To react or not, that’s the choice when someone is getting under our skin. Angrily or disgustedly reacting rather than making a conscious choice to act when in the company of a person who is either getting under our skin, dismissing us all together, or being rude or mean-spirited is the default position of many. There are myriad ways to act, to respond to any situation, however. My[...]
2 Detachment is stepping back from an experience in order to allow room for God to do his part. I seldom remember, without some prodding that I initially resist, that God is a factor in every person’s experience. My ego’s first inclination is to think I am a necessary factor. And not just an ordinary one but the deciding one. Giving up control and letting God be the ke[...]
If we fail to detach from a person who is always in turmoil, we’re likely to blame them for our unhappiness. Allowing the irresponsible behavior or insane turmoil surrounding some one else to become the focus of how we are feeling in the moment is a terrible set-up for a resentment. And we all know how this feels. Choosing to blame others for our lack of peace is commonplace. We[...]
I well remember when I first saw the slogan: keep it simple. I couldn't fathom what it actually meant. My life was complicated. And for good reason it was complicated. I was in graduate school at the time and teaching at the University of Minnesota. I was in and out of bad relationships and was sent to Al-Anon as a coping strategy for the most recent relationship. Like so many[...]
Circle of Family and Friends - You and Your Personal Community, Reflections in the Mirror - You and Yourself
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Having the willingness. . .
Nothing changes in our lives unless we have the willingness to make another choice about how we see a situation or a person whom we have encountered. Perspective it's called. And that makes all the difference regarding what kind of day we will experience. The good news is that we have the ability to change our perspective at will. That's where the willingness comes in. If you ar[...]
It's a fact. Every single one of us has a purpose. And of course, there is only one of each of us. Only one! This means we are quite specifically completing one tiny part of the whole. Think of it as a jigsaw puzzle. No other person can fill the "space" assigned to us. No one! We are fulfilling a role that has been designated as ours alone. What I am doing will always be[...]
There are no doubt many answers to this question, but I know my moodiness is generally due to one of two things: I am either tired or I am afraid about something. Both reasons are easily addressed I think. Being tired requires getting more rest. The solution is obvious. Being afraid is a bit more complex. But being a student of ACIM offers me an answer. If I am afraid, I have s[...]
Taking that ever important moment to "step aside," can make a huge difference in how we perceive the people and the circumstances that surround us. Over none of them do we have control. But we do have full control over how we perceive every person and every situation. And that's a lot of power. Power that we are both privileged to have and expected to use. Pausing before formula[...]
At a recent meeting a woman suggested the above question as a topic for discussion. Not once in 37 years had I heard this suggestion as a topic. I was immediately intrigued. Actually, it stopped me in my tracks because it dawned on me that I had not been thinking about the steps, not a single one of them, in a very focused way. And yet, their constant value in my life can't be over[...]
To be at peace is my goal. It's my intention. I've even decided to adopt it as my mission statement. I WANT TO LIVE AN INTENTIONALLY PEACEFUL LIFE WHICH REQUIRES THAT I OFFER THE HAND OF PEACE TO MY FELLOW TRAVELERS. I was with some women at lunch today and the idea of a mission statement for ourselves came up. Each of us felt a kinship with the idea. Living haphazardly, as man[...]