Tag Archives: responsibility

I am Sad and Depressed Everyday

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How would you respond? What words can you convey to be of service? Can you feel empathy?

Comment which was received anonymously from a past blog posting:
“I am extremely sad and depressed everyday. Cry a lot. Think about suicide all the time. As a 54 yr old female, I am wondering how to achieve enlightenment to elevate my soul and spirit…”

How do YOU respond to this comment… So this is the Response from Guidance:

“Thank you for your comment. I am sorry that you feel sad and depressed everyday. Life is a Miracle. Living can be brutal. Perhaps you can set out everyday to find one miracle in your world. Look for it. Find it. Feel it. AND, Know it…
This may be difficult to believe but even though you feel unhappy, you are a Miracle. You are amazing. No one else could do what you do. If you shared your life’s story, people would think that you are a SuperWoman to have survived. You have wisdom to share AND do not miss the opportunity to share your wisdom, even if what you share is what not to do… Your warning may change someone’s life.

By answering your comment, my day has been changed. Thank You.
You are a Blessing!
When possible, find Joy even in the darkest day or the most difficult challenge. This is easier said than done BUT you can get good at this… by… looking for the miracles and the good there is to find…

Please take good care of yourself. I am sending you my love and my thanks.”
———————
Additional thoughts from Guidance:

Most people find times in their human lives which do not feel happy. It is part of our challenge to live as humans in a world which often teaches through pain or fear or anxious uncertainties. Perhaps we survive and feel stronger and more resilient. Perhaps we survive and feel scarred and broken. The difficulties we face are part of the “drama” we sign up for as spiritual beings come to have “human” experiences. And, Pain is real, suffering is optional…

Life has its physical, emotional, and spiritual pain. These lessons are essential. How we deal with our losses, our pains, and our life challenges is an option we have. If you want to carry your victimhood as suffering, you have that as a choice AND as a lesson.

“That which does not kill us, makes us stronger” is attributed to the German philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche and delivers wisdom worth sharing. (It also reflects upon our life experience as an affirmation of resilience.) No Guide from the Divine ever said that human life would be always easy or fun. The times when we often learn the most are when we are most tested. However, living life in a state of constant sadness or depression is probably not the intention for every soul walking the Earth. We are tested and true “Enlightenment” often includes the ability to find light and joy in every dark corner of our lives. Not as a Pollyannaish response but as a reverence for all lessons, especially the tough ones.

Even the wealthiest humans amongst us can NOT buy eternal happiness or, more importantly, spiritual satisfaction and wisdom with their financial wealth reserves. In fact, for many people, wealth or the desire for wealth can get in the way of the deepest spiritual insights. (Consider the story of Siddhartha.) Wealth is not bad however its focused pursuit can get in the way of being most fully “present” and then acting on the path toward “Enlightenment” in your human incarnation… (This reflects My opinion based on my guidance…)

“Enlightenment” includes non-judgement, empathy, acceptance, and equanimity of other pilgrims and the interactions which occur. The practice of an Enlightened being includes unconditional love of all souls even the ones who you bump into who teach you lessons as your seemingly polar opposites. A common lesson on the path to “Enlightenment” entails taking full responsibility for the path you are following. No one else has made the choices you have made and you empower yourself by assuming your responsibility to both “good” and the difficult circumstances you may experience along the way. YOU have more power to create than you are consciously aware of in your human existence! (If you do not like your life’s path, change it! If people do not like you, you could change or find new people or learn from this difficult and awkward situation. Quit making the same mistake over and over or accept this condition in your temporary incarnation.)

Depression and Sadness are not uncommon human experiences. Our choice is to “suffer.” On the other side of living a human life, there are miraculous experiences and joy to be found in every day which you are blessed to live.

YOU are a Blessing! You are a Miracle! No one else can do “You” better than you and the Divine Spirit would be incomplete without what your soul brings to our Universe. Thank you for being you… You are LOVED!

You are a Miracle! Thank you for being you.

Thanks for your time and consideration. Your insights and experiences are unique and a blessing, so please share these…

If you are READY and looking for a supportive community where you can share your story, your wisdom, and grow spiritually in a non-religious environment, consider Masters of the Journey.
You are a Blessing! You are a Master! Your wisdom from your life experience can have great value to other pilgrims on the path toward awakening and enlightenment.

The Masters of the Journey has events which are updated on our Facebook page which is found at: www.facebook.com/mastersofthejourney Please comment on this blog and share, if appropriate. More of our blogs are based on spiritual consciousness and can be found at www.dstress.com/blog

Quit making the same mistake

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It’s Crazy! Quit making the same mistake over and over… The definition of crazy is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results, so I have been told.
Another quote which can cause reflection:
“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” Albert Einstein.

