"These mountains that you are carrying, you were only suppose to climb." ~Najwa Zebian
For many of us, getting out of bed first thing in the morning is a daunting task. If I can get the bed made before I walk out of the door, I consider that a win. All of us have responsibilities to live up to. A lot of us have kids, a spouse, a job, debt, errands to run and the list goes on and on. We get lost in translation; lost in the distractions of our life. Even when we lay our heads down at night to rest, we lose sleep thinking about the events of today and worrying about tomorrow. We get completely engulfed in routine and in the machine of life. Here are a few suggestions to help you refocus, re energize, and shift your perspective from stress to rest.
Realize that money doesn't buy happiness.
One of the big follies in our time is that having money equals having happiness. Money does only one thing: it makes life more convenient. That's it. No more, no less. Money often creates suffering. The bigger the house you live in, the more there is to clean and the bigger your mortgage. The fancier the car you drive, the more you worry about someone damaging it. Quite often the more stuff we own, the stuff ends up owning us. Real happiness comes from inside you. If anything, the relationships we have with others also affects are true overall happiness more so than the Benjamins.
Stop looking for someone to "complete" you.
Relationships are a very important part of the human experience. We are communal creatures. But the Jerry McGuire romantic idea that there's a "better half" that completes you is truly Hollywood fiction. The good news is that, believe it or not, you are already complete! You just have to realize that. You do that by really getting to know yourself, spending time in nature by yourself, and giving yourself the freedom to be you. You must love yourself. If you are in search of your soul mate, take a look in the mirror. You are them. If you want to be loved, you must first be love.
Don't identify yourself by the color of your skin.
We have each been programmed since birth in several ways. One way, that is absolutely necessary to reprogram, is defining or identifying yourself by your skin. You must realize that your skin color is as much who you are as the car you drive. It isn't you at all! You are not your body. Just like you are not your car. Your body, your car, are just methods to transport your consciousness around the planet. Often times, we inadvertently manifest our own biases due to either a false sense of self, i.e. an inferiority complex, or a predetermined illusionary view of others. It's not real folks. Drop that burden from your shoulders right now. Your race, my race, their race, is human.
You are not a political party.
Right now, we are a nation divided. We generally categorize ourselves as either a Democrat or a Republican. It's become a "my team versus your team" climate. Truth is, most of us are truly neither one or the other but a mix of both political ideologies. Most of us want the same results for our country and for our lives but we have different ideas on how to achieve the goals. When we become engulfed in pledging some kind of an allegiance to a political party, we separate ourselves from others. But when we realize that most of us have common goals and we want to each be treated fairly and respectfully, we dissolve teams and we dissolve separateness. You are merely an energy of consciousness having a human experience; just like everybody else.
Live for the experience, not for the "selfies."
One of the most rewarding things you can do is step away from the computer, put down the phone, and go out into the world and have an adventure. It doesn't have to be anything elaborate; just fun. Rent a kayak. Get on a bicycle. Have a girl's night. Organize a poker party. Go exploring. Climb a tree. Learn to paint. Dip your toes into the ocean. Take in the moment. Really stop and observe. Forget your phone and forget capturing the scene on Instagram. Capture the moment in your mind, in your heart, in your breath. It's the little adventures we have with others that will mean more than attaining the approval or envy of others. Forget about the presentation of it and just live out loud.
Be the person that you are looking for in others.
If you want people to treat you kindly, then be kind. If you want others to be honest with you, be honest with people. If you want to find someone beautiful, then discover your own beauty first. Your vibe does attract your "tribe." If you do that does that mean everyone is going to mirror your behavior? Certainly not. We are all at different points in our own individual journeys. But I can promise you that like attracts like. And what you act like comes back to you in many forms. The most powerful thing you can be is yourself. Be the best version of that self that you can be and watch who enters (and exits) your life. It's magical!
Real change, real happiness, begins with our perspective. We must make conscious effort to understand ourselves; which in turn will help us to understand our circumstances and the world around us. You are the divine authority in your life. Higher forces may have made you, but your experience in life is your individual responsibility. Tame your mind. When you change your mind, you change. When you change, your life will change.
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