I'm going to try to start blogging daily. I really want to bring a dose of reality to what is otherwise quite a philosophical journal. There are quite a few blogs out there who answer the philosophical questions, and do it quite well.
I want this to be about the realities of choosing "a sunnier life." What does it mean for me every day? What challenges am I facing? What am I grateful for today? How did I make my life sunnier today?
So yes, here I am, choosing again, the audaciously audra life, the passionately powerful life, the sunnier life. A long, long journey -- a lifelong journey. A journey to share, if only to have recognition of my voice, to feel heard, to think through.
16.3.09
choosing what goes in...
Our thoughts are very powerful. In many ways, our thoughts and expectations shape our day. They certainly shape our moods. Curiously, though, many of our thoughts nowadays do not come from us. We are not in control of our own thoughts.
What do I mean?
Think about all the influences that affect your thought patterns throughout the day. Some intentional, some not so much. The television, the Internet, the gossip in the cubicle over, the long chat with a friend, the conversation overheard on the subway... There's so much stuff that gets fed into our brain. A lot of it we cannot control. We cannot control if a coworker goes into a long rant or if someone starts having a huge fight on the train.
But there's a lot of input that we can control. What are you watching? What are you listening to? What do you see around you? It's important that what you see, hear, smell, and touch are pleasing, inspiring, motivating. It should be things that put you in a good mood. The people that you choose to be around should be uplifting. The television shoes you watch should not strike fear or anxiety into your heart. There's enough stress and anxiety in this world, why would you ask for any more?
Monitor what you intake for one day. See how things affect you. The subtle energy changes that you feel when you see or watch them. I myself have significantly cut back on the nightly news. It used to be a long habit, but it also was a habit of rage, frustration, anger, yelling, and hopelessness. I don't like filling my nights with feelings of rage or hopelessness. This doesn't mean that I'm not informed. I find other ways to inform myself, and also limit the amount of time that I obsess about it.
It's the same with anything. Think about your input? What are you putting into your brain? Is it stuff that is enriching your life, or just filling time? Is it putting a smile on your face because you feel good, or because you are laughing at someone else? What can you do to change that?
What do I mean?
Think about all the influences that affect your thought patterns throughout the day. Some intentional, some not so much. The television, the Internet, the gossip in the cubicle over, the long chat with a friend, the conversation overheard on the subway... There's so much stuff that gets fed into our brain. A lot of it we cannot control. We cannot control if a coworker goes into a long rant or if someone starts having a huge fight on the train.
But there's a lot of input that we can control. What are you watching? What are you listening to? What do you see around you? It's important that what you see, hear, smell, and touch are pleasing, inspiring, motivating. It should be things that put you in a good mood. The people that you choose to be around should be uplifting. The television shoes you watch should not strike fear or anxiety into your heart. There's enough stress and anxiety in this world, why would you ask for any more?
Monitor what you intake for one day. See how things affect you. The subtle energy changes that you feel when you see or watch them. I myself have significantly cut back on the nightly news. It used to be a long habit, but it also was a habit of rage, frustration, anger, yelling, and hopelessness. I don't like filling my nights with feelings of rage or hopelessness. This doesn't mean that I'm not informed. I find other ways to inform myself, and also limit the amount of time that I obsess about it.
It's the same with anything. Think about your input? What are you putting into your brain? Is it stuff that is enriching your life, or just filling time? Is it putting a smile on your face because you feel good, or because you are laughing at someone else? What can you do to change that?
9.3.09
ahimsa & going vegan
I've been vegetarian for several years, and it originated out of health. I also didn't like the taste of meat all that much. Over time, though, the idea of vegetarianism has strongly become one of love and compassion. I cannot imagine my own companions, Kinsey and Jack, being kept in a cage, milked (they're boys, but you get the drift...) or eaten. When I interact with other animals, I feel the same compassion for them. In the past year, the information that I've had my hands on regarding compassion and health in regards to veganism has substantially grown. The facts are quite atrocious, and while I won't list them here, there are numerous books (Skinny Bitch is the pop culture version, The China Study is a bit more scientific) and websites on the topic.
I've been reading the book Return to Love, and contemplating what love in my own life means. This has led to much, including deep thought, prayer, and general ponderings. But it has also made me revisit my own vegetarianism. What does it mean to love? What does it mean to do no harm? What makes me, a human, better than any of the other miracles that exist in this world? If you've ever had regular interactions with any animal, their personality shines through -- they feel, they think.
On top of that, though, I've really become intrigued with the concept of ahimsa, or "do no harm." Do our dairy practices do no harm? Do our egg practices do no harm? I imagine if I was that cow or chicken, I would think otherwise. Besides, what about "do no harm" to our earth? One of the most sacred miracles, this crazy place where everything is intertwined, every living being is dependent on another, where things half-way around the globe can affect your life right here right now.
Do no harm to others, because when you do -- you do harm to yourself. And I don't want to live like that. So today I gave up my milk, gave up my eggs, and am going to slowly start giving up my animal product clothing/shoes/make-up/etc. I want to live a life of no harm, a life of love, and this is just one more step to that place.
I've been reading the book Return to Love, and contemplating what love in my own life means. This has led to much, including deep thought, prayer, and general ponderings. But it has also made me revisit my own vegetarianism. What does it mean to love? What does it mean to do no harm? What makes me, a human, better than any of the other miracles that exist in this world? If you've ever had regular interactions with any animal, their personality shines through -- they feel, they think.
On top of that, though, I've really become intrigued with the concept of ahimsa, or "do no harm." Do our dairy practices do no harm? Do our egg practices do no harm? I imagine if I was that cow or chicken, I would think otherwise. Besides, what about "do no harm" to our earth? One of the most sacred miracles, this crazy place where everything is intertwined, every living being is dependent on another, where things half-way around the globe can affect your life right here right now.
