Nothing could ever adequately prepare you to receive a diagnosis of cancer, but when you do, you know instantly that your life has been irrevocably changed. You take up arms and go into battle, not against the disease, but for your life. This "Little Book" is a collection of the lessons I learned while facing my own personal challenge with cancer and what I know to be true.
The Little Book of Positive Actions
that can move your life in big waysBy T.A. WinterBALBOA PRESS
Copyright © 2011 Theresa A. Winter
All right reserved.ISBN: 978-1-4525-3194-6Contents
Foreword..........................................................................xviiOne Find your Own Way............................................................1Two Ask For What You Need and Want For Your Life.................................9Three Trust Your Intuition.......................................................17Four Be Prepared to Be Inspired Anytime, Anywhere................................25Five Be Willing to Accept Direction from the Divine..............................33Six There is Holiness in Quiet Contemplation.....................................41Seven Spend Time Every Day Improving Yourself....................................49Eight Let Go of the Need to be Right And Listen for a Change.....................57Nine That's Not Right For Me.....................................................65Ten A River Knows the Way........................................................73Eleven Be Ever Mindful...........................................................81Twelve Be of Service.............................................................89
Chapter One
Find your Own Way
"If a little dreaming is dangerous, The cure for it is not to dream less, But to dream more, To dream all the time." Marcel Proust
* * *
Look in the mirror. Who are You? Not your title, earnings, or profession, not your role as parent, child, or sibling. Independent of all outside connections, do you know you? Do you understand who you are, what place you occupy in the space of your life?
Very often we become trapped in someone else's concept or image of who we are, what is acceptable or reasonable for us to reach, who we can become, or what heights we can attain. How often have we heard the word "No"? It was one of the first words we learned and it seems, more often than not, we skew our dreams and visions from others telling us, no it's not possible, or no, not yet - maybe in 10 or 20 years.
We become chained to the expectations of others. We become accustomed to the weight of those chains and forget the freedom of flight in our dreams. We worry if we don't do everything expected of us to make others happy, they may leave us. We worry we may be alone, unloved. We worry that we may be seen as selfish if we follow our dreams.
In reality, we are only tied by the chains which we allow to bind us. Don't keep your gifts a secret in your dreams. Live the dream of what it means to honestly be who you truly are. If it lives in your soul, then you must birth your dreams. This is your life. When you take your last breath, you want to honestly know that you lived the life of your dreams.
You are not a muddied puddle of water commonly seen and easily defined. You are an ocean of untapped possibility, of immense depth and breath, and intense power.
Get in touch with those dreams that live in your heart. Find the courage to live those dreams out loud. You may not be rich, but the richness of finding your own way will sustain you. Remember, when you are honestly living your dreams the Universe will provide you with what you need. Ask that the doors be open to you. The individuals who will support and assist you are on the other side of these doors waiting and smiling with open arms.
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Chapter Two
Ask For What You Need and Want For Your Life
"Knock and it shall be opened unto you" Mathew 7:7
* * *
My father was a quiet man. He only gave me two pieces of advice:
#1 - If you are in a diner and there is only one piece of cake left, don't eat it; it's old. Ask for a piece of fresh cake. On the surface, this seems like pretty simple advice, but when you think about it, it really is sound advice about life - don't take whatever is left over. Ask for, and expect that you can have, what you want: the best. That may mean a fresh slice of triple chocolate cake or it may mean not allowing yourself to settle for something second rate. What is your heart's desire? Don't accept less.
#2 - My father told me, if there's something you want or need ask; the worst someone can say is no and they may just say yes. We are so concerned about asking a question for fear of looking stupid.
How often do we get lost? Asking for directions can get us back on track. Sometimes our request for what we need is denied. Very often, but not always, the answer is yes.
Have the confidence to ask for help or assistance. There's nothing worse than not asking and finding out later that your request would have gladly been granted. It's your life. Don't just sit there and watch opportunities drift by.
Know yourself well enough to know what you need. Don't accept less, and when you need to, ask for help. No one else can read your mind. It is important to voice your wants and desires. When we express our Self to Spirit, we open ourselves to receive.
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Chapter Three
Trust Your Intuition
"No man can reveal to you aught but that which already lies half asleep in the dawning of your knowledge." The Prophet
* * *
Intuition is a direct perception of your internal truth. Without effort, you reach inside yourself to touch the insight that patiently waits for you there.
Know when you are going against your true nature, your inner self. When it feels "wrong", somehow unsettling, it becomes hard work and requires extra energy. You have to sell yourself on the idea.
When you find yourself in this position, ask yourself, "Is this what I really want to be doing? Is this where I truly belong?" Quiet your mind, center yourself in your heart, and know that the heart never lies. Listen and the answer will come to you quietly. You may be tempted to debate the answer - don't. Accept that your inner self has communicated with you for your highest good.
You may want to ask others for their opinion, to hear their advice for you. That's fine, if it helps you settle in your heart where you need to be, but remember you know yourself better than anyone Intuition is a sacred journey you take with yourself to the center of your being. It requires a path paved with faith. Open completely to your knowledge. There is a diamond at the center of your being that is pure beauty and knowledge which lights your way. Unearth that diamond and watch it sparkle in the sun light.
That brilliance is you.
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Chapter Four
Be Prepared to Be Inspired Anytime, Anywhere
"The sense of wonder, that is the sixth sense." D. H. Lawrence
* * *
Stay open to the arrival of new experiences and allow yourself the possibility for change and the probability for growth. Our purpose in life is to be a vessel open for beautiful things to fill us up. When we get stuck in the rut of making more money and being attached to accruing more things we become toxic and nothing can grow in us.
