'Sir,' I said to the universe,
'I exist.'
"That," said the universe,
"creates no sense of obligation in me whatsoever." 1
You don't get to choose how you're going to die.
Or when.
You can only decide how you're going to live.
Now. 2
In this day and age,
we are surrounded by messages that virtually scream,
"Your life would be perfect if . . ."
My life would be perfect if I had a different job,
a different house,
car,
nose,
spouse,
bank account (fill in the blank . . .).
Or my life would be perfect
if I could be like some celebrity
whose life appears so well-ordered and perfect-o.
This week I encourage you to stop playing
"my life would be perfect if,"
and start playing
"my perfect life."
What's the difference?
Three things:
* being in the present,
* an attitude of gratitude,
* and taking action with what's available now.
When we're caught up
in the "my life would be perfect if" trap,
we've lost touch with the present.
And the moment we detach from the present,
we can no longer practice gratitude.
Think about it:
it's difficult to be grateful for what you don't have . . .
and what you don't have
is always somewhere out in future-ville.
Look around you right now.
Think of 10 things you're grateful for.
Do you have a roof over your head
and food to eat?
I'm guessing the answer is yes.
Do you have at least a few good friends
or close relationships?
Then appreciate them too, right now.
Keep going,
and practice being in the present
and being grateful
for what is here and now
at least a couple times a day.
You're also probably sitting there thinking "yes but."
Yes, but I want more money,
a better relationship,
more time to travel,
to be thinner,
happier or whatever.
It's one of the great mysteries I'll never figure out.
The minute you stop focusing on what you lack;
start focusing on what you've already got,
and add the "magic" ingredient of action,
you actually begin to attract more of what you want.
It's an amazing formula for really living your perfect life!
Let's say you want to lose weight
or get in better shape,
but you don't have an hour a day
to spend exercising at the gym.
Therefore, you've pretty well resigned yourself
to not losing weight or getting in shape.
What if you had five minutes though . . .
just about everyone
can find five minutes to exercise,
stretch, walk around the block
or walk the dog.
Would you be willing to be grateful for five minutes
and make the best possible use of it?
Therein lies the beginning of your perfect life!
A simple formula may help you remember how to apply this principle:
The present
+ an attitude of gratitude
+ positive action
= my perfect life.
Try it for a day.
The greatest discovery of my generation
is that human beings
can alter their lives
by altering their attitudes of mind. 3
Each time you start dreaming
about how perfect your life would be if . . .
come back to this moment,
give thanks for what is,
and do one thing to perfect
what you have
and who you are right now.
There's a saying that
"when the student is ready, the teacher appears."
If you're ready to start perfecting your life,
your teachers are all around you.
What are you waiting for? 4
Those who aren’t thankful
for what they’ve got,
aren’t likely to be thankful
for what they’re going to get. 5
'I exist.'
"That," said the universe,
"creates no sense of obligation in me whatsoever." 1
You don't get to choose how you're going to die.
Or when.
You can only decide how you're going to live.
Now. 2
In this day and age,
we are surrounded by messages that virtually scream,
"Your life would be perfect if . . ."
My life would be perfect if I had a different job,
a different house,
car,
nose,
spouse,
bank account (fill in the blank . . .).
Or my life would be perfect
if I could be like some celebrity
whose life appears so well-ordered and perfect-o.
This week I encourage you to stop playing
"my life would be perfect if,"
and start playing
"my perfect life."
What's the difference?
Three things:
* being in the present,
* an attitude of gratitude,
* and taking action with what's available now.
When we're caught up
in the "my life would be perfect if" trap,
we've lost touch with the present.
And the moment we detach from the present,
we can no longer practice gratitude.
Think about it:
it's difficult to be grateful for what you don't have . . .
and what you don't have
is always somewhere out in future-ville.
Look around you right now.
Think of 10 things you're grateful for.
Do you have a roof over your head
and food to eat?
I'm guessing the answer is yes.
Do you have at least a few good friends
or close relationships?
Then appreciate them too, right now.
Keep going,
and practice being in the present
and being grateful
for what is here and now
at least a couple times a day.
You're also probably sitting there thinking "yes but."
Yes, but I want more money,
a better relationship,
more time to travel,
to be thinner,
happier or whatever.
It's one of the great mysteries I'll never figure out.
The minute you stop focusing on what you lack;
start focusing on what you've already got,
and add the "magic" ingredient of action,
you actually begin to attract more of what you want.
