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Having a Pity Party?
Posted by upliftingthoughts4u
Pity Parties prevail, unfortunately. There are so many reasons to stay in one permanently. Would that do any good? Not likely.
In one of Og Mandino’s lectures, he said, “When I feel sorry for myself, and I don’t want to enter the world…I open the paper to the obituaries to see how many would trade places with me if they only could.”
Now that is definitely something to ponder.
He also said, “Never treat time as if you had an unlimited supply. No one has a contract with life.”
If you were to take a census of your prevailing attitudes, what would you say they were? If they center on a Pity Party, you have to know that direction will lead you nowhere. Are you willing to take a close look at the words you speak, the emotions you feel, and the ways you act? What is your body language saying? Can you look into a mirror and look closely at your eyes and your facial expression? What story are they telling you?
When you are depressed, one of the harder things you can do is to look into your eyes in a mirror and gaze upon your countenance. Why? Your eyes are downcast, for one thing. You are sad, your shoulders sag, and your head hangs down.
Did you know that depression is actually unexpressed anger turned inwards? Note I said, “Unexpressed.” I don’t mean you need to put your fist through a wall or hit something or somebody. There are many constructive ways to work on anger, such as working out, hitting a pillow, writing it all down on a sheet of paper and then shredding it, releasing it.
The point of a Pity Party is that you want to feel better. So, if you stay in one long enough, you should feel better, right? Nope, never going to happen. It perpetuates itself.
The only way to get out of a Pity Party is to change your focus from whatever is driving you crazy. You need to find something else to think about. Hopefully you will find something beautiful to contemplate, look at a rainbow, or listen to music. Many things can lift your spirit, from a good massage or warm bath to a quiet walk in nature. You just have to find something that works for you.
Again, it is in your capable hands to find a different way to express yourself. Are you willing to try that?
Posted in Uplifting Thoughts
Tags: anger, attitudes, crazy, depressed, depression, emotions turbulent, eyes, focus, metaphysics, New Age, New thought, Og Mandino, Pity Party, ponder, reasons, think, thoughts, Truth, understanding, willing, wisdom, words
Happiness
Posted by upliftingthoughts4u
The definition for Happy is: “Favored by circumstances; lucky; fortunate; having, showing, or causing a feeling of great pleasure, contentment, joy, etc.; joyous; glad; pleased.” By the way, Happiness is a noun, while Happy is an adjective. That means the latter is active while the former is static…that means a lot.
Happiness is many things to many people. It is a state of mind. Some people equate it to ecstasy, or a state of euphoria. I would suggest to you that it is much more than that. It is more than a feeling, however fleeting that can be. Some believe that circumstances outside of you can bring you Happiness, unknowing that Happiness is an inside job. Perhaps you may want a soul mate so you can live “happily ever after,” yet that particular one has not appeared because all of the candidates are flawed. Some have become disillusioned with the idea, believing it to be an impossibility. So they just stop looking or trying. Some keep looking even though they are not exactly sure what it is they are seeking. Some reach a sense of desperation because they want to begin a family, feeling like the clock is ticking against them. They actually have the option now of freezing their eggs or sperm, just in case they finally find that certain someone. That keeps their options open so they can have a healthy baby.
Some think that stuff can be the essence of their existence. Just go out and buy whatever you think will finally make you Happy. Yet that newness wears off, so you go buy something else. It is a wonderful thing to enjoy your possessions and all the good that God has brought to you…whether it is a beautiful necklace or a fancy car. Just remember that there is more to life. Besides, if material possessions brought Happiness, why are there not more of us deliriously Happy? Some people seek money and fame beyond all else, yet when they find it, they still must feel empty because of involvement with drugs, alcohol, and other addictions, some of which are fatal. It appears to be conundrum to me. (Definition of Conundrum is any puzzling question or problem.)
Some seek security and base all their decisions on that one idea. Yet security in itself is usually a moving target, especially in this economy and changing circumstances for so many people. Some people even think that getting married will provide you with it. When they find out that it does not, they opt for divorce in lieu of being together and learning from each other. Tough decisions all.
There is a tale about a king who wanted to be happy, so he sent out a decree that he wanted to find the happiest man in his kingdom. He thought that, if he could find this person, he could wear this man’s shirt and be happy too. However, when he found the happiest man, it turned out that he did not even own a shirt. There is an idea to ponder.
