We Travel Best When We Travel Light August 7, 2010
Posted by nrhatch in Gratitude, Happiness, Life Balance, Mindfulness, People.comments closed
I’ve had a Tiggerific day.
After a few less than stellar moments yesterday, I’ve bounced back . . . higher than ever!
{{Boing}}
I view my journey on the spiritual path as a work in progress, not a completed endeavor ~ with each step, I move closer to becoming who I was always meant to be.
Like learning to play the violin, or the piano, we are apt to hit more than a few wrong notes along the way.
The goal is progress, not perfection. We must keep coming back to the task.
To that end, instead of dwelling on the negativity that invaded my peace of mind yesterday, I chose to let it go and move forward along the path:
* First stop, a lovely visit to Naomi’s Notes, followed by a quick peak at The Levity Project. What a wonderful way to start the day.
* Then, sporting an enormous grin, I wandered over to Here Be Dragons. Alannah’s posts always make me smile. Today’s post more than most.
* Celebrations complete, I rolled up my sleeves and got to work, consciously clearing out much of the underbrush and detritus that has accumulated over the past few months.
Nothing like clutter busting to put a smile on my face. As I purged myself of the past, I felt lighter ~ liberated from the negativity which can weigh us down, keeping us tethered to terra firma.
Letting go frees up time and energy for the present. Rather than hanging on to stale memories, which keep us mired in the past, we free ourselves to fully embrace this moment.
Instead of wasting time analyzing who we were yesterday, judging the actions of others, or chasing other droplets of water over the dam, we turn our attention to the more relevant challenge of understanding who we are right here, right now.
The thing that is really hard, and really amazing, is giving up on being perfect and beginning the work of becoming yourself. ~ Anna Quindlen
Accepting who we are right here, right now, is far more important than understanding who we were at any given moment of time in the past.
When we accept ourselves as we are, we begin to flow in the NOW ~ and that is the only place to connect with the reservoir of happiness within.
Happiness is a natural state of being. It is not something that we need to achieve ~ it automatically surfaces when we remain mindful of the moment:
In the timeless present, we don’t need a reason to be happy . . . we just are.
To paraphrase The Grinch: Happiness does not come from a store. Happiness means just a little bit more.
Of necessity, the happiness I’m experiencing today is more obvious to me than to anyone else. Since the spiritual path lies within, you’ll just have to take my word for it ~ or, better still, try spiritual practice for yourself.
Inner peace and happiness is relative. The goal is not to be happier than someone else. Instead, we need only strive to be happier than our previous self.
If we feel more peaceful and happy . . . that’s the only barometer we need.
No matter how much we analyze the past, we can never understand it or others completely. Our vantage point is too limited.
When we accept ourselves as we are, we become more accepting of others as they are.
As a result, there is less need to forgive others after the fact, because they haven’t stepped on our toes or ruffled our feathers in the first place.
When we trust ourselves, we know how to live without having to understand others . . . since we no longer use them as an external reference point.
We realize that no one else can prevent us from changing if we desire to change. Others may try to manipulate us with stares of disapproval, they may try to pour on the guilt, they may accuse us of being selfish ~ but in each instance we can consciously choose change.
We realize that we don’t need to conform to the expectations of others. We don’t need to be what they want us to be. We don’t need a permission slip from others to live the life that we choose.
In the now, we enjoy the journey. We no longer feel any urgency to “make it” to some distant shore. Instead, we enjoy this moment, while patiently allowing the future to unfold in its own way, its own time.
At day’s end, we stand on the shore to smile at the distant horizon and the infinite possibilities it holds:
Now the clouds have cleared, and I can see the sun.
Life in the Blogosphere August 7, 2010
Posted by nrhatch in Gratitude, Happiness, Life Balance, People.comments closed
One of my favorite bloggers went for a Wild Ride yesterday, after being Freshly Pressed!
I couldn’t be happier for Alannah. She’s a delightful person and a wonderful writer.
See for yourself, on Here Be Dragons.
The Levity Project August 7, 2010
Posted by nrhatch in Gratitude, Happiness, Humor, Magick & Mystery, Mindfulness, Music & Dance, People.comments closed
An awesome blog found me this morning:
Naomi’s Notes (photo-philosophy from Africa, conservation concerns, writing tips & more…).
