Thursday 28 December 2017

There Is Power In Saying No

How many times have you gone to an event and really didn't want to? Or, your family or friends expects you to hang out for no special reason. In your head you didn't want to go. You start thinking of all the excuses you can to get out of going. But you end up going anyway's.

So now you're out and it's everything you thought it would be. You're uncomfortable. You're not having fun. Your friends ask what's wrong? You say nothing, I'm fine. But slowly over the course of the evening you become increasingly short with people. After awhile, it's abundantly clear you don't want to be there. Your friends say you should just go home. You do. Now you're really upset with them and, you've wasted the whole evening. Has this happened to you? When did we lose our ability to say no?



There is power in saying no. It's not rude or mean if you decline. No is a perfectly acceptable answer. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Saying no does not make one selfish. It makes you an adult. Imagine if we used the above scenario and said no from the start. You would have got to do what you wanted to do. You would not be upset that your friends made you go out. But are you really mad at them, or are you mad at yourself? You would have had a pleasant evening at home relaxing.

The power of saying no is freeing. There will be many times in your life when you are asked to do something and you don't want to. If it's something that you're on the fence about, maybe you should go ahead and do it. But if it's a "Hard No",don't go. There is no reason why you should and make yourself miserable. Not only that, but why run the risk of ruining everyone's time? Our friends and family know us. If we're feeling off, it will show. And they will call us on it.

When you find yourself in this situation, say no. Don't be mean about, but stick to you guns. You don't have to justify why you said no. Feeling bad for saying no is not healthy. When someone pressures you to do something that you don't want to do, you need to ask yourself "why are they being so persistent?" Remember the longer you stay engaged in the no conversation, you'll either give in, or get upset. Simply say no and be on your way.



There is power in saying no. And for those who do not say it, they will be resentful and have little time to themselves. Learn to thank them for the invitation. Then proceed to say no. If they love you, they'll understand. If they don't, perhaps they're not as close to you as you thought they were.


















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Monday 30 October 2017

Is Occupational Burnout Leaving You From Managing Stress Effectively?


In our society, something called burnout from career is a typical phenomenon.Most of us wrongfully presume that career burnout results from working excessive, too long, or too hard.

This is true about being successful in life, you don't have to experience burnout stress.

Occupational burnout, or if you prefer, professional burnout, comes not from an absence of time, but from an absence of function.

Before you read further consider what the Course in Miracles asks us to contemplate: "There is no need to learn through pain. And gentle lessons are acquired joyously, and are remembered gladly."

Doesn't that great principle taken from the heart make you look at life more comfortably?

Have you ever discovered that when you're on fire with enthusiasm for something you want to accomplish, you're able to do it constantly for hours or days at a time?

The volume of work you can achieve makes those regular work duties fade by contrast.

You experience no career burnout.

What about Managing Stress?

Burnout stress has nothing to do with being too hectic. All you have to do is to reclaim your sense of purpose and sense of self if you want to prevent experiencing signs of burnout.


You might require inspirational teachings. Basically, motivation and deeply knowing your inner self is being aware why you're doing something.

This is why I always urge my friends to find mindfulness meditation strategies, practices and techniques that are comfortable for you.

If you have a compelling sufficient "why," the "how" will look after itself, and you'll find inner resources you never ever understood you possessed, generating unforeseen energy, enthusiasm, and concepts which will lead you towards your objectives.

In all things in life and relating to your life itself, understand your passions, purpose, and function.

Are There Signs of Burnout about to Strike you?

Focus on that response while you go about achieving the task at hand in front of you once you get an answer.

Look deeply within as far as you can into that concern-- asking your inner Guide--the Holy Spirit, as the Course in Miracles teaches, till the answers you get are pleasing and compelling.

As a person striving for being successful in life, you may discover yourself experiencing career burnout while doing a lot of research.
If not, keep asking more questions.

