Tag Archives: Time

A Moment In Time!

At the moment, I find that I am intrigued by moments. I mean, when you stop for a moment and think about it, it’s the moments that we live for. What exactly is it that makes a moment? We love to play the game of idolization, which tends to make another time, another place and another person, situation or condition the magical moment, but in truth, this is just a game we play, so we don’t have to face reality, which can sometimes sting.

We often avoid the reality of the present moment by romanticizing some moment from our past or fantasizing some moment in our future and the great tragedy is that we miss the magic of the present circumstances with all of their potential to bring about the miraculous.

If you wonder why we do it? It’s because of our ego. We like to think that we are what we have, what we do or what we think others think of us, but we are so much more! And we must take on the wild monkeys running around in our ego mind, so that we can overcome this habit of self sabotage. This is the very bad habit that keeps getting in the way of our living in the pure peace of the present moment with all of its potential for the things that can’t be explained and only experienced.

You are here, in this time and place for a reason. The only question that really matters is: “What are you going to do with this?” I am finding myself more and more at this very unique place and I have to admit that I like it. I don’t want anything, I don’t expect anything, I just simply allow whatever and live with it, learn from it and let it take me where it will. Some people may say that I am going with the flow, but I like to think that I am allowing myself to be the flow – going wherever for whatever I was created for…

Mark 8:36 says “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, but lose his soul?”

So many of us today are wandering around looking for our souls in a moment of time and missing the heart and spirit of the moment that we are in at this time and place. Don’t miss the power, healing and miracle of this moment. Embrace it and allow it to take you to the better place that you can never ever seem to get yourself…

Be Happy!

Be Happy! It’s easier said than done, right? The truth is: Happiness is not really all that far off for most folks, if you just know where to look and what steps to take. I have seen people that the world would say: “They have everything going for them!”, and yet in spite of all their good fortune, they were miserable. And I’ve seen others that the world would ask: “How in the world can they keep going on?”, and yet despite their cataclysmic struggles, they seem to be some of the happiest people in the world. While it’s true that circumstances do have the ability to make happiness easier or more difficult to obtain, they are not the determining factor.

Scientist have invested a lot of money and spent a lot of time investigating how to obtain happiness and while they have made a lot of amazing discoveries, there still is no magic pill that can make it your reality. I too, have spent a great deal of my life chasing after happiness. There were times that I thought this or that relationship with just the right person would do the trick, but it doesn’t take you too long to realize that most everyone else is on the same journey as you. I have often fell into the trap that certain possessions, a bigger house, newer car, trendier clothes might be the fix, but they all just ended up leaving me hungry for more. I even thought that degrees, titles and prestige might do the trick, only to find that papers stack up, trophies and plaques get old, memories fade and still leave you empty and searching.

We spend most of our lives having our ego fed by the lie of all lies: The lie that says I am what I possess, what I do or what I think other people think of me. This lie causes us to chase after an elusive foe that will never be caught, but that will often get us caught up in messes that take us away from, rather than closer to the happiness we are searching for.

Now, let me state for the record that I am not an authority on happiness. I am simply one individual on a journey that has discovered a lot of what will not work and a handful of things that seem to be taking me in a more positive direction. I want to share just a few of those thoughts as we get ready to dive into 2020:

1.) To Find Happiness, Stop Looking Outside And Start Looking Inside! Most of us fill our schedules with so much activity that we have very little time for solitude, stillness and quiet time, which allows us to go within and do the “thought” work necessary to truly figure out what happiness is for us. If we don’t fill our schedules, then many of us, simply don’t take the time to pray, meditate and contemplate what is really important in life. This inability to make time for “INWARD WORK” robs us of the opportunity to take on and take out the negative thoughts that this world is continually bombarding us with. If we are not intentional about taking time to think, pray, journal and do inward work, then we will most likely never experience the happiness that we were created for and that was created for us.

2.) Take Time To Take A Breath! This may sound a little crazy, but breath is a very important part of life. The fact that we breathe in and breathe out without even thinking about it, is an amazing reality of our lives. Breath matters. Take time to think about your breathing. Acknowledge the miracle of breath coming into and out of your body. This reminds you that there is more to this life than just you. You have a Creator, Who created you as an amazing spiritual being that gets to experience this human life. When this thought really begins to take root in your life and thinking, you can’t help but to live life at a higher level and this contributes to helping you get into just the right place to experience the happiness you were created for.

