Choose Wisely

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We know the choices we have.  It seems so simple.  And yet we often choose that which does not serve us.  We make up reasons why we don’t or cannot.

We judge ourselves.  We judge others.  It is simple.  Why do we not do it?

“You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.  You can lead a man to pasture, but you can’t make him eat.” ~ Premiere Edition (Prima) through Liz Mitten Ryan

It is simple, and yet we make it hard.  We think too much.  We make stuff up.  We justify, and then we judge ourselves too.

What would it be like if we didn’t think?  What would it be like if we acted through instinct?  Is it possible we’d be happier?  Would we be more at peace?

JOY Challenge:

I give myself permission to act on my first instinct today.

Change One Mind at a Time

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Some people say “I am just one person” when they think of creating change.  It seems like a daunting task.  What kind of effect could I have on the world?  The truth is, each I does have an effect on the world.

“In one instant you can change the world.  If man were to change his mind; one mind at a time, a chain reaction (like nuclear fission) would occur.  Human minds like ours, are all joined.  It is a belief in isolation that creates the limits.  Simply let them go and a far greater world is yours, ours, and in the communion of spirit as it has always been.” ~ Premiere Edition (Prima) through Liz Mitten Ryan

The beauty of this is that it can take some of the pressure off.  It’s not your responsibility to change everyone’s mind.  It’s not your responsibility to make anyone else do anything.  You’re only responsible for changing your own mind, your own way of BEing in this world.

JOY Challenge:

What is one thing I can be, do or have differently that will contribute to the peace, love and joy of the planet?

Suggestions:  It can be as simple as recycling or composting.  It can be volunteering, contributing to a food bank, or even meditating on world peace.  It doesn’t matter what you choose.  It all makes a difference.

Boundaries are Only Thoughts

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How do you limit yourself?  Do you say things like, “Because that’s who I am” or “It’s just the way things are”?

“We are all one, Human, Plant, Animal, Rock. – Every single little quark is united in the same cosmic soup.  There are spaces but no boundaries.  Boundaries are only thoughts.” ~ Premiere Edition (Prima) through Liz Mitten Ryan

Are these limiting thoughts serving you?  Are they moving you closer to your dreams and intentions?  Or are they the limits that keep you “safe”?  What are they keeping you safe from?  Success?  Failure? 

What would happen if you succeeded?  What would happen if you didn’t succeed?  (Remember, you only fail if you stop.)

What if this limit is simply a small stone in the road that you’re bumping your toe up against?

What if you were lift your thoughts (foot) a little bit higher to step over the limit (stone)?

JOY Challenge:

What is one Boundary I would love to step over, and what would it take to step over it?

Language and Vision

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I love to learn.  I love to read.  I never really thought about how these two joys actually support me to create my vision!

"Vocabulary enables us to interpret and to express. If you have a limited vocabulary, you will also have a limited vision and a limited future." ~ Jim Rohn

I don’t think we have to run out and memorize the dictionary to be able to vision more clearly, but I do think that consistently learning, whether it be through listening or reading, is extremely valuable.

JOY Challenge:

What’s one new thing I can learn today?

Oh No! I made a mistake!

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Every once in a while I get this idea in my head that I’m supposed to be perfect, and never EVER make a mistake.  And if by chance I do make a mistake, no one…and I mean no one…should ever find out about it.

Then, one day, my son made a mistake.  I noticed he had somehow adopted the thought that he needed to be perfect, and he was devastated.  It broke my heart to see him this way.  It was then that I realized how unkind I had been to myself.

"A man should never be ashamed to own that he has been in the wrong, which is but saying that he is wiser today than he was yesterday." ~ Alexander Pope

I shared how I too had made mistakes, and also how I had actually learned from these mistakes.  We discussed what he could learn from what happened.  I shared how important these mistakes truly are, and how valuable they can be, when we are kind to ourselves.

I still make mistakes, and I still get this idea of being perfect in my head once in a while.  All I have to do is look at my son to remind me to be as kind and loving to myself as I would be to him in those same circumstances.

JOY Challenge:

How can I be more kind to myself today?