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Our Truest Life

1 Jan

“Our truest life is when we are in dreams awake.” Henry David Thoreau

When we’re young we dream of what we’ll become when we grow up. We have fantastic fantasies about being ballerinas, astronauts, race car drivers, famous singers, and a thousand other ideas. Sometimes those dreams come true, but often because we don’t know what’s involved in realizing them, they change. Years later as we progress through our lives, learn new things, and learn about ourselves, we get a better picture of who we really are. But even then, because of the complications of life and choices we make, sometimes we don’t end up where we want to be. The roads we want to travel may be obscured by the choices of others around us, or decisions we make that take us to other destinations, or even by time itself. Sometimes we wake up and look at where we are and wonder how we got there. Of course, it’s easy to see how one turn took us to another, and how each step altered our course, but even then, when we realize we’re not where we want to be, it’s disconcerting. Life is a force and if we don’t take control of it, our days will play out and determine our direction. If we want to live our truest life, the one we really want, we have to take control. We have to wake up, look at the road we’re on, and decide which way to go from there.

Living life on “auto pilot” is easy. We’ve all done it from time to time. We get into routines, we know what to expect, and we just go through the motions. But if we live our lives that way, after a time we may forget that we have control and can determine our direction. We can decide what we want and then make choices that will bring success. We can do anything, but we won’t get where we want to be if we don’t take control. Routines can be like fog rolling in. At first we can still see our way forward and it’s just a slight annoyance. But if we let them take over our lives, the path we’re looking for becomes obscured and difficult to see. We might even stop looking because we’ve been on the same road for so long a new choice may be intimidating. But this life only comes around once. We only get one shot at today. We can play along and stay in the fog, or we can step out and forge the road we really want to travel.

Are we living our truest life? We have the power to live the life we want most. However, before we can achieve it, we must first define it. Is what we’re doing today what we really want? Is this the life that will bring us true satisfaction and happiness? If it isn’t, what is needed to change it? We can change anything in our lives that we want to. We can step off the road we’ve been traveling and move in a new direction. We can point our compass toward what we want most and turn our course. We have sufficient control over our choices and our lives to make any change we want to make. If we aren’t happy where we are, if we don’t feel fulfilled, if this isn’t where we want to be, we have the power to change it. We don’t need the approval of others and we don’t need permission. This life is ours to direct and we can go wherever we choose, and become the person we want to be.

Today if you feel like you’re on the wrong road, that you aren’t living your truest life, that you aren’t where you want to be, you can change things. Decide where you want to go and what you want to do, and then begin to modify your direction and revise your plan. You can do anything. You can make your dreams a reality. Be who you really are and bless the world with your unique gifts. There is nobody else like you. Live your truest life today.

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Seeking Greatness

29 Dec

We can be any kind of people we choose to be. It doesn’t matter what circumstance we are born into, whether wealthy or poor, we can decide what kind of person we want to be. We can be lazy and do the least amount necessary to get through our days, we can be industrious and try hard to excel, or we may land somewhere in the middle. When it comes to our personal choices we are in charge. In most situations, the old adage that someone else made us do something isn’t real. Influences are all around us and if we choose to fall prey to them instead of choosing what we know is best for us, we are responsible for that decision. If we want to be great, noble people, we can be. We can change lives by setting a good example, and we can change our world by choosing what is right.

The question of right or wrong always comes into play when we think about our choices. How we define those two parameters will determine how we go forward. For some of us, lying and cheating are an acceptable means to an end. But if we want to be great, honesty must be adhered to no matter what. There is no such thing as being too honest. Honesty is an all or nothing deal. We either are or we aren’t honest. If we think it’s a part-time situation, and we are only honest when it benefits us, we are actually dishonest in every way. The values we determine to live by and the standards we set for our lives determine the type of people we become. And who we are is reflected in what we do. It doesn’t matter what we say we’ll do or who we say we are. The truth is who we are is what we actually do. Living our lives means just that – living them. How we choose to do that determines what kind of character we become.

