A self-realized soul is always:
· a good person,
· a great Gardner, &
· a persistent trucker.
They are careful about the seeds (the Words, the thoughts, the emotions, and actions) they plant in their Garden of Life. They are persistent in what they plant, like a trucker, faithfully hauling goods across country, through rain, snow, tornadoes, flat tires, or whatever the conditions.
Even under the worst conditions, a self-realized person cannot be a horrible person. Why? Because they keep their minds focused and steady.
Like a trucker,
· they know who they are,
· where they are going,
· & they don’t let outer conditions get them down.
Now, if you want to grow something different in your life, perhaps more healthy and positive, you must sow selective, healthy, positive seeds. You have to know exactly what you want and plant those specific, positive ideas.
· Perhaps you want more love in your life – so you sow seeds of love.
· Perhaps you want joy – so you sow seeds of happiness.
Next, you need to keep faith & keep focused, even if things don’t work out as you thought they would, because sometimes for some people bad things happen, one after the other.
These people say, “Why me?” ( I know I’ve been asking this question of myself all week! – What a week….)
· Could it be something already planted in their subconscious mind that is sabotaging their new crop?
· Perhaps it’s a mealy worm or aphids.
· Maybe a faulty belief from a past life or early childhood is eating away the new crop?
There is a remedy:
· Treat the soil; treat the leaves; eliminate the pests.
· Use denials; use affirmations to control the pests.
If someone else dies, that’s not your fault. It didn’t happen to you. It happened to them. You are still here. It didn’t happen to you. We have to put things into perspective! Our attitude or how we label an event will determine what it means to us.
Attitude is everything. Terry Cole-Whittaker says it’s “King” in her new book – Every Saint Has a Past , Every Sinner a Future. A positive attitude –
· Helps us let go of negative, harmful labels like hurt, loss, pain or impossible;
· Allows us to label and view challenging events and conditions as learning experiences or stepping-stones to something better.
· Attracts future positive experiences and conditions while negative thinking attracts more negative experiences and conditions.
Once we label something as negative or dreadful, we feel dreadful. But if we label it a valuable experience, it will be so.
Simply by changing our perspective and hunting for the treasure - the lesson or pearl of wisdom- what was originally seen as dismal failure or disaster now becomes a colossal success and godsend. The negative person sees loss while the positive person sees gain. Our view will either disempower or empower us – it’s our choice. Do you see?
When you hear yourself using an inappropriate life-negating phrase, say “Stop” or “Cancel” and change it to an appropriate, life-affirming phrase. Notice the difference.
Whatever the situation, it’s much better to look for the advantages, gifts, lessons, and benefits gained rather than to dwell on a real or imagined loss or negative experience.
If someone is a crabby, cranky, or miserable human being,
· don’t say: “How did this happen to me?” because it hasn’t.
· Don’t say, “why don’t they like me?”
It’s simply: They don’t like themselves! Besides, no matter how hard you try to please everyone, there will always be someone who is dissatisfied or someone who doesn’t like you.
What is important is what you think of yourself! Don’t take other people’s stuff on. If a person is miserable, it is happening to them, not you. But you can choose the type of people you hang with.
Moreover, everything doesn’t always work out exactly the way we thought they would. But that doesn’t mean we are to be discouraged.
· Do you think that when Jesus taught in 30 AD that everything worked out the way he wanted? – No!
· Did he give up? - No!
· Did he keep teaching – Yes.
You see, when you have a mission, a goal, a purpose, a direction in life, when you know what seeds you want to plant, even though things don’t appear the way you’d like them to be, that doesn’t mean the story is over.
That doesn’t mean that you don’t keep on or that it won’t work out. You still have next year’s crop. If you’re a trucker, “keep on truckin”! Don’t give up.
Relabel and see everything as good or as works in progress.
Obstacles and challenges are opportunities.
· This is strength-building time.
· It’s character-building time.
· Each test prepares us to meet the next challenge.
Florence Scovel Shinn, famous author of the book entitled the Game of Life said: “When you are awake to your Good, you know there are no enemies – for God utilizes every person and situation for your good. Hindrances are friendly and obstacles are stepping-stones.”
So keep on truckin. Say with me: “Hindrances are friendly and obstacles are stepping-stones”.