tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53802773370550860132024-03-13T03:57:57.422-07:00I Want to Improve MyselfGraham Dragonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09534512073380651813noreply@blogger.comBlogger392125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380277337055086013.post-73740953394728862542018-10-10T01:29:00.000-07:002018-10-10T01:29:42.019-07:00Which mask are you going to wear?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NOQuYnXj7HQ/W72vdOJLZsI/AAAAAAAAB2M/L1X-jBBdXS4RAbsAiOTVUJMn5bgHbqjtQCLcBGAs/s1600/daniel-and-the-mask-1542885.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NOQuYnXj7HQ/W72vdOJLZsI/AAAAAAAAB2M/L1X-jBBdXS4RAbsAiOTVUJMn5bgHbqjtQCLcBGAs/s320/daniel-and-the-mask-1542885.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Which mask are you going to wear today?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Perhaps your reaction to this is one of puzzlement. Why am I talking about masks?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Maybe you think you never wear a mask. If so, you are almost certainly wrong. We pretty much all wear masks. There is nothing wrong with this, as long as we know we are doing it and choose to wear the right masks at the right time for the right reason.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The normal purpose of a mask is to hide a person's true identity. This can be good or bad, depending on the reason behind it. In some past cultures people wore masks to a ball so that they could do whatever they wished without the normal consequences. They could flirt behind the back of their spouse, and even take someone else to bed, believing none would be the wiser. Or today a person might wear a mask when committing a robbery or burglary, so that anyone around (and any hidden cameras) would find it impossible to identify them, allowing them to enjoy the proceeds of the crime without fear of arrest and imprisonment. These are examples of bad reasons for wearing a mask to hide your identity.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">But hiding your identity in order to replace it with another can also be a good thing. Replace the word "identity" with "personality" and you should see what I mean. Perhaps your normal identity is to be rather shy and withdrawn. But then you are invited to a lively party. Wearing a mask to that party could make you forget your shy identity and simply enjoy yourself. Not for any nefarious reasons, not to prevent others from knowing who you are, but in essence to hide your own identity from yourself, allowing you to break out of that identity, enjoying things that your "normal" personality would not enjoy. As long as the way in which you are enjoying yourself is not harmful to others or yourself, this is a good thing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Also, we "put on" different identities or personalities depending on the situations we are in. Many people wear a suit when they go to work, even if the company rules do not require this. Why? Because they enjoy wearing a suit? Maybe. But more likely because they find when they put on the suit they also put on a particular personality. A personality that behaves in the right way in the work situation, even if this personality is something very different from their "normal" personality. Some people even do this when they are working at home and will not be seen by anybody. They find it is a good way to assume work mode even though they are in a place where normally they would expect to relax and enjoy leisure time. So the suit is, itself, a form of mask.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">There are other reasons for wearing masks besides hiding "normal" personalities and assuming different personalities, although that is probably the most usual reason. For example, think about the plague masks used by doctors during the era of the Black Death. These masks were intended to stop the bacteria passing from the plague victim to the doctor. The doctors did not, at that time, understand plague was caused by bacteria, but they did recognize there was something within the victim that could pass through the air and infect them unless they put up a barrier to stop this happening. Even today you can see a kind of plague mask, where people wear a face mask either to stop themselves infecting others or to avoid being infected by others. These are all physical examples of using masks as a form of protection. But the concept can also apply to personalities we assume. Personalities that attempt to insulate us from "infection" by people around - with "infection" perhaps referring to being influenced in any way by them. I would suggest this is not really a good use of masks. It is true that there are what I would refer to as emotional vampires around us - people who seem to suck all the energy and positivity out of us, making us feel miserable and helpless. But the best way to limit this is to avoid mixing with such people rather than to build a hard and solid barrier mask around us, preventing us from empathizing with anyone.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">So, is it a good or a bad thing to wear masks?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It is a good thing if the purpose is to allow you to assume a different but necessary personality in order to achieve what you want to achieve, but subject to certain very clear and important rules.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Firstly, you should never assume a personality with which you are not completely comfortable. Never take on a personality that conflicts with your true inner nature. By definition it will be different, but it must not conflict. An extreme negative example of this is so-called "conversion therapy". This is a pseudo scientific process trying to make a person change their sexual orientation. For example, making someone who is homosexual turn into someone who is heterosexual. This is a very harmful process, whether a formal external therapy is used or simply an individual who is homosexual tries to force himself or herself to "wear a mask" of a heterosexual person. Never allow your masks to deny your true inner nature.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Secondly, you must always recognize a mask for what it is. A mask is not your true inner self. It is just a mask. Do not allow yourself to become confused and think that you are the personality represented by the mask.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Thirdly, and linked to the second rule, never allow the mask to take you over. You are wearing the mask rather than the other way around. Perhaps you should watch (or watch again) the Jim Carrey film "The Mask" to remind yourself of the danger of allowing any of your masks to take control of your life. Know that they are simply masks that you can, and should, easily remove and put away when their function is no longer required.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Finally, and again linked to the above, never wear your mask for too long. If you do, there is a real danger you will break both the second and third rules. If you have a "work mask" you may wonder how you can avoid wearing it for too long. You can avoid doing so by making sure you take that mask off the moment you stop work. This includes not only when you go home at the end of your work day, but also in any work breaks you may have, especially your lunch break. Where possible, go away during your lunch break rather than having lunch at your desk (if you are an office worker) and maintaining your work personality. I have to admit that I am very bad at following this rule. I recognize it may not always be possible to do this. As long as you are certain you are not in danger of breaking the other rules then this may be ok, but keep a very close eye on what is happening and be prepared to take action if you sense any such danger at all.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">So, what masks are you going to wear today? Should you be wearing them? And if you should, remember to take them off when they are no longer required.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13089385185861315026noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380277337055086013.post-32738581581683307112018-10-03T01:31:00.000-07:002018-10-03T01:31:04.970-07:00What is Stopping You<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5Ovvu7zpYIU/W7R75XDKfTI/AAAAAAAAB10/fVcdW3RKyvQQS6eAdTNQvajbb6o21UkrwCLcBGAs/s1600/the-door-is-open-1483252.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5Ovvu7zpYIU/W7R75XDKfTI/AAAAAAAAB10/fVcdW3RKyvQQS6eAdTNQvajbb6o21UkrwCLcBGAs/s320/the-door-is-open-1483252.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">What is stopping you from achieving what you <i>REALLY</i> want to achieve in your life?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Stop whatever you are doing, including reading any further yet, and focus on this totally. Focus on it as if your life depended on it. In a way, it does! If you can identify this properly you will make a massive positive change in your life.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">If you are reading this paragraph you should already have identified a number of obstacles that are preventing you from realizing your dream. No? Then stop reading, and focus again. Don't come back until you have listed those obstacles.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The list you have created is, I can almost guarantee, neither accurate nor complete, but it is at least a start. What you now need to do is work on it to increase the accuracy and to expand the list. I will give you a few ideas here of ways to do both, but don't limit yourself to what I am saying. This project is absolutely unique and personal to you. Nobody else can tell you what should be on your list. Others, like me, can give you pointers, but only you can produce it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Once you have a good, accurate list of the obstacles it is far easier to find ways to remove those obstacles, one by one. You may not remove them all. And you may only partially remove some, but every step you take is a step closer to realizing your dream, to having an infinitely more fulfilling and more enjoyable life.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">One big obstacle that almost everyone faces is an inner blindness. A failure to recognize when the right door has opened for you. I am a firm believer in the power of the Law of Attraction. What you really focus on will come to be. The way the Universe helps you achieve this is by opening the right doors for you. It doesn't push you through the doorway though. It opens the door and now it is totally down to you firstly to see that open door and secondly to take action and walk through it. Unfortunately all of us miss so many of those open doors. The Universe does not give up on us. When we miss one open door it opens another. Sometimes there will be many open doors and if we step through any one of them we will be that much closer to our dream.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Often, you will find the open door is an offer from someone to provide you with something you need in order to get where you need to be. Sometimes the offer will be completely without any cost or obligation, and sometimes it will be, perhaps, a business opportunity that does require some investment or commitment. Be prepared to recognize and take advantage of both.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">One difficulty many of us face is being able to distinguish between fake and genuine offers. We can be held back by the phrase <i>"if it is too good to be true, it probably isn't true"</i>. There are very many cases where that truism most certainly applies. If someone offers you $1 Million just for providing a means for the money to be spirited out of their country into yours I can guarantee the offer <i>IS</i> too good to be true! But don't allow the preponderance of so many such fake offers to hide from you those offers that aren't too good to be true. Usually you can rely on your intuition and common sense to decide which are false and which are true.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">For example, you may find someone is offering you free access to some information or help that will take you closer to your goal, and when you review what is on offer you can see it is probably being done in order to attract you to something that you <i>WILL</i> have to pay for if you want to take advantage of it. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this. There is a vast pool of really genuine and helpful information out there that you can take advantage of for free if you wish. Don't hold back, cynically assu</span><span style="font-size: large;">ming it cannot be worth anything if it is being offered for free. Recognize that it has real value. The reason it is being offered free is because the business or person offering it believes the cost of doing so is a worthwhile marketing expense to have the chance to put something else in front of you that is <i>NOT</i> free. If you have been reading my blogs for sometime, and especially if you are one of my e-mail subscribers, you will know I do this all the time! Most of what I suggest my subscribers and blog readers look at is completely free. I have already checked out the people behind the offers and know that they are genuine, and therefore am happy to risk my personal reputation by passing on those offers. If you have taken advantage of any of them you will know that there is genuine good information and help there that can bring you so much closer to your goals, and that although what is then being offered for sale may get you to them quicker you do not necessarily need to take advantage of it unless you genuinely believe it is the right thing to do. Very many of my subscribers take advantage of the free offers but never then feel obliged to spend any money.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">So drop that cynical <i>"it can't be true"</i> attitude and see any such genuine offers for what they are. The cynics will avoid them all, congratulating themselves that they have not been caught by some scam or other. But in doing so they have thrown the baby away with the bath water. Yes, be vigilant - recognize and avoid scams. But be ready to take advantage of any genuine free offers that can take you closer to your goals. I personally do this all the time and do not regret doing so in any instance.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Offers of this kind are, of course, by no means the only open doors. Take off your blinkers and look for all those other open doors. Genuine offers of help from friends, for example. The right person being there for you at exactly the right time. Don't assume there must be something wrong if there is an open door to help you get you where you need to be. The Universe has opened that door for you, so step through it!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Another obstacle you may identify is lack of financial resources. In other words, money! We all have this obstacle to achieving at least some of our dreams. Note it down, but don't allow it to depress you. Be open to ways the Universe may help you get the financial resources you need. Also, be aware that sometimes we don't actually need money to get where we want to be even though when we first look at it we think we do need money. Be open to other ways of achieving the dream. Again, this comes down to looking for the doors the Universe is opening for us. Everything comes back to those open doors.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Finally, I promised to remind you how to increase the accuracy of your list of obstacles. To a degree I have already done this if you follow everything I have said above. But what you also need to do is meditate on your goals. I have said this before and make no apology for saying it again. Meditating on the goal will help you determine whether it is a genuine goal, but it will also help you find ways of achieving it. Ways that would otherwise never have occurred to you. Ways to avoid what you thought were obstacles preventing you from getting there but are really just figments of your imagination.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">What is stopping you from achieving your goals? Probably the biggest obstacle is <i>YOU</i>! Focus on those goals, make sure they are genuine, and then simply be determined to achieve them. Do this and you <i>WILL</i> get there!</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13089385185861315026noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380277337055086013.post-33587736486195300322018-09-25T23:36:00.000-07:002018-09-25T23:36:26.331-07:00The coldest hour is just before the dawn<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mo8G709rnPo/W6siLQmwfmI/AAAAAAAAB1M/qFASbwSUBIQuTXSMIMZZaN3mqRCGMuwggCLcBGAs/s1600/sunset-rays-1391805.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mo8G709rnPo/W6siLQmwfmI/AAAAAAAAB1M/qFASbwSUBIQuTXSMIMZZaN3mqRCGMuwggCLcBGAs/s320/sunset-rays-1391805.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Have you ever felt at the end of your tether and decided that you are never going to reach your goal and perhaps you should simply just give up?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Probably this has happened to you on a number of occasions. You may have had a lot of goals when you were younger but one by one watched them fade into the night. Don't despair if that is the case. You are not alone. It happens to most of us.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">But also, don't believe that it is inevitable. It is not. It can actually only happen if you allow it to happen. If you are determined to reach your goal no matter what, then reach it you will. Eventually.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Sometimes the goal itself is wrong. As I have said in many other posts we often believe we have one goal but when we dig deep we realize our true goal was something quite different. Our true goals form deep within us, and as they pass up from those depths they can get distorted. Sometimes they end up distorted beyond all recognition. So it is important every so often to sit and meditate, reflecting on your goals, and try to see through any distortions to the true goal deep inside.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Once you know you are focused on the right goals, recognize that there are likely to be many obstacles on the way towards those goals.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">If you think about it, you probably wouldn't want it any other way. If there were no obstacles it wouldn't really be a goal at all, would it? For example, for most of us eating dinner isn't a goal. It is just something we do. Something that is hopefully enjoyable. But not a goal. For most of us there are no obstacles to eating that dinner.