Ten Seconds to Happiness

This isn’t just a hook or a catchy title to get you to read it, it’s the truth about why we live in the lowlands of negativity. I may have written about it before but it bears repeating. Joy is a choice, largely. Fasting for joy has brought this front and center. I call it the 10-second rule. You can use it to change your life.

We have so much good in our lives that mostly we let it go by without notice. A beautiful sunset usually gets a notice but sometimes not even ten seconds. A beautiful flower, a gentle breeze, the sent of orange blossoms or honeysuckle might get two seconds. The way the sun feels on your face or back, or the way it looks coming through leaves or lighting up green hills–all or any gets a nod, maybe two, even three seconds, but not much more. Yet it takes 10-30 seconds to anchor something for keeping in our unconscious mind. (Yes, that’s the same as the subconscious.)

Now think about something bad that happens. A stranger takes out their stress by snapping at you. Your spouse lets his/her irritation show. Does it get ten seconds? Almost always. In fact, it is hard to dismiss any negative thought or experience in under ten seconds. We usually give it much more than that. So we end up with all this stored negativity in our unconscious mind. And when we aren’t focused on something, that’s what floats up.

It is who we become.

It takes thought and awareness and choice to change it. But what a simple, lovely exercise–choosing to enjoy  the good for 10 seconds or more. Holding on to it, savoring it for at least 30 seconds. Go ahead, try it. See if it’s as easy as it sounds.

To be continued…

Finding Gain through Your Pain

Yesterday I looked in the mirror and saw someone I hadn’t seen in over 25 years. Evidently physical headache pain and emotional pain look the same in the eyes.

I remembered how I used to catch glimpses of my face in unexpected mirrors and be horrified at the anger or fear I saw. I’d think is this what my daughter sees?

Oh God, no! This isn’t what I want her to see as mom, this can’t be comforting!

So when God opened a door for therapy, I jumped at the chance: One of the best decisions of my life. I knew I was uncomfortable and dysfunctional, but had no idea why.

That was 29 years ago. Uncovering the pain was hard work, I’d grown up very good at avoiding it. But it was so much better and easier than carrying it.

I’ve been grateful to catch glimpses of myself in unexpected mirrors the past few years and see a peaceful reflection. I was just as surprised. What a difference.

Don’t let fear block your joy. Most of us carry fear and anger without knowing it, like I did. If you have a chance to sort things out in your head, do it. If you have insurance that covers therapy, get it.

In scripture God asks, “Why will you suffer? Why will you die?” He’s asking because He’s offering life and joy.

We can choose suffering. He will let us. But it’s as if He says to each of us, “I know you need to learn, but do you really need to learn everything the hard way? I’m willing to guide you, just come to Me and ask. You’ll still have hard times. You’ll still have to make choices. But it could be so much easier than what you’re doing.”

Make some good choices today. One of them could be to trust God. He is safe to trust.

As I’ve been saying lately, trade in your pain for joy. Learning how to hang out with God and get His validation is a great place to start. “In His presence is joy…”

Adding Joy

This morning I got up late but the most beautiful sight greeted me. The whole sky was covered with broken clouds and the sun had just come up behind them. It was catching on some of them. I had to go outside and look and be part of it.

Right above me was a bright collection, and then here and there were bright spots of clouds. It was interesting to me that not all the clouds were lit up. A few on the horizon and to either side of the sun,  a few  diagonally, a cluster to the side of those above me, and as I turned around they extended in a few patches to the other horizon, where were more–evidently just the ones that were on the same elevation.

I couldn’t help but think it was like us. Not everyone catches the Son’s radiance. Just those who are on the same wave-length–those who want it, and believe they are loved.

I believe Love is the ultimate energy and that God is Love. I don’t think He is just abstract energy, He (They–in my mind) are very personal, at times almost taking my breath away and making me cry to imagine being so loved–so sweetly, personally, loved. This energy is real. To the point of changing physical numbers. (More on this next time.) This time I want to finish with the three laws of the mind out of Philippians.

My friend walked up to me after church yesterday and said, “I thought of you–you could have given that sermon.”

I admitted I’d thought that for the last three weeks. But to know it and apply it–ah, that’s two different things. But it’s been a good week of reading the list in the last post every day, so they come to mind off and on.

First you set your intention–“the want to” factor–have to have that. Then you expose your mind–like getting on the same wave-length. Paul isn’t saying pretend to be joyful, he is saying change the way you think (3:15, 4:8) and change your habits.

He’s talking about the three laws of the mind: the law of attention–what you focus on grows; the law of exchange–eliminate some thoughts and actions and choose the good; and the law of reversibility–action and thinking turn into feelings. If you focus, choose, and act “as if” God loves you, as if you are positive about that, it will become your reality and joy will overtake you.

To a large extent, we create our own reality. If you don’t like your feelings or situation, change your thinking and actions, hold to it and watch your life change. Feelings follow thoughts and actions. You can’t control other peoples’ thoughts or actions, but you can control your own by choice, and your feelings will change. After a little while your life will change too.

Add some joy to your life.

 

Who Wouldn’t?

So I’m a week into fasting from negativity. So far it’s been wonderful. A few tough spots, and the set up was a little rough.

Last time I wrote about the choice to do it, my computer crashed and took two days to reboot. A week later the hard drive completely crashed~as in have to buy a new one~crashed. From something my editing teacher said I needed to download. ???

I love writing in my gazebo, so it was a bit tough to give up my lap-top and not hit the slough of negativity. But I thought how grateful I am that my husband has the desk-top working well, so there is no interruption to my “God-in-a-Box” blog at its most powerful time.

And then I got the idea to work in my back garden two hours in the morning instead of my body-ball workout. The weather has been wonderful, and once again I have sore muscles, but the yard is looking good, and I am happy. My mornings have been dazzled in sunlight and symphonic  bird songs. How blessed is that! I love mornings~ always have.

Who doesn’t love good things? Almost everyone wants to be happy. And now I’m very aware of everything that interferes with it. What’s crazy, is that so much of it was beliefs–don’t deserve it, something bad will happen, you jinx yourself–crazy stuff.

We were made to be happy. Of course the design didn’t include anything bad around us influencing us–our own heads programmed with negativity.

But we are still made for it! So we can still choose it.

I know that is a big word with so much outside of us and inside of us working against it, but if you know it is your birthright, your inheritance, and all you have to do is choose it (and get several lies healed) why wouldn’t you?

I know many things are coming to your mind right now–reasons why…  so write them down. And if you really would like to live happier, more joyful, like you were made to, choose it.

Now go to God and ask for help and truth for your lies. HE WANTS YOU HAPPY and JOYFUL! Really.

Who wouldn’t want that?