Looking Back

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There's an old saying, "If we fail to look at history, then we're doomed to repeat it."  Although I whole heartedly agree with this statement, I also believe that there are way too many people who only live in the past, therefore denying their ability to live in the present, and I might add, with zero hope of the future.  There are times when it's good to look back at things.  Most of the time, if wisdom is your guide, the moments you look back on will bring you joy, and not fear or dread.

What I want to do today is motivate you to step forward and stop allowing what may or may not have happened in the past stop you in your tracks.  Face it, you are never going to look through the side or rear view mirror in your vehicle and see what is in front of you.  I've known people who have made it an art form of living in the past.  Everything is "Remember the time", or "There was a time..."  Don't misunderstand me, I think it is perfectly fine to think back on things.  It's perfectly normal to remember those times that brought us joy, and even those times that were not so perfect.  The problem arises when we allow those times to define us, or even worse, restrict us from pursing future endeavors for fear that we might fail again.  Shit, I've failed more times then I would care to admit, but I'm still here, and I'm still doing what I know to do.

I was reflecting on this blog the other night.  I've been writing it for several years, and there's probably four or five hundred post that have been published over the last five or so years.  As I was thinking about the hundreds of thousands of words that have been written over that time, I was taken back by the sheer enormity of what I have tried to accomplish through my writing.  Now I may never know the lives I've touched with the words that I've written, but I believe there has always been a purpose for my writing.  Truth be told, if only one person in the entire world gets something from one of my post, then all the efforts over the years are well worth it.  I've never sought to monetize this blog.  Certainly there are ways to make money blogging, and I'm not opposed to making money that is for sure.  That being said, money has never been my motivation and I have tried to never be moved by what something can or cannot make me.  Looking back, I could always second guess myself and wonder what would have happened had I allowed advertising and such on this blog.  Would I be wealthier then I am right now, or would my motivation have been focused on something completely different then it is focused in on right now?

Let me give you one simple key to really get you headed in the right direction today:  if all you do is wonder what could have been, then what you are doing is continuing to look in the side and review mirror and all you will see is what is behind, and each thing you see will be getting smaller and smaller as you drive forward.  Look forward, and move forward.  Always remember that what is behind you is not nearly as important as what is right in front of you.  Think of it this way: if you're traveling down the highway at 75mph, do you look out the front window, or do you try to navigate your way down the road only using the review and side mirrors?  Trust me, your trip will be cut abruptly short if all you are using to focus on is something already gone by.  I know it seems as though I am beating a dead horse, but trust me, far too many people are living in the past and that is never going to help you with forward momentum.

Looking back, in moderation, has some merit, but that merit is diminished when the main focus is on all things past, and nothing of the present or future.  I'm a big fan of living in the moment, realizing that each moment is leading me to the next moment, and then the next, and the next.  I spent years playing the "What-if" game.  I've wasted more time and energy worrying about things that I could never change, because let's face it, things have already happened and you can't change what has already happened.  Still I was stubborn and refused to get out of my own way because I was bound and determined to change that which could never be changed.  Take my advice and get off the bandwagon of "Always Looking Back".  It might seem like the right thing to do, but constantly looking back is going to do nothing more then bring more regret, more sadness, and in some situations anger and violence.  Face it we have enough anger and violence going around right now in this world, do you really want to add to it simply because you refuse to look forward and only look behind you?

Looking back can teach, but those lessons will be short lived if all you do is live in the past.  There are times when I would love a do-over.  There are even times when a do-over of a do-over is desired. That being said, what could you possibly learn from a do-over that you haven't already learned from the experience you just went through?  Do-overs will never change the fact that each thing we go through in life has been set in front of us to teach us something.  Now there are those who will never learn the lesson, but they will continue to repeat things until the lesson is learned, that I promise you. Why not take from each situation those things that were intended to come out of the situation and learn from them.  Certainly lessons can be tough from time to time, but living in the past is going to catch up with you sooner or later, and when it does you are not going to like the results.

It's OK to look back at certain things with fondness.  Where peril comes in is when we look back at things and only see regret.  Regret and $2.95 might get you a hot cup of coffee.  Forget about regrets and instead look at the lessons learned and count your blessings that you in fact did learn something from the experience you may have just gone through.  Look back if you must, but keep it brief, keep it simple, and by all means keep it moving.  Remember a rolling stone gathers no moss.

