Follow your dreams

"The only place where your dream becomes
impossible is in your own thinking."

Robert H. Schuller

Like the elephant, we are unconscious of our own strength.

When it comes to understanding the power we have to
make a difference in our own lives, we might as well be asleep.

If you want to make your dreams come true, wake up.

Wake up to your own strength.

Wake up to the role you play in your own destiny.

Wake up to the power you have to choose
what you think, do, and say.

Keith Ellis, from the book, Bootstraps

Never give up your dreams!

Follow That Dream | Elvis Presley

Lyrics

(Words & music by Fred Wise - Ben Weisman)

Follow that dream, I gotta follow that dream
Keep a-movin, move along, keep a moving
I've got to follow that dream wherever that dream may lead
I've got to follow that dream to find the love I need

When your heart gets restless, time to move along
When your heart gets weary, time to sing a song
But when a dream is calling you,
There's just one thing that you can do

Well, you gotta follow that dream wherever that dream may lead
You gotta follow that dream to find the love you need

Keep a-movin, move along, keep a moving

Got to find me someone whose heart is free
Someone to look for my dream with me
And when I find her I may find out
Just what my dreams are all about

I've got to follow that dream wherever that dream may lead
I've got to follow that dream to find the love I need

I've got to follow that dream wherever that dream may lead
I've got to follow that dream to find the love I need

Keep a-movin, move along
Keep a-movin, move along
Keep a-movin, move along

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Peace, love, happiness . . . and success . . . some guidelines

One of my favorite bloggers, Marelisa, calls the following list "58 Habits That Will Help You Succeed." In my opinion, the outcome of putting these new habits into action is peace, love and happiness, along with the success.

In the years since suddenly becoming a widow, I have pondered quality of life in the short time we have on earth, what it means to me and what it takes to get there. I've adopted many of the "habits" that Marelisa suggests, along with being grateful for all the little things that bring me simple pleasures.

The theme of my blog is peace, love and happiness, which means so much to me. This weekend, death has crept into my life again . . . another beloved and cherished family member is gone. As my partner and I gathered with other family members this weekend, I was once again reminded of those things truly important in life. It had been years since seeing some of those family members that I love so much, but too busy with living life to take time out to spend time with them.

Quality of life is balancing all those things that mean the most to you . . . above all is loving and respecting those significant people in your life.

Thank you Marelisa for the awesome list and for the continued inspiration (the link to her fabulous blog is at the end of this post ) . . . I will be making the attempt to add some of these new habits to my life.

Hopefully there is something in the following list that will motivate you to make some changes in your life and make your quality of life the best that it can be.

1. Constantly ask yourself: “What do I want?”

2. Set goals.

3. Plan how you’re going to accomplish your goals.

4. Set clear deadlines for your goals.

5. Establish how you’re going to measure the progress you’re making toward achieving your goals.

6. Track the progress you’re making toward hitting your objectives.

7. Feed your mind with the thoughts, words, and images that are most consistent with who you want to be, what you want to have, and what you want to achieve.

8. Constantly ask yourself “how” you can achieve your goals.

9. Plan your day the night before.

10. Every morning as soon as you wake up, and every night before you go to sleep, look at your goals and visualize yourself achieving them.

11. Invest the first hour of every day on yourself.

12. Each day do the most important thing on your To-Do List first.

13. Do one thing at a time without distractions.

14. Each week review how the week went and what you accomplished.

15. Take the time to replenish your energy:  get enough sleep; take frequent, short breaks while you work; and keep a Secular Sabbath each week.

16. Take regular vacations.

17. Drink lots of water.

18. Eat three meals a day and have two healthy snacks each day.

19. Get at least twenty minutes of daily exercise.

20. Be a lifelong learner.

21. Seek to continually perfect your craft.

22. Constantly ask yourself:  “How can this be improved?” and “Is there a better way to do this?”

23. Organize your space in a way that makes sense to you; everything should have its place.

24. When you’re done using something, put it back where it belongs.

25. Schedule regular decluttering sessions.

26. Associate with people you admire, respect and want to be like.

27. Move quickly when you have an idea or notice an opportunity.

28. Think before you act; consider the consequences of several different courses of action prior to making a decision on what steps to take.

