Back
to October 2009 Newsletter
|
The Secret Garden Letters October 2009
|
|
Ten Steps To Being Happy And Successful © Copyright 2009, Lisa Tyler
|
||
If
you’re like most of us today, staying balanced, grounded and achieving
any measure of happiness seems more difficult than ever before. You
may have been impacted by the economy, lost your job or house, or are just
sitting at home FEELING that nothing will ever be the same again. But
is that true or are you suffering from hearing so much about the problems
of the world that your heart is overburdened?
Are you focusing on the problems rather than the situation and
blessings you actually have? Mass,
instant communications have brought the entire world into our living
rooms! Your TV station
reports about arrests and calamities that are happening several states
away. They do that because they haven’t enough calamity to report
about in just your own town to fill the allotted time space.
(Seems like they could start a campaign to fill the extra space
with good news about local families!) Man
wasn’t designed to bear all the problems of the earth, or be aware of
them. We are warned from
childhood to be careful what we let our ears hear and our eyes see.
Yet, we listen eagerly thinking we can somehow DO something about
all of this, when in reality we’re just feeding our negativity and
iniquity. We’re feeding our
LACK of faith in God, and setting ourselves up for failure and depression. We’re trying to play “God”, and feeling responsible for
more than our share. Over
the last 50 years or so, we’ve been programmed to believe life has to be
the way we see it today. We
think we have to have big mortgages, insurance policies, burial plans,
electricity, and cars and to rely constantly on doctors and government to
keep us alive. There
ARE other ways to live, without much money, and without responsibilities
of the status quo. Here
are ten things you can do today to be happy, successful and get more out
of life, and they cost nothing! You
may lean towards reading the physical instructions first, but the really
important steps happen inside your mind and heart. 1.
“Know thyself.” In the past, to help children come of age, to find who they
are and where they fit into the world, people took time alone in nature.
Our western culture has lost this habit, and we instead push
ourselves straight from childhood into colleges and jobs, ever striving
for more material things and better titles. Wise
parents will allow their children to discover their talents and what they
love to do at an early age, encouraging them to follow their hearts and
gifts, rather than the promise of big money and the best schools. If
you’re an adult reading this, it’s not too late to discover what you
are passionate about, (which is likely related to your purpose on earth.) When
you find who you are, and how precious and “whole” you really are,
what is there on earth that can harm you? It
is only when we are seeking image and the approval of the group that we
are vulnerable to situations and market fluctuations and the fear of
someone taking something away from us. There
is a belief among some religions that no man can be hurt in any lasting
way by the actions of their neighbor, because it is in our power to
forgive, and we are only using the land we occupy and all the tools of
this life, until we die. They
are available to all. They
believe that only you can harm yourself, when you act in anger, rebellion
or selfishness. What
you truly own, no one can take from you.
Possessions and money are only things and have no “real” value
to your life, because most can be replaced with a little effort.
Also,
don’t be overly concerned about what people think of you.
The only person you have to impress when all is said and done is
you. If
you can say when your life is over, that you accomplished what you set out
to do, had some fun and lived at peace on earth, then you’ve done very
well, with or without diplomas and bank accounts! 2.
Make a plan of what is most important to you to keep in your life.
Determine that you will owe no man, and get those bills off your
back as soon as possible. Don’t
do this without first making a life choice to avoid going back into debt
at the first sign of trouble. Credit
cards and checks are relatively recent inventions and are neither natural
nor conducive to a happy life. Although
loan companies and pawn shops have been around since man began naming
inanimate objects “money”, whenever you hear about them throughout
history, it usually had a bad story attached. Do
without if you have to, but break the bonds of borrowing, pawning items,
losing your things and not maintaining what you have.
(It’s just as important to realize there is a cost to owning
something, and if you let it deteriorate or go unused, it’s the same as
throwing money away.) So,
sort out your home and eliminate possessions and obligations.
Pare it down to the barest minimum that you can stand, and then
keep eliminating more as you accumulate.
(Things and obligations pile up like old bills and need to be
shredded regularly!) Pare
down expenses too, and experience the joy of having more money and more
free time! Practice saying no, and as you get better at it you’ll experience a feeling of power. (Read this article for more help: Ten Ways Family and Friends Use You ) www.blessingmeadowsministries.com/use.htm
Another
thing that goes along with standing on your own two feet, is knowing that
no man or woman can make you successful or happy. Every
person comes to this earth only responsible for himself.
It is given to each man the ability to make their life what they
want it to be, and it is impossible to do it FOR another.
If you are in an unhappy marriage, you must stop believing that it
is your spouse’s place or in their power to make everything wonderful
for you. The
only things you need from mankind are mutual respect for life, and if
you’re married, cooperation in attaining “like goals”.
