Change your thoughts, change your life
The ideas for the daily topics for our articles many times are taken from everyday events. Today’s topic, The Power of our Thoughts, is no different. It was inspired by a talk recently by Reverend Stephanie Sorensen.
The study of Spirituality shows us that our thoughts are our most powerful possession. Absolutely nothing is done that does not begin with a thought. Nothing includes our feelings about other people, places, and things.
The Serenity Prayer admonishes us to know the difference between what we can change and what we cannot. We further learn that the only thing that we can change is ourselves. The verbiage is very simple but the practice is oftentimes very difficult, if not seemingly impossible.
Who has not had someone who was close that was causing problems with the thoughts about the people closest with their addiction or other problematic situation.
One of the AA sayings that I remember that once was repeated a lot at meetings was “You can carry the message but not the man.” We can not change or even help someone, unless they want it. Sadly, this includes family.
This is just another way of saying the 3rd part of the Serenity Prayer, asking God for the wisdom to know the difference between who or what we can and can not change.
We can‘t change anyone but ourselves. When we use C.B.A., we know that whatever we Conceive, then Believe, we can Achieve. It’s true when we apply it to ourselves. But we can‘t change another, just as The Serenity Prayer said.
This also applies to our emotions and feelings about ourselves and others. Remember, we are not responsible for the 1st thought that pops into our minds. What we do following this thought is what we should take seriously.
When we don’t like the way that we feel, or our surroundings, or our companions for the moment, we may try to mentally escape to another, more pleasant place.
Reverend Stephanie said “Sometimes when we can’t find a way to get away. When our life seems too busy, too heavy, too confining, or just too crazy — it seems our body goes through the motions of whatever our day-to-day life seems to be, but there’s no one home in our mind.
We’ve mentally escaped somewhere else, to a happier time in the past or an anticipated happier time in the future. Even though we may know that something in our life is calling for change, so often we don’t want to take a look at what that might be.
Because it might cause us to want something in our life we don’t believe we can have, such as greater health, more peace of mind, more money, more companionship, or more freedom.”
It all comes down to choices What do we CHOOSE to do with this thought or emotion? If it involves us, we can CHOOSE to either do something about it or not. If it doesn’t involve us, we should CHOOSE to not try to change a thing.
Just accept that the right thing will happen, no matter what the “right thing” is and how much OUR thoughts on the matter are ‘right’ and THEIR thoughts are ‘wrong.’
We are here to love others, not judge and manage. So simple, but we make it so difficult. It is not difficult but we make it so. I choose to be Happy, Joyous, and Free and help others to be the same.
To do this, I must uncomplicate my own life by letting others do whatever they wish without my “tremendous knowledge” and insistence that I am right and they are wrong.
With the power of our thoughts, we have tremendous, power and ability to change ourselves to be as good as we choose. We also have tremendous power to change ourselves to be as overbearing, wicked, and evil, as we pick.
When we choose the latter thoughts, it seems like we see misery all around us and want to make others as miserable as we are. It all comes down to choice, doesn’t it?
Do you choose to be Happy, Joyous, and Free? Or do you choose to be miserable and see how many others you can bring down with you? The choice is yours. So please choose wisely! Thank you, God!
Check out our articles that are being published at https://medium.com/@spiritualityandrecovery