June
15
The longer we dwell on our misfortunes, the
greater is their power to harm us.
-Voltaire
* * * * *
Today's Meditation:
This is true, in my experience, though I would change the wording slightly to "the greater is their power to continue to harm us." After all, if we keep holding on to the negative and worry about our misfortunes and all the bumps in the roads that have hurt us, then that focus in itself will cause us to miss most of the beauty and wonder that is all around us, all the time. It really is our choice as to what we focus on, so it's important that we realize that and do our best not to let misfortune continue to harm us.
Sometimes the misfortunes are drastic, such as the death of a loved one, and it will take longer for us to let such things go. But "longer" doesn't mean "forever," and eventually we have to make a decision about just what we're going to focus on.
We're taught that if a situation is bad, we should get out of it; if a relationship is bad, we should end it; if a job is bad, we should quit it. But we're not taught too much about our thoughts and their effects on us, so not too many people try to teach us to change our thoughts if we want to change our lives. We may hear people say things like "you've got to move on," or "get over it," but until we're actually able to recognize and accept the harm that we're doing to ourselves, we won't be able to get over it. The misfortune itself doesn't hurt us long, but our thoughts about it continue the pain until we change it.
We all face hardship and misfortune. That's life. But the most important thing we can do is accept them as part of our lives, accept that they've happened, and move on. Spend the necessary time grieving or feeling anger or mourning, but then make the decision to take the power away from the misfortune and put your life back on track.
* * * * *
Questions to consider:
How can you make sure that you don't hold on to misfortune longer than is necessary for you to get over it?
What would life be like if you were to dwell on the positive and the beautiful instead of the painful and the annoying?
How can misfortunes harm us if they've already passed? Why do we so often give them the power to do so?
* * * * *
For further thought:
Let go. Why do you cling to pain? There is nothing
you can do about the wrongs of yesterday. It is
not yours to judge. Why hold on to the very thing
which keeps you from hope and love?
Leo Buscaglia
more on letting go
The longer we dwell on our misfortunes, the
greater is their power to harm us.
-Voltaire
* * * * *
Today's Meditation:
This is true, in my experience, though I would change the wording slightly to "the greater is their power to continue to harm us." After all, if we keep holding on to the negative and worry about our misfortunes and all the bumps in the roads that have hurt us, then that focus in itself will cause us to miss most of the beauty and wonder that is all around us, all the time. It really is our choice as to what we focus on, so it's important that we realize that and do our best not to let misfortune continue to harm us.
Sometimes the misfortunes are drastic, such as the death of a loved one, and it will take longer for us to let such things go. But "longer" doesn't mean "forever," and eventually we have to make a decision about just what we're going to focus on.
We're taught that if a situation is bad, we should get out of it; if a relationship is bad, we should end it; if a job is bad, we should quit it. But we're not taught too much about our thoughts and their effects on us, so not too many people try to teach us to change our thoughts if we want to change our lives. We may hear people say things like "you've got to move on," or "get over it," but until we're actually able to recognize and accept the harm that we're doing to ourselves, we won't be able to get over it. The misfortune itself doesn't hurt us long, but our thoughts about it continue the pain until we change it.
We all face hardship and misfortune. That's life. But the most important thing we can do is accept them as part of our lives, accept that they've happened, and move on. Spend the necessary time grieving or feeling anger or mourning, but then make the decision to take the power away from the misfortune and put your life back on track.
* * * * *
Questions to consider:
How can you make sure that you don't hold on to misfortune longer than is necessary for you to get over it?
What would life be like if you were to dwell on the positive and the beautiful instead of the painful and the annoying?
How can misfortunes harm us if they've already passed? Why do we so often give them the power to do so?
* * * * *
For further thought:
Let go. Why do you cling to pain? There is nothing
you can do about the wrongs of yesterday. It is
not yours to judge. Why hold on to the very thing
which keeps you from hope and love?
Leo Buscaglia
more on letting go
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