The Angry Whisper

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Today I want to challenge you to change the way you think.  Today I want to challenge you to change the way you act.  Today, I want to give you a way of looking at things that just might change your entire perspective.  A simple truth that is never going to change, at least for most of us, is that we get angry. We also get frustrated, sad, melancholy, and often we refuse to acknowledge the reason why.

I am a terrible driver.  I have great driving skills, I just don't do well with idiotic drivers who can't seem to get anything right while they're on the road.  I know I'm not the only one who feels like this, so I consider myself in good company.  Here is my true confession for the day:  my frustration over other drivers is not really frustration for what they are doing, but rather frustration about my life and some of the things that I might be dealing with on any given day.  You see we often fire off at other people because quite frankly we are just pissed off at something about us, or something that is going on with us.  I think if people were to be honest with themselves they would say that they deal with the same thing.

I was sitting on my back porch last night and I was thinking about how things were for me in that moment.  I had two choices: I could accept what was going on, or I could change things up.  Now changing up things is not always simple, but often it is the best option.  The question then arises how does one change things up?  Well you change things up by changing the way you think about things, the way you see things, and by simply going back to basics.  Those basics are the truths that we should focus on each day. Those truths are solely about you, and those truths will show you who and what you are.  Once you are able to live in those truths, then most of what frustrates you will go away, and life will seemingly change over night.

So what are these truths?  Truth #1:  We were created to create.  You may not believe this, but you create your reality.  You create it with every word, every thought, and every feeling you have.  Sadly most people focus on the negative, which simply means they are creating more negative in their life.  Truth #2:  We are not merely mortals who occasionally have a spiritual experience, we are in fact spiritual beings who just so happen to inhabit a mortal body.  True Spirituality is knowing who and what you are, and then being free to be that person.  Sadly we have been conditioned to believe certain things, and anything contrary to those things, or anything that might be perceived as being out of the norm, is frowned upon by others who are no more spiritually minded then the man in the moon.  Truth #3:  We have not because we ask not, and we ask not because we don't believe.  You can wish, and wish, and wish for something until the cows come home, but if you don't really believe it is for you, then you can bet it won't be there for you.  I could list a thousand other truths about you, but then you'd be running out of the room screaming to stop the madness.  I think tackling the first three will suffice for today and we can add others as the days and months move on.

Would you agree with me that you do not have to believe in the Law of Gravity for it to have an affect on you?  Well the same can be said about the power of our words.  The Universe began with some simple words, and we often take for granted some of the words that slip out of our mouths.  Sadly once they are released you are doomed to live by the consequences.  If you can begin to be positive in your speech, positive in how you feel, and positive in what you do, isn't it more than likely that things will begin to be more positive?  After all, it's not rocket science.

We were created in the image of our creator.  If that is truth, then that makes us as spiritual as our creator and if we are in fact spiritual beings, then we have the entire universe as a resource for what we desire, what we dream, and for what we ultimately would like to become.  Sadly most people poo poo on the idea of spirituality as if it is something to run from.  Why is it that people always put down those things that they do not understand.  I guess it's easier to deny then take the time to figure out what is true and what is false.  Sadly much of what we have been taught growing up is false because it comes from a place of denial.  That denial being who and what we are.

How much greater would life be if you knew that you knew that each time you requested something you would get it?  If all you had to do was ask and pop there it was, how would that change your life?  The simplest of truths is that you have that ability, all you need to do is believe it, and although I can encourage you to believe certain things, it is entirely up to you what side of the equation you are going to fall onto.

You see, the angry whisper, is self-talk.  It is beating up on yourself with your words and feelings.  If you're angry, then simply admit you're angry, own it, but then get over it.  The easiest way to get over anger is to cover it with love.  Love wins out every time.  If you find yourself frustrated and that frustration is leading you to take action against others or yourself, then find the reason you're frustrated and fix it.  You can roll around in the mud for ever, but until you realize there is a way out of the mud pit, you are going to stay put.    Getting angry is human, but staying angry is idiotic.  Don't allow the Angry Whisper to guide your life, rather let it be your warning sign.  When frustration sets in about something you have no control over, like the idiot driver ahead of you, make peace with that person and thus enjoy peace in you.   Take a deep breath and think about it.

