Is there something out there that you truly want? Something you've been dreaming about for a long time but hasn't come to fruition? Are you confused and resigned to the fact that something that you truly want just won't happen for you? I know I've felt that way. But, there is a way out, and it all depends on whether or not you open your eyes to what is available to you.
There was a time when I was a victim of my own defeatist attitude. I was absolutely certain that the only luck I had was bad luck. Nothing ever seemed to work out, or, if it did, it was short-lived. Oh sure, I still have "bad days", but, the difference is purely in my attitude. Once I got out of myself and saw all the opportunities the universe presented to me, I could no longer blame my misfortunes on "bad luck" but on my own unwillingness to see what was clearly in front of me! Today, when bad days arise, I step back, take a look at how I'm feeling, and then remember that everything that I need is already here. It's just a matter of whether or not I choose to utilize the tools.
Case in point. The last few days, I have been in a funk. Focusing on what I don't have instead of what I do have, and what I can achieve. Once I opened my eyes, I saw that I have wonderful things happening in my life! I have great friends who are willing to help me, abundant resources that help me contribute to this blog, and opportunities that arise every day, as long as I am open to them. I can't tell you how many awesome people I have met simply by allowing it to happen. And, here's the kicker: all of them have helped me without even knowing that they have!
In my moment of clarity I remembered to be grateful. I have wonderful friends. I have a wonderful family. I have a wonderful dog. That alone helped lift my spirits. And, I remembered an old saying: "There once was a man who complained that he had no shoes until he met a man who had no feet". My period of sulking was over. I talked to a friend, I spent time with my dog, and talked to someone who inspired me to keep going with what I've been doing and even offered to help me. I got my answers, which led to some peace of mind, followed by inspiration.
Nothing happens in this world by mistake. It is all a manifestation of our thoughts. When I'm focused on the negative, more negative comes into my life. When I'm focused on the positive, more positive things happen. It's that simple! I've had to retrain my brain to remember the good, and learn from the bad. It's all a learning experience.
I'm feeling abundant! I thank goodness for all those who continue to be a part of my life, and will continue to allow others into my life. I hope to be of service to all of you, as all of you have been to me.
Continue to think positively! Believe it! Good things will come to you.
Have a wonderful day!
Arlene
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Art as an Emotional Outlet
Happy Easter, Everyone! I've stuffed my belly and am ready to blog. I have my Playlist open and am feeling inspired! Which, by the way, brings me to today's topic question: What role does Art play in your daily life and how does it help you?
I listen to all kinds of music. Fast songs, slow songs, sentimental songs, loud songs, soft songs, happy songs and sad songs. It all depends on my mood. On days that are warm and sunny, I like to listen to songs from the summers of my childhood and those that feature guitar. On rainy days, I like songs with piano. When I'm pumped up/excited about something, I like fast, urban songs. When I'm reminiscing, I listen to 80s music. When I'm missing someone or upset about something, I listen to sad songs.
My music playlist is a compilation of sentiments, experiences and memories. They cannot be placed into one category or genre. Much like a painter uses canvas and paint to convey their thoughts and feelings, the deep feelings that are evoked from my music collection are something that I absolutely love sharing with my friends and fellow bloggers. Some songs move me so much that I find I either cry or have an increased heart-rate, or an overwhelming sense of peace and love. My writing helps accomplish this, as well.
I appreciate art, in all of it's forms. If you are a musician, painter, sketch artist, actor, writer/journalist, etc., or just have an appreciation for it, please feel free to share with me how expressing your self helps you with whatever you are feeling/experiencing/thinking in your life. I love to hear others' stories.
Have a wonderful day and Easter Holiday!
Arlene
I listen to all kinds of music. Fast songs, slow songs, sentimental songs, loud songs, soft songs, happy songs and sad songs. It all depends on my mood. On days that are warm and sunny, I like to listen to songs from the summers of my childhood and those that feature guitar. On rainy days, I like songs with piano. When I'm pumped up/excited about something, I like fast, urban songs. When I'm reminiscing, I listen to 80s music. When I'm missing someone or upset about something, I listen to sad songs.
My music playlist is a compilation of sentiments, experiences and memories. They cannot be placed into one category or genre. Much like a painter uses canvas and paint to convey their thoughts and feelings, the deep feelings that are evoked from my music collection are something that I absolutely love sharing with my friends and fellow bloggers. Some songs move me so much that I find I either cry or have an increased heart-rate, or an overwhelming sense of peace and love. My writing helps accomplish this, as well.
I appreciate art, in all of it's forms. If you are a musician, painter, sketch artist, actor, writer/journalist, etc., or just have an appreciation for it, please feel free to share with me how expressing your self helps you with whatever you are feeling/experiencing/thinking in your life. I love to hear others' stories.
Have a wonderful day and Easter Holiday!