Check it out!
As I flipped through Naomi’s inspirational posts (accompanied by glorious vistas), I stumbled into an incredible video about the power of a smile to turn the world around: Spreading Smiles Around the World.
The video (filled with joyous and infectious smiles) turned my world around.
One day, we won’t fight no more. One day, there’ll be no more wars. One day . . . one day . . . one day.
It reminded me of Spread Joy! ~ sometimes the simplest changes have the most profound impact on our lives.
Created by The Levity Project, this video is apt to leave you grinning ear to ear. Enjoy!
Quote: Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face. ~ Victor Hugo
Aphorisms from Aa to Zz: Nn August 7, 2010
Posted by nrhatch in Happiness, Humor, Magick & Mystery, Mindfulness, Nature, People.comments closed
Nature
Nature does not ask, “what do they want me to be?” Its glory lies in its authenticity.
What good is a house, if you haven’t got a decent planet to put it on? ~ Henry David Thoreau
Nature speaks with many voices. Listen with your ears, eyes, and heart.
Celebrate the joy of nature . . . the unexpected mysteries of life!
SMILE = See Miracles In Life Everyday!
The art of medicine consists of amusing the patient while nature cures the disease. ~ Voltaire
Catching a snake in the house = men’s work!
Nobility
Remember, true nobility lies not in being better than someone else ~ but in being better than your previous self.
Don’t sacrifice your values to reach your goals.
Never do anything you wouldn’t be proud to tell others about.
Happiness flows from being true to yourself.
There is no pursuit more noble than mastering yourself.
Stand guard at the door of your mind ~ let only the best thoughts enter.
When we relinquish, or renounce, the extraneous, we are left with the essential, which cannot be lost. ~ Lama Surya Das
When we understand who we really are, we free ourselves from the illusions that hold us back.
What lies before us, and what lies behind us, are tiny matters compared to what lies within us. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson or Oliver Wendell Holmes
Excellence doesn’t require perfection. ~ Henry James
I’ve never liked the quote, “Good guys finish last,” because it implies that greed, and power, and arrogance will get you to the finish line first . . . but that’s not the finish line that I’m aiming for.
Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony. ~ Mahatma Gandhi
Success in life is more than racking up dollars in your bank account . . . it’s about being the best YOU that YOU can be.
Our glory lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall. ~ Nelson Mandela
If the whole world followed you, would you be pleased with where you took it? – Neale Donald Walsch
Joy is sharing the best parts of yourself with the world.
And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud, was more painful than the risk it took to blossom. ~ Anais Nin
The greater the obstacle, the more glory in overcoming it. – Moliere
You must do the thing you think you cannot do. ~ Eleanor Roosevelt
When you stop hiding who you are, you have more energy to become more fully who you want to be.
People are unhappy because they aren’t being truthful with themselves. Being truthful with yourself plugs you into your inner power. ~ Suze Orman
He who trims himself to suit everyone else will soon whittle himself away. ~Raymond Hull
Who I am is who I want to be. ~ Cathy Comic Strip
Nurture
Love grows within. You are the garden. Nurture your self.
You have greater impact on others by the way you listen, than by the way you talk. ~ James R. Fisher, Jr.
The first duty of love is to listen.
What if seekers need only ask: How well do I love?
Children are to be unfolded, not molded.
You can learn many things from children . . . how much patience you have, for instance.
The older you get, the more you realize that kindness is synonymous with happiness. ~ Lionel Barrymore
Kindness echoes ~ Mother Teresa
Be happy while you’re living, for you’re a long time dead. ~ Scottish Proverb
Master your thoughts . . . master your life.
The greatest griefs are those we cause ourselves. ~ Sophocles
Want to feel younger, happier, and healthier??? Change Your Attitude.
We take showers each morning to wash off yesterday’s junk, but we often forget to toss out yesterday’s anger, pain, and frustration. Instead of toting yesterday’s trash around, let it go. ~ Marianne Richardson (paraphrased)
Everyone will be called to account for all the legitimate pleasures which he or she has failed to enjoy. ~ The Talmud
Enjoy this moment, it won’t last. The future soon will be the past.
The day quickly becomes the night. Fill each moment with delight.
Spirit Lights The Way 