Paradigm shift

Tackling the sneaky thought habits that crawl into moments of bright light...

Pic by Fuu J on Unsplash

I urge you to please notice when you are happy, and exclaim or murmur or think at some point, "If this isn't nice, I don't know what is!" - Kurt Vonnegut

You know, I've been having a great couple of days! My brother has started his treatments, my mama is happy to be in an apartment and out of the hospital setting, the kind gestures of friends and family from far and wide keep manifesting in beautiful ways, my boys delight me every day with the things they are learning and are excitedly expressing, plans that we took a giant leap of faith to pursue are starting to materialize intangible, exciting results...I feel this bright light of hope lifting me up...

Then in an instant, in creeps the old thought patterns of 'nothing good ever lasts'...' don't get too excited...but you know what...I begin to fall down for a couple of seconds before soaring right back up again...because I am now very aware of this old thought habit and I understand that it certainly does not serve me! I understand that nothing is guaranteed tomorrow and more importantly I know that these little moments of light, and hope and bliss, should be thoroughly lived into and celebrated! This moment right now is what matters!

Rather than be your thoughts and emotions, be the awareness behind them. - Eckhart Tolle

This awareness has developed from the inner growth journey I'm on. It has taken me a while to get here and I know that my journey of transformation has only just begun. These days, I often feel like an outside observer of my emotions. I acknowledge them and then practice consciously deciding what my response will be. This is new, exciting, and intimidating ground to tread...but it feels right and fills me with hope. This feeling is reminiscent of one of the most beautiful pieces of literature ever written ( in my humble opinion :)....that is James Allen's chapter on Serenity in the book 'As A Man Thinketh'. When I did the book study last year, the final assignment was to write out the entire chapter word for word in your journal for five days and then write your takeaways. The purpose was to experience the amazing benefits of actually writing in addition to reading...the act of writing the words causes deeper contemplation, understanding, and appreciation for its beautiful significance.

(Because I was in love with the words, my writing was also more legible and prettier than normal :)

That exquisite poise of character, which we call serenity, is the last lesson of culture; it is the flowering of life, the fruitage of the soul -James Allen

In the study I also learned of the seven levels of character, the seventh and highest level being the Joyful Soul. This is what James Allen was alluding to. The highest level of our character is this 'exquisite poise', and this poise..this calm confidence comes from 'serenity'...it's when we get to a level where all the tempest storms of life have no effect on our calm....we trust in ourselves, in the power of our thoughts and in the laws of the universe, to remain calm and serene, to dwell in a beautiful light...we become the commanding master of our world...

I am not there yet, but have been experiencing snippets of its fruitage...and it is so beautiful. These little shards of bright light have fueled my belief in my potential to attain the ultimate life of serenity and I'm more determined than ever to live into this future truth. What fuels me further is sharing this attainable truth with my family, friends, and the world...we all have the unlimited potential inside of us to live into this highest form of character! It takes an infallible belief and desires to keep stretching, keep growing, keep moving outside our comfort zone, to keep understanding the power of our thoughts and how to make them work for us.

Enjoy the journey as much as the destination - Marshall Sylver

As humans, we are all in the process of becoming, as life and circumstances constantly change...and it's up to us to choose who we want to become. I've chosen to grow and become the best possible version of myself...so that I can show others that it's possible, inspiring them to do the same. What's really hit home for me these last couple of weeks is that I MUST ENJOY THE JOURNEY. I know we hear this all the time, but everyday life moments are what make up the journey...the wins, the losses, the heartaches, the thrills, the lessons...we get so caught up in the mistakes of the past and the fears of the future, that we miss out on the beautiful moment unfolding before us! On this journey to living into my highest character, I pledge to find gratitude and joy in every step along the way, and it is my deepest hope that you do the same!

Here's to living blissfully into today and growing purposefully into our serenity!

xoxo

Jess