Arlene
Friday, April 10, 2009
Your Emotions Are Your Guide
Have you ever noticed that even though you've thought about something and it seems like the "right" thing to do, you are still confused and don't feel quite right? Everything seems to be lining up and it might be exactly what you thought you'd been waiting for, only to discover that you're just not happy about it? Isn't it completely confusing? It doesn't have to be.
Our emotions are our guide to happiness. We humans tend to want to use logic to solve our problems. Logic, of course, is a gift and is useful, but it isn't everything. We also have feelings. Ultimately, how we FEEL about something dictates whether or not it will lead to happiness, not what we THINK about it.
There's a saying that I've used before in my own life: "If my head, heart and gut don't line up, it's probably not the 'right' thing to do". Isn't that the truth? In my own quest for happiness, I've tried to resist how I feel about something, because logic was telling me to do the opposite. Unfortunately, emotions always won, and I ended up feeling more distant from happiness than closer to it.
For example: I was in a relationship with someone I loved very much. I saw that he had a lot of potential and a big heart. But, what I also saw was someone who was very defensive, and quick to blame others for his unhappiness, and then deny that he was doing that very thing! Although I wanted him to be happy and I didn't want to distance myself from him because of our history as friends, ultimately, being in his presence brought me down, too. I couldn't fix him, and he didn't want to be fixed. It was only when I left for good that I immediately started to feel happy again. I stopped getting migraines (one way negative emotion manifests itself). I started to feel like myself again, and I started drawing people to me like a magnet, as I had in happier times. Today, I am happy, content, loved and having a great time in my life!
The key word here is resistance. The more we resist positive feelings, the more we're not in alignment with positive vibration, or good-will. We resist positive emotion by continuing to do the very things that drive us farther from contentment and joy, and ultimately, attract more of the negative things we DON'T want, because that is what we're focusing on. The more we seek happiness, and put away how we THINK about a situation, the closer to contentment and joy we become. Our focus is redirected to that which brings pleasure, and we feel good when we get what we desire. When we continue to focus on the positive things that make us happy, more good things will come that contribute to that happiness.
The Dalai Lama tells us that we should do what makes us happy. In the book The Art of Happiness by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Howard C Cutler, M.D., the doctor tells a story of a patient of his who was having a difficult time deciding whether to stay where she was or move to a more desirable location. She made a pros and cons list, and she still couldn't make up her mind. She loved her job, and knew she couldn't find another one like it where she dreamed of living, but she also loved the accessibility, beauty, and options of her dream town. The doctor, knowing what the Dalai Lama had told him about doing that which makes one happy, asked his patient that very question. Suddenly, the decision wasn't so hard. She loved her job, and it made her happy. The amenities and all the external things she liked about her dream destination suddenly didn't seem so important. Once she put away logic and thought about how she felt, she just knew. No more confusion.
So, I ask you to think about something in your life that you may be struggling with. What does logic tell you? What do your feelings tell you? If they line up, then you have your answer. If they don't line up, then you also have your answer. Trust your feelings. Do what makes you happy. You will not be disappointed in the long run. Remember, the more positive things that happen in your life, the more things like it will be drawn to you!
Good Luck!
Have a wonderful day!
Arlene
Our emotions are our guide to happiness. We humans tend to want to use logic to solve our problems. Logic, of course, is a gift and is useful, but it isn't everything. We also have feelings. Ultimately, how we FEEL about something dictates whether or not it will lead to happiness, not what we THINK about it.
There's a saying that I've used before in my own life: "If my head, heart and gut don't line up, it's probably not the 'right' thing to do". Isn't that the truth? In my own quest for happiness, I've tried to resist how I feel about something, because logic was telling me to do the opposite. Unfortunately, emotions always won, and I ended up feeling more distant from happiness than closer to it.
For example: I was in a relationship with someone I loved very much. I saw that he had a lot of potential and a big heart. But, what I also saw was someone who was very defensive, and quick to blame others for his unhappiness, and then deny that he was doing that very thing! Although I wanted him to be happy and I didn't want to distance myself from him because of our history as friends, ultimately, being in his presence brought me down, too. I couldn't fix him, and he didn't want to be fixed. It was only when I left for good that I immediately started to feel happy again. I stopped getting migraines (one way negative emotion manifests itself). I started to feel like myself again, and I started drawing people to me like a magnet, as I had in happier times. Today, I am happy, content, loved and having a great time in my life!
The key word here is resistance. The more we resist positive feelings, the more we're not in alignment with positive vibration, or good-will. We resist positive emotion by continuing to do the very things that drive us farther from contentment and joy, and ultimately, attract more of the negative things we DON'T want, because that is what we're focusing on. The more we seek happiness, and put away how we THINK about a situation, the closer to contentment and joy we become. Our focus is redirected to that which brings pleasure, and we feel good when we get what we desire. When we continue to focus on the positive things that make us happy, more good things will come that contribute to that happiness.
