Articulating Silence - Deciphering Dreams - Exploring Inner Landscapes

Showing posts with label Compliments and Criticism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Compliments and Criticism. Show all posts

Monday, May 6, 2013

Selecting Guidance






No one can make you feel inferior
without your consent.

Eleanor Roosevelt
THIS IS MY STORY




There are people in our lives who play significant roles.  Some have been with us all of our lives while others may be time-worn friends.   In addition to  new friends and  there are folks we meet while traveling, shopping, conferences or waiting stations.  Whether having life residency or merely passing through, people can hold  power over us whether we acknowledge it or not.

If we are not confident in our selves, the words of others may hold more significance than our own.   The words of strangers may offend us or cause us to second guess our selves.  It is difficult to keep moving forward if we consistently get side tracked by the opinions of others.

Then there is Divine Guidance appearing in dreams, prayers, conversations, books, movies, and spiritual advisers.  We can receive guidance just walking in nature or contemplation or washing dishes.  Ideas can come out of 'no where' while we are physically active doing something totally unrelated. 

As human beings we frequently are amused by the words of spiritual enlightenment, but sigh as we return to our daily lives.  As human beings we frequently obsess over words of significant others, especially if they were critical or unkind whether meant or innocently spoken.  If we are truly aware of our heart's desire, we will know which conversations need to be pursued.

It is important to discern what information is in our best interest and that which is not.  We can learn from any opinion, but we need to decide if the opinion fits our situation.  Guidance needs to be in our best interest, but not at the cost of others.  The information is healthy when we can feel it resonate within and our mind immediately takes hold and moves forward into successful supporting ideas.

If someone is directing us to minimize who we are or attempts to control us through power, this is not guidance, but tyranny.  Respect is offered to our superiors, but we maintain our personal code of ethics.  Divine Guidance will never instruct nor suggest we harm our selves or others.

When in question, it is always good to consider these  suggestions: 
*Seek out a trusted mentor and share the information, really listening to a new perspective. 
*Sit with the information just like it were incubating. 
*Experience what it feels like at night or the next day. 
*Form an idea as to how this information will impact life years from now. 
*Avoid impulsive decisions.
*Discern if this wisdom is aligned with the highest good.

Divine Guidance offers us courage, hope, and the desire to be better.  Tyranny keeps us in line through negative and demeaning control.  Divine Guidance offers us opportunities to thrive and become connected with our talents and life purpose.  Tyranny has a selfish motivation in keeping us working while dissipating any sense of our personal self.  We must choose our guidance accordingly.



 





Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Compliments and Criticisms ...







A DEEP BREATH OF LIFE
by Alan Cohen

Many of us have difficulty accepting compliments because we subconsciously believe that we are not worthy of them.  A compliment triggers our discomfort of believing that if the complimenters knew the truth about us, they would find the contrary.  We do not recognize the the person who compliments us is closer to the truth than we are.



It is much easier for me to receive criticism than it is to receive a compliment.  I have been aware of this for quite some time.  In an attempt to improve my reaction when someone offered a compliment, I forced myself  to promptly reply with a smile saying "Why thank you!"  Then I would hurriedly change the subject, disliking the attention that had been brought upon me.  

Alan Cohen suggests that we "Practice letting compliments in.  Instead of firing off a polite 'Thank you,' take a breath and a moment to let the gift seep in; this will energize you and bless the giver."

So now I try to insert a pause before a response.  I attempt to embrace the compliment by allowing it to flow over me.  Then in returning kindness, I extend a pleasant comment back to the complimenter.  For me, this creates a balance where I can be more comfortable.