“When we know love matters more than anything, and we know that nothing else really matters, we move into the state of surrender. Surrender does not diminish our power, it enhances it.” - Sara Paddison
God provides the DNA that determines the color of our skin and the shape of our bodies. He pre-programs our height and weight and intellectual abilities. He also determines the purpose of our lives long before we are born. When we feel anxious or unhappy, we are probably living according to our terms - not His.
Anxiety can be replaced with peace and restlessness can be exchanged for clarity when we let go and surrender our lives to His plan. The control we think we need is actually the biggest obstacle to creating the life waiting for us
Perhaps the greatest contradiction we face is realizing when we surrender control of our lives we are in a better position to gain what we want. Surrendering is not about giving up; it’s about letting go.
"Sometimes our smile comes from our joy, but sometimes our joy can come from our smile." - Thich Nhat Hanh
Editor’s note This is a guest article written by Jonathan Mead of Illuminated Mind.
We spend a lot of time working for the achievement of milestones. Graduations, promotions, raises, and other assortments of accomplishments are considered more valuable than everyday experiences. We work feverishly to make these achievements, but once we reach the top of these mountains, we already have our eyes set on the next peak.
There's nothing wrong with achieving goals and reaching for new heights. But if we spend most of our time experiencing, rather than achieving, doesn't it make sense to enjoy everyday experiences as much as possible?
We consider these normal days routine and monotonous. The day you graduated college is more important than a random day in class. Your child's first steps are monumental compared to her throwing oatmeal at the dog on a Monday morning. Driving your new car for the first time was more exciting then cursing the jerk that cut you off on your commute to work.
If our days are mostly normal, perhaps we should spend more time trying to enjoy the present. Perhaps we should stop looking for happiness in the future and start looking for it in the only place it can happen- now.
To find joy in the present doesn't mean we abandon our search for a better tomorrow. We simply need to realize...
“Around here we don’t look backwards for very long. We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things.” – Walt Disney
Life can hit hard. Sometimes you get knocked down when you don’t even see it coming. Some are cheap shots, some are glancing blows and some can bring you to your knees. When this happens, it’s not about how hard you get hit; it’s about how hard you can get hit, but still find the strength to keep moving forward. It's about having the will to continue in spite of the obstacles.
It is interesting where inspiration can be found at times. Our son, Andrew, bought the Rocky Series not long ago. This DVD set contains all six Rocky movies. Recently, I had an opportunity to watch the last movie in the series, Rocky Balboa, with my son. The movie contains a very poignant scene between Rocky and his son. The message Rocky delivers is one of hope, courage and determination when life hits hard:
"We do not have to wait until we are old to become wise. We can discover these secrets at any age and the sooner we discover them, the more fulfilling our lives will be.” – John Izzo, Ph.D.
What makes life worth living? How can we live in a meaningful and joyous way? Do we need to fear death? Dr. John Izzo addresses these questions in his latest book The Five Secrets You Must Discover Before You Die
