It’s not about STUFF; it’s about JOY
December 18, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Books like The Secret, or The Belief Formula, or any other book that seeks to explain the nature and relationship of thoughts becoming things, can be read by many different people at many different levels of understanding. Though these books seek to explore and explain the importance of our thoughts and thought processes — and how those thoughts actually create and become our life experience — they are often seen as books that teach you how to use your mind to “get STUFF.” Well, it’s not about the STUFF; it’s about JOY!
By “STUFF,” I am referring to things you can buy, eat, wear, drive, live in, play with, etc… Money, and other material goods, seem to be the “STUFF” most people (in America, anyway) seem to be interested in; but try not to miss the point — or the boat. Your stuff is not making you happy — and it never has. Receiving stuff may have caused you to feel elation at one point, and you may enjoy using or looking at some of your stuff; but there is an energetic cost for everything you have, and if it isn’t giving back at least as much energy as it requires to maintain, then your stuff is draining your energy — your life.
When The Secret came out, it received mixed reviews; some loved it, while others complained that it was not “Spiritual” because it was all about getting STUFF — nice houses, pretty wives, big cars, expensive vacations, etc… Spirituality and Health magazine landed on The Secret with both feet and quickly found out how “enlightened” their readership was when floods of response poured in seeking to clarify what S&H magazine had clearly missed — the whole point of what some call, “The Law of Attraction.” That point: “As a man thinketh, so it is done unto him.” In other words, you get what you think about; and it comes in many ways — as determined by the volume and quality of emotional energy (spirit) you put into those thoughts. Sorry guys, but this is no Secret; the only people who don’t realize this are all unhappy and unhealthy — the kinds of people who suffer, complain, judge, and argue.
What they seemed to miss was that only some of the stories were about “getting stuff;” some of the examples used in The Secret were examples of relationships being healed because one person shifted their way of thinking about their spouse and relationship, and one guy who was told by doctors that he would never walk again, and set his mind on proving them wrong. He did. Henry Ford put it this way, “If you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right either way!” The success stories in The Secret are stories about people who thought they could — and believed it. Remember, “All things are possible for he who believes.”
The world will be a better place when people understand the importance of their thoughts; but humans need incentive to learn new things. Face it, America is a capitalist country driven by an economy that requires people to be sick, scared, and discontent in order for the economy to thrive. It also requires it’s citizens to be gradually dumbed-down to the point of needing (or believing they need) the things provided by those who created the economy. The entire country is conditioned to respond fearfully to the news and support any authoritative remedy for the problems presented — by those same authorities. And almost the entire population is conditioned to respond to commercials and other forms of advertising, by spending money on STUFF. So, how do you get 300-million Americans to put down the remote control and french fries long enough to learn about who and what they truly are — and how prayer works?
Simple, says the people behind The Secret; you simply start by teaching them how to create something they truly desire. You cannot start by judging and trying to change the desires of hundreds of millions of people; rather, you teach them how things work, where their current situation came from, and how to change their thinking to improve that situation in whatever ways they would recognize as “improvement.” Then, as the reality sets in, and they have an idea about the whole, “Thought-Feeling-Word-Action-Outcome-Feedback” loop, individuals will naturally make the choice to stop creating more STUFF and seek contentment, peace, health, and happiness directly from the source rather than by way of the department store or fast food restaurants. As awareness grows, people naturally become better stewards of their thoughts. The things we ask for naturally change over time.
The complaints about The Secret mostly seemed to be based on the idea that money isn’t spiritual, or that The idea about asking for things isn’t spiritual. Of course, these folks are simply judging the THINGS that people are asking for; and they wouldn’t do that unless they were afraid that those things might happen — or jealous that such things haven’t happened to them yet. They don’t seem to understand that people only want the new Hummer, Ipods, or the new flat screen t.v., because they have been told (programmed) to want it by their television and other forms of media. Where else would humans get such desires? But don’t judge these desires; the rain falls on everyone. And even Jesus taught that, “Whatsoever you desire, when you pray, believing, will be given to you.” You thoughts are being created for you even as you read this; so think wisely. This is where your life comes from.
But why do people chase STUFF, anyway? Simply because they think they need or want it; and they think they need or want it in order to be happier than they are right now. Very few people say to themselves, “Gee, I’m so happy now I think I’ll go buy me a new, red Corvette so I can be unhappy for a while…” People want to be happy; and that’s the entire point of being here. The good news is that happiness is your natural state; so, no matter what happens, you will always end up there. But if you want it right now, you must create it; and you must know how to create things for yourself in order to reliably create what you want for yourself. Which puts us back at The Secret: Today’s people need incentive to learn new things; their innate curiosity has been sedated with consumer goods.
It’s all about JOY. The ancient advice from all religions, cultures, and philosophies is simple: Your life is created and shaped by mental energy — your thoughts or prayers — so be of good cheer, be faithful, judge not, fear not, and think on those things that are good. Religious and spiritual texts are made up of three basic kinds of writings: Explanations of natural laws; Suggestions for the kinds of thinking you should be doing to produce the best fruit possible with those natural laws; and Stories about people and their thoughts and actions — and the resulting outcomes of those thoughts and actions. You aren’t supposed to DO everything the Bible says, for instance; some of those stories are there because you are supposed to learn from the mistakes of others. It is done to you according to your thoughts; so, if you think and act like these folks, you’ll probably end up kind of like them.
