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Our Greatest Personal Freedom
By karen | June 19, 2007
Newsflash—Many of the problems in our lives are caused by us fighting against reality.
It’s summertime and the electricity bill is high. Gas is over $3.00 a gallon. My water bill is about five times over what it is in the winter.
So what are my choices here? I can bitch (that is a technical term BTW) and I can moan and I can complain which is what many people sit around and do all day or I can be thankful that I have electricity to cool my house, that I have gas to drive me around town and that my grass is greener than it could be (still not green, green—but I do live in a desert! Another reality not to fight against!)
So that brings me to my point. The fact is that our greatest personal freedom is not in creating a perfect reality, as that never happens, never will but our greatest personal freedom lies in our ability to choose how we react to situations and reality.
Life is not perfect. Can’t be, won’t be, never will be and don’t expect it to be. There will always be some challenge or something that you wish were different. But peace of mind and peace of spirit do not come from controlling conditions but rather they come from controlling your own reactions, controlling your own thoughts about the situation, and making the best of life.
What is is. When you fight against reality you fight a losing battle. There are things that you can’t change, at least not today, so you can spend your energy mentally fighting what is or you can accept it, take your mind off from it and find something to feel good about. Do what you can but then let it go.
When winter comes, my electricity bill and my water bill will go back down but my natural gas bill will be up. That is the way of the seasons here in my corner of the world. Can’t change it so I’m not going to fight it. And gas for our cars…who knows? But I know for sure that complaining isn’t going to change it.
So work on the things you can change– your own thoughts and reactions.
Find something to feel good about.
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The Carnival of Life, Happiness and Meaning has included this post in the July 9 edition. The Carnival is located at Life Insurance Lowdown.com. This is quick becoming one of the best carnivals on the web so go check it out!!
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Topics: Personal Development, Living the Power, Real Life |
June 20th, 2007 at 3:13 pm
What I love most is that the more I stop trying to make things other than what they are by thought or action, the magically shift. Never sure what the shift will be, but there it is all its glory.
June 20th, 2007 at 3:26 pm
That is so true. When we just accept what is, then the shift happens. It’s quite wondrous!
Thanks for stopping by Pamm!
July 9th, 2007 at 1:35 pm
[…] Karen Lynch presents Our Greatest Personal Freedom posted at Live The Power. Many of the problems in our lives are caused by us fighting against reality. […]
July 30th, 2007 at 10:06 am
This post is so true Karen. Realizing that “reality” really has no built in meaning, that it is merely an illusion. We can laugh at what it looks like, since we will only get from it whatever meaning we choose give it. Wonderful!
July 30th, 2007 at 11:27 am
It is! It is our own judgments that cause us pain!
July 30th, 2007 at 11:36 am
I so agree - but I am a bit of a fighter and will make my opinions known that I am discontented ( with petrol prices or laws) and I am a patron of lost causes by nature!
July 30th, 2007 at 11:39 am
But that is the heart of your Freedom, that you have the choice to decide how you feel about things!
August 1st, 2007 at 1:53 am
I love that saying: Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the grace to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference - that has been my philosophy since I was about 32!
August 1st, 2007 at 7:52 am
They really are wise and beautiful words!
September 1st, 2007 at 12:25 pm
Hey Karen,
You have written what most people fear to face: Reality. We have to accept what we can’t change and from there, work to make things better. I call it looking at the bright side
Great Article!
Cheers
James
PS: Supplied you with some Stumble love.
September 1st, 2007 at 12:30 pm
Thanks James!
Wow, I love, love, love Stumble Love!!! Thank you!
Thanks for stopping by and for your thoughtful comment!