Think for a minute: If Happiness is an inside job, how can anything outside of you actually truly create it? If you had a Happy plant growing inside of you, it would need nourishment in many forms: water, vitamins, sunshine, you name it. Yet we neglect to do any of that because we are waiting for some magic from outside of ourselves to help it to grow. While we wait, the plant withers and possibly dies.
I would suggest to you that Happiness has some basic qualities that help one to realize it:
H Healthy
A Admiration
P Politeness/Respect
P Peace
I Intimacy
N Neatness/Orderliness
E Ecstasy
S Stillness
S Serenity
All of these are interconnected with a sense of well-being. If one considers each word and then looks for something in their life that could be identified with it, perhaps just realizing it will raise your Happiness Quotient. If we remember that what we focus us on grows in our life, just changing how you approach the circumstances in your life could make it better.
Life was meant to be lived. Isn’t it about time that you felt you were, indeed, more alive?
If you are serious about being a happier person, suggest you sit down with a blank sheet of paper. Draw a line down the middle. Now write the words, “Am I Happy” and add a punctuation mark. It can be a “?,” a “!” or even a period. The punctuation mark will tell it all. Once you do that, on one side of the column on the paper, write down what makes you feel happy. On the other column, write down what makes you feel sad, lonely, lost, or unhappy. You might be amazed at what these answers will show you. Just writing things down helps you to take a look at your perspective and perhaps change it if you want. We get stuck like a hamster in a cage, doing the same things every day for the same reasons. Sometimes, it helps to get out of that cage of humdrum existence. Writing things down can add clarification and help you formulate a new beginning for you, starting now.
Are you brave enough and willing to try it?
Posted in Uplifting Thoughts
Tags: alive, brave, cage, change, circumstances, emotions turbulent, feelings, focus, Happiness, Happiness is an inside job, Happiness Quotient, happy, idea, life, magic, metaphysics, New Age, new biginning, New thought, perspective, security, stuff, thoughts, Truth, understanding, unhappy, well-being, willing, wisdom
The Light of God
Posted by upliftingthoughts4u
This poem was written by James Dillet Freeman when he was a young man for all soldiers of WWII. It is a favorite of mine, and I begin each day with this prayer:
The Light of God Surrounds me…
The love of God enfolds me…
The Power of God protects me…
The Presence of God watches over me…
Wherever I am, God is.”
This is the shorter version, which many people are familiar with. I usually change the “me” to “us” because I am praying for all of my loved ones; hence, the last line is, “Wherever we are, God is.”
The longer version goes like this:
“The light of God surrounds me…
The Love of God enfolds me…
The Power of God protects me…
The Presence of God watches over me…
The mind of God guides me…
The Life of God flows through me…
The laws of God direct me…
The power of God abides within me…
The Joy of God uplifts me…
The Strength of God renews me…
The Beauty of God inspires me…
Wherever I am, God is.”
I find great comfort from this poem. Sometimes my mind just stays in the problems that I see in my own world as well as the world at large, both personal and loved ones’ worlds, just going round and round. I have to remind myself that I need to move my FOCUS to the ANSWER. It is perfectly obvious that there is no resolution to the issues involved unless one moves to an answer-seeking posture. I am not talking supplication here (as in begging to take some problem away). It has been said that “The way out is the way through.” That means that we are asking for our highest good as well as that for our loved ones. If we know specifics in the answer, we can look to them; however, it can limit the answer. But the generic “highest good” works very well, as does wrapping whoever we are concerned about in White Light, which is the highest God there is.
I had a friend whom I told the White Light idea to before she left on a trip. During that road trip, there was an accident that was imminent. She immediately wrapped them in White Light, and the accident was avoided. She knows the White Light saved them as nothing else could have.
It has been said that “Ye have not because ye ask not.” In Matthew 7:7,8, it says, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asked receiveth, and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.”
This is talking about the ANSWER, which is a change of FOCUS. In our loving concern, especially for loved ones, we get stuck in the problem and chaos. We WORRY and fret, perhaps even shed tears. In the end, one must turn them, the problem, and our concern and worry over to God. We have to LET GO AND LET GOD do what is best. That is a tall order.
Are you willing to change your focus? Are you willing to give True Prayer a try? It means that you have to pray believing. Can you do that?
If you do, it will change your life and the lives of your loved ones. I can promise you that. God’s blessings be upon you, every minute of your day!
