.
If you have 15 minutes right now to do anything you would wish to do ~ what would it be?
Chances are that there are a lot of things you may want to do ~ perhaps even a ‘bucket list’ ~ that would take longer than 15 minutes… And it is easy to make that an excuse for not doing anything with those 15 minutes: ‘too short for a walk’, ‘I could only just get started with … and then the time is up; so it is no use’, or the ‘I just don’t have time for this right now’…
The obvious counter arguments are that a short walk is better than no walk at all; that if you get started today, you can continue tomorrow, and ~ lets face it ~ on a whole day, if one really wants to, pretty much anyone can spare 15 minutes to do something…
And as it turns out, there are a lot of things we can do in 15 minutes.
A relaxing hot shower after (or even in the middle of) a stressful day. Sitting in the doorway, just enjoying the afternoon sun. A quick cup of coffee. A walk around the block. Making one picture with your smart phone of something no further than a 5 minute walk away. Playing with the dog or cat. Really enjoying that cup of tea. Write a Haiku.
The list goes on and on ~ and I am certain that there could be lots of things on it that are perhaps more interesting, more involving.
Each and every one of those things may seem trivial.
Yet they are all things that are easy to do in 15 minutes, and for most of those things we don’t need anything other than those 15 minutes…
One may ask though, what is in it for me? Doing something relatively trivial for 15 minutes ~ what do I get out of that? Why bother?
For starters, using those 15 minutes to do something ~ anything ~ you wish, has the potential to turn your life around. It can change your attitude. It can help you break out of the routine of every day life where there is ‘no time’ to do the things you feel you really want to do. It can help you get started on a project that may take quite a bit of time and is therefore pushed out to take up ‘later’. It can help you look at your familiar surroundings in a totally different manner ~ allowing you to see new beauty in every day things. It can even help you write a book.
So really, if you have 15 minutes right now ~ what would you spend them on?
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Friday, November 29, 2013
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
“Me time”
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It seems to be one of those things that come with this point in time, and with the individualistic attitude we seem to have: me time. That special time that is just for us to do with whatever we want; that time we can enjoy in our own way, whichever way that is at that moment.
Advertising has known this for some time and they work with it from the perspective that ‘You are worth it!’ to get you to buy into that little bit of luxury that is just for you…
Sometimes just that 15 minutes of time when nothing is required from us is a luxury in its own right. Other times it might be a spa treatment. It can be that time you set apart to go for a run, or go to a fitness center ~ or it can be taking time to sit on the cough while drinking a cup of tea.
Yet whatever it is for you ~ we often feel that tinge of guild about taking that little bit of ‘me time’…
The reality is that we all need that little bit of time at least once a day to just be. To do nothing, if we wish. Or to do that something we really desire to do for ourselves.
Often even 15 minutes of just being still, just breathing, is enough to keep us from stressing out.
Funny thing is, we don’t even have to meditate. We don’t have to gain access to that other state of consciousness to have the benefits from that short period of ‘me time’ ~ as long as we set that bit of time aside for ourselves, we tend to be doing alright.
As soon as we feel, however, that we don’t have time to spend on ourselves; that we don’t have time to set aside that period of ‘me time’ for ourselves ~ it may well take a lot more out of us than just those 15 minutes we are spending on work, chores, shopping, or whatever is truly needing our attention at that time. It can surprisingly soon bring us in a position where we do everything that is required from us ~ where we are taking care of everything around us ~ without really taking time to take care of ourselves. And even when all of the things we are doing on a day to day basis are great fun; not taking that little bit of time out of our day to take care of ourselves can bring a great amount of stress into our lives…
In other words, we should cherish a little ‘me time’ on a regular basis ~ so we can breathe, and be that person we always knew we were deep inside of ourselves.
.
.
It seems to be one of those things that come with this point in time, and with the individualistic attitude we seem to have: me time. That special time that is just for us to do with whatever we want; that time we can enjoy in our own way, whichever way that is at that moment.
