WHAT ARE YOU "DOING"?

I recently wrote about our ability to choose. To choose how we will respond to other people and situations rather than surrendering power to them by allowing them to Que. our emotional state. We don't become sad, we "do" sad. We aren't angry as if anger were a thing, we "do" anger. How do we "do" anger? We experience the power of our own thoughts. Have you ever been having a pretty good day and then received a phone call with some bad news? You immediately began feeling sad, depressed, frightened some distinct emotion. What had actually changed? You are sitting or standing in the same exact place as before the call so that's not different. Your surroundings are the same, the furniture didn't suddenly become different, your clothes did change to something different. All that is different in that moment are your thoughts. We remember that our subconscious, which leads our emotions, cannot tell the difference between a REAL or IMAGINED experience. It responds to all input as REAL and thus triggers within us a relevant emotion and reaction. We "do" various feelings by creating in our mind the needed data to release them. For example, I feel angry.  I create in my mind images of the things and people related to what I don't want happening. I add the sounds of the people's voices or their laughter. I see their faces as disappointed or condescending. I may also add sounds, posture all the elements in thought of what being angry or "doing" anger is for me. I then proceed to "do" the most perfect angry ever! Pay attention to the thoughts connected to your emotions. The images, feelings both emotional and physical, smells, sounds etc. inventory all your senses. To change the emotion and behavior you are "doing" change the input, the thoughts being sent to the subconscious. This will take a little practice because we have allowed so many reactions to become automated. We correct this by taking it from an automatic response, bring it to our conscious mind and change the thoughts associated. Try it! It's time to "do" better things in your life. So, ... WHAT ARE YOU "DOING"?

THE POWER TO CHOOSE

It's intriguing to me how we will allow other people to determine our joy or frustration. Whether it be a partner, family member, friend or stranger. We surrender power to them. Well, how do we do this? When someone disagrees with you, do you feel angry or insecure? Why? Their disagreement cannot MAKE us feel anything. We must choose to be hurt or offended and then "do" being hurt or offended. Angry isn't something we are, it's something we do. We are "doing" anger. Insecure isn't something we are. We "do" being and feeling insecure. When we allow the behavior of someone else to determine how we choose to experience the moment or the day, we are giving them power to decide for us what we will "choose" to do. How about feeling or "doing" disappointment? Now there's something that takes a lot of preparation.  We must create in our mind all of these expectations of how things will be, how people will behave and what we want to have happen. Then when little or none of it occurs because we can't CONTROL other people, we then get to "do" disappointment. Stop giving the power away in your life. You can and do "choose" what emotion and behavior you will "do". Go right now and "do" peaceful, or "do" feeling pleasant. You have the POWER, you can "choose" what to "do" or "be". 

STORMS OF LIFE

I enjoy watching the changes in weather and following those changes on weather radar. It's amazing to see the radar reveal patterns in the storm. As we watch the radar we can estimate the strength of the storm and the approximate time of its arrival. This allows us to prepare. There are some parts of the country where storms form quickly and with little warning. By the time you see them in radar, they have already arrived. All you can do is hang on and weather the storm. 

Continually throughout our lives we will have times in our lives much like summer sunny weather. Everything is great! There will be times when we are alerted to personal storms in the distance for which we need to prepare. A family illness, moving to a new town or state, car is starting to break down a lot. Then there will come times when life storms with sore trials will suddenly appear. In these times, we must already be prepared by the way we live our lives daily. Then, hold on and weather the storm. 

A GRATEFUL HEART

On this day of thanksgiving in the United States people across the land have gathered as family and friends to give thanks. Parents are grateful for their children and children for their parents. Relatives, uncles, aunts and cousins have reconnected. In many cases, some people have spent the day alone. Perhaps they have no family or are estranged from family. True gratitude knows no bounds or limits. Alone or with family, our gratitude comes from within us. It is having a grateful heart for all things in our lives. Gratitude for a place to live and food to eat. Gratitude for simple things, the ability to tie our own shoes, the ability to read and write. There are so many things in our lives for which we are grateful. It is good to take some time alone and experience a grateful heart. In a moment of solitude consider what really matters to you, what brings you joy? Be alone with your thoughts, alone with your creator and gently, peacefully experience a grateful heart. 

WHAT ARE YOU MISSING?

On the eve of Thanksgiving Day here in the United States, my thoughts continue to be gravitating toward the things for which I an grateful. My faith and family are always at the top of the list. Good health, friends, freedom are most precious to me. As human beings we have wired into our nervous system a protective response known as habituation. Its a function of the Reticular Activating System. When we have been exposed to something for very long it loses its initial impact or intensity. We become so accustomed to it we no longer notice it. Things like the way your shoes feel on your feet, the way the necklace feels around your neck, the way your sleeves feel against your body. If we don't intentionally think about them, we don't notice them due to habituation.  This applies to everything in our life good or bad. We begin to take for granted the good things, the blessings, the people in our lives. Taking a few minutes to consider the things for which you are grateful will restore your awareness and feelings of the those things. When it comes to the neat things, the important people in your life, what are you missing?

A GRATITUDE INVENTORY

In the United States this is a week we think of family and the many things for which we are thankful. Thursday is Thanksgiving Day. The practice of gratitude is such a healthy thing. When we take time everyday to reflect and think about the things we are grateful for, it causes a change in our thinking that makes life so much more enjoyable. A suggestion on a way to begin, take a few minutes and state something for which you are grateful using every letter of the alphabet. An example; A = Adrianna my granddaughter B= bed so comfortable C= Church etc. give it a try and note how you feel when you get to Z. 

SEASONS OF CHANGE

In many parts of the world the change of seasons is quite dramatic. Spring to Summer, Summer to Fall and Fall to Winter. We learn to adapt to the changes from hot days to cold, dry days to wet. We also experience changes in our individual lives just as dramatic. We will need to learn to change how we respond and what actions we need to take. The most important thing to remember as we deal with change is to remain true to your core values. When you do, you ensure that you are always coming from a stable place of strength.