Our Worst Enemy?

"Your worst enemy cannot harm you as much as your own unguarded thought." - Buddha

Last year I had a situation in my life that felt incredibly stressful. It seemed like I was being attacked, and I felt angry and scared. As the fear grew it began to consume me and almost every aspect of my life. It wasn't fun to be me, and I am pretty sure it wasn't much fun being around me either.

In hind site, I can see that more than half the stress originated in my thoughts, rather than by the actions of "my worst enemy." I realized, once again, that while the actions of another may feel like an attack, I attack myself over and over with my thoughts of fear, anger, judgement or self condensation.

Today's journal question:

Where do I feel attacked by another? In what way am I attacking myself with my feelings and thoughts about that event?

E x p a n d by Enjoying

"Your capacity e x p a n d s in small increments each time you consiously let yourself enjoy the money you have, the love you feel, and the creativity you are expressing in the world. As that capacity for enjoyment e x p a n d s, so does your finacial abundance, the love you feel, and the creativity you express." - Gay Hendricks, The Big Leap

This works! I have been practicing enjoying all the wonderful things in my life no matter how small......a moment when my children are enjoying a great conversation with each other, a moment when I notice the hollyhocks in my front yard, all the way to a great tax return. I have been practicing focussing my attention on anything that is good in my life.....and.....

.....even when I feel totally stressed out I have been re-minding myself to look for something....ANYTHING....positive to focus on and practice - e x p a n d i n g that feeling. It works. And, my favorite part is it works instantly.

Let It Be

Early this morning I received a re-minder from the lyrics of a song..."Let it be. There will be an answer. Let it be," by The Beatles.

So often when I experience stress in my life I forget this Wisdom. There will be an answer. "Stress is a fear reaction to life." Louise Hay re-minds me. When I am feeling fear it is because I am not practicing faith. Somewhere I have unconsiously chosen fear over faith. And then I am re-minded (by a song, friend, affirmation, reading) and I can consiously choose faith.

This morning when I heard the lines to that song I felt a wave of immediate re-lief....quickly followed by another wave of fear. So, I gently re-mind myself with the words of the song as a mantra/affirmation. "There will be an anwer." There IS an answer. I may not be consiously aware of it, but I KNOW there IS an answer.

At the center of my being, in the Truth of my being lies Divine Wisdom. In that place the answer exists, and in Divine Timing it will be re-vealed in my life. I know from past experience that although I think I want to know now, when the knowing comes it will be perfect (Divine) timing. I will understand. So for now. I rest in the faith that all is perfect in my world.

Namaste