Back on our feet

Mornin'

I turn my thoughts today towards the concept of picking ourselves up despite the hardships we may go through. Like all of you, I have certainly had plenty of hardships. The origin of our hardships is important but not crucial for what I am going to discuss right now.

Always remember that, no matter what, all of us can muster the courage to get up after a fall regardless of the severity. I am not talking specifically about a physical fall but they can be included in this conversation if you wish. My focus is mainly on the spiritual, emotional, and psychological falls we take during our journey through this thing we call life.

If you have not experienced the pain offered through these types of falls, it is certain that you will at some point(s) in your life. What I have found to be helpful regardless of the type of fall, is for us to never lose focus on our goal or our morals and values. In keeping these intact, we will invariably handle the situations we find ourselves in with maturity and fairness.

The most important gift we can deploy in any type of situation that knocks us down is the gift of spirituality. By having a relationship with a higher source and living by the principles inherent from regular contact with this source, we intuitively know how to handle any situations that used to baffle us. We no longer have to exact revenge towards those who hurt us in anyway. We learn to forgive and pity them. They are apparently not on the spiritual plateau we are on. We must never flaunt our spiritual understanding.

Let me make it clear that, when discussing all things spiritual, I am not siding with any particular religion or religious philosophy, doctrine, or dogma. I am, however, imparting on you the importance of connecting with something that can help you on your difficult journey through life. Trust me, I have tried living life with and without spiritual guidance and living with it has been far more rewarding.

If you fall often and have difficulty getting up, let me suggest that you try a different solution. My solution - and I think I have spoken about this before - is to allow the gentle voice within to guide me. Some call it conscience but that is only part of the bigger picture. Suffice to say, I did not have to look far and the voice within is never wrong when it guides me. I try not to 'figure it out' too much; I choose to listen and obey it's instructions. It is only when I do not heed its warnings and follow its suggestions do I fall more often and stay down longer. It is free and only require that I take fifteen minutes to a half hour to tune into it before I start my day. I love it and it is what I have been looking for in all the wrong places my entire life.

Peace

Good day for chillin' and catching up on projects around the house!

Mornin'

I'm not sure what the weather is like in your area. Here in Annapolis, MD, we had a nasty storm yesterday that consisted of snow, rain, and sleet. I am glad I do not have to drive in it today; do most of my work from home. I enjoy looking at the snow coming down and as it sits on the landscape. I must say I am not a big fan of shoveling it either. It's hard to believe that I used to shovel and play in the snow all day long. I had no other alternative for income so I had to obtained jobs any way I could. It seemed I had all the energy in the world back then. Watching the kids enjoy the snow is pretty nostalgic and nice to see. I think what I am trying to say is that life consists of many stages and I happen to be smack dab in the middle. I am certainly grateful for my experiences and those to come. I hope all of you can at least hold onto something from your past that brings warmth to your soul. If not, maybe you can create them today and pave the way to your future with them.

Peace

Snowing, Sleeting, and Raining!

 

Mornin'

I'm not sure what the weather is like in your area but the weather here in Maryland is awful. That's okay, it doesn't have to dampen my spirits. I do not have to go out in it today and got my grocery shopping done yesterday. Let's just say I heeded the weather forecaster's warning like the million other folks in the stores yesterday. I was ready for them too.

One thing that my spiritual journey has afforded me is how to properly deal with all kinds of interesting people. I, like all of you, have to face difficult and pleasant ones on a daily basis. The pleasant ones are much easier to interact with than the difficult, moody people. I have discovered that how I communicate with the difficult people I come into contact with on a daily basis reveals the advancements or regressions I have made along my spiritual path.

I have discovered that one of the key ingredients in communicating well with others is for me to stay away from being judgmental and never let my emotions get the best of me. It is also important for me to listen well and trust the communication process. Having these components and employing them has allowed my relationships to flourish. I hope they do the same for you. Good luck!