29. Be frugal.

30. Save at least 10% of your income, off the top, before any other expenditure.

31. Tithe 10% of your income.

32. Do your homework and think hard before making any decision on where to invest your money.

33. Don’t invest in anything that you don’t understand.

34. Think in terms of the satisfaction that you feel from saving, investing, and growing your money.

35. Insure properly against any risk that you can’t write a check to cover.

36. Protect your estate from unnecessary taxes and frivolous lawsuits.

37. Consider carefully before making any expenditure.

38. Focus on those activities which you most enjoy, are good at, and make a valuable contribution to others.

39. Always be on the look-out for new opportunities.

40. Dress like a person who’s going somewhere in life.

41. Look for ways to make others be more successful in fulfilling their responsibilities.

42. Be persistent; stick to a task until it’s completed.

43. Think flexibly: consider alternative points of view, use lateral thinking, and be willing to change your mind based on additional information or reasoning.

44. Look for ways to put in more than you get out; sow more than you reap.

45. Maintain a positive attitude.

46. Delegate tasks that you don’t enjoy and which are not core activities.

47. Practice prevention: take the car in for regular tune-ups; get regular physical and dental checkups; and so on.

48. Be punctual.

49. Question your assumptions on a regular basis.

50. Make others feel important.

51. Spend time with the most important people in your life every day.

52. Give praise and approval to those who deserve it.

53. Pay attention to people when they talk and be a good listener.

54. When it comes to your significant other, make trust and forgiveness your default mode.

55. Focus more on what your partner does right than on what he or she does wrong.

56. Hug your significant other as soon as you see each other after work.

57. Say “I love you” and “Have a good day” to your significant other every morning.

58. Give thanks each day for everything you received.

Marelisa's blog

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Survival mode

Finding Deep Strength

We have all have times in our lives
when we think we don’t have the
strength to carry on.

You do, and you can.

We have all faced moments in our lives when the pressure mounts beyond what we feel we can handle, and we find ourselves thinking that we do not have the strength to carry on. Sometimes we have just gotten through a major obstacle or illness only to find another one waiting for us the moment we finally catch our breath.

Sometimes we endure one loss after another, wondering when we will get a break from life’s travails. It does not seem fair or right that life should demand more of us when we feel we have given all we can, but sometimes this is the way life works. 

When we look back on our lives, we see that we have survived many trials and surmounted many obstacles, often to our own amazement. In each of those instances, we had to break through our ideas about how much we can handle and go deeper into our hidden reserves. The thought that we do not have the strength to handle what is before us can be likened to the hard surface of a frozen lake. It appears to be an impenetrable fact, but when we break through it, we find that a deep well of energy and inspiration was trapped beneath that icy barrier the whole time. 

Sometimes we break through by cutting a hole into our resistance with our willpower, and sometimes we melt the ice with compassion for our predicament and ourselves. Either way, each time we break through, we reach a new understanding of the strength we store within ourselves. 

When we find ourselves up against that frozen barrier of thinking we cannot handle our situation, we may find that the kindest choice is to love ourselves and our resistance too. We can simply accept that we are overwhelmed, exhausted, and stretched, and we can offer ourselves loving kindness and compassion. If we can extend to ourselves the unconditional warmth of a mother’s love, before we know it, the ice will begin to break.

Source: The Daily Om

In retrospect, the strength I found inside of me when my husband died amazes me to this day. My sincere belief is that we all possess a deep strength that we can't even imagine until we actually need it. It is what I call survival mode.

There have been many times that I have reached deep down inside to tap into my survival mode. Many people give into the life obstacle, not knowing that the survival mode even exists, maybe it is too much trouble. It is the equivalent of falling down and not getting back up.

I love this quote . . . it is so important to remember . . .

"Failure is not falling down, it's staying down."

Renee Yohe

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Leading by example

Often the best way to create change
is not to try to convince others to change,
but to change ourselves.

We all know from experience that we can’t change other people, yet most of us have a tendency to try. This is because we naturally feel the need to do something to change situations that we find troubling. It often doesn’t occur to us that the best way to create change is not to try to convince others to change but to change ourselves. When we make adjustments from within, we become role models for others, and leading by example is much more inspiring than a lecture or an argument.