Sometimes I just don't know. At least that's how it feels.

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There are days that we sometimes just don't have a clue as to what to do, what is coming next, or what in the world is going on right now.  Sadly we will all have to contend with moments like this from time to time.  If there is a silver lining to this black thunder cloud it's knowing that you have all you need to contend with these moments.

Some will think that believing that you in fact do have all the answers is brazen and ridiculous.  I on the other hand, feel quite differently.  I am a firm believer that I process all that I need to be the person I was intended to be.  I believe this because I believe in the perfection of the Universe, and the perfection of me being here right now.  I also believe that I have all the answers because I am a spiritual being.  Only those who have never accepted their spirituality would doubt these words.  Once you have introduced yourself to your real self, then and only then can you confidently take on the challenges of each day.  Recognizing the voice of your spirit is key to any endeavor.  Listening to, and then following the guidance of your spirit is also key to being at the right place at the right time, and often that is the jump start that so many people desire.

Most of the time when we are having difficulty making a decision or coming up with a solution it is because we are spending so much time and energy on trying to figure things out, when what you should be doing is simply listening to your spirit.  Some might call this following your intuition, or following your gut.  No matter how you label it, it is all about becoming one with the real you.  So let me ask you, have you been introduced to the real you?  Have you been able to come to grips with who and what you are instead of listening to what everyone else says about you?  I believe that there has never been a better time to throw away the old and pick up on something that is as old as time itself, that being your spirit.  Your spirit was perfectly and completely formed long before you came out of your mother's womb.  Problem with most humans is that they never take the time to develop the relationship between spiritual and mortal.  We have grown to accept certain truths, that when looked at closely have no truth in them whatsoever.

I know this may seem confusing, but trust me, it's not as hard as it might seem.  Fact:  we've been conditioned since our birth to believe certain things.  Fact: we've been conditioned since our birth to see things a certain way.  Fact:  we've been conditioned since birth to depend on only those things we can see, touch, or smell, and everything else is just a fairy tale.  Well let me tell you that operating from a spiritual level is anything but a fairy tale.  Operating from a spiritual level is what is going to put you where you need to be, doing what you were intended to do, and quite frankly placing you in a place that is surrounded with peace, joy, happiness, and abundance.  Now I'm not a betting man, but given the option to live in peace, joy, and happiness or living in the mundane that so many people are experiencing, my guess is most would choose the peace and joy.  Now I might be wrong on this, but somehow I think I'm on to something, and I would suggest that you get on the band wagon and start living the life you were intended to live.  We were never intended to be walking around with doubt, with despair, with wondering when the other shoe is going to drop, and most importantly wondering if this is as good as it gets.  We were created to create.   Did you hear me, we were created to create.  Sadly most of the words out of our mouth create nothing but chaos, and we wonder why things are so messed up all the time.  Trust me, I am just as guilty of putting things out into the universe with my tongue.  The thing I have learned over the years is the importance and appropriateness of simply waiting to speak.  I have learned to take a few seconds and think about what I want to say and how I want to say it.  Trust me when I bust out like a bull in a china shop with my words, more often then not I wind up with egg on my face and a whole lot of acid in my stomach.  Think before you speak, and listen to what your spirit is telling you.  The heart speaks only truth, and most people have discounted the things of the heart for far too long.

I recognize that there are times when feelings can override almost everything around you.  I totally understand that there are moments when you don't have an answer or the answers seem to distance themselves from you.  I've been in situations where I knew what I wanted, but had no idea how to get what I wanted.  Conversely, I've also accepted certain things, only discovering after the fact that what I thought I wanted wasn't what I needed.  There is no doubt that life is confusing at best.  Why in heavens name would anyone not want to have a helper on their side, set in place to be the perfect guide for anything in your life?  That helper is your spirit, your soul, your heart of heart.  Don't believe that you are not equipped to handle all that life throws at you.  That is a lie that has been perpetuated through the conditioning of man.  You are fully able to handle all that you face, and once you begin to listen to your spirit, follow the guidance of your spirit, then you will know true victory in life.

When I feel as though I am no longer in control, I look inside of my self and follow what my heart tells me.  I promise you that your heart will never lead you astray.  It may take you some time to familiarize yourself with your true self, but let me tell you, it is worth the effort to do so.