So I'm reading a book called "Remembering Wholeness" by Carol Tuttle. It's a "self-help" book designed to help readers remember their true Self, or divine nature, or real self...whatever you want to call it. I'm only a quarter way through but found myself with my pen in hand underlining, getting excited and nodding my head going, "yes! I love this."
One principle that she talks about it the power of our thoughts. She states that our thoughts create the life we are living. What we believe actually becomes our reality. What we spend our time thinking, feeling, and speaking about actually draws that thing into our lives. So if we spend our time thinking negative thoughts, then we will actually draw more negative experiences into our lives. We have the power to change our lives just by changing our thoughts! We are not victims of our circumstances, but are actually totally in control by what we think. We are in deliberate control of our lives. How awesome is that? (Also a little scary, because that is how we become ACCOUNTABLE!!!)
One way to directly influence our thoughts and experiences is by using positive affirmations. She talks about how powerful the statement "I am" is. By saying "I am" at the beginning of a sentence we are actually creating our present reality. So by stating positive affirmations beginning with "I am" we are drawing that idea or energy into our lives. I have found this to be very powerful. Rob has said nightly positive affirmations with our kids since they were old enough to talk. Recently, both Rob and I have been practicing this principle and have loved the effects.
Some of my affirmations are: I am a good mom, I have an abundance of energy, I am joyful and happy, I am patient and loving with my kids, I am using my time wisely, I am full of creativity, I am open and unafraid, I am a good communicator, I am a daughter of God, I am full of light and love, I am a loving and thoughtful wife, I am considerate of others, I am attracting people who are positive, safe and respectful, I am attracting like-minded people with whom I love to interact, I am respectful of my kids and their feelings....these are just a few.
Another thing I love about her book is she brings it all back to this, we were created to be joyful and happy. That is our true, natural state. So, anytime we are not in this state we are miserable, because we are creating something that is not our natural state. Sometimes we feel these feelings to teach us something, that maybe we are making wrong choices, or focusing on negative things. She says that "we came into this life with the soul intent on remembering who we are--our gifts, our glory, our power, and our god-self. We choose an interesting way of remembering: we are remembering by experiencing who we are not." Through our experiences we can come to know who we really are. "You are loved, You are already whole. You have just forgotten your wholeness. And in that forgetting you stumble and fall and make mistakes that you are meant to learn from." Love that perspective.
One other point I loved is this. "When our physical body rules our lives, we are subject to addictions and appetites of the flesh. All these states keep our spirit, our soul essence, from being the most dominant influence in our lives. When we allow our spirit, which is connected to Christ, to direct our lives, we are willing to surrender our emotions, our conscious thinking mind, and our appetites and physical passions to it. In this surrendering we subject our will to our spirit's will.
"Our spirit's will is always aligned with God's will for us. It is in this state of being that we are truly aligned with Christ-energy and every thought, feeling, and physical desire is in harmony with God. It is in this state that we attract like-minded people and experiences that bring us joy. Life mirrors back to us a life of well-being and harmony wherein all things that are good and desired can come effortlessly."
To you, all my friends and family, and to myself I quote "Realize that you are wonderful, perfect, learning and growing, and doing the best you know how!"