3.) Practice Gratitude All Day, Everyday In Anyway You Can! I have found that an attitude of gratitude is the single quickest way to get myself adjusted and headed in the right direction. While there are many things that are not working the way I want them to, there are many things that are working better than I could dream or imagine. Often in my life I have focused on what I didn’t like, giving it all the power to call the shots in my life and missed out on all that I had to like, love and appreciate that I should have been empowering to take me in the positive direction I so desperately needed. To help me stay on the right track here are a couple of disciplines I practice on a daily basis: First thing in the morning, I say: “Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!” as my way of acknowledging I am not alone in this universe, that I have been created on purpose for a purpose and that I am grateful to my Maker for blessing me with another day. At some point during the day, I also take time to write down in my journal at least three things I am grateful for. I encouergage you to find ways to meaningfully express your gratitude, it really is a life changer.

Happiness is really not that far off and it is obtainable in your life, just start on the inside and work your way out and you will find happiness, if it doesn’t find you first!

Change Your Perspective And Change Your Life!

Do you ever get to the place in this human existence where you are just kinda tired of it all? You feel worn out, beat up and like no one really cares. And if truth be told, you are not so sure that you care anymore either? You seem to live under a mountain of stress and under an unrelenting and continual bombardment of negativity. There are so many people living miserable lives and they actually have the power to do something about it, but feel trapped, useless and defeated. That may be you, but I have discovered some good news that helped me to dig out from under all “the stuff” and that I believe can help you as well.

Live life long enough and you will discover that there are some things you can do something about and some things you can’t do anything about. And so, if you paying attention, you eventually come to realize it’s not so much about what you do, but how you see things that really is the point. One of my favorite teachers and mentors Wayne Dwyer used to teach it this way: “Change the way you look at things and the things you look at change.” In other words: ”Perspective Matters!”

What is perspective? Perspective is seeing things from a particular point of view. If you don’t like what you are seeing, then change your point of view and keep changing your point of view until you get to where you need to be. Is it really that simple? Of course it is! We just love complicating things. You are in charge of your perspective. You decide who or what, you will allow to influence your day and the way you see things. Once you realize the incredible power you have at your disposal, your life will begin to change in miraculous and beautiful ways.

Here are a few tips to help you begin changing your perspective in a positive way:

1. Learn From Yesterday! Many times in life, we get stuck in the “could’ve, would’ve, and should’ves of life. We all make mistakes, commit sin and miss the mark. It does not do you or anyone else any good to continue beating up on yourself about your mistakes. I like to say: “If you learn from your mistake, then it was an education, not a waste.” Learn whatever you need to learn from yesterday, let it go and move on. This is one of the reasons that it is important to build quiet times for meditation, reflection and rest. We need time to think about and process what we are facing and dealing with. Carve time into your everyday life to go for a walk in nature, enjoy some time outside on a park bench or enjoy an afternoon nap.

2. Look For The Good In Today! There is something good in everyday, we just have to search until we find it and when it comes to digging out from under the heaviness that weighs us down, this is work that is very worth doing. One of the big things that helps me to find the good is GRATITUDE. Simply taking the time to think about all I have to be thankful for is a game changer. I encourage you to make a list and check it twice, three times if necessary. For me, this is where journaling comes in. It does not have to be complicated or technical. All you need to begin is notebook with a place to write down what you are grateful for, a space to record meaningful quotes that have spoken to you, a safe place to think about and plan the tasks you need to get done. This simple discipline, made a part of your daily ritual will pay off in very big ways.

3. Live Forward To Tomorrow! There is great power in having something to look forward to. And there is always something to look forward to. It may be the sun that is going to come out. It may be the work that is going to be finished. It may be the person we are going to see. It may be the goal that is achieved. The list could go on and on. The important thing is to think about and know “all of God’s children” have things to look forward to. Replace your negative thoughts with positive thoughts. Look for and focus on the positive, the more we practice, the better we get. One of the things I’ve found that helps me move from negative to positive is “helping others”. There is just something about sharing an encouraging word, giving a pat on the back or taking the time to listen that not only blesses others, but makes my day better as well. We should always be on the lookout for how we can make someone else’s day better and then do it.

We can change our perspective and live much more positive and productive lives, if we will simply begin with the choice to change the way we look at and see things. Give it a try, you will be glad you did…