You are what you think

AFFIRMATION

I am affected only by my thoughts

This is one of the lessons from A Course in Miracles workbook that I had been drawn to read repeatedly this week and led me to ask the question, “How many of you really take stock of your thoughts and more importantly how  do those thoughts affect you?”

When you live your life on auto pilot by not noticing how your thoughts dictate your reaction to others or by being unaware of the vocabulary you use when you make a statement about yourself, this can lead you to believe that things outside of yourself is the true cause of your angst or worry.  Yet in truth, it is just the thoughts we have and the story we attach to it that determines our feelings and interactions.

If we go blindly through life without taking responsibility for our thoughts, not realising that it is our own thinking that determines the quality of our life, then the default status will always be one of continually looking outside rather than within.  Neale Donald Walsch has a fabulous quote in his book Conversations with God that states, “If you don’t go within, you go without,” and this is so true.  Do you take time to review if a thought you have is actually TRUE for you.  We can have thoughts on guilt, worry, shame, victimhood, all of which are just useful invitations for us to go within and choose again.

Ultimately, you have the choice to decide how you feel in any moment of your life, irrespective of what is going on in our physical reality and our thoughts are absolutely powerful but we fail to recognise that we hold this power every moment that we take a breath.

Just for today, notice your thoughts, especially those that disempower or make you feel less than yourself.  Once you notice you can then ask the question “Can I view this situation differently?”  This one enquiry opens a dialogue that allows another perspective to enter, one that brings a gift that is only for your highest good.  The above affirmation is a wonderful reminder to keep checking in with yourself that it is only YOUR thoughts that affect how you feel.

Have an introspective weekend.

Namaste.

Let it Go

AFFIRMATION

I let go of old habits and thought patterns that no longer serve me

In order for something new to appear in your life be it a new relationship, a new attitude or new job you need to make room for it by having to let something go.  This could mean letting go of outdated attitudes, letting go of past hurts and physically letting go of items that you no longer need.  I am a typical hoarder and have to be very stern with myself when I want to throw things out.  When I attempt to clear out clothes in my closet I would always procrastinate over items believing that I may wear it again knowing full well that I if I had not worn it in over a year I am pretty sure I will never wear it!  So I get really tough and tell myself that I am making room to buy something better and off to the charity shop it goes!

The decluttering also needs to occur with our mind stuff.  We hold on to and replay negative situations that have occurred in our lives that are so far in the past they ought to have been deleted from your memory banks years ago.  Yet we continue to recall them; feel the old pain, and torment not only ourselves but anyone else who was a party to that memory. 

LET IT GO!

Why burden yourself with something that does not empower you but only serves to weaken you?  The next time you have a memory recall that causes you to judge someone else, ask yourself the question “Does this memory serve my highest good?”  You might even be surprised that you no longer associate any pain towards a memory and you can indeed release it for good.

Just for today take time to look at old behaviours, old attitudes, old habits and items around your home and let go of everything that no longer serves you.

Have a clutter free weekend.

Namaste

Honoring your body

AFFIRMATION

When I honor the communication with my body, I give myself permission to lovingly take care of my needs.

Do you push yourself too hard to a point that you end up causing physical damage?  Do you effectively heed the communication signals your body transmits that advises you are over exerting and that you need to stop?

We often ignore the subtle communication between our body and the self to our detriment, that can result in a physical manifestation of illness and ailments in our bodies.  I hold my hand up high to this because I often push my body beyond its limits when it clearly is screaming for me to stop, resulting in injuring myself, like I did yesterday when building my son’s new bed.  I could feel my back protesting as I embarked on the process, yet I felt powerless to stop by telling myself, if I don’t do it who will?

I asked myself this morning, how can I make myself feel better?  Rather than berating myself as would have been my default set point many years ago, my answer was to lovingly take care of myself today by being kind to me. I refused to allow guilt or victim-hood to start a mind dialogue that would result in total inaction but instead accepted my error and decided to move on by helping myself immediately by doing better the next time it happens!

Having a relationship with your self is the most IMPORTANT relationship that you can have.  When we ignore the signs and signals our body gives to us by justifying reasons to keep pushing forward we are in fact not honoring this powerful relationship.

Just for today – with love and kindness , honor the messages your body gives to you, because in truth, your happiness depends upon it.

Have a loving weekend.

Namaste

 ©Carol Reid 2016

Devotion to the Small

AFFIRMATION

Today I acknowledge my changes within and devote myself to the small.

Oftentimes, we focus purely upon the larger things we want in our lives; those that encompass our dreams or our desires that seem far reaching, requiring from us sustained action and effort.  Yet in focusing on the large strides we wish to make, we ignore the wonderful small changes that we make every single day.  Have you noticed what small changes you have made that creates a different reaction in you than before?  Do you always become defensive when someone annoys you or do you now choose your battles wisely?  Are you much kinder and more generous with your time and your loved ones by reacting to them in a more loving and peaceful way?

A single continuous drop of water can erode stone over time and so too can these small changes lead to a grand change in the relationship that we have not only with ourselves but with others. When we devote our attention to the small, it is likened to planting a seed.  Out of this tiny obscure object grows either a beautiful flower , a small shrub or a towering tree, further, that which began as a seed can flourish into a grand spectacular garden. 

Acknowledge the little things that you do each day that cause you to change from the you of yesterday , for in doing so it cultivates the Divine essence in you.  When you choose to smile instead of frown, when you give a heartfelt thank you, when you send a message of encouragement to a loved one for no other reason than to brighten their day, are all examples of a beautiful expression in attending to the small.  It is in honouring these gestures and cultivating  them with practice that sets the solid foundation to lasting change.

Just for today, honour the small changes that you nurture within yourself because even though you may not notice its immediate effects, there is a life you have touched that does.

May you have a peaceful weekend.

Namaste x