It's an amazing formula for really living your perfect life!
Let's say you want to lose weight
or get in better shape,
but you don't have an hour a day
to spend exercising at the gym.
Therefore, you've pretty well resigned yourself
to not losing weight or getting in shape.
What if you had five minutes though . . .
just about everyone
can find five minutes to exercise,
stretch, walk around the block
or walk the dog.
Would you be willing to be grateful for five minutes
and make the best possible use of it?
Therein lies the beginning of your perfect life!
A simple formula may help you remember how to apply this principle:
The present
+ an attitude of gratitude
+ positive action
= my perfect life.
Try it for a day.
The greatest discovery of my generation
is that human beings
can alter their lives
by altering their attitudes of mind. 3
Each time you start dreaming
about how perfect your life would be if . . .
come back to this moment,
give thanks for what is,
and do one thing to perfect
what you have
and who you are right now.
There's a saying that
"when the student is ready, the teacher appears."
If you're ready to start perfecting your life,
your teachers are all around you.
What are you waiting for? 4
Those who aren’t thankful
for what they’ve got,
aren’t likely to be thankful
for what they’re going to get. 5
Each of us has cause
to think with deep gratitude
of those who have lighted the flame within us. 6
Appreciation can make a day,
even change a life.
Your willingness to put it into words
is all that is necessary. 7
to think with deep gratitude
of those who have lighted the flame within us. 6
Appreciation can make a day,
even change a life.
Your willingness to put it into words
is all that is necessary. 7
Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life.
It turns what we have into enough,
and more.
It turns denial into acceptance,
chaos to order,
confusion to clarity.
It can turn a meal into a feast,
a house into a home,
a stranger into a friend.
Gratitude makes sense of our past,
brings peace for today,
and creates a vision for tomorrow. 8
Happiness cannot be traveled to,
owned,
earned,
worn or consumed.
Happiness is the spiritual experience
of living every minute
with love,
grace
and gratitude. 9
Saying thank you is more than good manners.
It is good spirituality. 10
It turns what we have into enough,
and more.
It turns denial into acceptance,
chaos to order,
confusion to clarity.
It can turn a meal into a feast,
a house into a home,
a stranger into a friend.
Gratitude makes sense of our past,
brings peace for today,
and creates a vision for tomorrow. 8
Happiness cannot be traveled to,
owned,
earned,
worn or consumed.
Happiness is the spiritual experience
of living every minute
with love,
grace
and gratitude. 9
Saying thank you is more than good manners.
It is good spirituality. 10
Credits:
[1] ~Douglas Adams, Hitchhikers' Guide to the Galaxy.
[2] ~Joan Baez
[3] ~William James
[4] Living A Five Star Life - Attitude of Gratitude
Based on Living a Five Star Life (Excerpt) ~Betty Mahalik
[5] ~Frank A. Clark
[6] ~Jack Canfield (Chicken Soup for The Soul)
[7] ~Margaret Cousins
[8] ~Melody Beattie
[9] ~Denis Waitley
[10] ~Alfred Painter
Media: Let The Sunshine In
Contributed by Klaas+
[1] ~Douglas Adams, Hitchhikers' Guide to the Galaxy.
[2] ~Joan Baez
[3] ~William James
[4] Living A Five Star Life - Attitude of Gratitude
Based on Living a Five Star Life (Excerpt) ~Betty Mahalik
[5] ~Frank A. Clark
[6] ~Jack Canfield (Chicken Soup for The Soul)
[7] ~Margaret Cousins
[8] ~Melody Beattie
[9] ~Denis Waitley
[10] ~Alfred Painter
Media: Let The Sunshine In
Contributed by Klaas+
To submit comments, requests or materials,
contact me at outreach@dawncoveabbey.org
contact me at outreach@dawncoveabbey.org
For empowerment workshops, seminars and lectures, see: http://www.dawncoveabbey.org/healing-circle
_______________________________________________________
MorningStar Inspiration from Dawn Cove Abbey
Article, haiku, humour and poem contributions are welcomed, and gratefully received
Layout & Design by KT+
_______________________________________________________
MorningStar Inspiration from Dawn Cove Abbey
Article, haiku, humour and poem contributions are welcomed, and gratefully received
Layout & Design by KT+
_______________________________________________________
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For prayer requests and more, visit our sister site Stella Maris,
- a place where truth and beauty dwells: or write for information.
- a place where truth and beauty dwells: or write for information.
