Do You Believe In You? 7 Actions to Ensure Your Ultimate Growth!

I am not sure if you have asked yourself this question in a reflective way; or given it any deep or meaningful thought, but it is a question with a significant amount of depth and worth!

You may approach this question very lightly or feel that it is a very limited concept, only applying to a narrow part of who you are, but your belief in yourself (whether good or bad) permeates every interaction you have, your thoughts, the actions you take and the decision made consciously or subconsciously... fundamentally this question and how you respond to it has a bearing on your entire existence!

Believe In Your Ultimate Potential

You are a phenomenal creation who has been endowed with a brilliant set of skills, capabilities and gifts, which, when given a proper focus, a specific intent and the correct outlet; can be expressed with great significance and have an immense impact on the lives of those around you as well as your society as a whole!

This may perceive to be a rather grand statement and one of inflated promise... but it is true!

You have phenomenal potential within you! A potential that can change lives and your environment for good!

Remove Your Biggest Source of Doubt!

You hold yourself back by adopting a mindset that intrenches itself into a comfort zone. This reinforces some ideas and perceptions that, on face value have their sources in well-meaning character-based principles; however, this is limiting your potential and the ULTIMATE PURPOSE you were created for.

Do not let your defence of the good around you stop you from achieving the great that is on offer!

Some ways this limiting mindset becomes apparent:

You defend your current position or situation. You may not like what you do or how you are living... but you defend it! Your defence manifests in your constant rationalizations of NOT going for your goals or it focuses on the responsibility of now as opposed to the greater responsibility of growth. You defend your results by thinking that this is as good as it is going to get!

You continuously convince yourself that "the successful ones are the lucky ones" and that "you're just unlucky". Well to be frank we all make our own luck... good or bad!

You do not feel that you are able to carry more responsibility than you currently are. You feel that you may get "burnt out" or that more responsibility is only ever a burden. The truth lies in that the more we give, the more we get... we are created to serve and give and do... often way more than we think we are capable of!

You often feel that you do not deserve to partake in the abundance that is around you! You may think and feel that you are not capable of doing what others are able to do.

The alibi that you may reinforce... more abundance more problems! The problems abundance brings are lot better and easier to manage than the problems that poverty, lack or limitation bring.

You have to be thankful for what you got... and that's that! Be thankful, accept and do not ask for more... as though asking will lead to some sort of punishment. Never mistake dissatisfaction with felling ungrateful. We can be thankful and dissatisfied at the same time. A feeling of dissatisfaction is a sign of your inherent desires wanting greater and more effective expression!

Often the religious person may use the "God Willing" alibi as an excuse for a lifetime of weak or non-existent action! For the faithful an expression of increasing faith is one where we demonstrate an increasing belief in ourselves by taking bigger action and making greater sacrifices.

All the above are endemic of the mental cancer that is Doubt or Unbelief!

Begin to change you mindset to eradicate this cancer!

The Best Lies Within...

The best part of a changed mindset is that you are open to the changed perspective that a new awareness brings, along with the belief that new understanding fosters with respect to how you believe in yourself!

Some fundamentals you need to understand:

We have all been created equally and endowed, in equal abundance, with gifts and talents to contribute in increasing measure, to the upliftment and success of everyone we are connected to but more importantly ourselves.

There is an equal amount of time given for all... how we choose to use it is what makes a difference in the results between people.

Adversity is an Opportunity... No one is sheltered from adversity! Your adversity may appear more intense or impossible to overcome but your adversity is unique to you. This is to ensure that the specific development of your unique and wonderful skill and gift along with its intended outcome is realised!

Change is not only possible but necessary.

The brilliant benefit of ever increasing self-belief is that you are able to adapt to circumstances more rapidly, you recognise opportunity to serve and contribute in every interaction. You recognise that you are the best gift you can give when you make the most of yourself to give the best of yourself; all of this is capped off by the mental freedom that comes from knowing that there is no person, opinion, circumstance or situation that will ever hold you back again!

7 Actions to Ensure Your Ultimate Growth!

1. Decide: do not focus on what you believe is possible based on your current results or status... make a decision for what you really want!
2. Think in detail: highlight and get very specific about the characteristics, detail and definition of your goal and the freedom this will bring. Think like this constantly as though it is guaranteed!
3. Take Action: starting with small manageable milestones, begin to implement a changed lifestyle, new discipline and improved routines. Progress to bigger accomplishments and gains as your confidence and your belief increase and become resolute!
4. Model your behaviours: align your behaviours... the good ones, after a person that has accomplished what you want to accomplish or has attained
5. Study: we do not know what we do not know... that is why you need to study more about yourself, what makes you... you, the success principles that surround you and also the strategies you can adopt to bring about significant change. Sound knowledge leads to a steadfast belief!
6. Gratitude: continuously focus on finding a way for your gratitude to increase. Gratitude is a wonderful skill to develop as this connects you intimately with your source of supply!
7. Persist: the most fundamental way to develop belief is by focusing your efforts and energy into a specific outcome then continuing until this specific outcome has been achieved! Its not over until you Win!

At invinciblemind, we believe in the unlimited potential of the mind and are striving to share the life-changing effects of a renewed mind!

Learn how to Unleash Your Ultimate Potential with invinciblemind... Your future self will thank you for the immense decision!

https://ezinearticles.com/?Do-You-Believe-In-You?-7-Actions-to-Ensure-Your-Ultimate-Growth!&id=10357342

15 minutes of Wayne Dyer to Ease Your Mind and Soul

How Growth Changes Us

Ever seen a new born baby? Have you observed their behaviors? Well if you have you will conclude that they seem helpless. The truth is that child doesn't stay like that forever; as he/she grows it becomes obvious that they have changed either in size, beauty intelligence or Behavior. The point of interest in this blog post is Behavior. How the growth of someone affects his behavior? Is there a relationship between behavior and Growth? Well the answer is yes, there is but we will examine (3) of and the remaining (4) in Part 2 each stage of growth and see how they progress or change and what we can learn from that in our place of work and in School. The stages are: New born Baby, A toddler, At Middle Child-hood, A Teenager, A Youth, An Adult, An Old person

A New born Baby: New born babies are helpless, they Cuddle themselves without knowing what it actually is, but they openly and unconsciously accept help and Food from their ever caring mother, but there is something we fail to notice, it's the fact that they learn as they accept help from their mom, but as little children they don't grasp what they learn so quickly, rather they just keep it up there. You may be asking what I can learn from this.