We sometimes look outside ourselves for what’s wrong with the world, but the outside world is really just a mirror reflecting us back to ourselves. When we encounter negativity—anger, depression, fear—we empower ourselves by looking for its roots inside of ourselves. For example, if you have a friend who is unreliable, observe yourself and notice if there are ways in which you are unreliable. You may be surprised to discover that you have your own struggles with this issue in ways you weren’t able to see. Once you own the issue for yourself, you can begin to work for change within yourself. This will also enable you to have more compassion for your friend. At the very least, as you strive to become more reliable, you will become more of the person you want to be. In the best-case scenario, you will be an inspiration to others.

You can apply the same method to larger issues. For example, if there is something you see in the larger world that you would like to change—let’s say, greed—try taking responsibility for changing it in yourself. Instead of being angry with those you see as greedy, seek out the roots of your own greed and come to terms with your power to transform it. This may be the best way to lead the world toward greater moderation and generosity.

Source: The Daily Om

My mom has a saying that reminds
 me of the above article . . .

"You can lead a horse to water,
but you can't make him drink"

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Endless destination

"Believing in yourself is an endless destination. Believing you have failed is the end of the journey."

Anonymous

MASTIN SAYS:

I know it's not always easy to walk on the path of your dreams. The ups and downs of the journey are a wonderful dance that guide us towards our deepest desires. As far as I can see, one of the main goals of the journey is to not judge a situation as bad or good, but remain detached.

If you are showing up and acting every day towards the greatest good for yourself and others then trust what shows up today. Know that what is placed at your feet is a special, unique experience just for you and on the other side of this experience if a brand new way of seeing the world.


Love the ups.
Love the downs.
It's a journey, this life,
love and savor every moment of it.

Source: The Daily Love

TDL on Twitter

www.Twitter.com/TheDailyLove

TDL on Facebook

http://bit.ly/TheDailyLoveFB

TDL Founder Mastin Kipp on Twitter

www.Twitter.com/MastinKipp

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Finding Time for You

Your Most Vital Commitment

Recognizing the importance of "you time" is far easier than finding a place for it in an active, multifaceted lifestyle, however. Even if you find a spot for it in your agenda, you may be dismayed to discover that your thoughts continuously stray into worldly territory.

To make the most of "you time," give yourself enough time on either side of the block of time you plan to spend on yourself to ensure that you do not feel rushed. Consider how you would like to pass the time, forgetting for the moment your obligations and embracing the notion of renewal. You may discover that you are energized by creative pursuits, guided meditation, relaxing activities during which your mind can wander, or modes of expression such as writing.

Even if you have achieved a functioning work-life balance, you may still be neglecting the most important part of that equation: you. "You time" prepares you for the next round of daily life, whether you are poised to immerse yourself in a professional project or chores around the home. It also affords you a unique opportunity to learn about yourself, your needs, and your tolerances in a concrete way.

As unimportant as "you time" can sometimes seem, it truly is crucial to your well being because it ensures that you are never left without the energy to give of yourself.

Source: Daily Om

It occurs to me that my blogging theme for today is anxiety, life balance and relaxing after a period of chaotic and stressful times. Life changes can be swift and stressful, even if the changes are a good thing.

Seems like in the midst of these life changes, I have neglected taking quality time out for myself. My life has been a whirlwind since entering the world of employment after so many years of no routine. I'm still finding my way to a good balance between personal and work time. In the meantime, my days off fly by before I have time to access my personal needs and "me time".

Blogging is a huge part of it for me . . . determining what your quality "me time" is makes a huge difference in anxiety levels, quality of life and life balance itself.

Find time for yourself today . . .

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From thinking to doing

Human behavior expert Theodore Bryant, author of the book “Self-Discipline in 10 Days: How to Go from Thinking to Doing”, has conducted self-discipline courses, workshops, and seminars for over a decade. He explains that everyone is made up of different selves. Often, your different sides want to go in different directions, which causes inner conflict. While part of you wants to clean the kitchen and balance the check book, another part of you wants to grab a bag of chips and a diet coke and veg out in front of the TV.

Bryant calls the side of you that tries to sabotage your efforts to be self-disciplined, Hyde. And, yes, the part of you that wants to be self-disciplined is Dr. Jekyll. The author cautions not to think of Hyde as an enemy, but, instead, he advises that you regard Hyde as a part of you which you’ll want to recruit to help you in your efforts to achieve your goals, resolutions, and objectives.

