A New Year...Again…A Tool for Awareness
A new year...new beginnings. So much potential to bring about lasting changes. Anything's possible. New opportunities are available to us and appear to be "right around the corner". Promises abound from advertisers showing you the way to their form of happiness, contentment, and success. Testimonials from individuals who've reaped such rewards give a sense of hope that this is it...finally something has come into your life to help you to be/have that which you value whether material possessions, physical well being, or mental/emotional peace of mind. And that may very well be true!
This may very well be your moment when the light bulb comes on, your struggles fade, and life's course seems to begin to finally flow with, rather than against, the tide of whatever sea you've been swimming. If so, align yourself with it and see it as a gift instead of questioning if it's really happening, wondering how long before the "other shoe drops", or losing sight of the reality of it. Most don't realize how powerful our thoughts can be.
Just as everything within our world has energy, so do our thoughts. Our thoughts have the potential to heal or hurt, attract or reject. They are a tool we each have that belong only to us and, therefore, we can change these thoughts anytime we so choose. Doing so does not take external forces such as money or social status or even any other human being (though experts on this subject can be very helpful in assisting us with such a task). It is my belief that though we hold such power within ourselves, we do not tap into it due to our lack of awareness.
Awareness is simply mindfulness or consciousness. So it is here that I encourage you to take a step, whether it is an initial step for you or just one more of many in your journey's staircase. Even if it appears to be repetitious, if you are not satisfied with where you currently are within your life, timing may have played a role in your progress or process. Give that some thought...You have the ability to make this step as simple or as in depth as you desire. "More" does not necessarily mean "better". Awareness of your belief in that thought could stem from your belief system set into place so many years ago by someone completely different (or maybe not so different) from who you longed to be as a person. That may have influenced the way you viewed the world and, therefore, directed the path of your thoughts. However, that is a whole other topic for another day!
Choose a time when you will become highly aware of your thoughts for a brief period (1-10 minutes). It's not necessary to be sitting quietly in a dimly lit room with candles and incense. It can be while doing dishes with others needing your attention or while listening to a quarrel in the next room. No better time than that to become aware of your true thoughts! During that time, observe every thought that comes into your mind and become aware of whether a particular thought feels uplifting to you or more heavy and sinking. That's it...it's that simple.
If you choose to repeat this experience, take it a step further and notice whether a majority of your thoughts fall into the category of "uplifting" or that of "heavy and sinking" .Once aware, true change can occur! As you begin to "police" your thoughts and alter those that are less than uplifting, begin to notice the simple blessings that come forth. Don't be harsh or judgmental with yourself. Recognize that changing your thoughts is a process that can take time. In the meantime, have fun with it and Happy New Year!