Lesson: If you just got employed or you just got to a new grade at school, you are likened to that new born baby who just got into the world, in imitation of babies we want to readily accept help from those ahead of us, it may be our Boss or fellow colleagues but a little bit higher than us. We want to accept help, but as you accept help, also in imitation of that Child, you need to learn. At first you may not get it clearly but keep what you've learnt to heart

A Toddler: Ever seen a toddler? Ever stayed with one? Well a toddler is usually within the age bracket of (1-4). They have this quality of Exploration. They explore, and try everything possible. For example a toddler that still craws or a toddler that can now walk could see something on the ground, obviously they pick it up, and try to eat it, they are very curious. They hold your Tablet and try all sorts of things. They open the refrigerator and pull out and egg and start juggling it. Well, they are good at exploration... Remember this toddler was a new born baby before... He has learned a lot and is now trying to use that stored up knowledge gotten from the ever caring mother to explore... He has changed from the helpless to the Seeker, the ever curious child. With this he child still learn. There is a lesson Lesson: You are no longer a newbie at work, at school but in imitation of the toddler out have to start exploring. At work try things out, the same applies to school. Be curious and use that knowledge stored up from the assistance rendered, use it to explore, use it to learn more and get more knowledge.

At Middle Child Hood: The inquisitive nature of children, it's obviously true, they learn a lot they explore and they get to a point whereby they feel helpless but they don't keep such questions or challenges to themselves, rather they ask their parents, and their parents offer help, notice they have learnt something new right?, That's it that's how childhood goes about, the children gets close to their parents and store up more knowledge.

Lesson:Just like children, we want to learn to ask questions or seek for assistance when we need help, as a worker or student who has taken time to explore just as a toddler, we won't get it all straight during exploration, as a result we want you want to meet your boss or Teacher for help as you explore the more.

https://ezinearticles.com/?How-Growth-Changes-Us&id=9974527

Good Days Or Bad Days

Ever had a bad day... a good one? Had more bad ones than good ones in a week or month? Had more good ones in a year than you feel you deserved? Dumb questions? Well, trust me I have a lot more, but I'll save them for another time but let me ask you two more... How do you define good and bad? And, in the end, which ones helped you grow, learn, become or contribute more to others? More dumb questions? I don't think so but I'm writing this article so the real answers are up to you, but I would ask you to finish reading before you decide on your answers. So here goes.

What's a good day?

So, today - you got a raise, didn't get a flat tire, had lunch with friends, had a wonderful date night with your spouse, got a text from your Doc. and he said you have a clean bill of health and the good stuff just kept on coming - all in all - a good day.

What's a bad day? You got bad news from your dentist, the AC in your car crashed, you lost your favorite - whatever - your kids got in trouble in school and yes, so much more.

So, let me ask you - who or what is in charge or in control of your day - you or the stuff that happens during the day? In other words, when good stuff happens you have a good day and when bad stuff happens, well it's a bad day. See where I'm going with this. If the stuff that happens determines whether your day is a good one or a bad one - you are not in control of your day - your day (the stuff that happens) is in control of you.

Here's the bigger problem - the same could be said of weeks, months or even years. Are you having a good year or a bad one? Are you having a good life or a bad one? I mean I could go on and on with this crap but I'm sure you have got it by now. All I'm asking is as you go through life, no matter how long or short it is or what happens or what doesn't or what you get or what you lose, etc. - who or what is in control?

My observations over the years having spoken on 25 countries and met thousands of people around the world is simply that the majority of people are not in control of their days, oh if you asked them all, they think they are and would say they are, but watch how they react or respond to the stuff that happens throughout the day or week, etc. and then ask yourself the simple question - who or what do you think is in control of their life? A better question is which is in control of your days/life?

Here's a thought - stop labeling your days as good or bad, just be glad you got another one cause do you know how many people die every day in this world - well it's over 150,000 - you weren't one of them today so - today is a good day?

Here's another thought - generally we learn little from the good days or good stuff that happens on what we call good days. It's the perceived bad days, events, situations, people or circumstances that we call or define as bad that often give us the greatest opportunities for faster growth, new learning, new creative ideas or solutions, and overall increased wisdom. So, consider that the bad days, in the end, might actually be better than the good days - what an amazing concept - but you might want to keep it to yourself as sharing it with others - well, they might think you have gone off the deep end.

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Do Something Great Every Day!

Want to change how you feel right now? Ask yourself, "what can I do great today?" Think about it. What's the one great thing that you did today?

Perhaps it was some great insight that you got from meditating or a newsletter etc. Maybe you did something to help someone else. Did you contribute to someone else's well being? Whenever you contribute something from your heart and soul to someone else and it makes someone's life a little bit better, you end up doing something great and that impacts how you feel. I call that the "benefit cycle'... quite the opposite of the "vicious cycle" which we all try to avoid.

After you've become aware of doing something great, you might begin to think "what else can I do today that is great?" That's the snowball effect of doing great things. You feel better because you have made a contribution to someone else's growth and well-being which, in turn, has a positive effect on you. Now, you are tapping into your creative mind and thinking about what other contributions could be great. The answer lies with you. It may be some creative endeavor. Perhaps it's just going outside and appreciating the wonders of the world and the universe. That's up to you. Use your imagination. Make it happen...

Check back over your life and make a mental or written list of all the great things that you have done and accomplished. Perhaps you've built something fantastic or created a fabulous family and some wonderful offspring. Many of us have a tendency to review only the "bad" things that have happened to us. They overshadow the great things that we have done and it ends up detracting from our happiness. Give yourself some credit and watch your mood change for the better.

It's too easy to come down on yourself for your shortcomings and your failures. It's too easy to think that you could've done more and you're not adequate enough or good enough. Throw the "Shouldas, Couldas and Wouldas" in the trash. That's your internal critic talking. What about your internal contributor? Don't forget to make that list.

What did you do yesterday or last week when you did something great and maybe even contributed something to other people and the universe? Here's what you can start to do:

• Check it out and give yourself some credit for it.
• Stop knocking yourself.
• Drop the negativity.
• Begin telling yourself a NEW story. One that is different from the way that you have talked to yourself in the past.

The world's a better place because YOU are in it. It's a better place because you have done some great things and tomorrow, the next day, you will do something great and acknowledge it.

YOU ARE YOU! Look at some of your mentors. You admire them because they made great contributions and did great things. You don't admire those people who have done terrible and questionable things. You admire your heroes because they have done something great. Become your own hero. Do something great right now, this very minute. You CAN do it.

DON'T sit idly by waiting for life to come to you. TAKE the initiative and DO something great right now.

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How You Can Break Barriers to Growth and Become Opportunity-Ready (By Dr. Bruce A. Johnson)

We are continually reminded about the "new normal" and the struggle to return business to the way it was, as if it ever can be again. The news can become discouraging while working from home, especially if it seems there is no end in sight for current the pandemic and other societal problems. Not only is the news a source of frustration, the certainty of employment has evaporated for many industries and careers. It seems as if a person who has a job has the only future available now, and to dream of anything more is to hope for too much.

Yet it is possible to think about the future, even in the seemingly worst of circumstances, whether or not you work at home, have no certainty of a job in the months to come, and you are or are not employed now. The challenge is overcoming the natural barriers your mind creates when you feel the weight of circumstances around you, from national and international crises, to your own personal and professional matters. When there are so many issues and problems vying for your attention, it weighs heavily on your mind, creating a sense of push and pull. You seem to be pushed from one headline to the next, and your attention continually pulled from one worrisome idea to another.

