Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Playing the "Blame Game"? ... Look in the Mirror!

One of my least favorite things is someone ticking off a laundry list of what's wrong in our country, or in the world, and smugly assigning blame to this person or that group.  So, just for a few minutes let's stop the fuming and fussing about what's wrong and who caused it and focus on what we can do as individuals to create better lives for ourselves and, ultimately, a more humane, peaceful and healthier world.

I realize that the idea that individuals can help to heal the Earth and obliterate disease, hunger, poverty and war may seem impossible and naive, but consider the following.  It's obvious that today's collective world consciousness is founded on fear, greed and looking out for number one.  And the results of this negative group-mindset are also obvious.  We have created a global culture based on negative values.  The good news is that if group negativity can be successful, then group positive-ity can as well.

I believe the universal Truth is that what we desire for the world has to manifest in our lives first.  When we believe in this Truth and live it, then we will be able to create peace, health and happiness for all.  No leader, no political process, no economic or governmental system is totally responsible for the challenges we face nationally or globally right now.  Our situation is simply a mirror of what humanity's collective consciousness and actions from the past have wrought.  And, considering the difficulties we face ... we cannot afford to underestimate the value of this opportune time to apply new Truths in order to help heal the Earth and humanity.

The first step is to accept once and for all that none of the wonderful changes we desire for our own lives and for others around the world start Out There.  It is totally an "inside job," and it begins with us.

The positive thoughts we need to accept and imbed in our individual and collective consciousness must embrace such basics as abundance (enough to spare and share), health, healthy relationships, fulfilling our life's purpose (being part of bringing more Good into the world) and living in peace, security and joy on a healthy planet.

To start the process we must also accept that we are the only ones we can ever change.  And we know from science that with every action there is a reaction.  Whenever one person has the courage to step up and commit his or her energy to uplifting humanity, it sets a reaction in motion in other individuals that can spread around the world.  The rub is that in order to tip the scale and have this happen sooner rather than after ever-worsening and dire situations, many individuals are needed to step up right now and become warriors for positive change.

All the media hyperbole around 2012 concerning the end of the world as we now know it, and the current presidential election, has served to make us aware that this is a time of great transformational change.  If we forget that the media aims low and overplays the situation to get our attention, and we get caught up in fear -- and start blaming -- we become part of the problem,  If, however, we can hold onto an unshakable trust, faith and confidence in the verities of life -- God-Goodness-Truth-Love-Beauty-Us -- we can open to the true message of 2012.

The real message is a wake-up call from the universe letting us know that the Big Change is not meant to happen to us, but through us.  Of course, knowing the solution is only the first step.  While the Truth points the way, we still have to do something about it.  We have to look deep within and decide whether we are willing to focus our time and energy in being part of the solution -- or whether we choose to continue desperately hanging onto the myth that the answer lies in selfishly grabbing what we can for ourselves and letting the rest of the world be damned.

If you have what it takes to accept where the solution really lies, and to be a warrior for change, for Good, I recommend making your life motto the universal Truth as voiced by Jesus:  It is done unto us as we believe.  Our thoughts do determine what manifests in our lives, and millions of people are proving this every day around the world.  We just need many more to do the same -- sooner.  It is time for us to wake up and take responsibility for our lives and our planet and to help humanity evolve to a new consciousness level--one human being at a time.
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Copyright 2012 by Fern Stewart Welch - for additional insights go to http://www.fernstewartwelch.com/, click on How-to Lists at the top, and on "Realizing Your Heart Desires."

The author's books: "Tea with Elisabeth," recipient of the 2010 Silver Award for Non-fiction; "You Can Live A Balanced Life In An UnBalanced World," and "The Heart Knows the Way--How to Follow Your Heart to a Conscious Connection with the Divine Spirit Within," are available at Amazon.com and other online booksellers, as well as bookstore chains such as Barnes & Noble.

Sunday, January 1, 2012

It Takes More than New Year's Resolutions to Change Your Life

Like millions of others, I made New Year's resolutions in the past, and then failed to fulfill them.  This annual ritual became an exercise in how to beat myself up for my failures.

Then I learned the concept of changing your life by changing your thoughts.  I fully understood that if what I was experiencing wasn't desirable, it was equally possible to follow this concept and create a life of happiness and fulfillment.  I made this idea part of my life more than three decades ago.

It didn't take me long to realize why we can never be successful by making fervent, but wishful statements about our life challenges.  I learned that the problem was in the thoughts, feelings and emotions we hold about ourselves, which directly affect such important issues as abundance, health, relationships and success.

I discovered that it was necesary to go within and find out what we really desire in life.  I also found that at a deep level most human beings believe they aren't good enough, deserving or worthy, which effectively blocks their good.  To heal those thoughts, say every day as often as possible: I love myself just the way I am, right here, right now.  I deserve all the blessings the world has to offer. I am willing to change my negative thoughts and to accept good for myself.

The core beliefs we hold of being unworthy are only thoughts, which create a feeling that binds them to us.  If we change the thoughts, we change that feeling.  It doesn't matter how long we have held negative thoughts or what the thoughts are.  We can change the thoughts.  Memorize this and repeat it as often as possible:  I love myself and am wiling to change my thoughts. I now allow only positive thoughts about myself.

If we have been hurt in the past, or we hurt someone and are still holding onto the thoughts, we only hurt ourselves.  These thoughts have determined the life we have now and will decide the future.  We must release these thoughts and be free of the past.  The only way to do that is to be willing to forgive not only others but to forgive ourselves.  Say this as often as possible and for as long as it takes:  I forgive myself for any real or imagined wrong done by me to myself, and to anyone else, past or present.  I freely and wholly forgive anyone else for any real or imagined wrong done to me, past or present.  I am free.  They are free.

The key is to love ourselves so that we can open to accepting what is truly desired into our life.  By paying close attention to what we think and say, we become aware of the many times we put ourselves down for the simplest and most inconsequential things.  This is a negative habit that keeps us stuck in victim-hood, and assures that our life will continue to be less than desirable.  Start today, and repeat often: I am wonderful, lovable, deserving and worthy and I love myself just the way I am.

While it may not be possible to say these affirmations and really mean them at first - if you continue you will -and your life will begin to change.  And, while the only one we can ever change is ourselves, when we begin to experience positive changes in ourlife, it will have an effect on others.  Know that whatever our current situation is, we have created it.  The good news is that now we can consciously choose the life we desire.

Once we decide what we want, and can love ourselves enough to accept having it, the positive affirmations set a powerful force in motion, and we have only to persevere to be successful:  Say every day as often as possible:  I am perfect, whole and complete right now.  I am willing to do what it takes to change my thoughts.  I give thanks for the good that comes to me now, and affirm that only good comes from me to others and the world.

Negative thought patterns often take time to change, so we need to be patient and gentle with ourselves.  When we begin to falter or doubt, we must take heart and know that millions of others have taken responsibility for their lives and are proving that when they change their thoughts, their  lives change.  Say every day:  I never give up and I never give in--and victory will be yours.
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Copyright 2007 by Fern Stewart Welch -- one of the author's most requested essays.

The author's books: "Tea with Elisabeth," recipient of the 2010 Silver Award for Non-fiction; "You Can Live a Balanced Life In An Unbalanced World," and "The Heart Knows the Way--How to Follow Your Heart to a Conscious Connection with the Divine Spirit Within," are available at Amazon.com and other booksellers, as well as bookstore chains such as Barnes & Noble.