Sometimes we are looking for a dramatic sign, the Red Sea to part, or winning the big Lotto to believe our lives can take a dramatic change for the better. Wake up! I'm talking about finding the miracle in the butterfly that flitters past you. Butterflies don't seem that amazing to you? Did you know that the caterpillar turns into a type of primordial ooze in the cocoon, then reconfigures into a butterfly before it emerges. Amazing!
Do one new thing each month. It could be as simple as going home by a previously unexplored route, even if you hit a dead end, you have been someplace new that day. Try on clothes that you would never wear in public, just to see how you look in the mirror in a new skin. Go to a movie or out to dinner by yourself, just to see what kind of company you really are. Plan an exotic vacation that you may or may never take, just to imagine the thrill of adventure. Make eye contact with a stranger at the coffee shop and say hello, just to connect with another.
Just beyond your comfort zone is growth, learning, and enlightenment. You will never know what you may learn unless you wonder.
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Chapter Five
Be Willing to Accept Direction from the Divine
"The most wonderful aspect of the universe is the direction of free beings under Divine guidance." -Joseph De Maistre
* * *
Divine presence surrounds us, from the crocuses bursting through the spring snow, to the stranger who stops to help you change a flat tire, to the Labrador Retriever who gazes up at you with total love and shows you what joy there is in living an honorable life. We merely need to look around and truly see what is waiting to be discovered. Take a moment from your cocoon of self-involvement to see what is right in front of your eyes. There is an ever constant presence of Divine Spirit. It is an open door to the possibility of comfort, love, and growth.
You may ask, what about the murder, war, tragedies that we read about in the newspaper and see on TV. There is much heartache in the world, but there is constant love and assistance from Divine Source available if we seek out the grace.
Divine direction is always available, but often our eyes are blinded by our own self-importance, our ears are deafened by our fears.
Each day close your eyes, be grateful for that day, for the opportunities you experience in your life. As for the days you regard as really bad, be even more grateful because those challenges help you grow, develop, and rise above difficulties or obstacles. You didn't do it alone. You are never alone. You are being watched over and guided. Listen to the guidance and demonstrate gratitude. On those bad days, you can be even more grateful you made it through.
Close your eyes and feel your heart. Feel it beat in your chest, without your direction or even asking it to. Feel the power of your breath fill your lungs. This is a beautiful thing. This is just the beginning of Divine direction
Say thank you. Feel warmth in your heart as the love and gratitude grows from that simple gesture.
Now open your eyes and see the world differently. The love in your heart is spreading from your chest throughout your entire body and it changes you. Extend that warmth to others in your family, the cashier at the grocery store, the guy in the car who just cut you off.
You cannot do this all on your own. You cannot find your way traveling by your volition alone. Direction from the Divine travels from the heart and Spirit to guide you. It will direct your feet on the path of love and compassion. The student always walks behind the teacher, is quiet when the teacher gives instructions, and looks to the teacher as an example of right thought, right speech, and right actions. Embrace the Divine as your teacher.
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Chapter Six
There is Holiness in Quiet Contemplation
"In cultivating your mind know how to dive in the hidden depths" - Lao Tzu
* * *
We read self-help books, watch videos, and go to lectures to find out the secret of being happy, thin, successful, or abundant. But the greatest changes occur when you simply open up to the beauty within you. We are most often 5% who we truly are and 95% comprised of reactions to our interpretation of our perception. We can find the larger portion of who we truly are when we take the time to look and listen. In the silence of meditation the real you is allowed to step forward. Get to know you.
Every day, make time to be alone for quiet contemplation, to explore who you are down to the very last cell in your body. Allow your imagination the freedom to soar where you dare not go in your every day reality, and to connect to the essence of the Spirit which resides in your heart. Make time now to sit alone and allow your higher self to rise to the surface. You will be pleasantly surprised at how truly amazing you are.
You may feel you don't have time to sit still. Who has time heading off to work, preparing for tests, and trying to remove gum from the bottom of your shoe - you don't even have the energy to find out how it got there in the first place. The hectic pace of your life is not going to change until you make your personal peace a priority. Life will still be hectic, but your attachment to it will not command your attention.
It is a commitment you make to your life. It is an act of love you give to yourself. Dive deep into the whirlpool of your life and find yourself in the very center, still and calm.
Get to know you.
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CH7[ Spend Time Every Day Improving Yourself
"The unexamined life is not worth living" - Socrates
* * *
Do you know why New Year's resolutions usually fail? Because they were not born of your heart's true wishes. I believe that it is everyone's sacred responsibility in this lifetime to truly know themselves. Make no mistake about it, it is hard work to truly get honest with yourself. Only in knowing our self can we discover how we can help and serve others. Only by helping and serving others can we thrive. You have a responsibility to yourself and everyone in your life to be the best you can be.
Start today. Shut off the TV. Put down the Ipod. Read books that stimulate your mind. Write your thoughts and feelings in a journal. Most importantly, talk with people, especially those you love and those who inspire you.
We all know about the reports on exercise and eating healthy, but still we over indulge and we waddle around with sagging butts and beer guts. This body is a gift, but if we don't take proper care of it, it can be recalled. Do something physical every day, starting with just a walk around the block. Cut out the junk food and stop thinking it's cool to drink alcohol every day. It's not.
Your life is created from what you put your attention on. If you put your attention on love, peace, and compassion then that is who you are. If you put your attention on anger, resentment, or fear then that is who you will be. Your choice. No blaming. You choose today, right now. Who do you want to be?
You can change your life by changing the vision you hold of who you are. Change the vision you hold of yourself by committing to be the highest ideal of yourself, every single day.
Who would you like to be?
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(Continues...) ]CH7
Excerpted from The Little Book of Positive Actions by T.A. Winter Copyright © 2011 by Theresa A. Winter. Excerpted by permission of BALBOA PRESS. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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