When you create mental barriers, it interrupts your own development and this is what prevents you from being ready for new opportunities. As an educator and career coach I have used the phrase opportunity-ready to not only refer to the future career opportunities which may come your way, but the opportunities that are available now within your existing career. For example, I am always concerned with my well-being and state of mind as an educator, knowing that I want to be opportunity-ready for my employer, ready to accept the challenges and opportunities which are a natural part of the position. You can also develop this same state of mind when you breakdown any barriers to growth that are present now.

Natural and Intentional Growth

You grow naturally without thought, at a subconscious level. This occurs through time on the job and the experience you gain, along with the skills acquired. You cannot help but grow on some level, whether or not you are aware of it. Even if you are performing the same job, day after day, and it seems as if you have grown stagnant within that position, you are still growing to some extent. Consider the knowledge you've gained, even if by trial and error, interactions with customers, problem-solving, and working on projects. You have evolved, whether or not you can see it at this time.

There is also intentional growth, or the type of growth you are aware of and intentionally pursue. It may be formal education, or the type of education obtained within a classroom environment. This type of growth may also occur by reading, attending a webinar, attempting a new project, or consciously becoming involved in any other similar endeavor. When you intend to seek out new knowledge, or acquire new skills, the purpose may be to benefit your current job or future career. The accumulation of your knowledge helps to create a competitive advantage, along with a feeling of being proactive in your career.

Discovering Your Barriers to Growth

As an educator and career coach, what I have learned through my work with students and client is the barriers to growth can be summarized into two primary categories, beliefs and acceptance. Even those who have been seemingly well-focused and able to develop goals can still become wrapped up in current events and need to work on overcoming sticking points.

Barriers Centered around Beliefs: One of the common barriers is centered on the belief that a person's life and/or career won't, can't, or will not change. This is a product of time, effort, and mental habits. If you have been trying to better your life, create new plans, initiate change, or make an attempt to find a new career path, and nothing seems to happen in the manner you would like it to, then it may become easy to develop a negative belief.

The default setting it seems is this: See, Believe, Try. It translates into: I see results of my effort, then if all goes well, I believe in myself and try again. The reverse also holds true: If I do not see the results of my effort, I will not believe in myself, and I may not try again.

Barriers Centered around Acceptance: Most individuals I work with who have this type of barrier are prone to accept reality as it is now, and they are unable to see any hope for future change. The development of reality-based barriers is even more challenging now during a pandemic when the certainty of resolution is unknown.

Anyone who struggles with fear of the future, and becomes mentally paralyzed from taking action because they see no hope, have those feelings amplified to a much greater degree now. There seems to be no escape from reminders of the bleakness the world faces either, as the worst of the crisis is ever present within news, and advertisements remind us we are isolated at home. It can be easy to eventually succumb to the feeling life will not get better.

Breaking Barriers to Growth

We often keep hitting the same wall, until we realize we have become stuck. To overcome any mental barrier, you must be willing to admit to yourself that something is not working well for you now. It is not a matter of right or wrong, ego, pride, or admission of failure. It is being able to continue to evolve, both personally and professionally. You can simply state: "Somehow I feel stuck and I want to make improvements". That's how the process of uncovering obstacles begins, as you cannot change the external or the circumstance around your life, but you can change the internal factors that are holding you back.

Self-Evaluation and Self-Discovery

To be able to uncover your barriers, you need to begin by doing what may feel the most uncomfortable, and that is to admit you need to self-examine your mindset. This will begin a process of self-evaluation, which in turn can lead you through self-discovery. The only reason obstacles exist are due to the patterns of thoughts established in the mind.

Consider this example: The mind initiates a series of steps that creates habitual thinking, which leads to chronic patterns of how you act while interacting with others in the workplace and how you perform your job. There is a logical component to these steps, as required for completing your required tasks; however, there are aspects involved that require capacity, and this is where your beliefs come in. Self-evaluation, utilizing reflection as a tool to evaluate yourself, will help to uncover those beliefs. It's not a matter of being weak when you need to determine why you are mentally stuck, it's showing yourself you want to grow.

Implement this Strategy: To help you get started, I recommend you create an event log or better stated, an event chart. The events to keep track of during each day are the tasks, requirements, duties, projects, and anything else you were consciously asked to perform in your job. This is the first column of the event chart.

The second column will be the self-reflection reactions. I recommend you record your self-reflection reactions at the end of the day, when you have time to think back on how you responded to the tasks, requirements, duties, projects, and anything noted within your event log or chart. Take time to note your initial reaction, along with the final actions you've taken.

The third and final column in your event log or chart needs to be labeled self-focus. You can complete this column at the end of the day, or perhaps you could complete this at the end of the week, after you have given yourself even more time to reflect. This column will present yourself with an opportunity to answer the following questions for each notation within the event log or chart: Was this the best response? Did this response lead to the best possible outcome? Was there a better possible response and outcome? If so, what was it?

From this event log you can then develop a plan of action. My recommendation is that you create a set of statements to acknowledge your new found wisdom. The following prompts can help you get started:

I have learned...

I now know this about myself...

I need to improve upon...

I discovered I am capable of...

I plan to choose this type of reaction in the future...

This may all seem too far-fetched for the average person to complete. Yet we live in a time when the external "noise" is so loud, which includes the technology used, we must find a way to pay attention to what is going on within our minds. This is where the pathway to success can be found, learning to evaluate ourselves from the inside out.

Becoming Opportunity-Ready

Once you've decided to take a proactive approach to evaluating your mindset, you will find yourself better positioned for future opportunities. This doesn't imply you are going to begin a job search, rather it means you are prepared to perform your best now and in doing so, you've become opportunity-ready. The success of many employers now depends upon the performance of its employees. Your willingness to perform your best not only makes you shine, you are contributing to the success and longevity of your employer, and you may also be readying yourself for future opportunities. But no matter the reason why you have broken down the barriers to your growth, it should always be done first and foremost for your own benefit and mindset well-being. To begin each day with a sense of hope and willingness to be fully engaged in whatever task comes your way, regardless of circumstances, can be one of the most rewarding feelings you will ever experience.

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Criticism Nourishes A Man's Growth Without Destroying His Roots

Criticism is really negative. It can be so easy to judge people by their faults. When we condemn another person, we are actually casting judgment. Normally, the reason why we criticize others is that we don't want them to be the first one to look at our faults.

However, if criticism is taken objectively, we can turn it into an inspiration. When someone criticizes us, it means they want to give us feedback on what we're doing. It means providing a room for an opportunity to learn more.Take a moment to think before you respond to what they're saying.

It helps us become stronger. If we always think we're right but don't get feedback from anyone else, then it doesn't mean that what we're doing is good. Honest opinions will tell us exactly how to get away from those bad practices towards the good ones. Easier said than done, right? This can be particularly difficult when we're deeply involved but, if we can take a step back, we might see how to improve ourselves and avoid any negative impact.