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Those obstacles are there ready to be challenged and overcome. The stronger your desire to reach the goal, the greater your power to overcome the obstacles. If you really want to reach that goal, and if it is the right goal for you, then you have all the power you need within you to overcome the hurdles and even pass through apparent solid walls between you and the goal.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Sometimes we are closest to the goal when it seems further away than it has ever been. Whenever things seem bleak and whenever it seems that no matter what you try you can never reach your goal, a</span><span style="font-size: large;">lways remember that</span><span style="font-size: large;"> you are probably the closest you have ever been to reaching it</span><span style="font-size: large;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Have you ever heard the expression <i>"The darkest hour is just before the dawn"</i>? It was introduced by Thomas Fuller in 1650.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Scientifically this is not true, but the metaphor here really is true. Perhaps we should change it to <i>"The coldest hour is just before the dawn"</i>, as that conveys a similar meaning and is also factually correct!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It is so often the case that everything seems dark, bleak and cold immediately before a radical change when everything becomes light, colourful and warm.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Only very recently I felt I was near the end of the possibility of reaching an important goal. I have been struggling for several years to reach it, knowing it is a long term goal that will take many years to reach. I say "struggling", which sounds negative, but most of the time it has been a positive "struggle" not a negative one, so perhaps I am using the wrong word here. But only a few days ago it really seemed to me that I had reached a dead end. The road seemed darker and colder than it had ever been before. Did I give up? No! I prepared for the possibility that I had been trying to reach the wrong goal and that I might have to re-define it. But then my natural inner positivity made me also accept that perhaps the negatives I saw all around me were illusions rather than the goal being an illusion. The moment I reached that point I took an action to move forward one more step, a step into the dark and apparently up to a sold blocking wall. When I did this it was as if a hidden door was opened for me. I stepped through and found myself the other side of that wall and am now well on the way to achieving this long term goal.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">So when you feel all is conspiring against you and that you can never reach your goals do not give up. Yes, re-evaluate your goals and make sure they really are the right goals - but this is something you should always be doing anyway. Once you have reassured yourself that you are headed in the right direction, relax in the knowledge that there is an all-powerful, beneficent force out there that will provide the ways and means for you to reach your goals as long as you keep on working towards them.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13089385185861315026noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380277337055086013.post-40190782385163500902018-09-19T01:21:00.000-07:002018-09-19T01:21:05.452-07:00Positive Liberty<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-h43hI4o-lGk/W5jLY9cuPqI/AAAAAAAAB0w/0n1smBzx-8MXfJz0c7zpdIKMs1XTuLDSgCLcBGAs/s1600/statue-of-liberty-1442160.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1205" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-h43hI4o-lGk/W5jLY9cuPqI/AAAAAAAAB0w/0n1smBzx-8MXfJz0c7zpdIKMs1XTuLDSgCLcBGAs/s320/statue-of-liberty-1442160.jpg" width="241" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">What is Liberty?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This can be quite an emotive word, and one that can cause a lot of misunderstanding. Probably everyone who reads this believes in freedom, in liberty. It is the way the word is interpreted that can cause sometimes quite passionate differences. Many people at different ends of the political spectrum may totally believe their interpretation is the only correct interpretation, and are therefore incapable of understanding the points of view of those at the other end of the spectrum.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">For the purpose of this article, though, I am focused on a very particular form of liberty. An aspect of what Isaiah Berlin referred to in 1958 as "Positive Liberty". Berlin introduced the idea that there are two basic forms of liberty that are quite different - "Negative Liberty" and "Positive Liberty". </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Negative Liberty (or Negative Freedom - the two words are quite interchangeable here) is all about the removal of external restraints. You could say it is the Liberty that concerned the Founding Fathers of the United States. The Liberty that is central to both the Constitution of the United States itself, and the First Amendment of the Constitution. A system that allows people the freedom to do, say, think and believe whatever they wish as long as it does not interfere with the freedom of others. The freedom we expect from a democracy and recognize is not present in a totalitarian system.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Positive Liberty is quite different. It is not concerned with removing external forces that prevent us from acting in the way we wish, but rather the removal of internal restraints.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Both forms of liberty are ideals. In my view, ideals for which we can and should always strive, but also ideals we will never completely achieve. Striving for the ideal of negative liberty is a political aspiration. I hope you have reasonable negative liberty wherever you are, and wish you all the best if you are striving for greater liberty.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Striving for positive liberty is central to personal development. In my view it is even more important than negative liberty. It is possible to live in quite a controlling political system but still be happy and feel free because one has positive liberty. But it is not possible to be happy and feel free without any positive liberty no matter how free the political system may be.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">What do I mean by positive liberty? I mean removing all the internal constraints that prevent us from achieving what we want to achieve. The human spirit is an amazing thing. There are virtually no limits to what it can achieve if it really wishes to do so - provided it doesn't have internal limits constraining it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Let me give you a simple example of an internal restraint restricting positive liberty. Imagine you live in a village in a completely free and safe society (in fact, I hope you do!). You have an appointment with a friend in the next village which is a pleasant 15 minute walk away. The friend is leaving for many months and you have something important you want to discuss with her before she leaves. She is very busy preparing for her trip and was only able to book you in just before she has to leave, which is in half an hour. You only need 10 minutes with her, so you are happy that you are in plenty of time. When you are only 5 minutes away you have a sudden desire to smoke. You reach into your pocket and realize you forgot your cigarettes. The desire to smoke is so strong you turn around and walk back home to get your cigarettes, even though you know that means you will probably now not have enough time to have that important discussion with your friend before she leaves.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">In that example, how free were you? Nobody was stopping you from visiting your friend. No policeman barred your way and told you to go home. But nevertheless you were not free to do what you really wanted to do - because you lack positive liberty.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I know many people reading this will feel quite smug. <i>"I don't have a tobacco addiction, or an addiction to anything else, so this could never happen to me!"</i> If so, I am pleased for you. It is good you are not addicted to anything. But I only used the example of an addiction to tobacco as the concept was simple and something all my readers could follow.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The reality is that we all have inner barriers and restrictions that so often prevent us from achieving what we really want to achieve. They are not as obvious as an addiction, but the way in which they restrict our positive liberty can be just as strong.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">For example, an inner belief that you are not good enough to deserve whatever it is you are striving to achieve. This is a very common limit to positive liberty.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Or an inner belief that what you are trying to obtain is a bad thing - even though you know full well it is not. Again, a very common limit to positive liberty.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">These inner restraints that limit our positive liberty are quite insidious. It is almost as if they know that if you could shine the light of day on them they would burn up and disappear completely, like the vampires they are! So they hide deep down within you, shunning the light of day and never really letting you know they are there. You believe you are free to do what you want, to achieve whatever you put your mind to, but you are not. First you have to identify and then clear away these inner limits to your freedom.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The next time you think about what it is you want to achieve, try to become aware of the inner constraints holding you back, your limiting beliefs. There are many ways to do this, the best of which is to have "clearing" sessions with a good energy healer, such as <a href="http://mval.li/?a=84&c=2643&p=r&s1=" target="_blank">Christie Marie Sheldon</a>. You can book a free energy clearing masterclass here:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://mval.li/?a=84&c=2643&p=r&s1=" target="_blank">Love or Above Free Masterclass</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Even if you decide not to go that route, find a way, any way that works for you, to identify and clear your limiting beliefs yourself. For example, while thinking about your goal have a blank sheet of paper in front of you and sit with pen in hand. Write down all the thoughts that come to you. Don't be critical about those thoughts, simply write them down. When you have finished the exercise look at what you have written and I think you will be amazed. You will almost certainly see lots of limiting beliefs there. Now you have exposed them to the hard light of day, focus on each and recognize the error of such a belief. Watch it crumble into dust before your eyes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Do this and you will make a massive difference to your positive liberty. Release those inner limiting beliefs and be free!</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13089385185861315026noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380277337055086013.post-85186923898567198352018-09-12T06:00:00.000-07:002018-09-12T06:00:08.517-07:00Listen<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1Ysnoj6APRA/W5IZHVuPbUI/AAAAAAAAB0k/KEe6cjjyAwkmO-YeBCBVKHT7wXDMyffJQCLcBGAs/s1600/friendship-1419480.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1Ysnoj6APRA/W5IZHVuPbUI/AAAAAAAAB0k/KEe6cjjyAwkmO-YeBCBVKHT7wXDMyffJQCLcBGAs/s320/friendship-1419480.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">How well do you communicate?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">When I asked that question did you think about getting your message across to others? Or did you consider whether or not you really take in the messages others are trying to get across to you?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Effective communication requires both, but especially the latter. Most of us are too focussed on the former (but still don't get that right) and almost completely ignore the latter.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It has been said many times that there is a reason God gave us two ears but only one mouth!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The most effective communicators listen carefully to what those around them are saying. If you DO listen carefully you may be surprised at what you sometimes hear. Not necessarily what is said outwardly, although that too, but especially the often partially hidden inner message.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Listening to what others are saying, and the frequently different inner meaning, doesn't mean you have to agree with them. But once you know where they are coming from it is a lot easier to know how to get across to them what YOU want them to hear and understand. Or to realize that you might be wasting your time trying to do so with this particular person and be better off finding someone more likely to be open to what you are saying.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Listening is also important, of course, for its own sake, not simply as a means for targeting your own messages more effectively. Everyone has needs, and some of those needs are ones you can answer. Maybe you can answer them with very little effort or cost to yourself, but help another person achieve great things as a result. If so, then don't be humble, don't keep thinking that you can be of little help. Do what you can and you may be very surprised by the result. Try to do so selflessly, but at the same time always remember that one way or another what you do comes back to you. Help others and you will find good things ultimately come to you as a direct or indirect result. As Qoheleth (who was probably King Solomon) said in Ecclesiastes 11: <i>"Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days"</i>. There are many quite different interpretations of this, but I certainly feel one meaning is that the good things you do will come back to you and help you long after you do them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">In any relationship listening is especially important. Do not be that person who sits watching television and responds to everything his or her spouse says with comments like <i>"yes, dear!"</i> but actually is not really listening at all. Have a proper conversation. Really listen closely to what is being said, and perhaps even more to what is NOT being said! Doing this can completely turn your relationship around, in a really good way!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This doesn't apply just in relationships of course. From now on try to listen to and understand what people are saying and what they are not saying.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">When nations insist on trumpeting their own beliefs and needs, and stop listening entirely to the beliefs and needs of other nations around them, this is often a pre-cursor to war. We all need to listen more. To understand the feelings and the needs of those around us. What we do when we do reach this understanding is up to us. Maybe it won't change the way we feel and the actions we are going to take, or maybe it will. But even if there is no change we will at least be acting from a much stronger and much better informed position.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Take a decision right now that you are going to listen much harder, that you are going to try much harder to understand what it is that those around you want. Again, I should remind you that I am not saying you should necessarily then GIVE them what they want. But when you have a much better understanding of the feelings, wishes, and needs of everyone around you I can guarantee you will be in a much stronger position. You will have a much better control of what is happening around you. Why settle for any less?</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13089385185861315026noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380277337055086013.post-42570491435417389042018-09-05T00:29:00.000-07:002018-09-05T00:29:09.338-07:00Fish or Snake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dW_Kl7tan58/W4-DYkM-YqI/AAAAAAAAB0Y/ZnYj-pMZQnUznY09KdB3OM9HwaMaIoPpgCLcBGAs/s1600/snake-1404344.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1203" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dW_Kl7tan58/W4-DYkM-YqI/AAAAAAAAB0Y/ZnYj-pMZQnUznY09KdB3OM9HwaMaIoPpgCLcBGAs/s320/snake-1404344.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">A boy went to his father and asked him for a snake. The father was surprised by this request. Very surprised! He looked around for a snake that would neither crush (such as a boa constrictor) nor give venomous bites so his son could have what he asked for but still be safe from danger. This took him some time, as he wanted to be really certain the gift would be safe. Eventually he found a nice grass snake and proudly gave this to his son. The boy looked at his father wide-eyed and asked "why have you given me this instead of a fish? Do you expect me to eat a snake?"</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Rather a silly story don't you think? And if you know your Bible you may recognize it as a twist on Matthew 7:10. A father will not give his son a snake if he asks for a fish. But will he give him a snake if the son, intending to ask for a fish, asks instead for a snake?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The reason I have told this silly story, and maybe risked offending some Christians who won't like me changing something Jesus said, is that it illustrates something that is going on all the time. Something I can pretty much guarantee YOU are doing. All of us, me included, sometimes have great problems communicating what we really want to communicate. This is nothing to be ashamed of - it is the human condition. But it IS something we should recognize.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Recognizing the communication problem we all have is extremely important. Even if we find it difficult or perhaps even impossible to communicate effectively all the time, we should at least be aware that we are frequently miscommunicating. If we are aware of this we are much less likely to act the way the son did when he blamed his father for not understanding what he wanted. We can step back and recognize that the problem is probably ours rather than someone else's.