Discover the link between exactly what you're doing and what you eventually want while still being successful in life. Listen quietly within.

Having a sense of purpose in life is a very helpful thought process for remaining determined and being happy.

To understand your life purpose or function, ask yourself these questions:

- Why am I here?

- Exactly what do I need to contribute to the world?

- Where will my influence be felt?

- What am I good at?

- What do I enjoy doing?

- For exactly what would I prefer to be known?

- Who do I wish to be like?

- When am I the happiest?

When believe you've discovered your life function, ask yourself if your everyday activities support that life of purpose.

- Are you living a life of purpose?

- Are you utilizing your time wisely to produce the results you want in life?

If not, possibly you should rethink how you are spending your time.

For me, I was bored and anxious much of the day, and, although I was outwardly successful, I felt no joy from my success. I was experiencing burnout stress.

None of my techniques made an enduring impact on my life.

I attempted to seek out what I needed, and so must you!



Asking myself questions about exactly what I enjoyed, what I felt was my distinct contribution to the world, when I felt most alive, it ended up being clear that my pleasure was in helping others.

Plainly, the life I was living used none of the qualities I felt were needed for my function.

I resolved instantly to change my life, to discover an outlet for my talents and skills, and to contribute what I felt I was meant to add to the world in my own distinct method.

Watch out for all that Self-Guilt

Every one of us has that "Something" within, as the Course in Miracles states, which sets us apart from all other people on this world.

Not just do you need to not feel guilty about developing your life to express that special present, you will probably feel guilty if you're not doing that.

Take the time to discover your purpose, and start to live your life in support of that function.

Remember, to get over the hump of career burnout, take the time to find your function, your life purpose, and start to live your life in support of that purpose.

To letting go and beginning to manage stress!















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Monday 16 October 2017

In the Present Political Climate, Why Pray When You Can Worry? There Are Many Who Are Worried

Even as I was preparing to prepare this article the political confusion appeared to be becoming increasingly confusing.

Brexit is causing division in the United Kingdom. The news emerging from The White House in Washington D.C. continues to cause anxiety in the hearts and minds of many.

Worry is growing - there is no doubt about that.

Politics has always been a dirty messy business and over these past few weeks and months it has seemed to have become even dirtier and messier.

It was a former coal miner in Scotland who first said to me that politics was a messy business, and John's words are realistically true today.

Worry and anxiety and apprehension are difficult emotions to come to terms with and also to see them subside and died down and disappear.

However, there is a solution. There is an answer, if mankind wants to embrace and accept the only workable answer.



One wise man wrote, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding." He knew from experience the fruit of trusting God, as did Peter and most of those disciples of Jesus, in the early years of the Church.

We sit on a chair, and rest on that chair, trusting the chair will not let us down. Or, we lean on something, or lean on someone, resting some of life's weights.

Notice that verse does not say that we trust with all our mind. No. It is a heart issue. We may not understand all that is happening, but we trust God.

When Peter and John were imprisoned within hours of emerging as leaders in that newly launched Church, would they understand everything? No, but they trusted.

How has God come through for you in the past? You emerged because you leaned, trusted, rested in Him, or ran to Him.

God provided for Abraham when Abraham was about to sacrifice his only son, Isaac. There was a ram caught in the thicket. 'Provide' here has that meaning of "God will see to the need".

Jesus was the ram of God, provided to take away man's sin.

God provided everything for Adam, before he appeared. He did the same for Noah, and He has done the same for others, over the centuries.

Why do we worry? What causes us to worry? God will never abandon you in your crisis.

Am I going to trust Him, hide in Him, hold onto Him, lean on Him, and not be afraid of the outcome?

He provides in Jesus Christ, a Saviour, a Light, a Lord, Who guides, leads, encourages, rescues and strengthens.

At the outset of this year I launched a series of readings and studies on being "Free to Live" where various serious issues are dealt with - fear and worry being early topics.
Should you want me to develop this subject contact me through the excellent facilities on this website. If you have a question, I will endeavour to answer it and if I cannot I will say so.



