Choose your legacy

Experiencing something allows it freedom of expression. Choose.

Hilarion

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What we do is not nearly as important as how and why we do it. How we choose to feel is more important than what we experience. What we experience and how we respond to events is a product of our mindset.

It all begins with our beliefs about the nature of existence. Do we believe we are flawed and limited beings living in an uncaring world where loss and danger are common? Or do we believe we an an intrinsic part of a divine whole—the sharing—that loves and provides for us. Whatever we believe, we will make it true. Whatever we expect, we will experience. What we experience affects others and helps generate the overall nature of existence. Our beliefs dictate what we add to the shared experience that is all of creation.

As an individuated expression of the divine, we allow the divine to interact with itself. What is it that we want to contribute as our legacy to the sharing? Do we want to present the universe with joy, freedom, happiness, and appreciation for life? Or do we want to give it worry, fear, envy, and resentment?

This is a choice that we have, whether or not we are aware we have the freedom to choose. With or without our conscious cooperation, our sharing within generates  life events in keeping with our beliefs about the nature of reality. If we believe a loving divinity provides for us, we will find what we need (perhaps not what we want, but certainly what we need) in life easily. If we believe life is a struggle and we have to fight for everything we need, the reality we experience will mirror that belief.

When we understand that we create our reality, the sane choice is to choose to create one that makes us happy. To do this, we need to observe our thoughts and emotions to understand the beliefs that underlie them. This will help us shift our beliefs and the thoughts that arise from them. When we shift our thought patterns, the nature of our experience will change accordingly.

We can start by reflecting on a recent situation we enjoyed. What were we thinking and feeling when it occurred? How did our thoughts and emotions affect our appreciation of the event? Did the event spur the thoughts and emotions, or did our thoughts and emotions generate the event? Likely, it was a bit of both. Happy, loving, and appreciative thoughts and emotions will help us experience more of what we enjoy. They arise from the underlying belief that we are inherently divine and live in a loving universe that wants us to be joyful.

Now we can remember an recent event we found difficult. What were our thoughts and feelings as the situation played out? Did our thoughts and feelings make the situation seem worse? Did the the event cause our thoughts and emotions, or was it the reverse? Both probably are true. Unhappy, angry, and resentful thoughts and emotions will keep us trapped in situations that we don’t enjoy. They arise from the underlying belief that we are inherently separate and limited and live in a universe whose purpose we cannot fathom.

We have the power to choose the thoughts and emotions we have in any given moment. It may not always seem easy to shift difficult or negative thoughts and emotions, but it is possible. When we find ourselves mentally trash talking ourselves, others, or life in general, we can stop and choose another way of being. We can do this simply by being thankful for something, anything. It really doesn’t matter what we’re grateful for, we just need to shift our focus to being appreciative.

In any given moment, there probably is some aspect of our life that is working as we would wish. It may be as simple as not being hungry, having pleasant weather, or wearing clean clothing. But something is going right for us all the time, even on our worst days. When we can offer up a silent “thank you” of appreciation for the small things that work well, it will make the difficult times seem easier. When larger things are going right, we’ll want to remember to be grateful, too.

The more we exercise our gratitude muscle by focusing on what we enjoy, the more we give freedom of expression to fun, joy and beauty in shared existence. Isn’t that the legacy we’d want to contribute to the universe?

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Divinely unique and beautiful reader, how do you give joy and gratitude to the world, and how have you seen this affect others? Please share…