Here are some of the strategies you can use to overcome the resistance which Hyde will put up whenever you try to take action toward achieving your goals:


Excuses and Action Oriented Self-Talk

Whenever you hear yourself coming up with an excuse as to why you can’t take the steps necessary in order to accomplish a goal you’ve set for yourself, remind yourself that it’s just a tactic being used by Hyde to avoid doing the work. In order to counteract Hyde’s negativism, use action oriented self-talk.

Action oriented self-talk is positive, specific, and present tense. Suppose you tell yourself that you’re going to spend the next two hours organizing your closet. However, you get distracted by other things and, two hours later, you haven’t accomplished anything productive. What happened? Hyde started working on your subconscious to get you to do anything but clean your closet. What you need to do is replace Hyde’s self-defeating subconscious messages with positive, specific, present tense messages.

Once you make the decision to organize your closet, begin saying the following out loud: “I am now organizing my closet.” When you do this, the subconscious mind will turn all of its attention to organizing the closet, regardless of what you may actually be doing at the time. Your subconscious mind will begin sending messages to your motor functions, emotions, and other members of your physical and psychological network that will be in line with organizing your closet. In addition, it will begin to look for ways to organize your closet.

Here’s an example used by Bryant: You’re sitting in your favorite chair reading a magazine. Part of you begins to think that your time could be used more productively by working on that eBook you’ve been meaning to write. However, Hyde begins to say: “I’m reading a magazine.” Therefore, your subconscious turns all of its resources toward reading the magazine. At this point, Dr. Jekyll needs to say: “I’m working on my eBook.” Now, your subconscious will begin to point its resources toward working on your eBook:

* You’ll begin to feel agitated as you sit there leafing through the magazine.
* You’ll start getting ideas for things to include in your eBook.
* You’ll feel like getting up, sitting at your desk, turning on your computer, and getting to work on your eBook.
* As long as you keep repeating your positive, specific, present tense message, you’ll feel compelled to work on your eBook. Repetition is the key to success.
* If you say it out loud, it will be even more powerful than simply repeating it silently.


Hyde might try to convince you that you will take action to achieve your goals; you’ll just do it later. After all, if you want to start exercising you’ll need a new jogging outfit. You can’t possibly be seen in any of the old work out pants and ratty t-shirts you have in your closet. And in order to buy new exercise clothes, you first have to pay off your credit card balance in full. After all, getting out of debt is another one of your goals. So, you see, exercising is not something you can do at the moment. But you’ll do it later. (Hyde is quite devious.)

The tactic to use here is to question whether there’s a legitimate reason to delay getting started, or if it sounds suspiciously like one of Hyde’s clever excuses. Remember, Hyde is like a little kid who will come up with all sorts of ruses to avoid his parents’ orders to clean his room. It’s perfectly fine for you to exercise in the clothes you already have; the perceived obstacle of needing a new jogging suit is just Hyde trying to trick you into spending an hour surfing the Internet instead of exercising.


Fear of Failure

Bryant points out that study after study has shown that the greatest obstacle to personal success is fear of failure. The pain of past failures lingers in the shadows of your subconscious, reminding you of how awful you felt the last time you failed. Why would you want to set yourself up to feeling like that again by pursuing a new goal? Just sit back and enjoy your TV show. Go ahead, put your feet up on the coffee table. You could even grab that pint of Rocky Road ice cream you have in the freezer. That feels nice and safe, doesn’t it?

We’ve been trained by society that failing is shameful. Is it any mystery, then, that we’re so reluctant to attempt anything at which we can’t be sure of succeeding? When part of us wants to do something, and part of us is dragging its feet because it’s terrified of failing, it’s like trying to drive a car with the handbrake on. In order to succeed at achieving your goals, you have to fully invest yourself in the task at hand.

The trick here is to separate your performance on a given task from how you feel about yourself. You probably have a tendency to say to yourself: “If I fail at this, I’m a failure.” You need to begin regarding failure as evidence of experimentation and attempts at self-growth, instead of seeing it as a blow to your self-esteem. Refuse to link failure to how you feel about yourself. As Bryant points out, failure is not a tombstone, but a stepping stone to success.