So start with JOY. You don’t have to figure out how to get JOY; it is already there. But you must start thinking about it in order to experience it. So start thinking happy, positive thoughts. You may think that is kind of silly, or a waste of time; but what is your reasoning behind the negative thoughts and thinking? And how’s it working for you? Is your negative thinking producing the JOY you truly desire? Have your plans for buying or working your way to JOY paid-off yet? Or are you just more stressed than ever? If you are more stressed, then you probably have changed everything you can without actually changing the way you process your thoughts. Spend more time thinking about thinking instead of thinking about stuff; and you’ll soon find your way to new ways of thinking — which naturally produce new results in your life. Spend your time thinking about JOY; or spend your time thinking about nothing. But you must spend your time thinking about “Whatsoever you desire” if that is what you truly hope to get. Whether you know it or not, you truly desire to be happy.
It’s all about the JOY!
Turn Your Complaints into Blessings, part 2
December 12, 2007 | Leave a Comment
So that’s it? You just change the heading on a list from, “Complaints” to “Blessings,” and the bad things in your life just go away — or become good things?
I never said that was all there was to it; I said that was the first step. But there really isn’t that much more to it! First, you create the possibility that you may have been looking at some of the Blessings in your life as Problems or Burdens. Then, you start thinking about these things and ask yourself, “How is this problem really a blessing.”
Do it; ask yourself that question. Don’t simply say, “Why should I do that? It isn’t a blessing!” If you want something different, you need to start thinking differently; that’s why. If you aren’t happy, you can be sure you aren’t accessing and using all of your wisdom. Wise people know everything is a blessing. The rest are here simply to figure that out in their own ways and in their own times.
Try thinking about this list of complaints along these lines:
1. (Job & Co-workers) Your job is not really a pain in the neck; the pain in your neck and shoulders comes from THINKING your job is a pain in the neck (really). The truth is that your job is a gift that you asked for and received — maybe even worked or competed for. Your job is a gift that feeds, clothes, and shelters you; and you can always get a different one. So, you might say that it is kind of stupid to stand in a puddle and complain about being in a puddle rather than stepping out of it.
And, your Co-workers are people with lives and issues of their own; but they share something in common with you and if you looked at the situation clearly, you’d realize that you couldn’t do all the work by yourself — and even if you could you wouldn’t want to. Besides, it would get boring being alone all the time. Try treating them differently rather than waiting for them to turn into you. Become interested in how they get along doing things differently than you. OR, just practice being polite and sensible — valuable skills for any human.
2. (Bills & Finances) You created your bills and finances; and you asked for and enjoyed the experiences you now owe for. Either think about how much you enjoyed those experiences, how much you’ll enjoy similar experiences in the future, or about how you can make more money to pay your bills. It is only good to think about bills BEFORE you incur those you do not want and when you have the money to pay them. Otherwise, you need to be focused on MAKING money. These are two different ideas; and thinking positively makes it easier to be resourceful and creative. A relaxed, happy person is way more likely to find money, or have a lucrative idea, than a stressed-out worrier.
3. (Relationships) Every relationship is a blessing — and a lesson that teaches us about a certain part of our self. Instead of complaining about shortcomings, notice something good and mention it in a nice and sincere way. Spouses need to seriously consider that their words and thoughts are painting an image on their partner — creating new characteristics and behaviors in each other. There is an old television show called, “The Honeymooners,” in which a “typical” working-class couple were always at each other’s throats — criticizing and speaking unkind words. The show was a series of comical failures at various ventures; and, though the husband and wife often kissed and made up in the end, their lives were still miserable and unsuccessful, for the most part. You can’t win a football game by tackling your own quarterback. It is in YOUR best interest to think (pray) about how to make the most out of each of your relationships.
4. (Kids, Noise, & Mess) Kids are a blessing; don’t let yourself get in the habit of criticizing what God has made. Anything kids do that is bad, wrong, or undesirable, they were taught to do; teach them something else instead of feeding them intense negative emotions that actually anchor the negative behaviors. Bless the mess, and noise and stress, that naturally come with young people experimenting and learning about their world. Be grateful for the energy of fresh life. Jennifer, after years of complaining about Jacob leaving dirty clothes, underwear, towels, etc. on the bathroom floor, decided that she was actually grateful that she had such a wonderful teenager in her life to leave his underwear on the bathroom floor. Guess what — he now keeps his bathroom clean.
5. (Health & Medical Problems) Worry and complaining cause stress; stress causes most medical problems and complaints. There is no such thing as BAD health, or GOOD health; there is only health and what you do to it with your thoughts. If you are experiencing physical symptoms, you are experiencing a working immune system. In other words, “All you’re feeling is healing.” Let the symptoms be what they are and be grateful that your body is taking steps to restore balance and well-being. To complain about your health is to focus your attention on the bad rather than the good. Decide what you really want your health to be; and then give constant blessings and thanks that it is so. Declare it, know it, and then live it. Besides, people who complain about medical problems are acting like “sick people.” Healthy people don’t do that. Jesus said, “The sick and poor will always be among us;” but he didn’t say that you and me had to be among them!
6. (Weight & Body Image) If you hate what you see in the mirror, just imagine what you’d be looking at if you loved what you saw in the mirror; then, learn to love what you see in the mirror. If you bought a used car with bad paint, you could complain about the paint, or talk about making it better; one of these leads to a new paint job. Putting love into any situation makes it better; bless and love your body and then start telling your body what you want it to do for you — everyday (unless you only want to look good on some days…). The most important step in any health, or weight-loss, program is to love yourself and do the things you do for positive reasons — not to avoid or escape a negative.
