With each new year comes the hope for new opportunities or new chances at making our life its best yet. Among those most familiar of New Year resolutions, to lose weight or to quit smoking, is often the hope that our stressful lives somehow improve, that we find the missing pieces of the puzzle to enjoying our life more or to living our best life. There is the personal wish for a happy and prosperous new year, one that dare we dream might even last a lifetime.
Yet for many, the dream soon fades as our focus returns once again to that which is most familiar, to the life we know, but long to change. How we can change our life for the better is dependent upon a great many things, but before we can even begin to identify those things that can be most helpful to us, we must first be willing to let go of the old or obsolete. Let go of old thinking or old habits that keep us from living our best life. Embrace new thoughts and new experiences. See our life and the endless possibilities to it from a new and brighter perspective. Create a new reality for ourselves, a reality that assures us of both our abundance and true happiness.
To create a reality that is closer to our dreams, we must not only believe in the possibility or in using our own inherent gifts and creativity to do so, but also believe in our simply being worthy to receive. As humans, we know at times we have stumbled along our way, even committed the most unthinkable sins against one another, and it is that knowing that keeps us from fully forgiving others and ourselves. Yet without forgiveness, we would never learn from our mistakes, never see the bigger picture, or move through our sadness and grief and into healing and well-being. Forgiving others and ourselves allows us to rise above our fears and anger or the lowest of emotions to peace and love or the highest of virtues. We cannot be the best we can be without forgiveness in our life. Know that you are a work in progress, we all are, and it is forgiveness that allows us to continue to grow and mature into whom we are meant to be.
Once we learn to forgive, we can begin to see the same potential in each. We can begin to see that behind the human appearance or behind our human flaws and imperfection lies something greater. By forgiving our humanness, we allow ourselves to perceive the perfection within or our true self. For the essence of each is part of creation itself or part of that which is perfect by design. To everything there is a purpose and in every living thing, perfection to be found. Within each lies the same potential to be more loving, wise, and kind. Whether or not we see that potential in each other or ourselves depends a great deal upon trusting there is more to us than our human persona, even if others do not see it.
One of the biggest challenges we can ever face in life is learning how to believe in ourselves or to trust in our innate capabilities. To do so, we must look not just to the mind and body of us, but also to the soul or spirit of us. For it is our spirit or true self that connects to an ever greater Spirit, to that which is all-knowing and all-powerful. Until we connect the mind, body, and soul, we cannot be our best or live our best possible life. We cannot rely on our fullest potential until we first recognize it within ourselves.
When we remember who and what we truly are, part of that which is greater than our mind or body, then we know our human challenges are but possibilities instead. It is then that we find the confidence we need to be greater than we appear to be and who it is that we are meant to be. It is then, in the remembrance of our true self, that we become more than our human appearance – more than flesh and bone, more than matter and material, or more than mind and body alone. We become courageous spiritual beings, even when our ego or human identity is frightened.
Being courageous in life, especially when surrounded by chaos or confusion, anger, and fear is perhaps one the greatest achievements man can aspire to obtain. For being courageous, physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually assures us of a more peaceful stride in life. We come to know that there is nothing of this world that can ever truly harm us. For it is in the remembrance of whom and what we truly are that allows us to be brave whenever the mind or body is sacred or threatened. Being courageous whenever your ego or human identity is frightened is never foolish unless the act itself is foolish. Our courage comes in the remembrance of our true identity, in knowing that our spirit or true self is connected to an even greater power and presence. It is this vital connection that gives us the confidence we need to be more than who we think we are. It gives us the inner strength we need to not only survive in an uncertain world, but also to thrive in it. We need only learn and grow beyond our humanness by being courageous and simply persevering in life.
Persevering seems to be the hardest lesson of all in recent years, perhaps even for the coming months and years as well, but persevere we will. For those of us willing to work towards living our best life, we understand that nothing truly worth acquiring comes without our dedication or commitment. We must be willing to continue along our path, even when we cannot see a horizon. We must be willing to persevere in our life’s journey, if ever we are to come to live our best life. We must be willing to accept that our time is not always divine time. For our understanding of the world and us is limited by our human perceptions. Whenever the visible world appears hard, lonely or loveless, remember the invisible power and presence of something greater. Remember you are never alone in your walk here and you are never without the love and support of a greater force or Spirit. How you come to recognize Spirit in your life is by first keeping an open mind.
Keeping an open mind allows us to not only recognize the love and support of Spirit in our lives, but also the everyday guidance that helps us to live a happier and more abundant life. By keeping an open mind to the possibility of making a real and practical connection with Spirit, we welcome all that Spirit wishes for us. Once we are open to receiving divine guidance, we begin to see real and lasting changes in our life. We begin to see our stressful life improving, in ways too numerous to list here. In ways both large and small, we see an invisible power and presence active in our life. We see miracles abound where doubt was once found. We find our life filled with blessings and begin living more in gratitude and grace. Soon we come to wake each morn expecting the unexpected, supernatural, or miraculous. We come to find through our growing faith in Spirit that anything is possible, even a happier, healthier, and more abundant life.
Hold onto your faith both in good times and in bad. Hold onto your faith in a greater power and presence. Not because someone tells you to or because you are expected to, but because by all accounts Spirit is inviting you to. From all of your experiences with Spirit, you know that you are never alone, that you have an invisible power and presence by your side, loving you, supporting you, and guiding you. While there will always be some lesson in life to learn, some chaos that surrounds you, or some challenge to overcome, you know the way is made easier and surer with Spirit by your side. It is this knowing or faith in Spirit that brings us some sense of personal peace and it is that peace that allows us to not only live our best life, but also help others to live theirs. For it is whenever we are assured of our own peace and abundance, that we give unconditionally to others.
Giving unconditionally to others, whether it is our time, talent, or treasure is never an option for the spiritually conscious. It is a necessity. It is as vital as breathing or eating. We do not give because it is expected of us. We give because it is a component of our being. It is part and whole of who we are and why we are here. As spiritual beings we are here to experience a human existence where we learn how to live more in love or how to love unconditionally, and how to give of ourselves as greatly as Spirit gives of itself to us. How we come to know this in our hearts and minds is through daily prayer and meditation.
Remember, prayer is speaking to Spirit and meditating is listening to Spirit. We must do both if ever we are to form a real and lasting relationship with Spirit. For when we dedicate ourselves to praying and meditating daily, something mystical occurs. Not only do we invite Spirit into our life, but we begin to live by divine guidance and it is only when we follow Spirit’s lead that our journey here becomes a more fulfilling one, physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. It is then that our life becomes more balanced. The highs are not so high and the lows are not so low, for there is a relationship with Spirit that sustains us through all our trials and triumphs. Our life becomes more peaceful with the assurance of Spirit’s presence, love, and support and it is that knowing that allows us to truly begin living our best life.
Invite Spirit into your life today and make the rest of your journey its best yet by using your inherent gifts and creativity to create a reality that is closer to your dreams, by forgiving others and yourself, by perceiving your perfection or true self, by believing in yourself, even if others do not, by being courageous in life, by persevering in life, by keeping an open mind, by holding onto your faith both in good times and in bad, by giving unconditionally of your time, talent, or treasure, and by remembering to pray and meditate daily, for it forms a vital connection to the Most High, Divine Mind, or Holy Spirit that loves you, supports you, and guides you along your path. These are the missing pieces of the puzzle to truly living your best life.
Published Article:
January 2011 Edition
WISE Magazine:
http://wisemagazine.org/
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