Conclusion

You’ve known for a while that you have a Hyde lurking around in your subconscious, haven’t you? After all, how many times have you made goals and resolutions with the best of intentions to follow through, only to find that you never get started, or that you leave things half-finished? Bryant offers many more clues in “Self-Discipline in 10 Days” on how to recognize Hyde’s attempts at sabotaging your efforts, and what to do about it.

What types of things have you caught Hyde doing to try and prevent you from getting things done, or to stop you from taking the risks you need to take in order to accomplish your dreams?


This article is a reprint from one of my favorite blogs . . .

http://abundance-blog.marelisa-online.com/

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A position of positivity

You may feel happy and upbeat today. A lively and entertaining mood may come over you, leading you to observe your life and your prospects with an optimistic eye. Even if you face challenges as your proceed down your path, you’ll likely look for the blessings in each new difficulty you encounter. You can inspire the individuals with whom you work and play to look at their own lives with more hope and enthusiasm. The good-natured outlook you project can serve as a positive example that drives others to look to you for guidance. Your optimism may give you the strength to help others overcome the distressing situations they come upon. You will likely be blessed with the ability to put a positive spin on the darkest of circumstances today.

Optimism can help you retain an upbeat attitude and hopeful outlook as you move through life. Outside forces can wield a strong influence over what we feel and how we choose to respond to those feelings. When you believe that the future will be bright, you create a wellspring of buoyancy in your soul that you can draw from when your worldly concerns go awry. You’ll never balk or be disheartened when faced with circumstances that slow or block your progress. Your positive nature will allow you to take a playful stance when dealing with distressing or difficult situations. The blessings inherent in life’s good and bad aspects will always be apparent to you. The optimism you hold in your heart today will allow you to show a smile in any situation.

Source: Daily Om


Sometimes I have a difficult
 time remembering this!

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Satisfying your desires

Your mind is always searching, like a squirrel always searching for acorns. The squirrel sits, surrounded by the acorns it has gathered.

Is it seated 'blissed out' in the midst of acorn consciousness?

No! The squirrel is wondering where it can find its next bunch of acorns. With all due respect, this is also what your ego-based mind has in store for you. Its basic rule is to never completely satisfy you, to keep you looking for the next treasure, constantly searching for the fulfillment of your next desire.

It is important that you understand the force of your desires. They are addictions, and being addicted to anything simply means that you feel there is something you need to make you Whole that you do not have.


Source: (Bartholomew through Mary-Margaret Moore,
from the book, Reflections of an Elder Brother)

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Life is best shared

The time we pass in the company of our loved ones is valuable because it affords us an opportunity to explore the range of closeness we share with the important people in our lives. As we move through life’s trials and triumphs together, we form the emotionally intense memories that act as the foundation for the bonds of friendship and love. Since we remain in contact and are able to reconnect regularly, we can realistically view our relationships as dynamic and able to evolve. We are thus more apt to make strong commitments and trust that the people we care about will be steadfastly loyal in their dealings with us. The camaraderie you feel today can open your mind to new worlds of closeness that are deeper and more profound than what you have experienced in the past.

Source: The Daily Om





Nothing is more beautiful!

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Five minutes to happiness

Devoting time each day for
happiness will change your day
and change your brain chemistry

It can be so easy to get caught up in the rigors of modern life that we tend to forget that happiness need not come with stipulations. Happiness becomes something we must schedule and strive for—a hard-won emotion—and then only when we have no worries to occupy our thoughts. In reality, overwhelming joy is not the exclusive province of those with unlimited time and no troubles to speak of. Many of the happiest people on earth are also those coping with the most serious challenges. They have learned to make time for those simple yet superb pleasures that can be enjoyed quickly and easily. Cultivating a happy heart takes no more than five minutes. The resultant delight will be neither complex nor complicated, but it will be profound and will serve as a reminder that there is always a reason to smile.

