I was having a little problem the other day loving a person who had, in my opinion, treated me unfairly. As I stepped back and became aware of my anger and began to work through it, I focused on returning to a State of Love.

What I discovered was that it became easy to love that person when I first loved myself! I read my entry in The Practice of Awakening entitled Loving Myself, and the fear and anger were washed away.

I think that is the key: before we can live in a State of Love, be Consumed by Love, and Love Everyone and Everything, we have to Love Something. It has to start somewhere.

I practiced this sequence throughout the day when I became a little stressed: I loved my dog, then myself, then everyone. I loved the flowers and trees, then the skies and the seas, and then everything in my life.

Now, when I feel the least bit angry or fearful, I simply focus on Loving Something.

And when the Love Drops start to flow, they soon turn into a gentle rain, then comes a Magnificent Outpouring of Adoration.

What is easiest to love for you? Who is easiest to love? Who and what do you love all the time? Who and what do you love Right Now?

Suggested Exercise: Try loving something or someone easy to love, then move into loving yourself, then love everyone and everything. Allow yourself to be consumed by Love.

I have come to the point that I Love most people, almost all of the time.

Some people I don’t love some of the time, as I am still learning to Love Unconditionally. It is part of my Practice of Awakening.

It may seem a little obvious, but I have noticed that being in a State of Love, where I Love Everybody and Everything, feels a lot better than not loving someone or something.

And I find that it is really quite impossible to Love Myself Unconditionally unless I am Loving Others Unconditionally, too. That much Love only comes from a Loving State of Being, from being Consumed by Love, from Choosing Love above all else.

So when I choose to Love others, to be Gracious and Care about them, to go out of my way to be Generous to them, to be Helpful and Kind to them, it isn’t just for them.

It’s for Me, too.

I Love Them so I can Love Myself.

Unconditionally.

Would you rather be Consumed by Love, or consumed by something else? How much Love are you spreading around today?

Suggested Exercise: Try Loving Unconditionally for a few hours today. Love Everyone and Everything and see how it feels. Do it for Yourself.

This Moment, I am observing my thoughts and feelings.

This Moment, I see my joy and suffering from the same dispassionate perspective.

This Moment, I am completely detached from what happens next or what happened previously.

This Moment, I see that this moment is unique and like no other moment.

This Moment, I am transforming – consciously and intentionally, or otherwise.

This Moment, I see that my feelings are real, my thoughts are real, and this experience is real, even though they are quite fleeting.

This Moment is just one moment in the context of my lifetime.

This Moment is all there is.

This Moment.

(repeat)

Are you in The Moment right now? Have you stepped back from your current thoughts and feelings, or are you still attached?

Suggested Exercise: Think about this moment, then think about everything that has happened today, then the past month, then the past year, then your lifetime. See this moment in the context of uncountable precious and interesting moments.

Watching, Flowing

Easing, Slowing

Seeing, Knowing

Changing, Growing

Shining, Glowing

Sharing, Showing

Letting Going.

(ahhhh)

What is your favorite little mantra? When was the last time you changed your Perspective, Attitude, and Consciousness with just a few minutes of Focused Thought?

Suggested Exercise: Repeat this little poem SLOWLY 5 – 10 times, pausing after each line. Remember the power you have to change your Consciousness very quickly!

It’s So Easy to be Awakened when I have just had a good meal and am relaxed.

It’s So Easy to be Awakened when I have just deposited a big check.

It’s So Easy to be Awakened when I have just closed a sale.

It’s So Easy to be Awakened when I just got a big hug.

It’s So Easy to be Awakened when I am lying on a beach getting ready to take a nap.

It’s So Easy to be Awakened when I am talking to someone else about the beauty of the Spirit.

On the other hand, it’s not so easy when I am hungry, tired, thirsty, and/or sick and I still have a lot of work to do.

It’s not so easy when I have experienced a financial setback.

It’s not so easy when someone has just let me know that they have chosen “to go in a different direction”.

It’s not so easy when someone I really care about thinks I am nuts.

And thereby lies the challenge – to be just as Awakened when it is not so easy.

When is it easy for you to be Awakened and Conscious? When is it not so easy?
Are you Awakened Right Now? If not, why not?

Suggested Exercise: The next time you find that being Awakened is not so easy, focus on Kindness and Strength. Remember to be Kind to Yourself, to!

It took me a long time to tell the difference in between the different kinds of “truths”. It seems to me now that there are four kinds:

• Facts / External Truth: These are physical, external events that can be recorded and otherwise observed. They are mostly agreed upon and can be considered to be Universal Truths that are true for everyone and all of the time. Examples include things like the law of gravity, the length of a day, the current temperature and so on. Unfortunately, we humans are not very good at observing or remembering what we see or hear, and will often disagree on the facts – sometimes even when they have been recorded!

• Thoughts and Feelings / Internal Truth: These are internal experiences that can be recorded in some ways (e.g., brain scans and EKGs), but generally can’t be verified. When someone says “this is what I felt” or “this is what I thought” it is difficult to dispute their report. It is very tricky to observe another’s feelings or know what they are thinking without them reporting it.

• Judgments and Opinions. These vary in the strength of attachment, and range from hunches and suspicions that are easily changed to strong beliefs and convictions that are unassailable. The many types of judgments and opinions include assumptions, conclusions, deductions, predictions, cause and motives assignment, inferences, ratings, and comparisons. I am sure there are more. These are not absolute truths in the same way as Facts, Thoughts, and Feelings, but are “true” for the opinion-holder and to the point that other people share the opinion.

• Perspectives and Useful Concepts. These are the most interesting kind of truth, in that several conflicting perspectives can be true at the same time. For example, the glass can be half-full and half-empty at once.