7. (Parents, Siblings, & Friends) Everyone’s parents “screwed them up” in one way or another; but they also gave you the greatest gift of all — life. Most parents do better for their kids than their parents did for them; if you think you had it rough, just imagine how your parents must have had it — but don’t dwell there too long. You can fix anything; all problems can be solved. But you can’t get here without parents. Some parents teach their kids, others turn their kids over to the television or the streets — and some even give their children away. There are all kinds of parents who have all kinds of influences on all kinds of children; but they are all parents. Even if you’ve never met your parents, or if you never see them again, you should bless and appreciate those who brought you here and gave you a life that you can change in any way you wish.
Siblings and friends also teach us about ourselves and others. If you have either, you are blessed. A sibling is a peer we do not choose to relate to but must learn to; and a friend is a peer we do not have to relate to, but choose to. They both arrived here in the same way we did — parents — and everyone has their own unique set of traits, behaviors, and qualities. If you have a friend, you don’t need a list of ways they are a blessing in your life. If you have siblings, you have a family — and are more fortunate than most.
8. (Government & Taxes) The next time you see a fire truck, an ambulance, or drive on a road, be thankful that someone took up a collection to create these things for you to use. If you don’t like the way things work, do what you can to change them; but as long as you live within a system, it is in your best interest to make the best of it as you seek change. Obviously there are problems with government; and if you want the job, put your name on a ballot. Otherwise, do your self — and your health — a big favor and bless those who are charged with running things. Bless them with wisdom and compassion that they might better do their jobs.
9. (Traffic, Crowds, Lines, & Waiting) Other people have just as much right to be here as you; and, if they are in front of you, they may have done something you haven’t to be in that place. Don’t blame them; emulate them next time if they truly have something you want. All things have a way of happening when it is time; patience is a virtue. What is going to happen is going to happen; rushing and hurrying will not make it a better experience when it does — it will simply make you stressed out. And never forget the possibility that a delay now may be keeping you from an accident later. There is nothing you can be late to that is worth killing yourself over.
10. (People who Judge & Complain) It isn’t hard to find judgmental people, or people who complain a lot. It can be hard, however, to see them as a blessing — but they are. You can approach them with compassion and understand that they are unhappy and never had anyone teach them better, happier ways to approach life; or, you can simply be grateful that you don’t have so many complaints of judgments. They are at least serving you by showing you how you could be responding to your life — and what that gets you. In fact, these folks offer a version of the wisdom offered here: They are looking at a situation in one way and thinking it should be another — automatically implying that there are multiple ways any situation can unfold.
11. (ME — For Learning to Bless) You are your greatest gift and asset. If you have taken steps to learn how to think more positively and graciously, then you have already improved yourself and increased your own net worth. Not only that, you have taken active steps to improve your health, happiness, finances, and every other aspect of your life. Even when you slip and revert to petty judgments, you are still reminding yourself of how flexible and variable your mind can be — reassuring you that any situation can be adjusted or changed with a simple change of mind and heart.
Of course there are many different ways of looking at these things; but they are all things in your life and you need to understand that your life is only as flexible and easy as your thoughts are. You may not agree with some, or all, of the ideas above; but you need to realize that there are indeed other ideas about how to perceive the people, events, and things in our lives. Some perceptions may cause sadness; while a different perspective on the same thing may cause laughter and joy. Even if you were completely justified in your complaints (which you aren’t), it still wouldn’t be smart to let a judgment wreck your health — and that is exactly what complaints and judgments do.
If you are a proud person — too proud, perhaps, to let go of your complaints — then take pride in what you have just learned. Take pride in your newfound wisdom and ability to see all situations more clearly and completely. Don’t let someone else see more options, alternatives, or benefits in a situation than you can; be proud of the fact that you can be just as inquisitive, creative, and flexible as anyone — including any wise man, inventor, problem-solver, or even life coach or therapist. And be grateful that, once you open the door of possibility, all possibility rushes in. And you can be proud of the fact that you were wise enough to open that door. Pride can make you rigid and ill; but you can also use it to free yourself from the pain it causes.
After re-labeling your complaints as Blessings, and considering other ways of thinking about the things in your life, you can begin deciding for yourself how you want your life to be. You can use the power of positive thought, prayer, blessing, or hard work and discipline, to create the change you desire; but the process will always be the same. First, you notice a complaint in your life and decide to change it; then, you bless this area of your life and declare how it should now appear. Considering alternative ways of thinking about and approaching your situation opens your mind to new possibilities — one of which will be preferable to you. Focus on this new idea for this area of your life — even if it seems like a lie. The Bible says that you must first assume those characteristics you wish to possess; today we simply say, “Fake it ’til you make it.” Declare harmony in your relationships and balance and grace in all areas of your life; and then be happy at all costs while you watch your new life unfold.
There is no end to this process. If your thoughts change, the direction or quality of your growth may seem to change; but the process is continuous and on-going. Blessings bring blessings; curses bring curses. You can change the things you complain about by changing the way you complain about them. You put all of these things in your life; and they are all necessary — either for you to live your life the way you have designed it, or for you to learn and grow from. It is only your perceptions and thinking making them appear to be problems. In other words, when you stop noticing problems, your problems will cease to be problems. “Judge not…”
*Visit www.TheBlessingExperiment.com to sign-up for Kate Nowak’s Free Monthly E-zine, “The Blessing Way.”
Turn your Complaints into Blessings
December 12, 2007 | Leave a Comment
If your life “sucks,” if you are miserable, or if you just aren’t happy with your life, there is hope. In fact, you can take the first step towards changing your life RIGHT NOW; and this will work in every area of your life. No matter what’s wrong in your life, the first step is to STOP COMPLAINING ABOUT YOUR LIFE and find something better to think and talk about.