Advertising has known this for some time and they work with it from the perspective that ‘You are worth it!’ to get you to buy into that little bit of luxury that is just for you…
Sometimes just that 15 minutes of time when nothing is required from us is a luxury in its own right. Other times it might be a spa treatment. It can be that time you set apart to go for a run, or go to a fitness center ~ or it can be taking time to sit on the cough while drinking a cup of tea.
Yet whatever it is for you ~ we often feel that tinge of guild about taking that little bit of ‘me time’…
The reality is that we all need that little bit of time at least once a day to just be. To do nothing, if we wish. Or to do that something we really desire to do for ourselves.
Often even 15 minutes of just being still, just breathing, is enough to keep us from stressing out.
Funny thing is, we don’t even have to meditate. We don’t have to gain access to that other state of consciousness to have the benefits from that short period of ‘me time’ ~ as long as we set that bit of time aside for ourselves, we tend to be doing alright.
As soon as we feel, however, that we don’t have time to spend on ourselves; that we don’t have time to set aside that period of ‘me time’ for ourselves ~ it may well take a lot more out of us than just those 15 minutes we are spending on work, chores, shopping, or whatever is truly needing our attention at that time. It can surprisingly soon bring us in a position where we do everything that is required from us ~ where we are taking care of everything around us ~ without really taking time to take care of ourselves. And even when all of the things we are doing on a day to day basis are great fun; not taking that little bit of time out of our day to take care of ourselves can bring a great amount of stress into our lives…
In other words, we should cherish a little ‘me time’ on a regular basis ~ so we can breathe, and be that person we always knew we were deep inside of ourselves.
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Friday, November 22, 2013
Real Life Puzzles
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There are a lot of things that can be puzzling to us; things that we don’t see how it works or what the solution is. Even things that are different than they appear ~ in other words what we see is not exactly what is there. What is truly there may be more than what we see; or it can be less. Sometimes we see things that in reality aren’t there at all…
All these things end up to be puzzling to us. That is, until we take a closer look to see what is really there and in doing so, solve the puzzle at hand.
Other puzzles we may encounter in our lives are situations that we don’t see an immediate solution to. Perhaps especially those situations that make us think (or say) “What is a nice person like me coin in a mess like this?” And while we can have trouble seeing our way out os a situation like that, usually we do find a way to solve the puzzle ~ not only getting out of ‘the mess’ we are finding ourselves in, but perhaps also seeing how we had gotten there in the first place.
In a sense the hallmark of the more interesting puzzles in life is that there is that component to them that lets us ask questions like ‘how?’, or ‘why?’, or ‘what?’.
“How did I get into that situation in the first place?”
“Why do I keep placing myself in situations like that?”
“What does this situation, this puzzle have to tell me?”
The truly interesting thing about real life puzzles is the question how we use them in our lives.
Is that puzzling situation we come across in our lives in reality something we have created, have manifested, as a distraction in order to not have to look at the real issues at hand?
Or has that space in our house that is never big enough for our use ~ for instance because it holds things we value yet don’t do anything with ~ become the excuse to not use that space at all; and in effect stifling us in accomplishing our goals?
Typically these are things that are totally obvious to those around us as they often can clearly see how we use a particular puzzle in such a manner we don’t have to step out of our comfort zone ~ so we don’t have to change things…
This makes asking for input from other people a very useful step toward solving the puzzles in our lives. That, and the answer to the question “How do I use that puzzle in my life to my (dis)advantage?”
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.
There are a lot of things that can be puzzling to us; things that we don’t see how it works or what the solution is. Even things that are different than they appear ~ in other words what we see is not exactly what is there. What is truly there may be more than what we see; or it can be less. Sometimes we see things that in reality aren’t there at all…
All these things end up to be puzzling to us. That is, until we take a closer look to see what is really there and in doing so, solve the puzzle at hand.
