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Day 14
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"The greatest revolution in our generations
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"The greatest revolution in our generations
is the discovery that human beings,
by changing the inner attitudes of their minds,
can change the outer aspects of their lives."
by changing the inner attitudes of their minds,
can change the outer aspects of their lives."
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William James (1842-1910)
William James (1842-1910)
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Who Are You?
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Minus the good and minus the bad...
Minus the happy and minus the sad...
Minus those you love,
Minus those who return that love and
Minus those who do not love,
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Minus the good and minus the bad...
Minus the happy and minus the sad...
Minus those you love,
Minus those who return that love and
Minus those who do not love,
Or even like you...
Minus your place in society and
Minus your wealth or lack of it...
Minus the image you portray and
Minus the way that image is perceived...
Minus your place in society and
Minus your wealth or lack of it...
Minus the image you portray and
Minus the way that image is perceived...
Who are you?
In the first light of dawn,
Before you put on your worldly clothes...
In the darkness of night,
Before you put on your worldly clothes...
In the darkness of night,
When you take them off...
Who are you?
Do you stand in awe of yourself as an incredible creation
And view your life from that point?
And view your life from that point?
You should...
You have the miraculous ability to
Breathe, see, feel, hear, move, smell, touch and love.
Is that not wonderful,
Or have you forgotten who you are
Beneath your cloak of flesh and bones?
Breathe, see, feel, hear, move, smell, touch and love.
Is that not wonderful,
Or have you forgotten who you are
Beneath your cloak of flesh and bones?
Very young children know who they are.
Their mere existence is cause for celebration.
They run and jump and yell and sing and dance
With a passion that rises from the joy of being alive.
Their mere existence is cause for celebration.
They run and jump and yell and sing and dance
With a passion that rises from the joy of being alive.
You had that same sense of awesome wonder -- once.
Struggles and disappointments didn't destroy it.
You simply put it away and forgot about it;
All the other baggage you were cursed with
By the world around you
Made it just another burden to carry.
There are flashes now and then, little reminders.
A thought you can't quite grasp.
A feeling that slips through your fingers.
You simply put it away and forgot about it;
All the other baggage you were cursed with
By the world around you
Made it just another burden to carry.
There are flashes now and then, little reminders.
A thought you can't quite grasp.
A feeling that slips through your fingers.
A yearning that never completely goes away.
In the twinkling of a moment, you are here.
In the twinkling of another you are gone.
Everything in between is the fullness of your life,
Not the separate compartments that push and pull and stretch you thin.
In the twinkling of another you are gone.
Everything in between is the fullness of your life,
Not the separate compartments that push and pull and stretch you thin.
The Universe endowed you with the gift of life, creating you as its miracle.
You are never anything less than miraculous.
Do not ever think otherwise.
You are never anything less than miraculous.
Do not ever think otherwise.
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Self-Awareness
Understanding where you are coming from.
Self-awareness is about being honest about who we really are, our potential and what is required of us if we truly want to achieve the life of our dreams. It’s being able to look at ourselves in a metaphorical mirror and being able to see what lurks behind the shell that is our physical body; it’s acknowledging how we feel, how we think, our actions, and all the things there are to know about our characters. It is also being sensitive, tuned into life and knowing what is going on in our environment and being aware of the needs of others. Those who are confidently self-aware are open, warm and receptive of new ideas and opportunities. They see the many choices in every situation.
Understanding where you are coming from.
Self-awareness is about being honest about who we really are, our potential and what is required of us if we truly want to achieve the life of our dreams. It’s being able to look at ourselves in a metaphorical mirror and being able to see what lurks behind the shell that is our physical body; it’s acknowledging how we feel, how we think, our actions, and all the things there are to know about our characters. It is also being sensitive, tuned into life and knowing what is going on in our environment and being aware of the needs of others. Those who are confidently self-aware are open, warm and receptive of new ideas and opportunities. They see the many choices in every situation.
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Do we look at life through our parents’ spectacles?
Do we look at life through our parents’ spectacles?
Are our prejudices inherited or are they our own?
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We need to understand that each human being on earth is a person with equal rights to fulfil their own potential - that religion, gender, wealth, intelligence, nationality or colour are not measures of worth or merit. We need to appreciate that every human being is a distinctly unique individual and that no two people are alike, not even identical twins.
We need to understand that each human being on earth is a person with equal rights to fulfil their own potential - that religion, gender, wealth, intelligence, nationality or colour are not measures of worth or merit. We need to appreciate that every human being is a distinctly unique individual and that no two people are alike, not even identical twins.