You may be isolated and not have anyone to talk to; but you still talk to yourself. And, if your life stinks, you are probably complaining to yourself. It may seem obvious: “I’m only complaining because my life really is miserable; I wouldn’t complain if my life was good.” But that is a lie. Don’t get mad at me; you are the one lying to yourself. And the, “I will be happy when…,” lie is one of the most common reasons people stay unhappy. Negative self-talk is self-destructive and self-sustaining; this is a trap you want to avoid.
The truth is that the emotions causing you to complain are the same emotions creating the life you are complaining about. This isn’t your fault; but if you want to change your life, it is your responsibility to change this for yourself. It is possible (likely) that you were simply never taught to be positive. True, most people aren’t (which makes it very unlikely that you would have a “positive” role model); but there are positive role models out there in the world. Find one and learn. Notice how they handle the situations that set you off, or cause you to lose your balance or center.
Probably, something traumatic or uncomfortable happened to you when you were younger; and you felt absolutely justified in judging and commenting on your unfortunate circumstances. But to do so after the fact is to create a new idea – a new thought, or a new prayer. People comment on the obvious and recreate it; people complain about their present situation and prolong or worsen it. To speak of the past is to live in the past; speaking of the past keeps it alive. The same is true of those things you don’t enjoy; speaking of them keeps them around.
Quit complaining about the things you don’t like; in case you haven’t noticed, it isn’t helping. Regardless of what your problems are – stop noticing the “bad” and speaking of it. For starters, who could you possibly repeat your problems to who really wants to hear them. When people ask you how you’re doing, they are not asking for your medical history or to hear all the drama and trauma in your life. They are being polite; and, if you think about it, they are giving you an opportunity to decide that things are going great and to declare it. It’s your decision; it’s your free-will. Don’t be “that person” who tells all of their woes to the first soul who offers a kind word; leave ‘em wanting more – not wanting to leave. People who are trying to uplift you are not looking to be brought down by your negative outlook. “Be of good cheer!”
Begin blessing those areas of your life where you have only been noticing problems. Try making a list of all the things in your life you complain about – or that you could complain about (if you were the kind of person who complains, of course). Write “My Complaints:” at the top of the page; and then make a list of all the things in your life that irritate you, that you don’t like, that mistreat you, or about which you have any complaints at all. Your list may be longer, shorter, a bit more or less detailed, or have completely different things altogether; but here is a list of things (in no particular order) people typically complain about:
Now, take another sheet of paper and label it: “Things I will never again complain about:”
And copy the items from your first list:
Now, whenever you hear your mouth playing the old recordings of complaints about any of the things on this list, remind yourself that you will never again complain of any of these things; and replace the complaint with a blessing. For a list of the blessings in your life, simply take a third sheet of paper and label it: “My Blessings:” Then, copy the items from the list of things you will never again complain about. Then add: “Bless me for no longer complaining about the important people and things in my life!”
My Blessings:
1. Job / co-workers
2. Bills / Finances
3. Spouse / Relationships
4. Kids / Noise / Mess
5. Health / Medical problems
6. Weight / Body Image
7. Parents / Siblings / Friends
8. Government / Taxes / etc…
9. Traffic / Crowds / Lines
10. People who Judge and Complain
11.Bless me for no longer Complaining about the important people and things in my life!
You can continue adding to this list as you wish; in fact, it is highly recommended that you do so. It will become easier and easier to see the blessings that were always around you when you begin to reformat your mind to see those blessings closest to you. The only difference between a blessing and a complaint is in your perspective and what you do with it.
You see, when you declare your kids are a blessing, and you cultivate that feeling daily, you start to see them differently – and they see you differently, too. You act differently; and they act differently. The same is true with your husband or wife (husbands may take a bit more work…), or with co-workers, or anything else on your list; it is better to bless than complain. “Declare a thing and it is so;” if you declare how miserable these parts of your life are, you are simply stuck with your own declarations. You asked for it, you got it… Or, “Ask and ye shall receive.” If you are complaining about your finances and want to know where your relief is, just remember: “You have not because you ask not.” Complaining and worrying is not the same as asking or declaring.
Try gratitude and appreciation – especially with the people and things in your life that you feel do not deserve your blessings or gratitude. They need it most of all; and you probably need to bless these areas of your life most of all. You will be surprised at what happens – and at how easy it is to turn your complaints into blessings.
For more on blessing the things in your life, or to join a Blessing Experiment or take part in the 30-day Blessing Challenge, go to www.BetterToBless.com and sign-up for the free challenge.
It’s Always Better to Bless than Stress!
December 11, 2007 | Leave a Comment
It is always better to bless than stress! In any of life’s many moments, we can find a blessing, or we can fail to see the good that is always there. In every outcome, we either get what we want, or what we need – perhaps in the form of valuable feedback. It is our job here to learn to see the blessings all around us – and to learn to pass those blessing on to others in any way we can.
In case you need it, here’s some incentive to change the way you think about the world around you. For starters, when you bless a person, they feel it; and you feel it too. When you do something kind for someone, they actually receive a health benefit; and so do you. Even more interesting than that is the fact that anyone witnessing your kind act will also experience the same positive physiological changes and health benefits as the giver and receiver of the blessing. Anyone witnessing, receiving, or performing a kind act experiences and immediate boost in immune function, among other things. For your health, and the health of those around you, it is always better to bless.
When you notice something positive, your internal state changes for the better; when you recognize and bless the things you notice in your environment, the changes within you are even more positive and profound. Try this experiment the next time you are at a drive-thru restaurant: After placing your order, ask to speak with a manager. This happens all the time; and the cashier will probably assume you have a complaint – and so will the manager. Instead of complaining, give the people who helped you a blessing; tell the manager what a wonderful job you think the person you dealt with in the window is doing and that you appreciate that it is not only a reflection on the employee, but on good management, as well. You can give a double-blessing and wish them all a great day and thank them for their help.