Now “Crazy” is not bad. Let us not judge this word or these behaviors. The word implies that the behavior is abnormal and out of step with conventional beliefs. But, is abnormal bad? Are “conventional beliefs” good? To both questions the answer is the same, “No” not always. With this said, are “conventional beliefs” not often crazy? This is for another posting. Abnormal behavior is often needed to solve problems… And, repeatedly doing the same behavior over and over expecting different results can be the identified, correctable behavior.

As an example, can you be loud, annoying/demanding, disruptive, and painfully distracting in all, or most, social situations and not be viewed as difficult to get along with and often objectionable? Can you simply ask, or even plead, for forgiveness and then continue the same “crazy” behavior expecting people to understand and continue to welcome you into their social group? Said with subtly, can you hit people over the head again and again and expect to build friendships? I do know of people who want the answer to be “Yes” and wonder why they get the answer, “No.”

“Outsiders” and “oppositional” people do test the accepted normal in beliefs and behaviors. We can learn from these opinions. When these outsiders become destructive to the social fabric it is not always a bad thing. After a time of repeated “different” behavior the group can accept this into conventional behavior or reject it. We have choice! AND, getting beat over the head multiple times does not often lead to a positive, lasting change. Even, if the social group needs this test.

So if you find yourself as an “outsider” or poorly accepted person, you too have choice. Take responsibility for your actions and do not make excuses. You are the creator! You are more powerful than you realize. If you release your control to others by thinking that their actions have created your problems then you release control of the solution. Quit playing the victim or you will be at someone else’s control for happiness. Eventually, you will need to be responsible and take charge of your life’s direction and your life lessons.

AND. Consider the impermanence, for all life on the Earthly plane is temporary. Both desirable and undesirable experiences and relationships do not go on forever in the drama of life on Earth. And, as we march down our path in this pilgrimage of life, we are here, in this incarnation, to learn from the “drama” of the role we are playing out… Learning is a good thing but it is not always, if ever, an easy thing.

Every one of us is an “outsider” when we approach new social situations. We can blend in. We can be ourselves and look to determine whether the group finds this appropriate for their social group. Or, we stir the pot with oppositional behavior, thoughts, and energy knowing that we may often be difficult to accept. We can be responsible for our behaviors and have all sides learn from this interaction or we can scream in blame of the others we are working to connect with. Either way, there is value and learning from this interaction for all sides. And, all life, and relationships on Earth, are temporary in the Universal scheme of things. Playing your dramatic role in your incarnation is for your current lessons and does not fully encompass your experience in the higher realms…

You have a choice. You can continue to repeat the same, familiar behavior again and again AND even expect a different result OR you can become aware of your pattern of drama and perhaps try something new. The “familiar” may feel safer because it is a “known” but it may not get you where you want to go. You have a choice to quit making the same mistake or you can be responsible for your being stuck and the lessons you gain from this continuing thought or behavior. It is your life and your lesson!

You are a Miracle! Thank you for being you.

Thanks for your time and consideration. Your insights and experiences are unique and a blessing, so please share these…

If you are READY and looking for a supportive community where you can share your story, your wisdom, and grow spiritually in a non-religious environment, consider Masters of the Journey.
You are a Blessing! You are a Master! Your wisdom from your life experience can have great value to other pilgrims on the path toward awakening and enlightenment.

The Masters of the Journey has events which are updated on our Facebook page which is found at: www.facebook.com/mastersofthejourney Please comment on this blog and share, if appropriate. More of our blogs are based on spiritual consciousness and can be found at www.dstress.com/blog

Life is Great! How is it going for You?

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Have you ever felt that Life is Great?!!! Are you a “glass half full” or a “glass half empty” kind of person? Sure, life is full of difficult challenges and there are many difficult experiences we face. Many people get caught up in the fearful side of life or dwell in the status of victimhood. This is not “bad” but it is a lesson in personal responsibility that most of us must try to understand and then move through in our quest for higher consciousness.

Fear??? What is the worst that can happen? You will get around to dying someday…
Why live in Fear? (Book resource: “The Afterlife of Billy Fingers” lots of information from the “other side” (or maybe there is no other side only an earth bound less conscious side???)

In my understanding, life is not meant to be too easy. We tend to learn more from the mistakes and failures we encounter than from the easier, and more pleasant, successes. I believe that we are born into our lives with certain built-in flaws and imperfections which are our “lessons” to experience and learn from in this life. None of us are “perfect” and our imperfections make us the valuable characters we are meant to play. We bump into other imperfect souls and, whether we like it or not, are meant to learn from these exchanges and interactions.

I have heard other people exclaim, “Life would be so perfect (or so much better) IF this or that was different…” Well, that is what we are here to do. To change “this or that” especially when we actually have some choice or control and this means changing “this or that” about ourselves (or at least our beliefs.)