Other puzzles we may encounter in our lives are situations that we don’t see an immediate solution to. Perhaps especially those situations that make us think (or say) “What is a nice person like me coin in a mess like this?” And while we can have trouble seeing our way out os a situation like that, usually we do find a way to solve the puzzle ~ not only getting out of ‘the mess’ we are finding ourselves in, but perhaps also seeing how we had gotten there in the first place.
In a sense the hallmark of the more interesting puzzles in life is that there is that component to them that lets us ask questions like ‘how?’, or ‘why?’, or ‘what?’.
“How did I get into that situation in the first place?”
“Why do I keep placing myself in situations like that?”
“What does this situation, this puzzle have to tell me?”
The truly interesting thing about real life puzzles is the question how we use them in our lives.
Is that puzzling situation we come across in our lives in reality something we have created, have manifested, as a distraction in order to not have to look at the real issues at hand?
Or has that space in our house that is never big enough for our use ~ for instance because it holds things we value yet don’t do anything with ~ become the excuse to not use that space at all; and in effect stifling us in accomplishing our goals?
Typically these are things that are totally obvious to those around us as they often can clearly see how we use a particular puzzle in such a manner we don’t have to step out of our comfort zone ~ so we don’t have to change things…
This makes asking for input from other people a very useful step toward solving the puzzles in our lives. That, and the answer to the question “How do I use that puzzle in my life to my (dis)advantage?”
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Tuesday, November 19, 2013
Making a difference
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Often the most positive changes are those instances where we can truly make a difference. Where we can influence our own lives or the lives of others in such a way that they become better.
Something that can be done by solving our own problems, yet not by solving the other person’s problems. It can be done by changing our own attitudes, yet we may discover it to be difficult to change the other person’s attitude.
In other words ~ often we can affect the greatest difference in our own lives or in the lives of others by taking care of our own business and in doing so being an example for others to do the same.
That being said, of course their are always those instances where we can actually help another person. Sometimes just by listening to them. Other times by for instance doing their shopping, giving them a ride, or helping them cleaning their house.
Other ways in which we can truly make a difference is by engaging in volunteer work. Or by cleaning up a park in our neighborhood. Or by just picking up that plastic bag that is blowing around in the wind and putting it in a trash bin…
The one thing that all of these ways to make a difference have in common is that ~ no matter where we would like to make a difference ~ it is best done where we can touch it. Personally.
This means that we are most effective in making a difference in our own lives, in the lives of those who are close to us; in our immediate environments.
In other words, close to home.
This is not to say that we would not be able to make a difference on a far greater scale ~ we can!
Yet the changes in the world begin with the differences we make at home.
The way it works is that even the smallest change in attitude which makes a positive difference in our own lives will start spreading to those close to us, to our immediate environment, and on and on.
And while we may not see the effects of the difference we have made worldwide right away, that doesn’t mean that we didn’t make a difference…
It doesn’t help to just keep talking about the things ‘people should do’ to make things better, or to focus only on far away places; on things that are well outside of our realm of (personal) influence…
The one thing needed to make a difference ~ in our lives or in the world ~ is to actually do it. And to do so right where we can touch it. Within ourselves, at home, in our direct environments.
.
.
Often the most positive changes are those instances where we can truly make a difference. Where we can influence our own lives or the lives of others in such a way that they become better.
Something that can be done by solving our own problems, yet not by solving the other person’s problems. It can be done by changing our own attitudes, yet we may discover it to be difficult to change the other person’s attitude.
In other words ~ often we can affect the greatest difference in our own lives or in the lives of others by taking care of our own business and in doing so being an example for others to do the same.
That being said, of course their are always those instances where we can actually help another person. Sometimes just by listening to them. Other times by for instance doing their shopping, giving them a ride, or helping them cleaning their house.