You will make someone’s day. And notice, as you drive away, how you feel inside as a result of going out of your way to make someone else feel better. Your kindness will invariably be passed on to other customers and employees you didn’t even have contact with. These “warm fuzzies” don’t cost you a dime; and their positive health effects will never be matched by medical technology. Thanks to modern medical and scientific research, we now know what that “warm, fuzzy” feeling you get inside is. When you feel that, your body is essentially being bathed in healing, “feel-good” hormones; your stress response is turned off and you are healing. There is a very real and immediate health benefit to passing on a blessing.
Next time you are eating in a restaurant and it is busy, crowded, and slow, consider how hard the people in the restaurant are working, and the attitudes they are probably being subjected to. By thinking compassionately about the other people in your scenario, rather than simply thinking about how you have to wait a few more minutes to enjoy your dinner, you will change your life for the better in several ways. Try offering a kind, supportive word to your waiter/waitress; and let them know that you are not in a hurry, so they can relax and know they have at least this one table that is a safe-haven where they will not be treated rudely. Carefully watch the response, and enjoy the relaxed relationship throughout dinner – and leave a tip to help make-up for some of the less understanding diners who didn’t.
I do this because of the way it makes me feel; but I often receive free deserts, or drinks, etc, as a reciprocal token of appreciation. You can, of course, take the wide, easy path and get mad about the wait and service; but then you’ll be taking a chance on getting something other than just soup in your soup. And, the stress you’ll be feeling is affecting your digestion. The stress response turns off your digestive system – causing your body to retain food as fat, as well as causing indigestion, constipation, and other uncomfortable problems. Blessings turn off stress; it is a clinically verifiable fact. For your digestion and comfort, it is always better to bless.
Most people are so conditioned to notice “what’s wrong” rather than the blessings in their lives, that it really isn’t that easy at first to start blessing those things you appreciate in your life. Kate Nowak, creator of the interactive community, www.BetterToBless.com, has a free 30-day blessing challenge offering daily support to help you get in the swing of non-judgment and noticing the beauty and blessings all around us. Go to www.BetterToBless.com and sign-up for the Blessing Challenge; it will change your perspective and make you glad you did.
Prayer studies have also demonstrated the reality of focused thought, and the benefits of focused thought in applications such as crime control and medical treatment and recovery. Sending blessings, such as prayers for peace, or healing, is a practical – and easy – way to help people anywhere in the world. You can’t always send people enough money to solve their immediate problems; but you can always send them a blessing – and this does more good than you might have imagined before.
If you have a spouse who is hard to get along with, bless them for the wonderful qualities they do possess; and bless them for having the qualities you wish for them to possess. And don’t forget to bless yourself with patience and tolerance. Keep up the blessing and you will notice changes — first in yourself, then in your outer world. Your life unfolds for you according to your thoughts; if you want blessings in life – give them. Remember; “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.” It’s always better to bless.
And, if you are overweight and hate what you see in the mirror, it is always better to bless. Hating your self has never worked; and it has never helped anything. Love what you see; bless what you see. What you are looking at is the greatest gift you have been given in this world; love thyself. Remember, it is the stress response that causes your body to produce and store fat; hating your self, or your body, causes stress. You are making your situation worse by noticing and criticizing. Love the perfect creation you are; and pray for what you want. It is better to bless than stress.
Visit Kate Nowak’s “Better to Bless” site at www.BetterToBless.com and take the Blessing Challenge, Join the Community, or even ask for a Blessing yourself. There are also delightful and inspirational movies to watch, and more than I can mention here; so, go to www.BetterToBless.com and see for yourself. The helpful information and resources at Better to Bless will shed even more light on the very real benefits of spending your time blessing rather than stressing!
Website:
Movies:
http://www.bettertobless.com/movies.html
How I Lost 55-lbs. with the Power of Prayer
December 9, 2007 | Leave a Comment
To me, the power of prayer is the incredible power we wield when we join our mind and spirit — our brain and heart, or thoughts and feelings. This is indeed the secret to having your prayers answered: Align yourself completely with what you are asking for — body, mind, and spirit. Whatever you ask for, believing in your heart you have received it, will be yours.
It occurred to me that, if this was true, people should just be able to pray for those things they want, things like: Better health, more happiness, peace of mind, and quick and easy weight-loss, among other things. It had already occurred to me that I was 50-pounds overweight; and it seemed natural that I should “put my money where my mouth is,” as they say.
I think anyone could lose weight by starving themselves and working-out like crazy. But would they be happy? Some of them might; and others may shift into a happy place upon seeing tangible results. But most people have tried this route to weight-loss; and most of them have failed. Remember, there are over 200-million overweight Americans; that’s over 66% of our population!
Whatever we have been doing, collectively, is not working. It is, in fact, indirectly causing our weight-problems to get worse rather than better. So, I decided not to do those things that most people do; because most people (in the U.S., anyway) are overweight. Specifically, I did not change my diet — not the quantity of food I ate, nor the kinds of foods I ate. I didn’t alter the times I ate, either.
But I did start drinking about three-liters of clear water each day. This was the only change to my diet. I didn’t stop drinking any of the things I used to drink — like coke-floats, milkshakes, etc… — but I naturally drink less of those things because I am not thirsty (thanks to all the water). I now choose to enjoy those things as food rather than beverages; and I do enjoy them — without a shred of guilt. Guilt makes you fat.