People have very different opinions on what is “Great” in life. These opinions do not often match up very well. Each one of us is unique and how we feel about the things we encounter is different and unique. “That is what makes horseraces,” is an expression exemplifying why difference of opinions creates the wonderful diversity of experience in our lives. Sure, we bump into other people’s opinions which “trigger” our mental or emotional states of mind.

You are special. You are unique! Your soul is part of the larger Divine Spirit and the Divine can not exist without YOU and your challenges. So please consider the self-awareness of taking responsibility for yourself and your lessons. Learn to smile at the difficult challenges you face because these can be the most important lessons you have to learn from in this life. When you do smile at these life challenges you may end up “knowing” that life is Great!

One last rant, the other seemingly imperfect souls we bump into in this warm tumbling drier called life, are all connected to us and to the Divine Spirit. They are simply other perfect manifestations of ourselves. We are all in this together. Enlightenment comes when we realize this and know that our “purpose” is to reach around and grab the hand of the next person to support them and to assist their consciousness building efforts even if these other actors seem remote and unconscious…

If you are READY and looking for a supportive community where you can share your story, your wisdom, and grow spiritually in a non-religious environment, consider Masters of the Journey.
You are a Blessing! You are a Master! Your wisdom from your life experience can have great value to other pilgrims on the path toward awakening and enlightenment.

The Masters of the Journey has events which are updated on our Facebook page which is found at: www.facebook.com/mastersofthejourney Please comment on this blog and share, if appropriate. More of our blogs are based on spiritual consciousness and can be found at www.dstress.com/blog

Do You Not Like Me?

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Does it matter if YOU like ME? Surely, you have wondered about whether another person, perhaps an important person in your life, actually likes you. Maybe this matters because you want something from this person and they may be keeping you guessing regarding their intentions for you. Wow, what a dilemma? You may not have any control over whether this person likes you or even cares about you. What are you to do?

Perhaps, you can start by being nice and you find yourself doing things to please this other person. Or, you may be more generous to buy their positive feelings toward you. Or, you become entertaining, even funny, to win them over. Or, you try other strategies, even being forceful, to get the desired goal you aspire to achieve. If any of these strategies work, or if these attempts do not work, how will you feel about yourself? Some people will feel proud for the effort in spite of the outcome. Some people may feel hurt, angry, demoralized, or depressed when things do not turn out as they expected.

No matter what, is it worth it to try so hard to get this person to like you? Sometimes, it is. Lots of times it may not be worth your effort considering you have to live with yourself and take responsibility for your actions and your expectations. The bottom line is do you like yourself? This is your challenge because no matter what the outside people say or do, you must live in your own life. Most importantly, will you like yourself?

Can you take responsibility for your actions and your expectations? Can you accept yourself with your successes and seeming failures? Can you learn from every experience even if things do not turn out as planned. (Most people learn more from their failures than from their successes, when they take full responsibility.) Besides, expectations always screw things up. At the very best, you expected as much and often do not value your success.

It may not really matter, in the long run, whether another person really likes you and your behavior. It seems most important that you like and accept yourself even if you have flaws or imperfections or weaknesses. You have imperfections so you can learn from these, in spite of these flaws. If you live for external approval then your insecurities will dominate your life and then this becomes your lesson in this life. You can care about how you come across but you can not control the way another person may react. You must live with yourself first and not be a victim to your own expectations.

Start by knowing yourself with your strengths and weaknesses. Learn to accept what you can not change. At some point you find the perfection of who you are and the Divinity that dwells within you. You will remember that you are a perfect part of the whole of the Universal Spirit and you can like yourself and the role you have come here to play. It does not matter if another person bumps up against you and they appear to not like you… Just, love them for the perfect Divine Spirit they are and enjoy the role they are playing even if they appear to not like you… They are a part of your challenge and they can be thanked. It is a part of your spiritual enlightenment. Namaste!

Can you walk the path alone?

If you are READY and looking for a supportive community where you can share your story, your wisdom, and grow spiritually in a non-religious environment, consider Masters of the Journey.
You are a Blessing! You are a Master! Your wisdom from your life experience can have great value to other pilgrims on the path toward awakening and enlightenment.

The Masters of the Journey has events which are updated on our Facebook page which is found at: www.facebook.com/mastersofthejourney Please comment on this blog and share, if appropriate. More of our blogs are based on spiritual consciousness and can be found at www.dstress.com/blog

A Victim or Are You Responsible?

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Have you ever complained about something in your life? Sure, everybody has. Have you ever known someone who seems to live in a state of constant complaining? Sure, you have. Have you ever noticed that people who are generally happy are also the people who seem to take responsibility for their situation, accept their challenges, and find ways of making the best out of a difficult situation? We all have challenges. That is why we were born into our lives. Some people more easily realize the benefits of learning the lessons and some people seem to like to wallow in their grievances.