The right kind of criticism can give you an advantage. Do not react harshly or resort to violence. Use positive language to arrive a win-win solution. The language you use in responding to a criticism is important. Try to avoid getting into an argument. Instead, turn the exchange into a discussion about how to resolve the problem. Turn your words into action to show that you can listen to feedback, respond in the correct way and still be productive.

Don't take it personally if someone doesn't immediately like us or even our work. Even if we feel we're being criticized unfairly, don't retaliate with an extreme reaction or else you cannot repair the damage. It can also harm our reputation. The best we can do is to learn from them. This might give us an avenue to change. But never do it to please other people but do it for ourselves.

There are times that the criticism is already too personal and below the belt. More likely than not, other just want to destroy our resolve. People are by nature subject to commit mistakes and it's important to remember to not be offended by someone's remarks. Take a criticism on board and not respond as though it's a personal attack. Make it work to our advantage or, if all else fails, leave with our reputation intact.

Good criticism is rare. It can take a long time to find people who know how to provide useful feedback, instead of simply telling what's wrong with you.

https://ezinearticles.com/?Criticism-Nourishes-A-Mans-Growth-Without-Destroying-His-Roots&id=9774783

Cleaning And Thinking (The Best Action Article You Will Ever Read) (By Joshua Clayton)

When things get stagnant, there is a reorganization needed. With that said, I begin this article. When your thinking, acting and doing reach an impasse, something needs to happen. That something is growth. Are you surprised or shocked at my basic answer? Sometimes growth is the most painful action we can take, conscious or unconscious, but it is needed, always needed if we want to better ourselves or get to a better place. I mean, face it, when we "make it" and are "too content", that is when growth really needs and wants to happen (in that order).

Sure, the above paragraph was rather bluntly real from beginning to end. Sometimes, though, a "big time kick in the pants is needed" for us all to get going and take necessary actions, metaphysical or physical.

Growth! Sure, sometimes "out with the old and in with the new" has love or hate connotations with us in life, but rest assured, in reality growth and change are laws in life, not options right down to multi millennial old growing redwood trees burning down and new forests growing in their place or stagnant societies getting replaced with something that needs (and sometimes wants) to happen.

Lethargy, stagnation, spoiled realities, "comfortable apathy" and sickening decadence, those only happen when growth is genuinely stopped. After all, when you stop thinking and let "others take over", what do you think or ponder that I am talking about. "Once retirement happens, death of some sort is around the corner" is said by so many people who understand while those who do not understand genuinely say those horrible words, "I want to retire and go on to something easier."

So, I end with an example of this of my own: When I was in Junior High School/Middle School in the seventh and eighth grades, I took a basic math class, because I had already taken Statistics, Advanced Calculus, Calculus, Algebra II, Algebra, Geometry and Advanced Fractions (in reverse order from beginning to end, Advanced Fractions all the way up to Advanced Statistical Analysis Math) in the fifth grade and passed with flying colors and "A plus" grades at the private school I was going to before I went to middle school. Near the end of the year, I realized the meaning of "I want to retire from a challenge and go on to something easier" in the worst way. Nothing is worse than a mind that is not growing and does not work to grow productively, nothing is worse than, in a word: Stagnation. Worse than that word is these two words: Decadent stagnation. When things get stagnant, there is a reorganization needed, and decadent comfort and sickening stability or lethargy do not help. Are you ready to go down or grow up now?

https://ezinearticles.com/?Cleaning-And-Thinking-(The-Best-Action-Article-You-Will-Ever-Read)&id=10034180

Never Give Up Because If You Do What Is Easy, Your Life Will Be Hard

Do you want to live an easy life or a difficult one? I know, it's a worthless question because who wants to live a life filled with pain and suffering? Yet, this is what many people choose every day, whether they are conscious of it or not. I don't intend to disparage them, however in coaching hundreds of people over the years, many of them unknowingly choose a difficult life because they make easy choices instead of important ones. Considering this, think about the choices you're making right now and their respective actions. Are they moving you towards growth and freedom or pain and suffering? Easy choices means staying within our comfort zone without exploring our limitations where real growth occurs. Sure, it's difficult to venture outside our comfort zone because of the psychological and emotional strain. However, if we do what is easy, life will be difficult because our comfort zone does not equate to personal growth to achieve our bigger goals. How does this appeal to you? Is this something you're willing to explore personally and professionally? I assure you, challenges allow us to delve into the greater depths of our resiliency instead of staying safe.

It's why we mustn't give up on our goals or highest ambitions when life gets tough, as it no doubt will. We mustn't give up because we don't know how far we will go when we rise above our challenges and obstacles. It is said we achieve our goals by growing into them, therefore growth is proportionate to our self-improvement. Growth takes place in adverse conditions because most people will thrive when conditions are favourable, yet struggle through difficulties. However, life's conditions are never ideal and so we must show up with total conviction that we will prevail, even if we don't know how. Most times we will have little knowledge how to proceed because of limited information and the uncertainty of our actions. This mustn't hold us back because giving up is not the easy way out since we must live with regret and disappointment. In view of this, I'd like you to reflect on a current goal or endeavour you want to give up on. Is this your only choice or have you considered other options? I don't have the answers because I don't know you to offer the advice you need. Similarly, I can't look into a crystal ball and predict the future because neither of us are equipped with psychic powers. But what I can tell you is more often than not, giving up is rarely the answer because if we take the easy way out, we are assured of difficult times ahead. We are likely to miss out on the personal growth that takes place when we expose ourselves to situations beyond our comfort zone.

We Must Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable

Is this making sense to you? Have you experienced times where you stepped out of your comfort zone, whether it be learning a new skill, habit or otherwise? If so, what did you learn from the experience and has it served you? It's no surprise that life isn't smooth sailing and if we want to achieve anything of value, we must do things that scare us every once in a while and integrate it into our reality. We must get comfortable being uncomfortable and those who give up too soon find it difficult being uncomfortable, i.e. out of their comfort zone. Sometimes giving up may be necessary, yet in most parts we can learn to channel the skills we gain from our endeavours and use them to pivot in a new direction or develop a greater awareness of our goals. So considering this, I'd like you to write down five advantages and disadvantages of giving up on a project, a dream, a relationship or career? Look at your answers and connect with the underlying motivation behind them. Reflect on why you undertook this goal in the first place and connect with what you hope to gain by giving up. It is only once we are aware of our motives that we can overcome any regret or disappointment. Otherwise, life is likely to be hard because we pursued what is easy instead of what is essential to our growth. And as you know, real growth correlates to bigger and better achievements.

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Discover Why Self-Fulfillment Begins With You, Not a Job

When you wake up in the morning, do you immediately believe this is going to be a rewarding day? Do you look forward to what's ahead and know you will be able to feel good, regardless of what transpires throughout the day?