So much that is ecstasy-inducing can be accomplished in five minutes. Alone, we can enjoy an aromatic cup of our favorite tea, take a stroll through the garden we have created, write about the day's events in a journal, doodle while daydreaming, or breathe deeply while we listen to the silence around us. In the company of a good friend or treasured relative, we can share a few silly jokes, enjoy a waltz around the room, play a fast-paced hand of cards, or reconnect through lighthearted conversation. The key is to first identify what makes us dizzyingly happy. If we do only what we believe should bring us contentment, our five minutes will not be particularly satisfying. When we allow ourselves the freedom to do whatever brings us pleasure, five minutes out of 14 wakeful hours can brighten our lives immeasurably.

It is often when we have the least free time or energy to devote to joy that we need to unwind and enjoy ourselves the most. Making happiness a priority will help you find five minutes every day to indulge in the things that inspire elation within you. Eventually, your happiness breaks will become an established part of your routine. If you start by pursuing activities you already enjoy and then gradually think up new and different ways to fill your daily five minutes of happiness, you will never be without something to smile about.

Source: The Daily Om

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Be yourself

"Always be yourself, express yourself, have
faith in yourself, do not go out and look for
a successful personality and duplicate it."

Bruce Lee



What a beautiful quote!

How many of us follow the trends and look just like any other person in the way we dress and express ourselves?  

The key word in the sentence is "follow" . . . are you a leader or a follower?

Why not set your own trend instead of duplicating another one?

Be yourself, be unique and different!

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A Time for Everything

The following article is actually my horoscope for today, but I'm posting it since it applies to every one of us in everyday life. It is all about balance.

There have been times in my life where I let my job take over my life, leaving little time for my personal life and responsibilities. Rather than find the right balance, the result was total burn out and leaving the world of employment.

We can all relate to feeling stressed out about one thing or another. Stress is a natural reaction that can be a good thing if used correctly, however, allowing it to consume you will result in complete overwhelm . . . at least that is how it happens for me.

If you’re preoccupied with your obligations, you may feel stressed today. Your chores, professional duties, and domestic responsibilities may vie for your attention and leave you feeling anxious and tense. Though you may have a lot to do, you’ll likely feel more relaxed and focused if you allow time in your schedule for recreation and the activities you enjoy. If your schedule is quite full or your duties are pressing, you may have only a limited amount of time to put aside thoughts of work and focus on having fun. A game of cards with a coworker or a chat with a friend could restore your equilibrium and help you complete your tasks more efficiently. Including fun in your future agendas could help you commit today to the concept of balance. 

Achieving a life balance that includes both work and play in amounts you find rewarding can help you feel more relaxed. It can be as difficult to concentrate on your obligations while you dream of fun as it is to enjoy yourself when you are fixated on projects and deadlines. 

Taking breaks when you are engrossed in an important task affords you an opportunity to clear your mind of clutter so you can return to your duty with a clear mind. Likewise, giving yourself permission to put aside all thoughts of work allows you to immerse yourself in recreational activities. Finding time for both fun and work today will ensure that you get the most out of both.

Source: The Daily Om

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Savor each moment

Making life faster does not make it better. Enjoy the opportunity to savor each moment, each encounter, each experience. Having too much of something does not add any real value to your life. Choose to enjoy freedom from the excesses that would weigh you down. Pretending to be someone you're not will gain you nothing. Live authentically, and put the power of truth on your side. Worrying, fretting, fighting and resenting will never help to move you forward. Keep peace in your heart, in your thoughts, in your actions, and you'll add real value to your world. Your life is a unique and most precious thing. Choose to live it with quality in every moment. This is your day to fill with richness and meaning. Do what is right, what is real, what is true and what is you.

Ralph Marston



Quality of life that brings a balance of peace, love and happiness is what it is all about for me.

Love this quote :)

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Worry, paranoia and intuition

Difficult times have helped me to understand better than before how infinitely rich and beautiful life is in every way and that so many things that one goes worrying about are of no importance whatsoever. (Isak Dinesen)

Worry is one of those emotions I could do without. It has been brought to my attention that worry is nothing but waiting for something bad to happen in the midst of good times.

Ironically, sometimes the self-fulfilling prophecy leads to not being happy unless the thing I worry about happens. Otherwise what I perceive as "intuition" is wrong. In my world, there is a fine line between worry and intuition. It is a lose/lose concept of thinking.

I'm starting to realize the concept of the above quote . . . life is way too short to worry about something that may not even be an issue to worry about . . . so why worry about it?