Other ways in which we can truly make a difference is by engaging in volunteer work. Or by cleaning up a park in our neighborhood. Or by just picking up that plastic bag that is blowing around in the wind and putting it in a trash bin…
The one thing that all of these ways to make a difference have in common is that ~ no matter where we would like to make a difference ~ it is best done where we can touch it. Personally.
This means that we are most effective in making a difference in our own lives, in the lives of those who are close to us; in our immediate environments.
In other words, close to home.
This is not to say that we would not be able to make a difference on a far greater scale ~ we can!
Yet the changes in the world begin with the differences we make at home.
The way it works is that even the smallest change in attitude which makes a positive difference in our own lives will start spreading to those close to us, to our immediate environment, and on and on.
And while we may not see the effects of the difference we have made worldwide right away, that doesn’t mean that we didn’t make a difference…
It doesn’t help to just keep talking about the things ‘people should do’ to make things better, or to focus only on far away places; on things that are well outside of our realm of (personal) influence…
The one thing needed to make a difference ~ in our lives or in the world ~ is to actually do it. And to do so right where we can touch it. Within ourselves, at home, in our direct environments.
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Friday, November 15, 2013
Goals
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No matter how much we are hoping for it to be so ~ our paths through life are never a straight line. As it turns out, our paths aren’t even always leading us to our goals; or so it seems anyway… With every step we are taking along our paths, sometimes it seems we are moving on toward some kind of goal; yet the goal is unclear. And the further we are moving along that path; the more we may get an outline of the goal we are approaching…
It seems that reaching our goals not always has to do with decisions on our part as to what we want to accomplish, followed by a step by step process of planning, plotting and reaching the goal we have set for ourselves ~ sometimes it is more about accepting the goal that life is pushing us to. And to realize that achieving this goal is just as great an accomplishment as the goal we had planned for would have been.
This is something that ~ as often is the case in life ~ sounds more logical and easier than it turns out to be.
After all, we had carefully chosen our direction and set our goals. We had planned our steps toward that goal. And now suddenly something beyond our control has changed our direction; has changed our paths ~ has changed the goal. Changed it into a new goal that we may not even perceive as something that is important in our lives.
The thing is that whenever this happens to us there always will be decision points ~ even on that unfamiliar path ~ where we can choose to move on toward this new goal; or turn around and focus once again on the goal we had set for ourselves. It is our free will choice to do that; and looking at it from a more Universal perspective there doesn’t really seem to be a right or a wrong decision to make.
On the other hand our personal value system may well dictate which direction we will choose.
And we may choose for that direction we feel we ‘have to choose’ for whatever the reason. We will likely do a good job and achieve what we have set out to do…
Yet we may not find the same fulfillment in this achievement as we might have felt reaching the goal we had set for ourselves in the first place as we may always feel we have failed in reaching the original goal we had set for ourselves.
The only way ~ it seems ~ to truly feel good about our choices and the goals we will subsequently reach is to embrace them. To accept them. To fully and faithfully devote ourselves to that which life itself has brought on our paths…
And the funny thing is ~ they will almost always bring us more than we could ever have dreamed…
.
.
No matter how much we are hoping for it to be so ~ our paths through life are never a straight line. As it turns out, our paths aren’t even always leading us to our goals; or so it seems anyway… With every step we are taking along our paths, sometimes it seems we are moving on toward some kind of goal; yet the goal is unclear. And the further we are moving along that path; the more we may get an outline of the goal we are approaching…
It seems that reaching our goals not always has to do with decisions on our part as to what we want to accomplish, followed by a step by step process of planning, plotting and reaching the goal we have set for ourselves ~ sometimes it is more about accepting the goal that life is pushing us to. And to realize that achieving this goal is just as great an accomplishment as the goal we had planned for would have been.
This is something that ~ as often is the case in life ~ sounds more logical and easier than it turns out to be.
After all, we had carefully chosen our direction and set our goals. We had planned our steps toward that goal. And now suddenly something beyond our control has changed our direction; has changed our paths ~ has changed the goal. Changed it into a new goal that we may not even perceive as something that is important in our lives.