Posted in Uplifting Thoughts
Tags: answer, awareness, change, comfort, concern, focus, God, Let Go and Let God, light, Light of God, metaphysics, New Age, New thought, prayer, protects, surrounds enfolds, tears, thoughts, Truth, understanding, watches over me, White Light, willing, wisdom, worry
“Lord, Forgive Me When I Whine”
Posted by upliftingthoughts4u
“Forgive Me When I Whine” by John Palmer
“Today upon a bus I saw a lovely maiden with golden hair;
I envied her—so beautiful, and how, I wished I were so fair;
When suddenly she rose to leave, I saw her hobble down the aisle;
She had one foot and wore a crutch,
but as she passed, she wore a smile
Oh God, forgive me when I whine,
I have two feet –the world is mine
And when I stopped to buy some sweets,
the lad who served me had such charm;
he seemed to radiate good cheer, his manner was so kind and warm;
I said, “it’s nice to deal with you, such courtesy I seldom find;”
He turned and said, “Oh, thank you sir.”
And then I saw that he was blind.
Oh, God, forgive me when I whine,
I have two eyes, the world is mine.
Then when walking down the street,
I saw a child with eyes of blue;
He stood and watched the others play,
it seemed he knew not what to do;
I stopped a moment, then I said,
“Why don’t you join the others, dear?
He looked ahead without a word,
I realized –he could not hear.
Oh God, forgive me when I whine,
I have two ears, the world is mine
With feet to take me where I’d go,
with eyes to see the sunsets glow,
with ears to hear what I would know,
I am blessed indeed.
The world is mine.
Oh God, forgive me when I whine.”
This article always strikes a chord deep within my being.
The definition of whine is: “To complain or beg in a childishly undignified way; a complaint uttered in a whining tone; to utter a peevish, high-pitched, somewhat nasal sound, as in complaint, distress, fear, etc.”
How about you? Did you get up on the wrong side of the bed? Is your coffee cold and your toast burned? Did you have a flat tire or the car would not start? Daily life is filled to the brim with instances like this.
Remember, it is not what happens to you that really counts…it is your REACTION to it that does the damage or begins to make a repair.
Which will you choose?
The Serenity Prayer is always just a thought away:
“God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
The courage to change the things I can,
And wisdom to know the difference.”
(by American theologian Reinhold Nieburh 1892-1971)
So, if you look carefully at whatever is distressing you, you may well find something to be grateful for. It will change your attitude immediately.
Are you willing to give it a try?
Posted in Uplifting Thoughts
Tags: change, courage, damage, forgive, grateful, life, metaphysics, New Age, New thought, Og Mandino, reaction, repair, serenity, Serenity Prayer, Truth, understanding, whine, willing, wisdom
Procrastination
Posted by upliftingthoughts4u
PROCRASTINATION is a foible that we are all guilty of at one time or another… some experience it more than others.
Items of unfinished business that are laying around create disorder, and that causes PROCRASTINATION. As one envelope invites you to put more there…so does a chaotic environment procreate itself ad infinitum ad nauseum.
One element of procrastination that generates chaos is a lack of organization…a pile of anything, be it paperwork, clothes, or something else. If one has not used the idea of “a place for everything and everything in its place,” piles of stuff accumulate. A pile is just an invitation to procrastination. A lack of prioritizing also contributes to it.
Putting first things first sounds simple and uncomplicated…until you take a look around at your surroundings. Most of us live in a state of unfinished business…a project not quite done in one place; dirty clothes that have not yet made the wash basket; a hat here, a glove or two there; unopened mail where one put it, still lying in a stack a couple of days later.
Sometimes we overburden ourselves with expectations. We surround ourselves with disorganization that makes it looks insurmountable, so why even start?
Every single item on a To Do List actually holds a piece of your energy. Just looking at it will not release that energy. It must be completed to free the mind and energize the soul so one can do something else.
When I find myself procrastinating, I purposely choose ONE THING and BEGIN to accomplish it. Synergy then gives me the ability to continue on with my day, doing whatever it is that I choose to do.
One of my simple organization methods is: “Try to handle something only once.” If it is in your hand, make a quick decision to “put it in its place.” If it is dirty clothes, put them in the wash basket immediately and decide to not just dump them wherever. If it is unopened mail, determine what is junk mail, ready for recycling; open real mail and sort it…put bills with the bills and the rest into a suspense area to be dealt with later. Dirty dishes can get rinsed off as soon as you are done eating as food dries quickly and makes it even harder to get off…put them in the dishwasher OR get them washed, dried, and put away.