This would be the ultimate goal it seems, to have a life which flows easily from day to day, and one in which you are able to feel a sense of purpose no matter what occurs. Yet for most people, this isn't the case. There always is a sense of struggle for many, searching for something to give them hope, looking for happiness in things that can be acquired, basing how they feel upon external circumstances, or any other number of similar factors. In other words, a sense of self-fulfillment is in short supply and often tied to a state of happiness, related to circumstances and fluctuates frequently.

I've thought quite a lot about self-fulfillment as I have a milestone birthday coming up this year, and I know these types of birthdays can prompt reflection. I think back to the difference between the milestones, starting with the difference between my 20s and 30s. The focus was on career development and growth. As time has progressed, I've evolved more into a desire to be involved in work which paves the way for self-actualization for me. As an educator, I find this every day when I'm working with learners, even those who challenge me, as I'm having to continually learn and grow myself.

Then I began to think about finding self-fulfillment when working in less than desirable conditions. Consider the person who works a demanding job, with long hours, rarely receiving recognition or acknowledgement for their hard work. Does this sound familiar to you? Is the type of work itself enough to create a sense of fulfillment, despite the conditions? What I have come to conclude, through time and experience, is this: If you take responsibility for development of your own self-actualization, and you base it on your own achievements, you will always find contentment in your life. I'll share some strategies with you that I have learned along the way.

What is Self-Actualization? Does it Matter?

I've mentioned the concept of self-actualization as it has become important in my life and at my age. Now if you are younger, this may not be as important to you yet. If you are familiar with Maslow's hierarchy of needs, it is the highest level, the attainment of your true potential. This is after you have met all other needs, including your self-esteem needs, which are related to status and recognition. I know of many people who are in their 50s and 60s who still are pursuing their self-esteem needs, which means they are still seeking status and recognition in their career.

Typically, actualization occurs later in life, though there are no set rules and you can begin to experience it at any age. You will know you are in the process of seeking self-fulfillment when the idea of chasing the next big promotion or job title is no longer enough to make you happy and instead, you want to do something each day that connects with you from the inside. I have read many stories of people who have changed careers later in life, to pursue something they have "always thought of doing" and were "too afraid to do". You likely have heard that as well.

Often when we start our careers, we don't always know what it is we want to do. It's a significant transition to go from high school to adulthood, and the expectation is that you'll go to college and/or know what type of career to pursue. I started a career to pay bills and it evolved over time based upon what I naturally enjoyed doing. I had another career transition in my 40s, from the corporate world to higher education, and it was then I really found what I believed to be my vocation. I have worked like many online educators, who spend long days, nights, and weekends helping learners, and yet, I find such immense satisfaction from my career I cannot imagine doing anything else. This is what it means to find and live self-actualization. You do the work that you love and love the work that you do.

How to Develop a Self-Fulfillment Attitude

It seems that many people are awaiting circumstances to get better, or for the right job to come along, before they can ever find and know true happiness in their career. If this is you, it is possible you might be waiting for quite some time, as there is no predicting when circumstances or situations will ever be perfect enough for you to feel good. More importantly, if you tie your personal happiness and well-being to external events or conditions, you are certainly setting yourself up for disappointment. Why? There are certain to be people who are going to let you down. There are going to be managers who will recognize you for your hard work, and others who only contact you when you have done something wrong. More importantly, there is never going to be a perfect job or set of working conditions.

What this means is that you must base your needs, at least the most important of all needs, on that which you can control. If you go back to the definition of self-actualization within Maslow's hierarchy of needs, you'll find it involves the realization of your talents, abilities, and skills. More importantly, it is the awakening of your true potential. Now you may be thinking that this is in fact dependent upon the conditions of your job or external environment, and it can be, if you allow it. But if you want to experience the full essence of your self-awakening, it is time to turn within. You make a transition from dependence on anyone else to only yourself. Perhaps these strategies will assist you.

Self-Reflection for Self-Awakening

If you are feeling a need for something more than advancement in your career, waiting to be recognized, or any other form of external validation, there is already something going on within you that is indicating a transition is in place. Now is the time to begin self-reflection, and you can accomplish this deliberately through a few minutes at a time, rather than viewing it as a long process of lengthy meditation periods. This can be as simple as using a journal, typing notes into a Word document, or any other method you can think of to put your thoughts down as a record.

Why is this important? During a time of transition, there are many thoughts available that you may want to examine, and there are some you may want to question, challenge, or discard. Put those thoughts down on paper, in some format, will help you begin to address them. You do not have to be too concerned about what it all means, rather you want to allow the process of self-awakening to begin. This can allow you to find out what is driving you now, and perhaps, what is motivating the desire for change at this time. You will likely discover something new about yourself in the process.

Self-Awareness to Create Self-Dependence

After you have begun the process of initiating self-awareness, you can now see a clearer picture of who you are and who you want to become. It will now become much easier for you to determine if this next phase of your life, and possibly your career, will involve a shift away from self-esteem needs to self-actualization needs. If this is the case, then you can also start to make a shift from thinking about the conditions and people who need to do things, say things, or create situations to make you feel happy and fulfilled, to considering how you can create your own sense of fulfillment.

This means you are now making a shift to self-dependence for your happiness. At this point you are able to think about the activities you are involved in each week, or the duties and tasks you would like to be involved in, that can bring you the most fulfillment. This may not be a quick or easy process either, especially if you have not thought about your job, life, or daily activities from this perspective. But when you have decided you want to experience a sense of meaning from your life, now is the time to look at what you are doing each week and from that list determine what is most satisfying. This is not to state you can or will make immediate changes; however, you can begin to get to know more about yourself and who you are becoming.

Self-Development to Nurture Self-Actualization

The process of awakening to self-actualization is transformational in that you are now determining what matters most for you, in terms of creating value for your personal and/or professional life. For many people this occurs over time and as a product of age. But once it occurs, you can begin to think in broader terms than just switching jobs. Now you can examine fully those aspects of your week that bring you contentment, and compare it to what you've been thinking about for your life. Perhaps your transition into a new self-awareness will involve simple steps, such as a new hobby to compliment your life, or it will lead you to a career change.

More than likely, you may already have naturally evolved like I did and are working in a career you enjoy. If so, you may want to find other means of expanding upon your talents and skills. I find writing for me is another form of satisfaction, as I'm sharing with others and connecting with a broader audience. The opportunity to share what I've learned, with those who are highly experienced and educated, is always an exciting prospect. This also leads to the prospect of opening up an intellectual dialogue as well. Perhaps you can find an extension of your talents as well, when you continue your self-development in the pursuit of your purpose. Whatever it may be, it is certain to help you find purpose and meaning.

A Job is More than a Job, When You Make It Meaningful

When you have finally gone through a process of transformation, and reached the top of Maslow's hierarchy of needs, you will find yourself living life in a renewed manner. This is not to state you are going to live your life without challenges, or that every job you are employed with will be perfect. But what it does mean is that you can have the best job and find meaning, and you may also have the most demanding job with the toughest of circumstances, and still find your purpose in the work you perform. It isn't the job itself that is meaningful, it is the work you do and the disposition about the work you hold which determines how you connect to it.