I also refused to stick to any rigid programs or plans — no programs at all — and did not start an exercise program. I prayed. I used only the power of my mind and my belief in the concepts and goals I decided upon. I used my mind to create a new self-image, a new body weight, and I declared that it was so. And I declared it was so every day; and one day it was.
I used my mind to change my mind about food and fat. I decided that food doesn’t really make anyone fat (this will be explained in a later article), and that fat is my friend — produced by my body in times of stress to add one more layer of protection between me and my life. I also started blessing what I saw in the mirror — and the fat that my body made to protect me. I started blessing my wonderful health and fitness.
I also spent time working on releasing stress, anxiety, fear, anger, resentment, worry, grief, and any other negative emotion, because they all cause stress; and stress is what causes your body to release cortisol and produce and store fat. When I released the stress, the fat disappeared on its own; I simply didn’t need it anymore. And I did all of this in my mind — in my thoughts and prayers.
The one other thing I can think of doing during the two-months I lost 55-pound was to apply the findings of Dr. Masaru Emoto* as published in his Messages from Water series of books and videos. I removed the labels from the water I drank, and wrote blessings on the water with the intention that they would live on inside my body. I wrote words like, “Love, Health, Peace, Lean, Flexible, etc…” I wrote only positive things I felt would help.
It took less than two-months for over 50-lbs. to simply disappear; I didn’t work out or diet — I simply changed my mind and focused my thoughts on my new desire for my health. “As a man thinketh…” I only “thought-eth” of myself the way I truly wanted to be; I declared it — and it is so. Future articles will expand on the thoughts and concepts that allow your body to release unwanted pounds quickly and easily.
*Dr. Emoto’s work was featured in the movie “What the Bleep,” and can be seen at www.Hado.net .
Don’t Speak of your Problems; Ask for what you want
December 9, 2007 | Leave a Comment
“In the beginning was the Word…” A word is simply a thought, or many thoughts, clothed in sound; if the thought is “good,” the word will be “good,” and if the word is not “good,” you know the thought wasn’t either. Good thoughts and words produce good fruit; while bad thoughts and words produce bad fruit.
Whatever thought is sown in the mind determines the fruit we reap in our bodies and lives. Thoughts become things; and a word is both a thought and a thing. “As a man thinketh, so it is done unto him;” so speak not of your problems, troubles, debts, illness, pains or aches — because to he who has, more will be added.
If you are talking about it, you’re thinking about it; and “it is done unto you according to your thoughts.” And one of the quickest ways to express your thoughts to the world around you is to speak them; so remember: “Your word is your wand.” “Declare a thing and it is so.”
Worried about your health?
December 8, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Of course you’re worried about your health; most Americans are – and with good reason, too. Did you know that over two-thirds of Americans are overweight; and half of those are actually obese? That’s 200-million Americans who are overweight – which is simply an indicator of poor health – and stress.
And that’s just weight. There are hundreds of chronic health problems in this country, like diabetes, cancer, heart disease, fibromyalgia, lupus, and many other serious and not-so-serious health problems which don’t just affect people who are overweight. What I am saying is that there are only 300-million Americans and almost every one of them has a health problem of some sort – all of which diminish the quality of life.
So why wouldn’t you worry about your health if you live in America? Don’t you read? Don’t you watch television like everyone else? Fast food kills; the air will suffocate you; the water is polluted; and everything else seems to cause cancer, or some other affliction; and the most popular ways of moderating the stress and pain of this kind of life – smoking, drinking, eating junk food, and taking medicine prescribed by a doctor – are statistically among the most dangerous activities on the planet!
Besides the fact that our bodies seem to be trying to kill us with stress and disease, and our lifestyle and diet are only making matters worse, the Sun is also trying to kill us despite being the only thing keeping us alive. Can you imagine all the years people just ran around outside without clothes or sunscreen or sunglasses – without knowing that the Sun only creates life on this planet so it can give it sunburns, cancer, and interfere with its satellites, etc…?
And on top of all of that, our neighbors rob and kill us; our foreign neighbors go to war against us (like we do against them); religious extremist and other terrorists are likely to blow you up at any minute (according to the Dept. of Homeland Security…), and according to most religions, God was either already angry and sadistic, or He is now after all the foolishness WHO created? Is there anything not to be afraid of? What’s the point of even going on?
The truth is that there is nothing to worry about. Period. Ever. Fear not; all is well. Plans are good; but fear kills – end of story. Americans are fed a diet of fear simply because on the way to killing you fear causes stress; and stress causes you to spend money on things you don’t need – like junk food, gadgets, illness, medicine, etc… I have helped people quit smoking who have burned up over $50,000.00 in cigarettes over the years! All that money was wasted simply because the way they were taught to think and be in the world gave those individuals stresses that they only knew one way to moderate – cigarettes. Not everyone smokes; but most people have stress and do something to moderate it. Smokers choose cigarettes, in most cases, because their parents did, their friends did, or because they were readily available – and stress, boredom, or anxiety were present.
Stress is caused by fear; and fear is caused by thinking about frightening things. Job stress, for instance, can be caused by a million different things, but the only reason you would subject yourself to those reasons is out of fear of leaving that job. Relax and do the things you love; you’ll find less to be stressed about, and you’ll be a much happier and healthier person.
Likewise, financial stress, relationship stress, health stress, and any other stress is caused by the way we think about these things. Remember the old axioms, “Don’t worry about those things you are powerless to change,” and “Don’t sweat the small stuff…” Learn to love the things in your life and stress will simply melt away. “Somebody’s got to worry about these things!” you say? “The sick and poor,” as they say, “will always be among us.” And now you know why.
