philosophy

first, happy cinco do mayo!

i've been developing my philosophy over the years, and i'm sure it will continue to grow and change. i have 4 statements i try to keep in mind. i keep them posted around the house. they are as follows in this particular order:

live in each moment.

it is what it is.

if you can change your thoughts, you can change your world. (taken from a quote by motivational speaker, norman vincent peale)

life is what we make it. (taken from a quote by artist, grandma moses)

while they are all separate ideas, i use them together. first, live in each moment. life is best appreciated when we can stop and be aware of what's happening and what we are feeling. for instance, right now i'm eating a snack, typing, and listening to the squirrels eating outside the window. it's a nice moment. i do have times that aren't so great, and that's when i move onto the next idea.

it is what it is. some moments are terrible, like getting a shot of novocaine in the roof of your mouth for dental work. it isn't fun, but it is sometimes unavoidable. it is what it is. it's awful, but it won't last forever.

now for the tricky part. if you can change your thoughts, you can change your world. if i'm in the dentist's chair and can think, "this will improve my health. i'll daydream of where i'd like to go on vacation while i lie here." hopefully, if i can focus on the daydream, my moment will be pleasant. change your thoughts. i can tell you though, this is often difficult or impossible. that is why i put the 'if' at the beginning.

finally, life is what we make it. did i choose to have dental work? no! how i think about that moment and subsequent moments, makes my life better or worse. if i spend the rest of the day complaining about the dentist visit, i'm prolonging the agony. if i can say, "whew, that's over! my teeth are healthier, and i can go do something i enjoy now," the awful moment has passed, and i can go on to appreciate a better moment.

the silver lining to those awful moments is that they help us to appreciate the good, better, and best moments.

here's a recent best moment for me: making silly sounds to my 6 month old niece and getting a big smile in return. there's some positive energy for you.