Love...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TBd-UCwVAY

Love...

Conquer Self

Do you have those annoying habits? Is there something in your life that you wish you could change? Do you need to lose weight? Shape up? Go to the Gym? Lose a few wrinkles?

Well guess what? That’s NOT what this one’s about. This isn’t about wanting to change something. This is more about learning to know yourself and being present to that. Once you get present to yourself you have already conquered yourself.

Why do I say that? Well, simply put: If you love yourself, you won’t need to change anything. If you learn to conquer/love/understand yourself you will be happy with who you are…wrinkles and all.

What are some of the signs that you haven’t gotten yourself conquered?

• Judging others


• Lying to cover up things


• ‘Stretching’ the truth


• Always wanting more

The first one is always a clue for me. The moment I start to judge others I know I’m trying to conquer them. WRONG!!!! By looking inward I stop looking outward.

Conquer Self

Ever Have One of THOSE Days???

Last week I had one of THOSE weeks!!! You know the ones, “Woe is me! I wasted years of my life with someone who didn’t love me back” “Woe is me because of the mountain of debt caused in that relationship and the ensuing divorce and setting up life again.” “Why? I’m so much smarter than all that?” “Woe is me because…blah, blah, blah..”

I hate it when I get into that phase; I really do. It is the most unproductive, unsettling, depressing places to waste all my energies. But I go there at times. So do you right? And if you’re anything like me, not only do you wallow in self pity, you then build a solid case of self-loathing, not just for the subject of your woe but also for allowing yourself to fall into self pity. “How dumb am I? What am I doing allowing this to take over my days and nights? Why can’t I beat this?”

This Jewel helps me to see that those years I loathe myself for weren’t a waste….well at least wisdom says so. But I still go there. And so do you.

So how did I get out of it? Well it took time. In fact it took a few days to get out of it. I was quite run down again due to insomnia. So I slept…A LOT! I didn’t take on any big projects. I forced myself to get out of the apartment to go to the grocery store or to work (even though I wasn’t scheduled) and shared in a glass of champagne and Boston Cream Birthday Cake for a workmate that I truly love. I watched TV a lot. And I slept…more.

We all get periods like this. And when we do we do not need to be beaten up anymore than we already feel. In these times we need to take care of ourselves. Take a hot bath with a glass of wine, if that’s your thing. Sit in the sun. Write. Cry. Pray. Meditate. Get out of the house. Cuddle the dog more than you usually do.

And more than anything else remember those challenges…make you who you are today. Would you rather be someone else? Really? You have no idea what they are truly like. So just be you. Love yourself. Care for yourself. Truly there are no mistakes.

Ever Have One of THOSE Days???

Forgive Others For Your OWN Sake!

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. I do not forgive others because they should be or have a right to be. I forgive because I desire to have peace in my heart and mind and move forward with my life.

I can remember growing up with The Lord’s Prayer:

…Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us…

I had this incorrect thought that God would only forgive me IF I forgave others. It’s a great childhood lesson: Don’t hold grudges! But for me at least, I always believed it wasn’t possible to get forgiveness until I had forgiven all. This is such a cock up! Whatever your concept or name of/for God is, she is not that terrible parent just waiting to slap us silly.

But the real reason for not holding grudges is simply that it doesn’t usually hurt the offender. Grudgery (my word) only hurts the one holding the grudge – me! You know how it goes. I feel hurt. I don’t let it go so it affects everything I do. I am sad, hurt, angry. When I have the same opportunity offered again I won’t go there because I got hurt the last time. I grow more bitter, not better. I grow old and alone.

MY TRUTH: To always (or at least as best as I possibly can) say,

Thank you for-giving me this experience. I have learned something about myself from it.

 

Forgive Others For Your OWN Sake!

Do Unto Others....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uaWA2GbcnJU

Do Unto Others....

Forgiveness Prayer

Guess what? I’m not perfect! Did you know that? Seriously though, this jewel shows us as imperfect people. And we are that. We do wrong people. We are selfish and don’t reach out to the needy. We are neglectful.

Now that I’ve depressed you I want to help you feel a bit better. I know I need that too.

Yes I have wronged people along the way. So what can I do about it? Ask for forgiveness. Now realize, sometimes we are truly contrite and ask someone for their forgiveness and they just downright refuse. That’s okay – that’s their right! You have done your part – if you are truly contrite. Walk away. Don’t carry the guilt anymore. Guilt is such a paralyzing emotion. You don’t need it. I don’t need it. So when you feel it, deal with ASAP and then leave it behind or it may leave you behind.

I have helped many people in my life. But I haven’t always helped them as much as I wished I could have. Be careful with that! Guilt is sneaking in again. Don’t let it. I did my best.

I have also neglected people on this journey. At the time I may have thought I had a good reason for doing so. I may have actually had a good reason too. But I am NOT perfect. Sometimes I have fallen short of the mark. Perhaps that day it was all I could give.

I have been helped by so many throughout my life. Some of those folk are no longer part of my life; many aren’t. Some have left this life. Some are still very much part of my life. Even those who have hurt me along the way have actually helped me. They have helped me to know myself better, trust more carefully, learn to forgive, be stronger. I would not be who I am today without so many people in my life.

MY TRUTH: My best today may not be as good as my best yesterday. But it’s still my best. And my best tomorrow may or may not be the same best I put forth today. But it’s still my best. And the best is all anyone can truly expect.

Forgiveness Prayer

Forgiveness Is An Attitude

Why is it all the great men of history had to die so young? Look at it for a moment: Jesus, Martin Luther King Jr, JFK and so many others. You may or may not agree with some of any of these being great but that’s okay.

Today we get our jewel of wisdom from Martin Luther King Jr. This is a man who endured much pain and misery because of his skin colour. This is a man who grew up in violence and segregation. Yet he was able to not only forgive others but to constantly live IN forgiveness.

I have used the quote many times in this blog, “Thank you FOR-GIVING-ME this experience”. This is living in the constant attitude of forgiveness.  Sometimes it does get tiresome, this constant badgering of our souls and lives. Sometimes we do find ourselves worn to the bone and feeling sorry for ourselves. That’s okay too. We all deserve the occasion down times. But when we’re done, be done! Get back up and move right back into the attitude of forgiveness.

 

Forgiveness Is An Attitude