Worrying inhibits your immune system as it activates your stress response — opening your body up to illness as it breaks down your cells. In other words, quit worrying about your health before you wreck your health. Besides, if you had one-hour, one-day, one-week, or one-year to live, worrying would either shorten that time or make what time you had left miserable, scary, and uncomfortable. There is no good reason to worry about your health, or anything else for that matter. “Fear not; be of good cheer…”
The Greatest Discovery Ever!
December 8, 2007 | Leave a Comment
The greatest discovery you will ever make is not a wooden chest filled with gold coins, or the true location of Noah’s ark, or a new species of plant or animal, or anything of the sort. The greatest discovery a person could ever make is the discovery of the potential of their own mind.
History is full of great minds and great achievements; but those achievements were all born in the mind of a person willing to listen to their own greatness – their own power from within. I can think about airplanes, and flying, for instance; but only because others thought of such things first – and in such ways that great, flying creations naturally resulted.
I say “naturally resulted” simply because everyone knows the only truly verifiable law of human nature is, “As a man thinketh, so it is done…” Other great minds throughout history have said the same thing in many ways; and it is up to us to come to understand what they mean – if we want true dominion over our own lives, anyway. How do some people turn their thoughts into reality — regardless of the size of the thought — when others seem completely unable to control the thoughts they choose to dwell on? There are at least two very different things going on here — two very different ways of using the mind and its ability to believe.
Albert Einstein said, “Imagination is more important than knowledge;” and Henry Ford put it this way: “If you think you can, or think you can’t, you’re right!” Both men – great and remembered for very different accomplishments – were simply paraphrasing the same teachings Jesus was passing along, and the same axiom investors must come to understand: “Past performance is no guarantee of future success.” It doesn’t matter what we “know” from experience, in other words; it matters what we “think” and “believe” about the future. As William James writes, “Belief creates the actual fact.”
The person who knows that men cannot fly in airplanes is not the person who spends long hours seeking such a thing, nor is he the person remembered for inventing the airplane. There are certain “rewards” reserved for he who believes. The difference between these men is not that one has a mind and the other does not; the difference is that one is using his mind while the other is using his brain.
The brain is where we receive and process signals from our environment – sight, sound, etc, enter our brain as waves of energy passing through the holes in our heads (pupils, ears, nostrils, mouth, pores, etc…). The brain and nervous system is also where we store that information as memory – just as your computer does. The things that go into our head are said to either stay in, or be accessible by, the brain. But that’s not where NEW things come from; they come from the Mind.
The brain stores and processes historical archives, or memory; creation comes from the Mind, arrives as a positive, uplifting feeling in your heart, and then travels to the brain as inspiration, just as sound travels there from your ears, light from your eyes, and smells detected by your nose. The heart is the “sensory organ for truth and inspiration;” hence statements such as, “As you believeth in your heart…,” by people who are wise enough to know the difference between “information” from the heart and head.
Just because you assume they mean “head” when they say “heart,” doesn’t mean they did. Research done by neurocardiologists at The Institute of Heart Math has highlighted for the entire medical world that the Heart is the source of Intelligence in the body – not the brain. And, in fact, the belief that the brain tells the heart when to beat is also a thing of the past.
The fact is that the signals sent out by the heart are much stronger (perhaps 40-times stronger) than the signals produced by the brain. The brain communicates with the heart, in other words, but only because it lives is it able to do so; and the source of that life, and the information that allows the brain to operate, is within the heart – just as is the source of the human heartbeat (another new understanding in medicine). The brain sends information wherever nerves go; the heart sends information to every living cell in your body.
The next time you say to yourself, “Man! I knew I should have…!” ask yourself which “part” of you KNEW what to do. You will find the part that “knows” is different than the part that “thinks and plans.” We represent these as a little “demon” on one shoulder and a little “angel” on the other, but this is the choice we are always faced with – whether to listen to our hearts or to our heads.
Unfortunately, because our heads are so close to our ears and our hearts are a little further south, most people listen to their brain (“I’d better do this; or something bad might happen…”) and respond to common fears and judgments about potential outcomes. This is why they say, “Think long; think wrong;” and the fact it is so easy and common is why they say that “the path to destruction is wide…”
Dream; dream big; and believe in yourself, your dreams, and in your heart. You can either believe you can, or think you can’t, but the choice is yours alone to make; and the choice you make is the reality you get. The world isn’t expecting you to be afraid; it is waiting for you to shine. So put your hand on your heart and be still. Ask for what you want, think and dream about it no matter what it is, or how big or small. When that thought feels like love in your heart, it is on its way. Then, do whatever you feel inspired to do; and do it boldly.
If you feel it in your heart, it is part of your plan. Have faith in yourself and keep knocking until the door opens. “Knock and it shall be opened unto you…” doesn’t mean knock once and walk away from your dream. Why would you do that at the door to your future? You deserve to live your dreams as much as the next person; but you can’t live them if you don’t have them, and you can’t enjoy them if you don’t learn to enjoy! If you want to live and be happy, you must be like a child; responsible adults are far more likely to die than happy, playing children. Don’t let your beliefs about life, and time, steal your time and life from you. Discover the power of your heart and mind. Discover your self; and discover your dreams.
Seek and You Will Find
December 8, 2007 | Leave a Comment
One of the most common elements of modern physics is a phenomenon called the “Observer Effect.” Simply put, when you observe an experiment, you change the outcome of the experiment; you cannot observe an experiment without affecting it. In the early part of the last century, physicists performed a very interesting experiment, called the “Double-slit Experiment,” in which this phenomenon can be consistently observed in a most fascinating way.
In the experiment, it was shown that the outcome of the experiment changed as the point of observation changed; when you look at the experiment from one point, a certain thing happens, and when you change perspectives, the same conditions produce different results!
