With Positive Intention

I’m doing my best to stay informed, yet stay out of the mire of the mainstream media storm around world events lately. It’s not easy. But this quote from W. Clement Stone came to me in my journaling time this morning; “There is little difference in people, but that little difference makes a big difference. The little difference is attitude. The big difference is whether it is positive or negative.” How can you not be effected by all that’s going on? Is it a new trend? Who’s to blame? We are bathed in opinions and editorials aimed at swaying our mind in one direction or another. But as I step back and try to put it all in perspective, I am acutely aware at just how negative it all is. Tragic, yes. But where is the positive spin? If you believe everything from their perspective, we’re all about ready to die.

Now, I understand that there is a global shift towards violence and chaos. That is for another discussion. But we don’t have to lay down and quit. We don’t have to agree with the negative slant on humanity. Is there evil among us? Sure. But doom and gloom is a waste of energy – especially when your immediate world is still pretty good. Maybe there’s a different response in all this. What if we all adopted a different attitude? What if we fought back – with positive intention instead? We have been lured into a passive, fearful mindset – which is one step away from negative resignation. We still live in the greatest country on earth – surrounded by some of the greatest people on earth – we have just forgotten who we really are.

I love this following observation I jotted down one day from an unidentified web page:
To know your true self is to set free the beauty God made in you. So much of the pain of human existence is created by misunderstanding. We accept wrong ideas about who we are, and therefore live painful, stifling, disappointing lives. We were made to be so much more than that! When we rightly understand who we are, we can live as who we are. And if we accept the wonders God made in us – like love, emotion, devotion, passion, intelligence, love of truth, etc. – then we can express those wonders for the good of all.

A Two Dimensional Life

I have this little epiphany taped on one of the pages in my journal:
Change is just a two dimensional word unless you take three dimensional action.

It’s a haunting little thought. Even the idea of change can stir uncomfortable emotions in most people depending on the circumstances. We’re creatures of habit. We don’t like our little arranged lives being messed with. Yet we know life has taught us that change is inevitable. So we either embrace change or resist it. And I must admit, I resist it way too often.

Yet, there it is again, change, staring me in the face every time I scan through the pages of my journal in all it’s two dimensional glory. But I know too that in order for things to change, things must change. And that generally only happens if I initiate it. I can have the greatest ideas in the world, (and I think I do), but no one ever gets to see them or benefit from them if I don’t take some kind of action. I will have to change a behavior, or a habit, or a routine; something, if I hope to see any fruit from my ideas.

The key? How much does the outcome matter? How much do I really care about seeing my ideas come to fruition? What are the unintended results from not changing? Am I willing to do whatever it takes? If I am not, then I really have no basis for complaining about my circumstances. We’ve got to be willing to choose to do whatever it takes to change our circumstances – and then put one foot in front of the other with diligence and determination. If we will do that – results happen. If we won’t, then life is nothing more than a continual exercise in frustration.