"I always liked those moments of epiphany,
when you have the next destination."
-- Brad Pitt
We all have epiphanies. I had another today. Each one changes my direction just enough to get me going on a new track, or maybe it could be seen as getting back on track. I love Brad Pitt's way in that he says, "when you have the next direction."
To some people, I am sort of "Mr. Positive." I certainly want to be positive, and obviously, these Daily Inspirations are intended to be uplifting or inspiring in some way. Yet, for me, the philosophical part has come fairly easy for me because I've been studying various leaders in this field for a long time.
Understanding it is one thing, and practicing it in my own life daily is another. I am and have long been willing to practice, but much of that is philosophical in nature too. So, I have these little epiphanies which wake me up to my commitment to live by what I espouse. Not so that I can be qualified to speak on the subject or that I might be seen as having made it, but so that I get the benefit that is stated in the philosophy in my life right now.
Of all the teachings that I have studied, it is the teachings of Abraham by Esther Hicks that speaks to me so clearly. In this, the idea of paying attention to your emotions (they call it the emotional guidance system that we all have) and when something is causing you to not feel good, that is a clue to do something, think something different that will cause you to feel better, until eventually, you can feel good. So the negative emotion isn't bad, but it is good because it gives you the information you can use to change.
Yet it is so easy to fall into the negative egotistical scenes played out in my head when something happens or someone says something. I begin to justify myself talking in my head. I begin to build a case for my rightness. I go over scenario after scenario of what I would be saying to defend myself. These have always been common in my head and I'm sure I am not alone.
The teachings say to pay attention to how I am feeling and when I have those scenarios, they always cause nervousness, fear, defensiveness, and all of those are not feeling good. I used to go on and on and the only escape was to escape into some distraction. But, that only put it off for a while and then it was back.
All those justifications have never ever helped and they are simply the ego trying to save itself and look good by tearing everyone else down. The only real solution is to change the thinking and the goal is to feel good. Often it must be taken in steps. Maybe even baby steps. It isn't something where a leap will work, so the idea is to think a better feeling thought. Maybe it is only a little bit better, but it is in the right direction.
Today, I went beyond the philosophical aspect and realized where my head was at the moment and I began choosing slightly better feeling thoughts until I turned a corner and felt better. I didn't feel good yet, but better and that was enough to cause significant movement.
I call it an epiphany because it is a new direction in that I've gone beyond the philosophy to the awareness to the actual practice. It felt so good to be in this place, I can tell you. I never want to go back to not paying attention, to not be aware, and to not be empowered by this.
As I felt this place, I felt so different. I wasn't fearful about anything. Instead, I was grateful. Grateful for the circumstance that I was mulling over in my head and grateful for the empowerment to change.
It's Fascinating How Gratitude Is Exposed When Fear Is Released. I Never Saw It From That Perspective Before.
Spread Some Joy Today--Gratitude causes joy.
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