dwell on it. You don’t let it have any of your energy, or any of your time, or any of your space.” Johnny Cash
“Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.” Gautama Buddha
Daily Positive Thought- Pay Attention to Just Five Breaths
It is amazing the power you have by simply breathing. It is one of the systems in the body which is both involuntary and voluntary at the same time. This makes the act of breathing something we do all the time without thinking but can use in a conscious way in order to find our thoughts, change our emotional state or step into the present moment. It is a simple process of learning to breathe deeply when you feel emotions rise, feel overwhelmed or out of sorts. Find a space where you can close your eyes for a minute and breathe a little deeper than normal and then let it out, letting it last as long as it took to inhale. Continually put your focus on that for a few minutes and you will feel calmer and the emotions will start to dissipate. In a pinch, I look for a spot to find time for five easy breaths. It isn’t always enough but it never hurts.
Easing your Stress
I am not one of the more stressed out people in the world but I do have my moments. As most men my age I was always taught by society and by example to keep it all inside and never let anyone know that you are upset. The problem with this lack of expression is that you are a human being and you are going to have feelings. If you don’t express them in a healthy way then they will come out somehow. Usually not in a very positive way.
When you spend your thoughts on anger and frustration then the energy you have to give to your relationships, job, or others in your life is going to be negative as well. Take a moment and breath in a little deeper than normal and then release it. Focusing on your breathing the whole time. This simple action will allow you to step into the present moment and leave the thoughts of anger and fear in their own places. Learning to deal with your emotional responses can be one of the most important skills a person can add to their life. Emotions are going to arise, and taking a moment and calming your self before you react to them may just allow you to not act in haste or irrationally.
Give it a Try
If you do nothing else today, take a moment and take your five easy breaths. Watching the inhale and the exhale paying attention to each moment of the process. Then after you are done evaluating the response you have. I have found myself see things I didn’t notice before that are right in front of me, a clarity of thought and a calmness of emotions all from the use of five simple breaths. My positive thought for today is for you to try this and see what it does for you.
“Do not be afraid that joy will make the pain worse; it is needed like the air we breathe.” —Goran Persson
“Remember to breathe. It is after all, the secret of life.”–Gregory Maguire
“It’s a breath you took too late. It’s a death that’s worse than fate.”–Elvis Costello
“When you own your breath, nobody can steal your peace.”- Anonymous
Daily Thought: “If you are not creating consciously, your mind will find ways to creatively sabotage you.”
What are you consciously creating in your life? This conscious creation is a process of knowing what you want and then taking positive action steps to try to make that thing a reality. We all have this ability. Most are never aware of it.
Take a moment today and look at what you are creating in your life. Is it something you want? Or is it someone else’s idea of what would be good for you. Make a list of what you want and then take consistent action steps moving you closer to what you want.
Know that you have the power in your mind to consciously create things, and you have been doing it all of your life. As we get older we forget that we can do this because so many painful things have happened we are living to avoid these, rather than create the good things. Create the good things today. Start the ball rolling. You only get one life and it is up to you if it involves the conscious creation or subconscious sabotage. Choose well.
“Remember that your perception of the world is a reflection of your state of consciousness.” Eckhart Tolle
“Consciousness is only the surface of the mental ocean.” Swami Vivekananda
“Conflict is the beginning of consciousness.” M. Esther Harding
For this Positivity Project Day 2, I am going to focus on questions. Our minds are a tool that works best when it is under direction. We can put our thoughts under direction by asking questions. The quality of the questions we ask will determine the quality of the action that results. Learning to ask the right questions for ourselves can make us more productive and happier. Questions provide direction, focus and of course answers.