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">At a national level, the difficulty in communicating properly literally causes wars. At a personal level it causes breakdowns in relationships - resulting in tragic and perhaps completely unneccessary divorces, and the loss of what should have been great and deep friendships.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The difficulty in communicating often starts with a difficulty in even understanding what it is we really want. A desire begins deep inside. It is a desire for something good and wholesome. Something that will make us happy but will also do good in the world, create lasting change for good. As that desire rises through the different levels of our mind and spirit it becomes tainted. It changes. Until it becomes a desire for something completely different once it reaches the upper levels of our conscious mind. We communicate that often horribly mutated desire, are given a snake instead of a fish, and then wonder why we are unhappy and are not satisfied even though we have achieved and/or acquired what we thought we wanted.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I have said this many times in other blogs, and make no apology for saying it again, as I believe it is one of the major keys to unlocking a fulfilled, successful life. If you want to be successful the first thing you must do is strip away all the camouflage that has so distorted your deep, inner desires. Find out what it is you TRULY want rather than what you THINK you want. Do this by taking some time, every day, to sit quietly and meditate. Breathe deeply and slowly. Relax. Close your eyes. See in your mind's eye a beautiful garden. Notice what lovely flowers, beautiful trees, and delicious fruits are growing in the garden. Let those lovely things speak to you. If you do this often and properly you will be amazed at the way in which your own inner communication changes. You will begin to understand much better what you truly want.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Once you know what you really want, you can ask the Universe for it, and can also go out and find it. As you go looking for it, and doing whatever may be necessary to achieve or acquire your desire, you will find the way towards it is much better prepared and signposted than you expected. This is the way the Universe gives us what we ask for. Not by letting us just sit there waiting for it to appear, but by allowing us to see so much more clearly how to get it once we know what it really is.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>“Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" </i> Matthew 7: 9-11</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13089385185861315026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380277337055086013.post-49215520014436429632018-08-21T23:57:00.000-07:002018-08-21T23:57:39.848-07:00Ask and you will receive<div class="separator tr_bq" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XOVemsm_Qxc/W30Gm_lPP0I/AAAAAAAABz0/vMEZPIylTpUZYfMilkG5uHXgnXHdCY2VgCLcBGAs/s1600/passionate-prayer-1315195.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1337" data-original-width="1600" height="267" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XOVemsm_Qxc/W30Gm_lPP0I/AAAAAAAABz0/vMEZPIylTpUZYfMilkG5uHXgnXHdCY2VgCLcBGAs/s320/passionate-prayer-1315195.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">You get what you ask for. How true is this?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">If you ask most people around you whether this is true or not, most will say no. They will recount many tales of asking for something they wanted and being refused.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It is true that most, if not all, of us have asked for something and not received what we thought we should. But I still maintain you DO get what you ask for, even though there is often a delay, and even though when it arrives we may not recognize it really IS what we asked for.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">First let's consider the delay.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Most of us live in a society of instant gratification. When we want something we believe it is our right to get it right away. Our grandparents, and even probably our parents, lived in a society where if you wanted something you worked out how to get it, and then put a plan in place. That plan may have lasted several years. If it was something material they would put aside what they could afford out of their wages and gradually save up until they had enough money to go out and buy it. Many, and perhaps even most, of our generation have a very different experience. We are encouraged to go out and get whatever it is we want right now and then worry about paying for it later. And probably my choice of the word "worry" is a good one in these circumstances!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">But when you decide you want something, and you ask for it, you should not expect instant gratification and then complain when you don't get it. The reality is that most things you ask for in life will take time to arrive. If you then get disappointed or even angry because they don't arrive right away you will effectively be "cancelling your order". So don't be surprised if then whatever it is you wanted never materializes. Don't allow the "buy now, pay later" culture to deceive you into thinking you have a right to instant gratification.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Have you heard about the "Marshmallow Test"? This was an experiment conducted in 1960 at Stanford University. Children were led into a room where there was a treat on the table. Something they had indicated to the experimenter that they wanted - e.g. a marshmallow. They were then told that they could eat the treat now, but if they waited 15 minutes without eating it they would get two instead of one. Do you know how many children were able to wait just 15 minutes? Only a third! They all knew they would get double the pleasure if they waited, but two thirds simply couldn't wait and ate that one marshmallow rather than waiting a short time and getting two. The younger the child the less likely he or she was likely to wait. In 1960 we were not really in the "buy now, pay later" culture, so I imagine if this experiment were conducted today, even adults would be guilty of taking instant pleasure rather than delaying and increasing their pleasure.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Learn to wait silently, knowing the Universe really wants to give you what it is you really want but that it probably won't give it to you right away. Be patient.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Now consider the nature of what you receive. Is it exactly what you asked for?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Often it is not. Quite often it seems to be so different that we don't even appreciate that we really have received what we asked for. You may be familiar with this hymn by William Cowper. Read it carefully and take note. If you believe in God, whether as a Christian, Jew, Muslim, Sikh, Hindu, or with any other religious belief, then read it exactly as written. Or substitute the word "Universe" for "God". But take in the meaning and reflect on it deeply:</span></div>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">"God moves in a mysterious way </span><span style="font-size: large;">His wonders to perform; </span><span style="font-size: large;">He plants His footsteps in the sea </span><span style="font-size: large;">and rides upon the storm. </span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"></span></i></blockquote>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Deep in unfathomable mines </span><span style="font-size: large;">of never-failing skill; </span><span style="font-size: large;">He treasures up his bright designs, </span><span style="font-size: large;">and works His sov'reign will. </span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"></span></i></blockquote>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take; </span><span style="font-size: large;">the clouds you so much dread </span><span style="font-size: large;">are big with mercy and shall break</span><span style="font-size: large;">in blessings on your head. </span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"></span></i></blockquote>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, </span><span style="font-size: large;">but trust Him for His grace; </span><span style="font-size: large;">behind a frowning providence </span><span style="font-size: large;">He hides a smiling face.</span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"></span></i></blockquote>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">His purposes will ripen fast, </span><span style="font-size: large;">unfolding ev'ry hour; </span><span style="font-size: large;">the bud may have a bitter taste, </span><span style="font-size: large;">but sweet will be the flow'r.</span><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"></span></i></blockquote>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;">Blind unbelief is sure to err, </span><span style="font-size: large;">and scan His work in vain; </span><span style="font-size: large;">God is His own interpreter, </span><span style="font-size: large;">and He will make it plain."</span></i></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: large;">A very powerful message! God, or the Universe, DOES give us the good things we ask for, but perhaps not in the way we expected and perhaps not in the form we originally imagined. Trust this concept, as it is absolutely true.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">From now on, live your life knowing that you WILL receive good things and that it IS very worthwhile asking for them. Be open minded. Know that the Universe does not act like an errant credit card, allowing and even encouraging you to build up a big debt to get NOW whatever it is you may want. Nor does it always deliver what it was you THOUGHT you were asking for. But it WILL deliver good things to you if you just ask and wait patiently.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">At the risk of offending those who don't like religion, let me close with this quote from Matthew chapter 7. Whether or not you are religious and whether or not that religion is Christian, reflect on the meaning of this passage:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<blockquote style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> <i>“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.</i></span><i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;"></span></i></blockquote>
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<blockquote style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!"</span></i></blockquote>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13089385185861315026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380277337055086013.post-28275777156853772392018-08-15T06:45:00.000-07:002018-08-15T06:45:10.586-07:00You will never reach your goal<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GANG5A_ZVqg/W3QqF5pbPEI/AAAAAAAABzk/p5HVW6_NAasxvGQNg3l85-CQuc39rk8NACLcBGAs/s1600/failure-1160971.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1592" data-original-width="1600" height="318" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GANG5A_ZVqg/W3QqF5pbPEI/AAAAAAAABzk/p5HVW6_NAasxvGQNg3l85-CQuc39rk8NACLcBGAs/s320/failure-1160971.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Have you ever almost reached your goal, only to have the rug pulled out from underneath your feet just when that goal was in sight?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Have you ever actually reached your goal, but before you can start to enjoy it you find something has happened to make you walk away from it?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Be honest here. These are two very common problems faced by most people. If this has never happened to you then all I can say is that you are very lucky and are in a very small minority. And just because it has not happened yet, this doesn't mean it will never happen to you in the future!</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">As this is such a common problem I feel it is very important to address it again, even though I have referred to it in a number of different blog articles. What can you do to stop this happening, or at least to minimize the chance of it happening? The first step is to recognize the problem. If you understand the causes you have a much better chance of moving in a different direction and stopping the "self sabotage" from happening in the first place.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">There are three distinct reasons here, any one of which can result in the prize of your achievement being snatched away, and all of which can work together to make it virtually impossible for you to realize your dreams. If you do not address them I would go as far as to say you will never achieve your goals.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">The first I will call "Fear of Failure". The second is "Fear of Success". The third is "Incorrect Goal Identification".</span></div>
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<h3 style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Fear of Failure</span></h3>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Fear of Failure is very common. I would go as far as to say virtually everyone suffers from Fear of Failure.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Recently I read a novel by Celeste Ng called <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0735224293/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0735224293&linkCode=as2&tag=iwantoimpmys-20&linkId=4d59a24b269fff43053ed852ba4534b2" target="_blank">"Little Fires Everywhere"</a></i>. This is a well written novel with quite a complex plot line. But to me the strongest element was the self-destructive instincts of a mother who was afraid her youngest daughter would not develop in the way she hoped. You could almost say she loved her daughter too much, although I personally don't believe in the concept of "loving too much", but only of allowing that deep love to express itself in inappropriate and destructive ways. Because she was so afraid that certain things would happen, the mother unintentionally caused those very things to happen. If she had simply expressed her love for her youngest in the same way as she did for her other children, my reading of the novel is that her youngest daughter would have grown up as "completely normal" rather than the maladjusted child she became.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This is very typical of all of us. We are afraid that we won't achieve what we want to achieve. This causes us to focus on all the things that could go wrong rather than on all the things that we could do to ensure we are successful. Often we get very close to success despite all that wrong focus. But eventually the wrong focus comes home to roost.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We often see this in the way a lot of relationships go wrong. One party fears the other might stop loving them and find someone else. They have no logical reason for this fear, but gradually it grows and takes over their life. Instead of being the beautiful positive thing it should be, the relationship becomes toxic. The party who feels this way begins to read the wrong signs into everything. If their other half smiles at someone they believe this means they are transferring their affections to that other person. Every innocent action is given a completely different reason, building a picture of betrayal - a betrayal that simply doesn't exist, yet! The more this goes on, the more toxic the relationship becomes. The other party is almost forced into a position where they stop loving the other, or at least find that love considerably diluted. They cannot understand what has happened, but simply know that the relationship is not working. And so they start looking for a better relationship elsewhere - the very thing that the person responsible for this change feared would happen.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The same thing can, and often does, happen with other life goals, not simply relationships.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">You want to become wealthier. At first you are excited by this goal, imagining you now have all the things you could have if you WERE wealthier. Having imagined having them, you then imagine them being taken away or never having managed to get them in the first place. This makes you feel rotten. But you now believe this is the most likely outcome. You think of all the things that can go wrong and stop you achieving your wealth goal. Your focus changes from what you can do to get wealthier, to what can stop you getting wealthier. All the negatives seem to add up to something much more powerful than the positives. Eventually, the Universe gets the message - you are focussed on not getting wealthy, so that is what it is going to ensure happens to you.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Be aware that this not only CAN happen, but very often does. Defeat it by focussing again on the goal and the pleasure it will bring, and don't allow all those negative voices to take your power away from you.</span></div>
