Know Yourself

Some people say that “finger was made to point outward.” One of the most
difficult things in life is to look within ourselves and see truth. We are all
‘experts’ on how to fix other people, but it takes courage to look into our own
faults, recognise them for what they are, and make an effort to change for the
better.

To be content, you must take control of your life as best you can, so that you
can take it in the direction of your choice. Whatever you decide, make it work
for you and the world will just have to make its own adjustment. You were not
put on earth to please everyone; however, you have a responsibility to be
considerate of others. Chart the course of your life and maximise the resources
you have been fortunate to receive

Priorities

We really can’t take it with us when we depart this life. The comment has
often been made in jest, that there are no U-Haul trucks following any funeral
procession. So why then do so many people spend countless dollars on
material things while their souls go hungry for nourishment? One would think
this world is our permanent home and death is not a part of this plan. We
know this for sure, though: we are born, we live, and then we die! So it seems
we should make some sort of preparation for what happens next. Money
certainly does not guarantee happiness, but no doubt it is better to be
miserable with it than without it. It is futile to crave riches, without taking the
time to define what being ‘rich’ means. Being rich is a state of mind. We may
already be rich without realising it, if our definition of rich is not confined to
our financial status. We are already rich if we have health, faith and hope for
our tomorrows.

It is just as possible for you to be joyful with empty pockets, as to be unhappy
with money in the bank. Do not confuse your material life with your spiritual
one – there is no doubt about which is the more enduring of the two. Nurture
the spirit that lives in you with positive thoughts so that all areas of your life
may be enriched. Be appreciative of whatever status you now enjoy; it could
be a lot worse.

Be Grateful

We say it so often: “Life is short.” But, how many of us live our lives as if we
really believe it is short? If we did, would we waste our time on petty
jealousies, and hunger for material stuff that does little to nourish our soul?
There comes a point at which we realise that the acquisition of one more
material item is not going to make any difference to our happiness. We get
so upset over minor incidents on a daily basis, when our time could be better
spent with a loved one or appreciating the beauty of this world we have been
so privileged to call home. “Home!” How lucky we are to have one when so
many others are homeless. This abundance that exists in North America has
made us forget, from time to time, that others in the rest of the world are not
as fortunate.

You must be more aware of the gifts that this life has given to you. Always
remember the importance of the lives you have touched and those that have
touched yours. Even the most unfortunate person can find something for
which to be grateful. When you recognise that you do have something to be
grateful for, it lifts your soul and allows you to see so much more in your life
that you can feel good about. You need to use your blessings as the
medication to ease your pain. Gratitude fosters generosity, which encourages
more gratitude, thus creating a self-perpetuating cycle of positive actions. Be
grateful always, as it is the key that opens the door to more of God’s gifts.

Look Beyond The Cloud

There is no doubt that the presence of light in any aspect of our life is far more uplifting than the presence of darkness. If one views life through dark lenses, even things that are good may be distorted by negativity. Dark clouds are usually perceived as negative and depressing, yet they foretell the advent of rain, which is so vital for sustaining life. Many visually-impaired people attest to the fact that their blindness is responsible for their heightened ability to ‘see,’ using their other senses. Nothing should be viewed as one-dimensional; everything has an up-side.

With hope and positive thinking, you can keep despair and depression at bay.
Make an effort to associate with people or events that assist you to see that
there is light beyond the dark clouds. For things to get better for you, you
have to believe that they will. Belief in a Universal Presence is a wonderful way
to ensure this positive perspective on life.

Start Walking Again

Sometimes it seems that life is all about stumbling over rocks. How we treat
these ‘rocks’ is what really defines whether we win or lose in this game of
life. A ‘rock’ could be considered as a barrier on the path or as a challenge to
be more creative in the way you approach obstacles. Success in life calls for
determination, in spite of how rocky the path may be. It also demands that
you negotiate the obstruction (‘rocks’) that get in the way of your progress.
Stumbling and seeing the situation from that lowly viewpoint are important
learning exercises in your life-growth.

Complexity

If we accept that people are the face they present to the world, we are denying
the complexity of human beings. Do we judge each other incorrectly by a
formula that’s too simple? We are all capable of pretence, not just to be
deceptive – sometimes it is a way of maintaining a mystique until we are ready
to show a different aspect of ourselves. We could present on the outside as
calm and cool, when we are in fact struggling to keep a lid on the volcano
about to erupt inside us. Surprisingly, we never seem to be ‘volcanic’ on the
outside if all is at peace on the inside. We humans are so individual that few
truths can be applied to us universally. We often show the world what we
assume they want to see.

