Self Love

It's next to impossible to have a peaceful, joyful life or to love others unless we first love (and forgive) ourselves.


One of the ways to love the self more is to stop comparing yourself to others. Although you are part of a whole, you are also an individual self, with your own path. The group and family belief systems you have taken on as your own can be obstacles to your self-love. The challenge of loving the self is to step aside from everything you are told, and ask, "Does this fit me? Does this bring me joy? Do I feel good when I do it?" It is ultimately your own experience that counts.

Word Play

From Marney Makridakis comes this wonderful idea which I share with you:

I was out running some errands a few days ago and I did a little eavesdropping experiment.  I listened to the conversations around me and made a note of how many times I heard the words "busy" or "tired" or "stressed".  Perhaps not surprisingly, given this bustling time of the year, those words or something similar surfaced in almost every single conversation I heard.

The holiday season is equated with a dizzy busy that has become so normal, we've come to expect it.  But does this have to be the case?  When did it become so acceptable to be over-busy, over-tired, and over-stressed…during the holidays or, for that matter, any time of the year?

I think that it's easy to forget that we have a choice in the matter. I've found that it can be as simple as making a different choice. Our choices are the pieces of the quilt of our lives, and the words we use each day are the threads that hold those choices together. Just because everyone else around us is stressed by the holidays, doesn't mean that we need to be. I'd like to share a fun little ARTsignment™ exercise that I developed that combines creative word play with the powerful act of reframing our choices. 

I believe that changing the words we use is one of the most powerful things we can do to change our lives.  And it's probably no mystery that I love word   So for this simple little exercise, all you do is start with a word that describes how you're feeling…and then see if you can find a rhyme or pun that transforms the word into something else.

For example:

Instead of feeling stressed...try feeling blessed

It looks so simple, right?  But this simple word association is actually a very powerful tool!  With this Transwordation, you now have an instant reminder the next time you are feeling stressed; you can change your thoughts, and instead of being overwhelmed with stress,  you can start thinking about all the things for which you are grateful.

Here are a few more silly little examples for words that can actually be powerful if we let them transform us this holiday season the way we can transform them. So,

Instead of feeling busy…
what would it mean if you were feeling bliss-y?

This might mean that when you're feeling busy, you can stop and ask yourself, "what could I do to bring more bliss into this short moment?"  You get the idea....Have fun with it!

Take the Pledge!

As you see from the comment to my last post, the author of The Law of the Garbage Truck has been found, David J. Pollay.  To the law,  I add this pledge, also authored by Pollay:

 The No Garbage Trucks!™ Pledge

I do not accept Garbage in my life.

When I see Garbage Trucks,
I do not take them personally.
I just smile. I wave. I wish them well.
And I move on.

And I do not spread Garbage to others.
I am not a Garbage Truck!

 I do not accept Garbage in my life."

© 2007 David J. Pollay

Oh, what a good life it will be! :-)

 

Law of the Garbage Truck

This little anonymous story has calmed me a few times, and I am posting it here in the hope that it will be of help to you as well.

The Law of The Garbage Truck

One day I hopped in a taxi and we took off for the airport. We were driving in the right lane when suddenly a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us.  My taxi driver slammed on his brakes, skidded, and missed the other car by just inches.

The driver of the other car whipped his head around, started yelling at us, and flipped us the bird.  My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was really friendly.  So I asked, "Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital."

This is when my taxi driver taught me what I now call, 'The Law of the Garbage Truck.'

He explained that many people are like garbage trucks.  They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it and sometimes they'll dump it on you.

Don't take it personally.  Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. Don't take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the streets.  The bottom line is that people whose goal is to be happy do not let garbage trucks take over their day. 

Life's too short to wake up in the morning with regrets, so..... Love the people who treat you right. Pray for the ones who don't. Life is ten percent what you make it and ninety percent how you take it.

Have a blessed garbage-free day!!

Growth

“Life needs continuous growth. The moment you stop its growth, it starts dying. So go into the world full of songs, full of dance and abundant love, and give it unconditionally, without any judgment, to anybody who is receptive — and you will go on growing in the experience both deeper and higher.” OSHO

Yes, it can be scary as it's a leap into the unknown, but it's really impossible to stand still....and it sure takes a lot of energy trying!

Being, not Doing

The concept of being vs. doing can be difficult to grasp. We think about what we want to do, but how do we just “be” as it takes not thinking. Activities that allow us to connect with our hearts and feelings help us learn how to “be."

A helpful tool is making a comfort list, things that bring joy and peace, keeping you “out of your mind!” The list may look like this:

Listening to music Walking along the beach Taking a warm bubble bath Reading a great book Listening to wind chimes Watching candles glow Listening to the silence

Spending time at a bookstore Talking with friends Watching the sunrise Watching the sunset Having a massage Giving a hug Collecting your favorite things

The more we allow ourselves time for these comforting activities, the more connected we become with our center, creating a balance within ourselves. Being in the moment is realized as pleasurable.   (by Joanne Susi)

Message from Abraham

We're asking you to trust in the Well-being. In optimism there is magic. In pessimism there is nothing. In positive expectation there is thrill and success. In pessimism or awareness of what is not wanted, there is nothing. What you're wanting to do is redefine your relationship with the Stream. We do not ask you to look at something that is black and call it white.

We do not ask you to see something that is not as you want it to be and pretend that it is. What we ask you to do is practice moving your gaze. Practice changing your perspective. Practice talking to different people. Practice going to new places. Practice sifting through the data for the things that feel like you want to feel and using those things to cause you to feel a familiar place. In other words, we want you to feel familiar in your joy. Familiar in your positive expectation, familiar in your knowing that all is well, because this Universe will knock itself out giving you evidence of that Well-being once you find that place.