Meeting
your soul is not a onetime event but a moment-to-moment deepening, an
ongoing rite of passage from who you thought you were to who you really
are.
—Living
From The
Inside Out
Two boys were shoveling manure in a barn. One boy, hating the work and feeling sorry for himself, complained relentlessly, criticizing everything from the weight of his shovel to the stench in the air. The other boy whistled the entire time. When asked at last why he was happy, he said, "With all this manure, there's got to be a pony in here somewhere!"
The boys had contrasting experiences because their attitudes differed. Whereas one assumed his labor was for naught, the other imagined a promising outcome. Bringing to the task an attitude of curiosity, observation, and possibility, he was able to view it as a positive experience.
It may be tempting to assume that circumstances dictate attitudes however, attitudes are chosen. Your state of mind decrees your direction and affects your level of happiness. Regardless of what is happening on the outside, people who realize they have the ability to choose their response in any situation enjoy humanity's ultimate freedom.
Recently, two of my friends were going through a divorce with their respective mates. One woman, discontent about being single and feeling anxious about the future, regretted and bemoaned her status. As she spent the majority of her time focusing on what she perceived was wrong, her fearful thinking distorted her happiness, depleted her vitality, and weakened her personal effectiveness. She became stuck in what she didn't want.
The other woman enjoyed a different outlook. When I asked her why she was happy, she responded, " I can go through the divorce kicking and screaming or view it as a new adventure in discovery and growth." In spite of a challenging set of circumstances, she chose to value herself as well as her new experiences. She moved forward with trust, joy, and self-confidence, the ingredients needed to manifest her new dreams.
Happiness is an inside job. Depending on the perspective we bring to it, any hardship in life can be seen as an occasion for drudgery or as an opportunity for discovery. If you tend to see more stumbling blocks than stepping-stones, a change of attitude can shift you into a more expansive state and vastly improve your outcomes.
"How do I do that?" you might ask. You can use the "AAA Approach" (awareness, acknowledgment, action) to bring forward a greater capacity to enjoy the present moment, upgrade your attitude, and transform your life. Begin by using the tool of awareness to be present here and now. Become aware of your feet on the floor and the clothes on your back. As thoughts arise, watch them pass through your mind without trying to stop them. After a few minutes of observing your thoughts, take a deep breath and notice the air passing through your nose, filling your lungs, and pressing your abdomen outward. Allow for a momentary pause and then exhale, releasing the air through your mouth. In the present moment, there is nothing lacking. As you smile from deep inside, observe and welcome who you are in this moment.
A powerful strategy for educating your mind and improving your attitude is acknowledging where you're placing your focus. Since happiness and fear cannot coexist in the same space, the choice is always yours. Who do you serve? What focus is worth more to you? As you acknowledge your decision, thank yourself for your willingness to clarify the selection you've made and become aware of the consequences it brings.
If you want to upgrade your point of view, practice
the action of gratitude. Gratitude is
an uplifting tool that provides glimpses of the sacred within the
mundane and furthers your ability to fill up from the inside. For
example, you might tell yourself:
- I am grateful to exercise my right to vote in public elections.
- I am grateful for the opportunity to send my children to school.
- I am grateful to engage in a new adventure of mountain climbing.
Expressions of gratitude uplift the spirit, invite more goodness into your worldview, and more happiness into your life. It dynamically transforms distorted thinking and inspires an awakening of thankfulness, expansion, and freedom.
If you view every situation as an attitudinal choice, you
will be open to new sights and receptive to ideas you would normally disregard.
As a result, you might also realize that you are the creator of your universe,
choosing your attitude, and shaping your experience of life from one moment
to the next.
Feel free to share this inspirational message with friends, just keep the copyright and credits intact. If you enjoyed this article and would like more practical guidance to soulful living, read Dr. Jean-Marie Hamel’s book, Living from the Inside Out.
© 2004 Jean-Marie Hamel