If your goals are not the same, then you shouldn’t be together to
begin with. Women,
you may be angry that you were created to be the helpers of your husbands,
and want your own chance at commanding a life. There
is no law I’m aware of that says you have to get married, and if you
understood how marriage is supposed to work, you’d BE commanding your
life, along with having a great relationship and the perks of protection
inside marriage. Believe me,
it’s a win/win situation when you’re totally committed and submitted.
(More on that subject soon.) 3.
Get physically moving. Brisk
walks of 15 minutes or more are your goal, or marching in place or
dancing. Do anything that
gets your heart pumping and your mind focusing on the next step instead of
your next problem. Start with
5 minutes at a time, and work up to it.
Imagine how much more joy you will have when you lose weight, or
firm up muscles and can DO more physically than before!
An hour of exercise a day, done as your play or hobby, is a
delight, but work up to it slowly. Split
it up for now if you can, and live a little! Tip:
If you are really serious about losing weight, eat like a cave man.
The majority of our pre-packaged and processed foods are literally
poison to our systems. They
are dulling our minds and making our bodies unable to do what they’re
designed to do. Even most
meats come from animals that are loaded down with growth hormones, anti-biotics
and things you just don’t need to eat!
(You
can buy a whole deer ready for the freezer for under $50, from the
processors who serve hunters, and you don’t need to buy a gun!)
You can also look for free range cows or organically grown foods,
but they’re more expensive and may not actually be what they claim. Don’t
deprive yourself of all the things you love, but make more of the goodies
by hand and leave the trans fats alone! 4.
Get outside and breathe fresh air!
Learn to breathe deeper and fill your lungs.
Breathe from your diaphragm and expand your chest, not just your
tummy. Take a few minutes
each day to open the doors and windows and exchange the stale air inside
for fresh air outside. Don’t
worry; our homes are still more polluted inside than the air outside most
days. Deep
breathing along with massaging your tummy helps keep your internal organs
stimulated and in good health. (Rub
your tummy daily, more than 100 times in a large circle moving in the
direction your intestines take. Don’t
press down too hard.) Rub
from top right just under your ribs to top left, then down to the bottom
left of your abdomen, and over to the bottom right, then back up.
Your
digestive track is your most important line of defense and the organ
system that will make or break your life.
Every other system of your body depends on it!!
You can live without an arm or leg, even without some internal
organs, but you cannot live without a healthy functioning digestive
system. The
things you can do to keep it healthy are exercise, eliminating stress,
making a plan for your life, and building a healthy self-image.
(The Bible says that what a man eats does not defile him, but what
he speaks that condemns him to death.
Very true!) 5.
Install more lights in your home and open the curtains.
Let the sunshine in, and get outside in the middle of the day for a
few minutes to be “shined on”. This
exposure to sunlight resets our clocks too and aids natural sleep, as well
as helping the body produce the chemicals and vitamins it needs to.
(You may have heard of a condition called SAD, meaning depression
that is seasonal, brought on by lack of sunlight during winter months.)
6.
Adjust your sleeping schedule.
Go to bed a bit earlier each night and get up a bit earlier in the
morning. Some people are
sleep deprived, but most people experience fatigue as a symptom of
depression, and more actual sleep isn’t what’s needed, just an
adjustment of the hours. 7.
Use libraries, books and magazines, and the Internet for
information on how you can live simply. Look for older ways to do things, alternatives and cheaper
ways. Learn to make your
gifts and your own clothes OR barter with others.
Ask older people in your community to share their knowledge. There
are many websites on frugal living, alternative energy and ways you can
change your methods of cooking, heating and lighting your home, to
disaster proof your family for times when money is tight.
There
are wind up lanterns used in third world countries and sun ovens you can
make at home from cardboard and plexi-glass.
You’ll feel safer when there is less that someone can threaten
you with. Bake
more, and teach your children to do these things.
Share time with the family as you explore frugal living. (Baking goodies yourself with olive oil or animal fats will
eliminate deadly man made trans fats from your diet which will give you
longer life, a trimmer body and greater overall health. It also creates memories your children can keep of you long
after you have passed on.) There
is a lot of bogus health information being passed around, and much of it
by doctors and nurses themselves. Research
everything, question everything and know that YOU are ultimately
responsible for your life, nobody else. 8. Read your Bible and use scripture for promises, for a chant in meditation and for a weapon to prevent harm. Rely on God for your needs and for your security. Find the scripture tools here: www.chastityrose.com/faith_confessions.htm Find a place to go regularly where you can be alone and seek God. Pray, meditate and just listen to nature. Listen to the wind and rain and imagine what God wanted you to hear in its voice. These things are naturally calming, they're the music that He programmed the earth to sing to you to aid your healing. When
you are discovering yourself again, be still and know the power and the
wonder of the Lord. Seek HIM
alone, first and with all of your heart, and HE will add to your life all
that needs to be in it. Stop
and stand still, be thankful for what you have and where you are. Know
that God is there, all powerful and capable of delivering you to safety. Stop
so that you can see that there is NO real danger around you, other than
what you create. Remember
the old saying “they can kill you but they can’t eat you”?
