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LIVING BY DESIGN NEWSLETTER
by Leslie Karen Sann, MA, LCPC
V4, #21
December 2, 2004
IN THIS ISSUE
The
Transformative Power of Gratitude
Quotes
Practically Speaking
Wonder Questions
THE
TRANSFORMATIVE POWER OF GRATITUDE
Powerful People Make Things Easy (Part 19)
(This article is a continuation of a series
about our personal power to create the life we want)
Our brain is receiving 4 million bits of data every
moment. Yet our consciousness only processes about 2000 of those bits.
What determines which bits of input we process and which bits are left
out?
Our conditioning, past experiences, socialization
and more. Thus, one experience witnessed by several people, will yield the
same amount of interpretations of that experience. Each person will
process their 2000 bits and reach a particular conclusion. Since there are
4 million bits, it is unlikely any two persons will reach the exact same
conclusion.
There is a story about the Native Indians who were
living on the island where Columbus landed. Because they had never seen a
ship, when they looked towards the horizon, though the armada was in full
view, they didn't see it. Their eyes were receiving the visual
information, the brain was processing the information, but the
consciousness had nothing to relate the information to and thus could not
make use of the data.
This is fascinating to me. I am moved to wonder what
am I looking at that I am not seeing?
It serves us to ponder - what conclusions do I
habitually reach, what patterns of interpretation do I notice, and do
these assessments serve me? Am I omitting a host of information that would
lead me to different, perhaps more satisfying, empowering conclusions?
Suppose, upon observation, you notice that you have
a history of concluding that you are a victim of circumstances, that
nothing ever goes your way, that you are helpless to make a positive
impact upon your life. What is happening here is that out of 4 million
data points, your consciousness has sorted through and picked the points
that weave a story of woe. Perhaps in your life, this is the most familiar
interpretation of your reality. Perhaps seeing yourself as a creative
force is to you what seeing the ships were for the Indians.
Yet the ships were there - just as your power to
engage with life as a creative partner is there.
What if you were to shift your consciousness and ask
for the points that weave a more empowering story? Out of 4 MILLION to
choose from, one can guess that possibility exists. What might you want to
experience instead?
A powerful way to support the consciousness in
shifting its focus is to move from asking "Why me?", to
"How is this FOR me?" When we look for the gifts in our
experience, we start to find bits of data that will weave a different
story.
I am sure we can each look at our own personal
history and find situations that we experienced as difficult. It is easy
to put an interpretation on it and say 'this shouldn't have happened'.
When we do that - we suffer.
Instead, we can look at the very same circumstances
and see how the situation served us, how it grew us in some way, how
circumstances presented themselves later that could not have come forward
otherwise.
It is said, hindsight is 20/20. I think it might be
that when we look at our past, we can choose to see more than the 2000
bits of data that was the original filter for our interpretation - when we
use hindsight we can expand our awareness.
Gratitude expands our awareness in the now. As I
choose to see my life thorough the eyes of gratitude, what can I be
thankful for? Where are my blessings? I discover that life is a gift. Not
only is life a gift, but because of MY CHOICE of focus, I AM the one who
has CREATED the gift. We are ALL that powerful.
Remember, gratitude is one of the most powerful
forces in the Universe. And it is within your reach to harness this force
and transform your life.
The ships are there. Others have seen them. You can
too.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Related Articles:
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QUOTES:
"You can go through life laughing or crying,
but go through life you will. Which will you choose?"
~ John -Roger ~
"Gratitude is the heart's
prayer."
~ Soul Listener Series - by
Martha Ringer ~
http://www.martharinger.com
"We don't know how things are We only know
how we observe them or how we interpret them to be. We live in a world of
interpretations.
In this regard, we don't know what truth is. Nor
does anyone else.
We can know about the POWER of our
interpretations. What possibilities do our interpretations open or close
for us? Do our interpretations give us the capacity for action, for
transforming ourselves and our world?"
~ Rafael Echeverria ~
"The last of all human freedoms is the
freedom to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances to
choose one's own way."
~ Viktor Frankl ~
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PRACTICALLY SPEAKING:
Upon awakening - open your eyes - take a few deep
breaths - and declare - "With a Grateful Heart I Say YES to my
Life!"
- Go about your morning rituals noticing the little
things you are thankful for:
~indoor
plumbing,
~hot water
~freshly brewed coffee
~doorknobs :)
~regulated indoor temperature
~family
~loved ones
~friends
~
~
~
- Keep a list going throughout the day. As you
notice something, write it down.
- Review your list at the end of the day. Notice
how you feel in your body as you focus on your thankfulness.
- Decide if you want to do the same thing tomorrow
. .
- and the next day . . . .
- Is there anyone on the list with whom you'd like
to share your gratitude.
- Take that action. Perhaps with a phone call, an
e-note, a card, flowers.
- Notice how it feels inside of you to be focusing
on and sharing your grateful heart.
WONDER QUESTIONS:
- What are you looking at but not seeing?
- Are you willing to empower yourself by shifting
your focus to encompass the blessings and gifts?
- What are you grateful for?
- Who are you grateful for?
- Are you living in your gratefulness?
- Are you willing to expand into your blessings?
- Are you willing to choose a life of joy, a life
of ease, a life of blessings and gratefulness?
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COPYRIGHT/CONTACT INFO/REPRINT PERMISSION
c Copyright 2004 by Leslie Karen Sann, Living by Design
Visit this link for contact information:
leslie@living-bydesign.com
Reprint permission granted in part or whole when the following credit appears in full:
Copyright 2004 by Leslie Karen Sann,
Living by Design.All rights reserved.
Web site. http://www.living-bydesign.com
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