Reviewing the Past
Tonight I felt quite inspired to read up on some of my past articles and see if I could learn anything from them.
You see, through the process of teaching, the teacher is able to learn a tremendous amount.
In fact, sometimes, through the process we come up with ideas and concepts in the spur of the moment which can even be somewhat new to us: teachings that are important for both the reader and the writer to review and embody.
Instead of giving you a full new post for you to read today, I’d love for you to review one of my former posts. Below are the three that I read tonight. Read the title and short description, pick one that resonates with you, and enjoy:
How to Achieve Success Through High Expectations: Have you ever thought to yourself, “I would love to achieve those goals…but I don’t expect them to come true…” ?? Here is a fantastic way for setting your goals, maintaining high expectations, while also being flexible for the universe to provide as it sees best.
A Simple Formula for Being Happy Regardless of Circumstance: Seemingly terrible, terrible things happen in life. It’s an unavoidable fact. People die. Houses burn down. We lose investments. It happens! Here are some great methods for rolling with the flows and maintaining happiness through anything that comes your way.
The Blessings of Failures: This is one of my personal favorites. Throughout life most of us have somehow developed the belief that failure is a terrible thing to happen. I ask you though, is it really? Read this and you’ll learn how all the failures you’ve ever had were simply blessings in disguise.
Tags: Blessings, Circumstance, Expectations, Failure, Mindset, Review, Success
The Blessings of Failures.
Hand down the best post. Such a powerful way to look at things.
Thanks for the reminder!
Ryan
Sean-
None of these posts seem to fit into my life at the moment. But I completely agree on looking back on previous teachings/events/etc. in your life. It can bring forgotten inspiration and insight.
I also wanted to take this time to update you on my status. I’m going through another one of those “growth spurts” in my life. I can feel myself being changed and the force to want to change for the better.
I am currently single again. I believe that she did me a favor too. I got my feet wet, experiencing what a relationship is again. But now it’s time again to look deep within myself.
Many great opportunities are knocking at my doorstep. I am being careful to pick the right one, as well as the one that fits myself and my passions best.
I just read the book, Take Your Best Shot, written by a 15 year old who attends my church. It has inspired me to search for a selfless purpose in life. It may not come this year (or this decade), but in time I’m positive God will direct me there.
Getting out of my comfort zone is what I’m working on at the moment, which is operating on my own, always keeping others at an arms distance.
I have many things to ponder and consider as you can see.
If you have any suggested reading and/or previous blog posts of yours, they are welcome.
I hope this reply finds you well.
Chris Gray
Hey Chris,
It’s great to hear from you. I apologize for taking so long to respond, as it wasn’t until just the other day that I saw your comment.
It’s good that you believe she did you a favor. It’s always important to be grateful in life for whatever comes our way. I actually just finished watching a PBS episode with Michael Beckwith titled ‘The Answer Is You,’ in which he discussed what he sees as the 3 stages of gratitude, which I had to write down:
1. Being grateful for everything you have: Literally, all the things you have in your life.
2. Being grateful for the negative experiences in your life: the ’seeming’ bad. Because in the end, there is no right or wrong, good or bad, there just is…Being grateful for those experiences makes the lessons for them learned quicker, and allows to grow and evolve sooner. (by the way, they’re still airing that show on PBS, it’s great; I’d suggest looking up your local listing to see when it is on).
It’s great that you’re being careful about picking the opportunity is right for you. You definitely want to be sure it is in alignment with who you are, what you want to do, and where you’re going. Granted, one thing to be aware of is sometimes the opportunities that we are being presented with may not be the PERFECT things we want, and may not be fully aligned with what we want, but could in fact lead to it…So be sure to have that foresight to and think through them.
Imagine 2 opportunities: 1 that seems like it fits in line with your goals, because it’s completely pleasing and tons of fun….while another doesn’t seem to be in line with your goals, and is not nearly as much fun as the other one is. There is a possibility that the 2nd one is the one to choose, simply because it will allow you to get closer to your primary goal quicker. Does that make sense?
As for the selfless purpose: It sounds like this 15 year old has a great book and some great perspectives. Be sure to remember that there are many different perspectives, and no one route is necessarily “THE” route. Consider, what does it truly mean to be ’selfless?” Is there even such a thing?
You see, people always do things that ’serve’ them. It could be through gaining a ‘positive’ feeling, through getting significance, connection, love, or what have you. Mother Theresa may seem like she lived a life of selfless acts. But when it comes down to it, she was ’selfish’ to. She was doing things that made her feel good.
Now I am by NO means saying to not pursue something that is ’selfless,’ or knocking that idea! I’m offering a perspective for you to grow an even greater understanding of it. When I mention ’selfish’ above regarding Mother Theresa…it is in no way a ‘negative’ context of the word (which is hard to do, because the word selfish is primarily associated with a negative feeling). I think you get what I’m saying…
Simply realize that in the midst of following a ’selfless’ purpose…you are most likely ‘gaining’ something.
Hmm, I do wonder if there is SUCH a thing as a truly ’selfless’ purpose, since again, everything that we do ‘gives’ us something.
I suppose what it comes down to is what specifically that ’something’ is that we get…and what that ’selfless’ purpose is for. Clearly, Mother Theresa’s life was a positive one…Ghandi, positive. Martin Luther King: positive. And so on.
Regarding getting out of your comfort zone: here’s another perspective to mess with your mind a little more (*evil grin and laugh*) — Comfort zone pushing exercises and activities is great. I absolutely encourage. But be sure you do not ‘polarize’ one way or another. Comfort zones can be both good and bad. It’s all how you take them. Make sure that when expanding your comfort zone, that you are not ignoring what you’re great at….
For example, for me, I could ‘get out of my comfort zone,’ by doing a lot of work on different things by myself…but when it comes down to it, I like collaboration. I enjoy it….A lot.
The music I’ve been writing for the last few months: I co-write with another person…I find it TONS of fun, and much easier! When I run into a road block and can’t think of any more ideas for the song, my buddy jumps in and adds his own flavor to it…It takes it to a new point where I go, “Ahh! I know what to do with it now!”
So, pushing my comfort zone would definitely be to write some music by myself, and only by me. But when it comes down to it, I enjoy collaborating more, so I will do more of that.
What I am saying for you, is again, be careful of polarizing your actions. Be aware of yourself. If you operate much better with people around you and being close to you, than embrace that! Don’t push that away.
Then again, maybe the opposite is both you.
Your awareness will help you decide.
Suggested Reading, they’re not completely ’specific’ to what you raised here, but I am almost certain that reading these you will find ways to attach them to your life…and find things you didn’t even know you were searching for.
First book: The Alchemist. Get that.
2nd book: The Celestine Prophecy (Don’t recall the author; it’s the only book that will pop up when you search for it though), or Spiritual Liberation by Michael Beckwith. I have not read the latter in its entirety yet…but I’ve found that Beckwiths words are ones to be listened to. Great wisdom he has.
Hope this helps!
–Sean Patrick Simpson