Mirror, mirror, on the wall...who's the Fairest of them all? Why, YOU of course, my beloved!
Isn't that the best thing in the world, when you take that last look before you head out to your work, or a lunch, or a party and you like what you see? You expect to have a great time and then you do. That is the beauty and the curse about that mirror. What you expect is just exactly what you will get. It is a tried and true phenomenon...you have heard it called the law of attraction. Like attracts like. What you see is what you get. Or what you think you see, is what you get ...same difference.
This journey of self discovery began with me searching out some tools to be healthier in body, mind and spirit. One of the tools is gratitude. Trust me when I tell you, you cannot escape the dynamics of a good universe when you look through a lens of gratitude. It is a nice addiction. It feels good, sounds good and even your mother will approve! Many bloggers this week are asking about happiness, seeking each other out ... connecting with each other.... and some are loudly proclaiming exactly what they dislike and how they will not approve. Some of what we are talking about is "what is missing"...what we don't have and what we don't see when we look in the mirror; we can recall with great precision all that we have asked for and don't have and all that we want that we may just give up on. If you consider the law of attracting then it goes to reason that we are focusing on "the lack of" so we are attracting "the lack of". That's why we are still in a state of lack!
I used to say " I want to be healthy, because I do not want to be SICK!"
What do you think I was attracting? Riiiiighttttt. I now say "I am healthy and strong. Period". You have heard me say it over and over. Now you know why. I don't care how and I don't care when, but I expect it to be true. And it is.
Each and every single time we ask for a reality, the universe answers. We may not recognize the answer though and we say, "why hasn't God answered my prayer?". I believe every prayer is answered, one way or another, in due time, for my greatest good. So the first thing I am going to do is to stop asking the question and then giving the Big Guy my advice on how to answer. :) If I make some room in HOW it is answered and WHEN it is answered, I have loosened up a little bit and made some room for ALLOWING the miracle to make its way to me. I ask, then I allow and so it is.
Wouldn't it be great if it was just that simple? Change my viewpoint, get out of my own way and live happily ever after....yeeessss. How do I turn that corner? How do I turn this reflection of all that I see into the vision of opportunity that may be my dreams come true? How do I achieve this state of trust and allowing? It takes work and it takes guts. I am up for both. I am willing to take a closer look....I tentatively lean forward and inspect what I see....
Deborah Norville published a book recently called "Thank You Power: Making the Science of Gratitude Work For You". It is a powerful tool in my arsenal now and it reminds me to focus on what I have, to be relentless in pursuing optimism, to expect with certainty.
According to Deborah, happy people have some signature strengths. I will share mine and I hope you will share yours. In this way, we will focus on our core....kind of like a pilates class for our mind! It will be a way to acknowledge our giftedness, our attributes and to look deeper into this mirror of our souls. Finally we will see THROUGH the mirror and realize that it has been a window all along. That this person that we see, has only felt this discontent because we were being tapped on the shoulder by our own potential. (Realizing this is the part that takes some guts!)
Happy people, according to "Thank You Power" have the following strengths...
1. Strengths of Wisdom and Knowledge: Creativity, Curiosity, Active Open-mindedness, Love of learning, Perspective.
2. Strengths of Courage: Bravery, Industry, Honesty, Vitality.
3. Strengths of Humanity: Intimate attachment, Kindness, Intelligence.
4. Strengths of Justice: Citizenship, Teamwork, Fairness, and Leadership
5. Strengths of Temperance: Forgiveness and Mercy, Modesty and Humility, Self-regulation
6. Strengths of Transcendence: Appreciation of beauty, excellence, gratitude, hope, playfulness humor and spirituality.
Let me give this a try..
So, here I am. You have a good understanding of who I am already...but here is a bit of a closer look...into my window.
- I am not done learning how to be a better me, because I love to learn as I go. I know more now so I do better now. I will try more creative ways of living so that I will have no regrets. I have gained a measure of wisdom.
- I have faced some scary things in my life: illnesses in my family, death of loved ones way too soon, seen some things in my own mirror that I am honest and brave enough to change. God led me to it and then God led me through it. I have nothing to fear.
- I hope I am considerate and smart enough to be called "kind". I have deep, remarkable relationships with people in my life. I love that part of my life!
- I am the same as you, we are teammates in this game of life. I will help you and I hope you will help me. I will show you the way when I know it, I will follow when it is your turn to lead. I count on you and you can count on me!
- I don't know the half of it and I likely won't, but I will allow for the ways we will step on each others toes in this dance of living. If that is not happening, then we are not dancing enough! Forgive me. I forgive you.
- I love reading you, I am inspired by your quest. I appreciate your troubles and the creative way you make your way through it all... and I celebrate your victories.You make me laugh and I consider that a gift! I believe that God brought us together and that you are an answer to a prayer that I had forgotten I had asked. Thanks for being you.
Now it is your turn, take a good look in that mirror....
then turn it into the window of your soul...
And tell me something good.
Always,
Mamie
