My understanding on the magnitude an impactful thought can have on a person, helped me to appreciate the importance of disidentifying with one’s thoughts, because we are not our thoughts, but rather an observer witnessing the ongoing chatter, or the creative wonders being manifested through our bright ideas. Having this mentality of a silent observer is powerfully exhilarating and liberating in every sense of the word. With an ego-less mentality, the person no longer seeks to compare himself with others or to substantiate his supremacy. Moreover, that individual understands that no material possession or achievement will fulfill that fleeting void inside other than the supreme presence around us, a life force to be reckoned with. This higher power is far greater than our mind-made reality, always present to tend to whatever arises in the moment.
Dr. Myles Munroe eloquently illustrated the concept of attitude through the lion metaphor, “A lion is not the smartest, tallest, or strongest animal yet when he shows up, all the other animals run away”. A positive attitude has the power to transform an ordinary person into becoming bold and fearless, because that attitude emanates from an expanded belief system. A positive attitude attracts other like-minded people toward the manifestation of a deeply shared vision and encourages them to surpass their limitations for the greater good. When a person deeply desires to turn his life around, it is imminent to understand that our life simply reflects our inherent attitude.
These are some of the principles that I have found to help me in this journey of self-development particularly in the domain of attitude:
- Live a life of service: I recently came across a saying of Ray Lewis, one of my favorite players, where he asserted that “anybody can be great, because he can serve”. When you add value to other people’s lives, you are actually living out your purpose whether you realize it or not. In fact, it does not have to be anything special or require a whole lot of energy. Your presence is very powerful, believe that!!
- Learn to forgive others and yourself: resentment is devastating, and it can entrap anyone from levitating to his inner purpose. While setting high standards can be a beneficial philosophy, it is equally important to understand that we are humans and sometimes we will make mistakes. This has been an edifying lesson for me as I have repeatedly caught myself identifying with hateful thoughts whenever I intentionally or unconsciously make stupid mistakes.
- Don’t underestimate setbacks: I have noticed how quickly self-pity can develop into a downward spiral, that could potentially compromise a person’s mental health. I have noticed how adopting setbacks as opportunities for growth and change helped me to kickstart my journey. At the end of the day, we live and we learn; each day is a new gift of life, a new opportunity to work towards bettering ourselves. A good friend of mine and class peer in my nursing program jokingly reminds me to “always roll with the punches”, which I have found to be very encouraging particularly in times of crisis.
- Surround yourself with like-minded people: whenever I think about environment or peer pressure, it always brings me to Kendrick Lamar’s song “The Art of Peer Pressure” and many memories of my young days. Anyone who wishes to embark on a journey of self-discovery, he must surround himself with people sharing a similar vision or mentors who have endured hardships and gone through the other side. It is essential to develop a mindset of “iron sharpens iron”. In fact, there has been numerous studies shedding light on the positive effect of mirror neurons which further validate this belief.
- Be thankful: it is always liberating to acknowledge the presence of others and to thank them of their contribution to bettering your life experience. A simple thank you or smile has the power to brighten a person’s day. An attitude of gratitude will expose a person to numerous lifetime opportunities, and no good deed ever goes unnoticed.
- Don’t take everything so seriously: life can be so lovely when you develop a child-like attitude. It enables one to be present and at one with the flow of life, allowing the inner purpose to align with the outer purpose. This type of stillness brings about marvelous synchronicity that brings light in your world.
- Learn to finish what you start: this is a key principle in regard to developing personal attitude. Commitment goes a long way in developing character and building empowering habits, one subsequently fosters character that does not fold when crisis unexpectedly arises.
My intention, through this blog, is to shed some light on some of the keys I have found to help me in taking things to the next level throughout my journey. I genuinely hope that anyone who reads this, learns a great deal from it and takes a step towards investing into their ambitions and dreams, because nothing but success awaits you on the other side.
“The Marathon Continues…”
Levitate and Radiate 