It also seems to me that most conflicts and disagreements happen when people claim that their Judgments, Opinions, and Perspectives are Universal Truth, and they don’t understand that they are not true in the same sense that Facts and Feelings are true. Here are some examples of “truths” which are true to some, but not all:

• The Bible is the absolute and only word of God (really an assumption, conclusion, or perspective)

• You cannot be right with God unless you follow my religion (an assumption, conclusion, or perspective)

• Everything happens for a reason (an assumption or a perspective)

• I am completely responsible for everything that happens in my life (an assumption or a perspective)

• God never gives us a burden without giving us the strength to deal with it. (an opinion or perspective)

These things are, of course, just my Opinions and Perspectives.

Do you see the many types of truth in your life? Do you sometimes confuse facts, opinions, and perspectives? Do you often encounter people who believe that their opinions and perspectives are Universal Truth?

Suggested Exercise: Note the times today that people assert a ‘truth’ that really isn’t Universal. Be especially mindful of the times you are making the assertion!

I am Proud and Happy to be an Entrepreneur.
I am Proud and Happy to be a Consultant.
I am Proud and Happy to be a Coach.
I am Proud and Happy to be a Partner.
I am Proud and Happy to be a Husband.
I am Proud and Happy to be a Brother.
I am Proud and Happy to be a Son.
I am Proud and Happy to be a Father.
I am Proud and Happy to be a Singer.
I am Proud and Happy to be a Writer.
I am Proud and Happy to be a Speaker.
I am Proud and Happy to be a Poet.
I am Proud and Happy to be a Seeker.
I am Proud and Happy to be a Spiritual Teacher.

I am Proud and Happy to be unique in my passions and my talents.
I am Proud and Happy to be Myself.

Are you Proud and Happy in all of your roles and relationships in life? Are you Proud and Happy to be your unique and wonderful self?

Suggested Exercise: Imagine, as deeply as you can, feeling Proud and Happy with every aspect of your life. Practice Gratitude.

OMG!

I just discovered a limiting belief that has really been holding me back: deep in my soul, I believed that the more I knew, the more worthy I was.

For years, my self-esteem has been at least partially dependent on my intellectual prowess. Passing the test, having the answers, being seen as a smart kid / man was what floated my boat. Being first, being best, being at the top was where I found comfort and safety.

I became addicted to winning the “smart guy game”.

The effect was that I had to keep learning and getting an “A” (or raise, promotion, or some other accolade) to feel good about myself. I wasn’t comfortable about who I was unless I was constantly learning new things and continually proving myself.

I wonder, is this a challenge / addiction with all of the other top achievers out there? Do we all measure our self-worth (at least at some level) in that way? Do we all have to be constantly proving ourselves?

For me, the choice is to stop this addiction.

Even though I will never stop learning,
    Now, I know I can be blissful and happy without learning anything new.
    Now, I know that I already have more than enough power and consciousness to be wildly successful at achieving my dreams.
    Now, I know that I don’t have to be the best, and I don’t have to come in first.

I am worthy and capable with what I already know.

Right now.

What else do you need to learn in order to feel good about yourself? Do you really believe that you can leverage your current level of Skill, Knowledge, and Presence into success? Are you still playing The Smart Guy Game, the Pretty Girl Game, the Tough Person Game or some other game?

Suggested Exercise: Make a list of the people you know who have accomplished great things despite their imperfections. Reflect on the ways in which you consider yourself to be unworthy and how that is holding you back.

Sometime ago, someone kind enough to care asked what I was upset about. I had been walking around looking very serious, and they thought I even had a little scowl or frown on my face. I asked “what do you mean?” and they explained that I was sending off a lot of negative energy with my seriousness.

I had no idea I was presenting myself that way.

But now as I spend more and more time in Spirit, I notice that I walk around with a little grin on my face. There is such Peace, Joy, and Love in my heart that it naturally impacts my expression. My attitude manifests in the physical world, starting with my face.

And I know that if I do not have That Little Grin, then I am not as Awakened as I could be.

Now, I remember to smile.

How are you presenting yourself? Are you smiling most of the time, or are you sending off waves of grumpy, serious, negative energy? What do others think?

Suggested Exercise: Try smiling for no reason a lot today, even (especially?) when you are alone or you think no one is watching

Just thinking about all of my blessings in life can really help me shift my perspective. I reflect on the words from my Remember message:

Be grateful for your capacity to love, the strength to survive and carry on, the joy of a loving embrace, the food on your table, the abundance of the universe, and so much more… And in those darkest moments, the power of gratitude for a single breath, for one more heartbeat, for the gift of life itself, can be enough to transform your soul.

I make a list of all of the things in life for which I am grateful and read it over and over until my Spirit is lifted. It doesn’t take long. I am So Blessed!

I am grateful for the Loving Presence, the Joyful Spirit, The Angel Within that I have experienced so many times.

I think of the millions who live their lives in much darkness: those whose Journey has caused them to develop very painful subconscious conditioning and make poor choices; those whose path is crossed with tragedy and disaster. I am grateful that my challenges of today aren’t as large as theirs. My burden is quite light in comparison.

I am grateful for the many paths I have found to the Spirit. I am grateful for the many other blessings I have. And I feel a bit silly for ever feeling sorry for myself.

And I am so ready to let go of my worries and fears, to come out of the darkness and into the Light, and Rejoice in my Life.

With Gratitude.

How about you? Are you feeling a little sorry for yourself? Then write a list of your blessings and focus on them for a while. You will find the darkness lifting.

Suggested Exercise: Make a list of the things you have to be grateful for and read it every morning and every night for at least a week.