If you are in job and decide there is something there that brings you fulfillment, the external circumstances of that job will become much more manageable. There may still be days that are challenging to overcome, and yet, you will still find your purpose through it all because you have awakened to the knowledge you seeking a life of purpose. How you approach the tasks you perform will be much different, and even the most mundane of tasks may now have new meaning. Even if you have to find a new job or career, the realization you are now working towards a new future, one you are in control of now, will give you hope. When you decide to look for meaning within your life or career, and base it upon your needs rather than conditions, then you will find greater purpose, happiness, and long-term fulfillment.

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So Then Into the Portal

Entering higher dimensions, inner dimensions, appears enormous partly because the short distance from our eyes to our higher chakras becomes incredibly distorted to accommodate the infinite experience of space through time. All manner of preparation goes on before the portal is ready to open of its own accord in the manner fit and suitable for you. These experiences occur at the right timing and within the ability of the devoted. Often occurring by chance. Once the 'experience' is completed, it is then repeated when the devotee has added further to the preparation of the next 'experience'. So on it cycles; earthly, dimensional, and spiritual. Building and building with each new neuron.

Devotion is not the soul ingredient. It's not purely up to us, although the ego likes to think so. Participation requires cooperation in every way. I am not the first or the last, and the last will be first anyway! Chill! The language of these dimensions require enormous preparation with internal dialogue and language framework in order to 'view' and interpret with accuracy. This world is full of misinformation. Books full of rehashing others misunderstandings, even the oldest are deliberately deficient. Pages of misleading and irrelevant documentation from others experiences. The student eventually needs to become the only teacher; experienced, mentally armed and ready. Only one thing will keep the student returning to a point of real knowledge, truth.

From student to teacher.

The student needs to learn that with the truth comes precision. Words and symbols of words lose their power when not used precisely. Ask the Reiki people. Precision allows the detail to make sense and keep its power. No place of study will have all the keys. Where Buddhism leaves off The Christ takes over. Or vice versa. To debate the chicken or the egg is simply Theology 101. Feel free to spend a lifetime there! Many do, and that's OK too. God the Almighty, Lords above it all, unmoved and unwavering in the coming and going of the universes. How many are there this time? The answers are there when you get there! The stairway to the heavens, into the heavens, into the portal, only requires you to choose the correct path for you.

To think that all this growth and understanding can be achieved in one lifetime is simply incorrect. Being ready to challenge and change one's own preconceived ideas and notions takes lifetimes. Also, to acknowledge the 'Master Controller', 'God the Almighty' is included in Theology 101 course and it takes lifetimes to challenge the egos, the baby-parts, over and over. It takes; knowledge, experience and practice to challenge the egos that essentially preserve the 'youth' it in its early evolutions in all dimensions. Will Lucifer overcome 'his ego' to regain his position? Eventually, of course!

Change endless change.

Everything is evolving, 'as above, so below' refers to the evolution not only in the lower dimensions where we are, but for all that is existing; with, in, out of and through time. That just about covers everything? Thus, when ready, entering the portal of you is partly; known, partly new but especially and essentially designed for your next step. It happens when it happens. Returning time and time again, repeat after repeat until the experience is mastered, just like walking on earth. Repeat until; the experience is understood, the language articulated, the message on point.

When we include all the mistakes and detours, it add up to some real time. This has been going on for millennia. Through time, in time and with time we all arrive at our 'station', our 'destination', or place of 'next'. It's infinite. It's endless. Take a change of socks! So then, into the portal. The one that you have practiced over and over. Into and out of this ever familiar space. Mostly familiar with a little discomfort because of the uncertainty. Each step, consciously, subconsciously and unconsciously. Each 'return' to the place of 'me' is my 'divine endgame'. Until this 'endgame' becomes the groundwork for another 'beginning' to another 'endgame'. Game after game. Play after play. Journey after journey. Baby steps to walking. Walking to running. Running to flying. Flying to transcendence. Transcendence to true being. Take your time. Meet and greet your 'others'. Enjoy the path. We have all the time in this world and all the other 'worlds'.

So, somewhere you are; in there, on there and with it. Relax. It's the only game in town; your game, your play, your space, your way. No completion with anyone for anything but your own internal curiosity. At some point in this journey the awareness includes becoming conscious of the 'others' that journey; before you, with you, after you and for you. Ultimately all ending at the same point. Before the 'Master Controller', 'God the Almighty', via the 'others' who are 'in the know'.

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Lifelong Struggles of Great People

"Life is temporary, but the struggle is permanent". The struggle is defined as a continuous process of growth and experience in future curiosity, where the end result is not necessarily be in your favor. May be a person who has struggled throughout his life may die a miserable death because eventually happy endings are only in movies. Struggle makes you strong and keeps you running through the phases (Present, past, future) of life. What are real struggles? Are they different from normal people? What makes them different from others? Indeed, they are different. Soldiers fighting at the borders are real Heros. They all have 3 things in common, i.e. Unity, Faith and discipline. These three attributes become part of their nature. People get impressed by their uniform, protocol, grace, etc., but I think the most impressive thing in their nature is that equal level of respect they show for each other. From a soldier to a general of Army staff, each one shows an equal level of respect for all. They all spend their lives serving the nation. In the battlefield, each one of them tries hard to be among those who experience martyrdom. During trainings, they don't meet their families for months. They are not allowed to attend family events. They are always ready to fight against the enemies of their country. They all are strongly connected to gather by one major purpose of life, i.e. to serve the country.

All cancer patients around the globe are real fighters. They die every day before the death arrives. Their whole life revolves around a fear of losing this world. Their eyes wait to see the angel of death. Their hopes, dreams, expectations, love, and hate; all their emotions and thoughts disappear at once. You watch the dying; you let them die because death is stronger than us. It waits for no one.

All orphans around the globe are real fighters. It is very difficult to face the bloody challenges of life without the support of your parents. Kids who lose their parents at a very young age are not mentally strong. Their whole concept of home gets shattered at a very young age. When they grow up, they seem like broken souls mimicking adult's life. They struggle throughout their life knowing the fact that they have got no one's back.

The struggle is never easy. Human beings are designed in a way that they want quick results, but struggle demands patience. Lucky are those who get the reward of their continuous struggle.

https://ezinearticles.com/?Lifelong-Struggles-of-Great-People&id=9877540

The Role Of Challenges For Our Growth

Daily, we face one challenge or the other. In our world with an estimated population of 7 billion people, no one is immune to, or exempted from challenges.

Most of us think challenges, also call problems by some, are created by factors, or forces outside themselves. This is not entirely true.

Well, there are also millions of people out there, who know from personal experience that whatever challenges facing them are caused by them and not entirely by outside factors.

