My Personal Message

DAY 10 ~

“To believe your own thought, to believe that what is true for you in your private heart is true for all men, that is genius.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Prompt:

What is burning deep inside of you? If you could spread your personal message RIGHT NOW to 1 million people, what would you say?



Anyone who knows me, understands why the answer to this question is easy for me.  I may not have reached one million people yet, but I’d like to think I will before my days are done.

GRATITUDE

That’s my basic number one personal message.  It’s changed my life immensely.  My wish is for everyone to discover this life-changing miracle.

Instead of focusing on what’s lacking in your life, becoming aware of all you have for which to be grateful, brings serenity to your life.  Creating a daily list of at least five things for which you are grateful is the beginning of this amazing journey. 

Instead of comparing happiness to what others have or do, discover your very own personal happiness, which is deep inside of your heart and soul.  Our perception, of others’ happiness, is often distorted.  Our imagination gives us a false sense of reality.  We may view other people and their lives as being perfect or something we desire.  However, we do not really know what misery may be in that other person’s life.  And, remember, there is no such thing as perfection.  It is what it is.  By accepting what “is”, you will not waste valuable energy wishing for something that “isn’t” possible.  This makes ACCEPTANCE another part of my personal message.

One of my favorite quotes is “It isn’t happiness that makes us grateful; it’s gratitude that brings us happiness”.

That being said, most people believe that it’s only the sunshine and rainbows of your life for which you are able to be grateful.  I’ve learned it’s also possible to be grateful for the challenges in your life.  It may take a little extra searching, but finding gratitude in the unpleasant parts that penetrate your life, is where you will achieve your greatest feeling of tranquility.  I understand this sounds bizarre, but it’s all in the perception. 

For example, when you have a difficult day, where everything seems to go amiss, the natural reaction is to complain, pout, cry, become angry, etc.  Think about the last time you felt that way.  Did it help?  Of course, there is no benefit in doing that.  It’s okay to feel the pain of your bad day.  The pain exists.  But, to prevent the pain from turning into suffering, don’t get caught up in the emphasis of how awful your day was.  Giving too much attention to that feeling will only prolong it.  Instead, search deep within the misery until you are able to realize that there is something buried inside, for which you are able to be grateful.

It's not just about "bad days".  It's about every difficulty, from the little inconveniences to even the most traumatic struggles. 

It may be challenging at first, but eventually this practice will become routine, and you will be able to find gratitude in everything that crosses your path in life.

In addition to gratitude and acceptance, another component of my multi-faceted personal message to share, is to be present and live in the NOW.

The past is gone and cannot be changed, regardless of how hard we may try.  Much of the past, especially the traumatic portions, are best left forgotten.  Once you've felt the pain and worked through it, let it go.  Don't hang onto it.  Attachment and clinging to it will cause it to decay inside of you, and will magnify the intensity of the pain unnecessarily. 
 Only the cherished memories, of the past, are to be remembered.  These are treasures to reflect, which we would never wish to change.

The future has not yet come.  Most of what we worry about and put forth needless energy toward never happens anyway.  So, there’s no justifiable reason to be concerned.  Cross those bridges when your future becomes your present moment. 

When you become burdened about what the future may hold, you rob yourself of the very precious moments in your now present moment, in addition to overwhelming yourself with unnecessary anxiety and fear.

Remember, it’s not about “what” life brings you; but rather, it IS about “how” you handle what crosses your path.

Allow these magic little words to be the source of your inspiration:

          GRATITUDE

          ACCEPTANCE

          NOW

This is my personal message, burning deep inside me, to be shared with the entire universe.  That’s my dream.

Please help me SPREAD GRATITUDE, with ONE THANK-YOU AT A TIME