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Showing posts from August, 2013

Quiet The Chatter

Where do your thoughts come from?  They often appear to arise from nowhere and yet with a bit of exploration you may find that something someone said, something you read, a song you were listening to, a TV show, or your awareness of something around you sparked a thought.  Becoming more aware of what ignites your thinking can allow you to be more selective in what you pay attention to.  How necessary are most of your thoughts?  Much of your thinking may be drawing your attention away from the present moment.  Your thoughts are where you store your desires, fantasies, memories, dreams, shoulds, have tos, and more. They are the home of the past and the future. Learning to quiet your mind and let go of some of your thoughts opens the door to mindfulness.  Ask yourself: ·          Is this thought true? ·          Where did this thought come from? ·          How is this thought serving me? When you let go of the chatter you make room for peace.

Just BE it!

Hanging in the entry to Fairlawn Elementary School in Evansville Indiana is a gilded framed mirror with the quote “Be the change you want to see in the world” painted above it.   Imagine yourself standing in front of this mirror every day thinking about who you want to be. You pause for a moment to be consciously aware that you can make a difference. Looking at your reflection, you recognize that the actions you take are a reflection of the change you want to see in the world.   If you are acting kind, peaceful, smiling, being of service not only will those same actions be reflected back to you in the mirror of life, they will grow and expand to everyone you meet.   If on the other hand you are blaming, shaming, finding fault in others you will experience the same and it will spread out all around you.    This last week I met a young man at Gulliver Primary in Miami Florida just beginning his career in education.   He was full of excitement, energy, and ambition. What I will r