Tag Archives: #mindset

Spirituality

Weighed Down

Is your past holding you back, weighing you down? It’s time to release yourself from the dead weight of the past and start living again.

The mistakes we made are good for one thing: we learn from them. There are a lot of things we do the right way. We rarely give those much thought, but we should. Turn your thoughts toward your daily victories, whether big or small.

The voice inside your head that constantly tries to dissuade you from trying anything new is a liar. Stop listening to it and listen to the other voice, the one that encourages you, prompts you, the voice that is on your side. This voice will lead you to your purpose.

Both voices will always be there. They are inside everyone’s heads. It’s your choice to decide which voice to listen to. It’s always been your choice.

Choose wisely…

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Spirituality, Uncategorized

Rush to Judgment

For as long as I can remember, some parts of society believe you are guilty until proven innocent. Our laws believe it is the other way around, thankfully. If we are accused of wrongdoing, we are still assured of our due process under the Constitution.

My favorite book (and movie) is To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. The book is fiction, and it is enriched by a great plot and subplots. In the main theme, a man, Tom Robinson, is accused of raping a woman. The story is set in Alabama in 1933. Tom is black. The woman is white. You see where the story is going. Tom was automatically guilty because he couldn’t be trusted around white women. This was untrue then and it is untrue now. Yet, because of this work of fiction as well as many real life stories, the south has forever been deemed to be racist. It isn’t.

Rushing to judgment clouds the thinking. It’s difficult to see truth when you are looking through the lens of guilt. Facts matter.

I encourage you to steer clear of judgment, all judgment. Put yourself in the same situation and treat others as you would like to be treated.

Freeing yourself from judgment opens you up to seeing people for who they are. And isn’t that what we all want?

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Spirituality, Uncategorized

Salt of the Earth

In Matthew 5:13, Jesus told the crowd they were the salt of the earth. How many times have we read that and skipped right through it without any further consideration? Let’s examine it.

Salt is used millions, probably billions of times daily. It’s the most widely used seasoning on earth. Salt enhances flavor. It’s used as a preservative, a cleanser, a weed killer, and it can be used to remove stains from your teeth. During Jesus’ day, it was a rare commodity that was used as currency.

All the ways I just listed can be applied to us! We can enhance the lives of others and lift others through our words and actions. We can remove negative thinking (weeds) and, through changing our thoughts we can cleanse our minds. And when we consider the scientific marvel the human body is, we are worth more than any nation’s gold.

Yet, we have something salt doesn’t have. When salt loses its flavor, it is worthless. We can rise and reclaim our lives after setbacks and hardships. We never lose our value.

Be the one who encourages the hurting, the lost, and the ones who feel forgotten. Be like salt…

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Spirituality, Uncategorized

Dignity

What do you think of when you hear or read the word dignity? It’s defined as, “the state or quality of being worthy of honor or respect.” Dignity is something that must be earned.

In society today, we see the “look at me” impostors everywhere we turn. You might catch our attention for a moment, but if you don’t have substance you won’t keep it.

And we have the mediocre to contend with in the world. Those who are unwilling to go the extra mile because “that’s not their job” will never rise with that attitude.

The truth is, you can bring dignity to anything you do. This applies whether you are a CEO or a janitor. Consistently doing a good job will be noticed.

Dignity lies within the person. Be willing to give more than you receive…

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Spirituality

Merit

Being able to work is a privilege. Working in a career you love and find fulfilling is a gift. I say this because I have read multiple articles that cite the high number of people (80%+) who are simply going through the motions of a job they don’t really love.

Hard work requires dedication and commitment. You can only provide these when you are fully engaged as well as stimulated in your work. Going to a job just to receive a paycheck will turn you into a “clock watcher,” doing the bare minimum.

Do you want to advance in your career? If your answer is yes, then you must be willing to go the extra mile. When you give more of yourself than you are being paid for, it will be returned to you by a great multiple. This is true even if you are working for an ingrate.

It’s important to remember not to allow the pursuit of making money into your mindset. Money will come, but it shouldn’t be your focus. Your goal is to find fulfillment in your career and your life.

Everything else will fall into place…

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Spirituality

Angels Among Us

Did you know that Angels might be in your midst? It’s true! Hebrews 13:2 says, “ Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.“ So, there you have it.

It is my belief that we should try to show kindness to friends and strangers alike. Do it because that’s what is in your heart, not because you want something. God knows our motives because He sees everything. I’m not just talking about our actions. He sees beneath the surface.

When you are working on yourself, remember to ask God to remove any impure thoughts and actions from your life. He will.

God is the original heart surgeon. He can heal us and purify us…

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Spirituality

Desperation

There are innumerable people living with unfulfilled dreams for their lives. Trading one’s identity for security is nothing new. In the 1850’s, Thoreau wrote, “ the mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation, and die with their song still in them.”

We see the effects of this inner turmoil in our world. It is manifested by alcoholism, drug abuse and other destructive behaviors. Damaged people leave a trail of carnage in their wake. It doesn’t have to end like this.

Take control of your thoughts. Work on yourself. Break it down into manageable increments. If you get too far ahead in your thinking, it can be destructive. Stick with one day at a time. We can do anything for just one day.

When you drive by a cemetery, take a moment to consider all of the unfulfilled promise each of those lives offered. You won’t end up like them.

Don’t die with your song still in you. It’s time to start singing…

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Spirituality

Imagine That!

Our creative imagination is a powerful gift from the Creator. Everything starts with an idea.

Consider the two bicycle repairmen who dreamed of flying. You know them as Orville and Wilbur Wright.

What about the man who only had two months of formal education? When he died, he had over 1,000 patents credited to him. No one would call Thomas Edison dumb.

The first biography I read as a child was about an incredible woman who dreamed of freedom. Not only did she take enormous risks to escape to a free life for herself, this gun-toting, barely five feet tall woman went back and brought hundreds of slaves to the north where they could be free. Harriet Tubman was her name.

If you can dream it, you can do it. Get on the creative side of your mind and let your imagination run wild. As Albert Einstein said, “imagination is more important than knowledge.”

Believe it, and believe in yourself…

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Spirituality

A Fresh Start

Every day is an opportunity to begin again. If your resolutions have gone bye-bye, today is the day to welcome them back.

Change is difficult, and permanent change requires effort and commitment. We need time to renew our thinking, creating and strengthening new neural pathways in the process. Change happens when we want it to happen.

Be kind to yourself and be patient with your progress. The world will beat you up enough, so don’t pile on yourself. Give yourself a wide margin.

You can do it. And offer encouragement to others who are trying to change. They need it, too…

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Spirituality

Worriers

Are you a worrier? In 2024, according to the American Psychiatric Association over 70% of adults in the United States were worried about current events. That’s a lot of worrying, most of it being wasted energy.

Worry can paralyze you if it gets out of hand. Over 45 million Americans have been diagnosed with anxiety at some level. This number comes from pharmaceutical prescription data which suggests the real number is higher. Many people haven’t sought treatment and they are just “gutting it out.”

Mental health was shredded due to isolation during the pandemic. If you are one of the many people who have had increased anxiety post-pandemic, here’s some encouraging news: you can lessen or eliminate your worries. Here’s how.

Start an exercise routine, read great works rather than watching television, go to an art museum, get outside for some natural Vitamin D, and have meaningful conversations with your friends. Be patient in your progress. A true change takes time, but it will happen if you stay with it.

As a society, we have grown accustomed to seeking help from drugs rather than natural remedies. We are wired in our DNA to live and thrive, not to be full of anxiety.

And don’t worry, the pharmaceutical companies will be fine…

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