It’s never too late to change our course if we feel we’re on the wrong road, or headed down a path that will not take us where we most want to go. We can stop at any time and reset our direction. If we’ve become affiliated with others who are making choices we don’t want to make, we can distance ourselves from them. If we’ve done things we now regret, we can begin to do what is needed to repair the situation. There is nothing permanent in this life. Everything is fluid and ever changing. We will rarely be in a situation that is cast in stone and unchangeable. But changing it requires that we change first. If we take a good look at our lives and our decisions, we can decide how to go forward. Sometimes we need only make small adjustments, and sometimes we have to change many things, but we are capable of doing whatever is needed. We can be more than just good people. We can be great people by making strong, noble decisions and choosing the right in every instance every day. It takes practice but if we are diligent, we can become the very best versions of ourselves as possible. And that is what will change the world for the better. We have a lot of power to lead the way, and we can share it with those around us.

Today if you don’t feel you’ve been doing your best and you want to be great, start by making better decisions. Think clearly about where you want to be and then choose the paths that will take you there. There is greatness in you. Re-chart your course and show everyone the very best you have. You have the power to be an amazing influence for good. Use that power today and change the world for the better.

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Lost and Found

24 Dec

We have all kinds of experiences in our lives, good and bad, usual and odd, and sometimes even crazy things happen to us. We form all kinds of relationships with friends, co-workers, acquaintances, lovers, would-be lovers, and family. Sometimes if we are captivated we can be pulled from our normal choices into situations where we might begin to believe things that aren’t true. If we’re really drawn to someone and want them to be special in our lives, and they lie to us or manipulate us, we may not see it, and if we do, we might even overlook it. It’s possible to get so caught up we lose our way, and we may make allowances for things we wouldn’t have tolerated before. Getting lost and caught up can make us forget who we are, what we really want, and where we want to be. It can be a confusing time if the other person continues to tell us everything we want to hear, but their actions belie everything they say.

It’s not hard to get lost when we want something very much. We can be manipulated because we want things to go a certain way. We play along when we aren’t sure, and if we feel uncertainty, we may ignore it. Even when nothing makes sense we can be willing participants in the lie because we want so badly for it to be true. But lies are not truth and never will be. Even when convincing ourselves that things are okay, there may a niggling suspicion they are not. If we’re ready we’ll pay attention to the small whisper in the back of our minds, and try to see things more clearly and objectively. However, if we’re so entrenched and deeply involved, it’s hard to see or hear anything but what we’re living.

Making personal connections is important to us. We want to feel loved and cared for, and we want others in our lives. It’s healthy to want to share our lives with those around us, but it can be destructive to believe in false situations. We may lose who we are in the process. Getting lost happens, but we can find our way back when we’re ready. If we pay attention we will find the truth. We are very perceptive and even when we don’t want to see it, we can perceive when things aren’t right, when truth isn’t being told, and when we’re headed in the wrong direction. But seeing it and changing it are two different things. If we want real happiness in our lives, we must live truthfully. If we want a real connection with someone, it needs to be honest. If we’re in relationships that don’t offer complete truth and honesty, we will get hurt. Those types of relationships never succeed over time. How long we keep them in our lives is our choice. We are in control of our decisions and no matter where we are now, if we want to change our course, we can. We deserve happiness and we deserve the very best. And we have everything we need to make sure we get it.

Today if you realize you’ve been caught up in a situation that has taken you away from who you really are, and things aren’t making sense, begin to correct your course. You know who you are, and you know what you want. You deserve complete honesty and happiness in your life. Today remember what a gift you are to the world. You are worth more than you can imagine.

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Clean Living

11 Dec

When we’ve been working outside, gardening or cleaning up, we usually get dirty, and sometimes get completely covered with sweat and grime. As we work hard it accumulates layer by layer until we feel completely filthy. When we’re finished, it feels great to step into a hot shower and wash it all away. Scrubbing off all the effort, and getting back down to our skin feels wonderful, and when we step back out we feel refreshed and rejuvenated. The days of our lives can be like that too. As we go through our various tasks, the jobs we need to get done, the errands we need to accomplish and all the things that keep us busy, we accumulate a layer of this and a layer of that. It’s not always dirt. Sometimes it’s attitude, sometimes it’s regret, and sometimes it’s happiness and contentment. But whatever we’re doing and wherever we’re going sticks to us in some way. At the end of the day, all our experiences, for good or bad, are part of us. The goal then should be to live our lives in ways that the good ones outnumber the bad. There is no psychological shower we can take to wash off bad experiences. There isn’t any magic soap that will take away regret or disappointment, and we carry it all with us from that point forward. But we can learn to live a clean life and gain as many positive experiences as possible.

