Tag: Religion and Spirituality

THE POWER OF ONE…

Sometimes we may wonder if all our efforts are worth it.  After all, what difference can one person make?  How important is one voice?  Here is a little something I read off of one of my friends facebook pages.  Which is yet another advantage of having groups of friends all trying to lead more inspired, passionate lives.

ONE…

one tree can start a forest;

one smile can begin a friendship;

one hand can lift a soul;

one word can frame the goal;

one candle can wipe out the darkness;

one laugh can conquer gloom;

one hope can raise your spirits;

one touch can show you care;

one life can make a difference,

BE the ONE TODAY!

 

As you can see each of these statements by themselves ring true.  Taken as a whole it proves one can be a very powerful number indeed.  Print this poem out, if you ever find yourself doubting your self-worth read it to yourself or better yet out loud.  Remember how important one person can be, and then be that one person!

YOU ARE A SUPER HERO…YES YOU!!

We have all heard the story a million times.  An ordinary person rises from the ashes to become a hero, saving the day.  It happens almost daily in sports.  We’ve seen it in the movies.  We have read about it in classic literature.  How are these people different from us and what secret weapon do they use?  First the good news, these people are fundamentally no different from you and I.  I say fundamentally because is essence we are all the same, human.  Now it is understood that some people have certain obstacles and some people have certain advantages.  That was discussed in an earlier post.  For the most part however, we basically all start out the same.  Ok, so if we are all the same how come some people rise so above the crowd and some just trudge through life on a daily basis?  Here is the secret.  The heroes among us have two traits that the ‘average’ person does not have, vision and faith.  Now I want you to take a moment and a really think about those two words.  We will approach them separately in the days to come, but for now just think about them.  Vision, we must know where we are going and the end result we are aiming for.  This can be amended as we grow as individuals, but we must have an aiming point to begin.  persistance, as Earl Nightengale once said, is just another word for faith.  If we didn’t have faith we wouldn’t persist.  It is the absolute knowing you are going to arrive where you set your mind to be.  So what about all those times you have set a goal, tried and failed miserably?  Truth is the only true failure is giving up.  If you have faith and suddenly you are confronted with what appears to be a let down, you will know it is either a lesson to be learned or an opportunity to grow stronger.  The best way to describe this would be the stories of two people I consider heroes.

First, my friend Shannon started an online group of people she wished to share her journey towards a healthier lifestyle with.  At first it seemed only she and a few select others would have anything to offer to the group.  Although a bit dismayed, Shannon’s passion and commitment to share what she learned persevered.  Slowly, but surely people began to comment, ask questions and share their experiences.  Personally I have received meal ideas, work out tips and even a few new friends through this group.  In fact, as of the creation of this post I cannot go a day without interacting with someone from that group.  Shannon’s vision in sharing a healthy lifestyle and all its rewards and challenges with her friends has changed the lives of countless people for the better and made her a hero.

Next there is my friend Cari.  She had faced some serious personal challenges.  Some of which would cause a lesser person to give up on living a rewarding life.  Not this lady.  Cari developed a vision of using her struggles to help people going through the same thing.  This sounds easy enough, but how many of us really act on it?  Cari, with the help of her church, formed a class to mentor people.  They announced it, she prepared lessons, and…nobody came.  She found herself a little dismayed, but her faith as to the job put on her by her creator made her dust herself off and try again.  She began simply talking to people, some of them began approaching her asking for advice.  She is currently developing new and amazing ways to inspire and assist people all while still healing her own life.  That, my friends, is a hero.

So develop your vision.  I don’t care if you are 12 or 112! Decide now what it is you would like to do with your life and begin to develop the passion and faith to make a difference.  Truth is, we all have a super hero inside of us. Especially you.

IT DOESN’T JUST HAPPEN

Sometime in our life we went from being the adventure seeking young child, to the adult waiting for life to happen to us.  A view that also affects our view of happiness. I was told the other day that someone was “Never happy, but it’s not their fault because nothing ‘happy’ ever happens to them”.  Here is when a slight change in perception can make all the difference.  Going back to that adventurous toddler, when we are young, we seek out happiness, we don’t just sit in our cribs and wait for it to ‘happen to us’ much to the chagrin of our parents.  When we grow older, however, lots of us just sit in the house and watch tv waiting for something happy to happen.  Here is when a good definition of what happy means to you would certainly help.  While enjoying a cup of coffee at the local Starbucks with a group of friends the other day, I asked them what would make them happy. There were two very different kinds of happiness expressed.  There was what I shall call ‘high excitement’ happiness. The “brand new sports car” “winning the lottery” “night in Vegas” to the ‘low excitement’ variety, “having the dishes done” “a good book and a bottle of wine” “a nice long walk in the woods with my dog”.  Although these answers are very different, they both work for the people who said them. So I asked, why are you not working toward saving for that trip to Vegas? How about working with you spouse to schedule some time alone for a book and a glass of wine.  Sometimes we forget a little pursuing on our behalf, and a change in perspective can make all the difference. Plus, let’s be honest, we all deserve it! Have an amazing day my friends!

