Be honest. This applies to every area of your life. Sketchiness is not an attractive trait. No more trying to cover up your baggage, sweeping things under the rug, withholding truth, blatant lying, or even telling seemingly âharmlessâ white lies or half-truths â release the need to lie completely! Start NOW.
Isnât it funny how we make rational excuses for being out of alignment? We say, âWell, this ____ and that ____ happened, so it makes perfect sense for me to be feeling like this ____ and wanting to do this ____.â Yet, to this day, I have never met a happy person who adheres to those excuses. In fact, each time I â or anyone else â decide to give in to ârational excusesâ that justify feeling bad â itâs interesting that only further suffering is the result. There is never a good enough reason for us to be out of alignment with peace. Sure, we can go there and make choices that dim our lights⊠and that is fine; there certainly is purpose for it and the contrast gives us lessons to learn⊠yet if weâre aware of what we are doing and weâre ready to let go of the suffering â then why go there at all? Itâs like beating a dead horse. Been there, done that⊠so why do we keep repeating it? Pain is going to happen; itâs inevitable in this human experience, yet it is often so brief. When we make those excuses, what happens is: we pick up that pain and begin to carry it with us into the next day⊠and the next day⊠into next week⊠maybe next month⊠and some of us even carry it for years or to our graves! Forgive, let it go! It is NOT worth it! It is NEVER worth it. There is never a good enough reason for us to pick up that pain and carry it with us. There is never a good enough reason for us to be out of alignment with peace. Unforgiveness hurts you; it hurts others, so why even go there? Why even promote pain? Why say painful things to yourself or others? Why think pain? Just let it go! Whenever I look back on painful things or feel pain today, I know it is my EGO that drives me to âgo there.â The EGO likes to have the last word, it likes to feel superior, it likes to make others feel less than in hopes that it will make itself (me) feel better about my insecurities. Maybe if I hurt them enough, they will feel the pain I felt over what they did to me. Itâs only fair! Itâs never my fault; itâs always someone elseâs. There is a twisted sense of pleasure I get from feeling this way, and my EGO eats it right up. YET! With awareness that continues to grow and expand each day, I choose to not feed my pain (EGO) or even go there. I still feel it at times, of course, so I simply acknowledge it and then release it. I HAVE power and choice over my speech and actions. I do not need to ever âgo thereâ again. Itâs my choice; itâs your choice. So itâs about damn time we start realizing this. We are not victims of our impulses or emotions; we have the power to control them, and so itâs time to stop acting like we donât. Itâs time to relinquish the excuses.
Bravery is the choice to show up and listen to another person, be it a loved one or perceived foe, even when it is uncomfortable, painful, or the last thing you want to do.
Being under stress is like being stranded in a body of water. If you panic, it will cause you to flail around so that the water rushes into your lungs and creates further distress. Yet, by calmly collecting yourself and using controlled breathing you remain afloat with ease.
Vulnerability really means to be strong and secure enough within yourself that you are able to walk outside without your armor on. You are able to show up in life as just you. That is genuine strength and courage. Armor may look tough, but all it does is mask insecurity and fear.
Relationships are steppingstones for the evolution of our consciousness. Each interaction we have, be it one of joy or contrast, allows us to learn more about who we are and what we want in this lifetime. They bring us into greater alignmentâŠas long as we continue to move forward and do not get attached to hurt, anger, or being a victim.
Itâs all about reprogramming our minds to focus more on what brings us joy.
Accept the past as the past and realize that each new day you are a new person who doesnât need to carry old baggage into the new day with you. Itâs amazing how many people ruin the beauty of today with the sorrows of yesterday. Yesterday doesnât exist anymore! For example, if ever I feel foolish or guilty about something Iâve done, I learn from it and attempt to do better the next time. Shame or guilt serves no one. Such feelings actually keep us down, often lowering the vibrations of those around us, as well. Living in the present moment is the recurring baptism of the soul, forever purifying every new day with a new you.
Feeling guilt dims our light. Instead of dimming our light to make others feel more comfortable, we could just continue to shine and foster the rise of the vibrations of those around us. Being Happy and Feeling Good does not mean you have no compassion for the misery of those around you. It simply means you wonât dim your light to make them feel comfortable â instead, youâre going to help light the way. At first, your light may be a bit too bright for others and it may hurt their eyes, yet itâs far better to shine rather than to hide your light. When you hide your light for too long, it extinguishes and you slip right back into darknessâŠunable to find your way until someone âshinyâ comes along to light your way and help you to find the light you still possess within, your Soulâs Magnificence.