You can “Google” the “Double-slit experiment” and learn more about it; but the key point is that this experiment defies linear reason and logic (indicating that there is only so far we can go with the intellect alone). The double-slit experiment proved in a highly reproducible and scientific way that you get what you’re looking for — and that it isn’t always easy to explain, or understand, the things we see. (If you’ve never heard of this phenomenon, there is a fun and informative video at the end of this article that explains it in an easy-to-understand way.)
Of course, if you are registering a visual image, you are actually thinking about the image; your observations are based on what you think you are observing, or what you expect to observe. Basically, what the double-slit experiment really shows is that your intention, or thought, is what actually changes the outcome — through the process of observation and contemplation. The point of view doesn’t change until there is an idea (awareness) and desire to seek a new perspective. The only reason to seek a new perspective would be to see if something different can be seen. You ask for it; you got it.
Ancient teachers of wisdom (such as Jesus, for instance) didn’t use particle accelerators to arrive at their conclusions, but nonetheless taught that you will find whatever it is you seek. If you ask for a thing, you will receive it. This wisdom is not new, unique, or limited to the Bible or any particular culture. All cultures have known this; though few people in any culture ever seem to demonstrate this wisdom. More than 3,000-years before the time of Jesus, the Chinese wrote a saying that translates roughly to “Be careful what you ask for, you’ll probably get it.” And every known religion and philosophy is somehow based on the principles of mind and thought; prayer, meditation, contemplation, reflection, etc, are all methods of thinking, and the purpose of each is to achieve something “real.”
Another term for this teaching is the “Law of Attraction;” which basically means “whatever you think about will be attracted to your life,” or “As a man thinketh, so it is done unto him.” Modern day philosopher Ernest Holmes simply said, “Thoughts are things;” but this is no different than saying that “those things which are formed come from that which has no form” or “faith is the substance of those things which are formed.” If you think a thing long enough and hard enough, it will become a reality. Consider living in a world where everyone knows flying is impossible; and then imagine being the Wright Brothers.
So, think only on those things you truly wish to experience. Next time you look in the mirror and criticize what you see, next time you watch the news and have people you don’t really know telling you to be afraid of things that will probably never really affect your life, or the next time you sit mesmerized by a scary or violent movie or crime drama, don’t judge yourself; but ask yourself if you really believe the things Jesus, Socrates, Albert Einstein, Henry Ford, and even Hippocrates (the father of medicine), said about thoughts and what they truly are. If you do, then you have found the secret of creating any kind of life you want; if you don’t, then fear not – anytime you want to end your stress and worry, you can still simply stop thinking and doing the things that have caused you to be stressed. “Be still and know…”
It isn’t bad to indulge in negativity and drama; but it does diminish the quality of your health and life. Peace is the only way to peace; health is the only way to health; and being happy is the only way to happiness. Just look around at your life and you will see (just like everyone else can…) what kinds of things you think about. Don’t judge what you see; but realize that you can create anything else you want just like you created what you see. You can’t judge and criticize without thinking about whatever it is you are judging; you’re unfavorable thoughts will show up in your experience just as you hope your fondest thoughts, or wishes, will. The things you greatly fear often come upon you; so fear not! Be of good cheer because what goes around comes around.
It is your life. It is your choice. Think about what you truly want, ceaselessly, and it will soon be yours. Look for your dreams and you will find them.
The Thing I Greatly Feared…
December 7, 2007 | Leave a Comment
In the Old Testament is a story of a man called Job. In this story, his thinking – which had in the past brought him great prosperity – turned negative; and as a result, he lost a great deal of what he had accumulated. His friends came and cheered him up, telling him that he knew better than to think negatively; “That’s the kind of thinking which causes these kinds of things in the first place,” they reminded him. Job realized that it was those things which he greatly feared which had come upon him. One can not greatly fear a thing if they do not greatly think of that thing.
Much later, a man called Jesus would come along telling people to “Fear not,” in order to help themselves and others heal; and that “As a man thinketh, so it is done unto him.” Many people believe this was a teaching of Jesus, but Job’s friends knew of this teaching years before Jesus came along; this same teaching is in the book of Proverbs, and can be found in every religion on this planet. It seems people who take time to think for themselves always come to the same conclusions.
Later still, a man named Albert Einstein stated how matter and energy were one and the same – differentiated only by the speed at which their constituent parts vibrated. In other words, everything we are and everything we aren’t is the same at a certain level. Einstein also said that, “Imagination is more important than knowledge.” Knowledge is simply an archive of past occurrences; it is our imagination (the new things we think about) which creates the lives we live – and the world we live in.
Today, Quantum Physicists building on the work of Einstein, and others, have found many links between consciousness and physical reality. Basically, as the philosopher Ernest Holmes wrote, “Thoughts are things;” or they become things through a process which is now easily observed by science and medicine. E=mc² is simply one more way of saying that thoughts are things; thoughts can now be measured as forms of energy which stimulate, or create, denser forms of energy when the thought energy arrives in the brain. The denser energies include meridian and nervous system energy, which in turn stimulate the production and release of chemical energy – all of which changes our physical structure and our feelings, moods, activity or appearance. Thought energy gives rise to all we see and all we are.
With this new awareness, which is really old awareness spoken in a new language, why would people flock to fill their heads with images of natural disasters, tragedies, terror, and other horrible sights and experiences they really do not want in their lives? “If you build it, they will come.” If you build images in your head; they will come into your existence in one way or another. This is the law; and history is testament to this truth. Live and learn; or die and learn. The choice is yours. This is free will. Discipline is a mental skill. Remember: It’s the thought that counts. What are you thinking about?