The thing is that whenever this happens to us there always will be decision points ~ even on that unfamiliar path ~ where we can choose to move on toward this new goal; or turn around and focus once again on the goal we had set for ourselves. It is our free will choice to do that; and looking at it from a more Universal perspective there doesn’t really seem to be a right or a wrong decision to make.
On the other hand our personal value system may well dictate which direction we will choose.
And we may choose for that direction we feel we ‘have to choose’ for whatever the reason. We will likely do a good job and achieve what we have set out to do…
Yet we may not find the same fulfillment in this achievement as we might have felt reaching the goal we had set for ourselves in the first place as we may always feel we have failed in reaching the original goal we had set for ourselves.
The only way ~ it seems ~ to truly feel good about our choices and the goals we will subsequently reach is to embrace them. To accept them. To fully and faithfully devote ourselves to that which life itself has brought on our paths…
And the funny thing is ~ they will almost always bring us more than we could ever have dreamed…
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Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Help
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We all need a little help at times. Whether it is talking with a friend; bouncing ideas of someone we trust, or help carrying the bagged groceries out of the store and into the car, to name a few…
In reality these are simple examples; often the help we need is in much more dire situations ~ and many a time we may find it harder to ask for, or even accept help in such situations.
There are many reasons why we feel it is hard to ask for help when we need it. Part seems to be that we feel it is up to us to solve the mess we have gotten ourselves into. Another part might be that we feel somewhat ashamed for having gotten ourselves into that mess… We should have known better; we should have made different choices; we should have done better, wiser, more productive, more prudent things ~ in essence telling ourselves that it is our fault to have gotten where we are and therefore it is up to us to get ourselves out of it.
Independent from our feelings about asking for the help we need, there are usually people around us ~ friends, family ~ who see our struggle and would so like to help… Who would love to tell us what the roadblock we have run into really is ~ as they are looking from the outside in, and can see with much more clarity what is truly going on…
There are many reasons why those who need help, and those who are eager to help cannot come together. Not in the least because the way we are walking our own, individual paths ~ and are handling the roadblocks we may encounter while doing so ~ is how we learn our life lessons. This means that if we solve another person’s problems for them ~ without giving them chance to understand why they ran into a roadblock in the first place ~ we are robbing them of their personal growth.
The one thing we can always do to help is to send love and Light to the person we are so eager to help. Without conditions; just the energy in such a way that they can use it as they see fit ~ whether that is in what we perceive is the right direction, or not.
The one thing that is not helping in any way is to keep sending ‘wise quotes’, and beautiful ‘feel good’ pictures to the person ~ creating an environment that says that it is okay for them to be in that place, that situation, that roadblock that they have ran into.
.
.
We all need a little help at times. Whether it is talking with a friend; bouncing ideas of someone we trust, or help carrying the bagged groceries out of the store and into the car, to name a few…
In reality these are simple examples; often the help we need is in much more dire situations ~ and many a time we may find it harder to ask for, or even accept help in such situations.
There are many reasons why we feel it is hard to ask for help when we need it. Part seems to be that we feel it is up to us to solve the mess we have gotten ourselves into. Another part might be that we feel somewhat ashamed for having gotten ourselves into that mess… We should have known better; we should have made different choices; we should have done better, wiser, more productive, more prudent things ~ in essence telling ourselves that it is our fault to have gotten where we are and therefore it is up to us to get ourselves out of it.
Independent from our feelings about asking for the help we need, there are usually people around us ~ friends, family ~ who see our struggle and would so like to help… Who would love to tell us what the roadblock we have run into really is ~ as they are looking from the outside in, and can see with much more clarity what is truly going on…
There are many reasons why those who need help, and those who are eager to help cannot come together. Not in the least because the way we are walking our own, individual paths ~ and are handling the roadblocks we may encounter while doing so ~ is how we learn our life lessons. This means that if we solve another person’s problems for them ~ without giving them chance to understand why they ran into a roadblock in the first place ~ we are robbing them of their personal growth.