Elijah knew what it was to experience fear and worry but God gave him a word enabling him to overcome.

When the disciples of Jesus were anxious and apprehensive and on the point of fear and worrying, Jesus pointed them to God the Father and said, "Do not let your hearts be troubled". It was a heart issue. It was an emotion that needed a word of calm and peace and reassurance.

Fear can have deep roots as can worry. One of my friends described worry as a form of atheism where individuals just do not trust Almighty God to act. Worry is a responsibility God never intended us to carry. It is like a rocking chair making you go back and forward or up and down - but it does not get you anywhere.

Why pray, when you can worry?





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Monday 9 October 2017

Our Perception Shapes Our Reality

In this day and age, it is a tangible fact that our perception shapes our reality. That is the reason two people have a different interpretation while living the same event. The meaning we give to events is based on our beliefs and emotions. So, to change our world, all it takes is a shift in perception?


Is that even remotely true? And if it is, how can it be possible? Then, if probable, how can we shape our reality to create a better one?

Well, what we perceive defines what we believe. In turn, what we believe determines what we take to be true. And what we take to be real becomes our reality. So then, our perception shapes our reality. Even though you and I live in the same world, we tend to focus on what we perceive as truth.

Even if most human beings have eyes, the way in which each one of us views the world is quite a bit different. It is always easy to find something one seeks, but it is harder to see what one is not searching for. A person may see a glass half-full while the other sees it as half-empty.

"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." - Winston Churchill

Perception Is Relative
So, examples about how perception shapes our reality abound. When we buy a new white car, we suddenly see that color and model seemingly everywhere we turn our head. If we do like or dislike a song, it seems that we hear it quite often. When someone points out a manner or a nervous tic that another person exhibit, it seems like we now see it more often after that moment.


Therefore, our emphasis is related to what we are expecting to see. Ever notice how ten bystanders can witness the same event, but then give ten different accounts later on. It is the reason why we usually perceive what we are looking for, and often miss what we are not searching for. And it is often done unconsciously because our perception shapes the reality around us.


As a result, what people perceive is usually based on what they believe, hear, see and think. Most of the time, we are unable to control what happens, but we can always control our responses.

Perception and Our Brain
Today we live in a digital age with an all running cycle of news being put out each second. So, another little detail I like to mention is that we are bombarded with 2 million bits of data per second. And yes, it is an actual fact!


How is it relevant to our perception shaping our reality? Well, our brain can only process around 120 bits a second as human beings. So it means that we cannot process all of the information around us or thrown at us during the days.

Therefore, our brain erases, deletes and removes information, even distorts it or generalizes it for us to make sense of it. It is created based on our beliefs, values, memories and more. Did you ever buy something to only notice after that everyone has it or that there is more of it around you? Yes, it happens to all of us because our perception shapes our reality.

Does Perception Shapes Reality?
Ask anyone out there if things do exist, and they would probably answer that "Yes, of course, things exist!" Everyone recognizes that there is physical stuff on earth and in the universe, and that reality is concrete and real! But let's go, for a moment, a little deeper on how perception shapes reality.


So, what allows you, us, a chair, or any other object to exist? Consider it for an instant. If an object did not have any borders, it would become a part of something else and could not be distinguished anymore. In other words, it would cease to exist. Even emotions only exist because we have given them names.

The part we play in how our perception shapes and creates our reality can be perceived in many facets of life. Just watch these fantastic and surreal video effects made of a man who runs up the stairs but does not move forward, walks through a door that is not real, pushes on a wall which falls away revealing another living block. And you will then soon realize that reality as we know it, could not just change, but completely be transformed.

Delusional Perception Can Also Be Reality
If something delusional is perceived as reality by someone, it can also become a reality. A lot of predetermined ideas can affect us physically as well as mentally. It has an emotional impact on us if we ingest a placebo, eat food that tastes different after we read, or hear about the ingredients.