Living a clean life means making good choices. We can choose to be moral, faithful, and law abiding. We can decide to be kind, helpful, charitable, and forgiving. Every time we choose something noble, we also choose to be happier going forward. If we choose to be faithful, we feel the support of knowing we’re doing what’s right. If we’re law abiding, we don’t have to worry about getting into trouble. If our demeanor and behavior is one of kindness, charity and forgiveness, we will feel peace. For every good choice, there is usually a good result. Conversely, for every bad choice there is often an equally bad result. If we choose badly we might not reap the result immediately, but it will inevitably come. We can determine what we accumulate each day by the choices we make.

Living a clean life means being true to ourselves and what we want most to become. It means choosing the paths that will take us where we want to go. It takes effort to think before we choose. If we jump before we think and make snap decisions, some of them will work out, and some won’t. But thinking for just a moment before we act will help us make the best decisions and when we do we’ll be happier. We can all live a clean life, we just have to decide. We have it in our power. What do we want to be wearing at the end of the day? We can be covered with disappointment, regret, and anger, or we can wear contentment, happiness, and peace.

Today if you’ve been unhappy with the decisions you’ve been making, and feel heavy carrying them around, you can change things. Think about how you want your life to be and how you want to feel. Then make decisions that will bring every blessing to you. You have more power than you think you do. Use it to design your life and at the end of the day, you’ll feel light and happy knowing you’re exactly where you want to be.

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Finding It

1 Dec

Every day we spend our time doing things that are important to us. What those things are depend on who we are, what we want, how we feel, and dozens of other parameters. But no matter what’s going on, if there is something we want to do, even if we haven’t planned for it, we generally find a way to get to it. It’s often a true axiom that we do what we want to do most. For instance, if we have responsibilities we need to take care of but would rather try out a new restaurant, we might let something go to make that happen. It’s a question of motivation and direction. We may tell ourselves we really need to get something done, and we might even plan for it, but if we don’t want to do it, we may justify putting it off. In the end, whatever we’re looking for, we’ll find. If we’re looking for a way to make something happen, we’ll get it done. If we’re looking the other way, it won’t happen.

There is sometimes pressure from others to do things a certain way and in a certain order, but if we aren’t convinced that’s for us, we won’t make it a priority. However, we might agree to do it their way just to make them happy, and get them to drop the subject.  We can do anything we want to with our time. We are the ones in the end who make the decisions about our lives. And so, it’s important to decide what we really want to do. Do we really want to visit that friend we’ve been promising to see for months but never make it? Do we really want to go to that sci-fi movie because our best friend loves it and we hate it? We need to be completely honest with ourselves and with those around us. If we aren’t going to do what they ask, we may politely decline. If we aren’t going to show, no matter what the argument is, it’s best to say so.

We all want to be nice and helpful. We want to be agreeable and get along with others. Having our own opinions and making our own decisions does not diminish that. We can be completely honest and we can say no. When we’re honest and upfront we may face the disappointment of others when we decline their request, but they will respect us for telling the truth. When things must be accomplished, we should make a defined plan to get them done so we can let them go. Leaving them hanging in limbo will never bring us satisfaction or peace. They’ll niggle at us continually until we complete them.  But when we’ve completed the task we can move on to the things we most want to do. We are capable of organizing our lives and our activities in the best possible way so we can be comfortable and happy going forward.

Today if you’ve been looking for ways to dodge something you need to do, make a plan to get it done and then complete it. You’ll be happy when the chore is over and you can move ahead with something fun. Be proactive and organize your tasks so you feel content and capable. You can do anything you want to do. Today look for the best way, and you’ll surely find it.

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