The one thing we can always do to help is to send love and Light to the person we are so eager to help. Without conditions; just the energy in such a way that they can use it as they see fit ~ whether that is in what we perceive is the right direction, or not.
The one thing that is not helping in any way is to keep sending ‘wise quotes’, and beautiful ‘feel good’ pictures to the person ~ creating an environment that says that it is okay for them to be in that place, that situation, that roadblock that they have ran into.
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Friday, November 8, 2013
Discipline
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Discipline is one of those words that doesn't have an altogether positive ring to it. The first thing that may come to mind is ‘being disciplined’; being punished. Then, after convincing ourselves that this is not the case here, what may come up is that we have to follow a certain set of rules ~ doing whatever it is we are doing just so ~ without having any wiggle room. This might imply that we are not allowed to (or cannot) be ourselves.
Although everybody will have their own line of thoughts, and therefore will have an individual perspective as to the opposite, or polarity of the word discipline. For me it is probably something like ‘flexibility’. The flexibility to adapt to changing circumstances. The flexibility to get stuff done while staying true to yourself.
Seems that ‘flexibility’ is a far better deal than ‘discipline’…
Yet as we are living in a time in which the energies of polarities are so prominent; it makes me think that there is a good chance we need both sides of this particular polarity as well.
Just following discipline could make us rigid. It could get us in a position where we would just be following (somebody else’s) rules.
On the other hand, being too flexible could take away any and all structure from our lives ~ leaving us like a leaf being blown around in the wind ~ and consequently we may not get anything done.
So chances are that the most useful point to be at is somewhere in the middle.
At that place where we have enough discipline to do the things we need to get done; while we are also flexible enough to actually do those things in their right time, and in such a way that it suits the energy of that very moment.
This means that looking at both polarities ~ at the full package of this particular polarity ~ discipline provides us with a structure, while flexibility gives us the necessary movement to adapt, to change the way we do things, or when we do them ~ to be able to bring them into perfect timing; suiting our own energy as well as the energy around us to a tee.
At this point in time this is true for pretty much all polarities.
The time where everything was measured by an ‘either, or’ standard are well behind us. Chances are that whatever it is we encounter on our paths will consist of two polarities that both are needed to get a balanced perspective.
It may just take a little discipline and a little flexibility to find that balanced perspective in any give situation.
.
.
Discipline is one of those words that doesn't have an altogether positive ring to it. The first thing that may come to mind is ‘being disciplined’; being punished. Then, after convincing ourselves that this is not the case here, what may come up is that we have to follow a certain set of rules ~ doing whatever it is we are doing just so ~ without having any wiggle room. This might imply that we are not allowed to (or cannot) be ourselves.
Although everybody will have their own line of thoughts, and therefore will have an individual perspective as to the opposite, or polarity of the word discipline. For me it is probably something like ‘flexibility’. The flexibility to adapt to changing circumstances. The flexibility to get stuff done while staying true to yourself.
Seems that ‘flexibility’ is a far better deal than ‘discipline’…
Yet as we are living in a time in which the energies of polarities are so prominent; it makes me think that there is a good chance we need both sides of this particular polarity as well.
Just following discipline could make us rigid. It could get us in a position where we would just be following (somebody else’s) rules.
On the other hand, being too flexible could take away any and all structure from our lives ~ leaving us like a leaf being blown around in the wind ~ and consequently we may not get anything done.
So chances are that the most useful point to be at is somewhere in the middle.
At that place where we have enough discipline to do the things we need to get done; while we are also flexible enough to actually do those things in their right time, and in such a way that it suits the energy of that very moment.
This means that looking at both polarities ~ at the full package of this particular polarity ~ discipline provides us with a structure, while flexibility gives us the necessary movement to adapt, to change the way we do things, or when we do them ~ to be able to bring them into perfect timing; suiting our own energy as well as the energy around us to a tee.