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We need to appreciate what being human is … that is a changing, growing, imperfect but amazing living creature with the marvellous ability to understand their own relationship to the environment and to the many people and events that work together in everyday life. We need to adapt mentally and physically to survive in a world where our senses are continually under attack. Learning to relax and cope with the trials and tribulations of everyday life is fundamental to survival and achievement, developing a mental hide, as it were, of strength of character.
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We need to appreciate what being human is … that is a changing, growing, imperfect but amazing living creature with the marvellous ability to understand their own relationship to the environment and to the many people and events that work together in everyday life. We need to adapt mentally and physically to survive in a world where our senses are continually under attack. Learning to relax and cope with the trials and tribulations of everyday life is fundamental to survival and achievement, developing a mental hide, as it were, of strength of character.
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Little has changed since the days of our early ancestors when, at the first hint of danger or threat, the body automatically mustered its defences in preparation for Fight or Flight. Today this automatic body response results in stress, which can be devastating on mental and physical health. But those who have a positive self-awareness know that this auto-response is an important part of eventual success. Each person should try to find his or her own healthy stress level in life and operate within that level. While expressing emotions such as love, joy, compassion, and exhilaration is healthy and desirable, conversely it is beneficial to minimise the overt expression of anger, hostility, depression, anxiety, and loneliness. The only healthy expression of Fight or Flight emotion is in the face of life or death situations.
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Positive Self-Awareness is realising that we need to continue to learn, to adapt and grow every day; comprehending the abundance of potential within us, and understanding how little we have done to challenge our minds. It is accepting that we must seek and walk with truth every day of our lives, always being open to wiser choices and improved approaches to reaching a life of our dreams, knowing that there is still time to reach those dreams.
Positive Self-Awareness is realising that we need to continue to learn, to adapt and grow every day; comprehending the abundance of potential within us, and understanding how little we have done to challenge our minds. It is accepting that we must seek and walk with truth every day of our lives, always being open to wiser choices and improved approaches to reaching a life of our dreams, knowing that there is still time to reach those dreams.
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Self-Image
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Dori J Locke
Excerpt from her book:
"Results Unlimited"
Self-image is how you see yourself in relation to others. This is the idea you have of what kind of person you are, which could also be called self-concept. It is very important, as it affects your self-esteem and confidence.
Self-image includes the following:
· What you think you look like physically.
· How your personality comes across
· What kind of person you think you are
· What you think others think of you
· How much you like yourself or you think others like you
Self worth id tied very closely to our self-image. Self worth can be described as a personal judgement of worthiness that is expressed in the attitudes we hold about ourselves. The picture we hold of ourselves in our mind is ultimately connected to the value we place on ourselves. Having a healthy self worth is having a positive constructive view of yourself and your abilities. It allows you to work toward your goals and engage in rewarding relationships. An unhealthy self worth is displayed in a negative, pessimistic or disapproving view of yourself. it is the ability to see beyond limitations and problems. Those who display this type of worth believe that they cannot reach gaols nor have meaningful relationships.
Improving your self-image, like improving any skill, takes time and practice. Developing good self-esteem involves encouraging a positive attitude towards yourself and the world around you and appreciating your worth, while at the same time behaving responsibly towards others. Self-esteem is not self-absorption; it is self-respect.
By working from the inside out and focusing on changing your own way of thinking before changing the circumstances around you, you can build your self-esteem. The goal of this positive thinking is to give yourself a more positive self-image, while seeing yourself honestly and accepting yourself, and then removing the internal barriers that can keep you from doing your best.
The following are several quick and easy techniques you can use to improve your self-image:
· Avoid exaggerations.
Correct your internal voice when it exaggerates, especially when it exaggerates the negative. Try to avoid thinking in extreme terms. (“I always make that mistake,” or “I’ll never get that promotion.”)
· Stop negative thoughts in their tracks.
Sometimes putting a stop to negative thinking is as easy as that. The next time you start giving yourself an internal beating, tell yourself, “Stop it!” if you saw a person yelling insults at another person, you would probably tell them to stop. Why do you accept that behaviour from yourself?
· Accentuate the positive.
Instead of focusing on what you think are your negative qualities, accentuate your strengths and assets. Maybe you did not ace the presentation you just gave, but maybe your hard work and perseverance lead to a better understanding of the information that you would have had. Maybe you felt nervous and self-conscious when giving that presentation, but maybe your boss and co-workers respected you for getting up and trying.
· Accept flaws and being human.
Maybe you did get nervous and blow that presentation – so what? Talk to your boss about what went wrong, try to address the error in the future, and move on. All people have flaws and make mistakes. Your boss, co-workers, friends, family, mail carrier, congressional representative, and favourite movie star have all made mistakes. They have forgiven themselves; so can you.
· Accept imperfection.
