CENTER for BALANCE and TRANSFORMATION
New Ideas to Implement
We are on into New Year and it is still going faster than expected as we near the end of February! There may be some that are sitting back wondering how to make this a great year as they move on. Perhaps 2004 was not the year you had hoped for and you are just wondering how in the world to make it better this year.
These are only small suggestions but they could color your year in a much richer way than you thought possible.
How does it happen that we do not come to good conclusions about behavior until after we do them, and then we wonder what came over us to do what we did?
The following is a laundry list for improving behaviors and in turn relationships. They are not all original, because I have listened to many teachers in the past and even now I study and try to grasp how to be a better person, so that I, like you can improve my life. I truly hope that this list is helpful, and that somehow it allows you to see a bigger picture of how to live a little more fully.
The List:
When in doubt about what to say in any tight situation: Stop, Relax and Think, then speak.
"If you do not have anything nice to say, don’t say nothing at all." Thumper, in the Bambi movie
"If in doubt about what to do or say, just be kind." Wayne Dyer (one of my favorite teachers)
If it is hurtful, harmful, or demeaning and you are about to say it....hush! Save yourself the trouble of having to make amends by keeping it simple, and speaking in ways that others can accept.
Do understand that you "can not" push people closer to you! If you are aggressive and trying to win in behavior or conversation, it will only push others away, which is probably the opposite of what you really want to happen.
Try patience on for a day. Do a walking meditation (a practice for 24 hours on any virtue) of being patient with yourself and others and see what a difference it makes.
Remember, that it has been said that, it is a good thing to love your neighbor as yourself....one of the keys is that the loving starts with yourself, so you can do a better job with the neighbor. If you do not love yourself, it will be very difficult to do as much for the neighbor.
If you are shy and don’t know what to do to encourage others to get to know you, smile gently at those you meet and say hello. Many of us can use that gentleness in our lives.
Treat others as equals; after all we are, by divine right. Practice forgiveness daily and even hourly.
I thought this was a simple idea: have a watch that has an alarm on the hour and practice some kindness, be thankful, be loving, be aware, be gentle to those that you are with in that moment. If you are alone, do it for yourself. Maybe it is a simple time to say thank you to the Creator? Be creative and use it as a way to change your life.
Juanita