ANOTHER NEW BEGINNING…

This past Sunday Christians around the world celebrated Easter.  About a week before that, spring officially began.  Both of these are celebrations of rebirth, renewal and resurrection.  Whether you are honoring the resurrection of your chosen saviour or the rebirth of nature, let us draw inspiration from this.  Let us focus on the rebirth of our own spirit.  New years has come and gone, yet this time of year presents us with a unique opportunity.  As the we watch the weather warm, so let our hearts warm up to all that is love and joy in the world.  Let us resurrect our attitudes from the despair that can envelop us in a media driven world to one that inspires others.  Symbolism is a great reminder to help us stay on track (more on that tomorrow).  As we watch the snow melt, let us be reminded to melt the anger in our hearts as well.  As we watch the trees and flowers start to sprout and bloom.  Let a new spirit of joy blossom in us as well.  So by the time we reach the first day of summer our joy will be as powerful as the summer sun warming the hearts and spirits of others.  Helping their spirit of joy grow as well.

DAILY EXCITEMENT…

Yesterday we discussed having a ‘big picture’ idea to focus on.  We also discussed how you can use both the time leading up to it to build excitement as well as the time following to enjoy all the memories.  Today we are going to focus specifically on something you do daily.  What is it you ask?  That is a great question.  Think, what is the one thing you look forward daily that brings you joy and helps make your life a little bit better?  Do you take 10 minutes to yourself to enjoy a nice glass of wine and a few pages of a good book?  Perhaps you race right from work to pick up the kids from school and then straight home to start dinner so there will be time for homework and still have everyone in bed at a somewhat decent hour.  Throw in soccer practice or a Recital or two and just the thought of it makes you crave that glass of wine!  Here is a little secret,  we all need a daily joy ritual.  Time may seem to short as it is, but ask your self one very important question.  How long can you keep it up?  We even give our cars a break every 3000 miles.  I know lots of people I swear go more than that before they stop to take any time to themselves.  What would happen to your car if you just kept driving it because you never had time to change the oil?  Would it perform at it’s best?  Of course not.  Neither would we.  Tempers become shorter and immune systems become run down.  So what to do?  Plan time for yourself. If this makes you feel even slightly guilty, think of it as your ‘oil change’.  When you return you will be able to help those around you that much better.  You may be asking “what can I really do in 5-10 minutes that will make a difference?”.  I suggest some form of meditation.  Now before you start picturing yourself in a complicated yoga pose, holding a lotus flower, let me reassure you there are plenty of forms of meditation.  Even the western scientific world has started to acknowledge the benefits of meditation.  Sharper focus,  less stress, stronger immune system, more energy, better sleep.  With all these benefits you might find yourself finding a little more than five minutes.  Still not sure about this meditation thing?  I suggest looking into a few books.  I’ve read one full of relaxation techniques that only take a minute.  Reading and research still sound a bit to stressful for you?  There are tons of guided meditation cds and dvd’s you can purchase.  Just push play and the rest is done for you.  One of the best websites I recommend is brainsync.com they have a cd for almost any person interested in a moment to themselves.  After all, with all that running around, don’t you deserve it?  Ok, off to find my lotus flower

ON THE POSITIVE SIDE

“The fact that there is always a positive side to life is the one thing that gives me a lot of Happiness.  This world is not perfect.  There are problems.  But things like happiness and unhappiness are relative.  Realizing this gives you hope.”

The Dalai Lama

I really like this quote. How many times in life have we looked back at an incident that at the time seemed terrible only to realize how much good had come of it?  The secret here is to try to shorten the time it takes to see the good in a given situation.  Here is something to carry around with you and try when we encounter one of life’s unavoidable challenges.  Ask yourself, “What is good about this situation” Spend no more than five minutes pondering that.  Then move on and do your best to forget about what is troubling you.  Your subconscious mind will still be focused on that very question.  Then later that day sit down and ask yourself the same question.  Although it may not seem you have given it any more effort you mind will have been working behind the scenes to come up with several ideas.  It may even help to sit down with pen and paper and work on creating a list.  The more you do this, the more you work on training your brain to be positive and this same formula works for solving problems.  This week, let us all try to see and focus on the positive side to everything!

THE TIME IS NOW!!

“My creed is: Happiness is the only good. The place to be happy is here. The time to be happy is now. The way to be happy is to make others so.”

