The Art of....Learning a Lesson.

(((First, a little background:  Having always loved to write, and wanting to do something to affect a positive change in this world, I have decided to do a group of articles (if you will) entitled, "The Art of...," because I believe there is an art to living life well, and I believe I have something to offer to myself and others in this process of discovery and actualization.)))

The Art of ...Learning a Lesson

I find myself at the age of 41, just starting to wise up and listen to my life, to hopefully, finally learn the most important lessons....though I feel I should have learned them long ago.  Will it help to focus on that last fact?  No.  That's lesson #1:  Focus on the positive!!! 

It's a choice we make every single moment we are alive in everything we do.  When faced with negativity, in any form, it is always better for us to dwell in the positive.  Yes, there will be times where there is grief and distress, but if we have cultivated the habit of dwelling in the positive, we will be able to come through any situation more quickly, more easily, than we would otherwise be able to do.  Negativity is a ride that takes you on a downward spiral until you eventually end up in a bottomless pit.  There is nothing good that can come from it.  Once you realize this, it's easy to see that the path of growth lies in being an agent for the positive. 

Now, that being said, I know that everyone is different.  We have different circumstances, different body chemistries and so forth.  I myself have had a long standing relationship with depression, and I know only too well the toll it can take on one's life.  So....that leads us to
Lesson #2:  To live your best life, you must take care of your HEALTH!

So give yourself what you need to grow!!!



The less you take care with yourself, the worse you will feel, the worse your outlook on life, the more you will hide away, the less you will interact with the world, the emptier your life will be.

Yes, it's all so easy to say, and easy to understand.  Then why do we have such a hard time remembering and adhering to this principal?  Because we are out of balance.  Things have happened and we have been thrown off center.  Some of us are just slightly  out of balance...we hit a small rock on our skateboard, wavered, but caught ourselves before we ditched out.  Others of us hit a giant pot hole, lost all control, went flying up into the air about 3 feet, and landed in the only pile of rocks to be seen anywhere on the path.  In our haze of delirium, we wander and stumble around in pain, medicating our wounds with the temporary relief of poisons, all the while making a bigger and bigger mess.  Then we draw others into our mess...and no matter how few people we think we are harming....the world is a lesser place for the fact we are not wholly engaged with one another in it. 

Yes, everything we think and do...EVERTHING...has an effect on everyone else, the planet, the cosmos....everything else.  We have a collective consciousness and what we do on a personal level effects EVERYTHING that is. 

So what is the answer then for those who are most out of balance...those who can't see the forest for the trees?  Baby steps to balance.  Think about the things you've done in the past that have made you feel more balanced...was it yoga, meditation, walking in the park/garden/on the beach, getting some exercise, eating more fruits, waking up earlier in the morning, getting a good night's sleep.  Now start to implement the one that you think would do you the most good.  Don't pressure yourself, just do it.  That one thing...each day, a couple times a week, whatever.  Then see if you notice a difference.  Keep trying until you do notice a difference and let that good feeling propel you further in your quest for balance.

So...I have to get to 'living it' today!!!  I'll be back later with more little gems for you and for me, and until then, try to do just one thing this week that will add more balance to your life....and reflect on being positive in all you do and say:)  It'll make you a happier person, I guarantee!!!!

My Best,

Cynthia, OriginalCynDesign