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<h3 style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Fear of Success</span></h3>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Fear of Success is really a kind of evolved Fear of Failure. You recognize that when you achieve what you want to achieve you can easily lose it. So you then focus on how that would make you feel. Your impression is that if you achieve it and then lose it you will be a lot unhappier than if you never achieved it in the first place. I think you can immediately see where this is leading. The closer you get to success, the stronger you feel this worry about how achieving and then losing is worse than not achieving at all. So your subconscious decides the best thing is to ensure you never achieve success in the first place. Once your subconscious makes this decision you may as well give up trying. You cannot defeat your subconscious - it is far more powerful than your conscious mind.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The answer, of course is to ensure you do not send this kind of message to your subconscious in the first place.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">The reality is that we win and lose things all the time in the game of life. Take pleasure from your wins, and don't focus on the losses. Don't allow the very real fear that something in the future will change and take away what you have initially achieved, to stop you from achieving in the first place.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<h3 style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Incorrect Goal Identification</span></h3>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Again this is something I have covered many times in different blog articles. But it is extremely important. If you don't give a great deal of thought to the goals you are working towards I can almost guarantee they will be the wrong goals. The desire for success comes from deep within. As it rises to the surface it becomes modified. And when it reaches your conscious mind it is usually something completely different from the original intended goal. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">When you then start going after what you think is your goal, your subconscious sees it is not the original goal. So it doesn't try to help you achieve it. Even worse, in many cases the modified goal will be counter-productive and will move you away from what the true goal should have been. If so, not only will your subconscious not help you achieve it, but it will actively work to stop you achieving it. In the unlikely event that you achieve the goal, you will never be really happy with it, as it is not the goal you really wanted to achieve even though you never knew this.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to dive deep within yourself and find out what that original true goal is. You do this by noting down what you think are your goals and then sit still and meditate on it. As you do so you will be going deep within yourself where you are more likely to find the true goal itself. When you come out of that meditation, note down your feelings and thoughts arising from the meditation. You will probably need to do this many times before you truly identify your real goals, but every hour you spend doing this is an hour very well spent. Identify your true goals and you will be setting yourself up for really achieving them.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13089385185861315026noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380277337055086013.post-35787757853367718352018-08-08T00:45:00.000-07:002018-08-08T00:45:11.581-07:00Limiting Beliefs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vzVhaSO3HHk/W2f8gJUUHCI/AAAAAAAABzE/T6kkIojC-SwfuKBOwNOTZybOKx61GPIYwCLcBGAs/s1600/limite-1576579.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vzVhaSO3HHk/W2f8gJUUHCI/AAAAAAAABzE/T6kkIojC-SwfuKBOwNOTZybOKx61GPIYwCLcBGAs/s320/limite-1576579.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Are there any limits on what you can achieve in this life?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">The scientists among you will probably answer this with a resounding "Yes!". Of course there are limits! There are the laws of physics for starters! If you are going to deny the laws of physics, then you clearly don't know what you are talking about!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">The practitioners of the Law of Attraction will probably answer this with a resounding "No!". There ARE no limits to what you can achieve! Know that you can achieve it, know why you want to achieve it, and know that because of this the Universe has already achieved it for you!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Both are right, but also both are wrong.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">I would remind the scientists that even the laws of physics themselves are a changing feast. Nothing in this universe is immutable; everything, including even the basic scientific laws we have believed in for centuries, has the seeds of change within it. Laws help us interpret what is happening around us. They even help us predict what is likely to happen next. But they are not cast in concrete, even though some charlatans who claim to be scientists may tell us they are.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">I would remind the practitioners of the Law of Attraction that there ARE limits - the limits we ourselves create, our limiting beliefs. If you believe you cannot achieve something you are absolutely correct in your belief! And it is that belief which will ultimately prevent you from achieving it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Limiting beliefs arise in many different ways and from many different sources. But often they are linked to that first objection - the belief that the laws of the universe will prevent us from achieving what we want to achieve.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">There is, actually, a very good evolutionary reason for this source of limiting beliefs. There are, of course, actions you can take which place you in danger. If you are tempted to take such actions you will find strong objections rising from within that prevent you following through. If this did not happen you would be much more likely to die, perhaps before you had contributed to the gene pool. By definition, those who lack this protective mechanism are therefore much less likely to have children, and whatever gene "malfunction" stripped away the protection is unlikely to be passed on to the next generation. If you look up "Darwin Awards" online you will see many such examples.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">If you are tempted to step off a skyscraper just to see whether you have developed the ability to fly, but find an inner fear of the likely consequences prevents you, this inherent limiting belief is certainly performing an essential function. But if you are a well trained acrobat you will need to conquer that same fear. The fear that stops someone else doing something stupid can not only limit you from achieving what you need to achieve, but can also appear at just the wrong moment and cause the very harm it is supposed to limit.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">The trouble is, this underlying evolutionary protective mechanism has no way of knowing when it should and when it should not act. If it senses a set of pre-defined circumstances it will swing into action and prevent you achieving what you are trying to achieve. Unless you know how and when to switch it off.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">I have focussed here on physical danger, as that is the most obvious example, and one everyone can follow. But our inherent evolutionary limiting beliefs are by no means confined to physical danger. In fact, they tend to try to prevent any change at all. If you are alive and healthy, then (this internal security guard argues) whatever you have been doing up to now clearly works in your favour. By extension, anything you may wish to do which could change the status quo could bring danger. To be on the safe side your internal security guard will try to lock you into the status quo and block out anything that could change it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">This resistance to change is present within all of us. It is not the only limiting belief by any means. We have all collected hundreds or even thousands of limiting beliefs. But an inherent resistance to change is probably the biggest limiting belief of all.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Being aware you have a limiting belief is always the first required step to remove it. Be aware that you have a natural, innate resistance to change. Don't try to remove the fear of stepping off a skyscraper (unless, of course, you are an acrobat and that is part of your act). You will probably not be successful if you do try, and if you ARE successful it may well be your last success in life! But do look carefully at whatever within you is resisting change, as you need to accept and even demand change if you want to achieve anything at all.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13089385185861315026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380277337055086013.post-52366592216354028432018-08-01T00:12:00.000-07:002018-08-01T00:12:29.618-07:00Follow Your Dream<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-z32hc0j_dcY/W2FXBmNuWdI/AAAAAAAABys/ACjtPU1J470avJDT_PTEkYieuPjEdcQZgCLcBGAs/s1600/dream-1255774.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1071" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-z32hc0j_dcY/W2FXBmNuWdI/AAAAAAAABys/ACjtPU1J470avJDT_PTEkYieuPjEdcQZgCLcBGAs/s320/dream-1255774.jpg" width="214" /></a></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">What is your dream? What do you really want to happen, in your life, in the lives of those around you, and in the world in general?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Think about your answer to this very carefully. This is probably one of the most important questions you have ever asked yourself, or ever will.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Set no limits here. I haven't asked you "what difference can you make", even though that is a very important question too. It is important to focus on making a difference, but when phrased that way it automatically assumes limits. It invites you to exclude anything that you think is too difficult to achieve or that is simply not something "little old you" can achieve in this world. So by all means dream of making a difference, but don't include the word "can" which also implies a whole area of "cannot".</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">There are so many ways to tackle the question "what is my dream?". Try them out for size. Explore them. Apply them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Many people answer the question confusing the "means" with the "end". They may say their dream is to have a million dollars in the bank. I am not criticizing this as a desire. Despite what many may tell you there is nothing wrong with wanting a lot of money. But think about WHY you want all that money. Knowing the reason you WANT a lot of money will make it much more likely you will get it. Money of itself is nothing. It is what having it allows you to achieve that has real meaining. And although I again say there is nothing wrong with money, sometimes when you focus on exactly what it is you want to achieve when you have the money you may find ways of achieving it without needing a million in your bank account!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Some people find their answer to this question by imagining they have been given a limited time to live and then focus on what is really important to them, what they want to do in that limited remaining time. This is a good exercise. Especially because actually it is very true. You DO have a limited time to live! There are not many guarantees in this life, but that is one thing I can absolutely guarantee! You probably don't know when you are going to die, in fact I hope you don't. But you do know that one day you ARE going to die. So in the meantime, why live your life like a zombie, just doing the things you always do because you always do them? Instead, live your life to fulfil your dreams! Make a difference!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">So, ask yourself that question. What is my dream? Or rather, what are my dreams? Don't limit yourself to just one dream, unless you find it is so powerful and all-consuming that there is no room for anything else, and that by committing yourself to that dream you will become the happiest and, even more important, most fulfilled person you could ever be.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Ask the question, and then take steps to change your life so you are moving in the direction of that dream or those dreams. Every step you take in that direction is a powerful, positive step. One which should make you happier. One which should make you more fulfilled. Perhaps not the happiest person in the world, yet. Maybe not the most fulfilled. But happier, and more fulfilled, and that is the key thing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">And don't fall into the trap of confusing the means with the end. Yes, some of what we do to fulfill our dreams will not create immediate results. In fact, that applies to a lot of what we do. But there will always be some steps you can take which WILL make a difference, even though it may be a small difference. It is important to take those steps, as none of us knows when we are going to breathe our last breath, so make every day, every hour count.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Once you realize just how much of a difference moving towards your dream can make to you, to those around you, and to the world itself you will never want to stop that journey! So get on board right now! Your dream is beckoning to you! Don't ignore it - follow it!</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13089385185861315026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380277337055086013.post-16680523767878793942018-07-25T01:00:00.000-07:002018-07-25T11:29:28.811-07:00Why Worry?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RNDXw7eh1-M/W1gsMroqrII/AAAAAAAAByQ/yyl3DCpR-wkhfpqS9YppGvSAIp83S3FKwCLcBGAs/s1600/i-m-not-sure-1438977.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1590" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RNDXw7eh1-M/W1gsMroqrII/AAAAAAAAByQ/yyl3DCpR-wkhfpqS9YppGvSAIp83S3FKwCLcBGAs/s320/i-m-not-sure-1438977.jpg" width="318" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Do you ever worry? If so, why? And should you? If not, how can you stop worrying?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">If I am asked the question "do you ever worry?" I always answer "no". I will explain in a moment why I can say that and how you can too, but strictly speaking it is not 100% accurate. I do worry - for a few seconds while the worry works its true purpose. And what is that purpose? Worry has the same purpose as pain - to make me aware that there is a problem and that I should try to do something about it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Just like pain, when you are aware there is a problem and have done whatever you can to deal with it, the worry has served its purpose. But also just like pain, the worry normally lasts until the problem has completely gone away - and sometimes even beyond this. It makes no difference that you have responded to your body's signal and that continuation of the pain or the worry is no longer required. Unless you have learned techniques to stop it, the pain or worry just goes on and on.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">In the case of pain there are mental techniques you can use to reduce or even eliminate it, or rather to reduce or eliminate the unpleasant effects. Most of us either don't know those techniques or find them too difficult to use when we are distracted by severe pain. But there is medication we can use which can be very effective in numbing the pain. Likewise for worry.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">One problem with medication is that if you use it too much you become dependent on it, and at the same time it can become less and less effective. It is much better if you can deal with the root of the problem, in this case the worry, rather than taking drugs to dull your reaction to it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Once the worry has done its job of making you aware that "Houston, we have a problem!" the first thing you must do is address that problem. It would have been very foolish of Jack Swigert, the Apollo 13 astronaut, simply to have ignored the problem, pretended it didn't exist, and hope it would go away. He did the right thing and took action. It would be very foolish of you, too, to ignore the problem when a worry arises. You must focus on what the worry is warning you about. Identify the problem, look at what action or actions you can take to address the problem, decide on the most appropriate actions, and take them. This should always be the first step.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Having taken the appropriate actions you no longer need the worry. But unless you do something about it that worry will remain. At this point it is not only unnecessary but also usually counter-productive. It can leave you like a rabbit caught in the headlights and stop you taking the necessary actions. And remember what usually happens to that rabbit if it doesn't take immediate action!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The way I always deal with "post action" worry is a technique I have used since childhood, and I can guarantee it has always worked for me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The technique, in a nutshell, is very simple.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">First list the possible end results of whatever it is that is worrying you. What are the most devastating possible results? How likely are they? Cross out any that are very unlikely. Then focus on the most devastating of those that remain.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">At this point you are now going to do something counter-intuitive, especially if, like me, you believe in and practise the Law of Attraction. You are going to imagine that this has already happened. What changes will that mean in your life? Is there anything you can and should do to react to those changes and make your life a little better? Don't skip past this step, worrying (see that word again?) that you will invoke the Law of Attraction and create the very problem you want to avoid. Yes, if you stop there, like that rabbit, then you WILL invoke the Law of Attraction. You are NOT going to stop there, but you do first have to experience this situation in your mind.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Now answer this question. Just how bad is life for you now this bad thing has happened? How does this compare with other bad experiences you have had previously? How does it compare with the bad things you have seen around you or on the news that have happened to others less fortunate than you? Once you have taken the actions you have thought about to limit the damage, then how bad is it?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Perhaps I have been fortunate, but in the 50 years I have been doing this I have never yet come across a problem that still seemed completely overpowering once I have analysed it in this way. Not even when I was diagnosed with cancer.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Once you have accepted the possible consequences of whatever has been worrying you, go back to the action you have taken or have resolved to take which will probably make the problem go away anyway. Recognize that because you have done this, the bad experience you have just analyzed will probably not happen anyway. Focus on that action. Make sure you do everything possible to help it counter the identified problem. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Or if there is no action you can and should take, then focus anyway on the possible positive outcomes. In my experience, most of the things we worry about never actually happen, or if they do they cause much less damage than we expect. So focus on this. Now you ARE using the Law of Attraction, so don't skip this step either, as it is making it far less likely that your life will be affected badly by the problem.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Once you have taken all these steps, you have done all you can. The worry has done its job. Thank it for making you aware of the problem, and then simply allow it to slip away. Believe me, if you follow these step properly then slip away it will.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And that is it! This is a complete strategy for dealing with worry. Not something I just read about and thought it sounded like a nice idea, but a strategy I have used successfully for the past 50 years. Use it properly, and watch your worries melt away</span><span style="font-size: large;">!</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13089385185861315026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380277337055086013.post-25276471909424225902018-07-18T00:31:00.000-07:002018-07-18T00:31:04.118-07:00Like a Little Child<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cZzKCVRyFD8/W07q1IzL4zI/AAAAAAAABx4/nGuN8Slk_3Mb6_kyC5HzEMlZgdp7jOg4gCLcBGAs/s1600/maia-2-1436576.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1068" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cZzKCVRyFD8/W07q1IzL4zI/AAAAAAAABx4/nGuN8Slk_3Mb6_kyC5HzEMlZgdp7jOg4gCLcBGAs/s320/maia-2-1436576.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Are you like a little child?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">My Christian friends will be very familiar with this verse from Matthew 18:2-3:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">But I believe this is not simply a religious verse, and certainly not one that is only for Christians. All of us who are trying to improve ourselves and the circumstances in which we live should take note.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">As we go through life we acquire more and more rules that constrain us. Those "rules" limit our freedom to be what we are truly capable of being. They stop us from developing our full potential.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">One big difference between an adult and a little child is that the child has very few internalized rules. A child knows there are certain rules that must be followed, but those are mostly common sense rules and ethically sound rules, not the massive rule book that most of us carry around without even realizing it. Also, in a lot of cases those rules are not yet internalized. The child knows that if he or she does not follow the rule, and that this is noticed by an adult, something bad might happen. But if an opportunity to break the rule arises, that opportunity may well be taken.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I am not, of course, suggesting that we throw our rule books completely out the window, living our lives selfishly and without being concerned at all about the consequences of our actions. Certainly not deciding that we will only follow a moral code when we are being watched but break every rule in that moral code when nobody will see. So what, exactly, am I suggesting?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The first step I am suggesting is to recognize the burden you are carrying. The burden of a "book of law" you are carrying and trying to follow, most of which is simply not appropriate.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Your "book of law" is what is stopping you from growing and bearing fruit in the way you could and should do. It is stopping you following those dreams and ambitions you had as a little child. It is stopping you becoming a much happier, much more fulfilled person. Most of what is in that rule book is simply not appropriate. In the main it does not consist of rules you have consciously studied and decided are right for you. It mainly consists of rules that you have "acquired" through your life and which were thrown at you by others. Many of those rules are hidden deep within your subconscious mind. Not only were they created for you by someone else, or by the experiences through which you have lived, but you never actually consciously examined them and agreed they were the right rules to follow. So begin by deciding you will throw away this inappropriate rule book. Make a decision now that you will not allow it to control you any longer.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Having decided you will throw away the rule book, make sure you replace it with a set of rules that you DO wish to follow. Spend some time thinking about those rules. The time you spend doing this is very important, as it will determine the direction your life will now take. Choose wisely and your life in the future will be very different.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Each of us must make our own decision here. It is not for me, nor for anyone else, to tell you what should be in your rule book. For those who are religious it may be whatever is your holy book. The Bible, the Qu'ran, the Tanakh, Guru Granth Sahib, the Vedas, the Tripitaka or some other holy canon. For those who are not religious it may be a set of ethical principles you truly believe are important to follow.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I have said I will not impose my own rule book on you, and I will not. But I will tell you what I have decided should be in mine, and it is then up to you if you find this fits comfortably into your own situation.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">My number one rule is the Golden Rule. <i>"Whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law"</i>. Another quote from the book of Matthew in the Christian Bible. That is my absolute, unbreakable rule. Any other rules I decide to follow always have to fit comfortably with the Golden Rule.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">My number two rule may surprise and disturb some of my readers, but hear me out before you reject it. This rule is one introduced in the early 1900s by the magician Aleister Crowley and is the basis of his Thelema philosophy. It begins as follows: <i>"Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law."</i> Many people completely misunderstand this rule and think it means there is no rule at all and that we should all do exactly what we like, no matter what the consequences for those around us. But this is not the case. Read the second half of this rule: <i>"Love is the law, love under will."</i> This fits nicely with the Golden Rule. If we truly make love the centre of our rule book we cannot go far wrong. The real meaning of <i>"Do what thou wilt"</i> is that you should find your own true path in life. You should discover your true "will" that is hidden deep within you. Find what it is you really want to achieve in life and go for it!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">So, become like a little child. Remove the fetters that are preventing you becoming what you truly could and should become! Enjoy the freedom of a little child, but still controlled by rules that you have studied and with which you fully agree.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13089385185861315026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380277337055086013.post-14059803441595362152018-07-11T00:15:00.000-07:002018-07-11T00:15:04.055-07:00You are the Creator<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MgREoqHrNPA/W0WruRVYLAI/AAAAAAAABxc/GMWF-COzGhQCiKP7xjUM3e5Wc6hMFL5sQCLcBGAs/s1600/rainbow-1404328.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1161" data-original-width="1563" height="237" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MgREoqHrNPA/W0WruRVYLAI/AAAAAAAABxc/GMWF-COzGhQCiKP7xjUM3e5Wc6hMFL5sQCLcBGAs/s320/rainbow-1404328.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I know some of my religious friends will accuse me of blasphemy for saying this, but if you look beyond the superficial meaning you will see this is true - you ARE the creator.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">As it happens, I AM religious and I do believe in God, the Creator. But I also believe we are each the creator of our own world. Working in tandem with God we do create the world in which we live.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">In what sense?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">In a number of ways.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The world around you is simply energy, and it is the way you interpret that energy that determines how that world appears to you. When I look around me I see God's creation and see that it is very beautiful. I see the lovely colours. I hear beautiful sounds - for example the lovely sound of a blackbird singing. I smell the wonderful perfumes released by so many flowers around me. I interact with that world and, just like the God of the Old Testament, I see that it is good!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I live in the same world as everyone around me, yet at the same time it is a very different world. The same energies are there for us all to see, hear, smell, taste and feel. But we all interpret those energies in different ways. I choose to see, hear, smell, taste and feel the beauty of the world in which I live. I see that it is good. It is very good! And I always give thanks to God for this wonderful world. For my Christian readers, remember what St Paul said in 1 Timothy 4:4: <i>"For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving!"</i> I couldn't put it better!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I join with Louis Armstrong in singing this beautiful song by Bob Thiele and George David Weiss:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>I see trees of green, red roses too</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>I see them bloom for me and you</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>And I think to myself what a wonderful world</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>I see skies of blue and clouds of white</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>And I think to myself what a wonderful world</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>The colors of the rainbow so pretty in the sky</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Are also on the faces of people going by</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>I see friends shaking hands saying how do you do</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>They're really saying I love you</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>I hear babies crying, I watch them grow</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>They'll learn much more than I'll never know</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>And I think to myself what a wonderful world</i></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: large;"></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>Yes I think to myself what a wonderful world</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">So no matter what is happening in my life I am always thankful that I live in a wonderful world. The same world everyone around me lives in, but where perhaps they see only grey colours, threatening situations, missed opportunities, I see the great beauty of this wonderful world and thank God every day for putting me in it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">That is one way I create my world, by tuning my senses so they recognize the beauty that is all around me, living gratefully for the privilege given to me to live in this beautiful world. This actually creates the beauty, as beauty is simply in the eye of the beholder. It is the same energy that surrounds everyone else, but I choose to see and enjoy the beauty. A choice we all have, but one which far too few make.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I also create my world by choosing with what and with whom I will surround myself. This, too, is at least partly my choice. Yes, I recognize it is only partly my choice and that I must accept it is a shared creation. Others may well control some of what surrounds me. But I do have some choice here. I can choose to mix with positive people or negative people. I choose positive. I can choose to read and watch beautiful things. I can choose many of the things I have around me. I choose to be happy by surrounding myself with things and people that make me happy. And where I have no choice for some of those things and people I see the beauty in them anyway.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And I create my world by allowing those main choices (the choice of recognizing beauty, being thankful for it, and surrounding myself with all that I enjoy) to attract to me all that is necessary for me to continue to have a better life. The power of manifestation - yet another way in which I am the creator of my own world.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">You are the creator of your world too. What kind of a world are you creating right now? Do you look at it and see that it is good? If not, begin working right now to change that world. You have the power! Use it!</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13089385185861315026noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380277337055086013.post-1196893917684476142018-07-04T00:26:00.000-07:002018-07-04T01:01:29.602-07:00Independence Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xFSyZBqJusQ/WzsjugUx0PI/AAAAAAAABw4/lyHRL44XrbYNpMo_b3BAR5DsAw83a1Q6wCLcBGAs/s1600/thomas-jefferson-3-1421198.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1199" data-original-width="728" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xFSyZBqJusQ/WzsjugUx0PI/AAAAAAAABw4/lyHRL44XrbYNpMo_b3BAR5DsAw83a1Q6wCLcBGAs/s320/thomas-jefferson-3-1421198.jpg" width="194" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">As I write this article my friends in the United States are celebrating Independence Day. The day the then 13 colonies in America chose to throw off the shackles of their colonial masters and instead declare their independence from Great Britain. Well, perhaps not quite the day that happened. The Declaration of Independence was issued on July 2nd, not July 4th. John Adams declared July 2nd would be "the most memorable Epocha in the History of America", but the final revision of the Declaration was not finalized until July 4th, so July 2nd is not regarded as very important at all. One could argue, in fact, that the true Independence Day was August 2nd, as that is when most of the signatures were appended to the Declaration. Or September 3rd, as that is the day in 1783 that the Revolutionary War ended. Or even November 25th, being the day British troops left with their tails between their legs. But I guess, given the different possible interpretations of exactly when the United States gained its Independence, the choice of July 4th is as good as any!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">But when is <i>your</i> Independence Day? Not the day your country, wherever it may be, became independent from whichever colonial power tried to insist it was an owned colony rather than a free state. But the day <i>you personally</i> became independent? The day <i>you personally</i> freed yourself from shackles and became your own man or woman. When was that? Or have you not yet gained your independence? Is this something for which you must still fight?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Independence from what? Independence from all the rules that are stopping you from being who you really want to be and achieving what you really want to achieve.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">And who imposes those rules on you? A king in a far off land? No. The government in your own land? No. Your parents, your spouse, your teacher, your boss? None of these. The person who imposes and enforces these restraining rules on you is none other than yourself!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">What is stopping you from being who you really want to be? A voice inside you telling you that it is wrong to want to be that person. A voice that says it is too difficult. A voice that says you don't have the right to be that way. A voice that may have originally arisen because of something your parents, teachers, "friends", or maybe other "authorities" through the subtleties of hidden messages in the books you read and films or dramas you watch on TV. But a voice that is now a part of you and that is determined to stop you changing in any way.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">So in order to become what you want to be, to live the kind of life you want to live, first you must claim your own Independence from the colonial power within you. The power that arose from somewhere outside of you, but is now an integral inner part of you. Just as there were many colonials born and living in 18th century America who wanted to maintain the colonial rule of King George III (or, more accurately, of Lord Frederick North, 2nd Earl of Guildford, who was the real power behind the throne).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">How do you obtain your own Independence?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">First, by recognizing that at the moment you are not a free man or woman. That there are voices within that do not want you to succeed, that do not want you or your life to change for the better. Recognizing this is your July 2nd. A day that will be "the most memorable Epocha in the History of [insert your name here]". Your John Adams moment.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Second, by drawing your line in the sand. When you say "enough is enough - I will no longer obey or even listen to this voice!" Your July 4th moment.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Third, by conducting an ongoing struggle against the parasite within you that does not want you to gain your Independence.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The American Revolutionary War lasted 8 years. Your Internal Revolutionary War will probably last a lot longer, as you will be fighting not against one colonial power but a multitude of powers. But do not let this depress you, as your first Independence Day will be a lot earlier than this as long as you write your own Declaration of Independence now. You will have many wins. With each win your life will become better. And with each win you will identify another colonial power whose defeat will allow you to have an even better life. With each win you will become more powerful, and more able readily to defeat all those inner voices holding you back.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Today is Independence Day. <i>Your</i> Independence! Make your Declaration of Independence right now and claim the territory that is rightfully yours!