-Robert Ingersoll

During breakfast the other day I was part of a conversation as to the obligation to keep company with people and situations that do not bring you joy.  To me the notion that you should subject yourself to unpleasant situations merely because that person is your relative, or the situation is something ‘everyone expects you to be at’ is to me antiquated and ridiculous.  So I am giving you all an excuse now.  If the person or situation does not give you joy, don’t be around them. The reason here is really two-fold. First, we were given this life to enjoy.  If you are not enjoying your life, you are wasting your life. Second, you can’t very well bring joy to others if you, yourself are not full of joy.  I am not saying there are not people and moments that may be less than a thrill (the dentist comes to mind for me) but if you have honestly done your best to bring joy to the situation and it does not seem to be taking hold, then it is not in line with you living a positive rewarding life.  To suffer through an evening with relatives or people you do not enjoy merely out of a sense of obligation does nobody any good.  It does not bring joy to the people you are with as it is usually apparent you are not enjoying yourself.  Not to mention the joy you could be having and experiencing with good friends.  So next time you find yourself dreading another situation ask yourself if you are doing it merely because you feel obligated, and will your presence there do any good? If that is indeed the case, my suggestion is to politely excuse yourself and treat yourself to an evening of fun. Whatever you do, feeling guilty should not be it. Remember if it doesn’t bring you joy, it certainly won’t bring others joy either.

WHAT IS THE SECRET?

Many people ask after reading this blog, “well what is the secret?” “How do I start living a positive rewarding life?”. First things first, there is no magic formula to wake up and start living a positive life.  In fact, I’m going to be honest it may take a week, maybe a month, maybe more.  The closest comparison I can draw is getting in shape or learning to play an instrument.  You don’t pick up the violin one time and suddenly become a master.  Neither do you go to the gym once and expect to be in shape for the rest of your life. Developing a positive attitude is a lifetime journey. Just like playing and instrument or becoming physically fit different ways may work for different people. Now before this starts to sound too much like work or just another challenge you may not have time for. Remember that the journey to a positive rewarding life, although a struggle, brings with it rewards of a far greater proportion than the effort it takes to obtain them. Not to mention they continue to compound on each other.  There are times people ask me, “ok how do I remain positive when ‘x’ happens?”  The answer to that is two-fold.  First, there are times when it is certainly ok not to be happy.  Nobody is happy all the time and nobody should be. There are moments in life that try our souls and make us cry.  Yet out of our sorrow we can even come to appreciate our joy more. The second part of that answer is that is a lifestyle change. When something goes wrong in our lives is not the time to start to be concerned with focusing on joy. Although I have seen tough times refocus some people.  No, the perfect time to begin our journey is today, right this very second. That way when tough times come, as they will, we can face them with a more hopeful spirit and a positive outlook.

WRITE YOUR EULOGY

You may wonder what such a title is doing in a blog about living a positive and rewarding life?  Throughout the course of my life I have read a great deal of self-improvement/law of attraction type books.  A lot of times ideas and thoughts are repeated in slighty different ways.  Which is good.  It let’s you know what seems to be working for a great deal of different people.  Once in a while, however, you come across a fresh idea which you haven’t heard before. This is one such time.  Do you ever wonder, “Is this what I should be doing with my life?” or “How do I know what the right path is for me?”.  I know I have.  Wouldn’t it be wonderful if there was a way to see if what you are currently doing matches your values and priorities?  There is!  I prefer to call this ‘Keeping the end in mind’.  Sit down and prepare to write your own eulogy.  What would you want said about you at your memorial service?  Was it that you were a good parent and raised your children in a loving fashion? Then family would be a great value to you. Perhaps it is that you showed kindness to everyone you met. Then compassion would be a trait that is of great importance to you.  Truth is, when we decide what legacy we would like to leave behind it gives our lives purpose and us a sense of direction.  If a eulogy seems a bit to dark for you, then try imagining what they would say at an awards presentation.  personally I like the eulogy as it also serves to remind us that time is one of the most precious commodities and we should spend it doing what we love and what bring joy and love to the rest of the world.  So ask yourself, “what would I want them to say about me?” You’ll never wonder if you’re on the right path again.

WAKING UP IN NEUTRAL

What kind of day are you going to have today?  About 90% of people will answer that question with “I don’t know” or some form there of.  After all, how do we know if the alarm will go off at the right time?  How traffic will be on the way to work?  What mood the boss will be in?  Simple answer, we don’t.  Then why, day after day to we give the power over to situations?  To often we let circumstances beyond our control dictate how we will feel about our day and to some extent ourselves.  When you stop and think about it, that really is a foolish idea.  So what to do?  Stop ‘waking up in neutral’!  At night when you go to sleep say to yourself, or even better out loud “Tomorrow will be a great day” if anyone asks you why, be honest.  Say “I don’t know, it just will”. Then when you wake up repeat that statement.  Repeat it as often as you can throughout the day, but especially early in the day.  You make the decision how your day is going to go.  Don’t leave it up to others, especially those who may not know or even care how your day goes.  It may surprise you how effective this will be.  Like anything else it may take a while to get used to, but stick with it.  Take back control of your life! Then when the inevitable challenges do arise, you will know that even though the situation may not be exactly to your liking it will still be a good day.  This often separates the happy from the unhappy.  Don’t believe me?  I’ll leave you with this quote from a former first lady.

“The greater part of our happiness or misery depends on our dispositions and not on our circumstances”

-Martha Washington

So let’s get out there and make it an amazing day!