BY: SIMONE JENNIFER SMITH
Welcome back Toronto!
If you are just joining us, last edition, we started discussing the power of thoughts and words. I had presented the first quote from one of my favorite books, A Thousand Paths to a Peaceful Life, by David Baird; this book had been instrumental in helping me adjust my mindset; I also wanted to present some work from other authors who have a strong overstanding of the power of words and thoughts.
We also discussed the idea of doing away with your resolutions because if you had not started on them in 2018, you were most likely not going to carry through with them. A wonderful concept in theory, but reality shows that the majority of the changes that we make after the age of 25 are due to traumatic events. For many of us, pain comes before change, but it is possible to learn without going through pain. This edition we will take you through some more thoughts to reflect on.
“For things to change for you, first you must change.”
John Rohn
This here is one of the most powerful statements that I have learned. Many of us think that if we have more money, the perfect soul mate, the perfect job and many certifications that this will make us happy. The proof is in the pudding; these thoughts are not backed up by any credible research. In actuality, the more money you have, the more problems it brings. There is no perfect person for you; all relationships take work, and there will be things about your soul mate that you find annoying. The perfect job is only realized if you are following your life passions, and certifications are great, but there are many individuals with high-ranking degrees who are still very miserable. What good is a degree if you can’t get a job? Change must be intrinsically motivated; there has to be a deficit that is noticed, and then that deficit must be addressed. Money, partnership, career, and education are wonderful, but only if they exist within an individual who has done their work and is happy without this type of materialistic thinking.
“You have a choice in life: you are either the player or the victim.”
Larry Kendall (Revision Simone Jennifer Smith)
“Bad things only happen to me.” “My dad left home when I was young, and life was hard for my family.” “I was abused or molested when I was younger, and now it is hard for me to form relationships!” “I don’t have the money or resources to go to school because I have children, so I have to work.” All of these statements may very well be true, but if you are using them to define your life, you my friend are in victim mode, and it is not a great place to be. Your early life circumstances were not of your choosing; we can all agree to that, but how you choose to let those circumstances define you is totally your choice. Life is hard! There is no denying that life is very hard, but at some point, it becomes our responsibility to change the course of our life. When the people who have caused the pain in your life have passed on, either through death, or life design, you are left here to deal with the outcomes of your trauma. Seeking mentorship, a spiritual leader or a support group are ways in which to start getting over some of these issues. Education of self is the number one way to start taking responsibility.
My words may seem harsh, and I am unapologetic about it. We tend to surround ourselves with people who will wallow in despair with us, instead of people who will say, “I hear you, but when are you going to really start to live.” Community of Toronto, YOU are not alone. Feel free to email me with any questions you may have at simone@carib101.com. I am here to help!