A challenge is a test of somebody's abilities, or a situation that tests somebody's abilities in a stimulating way.

This is one of the many definitions of challenge by Google and it is correct. Whatever your profession, vocation, passion, status, or position in life, you must face challenges, daily.

Face squarely whatever challenges you are going through and sort them out. We should not behave like the ostrich and hide our heads under the sand, pretending our challenges will go away, or does not exist.

I am just trying to remind my beloved readers and fans out there that when we face our challenges, sort them out, we grow in wisdom, experience and understanding.

Spiritual, emotional, physical, intellectual, and social growth come from solving problems, taking personal responsibilities for our thought, words and deeds. I am already sounding like a teacher, here. I hope I am not boring you. Sorry, if I am.

In my period of meditation, I read a statement from one of the many digests of The Rosicrucian Order, AMORC the other day.

It says the cosmic masters, who are silently serving humanity today were once ordinary men and women, like you and I.

These masters were problem solvers during their many incarnations on this earth plane.

Now, they are serving the great humanity, the great light, the cosmic, after they have been thoroughly illumined.

The great journey to illumination and service to God and humanity. This sounds good and acceptable to me. But, what do you think, beloved?

Challenges or problems, in most cases are not created by the devil, Satan, our enemies, generational curses, as some religious persons will want us to accept, whatever.

We attract these challenges to ourselves, with a genuine and deep seated, intention to grow in all planes of existence. This is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. But, please do not accept it hook, line and sinker. Reflect on it.

Look around you and see those who are truly illumined, great, powerful, spiritual, successful, etc, you will notice that they are problem solvers and that they passed through many challenges and are still passing through.

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Personal Expectations - The Juggling Act Between High Performance and Happiness

"You expect too much," my girlfriend tells me for the 2nd time in less than a week. We were not fighting, but she let me know that she felt that she had a hard time hitting my expectations, and that it was stressful. It was not making me happy either. I mentioned to her that she is setting a low ceiling but that it was made of glass. She has the ability to breakthrough it if she wanted to. That might not have been the best thing to say, but it really got me thinking. Not everyone wants the same things I do. To some, a certain level of success is not worth the effort or pain it takes to get there, and that is OK. For me, I would like to bench press 300 pounds like Travis, but in my mind, it would take far too much to get there. So, I don't try. Like me not wanting to reach my potential physically, she does not want to reach her potential professionally. We all have different priorities. By me setting such a high expectation for her professionally, it created stress for her and disappointment for me.

I have similar high expectations for my staff, my friends, and my daughters. People who desire similar results to me appreciate it, and we get along great. I like when I get pushed professionally too! Those high expectations have helped to create the level of success I have now and is what is propelling me to reach new heights and new goals. I like to be around professionally successful people, and I enjoy the road it takes to get there.

I believe that high expectations are positive and are extremely useful on your road to success. With that said, I also understand that setting expectations that are not reached creates stress, anxiety, worry, and disappointment.

It has been said, the secret to happiness is low expectations. I can see the point. If you have low expectations, it is easier to exceed them, and exceeding expectations makes you happy. I remember asking a girl on a date in high school knowing full well I would get shot down. To my surprise she said yes! My expectations were low, and they were exceeded so I was happy. Funny thing is, I was so into this girl that I had high expectations about that date and guess what happened? Yep... I was disappointed.

Using a strategy of lowering expectations can definitely help with happiness. I cannot be too hard on it for this reason. But growth helps with happiness too, and high expectations are essential for growth. In fact, I don't believe someone can be truly happy without growth, so you can see why this is an interesting juggling act.

So, what is the balance?

I believe true happiness and success needs accurate expectations. Expectations cannot be out of reach or you will always be disappointed, but they need to be high enough to push you to get better. It is also not good to set high expectations for people in your life that don't want the same accomplishments you do. They should set their own expectations and communicate those to you; it might be OK to push a little, but there needs to be a lot of support with the push.

I think the key here is to set high but attainable expectations and communicate that well. Both to the people around you and to yourself.

https://ezinearticles.com/?Personal-Expectations---The-Juggling-Act-Between-High-Performance-and-Happiness&id=10224491

How to Overcome Bitterness - It Is Only Bringing You Down

What's the point of your hatred? What will you get from it? Absolutely nothing. Holding a grudge on a person for far too long will only hinder your growth as an individual. You will continue to get stuck in that same wretched situation that is also preventing you from moving on. Overthrow your anger and embrace positivity in your life.

Yes, it does hurt and it left a deep scar in your heart. When you obtain an injury, the last thing you would want to do is leave it as it is, without even applying proper medication. It is bound to get worse and before you knew it, the wound will hurt so much more than before. So patch it up. You may release your anger but after that, remember to walk away. Don't bring negativity inside your life.

There is nothing good in prolonging your bitterness. It is not an easy process. You can be wary, but don't let it consume the best of you. Inspire yourself to let go of your grudge through these few tips.

Learn to forgive

For now, since the wounds are still too fresh, this may be the last thing you would want to do. But be always "open" to the idea of it. Nothing lasts forever and so is your bitterness. When you forgive a person, it doesn't necessarily mean that you pretend that you are 100% okay. You don't forget the hurt, it will always be there. Whether you like it or not, it is already a part of you. It is now one of the reasons why you are now wiser and stronger than before.

In order to forgive, you have to surrender your desire for revenge. You don't need to personally see to it that you both are even. Doing so will only ignite an endless war between the two of you. Give yourself a break from all the emotional pain and start mending whatever is broken.

Heal

Be sensitive to your need of healing. You are no superman so stop enduring the pain. If you are lucky enough that the person who hurt you is willing to atone for his faults, point out what changes and efforts you would need to see before both of you can truly achieve reconciliation. But if you are on your solitary road of cure, as much as possible aim to regain what has been taken away from you. The moment you constantly strive to achieve self-peace, the less bitter you will be even if the pain is still there.

Move

Whatever you do, don't stay in that same place. Don't hold on to that grudge again and again. Don't dwell on the hurt and divert your focus on how to move on. Right now it may feel that nothing is happening, but if you persist and continue walking, sooner or later you will definitely reach euphoria.

Without proper guidance, it would be quite impossible to heal your wounds. Seek God's grace and ask for advice from your family and friends. Help should be widely embraced in your grievous moments. Healing is possible if you make it happen.

Be better not bitter.

https://ezinearticles.com/?How-to-Overcome-Bitterness---It-Is-Only-Bringing-You-Down&id=9448368

A Mrs Take on Making Mistakes

When we make a mistake we tend to feel embarrassed, stupid, or even frustrated. We feel as if we somehow should have known better, even if that is impossible. Why can't we move on without berating ourselves? It's time for a new perspective. Mistakes aren't failures, that's right I said it! Mistakes are actually just little steps towards success.