If you are already living a state of unfinished business, pick one room or area. Begin to take care of the problem. Prioritize, put stuff away, and simplify your life. Soften your viewpoint and focus it on a smaller goal that you can achieve. Break a pile into its parts and handle each one individually. With enough consistency, you can see the piles shrink before your very eyes.
Unfortunately, we do not have a Mary Poppins in our lives to put things in order. The clothes do not hang themselves up, and toys do not jump into the toy box.
Habits are difficult to change. They are created by continually making bad choices. They remain because we do not consciously make a decision to change our actions.
So, how about you? Do you want to continue to beat yourself up for your Procrastination? Do you really want to put out the effort to change? If you do, write it down. It begins there. Then pick an area to begin and decide to get moving. Are you willing? If you do, you may find your breakthrough!
Try to remember: God created Divine Order and Harmony in your mind as a natural state of being, bringing Peace to your Soul. This happens when you create order from disorder in your environment. All you have to do is look at a waterfall, a rainbow, beautiful flowers, an osprey in flight, or a lovely landscape to understand this Truth.
Best wishes as you begin to change. Enjoy your day! 🙂
Bridal Veil Falls, Idaho Springs, CO
Rainbow Signifying Peace
Beautiful Flowers
Osprey in Flight
Mt Evans, Front Range, CO
Posted in Uncategorized, Uplifting Thoughts
Tags: change, chaos, choices, choose, created, Divine Order, energize, energy, expectations, foible, guildty experience, habits, Harmony, idea, life, metaphysics, mind, natural, New Age, New thought, organization, overburden, Peace, prioritizing, procrastination, soul, thoughts, Truth, understanding, unfinished business, willing, wisdom
One Thing At A Time
Posted by upliftingthoughts4u
Daily life occurs at a fast and furious pace. One cannot finish doing some task before ten other appear in the TO TO List. How good are you at multitasking?
As an analogy, I used to be able to keep track of ten planes (tasks), keeping them 1,000 feet apart without any problem. Like a juggler, I could keep ten plates spinning on sticks simultaneously, just adding a touch of momentum to each one to keep them spinning. Note that I said “used to.” As I age, I have found that, if I concentrate on one task at a time, I can accomplish it much more quickly and certainly in a better manner because I am focusing on one thing only. I note distractions that occur while I am doing that one thing so that I can follow-up later. But I put enough energy into that one thing so that it can be finished. Then I move on to the next task.
My To Do List helps me so I can see the overall needs of the day, but then I prioritize. During the day, my priorities may need changing. I can then adjust whatever and still stay on my list. Sometimes, tasks are added and deleted or moved to another day.
At the end of the day, I do not beat myself up because I have many things that are not finished. Sometimes, my daily To Do List becomes a weekly one, or a monthly one if need be.
But I can assure you that I get more done in less time than many others do. I maintain a calm, poised attitude most of the time and do not permit negative emotions to affect my activities.
This is not a fairy tale. I have spent years in chaos and mayhem. One has to learn to deal with it rationally so circumstances do not dictate your day.
So how about you? Are you willing to make some changes so you can actually do 1,000 tasks, one at a time, calmly and with attention to details without going crazy?
Posted in Uplifting Thoughts
Tags: adjust, analogy, attitude, calm, chaos, circumstances, concentrate, daily, dictate, finished, life, mayhem, metaphysics, momentum, monthly, multitasking, New Age, New thought, poised, prioritize, rationally, tasks, thoughts, time, Truth, understanding, weekly, willing, wisdom
Be Gentle With Yourself
Posted by upliftingthoughts4u
Are you aware that you may possibly treat yourself without the same consideration you would freely give to a friend or loved one?
Oftentimes, we are far more critical and certainly less forgiving of our foibles that we are of others. We “get on our own case” and beat ourselves up over some perceived shortcoming.
We need to raise our awareness of these instances. Why? Because they stunt our personal growth. Self condemnation is the worst beast to tame.
If we see something that needs to be corrected, by all means do it. If there is something we can do to change an outcome, go for it.
But in the meantime, learn to be gentle with yourself. You are here to learn lessons, just like everyone else is.
Are you willing to be open to the idea that you can learn to be gentle with yourself?
Your personal growth depends on it.
