Sometimes I write in the moment when I’m feeling inspired. The following is an excerpt from my iPhone notes from last February that I just stumbled upon. I think I was traveling to NYC and this came over me – a raw and unedited stream of consciousness about how our thoughts lead our lives.
As I peer out of the window of the plane I’m traveling on I’m somewhat awestruck by the beauty of the sky. Not only the beauty of it but the parallel it represents to life.
The blanket of clouds seems never ending and the sun has just set so I can only see glimmering traces of light from the western sun.
God made that. Just like he made you and I.
He made the sky so that it would experience both darkness and light. That’s also why we as humans experience those same things. It’s the beauty of life.
Without darkness we would never know or appreciate the light. And just like that blanket of clouds appears to be miles upon miles long, so do our lives and the circumstances within them.
Often times when we are facing a dark patch, we tend to feel as though we may never get through it. I felt that way when I first realized I had to face the addictions in my life.
It felt like no one could possibly understand how I was feeling and that the problems I was facing seemed never ending. But through it all I decided to put my focus on the small and faint beams of light I could see here and there.
The days where I felt on top of the world, which were few and far between in the beginning, are what I would cling to on the bad days where I wanted to give up. I began to realize that if I focused my mind on the bright side of things, it made each day easier. Not only that but it also kept me in check by forcing me to constantly readjusting my attitude.
When I would catch myself getting stuck on all the negative emotions I was feeling, I would take a deep breath and re-center my thoughts. It took some time and training, but I was able to do this as often as I caught myself and what happened over time was astounding.
I slowly but surely weaned myself away from almost all negativity. This small change in my thinking patterns was the one of the biggest changes of my life.
Quitting drugs and alcohol was huge, don’t get me wrong, but quitting negativity was even more notable for me. It was more than just a lifestyle change; it was an entire mental change.
[Tweet “Without the ability to change our thoughts we are not able to make substantial change in our lives.”]
Your thoughts and where you let them take you is the key to how you live your life. They also dictate how able you are to make key personal developments.
So often we get caught up in the negativity our minds revert to, especially when we are faced with challenge, that we forget we actually DO have the choice of what we think about and how we view ourselves as well as our lives.
As I continue to write and really drill down what has worked for me, it has become more apparent to me that beating a life change, heartache, addiction or any of the like is more so dependent on your thoughts about it than your ability to weather the storm.
Because let’s face it, the show will go on. It’s your choice on how the scenes change and where the story goes.
You can stay stuck where you are or you can decide that you are ready to make some changes. You’re literally only thoughts away.
Our actions are solely based on what our minds are telling us. Think about how powerful that is.
You may be in one of the dark phases of life. Be thankful for it because it is changing you and strengthening you. On the other side you’ll find a new appreciation for the light, which will make you value the happy times more.
Remember if it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you and if you don’t change you stay the same. We were meant to grow and evolve just as the universe we are part of does. He created us all equally and he gives some of the toughest challenges only to those He knows can handle them.
Our thoughts lead our lives. Where are yours leading you?