"You Can't Travel Within and Stand Still Without"
Looking through my posts I realized that this is the second blog I have written on this same quote. Evidently this quote is very important to me now and my hope is that maybe you need to see it again too.
The above quote is from James Allen and " As a Man Thinketh." We are always so quick to blame other people for our failures and sorrows in life. We think, "If only I had better parents." "If my boss wasn't such a jerk." "It is all my spouse or partner's fault." "The economy is bad." It is too hot, cold, rainy, sunny to do anything." I am too poor, old, young, uneducated, unlucky."
Take your pick as these are all excuses many of us use to stop us from having or living the life we want. When we blame another, we are not acknowledging that we are the main creator of our own lives.
We need to go inside and examine our character, examine our thoughts, examine our feeling, examine our behavior. We need to acknowledge that no one can mess up our lives unless we allow them to. I think Allen is suggesting in this quote that when we do inside work, our outside circumstances will improve.
Stephen Covey in the book, "The 8Th Habit," says something very similar. He says, "Any time you think the problem is out there, that very thought is the problem. Any time you wrap your emotional life around the weaknesses of another person, you give away your emotional freedom to that person and give them permission to continue to mess up your life. Your past holds your future hostage."
It is not easy to do the inside work, of self-reflection and soul searching. It is not easy to acknowledge your role in the difficulties of your life. However I think that working inside out is the only way to true happiness and that makes it worth it.
And isn't that something to think and write about?
Jana Ruth
Author of Laugh and Live Happier: P.L.A.Y.S. of Life
www.janaruth.biz
www.laughandlivehappier.com
www.laughterworld.blogspot.com
Contact me for Humor and Motivational speaking and Life Coaching
480-600-5178
About Me
- Funny Woman, Humorist and Motivational Speaker
- At Arizona State University, Jana majored in theater and mostly was cast as a funny old woman. Now that she is getting closer to that age, she will now know how to play the part. After graduating from Arizona State University, Jana took time off to raise two kids and a husband. After the kids had gotten old enough, and there was little hope for the husband, Jana started performing again. First in theater and then she ventured into stand-up comedy. For the past twenty years Jana has been combining her theater and stand-up comedy experience with her professional career as a Speaker, Author, and Facilitator. Jana has performed for and been a speaker for business, government, and civic organizations.
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