​It’s that time of the year when reflections are a daily occurrence. The Holidays are over, the New Year has begun and most of us think about what has been and what is yet to come. Birthdays have that special effect on me too and I’m sure on many of you also. And since my Birthday falls so close after the New Year it’s a double whammy.

This year I woke up to rain, not one of my favorite things. It’s the first time in 36 years that it has rained on my Birthday and even knowing that California needs every drop of this precious water, I am a sunshine girl. I like the heat, that’s why I moved to one of the hottest and dry climates in the nation.

So, on this cloudy morning, during my morning ritual, which usually allows me to watch the sunrise (no such luck on that day!) and think through my day and anything I want to tackle, I thought it was important to reflect on three crucial questions:

1-     Do I like myself?
2-     Do I like where I am at this point in my life?
3-     How has my life been up to this point?

When pondering these questions, I could feel a calm and warm feeling come over me. Yes, I like myself, because I think I am a good and kind person. I always try to help others and I enjoy my creativity. I truly like where I am at this point in my life. I have a wonderful son, a loving husband, many good friends, a beautiful home and I don’t have to worry about anything. I couldn’t wish for more.
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And to the question ‘how has my life been up to this point?’ I can only say: exciting and blessed. I have lived a full life. I have done everything I could have ever dreamed of and some bucket list items are still in front of me, easily fulfilled. How blessed am I? But I am mostly grateful that I have found a way to think right and good thoughts, which in turn keep me focused and on the right path to continued bliss. I don’t need much, I’m a humble person, and I appreciate life itself, even on the darkest days, because I know in my heart that all is good!

#inspiration
​#thoughttheories

The above comment coined by W. W. Walter has stuck with me through the years. Why is it that we constantly find something that is not exactly to our liking? People are not behaving the way we expect them to and all in all things are just not the way we would like them to be. We tend to blame circumstances or accuse people of all kinds of shortcomings. Once we are getting sucked into the vortex of negativity, trouble is closely lurking around the corner. Nevertheless, we continue to look deeper and deeper into the faults of others instead of keeping our focus on self. By now, trouble is staring us in the face, but it seems that when we find faults in other people, or can blame our disappointments on outside circumstances, we don’t feel so bad about our own flaws, or do we?
 
Our work is to stop finding fault in others, things, and situations, because when we do this “fault finding”, we are giving power to negativity. We see others and our environment as incomplete and less than good. The truth is, the errors of others aren’t our affairs and frankly, they are none of our business. We shouldn’t concern ourselves with someone else’s mistake, unless, someone asks our opinion and guidance. Then we can be helpful, thoughtful, and constructive, but not critical or hurtful. Remember, the other is also in a state of unfoldment relative to his or her understanding. Our only duty is to be kind and supportive.
 
In our daily mental work, striving to correct ourselves, we need to address all of our habits. Good or bad, we need to look at them honestly. Then we can correct within self and stay busy with our own unfoldment. Let us find the virtuous, not faulty – let us celebrate this everlasting goodness within!

#thoughttheories
www.modernthoughttheories.com
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​Breaking the Cycle in 2017
 
Last year I wrote this letter to wish you a Happy New Year. It still carries value for this year and every year that follows. Promises we make at the beginning of each year a meant sincerely, but many times are broken. The follow-through is where we must focus on, because habits and behaviors are sometimes difficult to break. Being taught since childhood that we have to confirm to certain standards has made us automatons rather than individuals. Parents and teachers, coaches, religious guides and anyone that we’ve ever came into contact with have left an imprint on our subconscious mind. Deep down we have accepted the rules of society. We thought we were ‘good’ if we conformed to the mind-sets of others.
 
In order to change our perception of who we are to who we want to be, we must first create a clear picture of our ideal ‘self’. Then, and only then, can we slowly change our perception of ourselves, hence our image and likeness.
 
Well, the truth is that we are naturally equipped to unfold from within and that all knowledge is already stored in this vast ocean of consciousness. We do not need the outside perceptions to show us the way. In a matter of fact these outside roadmaps all lead to the same place: misery, illness, unhappiness – an inharmonious life.
 
Pesky demands of our society include male and female stereo typing. They also include the race for a career and always having to win and to be the best. This encourages competition and induces unneeded stress. The stresses of today’s world have promoted alcoholism and addiction of any kind in order to cope. Our habits, good or bad, have strengthened over time. Our behaviors are the actions stemming from those gradually acquired habits. Repetition is the key to acquiring new habits, just as repetition was the reason for acquiring our lesser behaviors.
 
Breaking a habit, or more than one habit, will require diligent work. So whatever our negative habits which we are trying to change are, repetition, repetition, and repetition again, is necessary to change our innermost thoughts and convictions. But remember, don’t be too hard on yourself when working on ‘self’ - you are not alone. We know now that negativity creates illness and unpleasant experiences and who doesn’t want to feel good, healthy, appreciated, and loved?
So how can we break the cycle?
 
The first step is to know who and what you want to be. Honesty with self is required to accomplish this objective. This takes some diligent thought and sincere soul-searching. I’d say we can all agree that we certainly want health, wealth and happiness, even though, health, wealth and happiness might have many different meanings to each and every one of us.
 
Use those 5 essential application steps:
 
-          Self-observance, through honest soul-searching
-          Establish a new mind model of yourself, through finding out who you really want to be
-          Stay focused and determined in changing your thought habits to a more positive outlook
-          Do not doubt that you can accomplish what you have set out to do and stay on course
-          Love yourself and treat yourself as the wonderful Spiritual Being you are
 
Have a HEALTHY, WONDERFUL and BLESSED 2017!