I am faced with serious challenges right now and have found myself thinking about things and came to this thought:
In our lives we find that many things demand our attention-many good and important things. We are, in general, a hard working and goal setting people. Some seasons of our lives are so hard and so full that we have to be very careful where we are willing to spend our time and energy.
During these times of stress and difficulty we can find ourselves sinking into depression from dealing with regular demands as well as life's changes. It's a real challenge to make the choices that help us overcome our despair.
One thing that is key in life is to do away with any pride we might have. It sounds a little odd, maybe, that this would be the key to warding off despair and depression. But hear me out on this one. We've heard the term "Pride comes before the fall" or something like that, right? Well, in our hearts and souls there is only so much room for emotions. We only have so much energy within ourselves to handle the things going on in our lives. And everyone is a tad bit different in what they can handle. When we allow pride in this sanctuary of limited resources, we find that our perceptions are limited. We find that we have unwanted and dampening roadblocks that take away from our abilities to discern what our positive and productive moves might be in our day and for our life. We find a murkiness like a muddied body of water in our head. Do we have time for that?
I thought about this over and over. I continue to learn so much from others by talking to them and observing their choices and applying things that seem best for my life and family. I noticed that those of us who allowed pride, even a little bit of it, into our hearts had a darkening in our eyes, a stiffening of our responses, and a more uncertain and questioning countenance in place of the faith that we otherwise had had before.
If we take the energy and time to make the choice to substitute gratitude for pride, viola! We have more energy! Can you believe that it can be that simple? The power of a grateful heart. Wow. I wish I had realized this sooner. Think about it. If our hearts and souls are filled with gratitude instead of pride, our minds are quickened in a real sense. We are able to discern and decide on a higher more productive level free of that cloudy, dismal sense of discouragement, full of life and light. Gratitude therefore is the answer.
If I receive accolades for some accomplishment in my busy life and let pride in, I actually will slow down my abilities. But if I accept the accolades with a grateful heart, things are in perspective, my mind is clear and can continue to function in the things that are most important. I won't have to stop and wonder as much about decisions. I won't have to stop and question and mull over problems as often. I won't let things get to me as much, which is a slowing thing.
If I work at having a grateful heart, problems will have their accurate place. The worst things will have their appropriate level of attention from me and I'll make it through the trials of my life with less scaring. Pain will seem to be more of a learning experience than a moment of victimization. No more poor me. There's only room for capable, learning me.
Changes. Life is FULL of changes. From a spiritual standpoint, in reading the scriptures and you can pick any one of them, there is constant evidence that life is full of change and challenge. The Savior isn't shoving anything down our throats in the solutions that His gospel offers. So there is no pride from Him in His example and explanation of happy living. He offers instead the perfect example of seeking light and understanding, in doing away with the roadblock of pride and taking on the characteristics that bring real joy in this otherwise very challenging existence. (See Moroni 7:45-47 and 1 Corinthians 13:4-8)
I am so grateful for the thoughts that have come to my mind and heart this week on this topic. I really needed the insight. I love the simplicity of real pure solutions. That means that I can work on it, simple me. I hope this helps someone else, too.
Have a wonderful light filled day.
I am grateful for you!
I love you ( 'cause I know that anyone who reads this whole entry is a kind person with a big heart ;) )
In our lives we find that many things demand our attention-many good and important things. We are, in general, a hard working and goal setting people. Some seasons of our lives are so hard and so full that we have to be very careful where we are willing to spend our time and energy.
During these times of stress and difficulty we can find ourselves sinking into depression from dealing with regular demands as well as life's changes. It's a real challenge to make the choices that help us overcome our despair.
One thing that is key in life is to do away with any pride we might have. It sounds a little odd, maybe, that this would be the key to warding off despair and depression. But hear me out on this one. We've heard the term "Pride comes before the fall" or something like that, right? Well, in our hearts and souls there is only so much room for emotions. We only have so much energy within ourselves to handle the things going on in our lives. And everyone is a tad bit different in what they can handle. When we allow pride in this sanctuary of limited resources, we find that our perceptions are limited. We find that we have unwanted and dampening roadblocks that take away from our abilities to discern what our positive and productive moves might be in our day and for our life. We find a murkiness like a muddied body of water in our head. Do we have time for that?
I thought about this over and over. I continue to learn so much from others by talking to them and observing their choices and applying things that seem best for my life and family. I noticed that those of us who allowed pride, even a little bit of it, into our hearts had a darkening in our eyes, a stiffening of our responses, and a more uncertain and questioning countenance in place of the faith that we otherwise had had before.If we take the energy and time to make the choice to substitute gratitude for pride, viola! We have more energy! Can you believe that it can be that simple? The power of a grateful heart. Wow. I wish I had realized this sooner. Think about it. If our hearts and souls are filled with gratitude instead of pride, our minds are quickened in a real sense. We are able to discern and decide on a higher more productive level free of that cloudy, dismal sense of discouragement, full of life and light. Gratitude therefore is the answer.
If I receive accolades for some accomplishment in my busy life and let pride in, I actually will slow down my abilities. But if I accept the accolades with a grateful heart, things are in perspective, my mind is clear and can continue to function in the things that are most important. I won't have to stop and wonder as much about decisions. I won't have to stop and question and mull over problems as often. I won't let things get to me as much, which is a slowing thing.
If I work at having a grateful heart, problems will have their accurate place. The worst things will have their appropriate level of attention from me and I'll make it through the trials of my life with less scaring. Pain will seem to be more of a learning experience than a moment of victimization. No more poor me. There's only room for capable, learning me.
Changes. Life is FULL of changes. From a spiritual standpoint, in reading the scriptures and you can pick any one of them, there is constant evidence that life is full of change and challenge. The Savior isn't shoving anything down our throats in the solutions that His gospel offers. So there is no pride from Him in His example and explanation of happy living. He offers instead the perfect example of seeking light and understanding, in doing away with the roadblock of pride and taking on the characteristics that bring real joy in this otherwise very challenging existence. (See Moroni 7:45-47 and 1 Corinthians 13:4-8)
I am so grateful for the thoughts that have come to my mind and heart this week on this topic. I really needed the insight. I love the simplicity of real pure solutions. That means that I can work on it, simple me. I hope this helps someone else, too.Have a wonderful light filled day.
I am grateful for you!
I love you ( 'cause I know that anyone who reads this whole entry is a kind person with a big heart ;) )