</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13089385185861315026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380277337055086013.post-67836576825609563322018-06-27T05:53:00.003-07:002018-06-27T05:53:43.684-07:00How to win the game of life<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-49ipj1VLBL0/WzODsCYUmMI/AAAAAAAABwc/nRqxy7Pwucoous4q2j7U6r_h7V3ncz5jQCLcBGAs/s1600/playing-football-1-1429492.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="664" data-original-width="1600" height="132" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-49ipj1VLBL0/WzODsCYUmMI/AAAAAAAABwc/nRqxy7Pwucoous4q2j7U6r_h7V3ncz5jQCLcBGAs/s320/playing-football-1-1429492.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">If you are reading this article soon after it is published you may well be following the World Cup of football (which is soccer, for my American friends, not the adaptation of rugby that a Yale rugby player turned into what is now called American Football). Personally I am not the slightest bit interested in football, but I accept I am in a distinct minority in that regard.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I believe the aim in football is to score as many goals as possible (although perhaps in the case of my team, England, it is to try to avoid as many penalty kicks as possible!) Achieve lots of goals and you win the game.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It is the same in life. Winning the game of life is all about achieving as many goals as you can. Or, rather, as many "right" goals as you can. Just as in football you can have a wrong goal (please refer to the "offside rule"), so you can in life too. Although unlike the case in football there is a wide gradation of "right" and "wrong" goals. You cannot win the game of football by scoring lots of "wrong" goals, and nor can you win the game of life this way either.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Achieving lots of the right goals should not be regarded as putting on lots of pressure and creating lots of stress - which is the way probably most people see it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Perhaps one good way of looking at this is by comparing it with what you might do on holiday. What, for you, is the purpose of a holiday, and what constitutes a really good holiday? Think about this carefully for a few minutes and answer both of those questions as honestly as you can. Do this before reading any further if possible, as it is best if you complete this exercise before seeing what I say next.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Many people will have answered that the purpose of a holiday is to rest, to recover so you have lots of energy to carry on with your daily life on your return. Certainly that would be my answer to the first question.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Many of those same people will then anwer that a really good holiday allows them to see lots of new things and take part in lots of exciting activities. If you go on a package holiday you will find that the resort is usually designed in such a way as to achieve this. Typically on the morning after your arrival you will meet with someone whose role is to convince you to go on lots of trips, some of which will probably involve waking up really early in the morning, perhaps earlier than you would normally get up in order to go to work! Even if you don't book many, or any, of these "exciting" tours, you will probably find the resort will organize lots of sporting and other activities and encourage you to join in them rather than laze by the pool or on the beach.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Or perhaps your idea of a good holiday is the same as the American tourists in the 1969 film "If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium". Get to see as many countries as possible, without spending enough time to "see" any of them at all!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Now for some people perhaps having a frantically active holiday really does give them rest and recovery. If so, they are making the right decision by signing up for all those activities that appeal. But for many others, including me, indulging in so many activities means I don't get the rest and recovery I need. So I try to ensure I budget plenty of time for just lying back on the beach or beside the pool, and reading some nice (and not particularly sophisticated) novels.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">My main goals on holiday are to relax and rest. If I do plenty of relaxing and resting I have achieved those goals. As I am married, my goals are also to ensure my wife has a really good time. Her aims are very different from mine. She really enjoys lots of activity, seeing new things, having new experiences. So we DO book a number of the activities the resort tries to sell us. If we get to see lots of new and interesting things, and have lots of new and interesting experiences, she is happy - and I have then achieved the other goals of the holiday.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This can apply to daily life too. Perhaps you suffer a lot of stress in your life. Maybe, if so, a goal could be identifying what causes stress and eliminating as much of this as possible. It could be removing stress-creating clutter from your life. It could be simply taking more time out to rest and "smell the roses". These goals are just as valid as, and perhaps more so than, the goals of people you see zipping around achieving lots of concrete, tangible goals.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Or it may be that you feel you need to earn more money so that you can plan for a future which allows you to do what you want and have less stress. If so, perhaps starting your own business, and then achieving targets you have set yourself for that business will be the right goals. But never lose sight of the fact that it is not the money or the business itself that is the goal, but what it will allow you to achieve once you have it. Be aware that sometimes you can find ways of achieving those "end goals" without having to get more money. And also be aware that none of us knows how many more years, months, weeks, days, hours of life remain for us. If you spend your remaining years, months, weeks, days and hours just trying to get the money you need in order to achieve your end goals, then you really haven't achieved any of your goals at all! Keep under review at all times what your goals are, whether they are real goals, and whether there might be better ways of achieving them than the ways you are currently pursuing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Please do not take this as a diatribe against acquiring more money. If you have read many of my articles you will know I am very much in favour of taking actions (the right actions, of course) to acquire more money. But I am also aware that too many of us, myself included, are in danger of confusing "means" and "ends". Acquiring more money is always only a means to an end. If you don't achieve that end, then you haven't really achieved anything at all.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Finally, for anyone reading this who views what I am saying as coming from a very selfish position, achieving goals is not simply about achieving pleasure, gaining things and experiences for yourself without any concern for the happiness or well-being of others. A good, rounded life plan should have both "self-centred" and "other-centred" goals. What exactly is meant by "other-centred" is very individual. In fact, I would go so far as to say it is completely unique to you. It may include making your family and friends happy in various ways. In fact it should. It may also go beyond just making friends and family happy, but making others, including complete strangers, happy as well. Again, in fact it should. You may achieve those "non-centred" goals by spending more of your time, more of your money, or perhaps both.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">So, to win the game of life you need to score the right goals. And to score those goals you need to find our where the goal posts are. Get going now by checking you have the right goals and finding the right ways to achieve them!</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13089385185861315026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380277337055086013.post-61014901030541270682018-06-20T00:41:00.000-07:002018-06-20T00:41:18.789-07:00You Are Special<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EftM_7TIXKg/Wx94pu09erI/AAAAAAAABv0/m3PLue06ykktzT7WKlJ0kwXZACYdsbo0gCLcBGAs/s1600/girl-in-mirror-1432447.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="667" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EftM_7TIXKg/Wx94pu09erI/AAAAAAAABv0/m3PLue06ykktzT7WKlJ0kwXZACYdsbo0gCLcBGAs/s320/girl-in-mirror-1432447.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Are you special?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Of course you are! There is absolutely no doubt about that at all. You are very special!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">How did it make you feel when I said that? Despite the fact that this is a very impersonal conversation - one where neither of us knows anything about the other and we are not talking to each other directly - I am guessing it made you feel good, even if only for a brief moment.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">You are special, but not because someone else says or thinks you are. You are special simply because you are YOU. There is nobody else quite like you. There has never been anyone quite like you in the past, and there will never be anyone exactly the same as you in the future.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This is all true. So true that you shouldn't need me, or anyone else, to confirm it for you.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The trouble is, most of us DO seem to need constant validation of this simple fact.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This can be especially the case in relationships. You thrive on compliments from your spouse or significant other. You want them to tell you that you are more beautiful, handsome, caring, intelligent, etc than anyone else. Perhaps in the first flush of love that is what they truly believed. But maybe now they don't. Not because they love you any the less. They still love you deeply, but no longer need to believe you are more beautiful, handsome, caring, intelligent, etc than anyone else. They love you for who you really are, not for the projection of what you believe you should be.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">That true, deep love is very important. And it illustrates a deeper, wider lesson. That you don't have to be "more". It is enough that you simply are.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">You don't have to be "more successful" than others. It doesn't matter how successful others are. Well, it does for them, of course, and we should always be pleased for the successes of our friends, colleagues and relatives. But you do not have to be more successful than them, only as successful as you want to be.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Life is an experience, a beautiful experience, not a competition. There will always be someone better than you in almost any aspect, any characteristic, any skill. The purpose of life is not for you to be the best, but simply to be all that you can be.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">You don't have to look in the mirror, ask it who the most beautiful person in the world is, and then expect it to answer that you are. We all know the fairy tale where someone did that. Look at the damage she caused before she was forced to wear a pair of red hot shoes (and by "hot" I am not referring to how popular they were!) and dance in them until she dropped dead. You don't want to be the evil queen in Snow White! And you don't need to be either!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It is enough that you are special and that you know you are special. That you are talented (even if you haven't developed all those talents yet) and that you know you are talented. But especially that you are loving and kind and that the world is a better place because you are here.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">You are special, very special, but don't go looking for anyone else to confirm that to you. It is enough simply that you ARE.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13089385185861315026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380277337055086013.post-13592868810286638642018-06-13T01:02:00.000-07:002018-06-13T01:02:08.474-07:00Serenity<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-z5UsKySxgcs/WxeS_eCnILI/AAAAAAAABvo/-Dmf_vppqOgWwMNbVKhdbSTWAn1g7QXCgCLcBGAs/s1600/prayer-1-1483371.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1177" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-z5UsKySxgcs/WxeS_eCnILI/AAAAAAAABvo/-Dmf_vppqOgWwMNbVKhdbSTWAn1g7QXCgCLcBGAs/s320/prayer-1-1483371.jpg" width="235" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">In the 1930s Reinhold Niebuhr wrote what has become known as the Serenity Prayer:</span></div>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">"God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, </span></i><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><i><span style="font-size: large;">Courage to change the things I can, </span></i><i><span style="font-size: large;">And wisdom to know the difference."</span></i></blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: large;">All three elements of this prayer are important. Clearly if we see something that should be changed and know how we can change it, then change it we should! But it is also very important to take proper note of the other two elements. Recognizing the things we cannot change and accepting them the way they are.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Most of us interpret the world around us far too personally. We think that everything revolves around us, just as people before Galileo believed the sun revolved around the earth. So when things are not the way we think they should be, we view this as a personal attack. Perhaps not consciously, but definitely unconsciously.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This links back to my previous article. There I discussed how we take the words of others too personally, which then effectively turns those words into magic spells against us. What others say to us is conditioned by something in them, not in us.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">But this also applies to the world around us in general. Many people see this as a hostile world. It is not. It just seems that way to you. Sometimes bad things happen. Not because we deserve them. Not because of something we did or said. They just happen. Yes, sometimes they ARE a result of, or at least influenced by, something we did or said. But often they are not.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It is good to try to identify when something bad (or something good) has resulted from our own actions or words. If we can see there is a link then we can change our behaviour to make it less likely something bad like this will happen again, or more likely something good like this will happen again. That is <i>"courage to change the things I can"</i>. But have the <i>"wisdom to know the difference"</i> and recognize that most things are not personally linked in this way. They just happen.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I happen to believe we all have a lot of power to change the world around us in a very positive way. If we use that power properly we can achieve great things and have wonderful, happy lives. But I also know that the things people say to me, the things they do to me, the situations that arise every day which are not the way I want them to be, are mostly nothing to do with me. They are to do with those other people, and to do with simply the way things are. They are not personal and I do not take them personally.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">If you can really adopt the Serenity Prayer as your own life philosophy I truly believe you can have a much happier and a much more fulfilled life. Try it!</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13089385185861315026noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380277337055086013.post-78920032922486489382018-06-06T00:58:00.000-07:002018-06-06T00:58:02.302-07:00Reacting to the Word<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tC-sQULC5Ds/WxY-pzj3fnI/AAAAAAAABvY/FeR9uXurOy4KYyuB-r291j9LgA9m_c2mgCLcBGAs/s1600/shield-1244311.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="781" data-original-width="638" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tC-sQULC5Ds/WxY-pzj3fnI/AAAAAAAABvY/FeR9uXurOy4KYyuB-r291j9LgA9m_c2mgCLcBGAs/s320/shield-1244311.jpg" width="261" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">In my previous article I referred to the power of the Word. This is an enormous, one could even say magical, power, hence the title "Abracadabra". So, if someone uses the power of the Word against you, effectively casting a spell on you (whether intentionally or not), what options do you have? How can you protect yourself from this spell? What shield do you have to reflect the spell away from you?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Some would say you have three options: <i>accept</i>, <i>ignore</i> or <i>challenge</i>. My position is that actually you only have two: <i>accept</i> or <i>challenge</i>. You cannot simply ignore it, as that is really a subtle way of accepting.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Imagine I come up to you and say <i>"You are stupid!"</i>. How would you react to this?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">If you are like most people your first reaction will be anger, or at least annoyance. Your first thought will probably be something like <i>"How dare you say this!"</i>. Probably you feel that is a reaction of challenge. You are angry with the statement because you know it is false. I disagree with this analysis and would go as far as to say <b>this reaction is an acceptance of the basic underlying premise</b>. You agree, somewhere below your conscious thinking, that you are stupid, or at least that there is some stupidity within you, and you then become angry with the other person for exposing this stupidity. So <b>you are accepting the negative magic spell they are casting against you</b>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Your next reaction may then be a "tit for tat", telling them <i>they are ..... -</i> fill in the magic word here. If you already know them, you may find some aspect of their personality that offends you. If you do not know them, you may simply respond in kind with something like <i>"You are stupid too!"