Being proficient at masking what you are really feeling is fine, as long as the
‘act’ does not distort your awareness of your true self. The key is to balance
your knowledge of what you really are and what your core values represent.
Whatever you choose to hide or to project is up to you. You may choose to
hide your true self from the world, but do remember that you can’t stay
hidden forever. Make sure you know the difference between your true self
and the self you show the world – if, in reality, there is a difference between
the two.

Know Right from Wrong

From time to time mortals have been chosen by God to be spiritual guides for
the rest of humanity. As we review biblical stories, it seems that individuals
of both strong and weak moral fibre have been chosen to lead at various times
throughout history. Yet, it is a sad commentary on our society that some of
those who are there for our protection become the ones from whom we need
to be protected. They distort the truth for their own selfish reasons and pass
it on to the rest of us as fact. Lying destroys trust in any relationship, be it
physical or spiritual. It matters little whether the ‘preacher’ comes from the
church or from the political arena. If we believe the messenger is faulty, then
we believe the message and its source to be faulty as well. The abuse of trust
can make one’s thoughts violent enough to call for the destruction of any
system that upholds lies.

Harmonise your life choices with your beliefs and trust that you will know the
difference between right and wrong, truth and fiction. If you believe in the
Universal Presence that is much greater than yourself, it will help you to
discern where truth lies. Do not discard the messages you receive until you
have checked them carefully, as it would be unwise to dismiss them simply
because you believe the messenger to be untrustworthy.

Tears

It is an ancient fallacy that shedding tears is a characteristic of the female
psyche. The fact is, tears are really a part of our humanness, not a feature of
gender. Crying, which provides many benefits for our emotional state, causes
us to experience relief and brings us back to a place of balance. Tears
sometimes come when we least expect them, and when this happens they
are probably flowing straight from our soul.

Tears do not need your permission to come to the surface, but you must use
your tears for something worthwhile. Even if they flow spontaneously, use
them to alleviate your pain, soothe your soul, or lift your spirit. Try to identify
the source or reason for your tears, so that the next time tears come, you will
be better able to understand their connection to your problems.

Be Yourself

When we are dissatisfied with who we are we behave in ways that are alien to
our true selves. It is sad that we can be feeling on top of the world, then have
our confidence punctured by an offhanded comment from a total stranger.
As self-confident as some of us are, a note of criticism can have a disastrous effect.
Sometimes we strike back in anger or we begin to change our personality,
hoping that will shield us from further criticism in the future.Somehow we seem
unable to insulate ourselves from the damage that criticism can do to our self-esteem.

You should not squander the opportunity to learn from others, even if it comes
with a hefty price tag. Don’t be afraid to stand your ground when you have
the conviction of your own opinions; express them. It has been said that “if
you don’t stand for something, you will fall for anything.” You have spent a
great deal of time creating ‘you.’ You may be similar to someone else, but
you are not exactly the same. Celebrate your one-of-a-kind ‘personhood.’
You are much too important to put your ongoing development into the hands of
another person. That person does not have to live in your skin – you do! The
best way to be in harmony with yourself is to like yourself, then to keep
tweaking the person you are until you get it tuned just right.

Attidude

There is the belief that all lives are journeys with a series of tests. If we don’t
get our facts right we have to repeat the test – that is, we live more lives until
we get it right. Some of us continue to make the same mistakes over and over
again, as if we are incapable of ever getting it right. There is also the belief
that the good people who live among us are here to show us how to live;
they seem to have knowledge to impart, as if they have been through life
before. In this life, strife is just one of the negative components of
relationships. Strife causes disruption in the flow of peace and tranquility in
one’s life. Anger, mistrust and pain are also results of living with strife. Strife
breaks up relationships, and the level of dislocation caused by it is directly
related to how we deal with it.

Always focus on the fact that life’s difficulties are influenced more by your
attitude than by the problems themselves. You need to control your attitude
before it takes control of you. The same is true of strife – how you respond to
it determines if there is going to be a confrontation or a discussion, a fight or
a compromise. The ‘judge’ who will evaluate how you have lived your life
would definitely prefer that each ‘strife experience’ be a ‘life experience.’ Live
this life you now have in peace and love; who knows…maybe there is no
‘second chance.’