Perfection is a high goal to aim for – you do not need to start there or even end there. Make doing your best your ideal; what more can you realistically do? Focus on what you have gained from the process and how you can use it in the future. Avoid focusing on what was not done or should have been done differently. Allow yourself to make mistakes and then forgive yourself. Try laughing instead of criticizing.
· Do not bully yourself!
“Should have, could have, would have …” Try not to constantly second guess yourself, criticize yourself for what you “should” have done better, or expect too much from yourself. Do not put standards on yourself that you would not expect from others. It is great to want to do well, but expecting yourself to be perfect (which is impossible) and then punishing yourself when you fail is a vicious cycle. Using expressions like “I should have” is just a way of punishing yourself after the fact.
· Replace criticism with encouragement.
Instead of nagging or focusing on the negative (in yourself and others), replace your criticism with encouragement. Give constructive criticism instead of being critical (“Maybe if I tried to do … next time, it would be even better” instead of “I didn’t do that right.”) compliment yourself and those around you on what you have achieved (“Well, we may not have done it all, but we did a pretty great job with what we did.”)
· Do not feel guilty about things beyond your control.
You are not to blame every time something goes wrong or someone has a problem. Apologizing for things and accepting blame can be a positive quality if you are in the wrong and if you learn and move on. However, you should not feel responsible for all problems or assume you are to blame whenever someone is upset.
· Do not feel responsible for everything.
Just as not everything is your fault, not everything is your responsibility. It is okay to be helpful, but do not feel the need to be all things (and do all things) for all people. This is taking too much of a burden on yourself AND limiting those around you. Let others be responsible for themselves and their actions – you should not feel responsible for their happiness.
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“The greatest good you can do for another is not just share your riches,
but reveal to them their own.”
Benjamin Disraeli,
Former Prime Minister of England
Benjamin Disraeli,
Former Prime Minister of England
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Don’t Change the World
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Once upon a time, there was a king who ruled a prosperous country.
Once upon a time, there was a king who ruled a prosperous country.
One day, he went for a trip to some distant areas of his country.
When he was back to his palace, he complained that his feet were very painful, because it was the first time that he went for such a long trip, and the road that he went through was very rough and stony. He then ordered his people to cover every road of the entire country with leather. Definitely, this would need thousands of cows’ skin, and would cost a huge amount of money.
Then one of his wise servant dared himself to tell the king, “Why do you have to spend that unnecessary amount of money ? Why don’t you just cut a little piece of leather to cover your feet?”
The king was surprised, but he later agreed to his suggestion, to make a “shoe” for himself.
When he was back to his palace, he complained that his feet were very painful, because it was the first time that he went for such a long trip, and the road that he went through was very rough and stony. He then ordered his people to cover every road of the entire country with leather. Definitely, this would need thousands of cows’ skin, and would cost a huge amount of money.
Then one of his wise servant dared himself to tell the king, “Why do you have to spend that unnecessary amount of money ? Why don’t you just cut a little piece of leather to cover your feet?”
The king was surprised, but he later agreed to his suggestion, to make a “shoe” for himself.
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There is actually a valuable lesson of life in this story:
There is actually a valuable lesson of life in this story:
“To make this world a happy place to live,
you better change yourself -
your heart;
and not the world.”
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Small Steps To Big Change -Making Big Change Easier
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When we decide that it’s time for big changes in our lives, it is wise to ease into them by starting small. Small changes allow us to grow into a new habit and make it a permanent part of our lives, whereas sudden changes may cause a sense of failure that makes it difficult to go on, and we are more likely to revert to our old ways. Even if we have gone that route and find ourselves contemplating the choice to start over again, we can decide to take it slowly this time, and move forward.
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Sometimes the goals we set for ourselves are merely indicators of the need for change and are useful in getting us moving in the right direction. But it is possible that once we try out what seemed so ideal, we may find that it doesn’t actually suit us, or make us feel the way we had hoped. By embarking on the path slowly, we have the chance to look around and considerother options as we learn and grow. We have time to examine the underlying values of the desire for change and find ways to manifest those feelings, whether it looks exactly like our initial goal or not.
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Taking small steps forward gives us time to adjust and find secure footing on our new path.
Life doesn’t always give us the opportunity to anticipate or prepare for a big change, and we may find ourselves overwhelmed by what is in front of us. By choosing one thing to work on at a time, we focus our attention on something manageable, and eventually we will look up to see that we have accomplished quite a bit.
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Forcing change is, in essence, a sign that we do not trust the universe’s wisdom. Instead, we can listen to our inner guidance and make changes at a pace that is right for us, ensuring that we do so in alignment with the rhythm of the universe.
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Have a wonderful day filled with life's blessings
Hanneica
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