Thoughtful Thursday

I recently heard someone pose the question. What was our Heavenly Parents’ main goal? Was it just for us to return back to live with Them? I don’t believe that was Their intent. Why would They send us away only to have us merely return back to Them? There had to be a greater purpose.  I believe, the main goal was for us to come to earth to learn, to grow, and to become like our Heavenly Parents. To experience being human and all that comes with it.  A divinely designed classroom where we each have the opportunity to develop the skill of loving. Learning to love God. To love our neighbors.   And to love ourselves. However, lovability and love ability are two different things.  Our value, worth and lovability are unchangeable.  Each human being is 100% valuable, worthy and lovable. Love ability, on the other hand, is a person’s ability to love other people. It is easier ...

I am practicing telling the truth. You read that right. Sometimes I lie. I have said yes to things that I didn’t want to do because I was worried what other people would think of me if I said no.  In a way, I was pretending in order to manipulate other people’s emotions and their impressions of me. I wanted to be nice. But, ultimately I was lying. This is people pleasing. Usually, we are telling ourselves we SHOULD do something. When we do this we become the victim in our story which leads to disconnection. Resentment and frustration also come along for the ride.  Blocking us from creating the life we really want. I’m not suggesting that you just start saying no to everything. Instead, pause and consider the following: What do you really want in your life? Who do you really want to be? It all starts by telling the truth. The whole truth. Truth to yourself and to others when appropriate. You may still say yes to that thing but...

  I have been noticing all or nothing thinking in myself and others. It includes absolutes or extremes and distorts our thinking. Your life is either perfect or a disaster. You are either a success or an absolute failure.  You are a wonderful mother or a terrible one. When perfection is the expectation you have set for yourself, then it doesn’t happen, you believe failure is the only alternative. You grade yourself with either an “A” or an “F” on things like Diet & exercise. Parenting. Work. Money. Relationships. You use words like… Always. Never. Ever. This type of thinking prevents you from gaining perspective or finding solutions. It doesn’t allow for anything in the middle. It doesn’t allow for growth. We are all human beings and we have it all together half of the time. AND We are a mess half of the time. Embracing the reality of both, opens us up to compassion for ourselves and others. Give it a try!

  Did you know your brain is working just as it was designed? The human brain is amazing! It has three primary functions. I will call them the 3 P’s.  Protection. Pleasure. Productive. (Or, in other words, efficient. I had to use a P word so it sounded cool.) These functions served our ancestors well and kept them alive. Their brains helped keep them safe by looking for dangerous predators or enemies and by avoiding pain. They sought pleasure with things like food and sex so the human race survived. Systems and machines were created to simplify their lives and to be more efficient. The modern conveniences that we enjoy today were all created because of the brain’s design to keep us safe, to seek pleasure, and to be efficient. Your brain is still scanning for danger. Not from an attack from a wild animal. But, maybe a co-worker that is hard to work with. Avoiding pain. Not from pulling a handcart across the plans. But, maybe a family member who is choosing a different life path...

While on vacation with my family, we were visiting ancient cities and towns which had rock walls and foundations that were hundreds, if not thousands, of years old. I noticed something remarkable.   It is something I have noticed in other places I have visited. But, for some reason it really jumped out to me this time. I found myself taking pictures of it in each place we visited. These abandoned rock structures were usually up on a mountain. Nowhere near a direct water source. The sun beating down on them. Remnants of ancient civilizations that are long since gone. Fortresses of the past. Then, through the corner of my eye, I would see a hint of green.  A tiny seed had somehow found itself in just the right spot to grow. Not only grow. In some cases, flourish. The circumstances in our lives, including our past, can seem like these rock foundations and walls. Fortresses standing in the way of our growth and happiness. Believing that life...