This morning, I got up and went in my front room with my pets to read in the Bible and write down a few of my prayers and thoughts. I got a lot out of that. Then a book on my shelf caught my eye so I decided to look into it for a little while. The book is called "You Can Heal Your Life" by Louise L Hay.
At first glance, a conservative, charismatic, Holy Ghost Christian as I grew up to be would discount the entire book and never reach to pick it up. In that line of thinking, the initial thought is only God can heal anything about anyone. However, over the years and through my many life experiences, I have learned to be a great deal more open-minded and I'm willing to at least give most things a chance.
My line of thinking there is, I might be able to find a nugget or two at the very least that I either agree with or can edit/amend into a principle I can jive with.
Now I've gotten those prelim's out of the way and can get to my real reason for writing this blog entry.
The beginning of this book talks about the idea that your thoughts determine your reality. What you choose to think about will end up being the truth you experience. I thought about that for a minute, and came up with a very eye-opening application for that principle.
I struggle with not feeling accepted. A lot of times, I feel like people at work or in public or even at church would just as soon rather not have me around. That is a years-old struggle and, granted, it has gotten less problematic for me over time, but still does exist in varying intensities and at various times in my life or in the span of a day.
So I thought, okay, what if I decided to think, "People like me and want me around." I pondered that for a little while.
If I think to myself that people truly like me and desire my company, I bet I will be more approachable, have more smiles have more to contribute to a group setting and - what do you know, I will then feel accepted and probably enjoy life more. I will make more friends, have increased confidence in my potential contribution not only two groups but to individual people and it's all only upward from there!
That really makes sense. Notice, this is not anything vital to my life but it's a step in the direction I feel I need to move in order to achieve personal growth, and possibly to move up eventually in my work place. Who knows?
I remember in high school, the people who were popular were the ones who expressed the most self-confidence. I'm not seeking popularity, but I would like to take that principle and employ it in my life, you know, just to see what happens.
If nothing else, I would like to be known as an all around kind person. And that, to get back around to the central point of doing anything, would definitely display Christ's love in me.
As I began to wrap up my contemplation of this idea, Hippie, my lovable, fat, Maine Coon tabby cat, decided to jump right up in my lap. He landed right in the center of the pile and spread of all the books and notebooks I had carefully arranged in my lap. And what did I do? I started petting him on the head and down his back because, after all, he is my sweet kitty cat and I love him. A light bulb went on in my head! Hippie believes I love him and desire his company. Hippie decided to think, I am liked and wanted. He acted on that, jumped up in my lap, & I instinctively accepted him because that's just the way that works. Pretty cool.
So. I encourage anyone reading this to try the same mindframe this week. If acceptance is not your issue, think about something you struggle with and come up with a new way to think about it. Then live your life thinking that thought, acting on it, and just see what happens. I feel confident you will come away pleased and feeling stronger than ever.
Love you guys!