At this point in time this is true for pretty much all polarities.
The time where everything was measured by an ‘either, or’ standard are well behind us. Chances are that whatever it is we encounter on our paths will consist of two polarities that both are needed to get a balanced perspective.
It may just take a little discipline and a little flexibility to find that balanced perspective in any give situation.
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.
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Thinking
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The first Universal law states that “All is mind, the Universe is mental” or in other words: “All is mind, mind is all”. So, whichever way you look at it, our thoughts are important.
More recent research indicates that apart from thinking, our belief systems play a large role in what we think and how we behave. Yet, through thinking ~ through reasoning it out ~ we can adapt our belief systems into a new set of beliefs, a new set of thoughts that serves us better as we are living our lives.
Therefore, without question our thinking is important. Not just what we think, also how we think. How we ‘reason it out’.
And yet, surprisingly we seem to refrain more and more from thinking our own original thoughts; adhering more and more to thoughts other people think. We are ‘following’ blogs, people and pages on social media, and read up on news from independent sources to get ‘the real scoop’. We tend to ~ without much questioning ~ make the opinions of other people we trust, our own.
It seems that we are getting a bit lazy as far as our reasoning; our thoughts and our thinking are concerned… Up to a point.
Interestingly enough we are well aware of things that aren’t right in other parts of the world; in politics, economics, etc. And we have a tendency to more and more make ourselves heard in those areas ~ and that is a good thing!
But the closer to our own lives it comes, the less critical we are; and the more likely we are to just accept what other people tell us is good for us. Especially if that other person is a teacher, a doctor, or someone we have grown to respect and like as a person…
Often the advice we get is sound and worth following.
Yet it would be a good idea in any event to think it through for ourselves, and to register how we feel about the advice given. We may not like what we are told, and yet feel deep inside ourselves that it still is the right thing to do. If this is true, there is a good chance we ‘can reason out’ how it can play out in our lives to our benefit.
Doing this we would be astutely aware of those instances when the advice given is not going to be beneficial to us. When what we are told may make logical sense from the other person’s perspective; yet be outside of our own value or belief systems…
This means that one of the best things we can do for ourselves is to keep ‘reasoning it out’ on our own; and to keep thinking our own, original thoughts.
.
.
The first Universal law states that “All is mind, the Universe is mental” or in other words: “All is mind, mind is all”. So, whichever way you look at it, our thoughts are important.
More recent research indicates that apart from thinking, our belief systems play a large role in what we think and how we behave. Yet, through thinking ~ through reasoning it out ~ we can adapt our belief systems into a new set of beliefs, a new set of thoughts that serves us better as we are living our lives.
Therefore, without question our thinking is important. Not just what we think, also how we think. How we ‘reason it out’.
And yet, surprisingly we seem to refrain more and more from thinking our own original thoughts; adhering more and more to thoughts other people think. We are ‘following’ blogs, people and pages on social media, and read up on news from independent sources to get ‘the real scoop’. We tend to ~ without much questioning ~ make the opinions of other people we trust, our own.
It seems that we are getting a bit lazy as far as our reasoning; our thoughts and our thinking are concerned… Up to a point.
Interestingly enough we are well aware of things that aren’t right in other parts of the world; in politics, economics, etc. And we have a tendency to more and more make ourselves heard in those areas ~ and that is a good thing!
But the closer to our own lives it comes, the less critical we are; and the more likely we are to just accept what other people tell us is good for us. Especially if that other person is a teacher, a doctor, or someone we have grown to respect and like as a person…
Often the advice we get is sound and worth following.
Yet it would be a good idea in any event to think it through for ourselves, and to register how we feel about the advice given. We may not like what we are told, and yet feel deep inside ourselves that it still is the right thing to do. If this is true, there is a good chance we ‘can reason out’ how it can play out in our lives to our benefit.