The point is, if you’re living a good life to the fullest, it
doesn’t matter when you go. If
the very worst thing that can happen to you is death, and you understand
death to be just a passing over to a glorious beginning in God’s
presence, you can be absolutely fearless in your pursuit of LIFE!
(The Bible says to be absent from the body is to be present with
the Lord, so what have you to fear?) 9.
Perhaps most importantly, change your way of thinking.
If you often find yourself being negative or jealous of the good
fortune of others, or their incomes or vacations, or if you criticize
easily, you are undermining your own success! At
first, though it sounds mechanical, say out loud phrases such as “I wish
the best for them”, “God bless _____”, “I’m so glad for these
people, and I hope they get even more joy, money, health, etc.”
Don’t
allow yourself to speak negative opinions or question why someone has bad
luck, and don’t make negative observations about people. When you point
out someone’s flaws, you are narrowing your spiritual heart and
squeezing the Holy Spirit out of you.
You
should be inviting more of Him in, not pushing Him out of your life by
your unholy words and thoughts. If
a negative thought about someone comes into your mind, immediately say
“God, I bless __(name of person)”.
Add with it a big smile and let it seep into your heart.
Know
that God alone will judge people and He is keeping everyone in His hands,
ordaining their lives and fulfilling what people’s behavior and beliefs
are dishing out to them. It’s
not your place to name a person’s sin; God sees everything.
When you call someone else’s sin into the spotlight, some of that
light is going to point right back at you and reveal all that you have
wrong in your life. Jealousy
and envy are symptoms of a fear of lack. If
you truly believed that God would and WILL give you all the desires of
your heart, you would not have time to be jealous over someone else’s
goods. You’d be claiming
all that you want in Jesus’ name, speaking the words before the reality
appears, to make it appear! Use the faith confessions below to claim more
of what you want. 10.
Remember that you are SPIRIT inside a body temporarily.
You will never die, but only change your clothing in death.
The body is not most important; it is only a vehicle to get you
around while you are here on this earth.
Therefore
the body can be ugly, deformed or poor, yet it serves just as well
whatever purpose God put us here for.
Don’t allow the fads of our day to convince you that money,
beauty and health are all important.
Understanding
ourselves and knowing our relationship with God, is what IS important.
How you interact with others, how you have helped others, and how
your spirit and joy ease the passing of this life for those around you, is
important as well. The
big question is how do we progress spiritually, emotionally and in wisdom
while navigating this physical environment we live in?
How do we do it without focusing entirely on the things we can do
physically, ignoring the spirit? And
how can we nurture spirit without ignoring the body?
How you choose to deal with this balancing act is what defines you.
Every thought you have and every action you take is recorded in
your body, resulting in the life you will live tomorrow.
Everything you have chosen and believed is what you will be judged
by. Word
of warning about these glorious bodies: We
know our bodies were designed to heal themselves, and interact with all
the bacteria and viruses on earth. Every cell is in communication
constantly with other cells and with the brain.
The moment a virus or organism tries to invade, it knows what to do
and goes about doing it as long as the body is not depleted of rest and
basic minerals, vitamins and chemicals to do this job.
(And as long as we’re not subconsciously trying to
self-destruct!) Most
of the drugs that are prescribed for people are not needed.
Some are so dangerous and unnecessary that we’re seeing more and
more lawsuits advertised on TV against the doctors and manufacturers that
provided them to their victims. It
is up to each individual to be the master of their body, to research
online what is being said about the healthcare and medicines they believe
they need, and to take a proactive approach to your health. It
is my opinion that all that we need was supplied to us in the foods we
eat, and in simple plant materials (herbs) that God provided here on
earth, but it is widely recognized that how we think and live affects our
health as much as what healthcare we receive. The
bottom line is, being happy is a CHOICE.
It is a system of electrical brain wave activity that triggers
memories and emotions. Caused
by internal chemicals produced by the body through physical activity and
certain foods you eat, and by repetition.
Did you know that you train yourself to feel and act in certain
ways, by repeating them? You
can train yourself to feel happy by working this system backwards. Begin by putting a smile on your face. It will trigger a backwards response of the feeling of
happiness. Your subconscious
and your body will not know the difference, and will give you the health
benefits of happiness, as well as get yourself into the habit. Each time
you do it, it will get easier to feel it all over.
For
more information on these subjects, see my pages on health and healing: Faith
Confessions To Claim God's Power And Put It To Work Good
News, Here is the Power to Overcome!
|
Secret Garden Letters Archives
Home Page Stories Artwork Money Health Relationships
© 2000-2009 Lisa Tyler
Some artwork and written material © 1980