</i>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I am reminded of the apocryphal quote supposedly from Winston Churchill. The Labour MP, Bessie Braddock (or the Conservative, Lady Astor, depending on which version you read) apparently said to Winston <i>"Sir! You are disgustingly drunk!"</i>, to which Winston replied <i>"My dear, you are disgustingly ugly! But tomorrow I shall be sober and you will still be disgustingly ugly!"</i>. A very clever, if somewhat ungallant, riposte. And one which, if delivered to Lady Astor, was in my view patently untrue. But note it begins with an acceptance of the original statement. Winston was <i>not</i> refuting that he was drunk (although a number of versions of this story suggest he wasn't drunk at all, but just tired - which might explain the uncharacteristic lack of gallantry). His bite back at the accuser acknowledged the truth of what she said and then continued with something even more uncomplimentary about her. It was also a very negative thing to do. He was accepting the barb of her negative statement, allowing the spell she cast to find its mark, and then casting an even more negative spell back at her. The damage he did, if this story is true, quite probably lasted a lifetime. A truly evil magic spell.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">So my position is that the usual "challenge" to unkind words is not a challenge at all. But what about simply ignoring them? If you are an accomplished Zen practitioner, if you are close to achieving the state of Nirvana, then you could completely ignore those words as irrelevant. Personally I am not close to achieving the state of Nirvana, and I know that <b>if I choose to ignore</b> unkind things that are said to me <b>I will be complicit</b> in accepting them. I will be helping the "evil magician" to cast his or her spell.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">In that case, how <i>do</i> you challenge these magic spells that constantly afflict you?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">You challenge them by recognizing that <b>the words are not about you at all</b>. They are entirely about the person who speaks them. That person doesn't truly know you, even if they are a close friend or family member. The only person who really knows you is <i>YOU</i>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Jesus referred to this in a powerful challenge in Matthew chapter 7. He said:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><i>"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite! First take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye."</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">When others say nasty things to me I feel sad. Not for myself, but for them. What they are saying shows that they have a problem. <b>I don't have that problem - they do.</b> I challenge what they say firstly by knowing that their unkind words are expressing some weakness, some fault inside them. And then I affirm the opposite of what they say. Not out loud. I am not trying to start or continue an argument. What that person says is completely irrelevant to me, but I am not going to encourage them to repeat or expand it by being drawn into argument.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">If they <i>"You are stupid!"</i> I affirm <b><i>"I am full of wisdom!"</i></b>. Note I would never respond with <i>"I am not stupid!".</i> Focussing on the negative in this way gives it power. Notice my choice of words - I <b>"affirm"</b>. Just as in your daily affirmations you (hopefully) use to reach your goals through manifestation, you <b>choose to focus on the positive, not the negative</b>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">From now on, <b>choose not to accept the burdens so many people around you try to lay on you</b> with their choice of words. Recognize that <b>what they say has nothing to do with you</b> and everything to do with them. If you do this, and if you use their verbal negative attacks as an opportunity to affirm the positives, you will be completely protected from the magical spells that so unnecessarily hurt almost everyone else around you.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13089385185861315026noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380277337055086013.post-25741856702902348392018-05-29T23:23:00.000-07:002018-05-29T23:23:17.448-07:00Abracadabra<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LoNBKcT8Pz8/Wv0kGClNjoI/AAAAAAAABus/o6zAfuD5gQMAAVUy0wZtED0yObjhyIFpACLcBGAs/s1600/tarot-1-1476592.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1204" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LoNBKcT8Pz8/Wv0kGClNjoI/AAAAAAAABus/o6zAfuD5gQMAAVUy0wZtED0yObjhyIFpACLcBGAs/s320/tarot-1-1476592.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">When you were a small child you probably read stories, or had them read to you, in which a magician used magic words to perform powerful acts of magic. Perhaps the word "Abracadabra". Or "Open Sesame" (as in the story of Ali Baba).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The word "Abracadabra" is particularly interesting. There are a number of conflicting stories about its origin, but one version says it comes from the Aramaic phrase avra kehdabra, which means “I will create as I speak”. In other words, this "magic" word itself refers to the magical, creative power of words.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The Christian Bible also refers to the power of words. Right at the start of the Gospel of John we have the phrase "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." It goes on to say that everything that was created was created by the Word.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I began this article by talking about fairy tales. Most adults don't believe in fairy tales. In fact they may even refer to anything that they believe to be untrue as a "fairy tale".</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Well, I DO believe in fairy tales! Not literally, of course, but as ways to pass on inner truths.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The power of the word is such an inner truth. Words create. Use the right words in the right way and you can create opportunities. You can create situations that will turn your dreams into reality. Use words in the wrong way and they can destroy opportunities. They can create situations that will turn your nightmares into reality. Words are very powerful. Far more powerful than you probably ever realized.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Very recently I wrote a blog about the ways most people "self-sabotage" themselves. They say something like "I am no good at ...." and this creates a self-fulfilling prophecy. This is the power of words used wrongly. This is also true about the way people use words to hurt or help others, usually unintentionally. I hope you are not one of the very many parents in the world who have said to one of their children something like "you will never amount to anything!". This is so destructive! This is like a wizard saying a magic spell that will cause harm to another. It is just as powerful as such a magic spell in one of the fairy tales you read as a child.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Equally, saying to someone "you are so beautiful!", not as a pickup line but because you recognize the beauty within them, is like a magic spell turning an ugly frog into a handsome prince. Not as quickly as happened in Grimm's tale of the Frog Prince, but just as surely anyway.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">With the power of your words you can choose to create love, beauty, harmony and success all around you. Or you can choose to create discord, ugliness and failure. Which would you prefer to surround you? It is entirely your choice - you can use the magic spell (i.e. the right words spoken at the right time) to create whichever you prefer. I hope like me you will choose the former, not the latter.</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13089385185861315026noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380277337055086013.post-77447005290328566482018-05-23T08:45:00.000-07:002018-05-23T08:45:07.801-07:00Self Sabotage<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-puLxMvXAohg/Wvmu0Dy_KjI/AAAAAAAABuY/Y2gU_61K4WAstN3VFIt5RLs7g1SH-co_ACLcBGAs/s1600/shit-happens-1-1259514.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="933" data-original-width="1400" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-puLxMvXAohg/Wvmu0Dy_KjI/AAAAAAAABuY/Y2gU_61K4WAstN3VFIt5RLs7g1SH-co_ACLcBGAs/s320/shit-happens-1-1259514.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">"I am no good at ..." Fill in the blanks - perhaps with "remembering people's names", "public speaking", "negotiating" ... anything at all, really.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Now, is this something you have ever said? Perhaps out loud to others in an attempt to excuse yourself. You don't want them to feel bad, so you say "I am no good at remembering". So it is not that they are "unmemorable" but it is entirely your fault. You say "I am hopeless at directions". So it is not that they are no good at giving you directions, but just that you are really bad at following directions.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">If you have never said anything like this I would suggest you are very much in the minority.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Perhaps, though, you have never said something like this out loud - but have said it quietly to yourself. Not to spare someone else's feelings but because you feel guilty in some way and want to excuse yourself.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Whether you have said something like this out loud or simply expressed it internally, what you have done is to create a self-fulfilling prophecy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">If you say "I am no good at maths", then you will be more likely to fail at maths. Perhaps you weren't particularly good at maths, but by saying "I am no good at maths" you are guaranteeing you will become even worse. Every time you say this, or even think it, you will worsen your ability at maths.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">If you say "I am hopeless at relationships", you will find relationships don't work for you. You are destroying existing and future relationships simply by saying this!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">If you say "I cannot dance - I have two left feet!", you will find no matter how hard you try to dance, it simply doesn't seem to work for you. Perhaps you wanted to learn to dance properly because your partner enjoys dancing and you want to share in that experience. But by saying this you are making it far less likely you will be able to share that hobby properly.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Now that you are aware of this problem, try to identify when it occurs. Keep alert and I suspect you will be very surprised. Unfortunately most people do this not just once or twice a month, not just once or twice a week, and probably not just once or twice a day! They do it many times a day! No wonder they find they are not able to achieve some of the things they would really love to achieve - they have a voice inside that tells them they are no good at .... (and the voice simply fills in the gap with virtually everything they want to achieve).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">So stop sabotaging yourself! Promise yourself right now that never again will you create a self-fulfilling prophecy of failure! When you hear that negative inner voice starting to say "I am no good at ..." counter it with "I am really good at ...". It won't necessarily turn you into a world expert but at least it will begin to counter the self-sabotage you have probably been conducting for most of your life!</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13089385185861315026noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380277337055086013.post-48135859242949700562018-05-16T00:34:00.000-07:002018-05-16T00:34:07.079-07:00World View<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YDqtTSrXIcE/Wvk7u55i6iI/AAAAAAAABuI/YTbnf62bKbcGGP6QGM1wfWiTlNQeU-SOgCLcBGAs/s1600/life-1553282.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YDqtTSrXIcE/Wvk7u55i6iI/AAAAAAAABuI/YTbnf62bKbcGGP6QGM1wfWiTlNQeU-SOgCLcBGAs/s320/life-1553282.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">What is your world view, your "weltanschauung"?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Do you see the world as a hostile place in which you have to fight in order to survive? Or do you see it as a nurturing place that wants you to achieve whatever you want to achieve and will work with you to get you there?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Whichever answer you gave is the correct answer. Even though those two answers are complete opposites. Why? How can this be?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The reality is that the world in which you live is whatever you make it, however you perceive it. For too many people that means it is indeed that hostile place even though it need not be this way.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">So let me ask a slightly different question. How would you like the world in which you live to be? Think about this carefully, as you really do have the power to change it if you wish. Not through any magical power, but simply because the world really is however you make it, however you perceive it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">If you believe the world is "conspiring" with you to help you achieve whatever it is you really want to achieve, then it will. I happen to believe there is a universal law that the world around me is continually "re-shaped" by my beliefs and thoughts. But you don't even need to believe this. If you believe the world is working with you then you will be looking for and open to the positive things around you that will help you in whatever it is you want to do. I personally do see the world around me as magical, and constantly wonder at the way this magic works for me. But there is nothing really magical about the idea that there are things and people around you that will help you. There ARE such things and people around you all the time and you simply have to open your eyes and see them.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">But equally, if you believe the world is "conspiring" against you and working to put obstacles in the way of everything you want to do, then it will do that too. Yes, because of the "Law of Attraction", certainly. But also because if you believe the world is working against you then you will be looking for all the negative things and people around you that will get in the way and prevent you from achieving what you want to achieve. Again, there is nothing magical about this. Certainly there are such negatives out there. Certainly there will be obstacles and setbacks. But if all you can see is those negatives then that is simply the way your life will be.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">So, I ask you again. How would you like your world to be? Do you want it to be hostile or helpful? Hopefully, like me, you want it to be helpful. Take it from me, if that is how you want it to be then that is exactly how it can be.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Yes, there will still be setbacks. Yes, there will be disappointments. I am no "Pollyanna" who believes that all that is required is to have a positive mindset and all will be right in the world. I know that will not always be the case. But my world view is still that ultimately everything around me can help me move in the direction I want to move if only I will let it. Make sure you do the same and you can see an enormous and positive difference in your life.</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13089385185861315026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380277337055086013.post-38388734211458004452018-05-09T01:29:00.000-07:002018-05-14T08:14:39.700-07:00Deception and Imagination<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zUb0Yuw5INA/Wt2ZbQWDCEI/AAAAAAAABtM/EImqC6bYJMYNehov-f3SAnmHGVuDjpv_QCLcBGAs/s1600/terror-1436272.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="986" data-original-width="1500" height="210" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zUb0Yuw5INA/Wt2ZbQWDCEI/AAAAAAAABtM/EImqC6bYJMYNehov-f3SAnmHGVuDjpv_QCLcBGAs/s320/terror-1436272.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Have you ever played a party trick on someone where you get them to walk along something very narrow and set them up so they think it is quite high above the ground? Not at a deadly height, but maybe waist height or just above? And not so narrow there is a strong likelihood they will fall. If so, you will know that the way they walk is very different from how they would if they knew they were only a few inches off the floor. In some cases they will refuse to walk across it at all, even if promised a reward if they do so.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Why is this? As already stated, the width is not so narrow they are likely to fall, so why should they worry? Why should some people walk very falteringly and others refuse to do it at all?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The answer is two-fold. First, they have been deceived about the possible consequences. They believe those consequences are that in the unlikely event they do fall they could hurt themselves. Secondly, their imagination then takes over and puts all kinds of pictures in their head about those consequences.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Deception and imagination. A very powerful combination that conspires to prevent all of us achieving what we really want to achieve.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">For many people, this spells the end of their dream. They decide that it is not worth risking suffering those consequences and they give up before they have even started. For many others, they start anyway, but instead of stepping out boldly and announcing to the Universe that they are here and ready to reap all the benefits they begin the efforts in the same way as those tentative and stumbling efforts of the victim of the party trick. What they are doing by being so tentative is making it more likely that they WILL fail. And when they do, that inner deceiver will say "I told you so!", setting them up to be even more nervous they next time they try to achieve anything worthwhile.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I am not suggesting, of course, that you should ignore all the possible negative consequences. For any new project, for any dream you want to follow, you do need to list all the pros and cons. This will allow you to make an informed decision. Certainly consider what you will do in each case of those negative consequences, so you are prepared for any likely outcome. But then weigh up those pros and cons and don't allow all the negatives to put you off unless you logically reason this is not for you - at least not at this point in time. And if the decision is to go ahead, don't allow the great deceiver within you to magnify those negatives. Don't allow your imagination to dwell on them. You have sensibly considered them but now your focus must be on the postive outcome. That is the only way you are really likely to succeed and achieve your dream.</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13089385185861315026noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380277337055086013.post-83538802129307604092018-05-02T08:14:00.000-07:002018-05-02T08:14:10.502-07:00Passion<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MNXYz-RKLW8/Wt9RjABppOI/AAAAAAAABtc/evAMCbArXx8NmL94LHTKk51-hbJe7geIQCLcBGAs/s1600/fire-11-1316468.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MNXYz-RKLW8/Wt9RjABppOI/AAAAAAAABtc/evAMCbArXx8NmL94LHTKk51-hbJe7geIQCLcBGAs/s320/fire-11-1316468.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><i>A guest posting by Jimmie Perry.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">We’ve all had periods in our lives when we are wondering how we would develop a sense of direction. How exactly, or when exactly, we would develop that thing called passion that everyone was talking about? Well, passion is something that we should all develop; we must understand this. Very few people are born knowing what exactly it is that they will be doing for most of their lives. Heck, many people don’t even know what exactly they want to do. That is because passion isn’t something that one is born with. Passion is something that is developed with time, experience, and commitment. The method for finding your passion in life can be found by reviewing the life of one of America’s founding fathers, Good Ole Ben Frank.</span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We are not born with a passion</span></b></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">For starters, passion is not something that anyone is simply born with. We don’t just come out of the womb and know exactly what we want to do for the rest of our life; it takes time. Passion comes from a love for doing a certain activity. A love, or hunger if you will, that stays with us for an indefinite amount of time. Acquiring passion in any one area requires that we are presented with a desire to solve or understand a problem.</span></span></div>
