Having What You Want by Wanting What You Have

You know, people are always saying "Let go", Take what you get", "You're okay the way you are", "Be in the NOW", and dozens of other cliches that are easier to give as advice than to put into practice in our lives. The title of today's article is one of those; "Want what you have!"

"Yeah, easy for you to say, but you try livin' with cancer, past due bills, screaming bosses, nagging spouses...etc., etc, etc."

Yeah, I get it, it ain't easy; and yet, who said living with joy, peace of mind, happiness and well being was going to be easy? The paradox of all this is when we're in the flow and things are going our way it IS easy. Living with goodwill, love, generosity of spirit, and openness is the easiest of all; but getting there often seems completely undo-able...AND IT IS!

It's undo-able because living with happiness, peace of mind, serenity, and self awareness is a state of BEING, not DOING. Wanting what you have is another way of saying "Accept what is" for as long as it IS. In this way you are BEING in the moment and allowing yourself to be a part of the flow of life. It's scary! It's like jumping into a raging river and our survival instincts tell us we're crazy for even contemplating it! And Yet, it is precisely that leap into the flow of life that we must make.

Your problems are not as a result of you being swept down this ragging river, but your attempts to dam it up. Your problems are created by you trying to swim up stream and by trying to fight every swirl and eddy you find yourself in. Life is a dynamic exciting flow of moment after moment and when we attempt to hang on to the past or manage the future we fail to experience the raging moments of NOW that are the only life and only reality we have.

Yes, cancer, or death of a loved one, etc. is hard, and each of us has our own cross to bear, but the truth is, life is both full of joy and heartache; and our salvation will come only when we are willing to own what we have in this moment. Each moment is fleeting and the next moment will be new and different (and better) if we will allow it...So, go forth and embrace the life you have with the certain knowledge that as you become good at being in the NOW You will BE the miracle of a human BEING. Want whatever it is that you have, surrender to the light, and make peace with your complaints as you seek to bring your gift of being to all who surround you...Love the ones you're with...until next time, I remain, Respectfully Yours, Larry....

Thought for the day...To know that you don't care for something, or hate something, or want a thing or person to be different is a wonderful awareness...to make yourself miserable and those around you the same because of it, is the tragedy of living too many of us make.

An Action you can Take: Notice the next time you don't like something and find two or three different ways to say that, that will make it a statement about YOU not a statement about it or them. Example: Your boss is irritated with you for something you didn't do. You say, "I really get irritated when someone accuses me of anything really...it's a quirk I have." or "I really feel picked on when I'm singled out for blame, especially when it isn't my fault...I'm very sensitive that way." Notice if you want to add, " Anyone would be..." as that is justification and you never need to justify yourself to anyone.