Peace

Skeletons in Your Closet

Mornin'

I would like to briefly discuss how I handle the skeletons in my closet. You know, things from the past that may be distasteful and unappealing. The first concept to remember is that not every body needs to know every nook and cranny about our past. This should be saved for maybe family and close friends. Sure, there will be certain events that others find out about that may cause you to worry about whether or not you will be rejected on account of those things. That is called judgement and be assured that their judgmental ways will be dealt with by their Higher Power when He/She sees fit.

This brings me to the second point I would like to make. Your past is your past. It is that simple. It does not define who you are today nor should you even worry about the judgements people make about it. You can't change it so there is no need to even dwell in it. The only results that dwelling on the mistakes of your past will give you is heartache and pain. Please live in today and use today as a conduit through which you construct your tomorrow.

Peace

Smooth Sailing!

Mornin'

I have had smooth sailing in my life lately. With a combination of spiritual energy and a lull in some activities, I have managed to put together a string of awesome days. I realize the tough ones will come again so I am enjoying what I have in the moment. I work hard to have peace and harmony in my life. I'll be damned if I allow someone or something to get in my head long enough to steal what I work so hard for.

Getting to this juncture in my life was not an easy task(s). I was a slow learner but the important thing now is that I did finally learn from all the events that unfolded in my life. I believe that is all we are supposed to do in our lives. I believe the rate at which we learn from the events in our lives is wholly up to us. We do have control of our own destiny. People have different amounts of baggage that they have to work with. Some is more confounding than others. Again, the important thing I had to learn was to put down the shovel and stop digging a deeper hole. When that occurred, I was then able to change direction in my life and move on to things that empowered me.

It is important to remember that, although nice to have, things and popularity are not essential to a walk along a spiritual path. The important thing on our journey called life is to treat ourselves and others with respect and utilize the gifts from the Great Spirit. In utilizing our gifts, all the bases to living live correctly will be touched. Helping others and being honest and less selfish are good attributes as well. There are a slew of things we need to do to live a happy, productive, and fulfilled life. I found out that when I follow the voice within (which is my higher power working with me) then I cannot help but live appropriately and successfully.

I challenge all of you today to flash your beautiful smiles at someone who seems down today. Offer a helping hand to someone in need. You can also do something for someone without letting them know who performed the gesture. The important thing to remember is that helping others is a way to get out of ourselves so we can manage our tendency towards selfishness. It is easy to get caught up in self and lose sight of some of the most rewarding experiences in our lives. When you experience the joy helping someone brings, you will see the addictive nature of your actions. The natural high the Great Spirit provides you is better than any other you will experience in you life. Try it, I think you will like it.

Peace

When do we draw the line?

Mornin'

At what point do we draw the line in any area of our lives? I am referring to the times wherein we have done enough damage to a person or situation. It may even involve ourselves. Pain is usually the motivator that steers us back on course after we have had enough of it.

But what about all the good we are involved in and projects we enjoy or simply have to get done? These are usually activities that make people feel good and improve their quality of life. Or do they? The possibility is always there for participation in the "good" activities in life can also make us miserable, depressed, stressed, neurotic, etc. This is the point at which we need to re-evaluate our individual situations and plot another course.

Overall, our life was given to us for us to enjoy in many ways. From relationships with others to acquisition of material possessions, life is here for the taking. Giving back by helping the less fortunate and contributing our set of skills to those who need them are both important in the grand scheme of life.

There comes a time, even when we are involved in activities that make us feel good and enjoy life that the rewards corral us into an obsessive mode wherein we find ourselves just doing too much. We spread ourselves too thin and life becomes laborious and not as exciting as it once was. This is the moment in which we should re-evaluate what are really the most important things in our lives and begin the process of weeding out all the unnecessary activities that make our live too full and stressful.

The dilemma of having too much on our plate may entail plenty of unfinished projects that sit because we are simply too busy starting new ones. Finish them before beginning any new ones. This action alone will take a lot of pressure off your daily life.

In short, try not to spread yourself too thin. Commit to only those things you must take care of or really enjoy doing the most. Having a full life is what most human beings strive for. Getting physically, emotionally, or psychologically ill over them is unnecessary.

Peace