Today, I spent a long half hour with a person who had a lot of upset about her childhood from 50 years ago. There was victim status and grievances written all over this suffering human. I was at a loss to fix the past childhood mishaps. My listening lost concentration because I was distracted by that “pit of the stomach feeling” that this story was a re-occuring theme and a source of deep satisfaction. Not to the listener but to the storyteller who was a “victim” of this history. There was little acknowledgement of personal responsibility by the story teller, not for the bad experiences, but for not letting them go and moving on in life. This blog is not about my acquaintance but about my lesson and my lack of patience. My mind got “triggered” as it has in the my past when a person seemed to relish their role of living as a victim. I live with my challenges, ghosts, demons, and lessons by seeing how I am responsible for these occurrences and how I can learn from them so I can move on to my next challenge.

There are times when I explain my mistakes, foibles, flaws, and weaknesses by saying, “People like to do what they are good at (and familiar with) even making the same mistake over and over…” It is familiar as a bad habit just like a familiar old annoying friend. So I must learn to celebrate the people I bump into who are deeply invested in living their lives as victims. It is NOT for me to “judge” them but it may not be my role to sit there for half and hour and listen to them complain… Obviously, I must learn my limit of “kindness” in listening and be discerning enough to know that I do not have the job of talking them out of their need to be seen as a victim…

If you have more patience to share with me, I would appreciate any gift to assist me through my lesson. AND, I celebrate you for knowing and acknowledging your responsibility in choosing your lessons in this life. We can all be reminded of our need for personal accountability for the way we respond to the challenges we meet in life. Learn to be responsible for your reactions.

If you have a story to share, consider sharing with our community, Masters of the Journey. Whether you know it or not, YOU are a Master!

PS. I was whining and sounding like a “victim” in this blog… We all have to try on the various roles and the ones that do not fit well we must discard and look for the roles that do feel correct (or better.)

Blaming and Dodging Responsibility

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Tough topic for many (most) people… Is it easier to blame others than to take responsibility for the challenges that life throws at you? Sure it is! We have been taught to defend our “position” (at any cost.) You are taught to “judge” other people and look for their weaknesses or imperfections so we can pretend to “elevate” ourselves. Winning and competing is valued by our culture. Yet, the way to a better, happier, healthier world is not found in tearing other people down or fixing our “wrong-headedness” in the concrete of our emotional foundations.

Many times, it is better to look at a difficult situation and to learn how and why We Put Ourselves in this situation. It is not a conscious choice BUT there is a lesson we are to learn from, and so, move on our path to consciousness. As an example, 19 years into my marriage with my life partner, my wife, we were confronted with a terminal diagnosis with her ovarian cancer. Initially, I was confused with why (?) and how I was going to support her and to deal with this. I do NOT wish this situation on anyone, however, I would not trade this difficult life experience. There is so much learning that comes from this situation. This brutal experience made us closer than we had ever been before. Since her death in 2012, I have continued to learn and to grow. It is a major reason I am in the position of writing this blog in an act of sharing from the lessons I am continuing to learn.

Why we were “supposed” to endure this challenge is not fully explainable. However, I realize that this experience has huge value in learning my purpose in this life and helps me to be of service, with much greater compassion and resolve. Blaming the doctor who missed the diagnosis was easy and familiar but did not serve me. I am learning that taking responsibility for my role and my learning makes me understand how best to take a seemingly negative life challenge and make this a teaching moment, not just for me, as I continue my path through this life. I never thought that after losing my marriage that I was alone, but I have learned so much more about my relationships with friends and with starting my life over (in many respects) later in this life…

My life AND YOUR life have been filled with challenges and successes which we were meant to have as developmental tools. We can blame other people and situations for the pain we have felt or we can find a way to thank these difficulties for teaching us what WE have needed to learn. We can take responsibility and NOT live as victims. We can take our learned lessons and find ways to be of service by sharing our stories and the wisdom which we have been forced to learn! We can begin to remember that the divine purpose of these trials have been presented to us not just for our learning but as a way to raise the consciousness of everyone we come into contact with.

Consider how YOU can learn from the situations where YOU feel like blaming. Consider how you are responsible for  these painful situations through the choices you have chosen to make. AND, take responsibility for the wisdom you have found! Reach around and use this wisdom to assist other pilgrims you meet in this life. Fulfill your purpose to serve the divine.

Though this is difficult to read, and to understand, know that you are perfect. You are a master sent to grace this plane of consciousness with your learned wisdom. The world IS a better place because of the role you are here to play. Serve by being a light, a role model of the collected experiences and learnings you have gleaned from this human experience. Thank you for being you! Thank you for surviving and learning from the painful challenges! Blessings on your continued path.

Consider sharing your stories and your wisdom with the community of Masters of the Journey. Or, get involved in this communities events, many listed at www.facebook.com/mastersofthejourney