My Ten Commandments
As promised a few weeks ago, as part of my own Happiness Project, I present to you...my list.
1. Think before you speak
2. Practice patience
3. Breathe deeply
4. "This too shall pass"
5. Count your blessings
6. The world is not out to get me
7. Learn how to trust and overcome
8. Learn to compromise
9. Find the positive in every situation
10. Be proud to be me.
It's a lot to read and understand. For those of you who know me, some of these might seem obvious. Others might surprise you. I have learned a lot about myself this summer, especially in the past three weeks. By reading these commandments daily as I keep them by my bedside, I am very hopeful that they will be able to get me out of the majority of my anxious situations, when I'm feeling crazy or lonely, or even when I'm just plain bored.
Think before you speak seems obvious because often times in human nature we say things we don't quite mean or don't mean at all upon thinking carefully about it. That has certainly happened to me and by simply thinking about the reaction of my comments, I may be able to prevent trouble. Practice patience came to me as an intention during my yoga classes time and time again. By setting that as my intention, I truly noticed a difference in my behavior throughout the days when it was on my mind- and for the better. I was more patient with my family, more patient while driving, and I learned how to let certain silly things go. "Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish." -John Quincy Adams
Patience, combined with my third commandment, breathe deeply, provides me the ability to take a step back from an intense moment and calm myself down. In a workshop entitled "Yoga for Empowerment" last week at my yoga studio, my instructor said we should each have our own mantra that we can bring our minds back to when it begins to wander. One that she mentioned was, "this too shall pass." That struck me with her explanation because in life, any and all emotions and sensations that we feel day to day or over a long period of time will change. They will fluctuate and we must move with them, flow with the current. We know that nothing lasts forever so if we are experiencing pain, uncertainty, or anxiety, or if we are uncomfortable in a certain situation, it's important to keep in mind that eventually it too shall pass. Commandments two, three, and four intertwine nicely I thought, and can be practiced at the same time. The next commandment became obvious to me and is one that I have always practiced regularly. When the going gets tough, I count my blessings- literally. Not everything in our life goes as planned, and when it doesn't, it's easy to get frazzled and upset. Rather, it's important to take a step back and count our blessings to practice our attitude of gratitude. Every night I write down at least one thing I am grateful for from that day. Sometimes the list continues and I find myself staying up late just to write down what I am thankful for. I have a mason jar next to my bed containing little pieces of paper where I have written down what I am grateful for. Counting what you have allows us to see how it all adds up. "Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough." -Oprah Winfrey
As part of my "fear of the unknown" I sometimes create situations in my head that have not even happened. I often times automatically expect the worst and I don't like it! I have a few friends who can relate, and although I know the world is not out to get me, sometimes I have to kindly remind myself that. This commandment flows nicely with the one that follows, number seven, learn how to trust and overcome. Everyone goes through pain in their life; some go through a more physical pain and others a deep emotional pain. Either way, it's not enjoyable and can even have a lasting effect even if we don't know it. As I float through my mid-twenties I find myself revisiting a pain that once started ten years ago and I have only recently learned that it is a part of who I am even though I never realized it before. When my dad walked away from my family on my sixteenth birthday, I was confused, hurt, and angry. Things were not easy for years to come. Now, years later, I struggle with the ability to trust people close to me. Trust is a hard thing to accomplish, and in the past I have trusted too easily which has made it more difficult now. In time I remind myself that what's done is done and I must learn how to overcome the past and trust others.
A big one for me was learn to compromise. This goes hand in hand with my need to be flexible. When plans change, as often they do and often they will, I need to focus my energy on the positive part of the change rather than the negative. Simple as that. During a conversation a few nights ago in which I turned to my mom for some advice, that was one thing she said to me. It sounded so easy off of her lips but hit my ears hard. "Liz, just learn how to compromise." I toyed with that phrase for a few moments in silence, then realized it is something I have never really put a lot of thought into. How much easier my life would be if I could just learn to compromise as I find the positive in every change. Which happens to be my next commandment- find the positive in every situation. The glass is always half full! Don't be influenced by the negativity in our world! It is easier to be mad than to be happy, but we must fight for what we really want, and a positive world is a happier world. "Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you'll start having positive results." -Willie Nelson
Last, but not least, it is important to stay true to your own self. A reminder here and there helps, which is why my last commandment states be proud to be me. We are each uniquely different individuals with our own quirks and characteristics. There is nothing that we do or say that we should be ashamed of, embarrassed by, or guilty for. We are who we are because of the road we have each traveled. I am who I am because of the unconditional love and support from my family and friends. My experiences have helped to develop my true self, and my morals, beliefs, thoughts, and emotions have made me who I am. If all else fails in life, if we try and don't succeed, if we rise to the top, we should always remember to be proud to be who we are, our true selves, no matter what.
Comments
Post a Comment