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<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Passion comes from a desire</span></b></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">Most people do not know this about Benjamin Franklin, but he was extremely passionate about putting out fires. He saw that the fires that were flaring up in his city of New York were causing a serious problem and he sought to find a way to reduce the damage that they caused. Do you think that the passion to put out fires was something that Ben was born with? There is no way that he could’ve known about fires at the time of his birth. His passion for fires was something that he developed as he gained experience with them. He saw that they were causing massive amounts of people to get injured. He noticed that the fires weren’t being put out efficiently and that the fire squadrons played a big part in that inefficiency; there essentially was no system. The issue that arose with fires gave Ben something to focus his energy on which in turn resulted in an insatiable hunger within him. In short, one of the key parts of finding a passion is finding something that fulfills your desire to solve a problem.</span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Experience is key</span></b></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">It wouldn’t have been at all possible for Ben to solve the problem if he hadn’t been present when the fires were taking place; he lived in New York and was seeing the damage that the fires were causing. Again, if he hadn’t been present when the fires were happening, he probably wouldn’t have had the desire that he had to solve the epidemic. He wasn’t born simply thinking of new ways to make fires more of a rarity or thinking of new ways to make individuals safer; he had to see the fires for himself even to begin thinking of new ways to improve the human condition in that way. The same goes for all of us; we must go out (or stay in) and experience the things that happen in this world. We must see all the possibilities (or at least a great many of them) and once we do this we will gain a bit of insight into the things that give us our drive; the things that make us whole, if you will. We don’t have to explore the world in a physical way. The world has become increasingly digital in the past few decades and there are now multiple things that can be done in the digital world. One never knows, you may find comfort in this space as well as your passion.</span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Cross things off your “Passion List”</span></b></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">A side effect of exploration is that it becomes possible to gain an understanding of the things that we dislike doing. Our understanding of our dislikes can be leveraged in our quest to find our passions; as you cross things off of the list of your possible passion, you get one step closer to finding the thing(s) that you love and want to do.</span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Consistently pursue that passion</span></b></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">Remember that neither Rome nor Benjamin’s method for stopping fires developed in a day. To be honest, Benjamin didn’t even make any major headway in his fire prevention system for a year. Neither will the thing that is considered your passion be built in a short space of time. It will require a decent length of time before compound interest begins to show that you are making any real headway into your project; while you are in the process, you may not even notice the progress that is being made. The point is that once you find that passion, you should relentlessly pursue it. Don’t allow any lack of progress or apparent failure to stop you from moving.</span></span><br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In short, passion comes, but it’s a process</span></b></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">Passion is something that we can all develop, but it requires a great deal of both patience and exploration before it is ever really found. This point must be reiterated because so many have trouble understanding it. Our passions are things with which we become infatuated. They are problems that we can’t help but put forth countless hours and energy towards solving; they move us. You will not know exactly what it is that you want to do right out of the gate. None of us knows what it is that we want to do right away, without any thought or preparation. If we did, think about how dull life would be; we would literally know what the future held for us.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;">With that being said, the key to finding our passions in life amounts to these three things:</span></span></div>
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<li><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Experience:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> Go out and explore (or
stay in and explore)</span></li>
<li><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Reduce:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> Reduce the number of things
that you like doing to a select few</span></li>
<li><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Be consistent:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%;"> Once you find your
drive, pursue it relentlessly</span></li>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p>------⧫------ </o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Jimmie
Perry is the owner of <a href="http://jimmieperry.blog/">JimmiePerry.blog</a> and an avid trader. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In his free time, he enjoys writing about the
experiences that he has had, and trading. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is also currently working on his degree in
Business Administration from Madonna University.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13089385185861315026noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380277337055086013.post-34659311696439241942018-04-25T05:30:00.000-07:002018-04-25T05:30:21.305-07:00Vibrations of Those Around You<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mYnx5yoiOoY/WtndIQKvgZI/AAAAAAAABs4/qdmynl9X3nQi01-hTTyc55rv3WNIfxW8wCLcBGAs/s1600/shadows-1197153.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="802" data-original-width="1600" height="160" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mYnx5yoiOoY/WtndIQKvgZI/AAAAAAAABs4/qdmynl9X3nQi01-hTTyc55rv3WNIfxW8wCLcBGAs/s320/shadows-1197153.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">In my last blog article I introduced the concept of "personal vibration and resonance". This is a very wide topic, and there is lots to learn about it. So I want to continue the theme here, focusing on the effects of other people's vibrations on us and how we can use our knowledge of this to great advantage. You may find what I am saying a bit obscure. If you do, bear with me. Read this through several times and allow what I am saying here to percolate. Even if you don't completely follow it intellectually, it will resonate with you at a deeper level and help you to achieve whatever you wish to achieve.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Just as a quick reminder, we all tend to "vibrate" in different ways, depending on how we have tuned ourselves. There are different categories of this vibration. At a high level we have spiritual, emotional, and mental vibrations. Our main focus in life expresses itself in a vibration. Our desires and ambitions result in vibrations. The things and people we love or hate result in different vibrations. We also have permanent vibrations (which we can still change, even though they are permanent) and temporary vibrations. For example we may have a high level permanent spiritual vibration which results from a genuine love of everyone around us, but that doesn't stop us having "low" moments, perhaps when our spiritual battery is low, when we find it difficult to feel that love.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We can be strongly influenced by the vibrations of those around us. This is especially the case if we are not well tuned. The weaker our underlying "permanent" vibration, the easier it will be for people around us to make us resonate to a very different vibration. It is also the case if we have a very strong underlying vibration and those around us have a similar vibration - then we will begin to resonate almost as soon as they approach us, will be like a sounding board to which they are applying their tuning fork.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This means we need constantly to work on two things.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Firstly we need to get our vibrations tuned properly. What that means in practice depends on what you are trying to achieve. If you have a big dream, and if it will cost a lot of money to achieve that dream, you need to have the right vibrations to attract the right money-making opportunities to you. You also need to eliminate the vibrations that work counter to this - for example the feeling that becoming wealthy is in some way a bad thing. Or if you want your life to spread love in the world, you need to ensure you are tuned to radiate that love completely naturally. At the same time you need to be alert to ways you react to people and situations which are not in tune with this vibration of love and work on ways of changing this.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Secondly, we need to become more aware of the vibrational levels of the people around us. If they are similar to our own vibrational levels, perfect! Try to ensure you keep those people with you. The closer you can get them, and the longer you stay with them, the more your own vibrations will resonate with them. If you are trying to become wealthy and then use that wealth for good purposes, surround yourself as much as possible with others who are on that same path but, hopefully, further ahead than you.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Be aware of both the permanent and the temporary vibrations of those people. If they drop a level temporarily, by all means try to be there for them to help them move back up. But keep in mind all the time that you will tend to resonate in tune with them, so do not spend so much time being there for them and helping them that there is a clear drop in your own vibrations. It is important to get this balance right. Certainly do not become a "fair weather friend" who is happy to be there when everything is positive but who disappears the moment they have any problems. Help them now, and some time in the future when you need some help they will probably be there for you and help you.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Start right now on both these major projects. Strengthen your desire for what you want to achieve and work on your inner vibrations to make sure you are properly tuned to achieve it. But also find and befriend people who are in tune with you, and start distancing yourself from those who are completely out of tune with you. Perhaps join groups or clubs where you are more likely to find people similarly tuned.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">If you do all this you should find yourself becoming far happier, achieving far more than you had previously managed, and being far more fulfilled.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13089385185861315026noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5380277337055086013.post-60775507735451035582018-04-18T00:52:00.001-07:002018-04-18T00:56:01.232-07:00Resonance<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VrSf816f_GM/Wtb490cRJaI/AAAAAAAABsc/YKnN_e6CITYMEWdGqTtprYb-OU01Hep_ACLcBGAs/s1600/tuning-fork-1534445.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1302" data-original-width="1600" height="260" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VrSf816f_GM/Wtb490cRJaI/AAAAAAAABsc/YKnN_e6CITYMEWdGqTtprYb-OU01Hep_ACLcBGAs/s320/tuning-fork-1534445.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">What is resonance, and what does it have to do with spirituality and personal development?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Resonance is the way something vibrates in response to the vibration of something else near by.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Before we think about resonance itself, let's just think about vibration, and again what it might mean in our personal development studies and practices. Everything has its own natural vibration. A number of musical instruments use this characteristic in order to allow us to create beautiful music. We can change that natural vibration by altering the tuning, for example by tightening or loosening a guitar string.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Spiritually we also have a natural vibration. This vibration can allow us to create beautiful spiritual "music" in the world around us, or if we are not tuned right we can create great discord instead. By focusing on and developing our spiritual beliefs and qualities, especially the latter, we can determine whether the world hears beautiful music from us or, as St Paul described, a clashing cymbal. Not that I want to criticize cymbal players or other percussionists who play their part in orchestras all over the world.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">So, which would you prefer? To create beautiful music that all around you can enjoy or to make a horrible discordant noise that will make life a misery for all who encounter you? I hope it is the former. We are all human, so sometimes we will be out of tune and won't be able to help making a horrible noise, but just as a violinist can learn to produce a beautiful sound rather than the awful screeching which no doubt he or she created when first taking up the violin, so can we learn to become more beautiful inside and produce beautiful spiritual music.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Back to resonance. If you have tuned yourself to produce a beautiful sound, that is the sound you will produce when something or someone nearby is tuned in the same way.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Students of physics will be aware of the concept of "forced vibration". If you take a tuning fork and strike it with a mallet it will produce a sound, but the sound is very quiet. But if you now place that tuning fork on something able to vibrate at the same frequency, a board of some kind, everything will vibrate and a very loud sound will be produced - a beautiful note. This is a form of resonance.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">We can do the same in life. If we have tuned ourselves the right way spiritually we will respond when someone or something else nearby is on a similar spiritual frequency. Also, we will cause the environment around us to resonate, and our small quiet voice can become a mighty, powerful sound. A sound that will attract similar frequencies in those around us, perhaps lifting them to higher spiritual levels.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I used the word "attract" quite deliberately. Like attracts like. If you have spiritual vibration that is full of love and beauty you will attract to you other people and even other things and situations of a similar vibration. This can only make your life, and the lives of those around you, happier and more fulfilled.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This concept may seem rather obscure, but it is so important! Work hard on improving your tuning and allowing yourself to resonate to good, pure, helpful feelings.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">For further help in both understanding this concept and developing and using it, take a look at this video by the "spiritual vibration" specialist, Christie Marie Sheldon:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://mval.li/?a=84&c=1439&p=r&s1=" target="_blank">"Love or Above Spiritual Toolkit"</a></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13089385185861315026noreply@blogger.com0