"The hardest thing for people to change is their minds."- DD Jewell
"Static: characterized by lack of movement, animation, or progression." Webster
"Dynamic: marked by continuous productive activity and change." Webster
Life is not static but dynamic and because it is, we too must be dynamic beings. The major ingredient in being dynamic beings is our ability to respond to change and facilitate change. Change is a natural progression that people will encounter in their self-evolution, relationships, and careers. However, everyone does not know how to respond to change.
When you hear the word change, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Do you attach a positive or pejorative connotation to the word "change"? Do you resist change? Do you embrace change? Not all change is good, and not all change is bad; but change is evitable. If an acorn did not change, it would never become an oak tree and thus be able to reproduce itself.
Let's do some self-inventory to see what areas you are willing to change and which areas you are resistant to change. Are you willing to...
1. change your job or profession, if you knew you were unfulfilled and this change would place you into your passion and/or calling?
2. relocate to another city or state, if it meant a better quality of life?
3. alter your diet and eating habits, if it meant increasing your longevity?
4. to change your listening and communication styles, if it meant preserving and maintaining healthy relationships?
5. change your church or place of worship, if it meant you being where God can better use your talents, time, and tithes?
6. change unfruitful friendships, if it meant you releasing people so you can make room for new mutually beneficial relationships?
7. forgiving others who hurt you in the past, if it meant it would allow both you and them to be released to grow?
8. change pre-conceived notions of others different from you, if it meant that you would broaden your horizon and scope in life?
9. to accept the change in others around you, if it meant you would have to still love and respect regardless?
10. change your stance on an issue, if that made you appear to be a hypocrite yet it was really a healthy part of your self-evolution?
Monday, March 22, 2010
Thursday, February 25, 2010
You Are What You Think
"As a man thinks in his heart, so is he." Proverbs 23:7
We are who have convinced ourselves that we are. No actions is without its infancy in a thought, a thought that was pondered that became a decision, that decision then produced actions...whatever actions we put forth create the reactions we receive from the world. A thief said within himself that he was a thief, capable of taking that which does not belong to him, then he decided to act on what he convinced himself he was...stealing is merely the fruit of a conversation he had in his mind.
Some people have convinced themselves that they are failures. Some people have convinced themselves that they need other people to bring them happiness. We often define ourselves by the fruit of poor decision making or problem solving. The world then labels us from our actions. We are trees and others engage us by our fruit--our offspring both literally and figuratively. What are you producing?
The good news is failure is an event and not a person. Unlike anything else God has created, we have the power to change our output. An appleseed will always produce apples, a lion will always be a carnivore. You might make mistakes, but you are not a mistake. You may have made some poor decisions in your life which started a chain of negative events in your life. Surrounded by these mishaps, you convinced yourself that this is your lot in life. WRONG! The hardest part of getting out the prison the mind builds is that we have to choose to be set free. Being set free is not complicated but as simple as "changing your mind."
What we focus on enlarges, what we don't focus on, diminishes. Some people believe that changing their minds about themselves and their circumstances is being phony or "not keeping it real." Yet giving those effluents too much real estate in your mind, contaminates your spirit and tarnishes your self-esteem and sense of empowerment.
If you don't like what you have become, what you have done, or are doing...STOP. Stop thinking you are hellbound versus heaven sent this earth. You are whatever you believe you are. A successful person never became successful contemplating on his or her failures. We all have fallen some time or another, but the story doesn't stop there. GET UP!
On your quest to be the very best you God has endowed you to be, be mindful of who you are surrounding yourself. People are mirrors in our lives. Stop looking into broken mirrors to see clearly who you are, for the image that reflects back is broken. You have to separate yourself from darkness to see your light...but it first begins by you believing that you are light. Sometimes God will actually send people in your life to reflect who you are and encourage you onto your path of becoming...
We are who have convinced ourselves that we are. No actions is without its infancy in a thought, a thought that was pondered that became a decision, that decision then produced actions...whatever actions we put forth create the reactions we receive from the world. A thief said within himself that he was a thief, capable of taking that which does not belong to him, then he decided to act on what he convinced himself he was...stealing is merely the fruit of a conversation he had in his mind.
Some people have convinced themselves that they are failures. Some people have convinced themselves that they need other people to bring them happiness. We often define ourselves by the fruit of poor decision making or problem solving. The world then labels us from our actions. We are trees and others engage us by our fruit--our offspring both literally and figuratively. What are you producing?
The good news is failure is an event and not a person. Unlike anything else God has created, we have the power to change our output. An appleseed will always produce apples, a lion will always be a carnivore. You might make mistakes, but you are not a mistake. You may have made some poor decisions in your life which started a chain of negative events in your life. Surrounded by these mishaps, you convinced yourself that this is your lot in life. WRONG! The hardest part of getting out the prison the mind builds is that we have to choose to be set free. Being set free is not complicated but as simple as "changing your mind."
What we focus on enlarges, what we don't focus on, diminishes. Some people believe that changing their minds about themselves and their circumstances is being phony or "not keeping it real." Yet giving those effluents too much real estate in your mind, contaminates your spirit and tarnishes your self-esteem and sense of empowerment.
