Daily Inspiration 3-26-11

"We are shaped by our thoughts;

we become what we think.

When the mind is pure,

joy follows like a shadow that never leaves."

-- Buddha

"The roots of all goodness lie

in the soil of appreciation for goodness."

-- Dalai Lama

"Instead of complaining that the rosebush is full of thorns,

be happy that the thorn bush has roses."

-- Proverb

I ran across a rather cynical, yet functionally true statement about negatively charged people: "Man spends his life in reasoning on the past, in complaining of the present, in fearing the future." -- Antoine Rivarol.

I can so relate to that quote by Antoine because I was taught this, the TV taught it, all my friends taught it and it was just accepted as the way life was--with sprinkles of happiness here and there. Complaining and blaming is a national pastime in the U.S. and you only have to turn on the radio, TV, or open a newspaper to see that clearly. It is so widely accepted and common. Yet we all know when we think about it, that it doesn't help us, but we don't bother to change it.

We can change it when we decide we want to, and that is where all of our power is. Once the decision is made, there are some things I've found extremely effective in making the transition away from being a complainer. The good news is when you make the decision, that is the hardest part, and the rest of this is easy. Here it is:

Turn your focus away from the problem. As we focus on the problem (complaining), we attract more of the problem and problems. We simply have to stop looking at and talking about the problem. Spend 5 seconds on the problem just to acknowledge it is there, then move away.

Next, instead of focusing on the problem, which is what you really don't want, change your focus to what you do want. Imagine having what you want and put all of your energy and attention there, and completely ignore the problem. Feel what it feels like in your imagination.

Next, begin to appreciate anything and everything that you possibly can. Write down the positive aspects of things and people in your life, including yourself. This may take a moment or two of effort, but once you get it going, you will be amazed at the positive aspects you can come up with.

As you focus away from the problem (what you do not want), and then focus in on what you do want, or the way you would like things to be, and begin appreciating the positive aspects in your life, I predict there will be massively good changes in your life as you continually practice this simple strategy.

This strategy is now something that I practice all day every day without fail and it is making a huge difference in my joy. I've said it before and will say it again: I've had more joy in my life in the last two years than in the prior almost 60 years. That blows me away to think about that change. I find joy every where I look and in people I meet and I spread joy where ever I go now.

Better Late Than Never! Old Dogs Can Learn New Tricks. It's Never Too Late To Change.

Spread Some Joy Today--Make a decision today. Decisions are powerful joy creators!