Remember the Principle of Separate Realities. The way I see things is not really how things are; it’s just my own perspective. The value of anyone or anything exists solely in our perspective. If that’s true, there is no logical reason to take personally what others say or do! That guy didn’t cut me off in traffic because he was out to get me. He cannot make me a victim—I choose to do that. Love is all about freedom. But we are also free not to allow others to take advantage of us. One of our greatest freedoms is freedom from the tyranny of other people’s opinions about us.
We all have our separate realities. If we see gold, there is gold; if we see lead, there is lead. If we see this thistle as a thorny nuisance, then it is a weed. If we appreciate its bright pink bloom, then it is a flower. It becomes what we name it. The power is in our choice, our perspective, and our speaking.
The trick is in what we emphasize. We can either make ourselves miserable or we can make ourselves happy. The amount of work it takes is the same.
Our happiness or misery depends on our disposition, not on our circumstances. When any situation arises that tempts us to become disturbed, we can say, “There is another way of looking at this.”
See beauty in unexpected places. Pause to appreciate the beauty around you. Whether it be a rainbow or a butterfly, a mountain or a tree, a painting or a poem—whether created by God or by human hands—beauty adds a magical element to our lives that surpasses logic and science.
Let’s always make our choice for joy. When all our wishes are analyzed, we find it comes down to two things: to love more and to be happy! Ordinary life is where we live most of the time, and it is just as difficult to be joyful in ordinary circumstances as in adversity. Small problems can spoil joy as quickly as big ones. See the world with new and loving eyes. We can take hold of joy as simply as turning on a light switch in a dark room. And even after the Christmas season, let’s choose compassion, forgiveness, and understanding in all that we do!
Leave a Reply