Thus, our perception shapes our reality and even affects our emotions, attitude, outlook, and spirit. That is the reason some people see a reflection of the light while others may see the shape of something holy. Some tend to perceive miracles of God while others believe of a simple twist of fate.

As a result, we can manipulate our mind to create the reality we want. We can also influence our frame of mind to block some unneeded facts. The best example for this is when we drive laid-back, and we do not seem to realize all of the idiots that we notice when we are driving in a hurry.
Therefore, our mind's perception shapes and can create our reality as solid as we believe it to be.

Perception and Our View of the World

I believe that if we can alter the lens through which we see the world, we can change our reality. Our perception is shaped and made by our background and our previous experiences. So, depending on what we value and assume, we should be able to look at a situation and form a judgment about what we see. Thus, we can make our perception shape what is around us and make it our reality.


So, if we do not like the way our life is going, we can always take control of our perception of reality. We are in charge of our story the last time I checked. Everyone in life can shape and create their reality.

Perception shapes reality. The foundation of this idea is that it alters our actions and therefore it becomes real. If we think our night is going to go horribly, we will subconsciously change our actions so that this prediction gets fulfilled by our actions. So be careful because often, the manner we perceive reality is painted by how we want it to happen rather than simply of the way it is.

Our Perception Shapes Our Reality
Likewise, in our lives, any of the choices, decisions, actions, or observations we make is significantly filtered by our perception. Although social forces, news media, and spiritual powers are always trying to alter our behaviors, shape our views, or encourage our actions, it is still possible for us to modify our perception to see more. We just have to learn to open our minds broader than our senses.


We have to realize and understand that our perception shapes our reality! And quantum physics makes us grasp the fact that there are a lot more information and possibilities out there still unknown to us. In a way, it is quite exciting!

It is imperative to be aware of our perception because if we are not, something else or someone else will create it for us. Remember, our perception shapes our reality. It is our life, so we have to choose how we are going to live it. Therefore if we are to change our reality, then we must change the way we perceive things.









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Thursday 29 June 2017

Encouragement From a Biblical Character's Discouragement

Reading Job there's encouragement, maybe never more so when we feel like Job. In chapter 3, for instance, Job is given to lament his existence, hating the fact of his birth.

Consider this sample:

"Why is light given to one burdened with grief,
and life to those whose existence is bitter?" (v. 20)


This whole chapter Job appears practically suicidal. He reveals just how we all feel when we're encamped in grief. Everyone in grief has surely experienced something of what Job 3:20 is talking about having woken from their sleep and wanting desperately to return to unconsciousness.


As we read His Word, especially in that Joban position, God ministers to us through His Spirit. We're encouraged by someone else's lament. Their discouragement is a source of our encouragement, and this is the way God heals us in community - through shared experience.

When we feel less isolated we're able to cope better with suffering.

When we read of another's plight we don't feel so alone.

As we're coupled to an empathic community, God's mercy is felt as His comfort flows.

The Bible in our world is that community of God where many biblical characters are mentors. Some, and some stories, are there for our wisdom. To not go there. Not making the same mistakes.

The accounts we read in the Bible are so lifelike that nothing we could share of the life we live here and now could make it blush.
Those who think the Bible is for happy-clappy Christians obviously haven't read the Old Testament. And the truth of Jesus' Passion is the stuff of a Restricted-rated movie. Many times Paul despaired.



When we open our Bibles to 2 Corinthians it helps us most when we're undergoing a trial.

God's Word ministers truth into our souls through the vestibule of grace. The truth we need at the time is acquired through a search, and it meets us through His grace.

This is why the Bible is so important, especially in a world where post-truth and post-fact are real concepts. The Bible is a book of truth.

God's Word can encourage us most when we read of a biblical character's discouragement.

When we find ourselves in the narrative, we're instantly touched and heartened.



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