If you don't like what you have become, what you have done, or are doing...STOP. Stop thinking you are hellbound versus heaven sent this earth. You are whatever you believe you are. A successful person never became successful contemplating on his or her failures. We all have fallen some time or another, but the story doesn't stop there. GET UP!
On your quest to be the very best you God has endowed you to be, be mindful of who you are surrounding yourself. People are mirrors in our lives. Stop looking into broken mirrors to see clearly who you are, for the image that reflects back is broken. You have to separate yourself from darkness to see your light...but it first begins by you believing that you are light. Sometimes God will actually send people in your life to reflect who you are and encourage you onto your path of becoming...
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Are You Ready For Your Heart's Desires?
“Happiness isn't getting what you want, it's wanting what you've got.”-anon
"You change your life by changing your heart.”-anon
“In prayer it is better to have a heart without words than words without a heart.”-Ghandi
People in general live in a vacuum called "want". As soon as they get one thing, they want another. Some people hoped and wished for a higher-paying job and then after they got that job, they set their eyes on another one. Some people want a new car, a new house, or a new relationship yet when they get those "heart-felt" desires, the satisfaction lasts for only fleeting moments.
There are some desires that outweigh others, like finding that someone special or having children. For some people these type of desires are not so easily manifested. Nonetheless, these desires drive their conversations, attitudes, opinions and outlook on life. They may feel that if they had this "missing link" that their lives would somehow be fulfilled or so blissfully happy.
Nonetheless, desire alone does not make a person a qualified candidate for fulfillment of certain desires. Just because your 13 year old son wants a car doesn't make him qualified, skilled, or mature enough to drive or maintain a vehicle. Nonetheless, adults sometimes fall into an array of delusion to think because they want something that they should have it (even if they are not qualified).
For example, you may want a child but are you qualified to provide for that child physically, financially, emotionally, or psychologically? Would you do more harm than good? Parenting is not a hundred-dash but a marathon. You may want the spouse of your dreams. Nonetheless, are you qualified to be the spouse of her or his dreams? What are you bringing to the table? Lopsided relationships are draining and lead to failure. Low self-esteem, selfishness,inflexibility, financial imprudence, lack of communication, promoscuity, are all impediments one can bring into their "dream" and thus turning it into a nightmare for the other person.
Are you truly ready for the manfiestation of your heart's desires? Are you ready to maintain that larger house, pay for that higher car note, be that role model for that child, or assume the extra responsibility and visibility with that new position?
One of the worse feelings is to have that manifestation actualize and you find yourself ill-equipped to receive and enjoy it to the fullest. Life is about preparation. While you are in one season in your life, you should always be preparing for the next season. Don't let your emotions get you sidetracked. What you are experiencing today is temporary, so don't get caught up with all the drama life brings. If you do, you will be caught off guard when God brings your heart's desires. You won't be able to appreciate them like you should. Stay focused. That's why the bible admonishes us to look up toward the hill...stay focus on the prize and not all the distractions and nuisances of life.
"You change your life by changing your heart.”-anon
“In prayer it is better to have a heart without words than words without a heart.”-Ghandi
People in general live in a vacuum called "want". As soon as they get one thing, they want another. Some people hoped and wished for a higher-paying job and then after they got that job, they set their eyes on another one. Some people want a new car, a new house, or a new relationship yet when they get those "heart-felt" desires, the satisfaction lasts for only fleeting moments.
There are some desires that outweigh others, like finding that someone special or having children. For some people these type of desires are not so easily manifested. Nonetheless, these desires drive their conversations, attitudes, opinions and outlook on life. They may feel that if they had this "missing link" that their lives would somehow be fulfilled or so blissfully happy.
Nonetheless, desire alone does not make a person a qualified candidate for fulfillment of certain desires. Just because your 13 year old son wants a car doesn't make him qualified, skilled, or mature enough to drive or maintain a vehicle. Nonetheless, adults sometimes fall into an array of delusion to think because they want something that they should have it (even if they are not qualified).
For example, you may want a child but are you qualified to provide for that child physically, financially, emotionally, or psychologically? Would you do more harm than good? Parenting is not a hundred-dash but a marathon. You may want the spouse of your dreams. Nonetheless, are you qualified to be the spouse of her or his dreams? What are you bringing to the table? Lopsided relationships are draining and lead to failure. Low self-esteem, selfishness,inflexibility, financial imprudence, lack of communication, promoscuity, are all impediments one can bring into their "dream" and thus turning it into a nightmare for the other person.
Are you truly ready for the manfiestation of your heart's desires? Are you ready to maintain that larger house, pay for that higher car note, be that role model for that child, or assume the extra responsibility and visibility with that new position?
One of the worse feelings is to have that manifestation actualize and you find yourself ill-equipped to receive and enjoy it to the fullest. Life is about preparation. While you are in one season in your life, you should always be preparing for the next season. Don't let your emotions get you sidetracked. What you are experiencing today is temporary, so don't get caught up with all the drama life brings. If you do, you will be caught off guard when God brings your heart's desires. You won't be able to appreciate them like you should. Stay focused. That's why the bible admonishes us to look up toward the hill...stay focus on the prize and not all the distractions and nuisances of life.
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