Scotland Reminiscing Video

Before I begin, I wish to state as a sort of disclaimer, what I write about in this blog, although it is actually backed by many studies out there, I am not trying to convince anyone to think as I do, we all have free will. I am only stating what I believe and have found, for myself, to be true.

Today, my focus is on how to ensure one maintains a positive, uplifted outlook and attitude. I believe doing so also helps one stay in a more healthy state.

It was recently brought to my attention something I already knew but realized I needed to be more proactive in practicing, this has to do with what one puts their attention on daily. The reminder came from a seminar I attended recently. There it was brought up that health is harmony. By harmony I took it to mean staying in a state of harmony. In order to maintain that harmony, it was pointed out that one must guard the three entrances – the mouth, the ears, and the eyes. With regards to the mouth, not only does it mean what you talk about but it also includes being aware of what you eat as well. We all know that what we eat can have a direct effect on our health. With regards to the ears, you need to be aware of what you are listening to and how you process the information. Similarly, with the eyes, you need to observe carefully what you see in regards to how that affects your emotions.

To me this meant, paying special attention to what one talks about, listens to and watches. Further, I interpreted it to mean avoiding things of a negative, dark, oppressive nature. Instead, one should place their attention on things of a positive and uplifting nature.

Regarding what one talks about, to me, this involves the fact that words have power. When you speak in a negative manner the words that go out into the ethers, they hold a vibration and leave an energetic imprint. This includes your conversations with others, whether verbally or online. I also believe, this includes thoughts.

In addition, I believe, both what you think and what you speak are even more powerful when they are combined with strong emotions and feelings around what you think and speak. The energy generated by them, will in turn attract to you, things of either a positive or a negative nature depending on the nature of your thoughts and what you speak/talk about.

With regards to what you watch and listen to, these also revolve around the same principles. If you are constantly watching videos or movies/television that deal with truly dark and very negative subjects, this puts your focus on them. Granted, I am the first to state I am a big fan of the mysteries/whodunits such as your Agatha Christie novels, PBS Masterpiece Mysteries, and such. It is again, the truly very dark, negative, oppressive (for lack of better terms) that I am referring to. Putting your focus on this type can, in turn, affect your life. It can affect what you attract into your life.

Again, I am not trying to change anyone or convince anyone to think as I do. I am just stating what I believe and have found to be true for me. We, as I stated, all have free will. I just wanted to share and if you are so inclined, you may want to do your own research on the information provided. Like my previous post on the attitude of gratitude and trying to keep oneself in a more positive and uplifted state, I am just relaying some ideas and information for your consideration.

I haven’t posted in a while as I was dealing with some health issues. These issues were the direct result of increased stress levels and also working daily for several hours on the computer basically for many years. I decided to take some time to address these issues which included limiting my time spent on a computer. Luckily, one significant change I was able to make in my life greatly reduced both my stress level and the hours I now spend on a computer. This change resulted from me making the decision to retire. I’m so grateful that this was a choice I was able to make.

Today’s post is regarding something that I heard during a talk by a panel that I attended recently. One of the panelists stated they were focusing on how to build God’s dream for themself. I have to say, I loved what that invoked in me, that I too wished to focus on how I could go about building God’s dream for me. (Please feel free to phrase this however it works for you depending on your beliefs and/or faith, if you are so inclined.)

I have always believed in that saying of “Let Go and Let God” – meaning to release something to God and let God help you out. I am also currently trying to figure out what it is that I wish to do from now on out in my life. I definitely want it to be based on something I love. I have my ideas on what that might be but I also realize that turning it over to God might actually bring about something I had never even conceived of or thought I could do. Something that could even be way more wonderful than what I might have thought of for myself. To me, this all related to me building God’s dream for me.

So now my focus is on just that. One of the tools I am using to learn how to create/build this dream is contemplation. It is a great tool for one to use in their daily life. It is a tool I have utilized for years for such things as finding answers to questions, solutions to problems, or creating something in my life. To explain contemplation vs. meditation, to me, contemplation is more active whereas meditation is more passive. So, it certainly was one of the first ways I thought of to go about building God’s dream for me.

I find spending time in quiet contemplation is very beneficial for me. In contemplation, one also employs their imagination to boost the benefits of the contemplation, this being the more “active” aspect of contemplation. By this I mean using the imagination to help with such things as problem solving or creating something/attracting something into your life, (such as God’s dream for me), etc. Like meditation, you begin by closing your eyes and focusing your attention inwardly. You can also chant your sacred word such as Om, Hu, etc. to start you off. Then you begain to use your imagination as part of your contemplation.

