To each of you my friends and readers out in cyber space, I wish a very happy and peaceful new year. Every day is a new beginning. You have the incredible opportunity to begin again. I often told my children when they were young, “Today is a new day; you have a clean slate, so you can start over fresh.”
Life is such an incredible opportunity to experience! You each have so much potential. Do not give up, you can make a difference in this world. No matter what mistakes you have made, you can begin again. An excellent way to begin is to simply and unconditionally forgive yourself, and all those who have harmed you in any way. Forgiveness does not excuse another’s wrong act. The act of forgiveness simply releases the power of the event, or person from harming you any more. For more information on this subject I recommend Gerald Jampolsky’s wonderful book, “Forgiveness, the Greatest Healer of All.”
(* note: Do not put yourself in danger or contact an abuser to forgive them. There is no need to have tea together. When you forgive someone who has harmed you, use your discretion and maintain safe boundaries for yourself . This can be accomplished very simply, by repeating the following, or similar words to yourself. “__(name)___, I forgive you, I release you. You and I are free. There is nothing but love between us.” )
To begin your personal transformation, you must observe your thoughts. All actions follow thoughts. To believe in yourself, eliminate doubt. When doubts creep in, tell them you do not have room for them anymore. Replace doubt with confidence. Visualize yourself working and relating with others confidently.
Next eliminate fear. Take it out with the trash, and don’t pack it back in. Replace fear with love. Nurture loving-kindness, compassion, tolerance and respect, both in yourself and others.
Seek to exercise gratitude daily. Take time to notice what you are grateful for. When someone at work, home or school does a job well, praise them. Let others know they are appreciated by you. By treating others with kindness you will be planting flowers in the garden of your mind, which will bring you a beautiful harvest in the months to come. All that we give to others, comes back to us in like manner. This is the law of karma.
Look for the positive, the funny, the beautiful, the amazing and wonderful side in any situation. It will change your perspective immensely. When things go wrong, remember it could be worse, and for someone somewhere it is much worse. When it is difficult to keep things in perspective, rather than drawing deeper into your pain, reach out and help someone else who is also suffering. By lessening another’s pain, you will decrease your own as well.
Choose to not take anything others say or do personally. Each of us is creating our own story here within the experience of our life. No one else’s story is about you, it is their own story. You maybe a character in their story, but the role you play would be from their perspective, not yours. Choosing to no longer take things personally can be very transforming to your life. To learn more about this and other wonderful life transforming tools, I would like to recommend don Miguel Ruiz’s amazing book “The Four Agreements.”
Consider that what goes into your mind,will soon be coming out of your mouth. Observe what you are putting into your mind and body both spiritually, physically and mentally. Think about the effect the people you hang out with, have on your attitude. What about the movies you watch, video games you play,and the books you read. Do they uplift and encourage you; or is it degrading and demoralizing? Only you can decide, what is best for you. Consider the food you eat. Is it healthy? Will it build you up physically and nourish you? Or does your food deplete you and leave you hungry for the nutrients your body needs in order to function?
Feed yourself healthy food, to give you the energy and clarity of mind needed to accomplish your goals this year. Nurture healthy friendships, with people who encourage you and build you up. At work seek to be positive and encouraging to others. You will feel better about yourself and your job when you do. When it comes to entertainment, you decide what makes you feel good inside, what adds to your life, and your overall experience here. Spiritually, seek out like minded people who share your beliefs. Fellowship with others like yourself will add a very special dimension to your spiritual practice that is difficult to duplicate alone.
In all aspects of your life you can begin again, by daily deciding what is best for you. Ask yourself, “Is this me?” “Is this what I am all about?” “Is this adding to my life, or taking away from it?” “Am I planting flowers or weeds in my garden now?”
Every day you live, you have the chance to begin again. As you begin your journey into 2012, may G’Ds Peace be with each of you, as you continue on your life’s journey.
Namaste, Kerrie UniFaith
When in doubt as to what to do, always allow love to be your guide
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