Do no harm to others, because when you do -- you do harm to yourself. And I don't want to live like that. So today I gave up my milk, gave up my eggs, and am going to slowly start giving up my animal product clothing/shoes/make-up/etc. I want to live a life of no harm, a life of love, and this is just one more step to that place.
4.3.09
maybe we've been living with our eyes half-open...
I lost touch with something that is innately me, in the past few months, and part of this blogging process has been trying to reconnect with that. One thing that I've been meaning to do, but haven't, was create a visualization map for 2009. I read about it on one of my raw blogs that I read -- when I remember which, I will certainly give credit -- around the time of the New Year. It was someone's alternative to New Year's Resolutions. Since I know of no one that keeps their New Year's Resolution, I'm always interested in alternatives. I love the idea of starting fresh, but I love it when it means more than a resolution that gets tossed away.
So what this one blogger does every new year (agh, I wish I could remember who!) was to get a posterboard and just map out where they want to be, who they want to be, everything that they want to visualize as part of their life in the upcoming year. I've been feeling kind of bummed the past few days, so I thought it was the perfect time. I put on music that inspires me, lit some candles, and got going.
I found the process to be a lot of fun. Of course, drawing and writing in many different colored markers always helps with that. The final product is now hanging on my wall; I should take a picture at some point. Mine is full of adjectives. The funny thing is that when I describe the person I want to be, I know that I already am or can be that person, at least when I'm connected with myself and am true to myself. Having it on my wall reminds me of all the thing I am and all the things I can be. I thought about laminating it, but I like that it's just paper hanging on my wall. Paper can be changed. I can add to it as the year goes on. I can expand. The visualization can grow as I myself grow.
I highly recommend doing it. I feel closer to myself now, and more in tune with what I want from the year. I didn't do a lot of concrete things on my pretty picture, but I feel like this year is really going to be about becoming more in tune with myself, more grounded, and more well-rounded... For too much of the past two years, I've been in a box of roles. A box that has been quite limiting. But that's a topic for another time.
So what this one blogger does every new year (agh, I wish I could remember who!) was to get a posterboard and just map out where they want to be, who they want to be, everything that they want to visualize as part of their life in the upcoming year. I've been feeling kind of bummed the past few days, so I thought it was the perfect time. I put on music that inspires me, lit some candles, and got going.
I found the process to be a lot of fun. Of course, drawing and writing in many different colored markers always helps with that. The final product is now hanging on my wall; I should take a picture at some point. Mine is full of adjectives. The funny thing is that when I describe the person I want to be, I know that I already am or can be that person, at least when I'm connected with myself and am true to myself. Having it on my wall reminds me of all the thing I am and all the things I can be. I thought about laminating it, but I like that it's just paper hanging on my wall. Paper can be changed. I can add to it as the year goes on. I can expand. The visualization can grow as I myself grow.
I highly recommend doing it. I feel closer to myself now, and more in tune with what I want from the year. I didn't do a lot of concrete things on my pretty picture, but I feel like this year is really going to be about becoming more in tune with myself, more grounded, and more well-rounded... For too much of the past two years, I've been in a box of roles. A box that has been quite limiting. But that's a topic for another time.
2.3.09
building - or finding - community
The people we surround ourselves -- the communities of which we choose to be a member -- can say much about us. Who do we spend our time with? What do we spend our time doing? What are we working for?
I want to be part of a community. I am many things: teacher, friend, future wife, sister, daughter, student, vegetarian, environmentalist, feminist... But I don't feel that I am part of a community. And isn't that something that we all want? To feel as though we belong? As though there are people who share our philosophies, our hopes for the future, whose paths we might cross more than just once?
I've found that all too often, the time I spend and the people around me are not aligning with my vision of myself and my journey. The communities in which I partake are not by choice, but by habit or convenience. By the simple lack of choice. They do not reflect my values. They do not make me feel stronger, braver, brighter. In fact, they often bring feelings that are quite the opposite.
And I wonder -- why? Why am I surrounding myself with these things? With negativity, with gossip, with judgement? With fear, anger, and hate? With four walls that are ever enclosing? Fear. Fear of the brilliance that I can be, fear of facing the unknown, fear of being rejected, fear, fear, fear. Do I want to let myself be limited by fear? Why would I ever want to limit my potential in that way? Why would I ever let anyone else limit my potential?
Yes, I want to be part of a community. But a community of choice. A community that lifts me up, makes me bolder, makes me live more and more each day. Those are the communities that I want. All it takes is a choice.
I want to be part of a community. I am many things: teacher, friend, future wife, sister, daughter, student, vegetarian, environmentalist, feminist... But I don't feel that I am part of a community. And isn't that something that we all want? To feel as though we belong? As though there are people who share our philosophies, our hopes for the future, whose paths we might cross more than just once?
I've found that all too often, the time I spend and the people around me are not aligning with my vision of myself and my journey. The communities in which I partake are not by choice, but by habit or convenience. By the simple lack of choice. They do not reflect my values. They do not make me feel stronger, braver, brighter. In fact, they often bring feelings that are quite the opposite.
And I wonder -- why? Why am I surrounding myself with these things? With negativity, with gossip, with judgement? With fear, anger, and hate? With four walls that are ever enclosing? Fear. Fear of the brilliance that I can be, fear of facing the unknown, fear of being rejected, fear, fear, fear. Do I want to let myself be limited by fear? Why would I ever want to limit my potential in that way? Why would I ever let anyone else limit my potential?
Yes, I want to be part of a community. But a community of choice. A community that lifts me up, makes me bolder, makes me live more and more each day. Those are the communities that I want. All it takes is a choice.
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