The Dalai Lama tells us that we should do what makes us happy. In the book The Art of Happiness by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Howard C Cutler, M.D., the doctor tells a story of a patient of his who was having a difficult time deciding whether to stay where she was or move to a more desirable location. She made a pros and cons list, and she still couldn't make up her mind. She loved her job, and knew she couldn't find another one like it where she dreamed of living, but she also loved the accessibility, beauty, and options of her dream town. The doctor, knowing what the Dalai Lama had told him about doing that which makes one happy, asked his patient that very question. Suddenly, the decision wasn't so hard. She loved her job, and it made her happy. The amenities and all the external things she liked about her dream destination suddenly didn't seem so important. Once she put away logic and thought about how she felt, she just knew. No more confusion.
So, I ask you to think about something in your life that you may be struggling with. What does logic tell you? What do your feelings tell you? If they line up, then you have your answer. If they don't line up, then you also have your answer. Trust your feelings. Do what makes you happy. You will not be disappointed in the long run. Remember, the more positive things that happen in your life, the more things like it will be drawn to you!
Good Luck!
Have a wonderful day!
Arlene
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
How words heal
I've begun reading a book entitled The Healing Power of Water by Masaru Emoto. In this book, studies were done in which the researcher placed words on bottles of water and then froze them. Some had positive connotations, such as "happy", and others had negative connotations, such as "malice" (these are my own examples). Emoto studied the crystal patterns formed on each of the bottles. The ones with positive words had beautiful, uniform crystals. The ones with negative words had misshapen, ugly-looking crystals. In all, the research suggests that positive vibrations have positive effects, and vice versa.
That's pretty astounding! Think about it. Our own bodies are made up of mostly water (I think it's around 70%). When we're given a compliment, we feel good. When we're chastised or criticized, we feel bad. Imagine the effect these words have on our bodies when they're directed at us. Imagine, after being showered with positive words, our bodies becoming more uniform, in sync with the good-will of the universe. We become more beautiful on the inside. When this happens, we are happier, and able to spread this joy to others.
I have noticed in my quest to become more content, I am better able to give others sincere compliments, without feeling uncomfortable or scared to do so. When I see someone wearing a beautiful blouse, sporting a new haircut, or doing something nice for someone else, I am compelled to share my thoughts with them. How exciting is that? Their actions help me in a positive way, and my thanks to them, in turn, helps them. What a beautiful experience.
At one time, there was a commercial about dial-up internet service in an office. The commercial starts out with one person being angry that his dial-up is taking so long, and as he storms out of the office, a fellow-coworker says "hello" to him. In his fit of anger, instead of returning the favor, he knocks the papers she's holding out of her hand and they all fall on the floor. She becomes angry. She walks by another coworker who says "hello" to her and she, in turn, spills his coffee. The scene digresses until everyone in the office is fighting, and one poor guy's bald head is being scribbled on with a sharpie, while in a headlock. Not a happy day at the office.
So, this is what I'm going to do, today. I'm going into work with a positive attitude. I am going to demonstrate good-will to my fellow coworkers, and observe where that leads. I am positive (oops, I made a pun!) that this feeling of good-will is going to beget more good-will.
I will let you know how it turns out.
Have a wonderful day!
Arlene
That's pretty astounding! Think about it. Our own bodies are made up of mostly water (I think it's around 70%). When we're given a compliment, we feel good. When we're chastised or criticized, we feel bad. Imagine the effect these words have on our bodies when they're directed at us. Imagine, after being showered with positive words, our bodies becoming more uniform, in sync with the good-will of the universe. We become more beautiful on the inside. When this happens, we are happier, and able to spread this joy to others.
I have noticed in my quest to become more content, I am better able to give others sincere compliments, without feeling uncomfortable or scared to do so. When I see someone wearing a beautiful blouse, sporting a new haircut, or doing something nice for someone else, I am compelled to share my thoughts with them. How exciting is that? Their actions help me in a positive way, and my thanks to them, in turn, helps them. What a beautiful experience.
At one time, there was a commercial about dial-up internet service in an office. The commercial starts out with one person being angry that his dial-up is taking so long, and as he storms out of the office, a fellow-coworker says "hello" to him. In his fit of anger, instead of returning the favor, he knocks the papers she's holding out of her hand and they all fall on the floor. She becomes angry. She walks by another coworker who says "hello" to her and she, in turn, spills his coffee. The scene digresses until everyone in the office is fighting, and one poor guy's bald head is being scribbled on with a sharpie, while in a headlock. Not a happy day at the office.
So, this is what I'm going to do, today. I'm going into work with a positive attitude. I am going to demonstrate good-will to my fellow coworkers, and observe where that leads. I am positive (oops, I made a pun!) that this feeling of good-will is going to beget more good-will.
I will let you know how it turns out.
Have a wonderful day!
Arlene
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