Doing this we would be astutely aware of those instances when the advice given is not going to be beneficial to us. When what we are told may make logical sense from the other person’s perspective; yet be outside of our own value or belief systems…
This means that one of the best things we can do for ourselves is to keep ‘reasoning it out’ on our own; and to keep thinking our own, original thoughts.
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Friday, November 1, 2013
Too much
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It is like everybody has too much to do. Everybody is busy with all kinds of things, often skipping some much needed ‘me-time’. Most of the time this has to do with our priorities; with how and where we decide to apply our time and energy.
Yet there is more that can easily overwhelm us; like the continuous sounds from our MP3 players. Or the fact that we can always be reached by phone, day or night, and wherever we are. TV programs where 50 years ago something special that was reserved for the evening hours, while now we can watch TV pretty much all day and all night.
In a sense one could even say that the fact that everything and anything can be talked about can land us in an overload situation. Although that may work slightly different than other things that come our way that are too much; for instance, it could be more because it doesn’t agree with our values and/or belief system. When that happens, just the fact that we have difficulty accepting the information that is coming our way ~ both in volume as well as in content ~ can mean that it all of a sudden takes a lot more of our energy and time than we envisioned.
The other thing that can happen when ‘too much’ is coming our way, is that we may start feeling uncertain about our values and belief systems. The question that comes up is ‘If this is normal, could it be that my perspective is not?’
Both that question as well as all the things and information coming our way ask for a reevaluation. They ask for stepping back just enough to truly see where we stand on it.
It is at that point that we may get help from unexpected sources.
What happened to me as I was stepping back from the flow of my slightly too busy life, is that within a week a number of TV programs came up that questioned the wisdom of being bombarded with ‘too much’. They stated ~ each in their own way ~ that this seems to be one of the causes that our cultures values are loosening up. Things that were private not that long ago, now are readily available to whoever cares to go after it ~ be it information, images, or experiences. And sharing any and all (private) information seems to be becoming the new normal.
Each of these programs doubted whether this new normal of ‘too much’ would be beneficial to us as individuals or to our culture...
When this is the answer I need in my life right now, I guess I’d better step back and start reevaluating.
.
.
It is like everybody has too much to do. Everybody is busy with all kinds of things, often skipping some much needed ‘me-time’. Most of the time this has to do with our priorities; with how and where we decide to apply our time and energy.
Yet there is more that can easily overwhelm us; like the continuous sounds from our MP3 players. Or the fact that we can always be reached by phone, day or night, and wherever we are. TV programs where 50 years ago something special that was reserved for the evening hours, while now we can watch TV pretty much all day and all night.
In a sense one could even say that the fact that everything and anything can be talked about can land us in an overload situation. Although that may work slightly different than other things that come our way that are too much; for instance, it could be more because it doesn’t agree with our values and/or belief system. When that happens, just the fact that we have difficulty accepting the information that is coming our way ~ both in volume as well as in content ~ can mean that it all of a sudden takes a lot more of our energy and time than we envisioned.
The other thing that can happen when ‘too much’ is coming our way, is that we may start feeling uncertain about our values and belief systems. The question that comes up is ‘If this is normal, could it be that my perspective is not?’
Both that question as well as all the things and information coming our way ask for a reevaluation. They ask for stepping back just enough to truly see where we stand on it.
It is at that point that we may get help from unexpected sources.
What happened to me as I was stepping back from the flow of my slightly too busy life, is that within a week a number of TV programs came up that questioned the wisdom of being bombarded with ‘too much’. They stated ~ each in their own way ~ that this seems to be one of the causes that our cultures values are loosening up. Things that were private not that long ago, now are readily available to whoever cares to go after it ~ be it information, images, or experiences. And sharing any and all (private) information seems to be becoming the new normal.
Each of these programs doubted whether this new normal of ‘too much’ would be beneficial to us as individuals or to our culture...
When this is the answer I need in my life right now, I guess I’d better step back and start reevaluating.
.
.
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