There is also a fine line between worry and paranoia . . .

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Desire is the cause of suffering?

The cause of suffering is desire. So taught the Buddha 2500 years ago. This was his second Noble Truth called samudaya, meaning arising. It is desire and associated feelings that arise within us as a response or reaction to our affliction, challenges or suffering. As long as we are alive we will always respond to what we experience. The initial responses are automatic reactions. These reactions need to be acknowledged, accepted and understood before any conscious decisions can be made regarding action.

Everyone has needs and feelings. An enlightened person too has needs and feelings. So don’t think that if you eliminate needs and feelings you will be enlightened. You, in fact, would be deluded.

Desire is necessary to help us grasp life in order to experience it more fully. The purpose of desire is to take us to the need, but usually our desire is a longing for things to be other than what they are. When desire is not used as an indicator to reveal and fulfill need, it will cause suffering, because we are using it for something other than what its purpose is.

Desires are of two types: cravings and aversions, both of which lead to suffering. It is through these opposite attachments that we lose ourselves and lose the reality we are experiencing. We thus end up with inauthentic and superficial living. The suffering that results is to get us to live more deeply and to become more authentic.

Living authentically means, in this application, to attend to what arises within us in a welcoming way, seeing that what arises is the need we have. To attend to the need is not the means to enlightenment. Attending to the need is enlightenment. Denial, shame, escapism, manipulation in relation to what arises is anti-enlightenment.

The path to enlightenment involves the complete acceptance that suffering (dukkha) in the form of being born, working, handling relationships, growing old, and so on is an essential part of what makes us human. Desiring to escape from this reality, rather than embracing it as part of our journey inhibits our learning and blocks our expansion of consciousness.

There is a solution to the suffering we experience, which is to let go of desire and to practice detachment so that compassion may flow and the Divine Presence be contacted.

All Soul Perspectives are authored by Andrew Schneider.
(C)Reproductions on Soul Perspectives Permitted: http://www.thesouljourney.com
QUESTIONS/COMMENTS: support@thesouljourney.com




Although much of the above article makes sense to me, it is my opinion that letting go of desire and practicing detachment is not being true to yourself. How does letting go of desire allow compassion to flow? If our desires are realistic, how can they end up hurting us? Can't anything in life have the potential to hurt us?

Be true to yourself . . . be realistic . . . never let go of desire. Desire is part of what makes us alive!

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Time is eternity

"Time is too slow for those who wait, too swift for those who fear, too long for those who grieve, too short for those who rejoice, but for those who love, time is eternity."

Henry Van Dyke

In the race of life, I have experienced all the
above phases, although I prefer "time is eternity."

The phase of waiting made me feel as though I was
going through life standing in front of a pot of cold
water ponderously watching it take forever to boil.

Fearing life itself does not make time pass swiftly
for me, although the time that passes is painfully
agonizing as fear gripped every moment of my life.

Too much of my life has been spent grieving those
I have loved and lost . . . the phase seems to never
want to go away once it rears its ugly head.

The joyous times have been way too far
and few between and zipped by way too fast.

My times of learning how to be grateful for little
things, having faith that "tomorrow will be a better
day" and the belief that fairy tale love does exist
has made all the frustrating phases of life worth
the bad times. My belief that love is eternal . . .

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Happiness and success

Success is not the key to happiness.
Happiness is the key to success.
If you love what you are doing,

you will be successful.
Herman Cain

Learn how to be happy with what you have
while you pursue all that you want.
Jim Rohn

Happiness is a mindset tied into expectations and attitudes. There have been days when I wake up expecting a bad day . . . and that is what I get. On other days, I expect to be happy and content . . . even bad circumstances don't get me down resulting in a fabulously happy day.

The difference is expectations and attitudes.

Success is not a destination, it’s a journey.
Zig Ziglar 

Choice, not circumstances, determines your success.
Anonymous

Isn't happiness a choice that leads to success?

Although I believe in luck, fate and all of that, I also believe we make our own success and failures.

Isn't our perception of success and failure a mindset?

In my opinion, success comes from satisfaction and there is no greater satisfaction than loving what you do. Some choose a career merely for the money, others for the job satisfaction. Those doing what they love will perceive a greater success due to the joy associated with what they are doing.

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