Posted in Uplifting Thoughts
Tags: awareness, change, choices, consideratin, corrected, critical, foibles, forgiving, friend, gentle, learn, lessons, life, loved one, metaphysics, New Age, New thought, personal growth, self condemnation, shortcoming, stunt, thoughts, Truth, understanding, willing, wisdom
Divine Inner Companion
Posted by upliftingthoughts4u
An old hymn from my childhood says, “You’ll never walk alone.” It goes on with, “Walk on through the wind, walk on through the rain, though your dreams be tossed and blown…”
How many times has that happened to you?
Life rarely comes to us in ways the we like. There are many problems and seemingly irresolvable issues that occur to all of us at one time or another.
Rarely, can we estimate if it is a mountain or a mole hill when we start to climb. As we continue, we can multiply whatever it is and make it an even steeper climb, or we can look at the facts of it (division) and turn it into a mole hill so we can have an easier time of it. The multiplication happens because of the emotions we generate. The division happens when we decide to ACT in lieu of REACT to a problem/situation.
If I turn within and commune with my Divine Inner Companion, I can depend on it that I will ACT. I am more rationale and can see things differently, perceive the situation more clearly, and can come up with a resolution more easily.
In the days of yore, when I was not connected to God, I would stumble along blindly, falling, hurting myself, and wailing away at the Universe because I was unhappy and things were not working. My grief multiplied, exponentially.
My epiphany came like the popular poem:
“Footprints”
“One night a man had a dream. He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the Lord. Across the sky flashed scenes from his life. For each scene, he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand; one belonged to him, and the other to the Lord.
When the last scene of his life flashed before him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand. He noticed that many times along the path of his life there was only one set of footprints. He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times in his life.
This really bothered him and he questioned the Lord about it. “Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you, you’d walk with me all the way. But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life, there is only one set of footprints. I don’t understand why when I needed you most you would leave me.
The Lord replied, “My precious, precious child, I love you and I would never leave you. During your times of trial and suffering, when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you.”
I was never alone. I had just let go of His hand. He was always there for me. I was just disconnected. Life’s problems just wore me out. Only when I turned within and reconnected could I feel His Presence. After the chaos that went on when I was “alone,” I determined that was not for me.
How about you? What form of chaos do you live with daily? Are you feeling alone? Only you can change it. Only you can light your candle so you can see through the darkness and find your path. Are you willing to take that action?
Posted in Uplifting Thoughts
Tags: action, alone, candle, chaos, Companion, connected, darkness, disconnected, Divine, epiphany, Footprints, God, grief, hymn, Inner, light, lowest, metaphysics, mole hill, mountain, New Age, New thought, path, Presence, problems, resolution, saddened, thoughts, Truth, unhappy, Universe, willing, wisdom
Renew Your Mind
Posted by upliftingthoughts4u
Romans 12:2 states: “Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind…”
What does that really mean? The dictionary defines RENEW as “to give new spiritual strength to, revive, to begin again, to refill with a fresh supply.”
Could we then decide to treat every single day as though it was a new beginning? Of course!
How much of yesterday’s (yester- year’s) baggage are you toting around? Perhaps you feel as though someone wronged you so you are JUSTIFIED in carrying a grudge? Perhaps someone did something you class in the “Unforgivable” Category? My own brother did something over 20 years ago to our mother that put him in that category for me for the rest of his life. He died this year. On his deathbed, I kissed his forehead and forgave him. I told him that he was doing the best he could, no matter whether I agreed with it or not. I asked myself if it really mattered after all. What point was there in carrying the grudge anymore? I blessed him on his way. Why did I wait so long? That is a good question. I never spoke a word to him directly from the date the Unforgivable happened till he died. Since then, it has been brought home to me what a burden I carried which I was not consciously aware of…because the minute I truly forgave him, I felt lighter.
So I ask you, what do you need to do to create a new beginning for yourself? Is it something inside of you, in your surroundings, in your companions, or in your life itself?
It is not a difficult thing, nor is it complicated. You just have to be WILLING. That is the first step. You will be guided from there.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, a German poet born on 8-28-1749, said, “Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has a genius, power, and magic in it.”
What do you need to RENEW? Raise your awareness. It is the beginning so you can control your thoughts and emotions. Are you brave enough to try? What are you willing to release so you may be free?
Posted in Uplifting Thoughts
Tags: awareness, baggage, beginnings, complicated, dream, forgiveness, free, genius, Goethe, guided, home, justified, life, magic, metaphysics, New Age, New thought, power, release, renew, thoughts, Truth, understanding, unforgivable, willing, wisdom, yesterdays
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