Reversal of Fortune ... Acting on our inner ideas!
Author: Edward B. Toupin

I used to consider that all of the talk and opinions of life, love, and happiness were nothing more than words spewed forth by those who were running away from their own lives. But, as in all things, we wake up one day and realize that the information we've ingested actually holds some weight within our own lives.

--- Rubbed the Wrong Way ---

It's interesting how some opinions or views actually rub us in awkward ways. It's as if the other party, presenting the view, is purposefully locating and hitting buttons to make us wriggle in our seats. We hear such opinions and comments and find that they stick with us for an extended time. No matter how hard we try to forget, these ideas and feelings are somewhere in our minds.

Realize that, the only time that such views are found to be oppressive, inflammatory, or even slightly irritating is when we already know such views to be true yet we don't want to accept them. We have ideas in our minds on how things should be and we choose which ones suit our path. However, some of these ideas are pushed to the back because they don't necessarily suit what we think is right or are not in line with our path. It is those hidden ideas that are the buttons and fears that are there to be pushed.

--- Bury the Hatchet ... and Everything Else ---

We all have an established "comfort zone" that allows us to function along the paths that we've chosen. Each path is unique and uses a library of resources that we've collected and adapted into our belief systems to reach our life objectives. These belief systems provide us with the unique views and methods of movement that we have about our lives, the world, and our friends and family.

It is interesting that, in our comfort zones, we spend so much time trying to hide external realizations from ourselves that we never have the time to truly take a look. We busily bury new information and ideas because they don't fit within and threaten our current domain of existence. However, if we're busily burying these ideas and bits of information and we feel uncomfortable by the mention of these ideas from others, how comfortable is this zone anyway?

--- I Choose ... Door Number 1 ---

Many people feel that they don't have a choice in their life, love, career, and happiness. Some feel that they just never make the right choices. But, believing that one has no choice is a choice in itself. A decision was made to stay in a particular situation or to live with a given event because it was safe and comfortable. Although it might not be comfortable to the spiritual being trying to get out, it is to the physical and emotional being looking for consistency.

It took years, and a catastrophic motorcycle accident, to allow me to integrate my long buried views into my life. I realized that, indeed, I had made the choices I did and they were not thrust upon me by the Universe. Those hidden ideas and beliefs, when touched, create an environment for stress and internal conflict. Those tests that we feel are forced on us and the occasional difficult times we have are not issued by the Universe, but are instead devised and implemented by us, upon us, to bring these hidden ideas and beliefs to the surface.

--- What's next? ---

Realize that, although we have our own belief systems, built on years of personal growth, our feelings and beliefs constantly evolve and grow. These hidden ideas and beliefs and this internal evolution causes us to occasionally feel stress with ourselves because the new ideas and beliefs coming to the surface don't fall in line with our existing lives.

Occasionally, we must all clean house and alter our lives and beliefs to accommodate our growth. In this way, we can continuously move forward, provide room for future growth, and make our lives easier. Instead of fearing our internal new ideas and feelings, take hold of them and see where they lead. The new direction that evolves is something your brain has been working on, using your belief system, hopes, and desires as a basis, and, indeed, the destination might just be where you wanted to go in the first place!






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Edward B. Toupin, Ph.D., is an author, publisher, life-strategy coach, counselor, Reiki Master, and technical writer living in Las Vegas, NV. Among other things, he provides assistance, books, articles, and screenplays on topics ranging from career success through life organization and fulfillment. Check out some of his recent print and electronic books as well as his articles covering various life-changing topics! For more information, and to find out about his upcoming books, e-mail Edward at etoupin@toupin.com or visit his site at http://www.toupin.com!

Copyright (c) 2004 Edward B. Toupin

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