Nothing was ever created that wasn’t imagined first. There are multiple studies about how to create and attract into your life what it is you desire that includes utilizing your imagination. Taking at least 15 to 20 minutes a day to spend time in quiet contemplation utilizing your imagination to image what it is you wish to create or bring about in your life is very powerful. As already mentioned, it is also great for problem solving and getting to the root of an issue in your life be it health related, interpersonal interactions related, financially related, etc.

When you go into contemplation, you focus your thoughts and attention on what it is you wish to get an answer to or what you wish to create/attract into your life. You employ your imagination to, for example, envision what it would be like to have the solution/answer or to have that something in your life (a new job, financial independence, etc.). You also can use your imagination in contemplation to engage in creative methods on how to find your answer or how to go about creating/attracting something into your life. It is also very important during the contemplation to take time to listen to what you might get on the inner whether it be from your higher self, inner guide(s), God or whatever you would, based on your beliefs.

After your contemplation, leave that contemplative state with the knowledge and belief that you will resolve your issue or create what it is you wish for in your life.

Bottom line, contemplation is a great tool to have in your spiritual toolbox. It certainly can’t hurt to give it a try.

Recently I deemed it time I really started concentrating on what it is I wish to do now. Years ago at the memorial service for a friend, she had requested that the officiator impart to us, “Are you living your life or just existing?”. I have to say I have revisited this often in the years since. In fact, lately, I have been examining my life to yet again answer that question. I arrived at the conclusion I was in the “just existing” category.

I want to do something I love to do not just something that pays the bills. For me, doing what I love happens to encompass my creative outlets of the photography, jewelry making and writing. As I have mentionted, I actually just wrote and got published my first book, I Have Been Dumped More Times Than Toxic Waste (and Darned Glad I Was). It is based on my experiences over the years in the dating and relationship arena. It was written humorously and from the viewpoint of taking responsibility for my choices. I would say at this point it is the writing that really excites me to pursue as the “what I would love to do”.

I should mention I find it can be easy to expend my time and energy thinking about what I don't want in my life, which isn't helpful. I know I should spend that time focusing on what I do want.

Years ago, I realized that ingrained in me are two negative aspects of worry and fear. I have spent a large part of my adult life working on overcoming those two. Just to give a bit of background, growing up I was constantly exposed to worry and fear by my mother and my paternal grandmother. Being constantly exposed to their worry and fears, I certainly adopted them into my life. One of the principal ways that worry and fear affected me was in making decisions. I would angst over whether the decision I was about to make would be the “right” one or not.

When I was in my 20s I went to a psychologist who informed me that I needed to learn to consider what will happen if I don't take a chance on something instead of worrying about what would happen if I do. With the old way, I would end up basically paralyzed and unable to make a decision. So I needed to shift my focus to what might I miss out on by not trying something new or doing something different.

I should also mention that I am a big believer in the “attitude of gratitude”. At the beginning and the end of my day, I reflect on what it is I am grateful for. I include expressing gratitude for what is yet to come. I believe gratitude is essential for attracting good things into your life which in turn you can be grateful for these blessings as well. Practicing the attitude of gratitude also became a way to combat worry and fear. In addition, I use love to overcome worry and fear as well. For example, loving myself enough to trust in my ability to make good decisions and if the outcome isn’t exactly as desired, not to beat myself up over the outcome.

You may or may not have heard of the ”as if” principle, where you go about your life living as if what you desire has already come into being. Yes, that can be easier said than done, but a lot of what that involves is spending time with your imagination. Imagining what it would be like, what it would feel like, to be living your life doing what you love to do and just enjoying life in general. Adding the emotional aspect of feeling what it would be like, greatly accentuates what you are imagining. Combined together, they are a very powerful tool. A tool to assist in attracting into your life what it is you want to be or have in your life.

As a caveat to using the imagination, emotions and feelings, it is important to be open to something you may not have thought of. What I mean is, don't be too limiting in what you are asking for because there might be something even more wonderful than you could have imagined. If you limit yourself by being too overly detailed, you may not attract into your life something you might never have thought of or dreamed of!

So in parting I urge you to start living your life if you are not already!