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| You'll notice my knees are not shaking. |
Innkeeper's Note:
I see this post, written years ago is climbing the sidebar on your right. I am presenting it again for those who haven't read it. Here it is:
How is your attitude?
Like an airplane, is your attitude nose up, and climbing, or is it nose down, heading for a crash?
Mine? You know the answer. Hopefully, it's one reason why you drop by. The thing is, our disposition can be positive----even when times
are dire.
During tough times, we can fly by the instrument panel of healthy principles. It's best being guid-ed by the rudder of a loving God. We also set a stronger course in life when enjoying dynamic, positive, discerning, friends. Having a sense of humor even when we are tried also improves our attitude.
Life flies smoothly when we avoid the cloud bank of difficult people. We don't let them consume us.
Growth: Moving Beyond Knowledge
How can we have a smoother, more satisfying life?
By eating slowly. We become careful about what and how much we feed our mind. Like eating food, it's best digesting what we learn, slowly.
It takes a while for our brain to signal the stomach of our compre-hension. After an hour of study, we usually have enough meaty information requiring exercise--- application. Living what we learn prevents us from becoming mentally fat.
Personal growth is not a matter of stuffing our head with ideas. Learning is more than how many pages are read. It's about three things. Applying, applying and applying.
This is how unhelpful youthful patterns are overcome. This requires effort.
Schools have taught us incorrectly. True learning is not about acquiring more information. Wisdom is using what we know. Otherwise, what is the point for studying?
Changing Familial Legacies
Overcoming Ingrained Characterological Patterns
We want to recognize books were not given to increase our knowledge, but to improve our lives. That is the beginning of growth. Ruminating upon what we learn, practicing it, making it a deliberate part of who we are---incarnating it---is far better.
When difficulties arise, antidotes can help us triumph over today's or tomorrow's looming difficulties.
Catastrophizing doesn't help, nor does panicking. If that's where we find ourselves, we're forgetting life is about bonding with others who are emotionally healthy.
Support from my Comfort Circle of emotionally mature friends is the bug spray that wards-off life's irritations. Without connecting with others, we suffer from the Second Law of Thermodynamics. Our joy decays, the bounce in our step is gone.
Getting upset only makes problems worse, more disturbing. Fear informs us we want to use recovery. We want grace balancing the negativity that is trying to swallow our lives.
It is better, responding, not reacting. Easy to do with recovery. Recovery teaches us to speak our truth, to be internally referented.
When life is difficult, it is easy condemning ourselves. Many of us grew up with constant judgment. Without recovery, it is easy using our default mode---allowing the fearful child within that is filled with self-judgment to fly the plane of our lives.
A bad idea.
The Instrument Panel of Healthy Principles
Being mindful of healthy principles, and living by them, allow the airplane of our life to fly straight. This is critical while traveling through emotionally difficult times---the storms of life. Recovery prevents us from making a nosedive into the sea of despair.
Specific Dials On the Instrument Panel, You Ask?"If thy law [or healthy principles] had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction." Psalms 119:92
You want to know specific principles that help? Okay. Here's one:
"When I need the applause of others to feel good about myself, I give them power over my life." Another you ask? All right. How about this: "I block my well-being each time I base my self-worth on what I do or what others think of me."You are persistent. I hear you asking for more. You are gobbling up these principles like potato chips, although they are healthier.
Fine. Here's another that provides serenity:
"Condemning my imperfections has never enhanced my appreciation of life nor has it helped me to love myself more." You want more? Here's a final one: "If you feel like a doormat, you need to get up off the floor."If you use the instrument panel of principles, you'll fly straighter. The buffeting storms of life will not throw you off course. You will arrive at a life filled with more serenity, emotional ease, and joy.
Happy flying.
How About You?
Are you nose up or nose down? Please share what state your attitude is in, and why.
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