Consistency begins with you

Many people will exert effort to focus more on positive thinking. They hear it's a worthwhile thing to do and decide to "give it a go." And yet, people will also say they find that it can be challenging not to fall back into previous, negative habits. If being consistent is key, then the question you would best ask yourself is what sorts of strategies would be helpful? Make a list.

1) Listen to yourself.  How often do you utter negatives, contraditions and tentatives such as, "not bad," "awfully good," "terribly delicious,""try" or "not sure"?  You may benefit from more vigilence. Think before you speak. Which words do you use? You send subliminal messages to yourself and others. When you're serious about being more positive, you will refrain from using words that reinforce the opposite. Ask someone to point words out in case you miss them. Every word counts.

2) Distinguish between patterns you desire and don't desire.  Do you have an issue with mood swings? word usage? attitude? destructive mindset? specific behaviors in specific settings? In order to make a conscious change, you really need to have a conscious understanding of issues that bother you.  Identify conditions, people or events that trigger patterns you like or don't. All forms of mental transformation hinge on this basic understanding at the level of perception.

3) Respond constructively. As you learn to discern the kind of thinking you wish to nurture in yourself, its vital not to reprimand yourself if you deviate from the desired path. Such a reaction would focus on negativity, and this is precisely the kind of pattern you aim to eliminate. Rather than wonder if your confusing right- or wrong-minded thinking, simply respond to all your efforts with desire to heal, correct and move forward. Sense your progress. It will come when you're truly ready.

Never far

My maternal grandfather passed over on Wednesday September 5.  He was approaching 97 and set a wonderful example of how to live life to the fullest in the face of unfathomable odds.  His wife of 72 years preceded him 36 days. I post this entry as an echo of something he might say:

An angel came and called my name and took me by the hand,

and said its time to leave the life you led to embrace a whole new land.

The angel told me my place was ready in Heaven nearby,

and I'd have to temporarily say goodbye.

Know that I love you and I am never far,

Look up at night and find me flying amongst the stars.

You make it all up

Each person forges a path, decides on his or her dreams, and evolves based on innermost wishes. You may even imagine your life as if you already taste the experience of forthcoming success. Yet, what does all this mean? Would it be possible for your mind to transform reality into the images projected by your own mind? And what of success you may be living in the here and now?

As you reflect, you begin to realize that mentors, guides or idols all do precisely what you would have them do. You admire them because you aspire to be like them. Part of you desires to usurp their power, rise to their status, adopt their view or lifestyle. You make it all up; who they are and what significance they have for you.

To experience a different kind of success, you must move beyond examples you have created and projected. To do so, its useful to decipher your true values and the underlying motivations for your choices. If you aspire to be a famous bodybuilder, does this imply you feel insecure and unaccepting of your physical body? If you desire to engage in thrill-seeker activities, would this mean you crave attention or aim to face fear? Success seekers have hidden reasons for their quests they may not even recognize. It’s amusing and enlightening to reframe your understanding of the truth.

Success is a proposition created in your mind, based on your values, and perceived wants or needs. Money for example, will buy material and other things, and it has its own place in the hierarchy of illusions. Miracles and a sense of success may transcend borders. Where you believe you originate and what you think you’ve accomplished don’t have to matter. To establish meaning in your life means you make some kind of satisfying contribution. Attract the life you desire.

See through the warning signs

Any kind of unease, from basic discomfort to more intense anger, is a symptom or warning sign. If you assume negative feelings are caused by your relationships with people, well, as you learn to see deeper, you'll discern another meaning. Discomfort isn't reason to fear, run or ignore what's happening. Look closer instead. Realize this is just a dream you're creating in your own mind to overlook the underlying truth.

To see through the warning signs would be to recognize discomfort is a form of hidden guilt that stems from your unconscious.  Those uncomfortable feelings demand release.  Your ego would like you to believe that the guilt is outside you by projecting the reason onto an illusory image. You may choose to feel victimized by a person in your midst. You may also conflict with people during night dreams. Learn to expect and see through your own projection that follows your denial of fear.

What can you do about this kind of thing? Be alert to warning signs as negative feelings. Learn to stop yourself from reacting and blaming others. Choose instead to forgive yourself. People tend to resist this truth because it may go against their conditioning and what they assume is best for them. As you learn to recognize the warnings, decipher your feelings and forgive, you'll find that rather than neglect or break down your relationships, you'll nurture and raise them up to a whole new level.

What if?

What if you didn't exert effort to persuade people of anything? What if you didn't judge anyone or anything either? Self-improvement doesn't require you to convince people you're right or that your action is always justified. Rather, it's about sorting through your own ideas and perceptions to gain a sense of moving forward.  This doesn't affect anyone as directly as yourself. 

What if using your own progressive learning to induce behavior in others is unrelated to your own self-improvement?  Instead, it may distract you from the path you follow to greater self-awareness and udnerstanding.  You can become the type of person who makes the most of where you are right now. Learning is seldom linear or perceived as being completely logical by you or by anyone else for that matter.

What if seeking to improve means being open to learning at different levels of consciousness? Consider your mind retains information yet, all areas of your mind aren't aware of all others. As you learn to open your mind wider than before, you will realize more ideas are accessible to you than society generally leads you to believe. You decide what it means to improve and the most appropriate means to do so.