OUR PERCEPTION OF LIFE

     The old postcard saying, "Wish you were here," could be applied in many ways to our life. The message conveys the idea that our friend is in a beautiful place and wishes we were able to enjoy this experience as well. Whereas vacations are an excellent idea for enjoyment and stress relief, the way we perceive our daily life is even more essential to adding to our quality of life.
     Have you ever stopped to consider your general outlook on life? Two people can go through the same experience and walk away with totally different reactions. It's as if they've experienced different events.
     For example, I was driving with a friend on a beautiful, sunny afternoon. Our weather had been rainy and gloomy for several days in a row and I commented on the beauty of the day to which my friend replied that it was going to rain again that evening. "But it's lovely now," I said again … no reply. All I could think was, "I wish you were here to enjoy this moment with me." She was - in the car - but she wasn't in the mindset to be able to see what I was enjoying.
     How often does this happen to you? How many times do you miss the beauty of your day? How much of your life are you missing out on? I'm not referring to the weather, but rather to your daily life experiences that can be viewed from a variety of perspectives.
     Sometimes stress has clouded our vision to the extent that we are no longer able to see clearly. We doubt ourselves, pick on others' behavior, worry too much or become anxious about what might happen and, as a result, lose sight of the beautiful things we've already created in our lives, blessings that could bring us comfort. If we have friends or loved ones, that is a blessing.
     If we have a home, that is a blessing. If we have a job, that is a blessing, and so on.
     Our ability to perceive situations from the soul's perspective rather than from the subconscious' emotional reaction will give us a clearer picture of the circumstance, insight into our true abilities and help us to handle any stressful situation we may find ourselves in. Our subconscious' emotional reaction to life is often based on fears and judgments and this inner child needs our help to let go of these fears and move forward.
     We're often blinded by our judgments, both of others and ourselves. This can be a matter of low self-esteem where we almost cripple ourselves with our negative perception. We judge ourselves so harshly that we're afraid we'll never live up to our expectations. Maybe it's time to lighten up. Step back, get conscious and from the soul's perspective look at your own abilities and accomplishments. Take time to think this through and then literally make yourself a list. Write it down. We often find it hard to give ourselves credit for what we've already accomplished in the past or even to perceive that it was an accomplishment. When we pass off any accomplishment as "no big deal," we are shortchanging ourselves.
     This inability to give ourselves praise leaves our subconscious doubting itself, fearing it's never good enough or becoming indecisive, fearing it might make a mistake. Start praising yourself and observe the change you'll feel within. This may be a foreign concept at first as we've often been programmed to be humble and not be too proud. Acknowledging our accomplishments is not being too proud. It is a healthy response to life. Our subconscious responds well to praise and acknowledgement, as it begins to feel better about itself, with a healthier self-esteem and even starts to view life from a more positive outlook.
     As far as mistakes are concerned, remember our whole life is about learning from our daily decisions, both positive and negative. So-called mistakes are simply opportunities for us to learn to do something in a different manner. Our perception of the incident will have the biggest impact on the way we view it. When we're only able to view it as a negative, our subconscious feels as if we've failed and we are unable to move forward. However when we get conscious, the soul can analyze the situation to see how we can handle it differently in the future and we learn from the experience. It's like reflecting back on something you've perceived as negative only to realize how much you've grown as a result of the experience. You end up with a new, healthier perspective on the event.
     Vacations are a good example of how our perceptions influence our lives. Vacations often allow us to back off and get conscious, as we are no longer surrounded by our daily stresses. A vacation gives us permission to let go of our concerns for a while and enjoy ourselves for a change. Have you ever noticed how much easier it is to handle your life after you've come back from a vacation? You go back to work, working with the same people and handling the same jobs as before, and yet it doesn't seem as taxing. Why? Because backing away from any situation allows us to handle the same circumstances from the soul's more accurate, healthier perspective. A vacation provides this distance for us, removing us from the stress. The soul is also able to provide this viewpoint for the subconscious, even without a vacation.
      So treat yourself to a "vacation viewpoint" on a more consistent basis. Join us for an upcoming program and allow us to help you enjoy your best life! ….. Wish you were here!

SANDY DALIEGE

From Light We Begin, to True Light We Return
While a Long Journey Lies In Between.
The Soul Comes Full Cycle, Through Love We Discover
The Life that Lies Waiting Within.

It Starts with a Question, "Who Am I?" We Wonder,
"Is This All That Life Is About?"
Our Search Then is Started to Quench the Soul's Yearning,
Our Path Back to Center Begins.

At Times We Perceive It, The Veil Becomes Lifted,
We Glimpse the True Source of Our Being.
Then Life Steps Between Us and Shadows Our Vision,
In Darkness, We Sleep For A Time.

Our Path Becomes Cluttered with Obstacles Plenty,
Our Fears and Beliefs Hold Us Hostage.
'Til Once More We Rise Up, Reclaim Back Our Power,
Direct Our Life's Destiny Forward.

And Through All Our Trials, Our Pitfalls and Stumbles,
Our Father Waits Patiently Watching.
'Til One Day We Choose to Let Go The Illusion
and Live Life Eternal Divine.

Then Heaven Rejoices, the Soul Stands Triumphant,
Crowned Now With The Truth of Its Being.
The Spirit Shines Forth, No More Darkness To Cloud It,
The Prodigal Son, Home At Last.

SANDY DALIEGE