Mistakes are stepping stones to the experiences necessary for growth and understanding. You ever read a "Great" autobiography all about a perfect person? NO, why? It would be a giant snooze fest! (zzzzz) BORING. These stories are chalked full of embarrassing moments with a few successes sprinkled in between. The mistakes are the stairs that lead us to become the best version of ourselves.

Reason #1.) We can learn from them. No, I don't mean by constantly playing it over and over again in our heads, while we punish ourselves hoping this time it will stick. No! What I mean is we can take this as an opportunity to view it in kindness, appreciate the experience and embrace the chance to seek a different outcome next time.

Reason #2.) Connection. Our common thread. It's the connecting force of our experiences, the things we share in order to find common ground. It joins us and bonds are strengthen. Have you ever felt nervous at a new job and did something wrong? Which makes you feel better? The person training you says "Oh, don't worry that happened to me as well" or "Wow, what an idiot." The latter quickly separates and creates comparison, while the first unites and releases tension. These common experiences make us feel like we're not alone. There are other people going through what we're going through and that's a great feeling. Isn't it? The truth is we really aren't alone and if we allow ourselves to share our short comings, more of us would know that.

Reason #3.) Opportunity, some of the greatest inventions are born out of mistakes. Take penicillin for just one example. We are not often pushed to the limitless-ness of our imagination until something goes wrong. Without having made that mistake, we never would have met that person or had that connection or been at that right place at that right time.

It's time we stop punishing ourselves for every little thing we do and start looking at ourselves with kindness and understanding. Let's change our perspective.

Be kind and don't judge yourself so harshly.

https://ezinearticles.com/?A-Mrs-Take-on-Making-Mistakes&id=9720585

The Strongest Amongst Us Are Not Applauded For Their Growth, Yet Bloom In Silence

Grappling With The Dark Night Of The Soul

Who are you in your quietest moments when no one is looking? How do you feed your soul when you experience pain and heartache? A wildflower by the side of the road endures the elements and yet blooms in silence. Therefore, strength is gained when others are oblivious to our struggles because we choose to feed our soul with nourishment. During such a moment we experience a shift in awareness that marks the mental landscape of who we will become. I'm reminded of the passage by the Zimbabwean author and poet, Billy Chapata who wrote: "The strongest ones bleed in silence. Have no one applauding their growth. Have no one watching their healing process. They bloom in silence."

Take a moment to reflect upon the growth taken place in your own life. What events or circumstances have shaped your development? Did you resist it at first, yet realise it was exactly what was needed for your personal growth? As you may know, growth is never linear, we may experience one step forward and two steps back. However, if we dwell upon our setbacks, we are not seeing the entire picture, but judging the fragmented pieces of a puzzle that will eventually come together.

Personal growth is an arduous journey lined with moments of despair, interspersed with joyous ones. This journey called life is a voyage of highs and lows. There is never a time when everything is smooth sailing because that would mean remaining idle and not developing our greatest strength. Perhaps we shouldn't cling to the good times but appreciate them when they arrive. I believe life is not meant to be a sea of happiness nor the depths of despair. Our journey is a transient tale of dualities, so we can experience our true nature amongst the peaks and valleys.

For example, has life been a series of good and bad times or is it smooth sailing? I'm yet to meet anyone who claims life has been easy-going. Even the wealthy with their material riches encounter problems. No one is immune to the ravages of life. Though, how we respond to our circumstances determines our level of growth or whether we remain mired in our problems. The strongest amongst us wrestle and toil with the fabric of their existence in silence, some of them grappling with the dark night of the soul. They bleed in silence. They bloom in silence and emerge stronger than before, for their wounds are sacred gifts to themselves and others. It is what spiritual author Matt Kahn means when he writes in Everything Is Here to Help You: A Loving Guide to Your Soul's Evolution: "To alter someone's experience is much like continually moving the seeds planted, hoping to find a more ideal spot for growth. Each time a seed is moved, the growing process is interrupted and disturbs the roots that are meant to sprout along their own rhythm of time."

Meet Others With Kind-Heartedness

We all have our cross to bear. Some of us carry heavier burdens than others but this does not diminish their self-worth. In fact, their spiritual path may be greater than others because of the challenges they face. So if we stumble across those experiencing hardship, instead of judging them, we may like to send them a quiet blessing. Because in the solitude of their existence they endure pain and suffering we take for granted. They do not need our sympathy nor do they need our judgement. Their pain and suffering is more than enough. What they need is thoughts of love and compassion. A Buddhist saying I often recite when I learn of someone's pain is: "May you be safe. May you be peaceful. May you be healthy. May you live with ease." Through this simple declaration I send them loving thoughts because what I wish for them, I wish for myself. I meet them from a place of kind-heartedness because I recognise their humanity, knowing our souls walk different paths. I remind myself they are not less worthy but they have chosen earthly experiences that demand greater growth.

It's no secret: how we treat others reflects in how we treat ourselves. The greatest gift I can offer myself is to treat others with compassion even if I can't do anything for them. It was the Dalai Lama who once said: "If you can, help others; if you cannot do that, at least do not harm them." If they need to suffer in silence, we ought to allow them the space to find their strength and courage. It is their path, and ours is not to judge nor castigate them but greet them with kindness and humility. The strongest amongst us suffer in silence because in those moments when they are grappling with their inner demons, they are close to awakening their inner power.

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I'm Not Perfect

                  

I lost my cool today. One person pushed my buttons all day today and I finally just bit back. There are tons of excuses I can make for myself and my diminished patience. Lack of sleep. A head cold that's been plaguing me. The way the person was treating me all day. Etc.

But none of those excuses make me feel better about my behavior. Justifying my behavior does not make my behavior any better or any less demeaning. I was hurtful. And no matter what is happening around us, there is no reason for us to be hurtful.

Normally, I just take a step back and take some time away from a situation that is making me uncomfortable. I'm truly not sure why I did not tonight, but this experience is a good reminder to me that we always have more growth to do and that we are all human. No matter how much growth we do, there will be times when we lose our cool and when we are not proud of our behavior. The point of growth is to minimize these occasions though.

The point of growth is also to be able to look at a situation after the fact where you may not have behaved at your best and learn from it. What could you do differently? What were the events that happened-the triggers-that lead up to you losing your cool? Being able to analyze a situation and find what lead up to your behavior will help keep you from doing it again.

Another aspect of growth is not beating yourself up over past mistakes. Yes, I let a situation get the best of me today, but what can be accomplished from me sitting here berating myself for hours after the fact? Isn't it much more productive to just admit that you had a misstep and review what happened so that you can avoid it in the future? That's what I believe.

I believe that life is about learning from your missteps, and growing and changing. I believe it is not about being perfect, but rather being willing to admit that you are imperfect. Being able to see where you want to get to, not just with your career or family, but personally. Deciding the type of person you want to be in your life and figuring out a path to get there. Taking the time to take hard looks at your own behavior, admitting when you don't like what you see, and making the appropriate choices and taking the steps to change it.

So, who do you want to be?

https://ezinearticles.com/?Im-Not-Perfect&id=8732573