Guest blog from Parella Lewis - our local NW weather anchor & news reporter
-- (http://theparellalewis.blogspot.com/)
I am a lover of great motivational quotes. I love the ones that get me thinking and propel my thoughts to a higher standard. I am always grateful to get a “shot” of something positive into my day! Raging optimism is a powerful force that will defeat negative intent any day. But just how much power can something like a simple quote really have?
“Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.”
- Helen Keller
I think that most people will agree that being positive is a good thing. The challenge is that it must be authentic to have relevance and it requires consistency to have power. As with anything worth while, it is a daily effort. And with anything "real", it isn't always easy. The main struggle takes place in our mind. It is the very gateway to where the real power lies, our spirit. But before we dig in too deep, let's look at a few basic principles.
“People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing – that's why we recommend it daily.”
- Zig Ziglar
We must guard our thoughts carefully. Fear is the main cause of negativity. It breeds aggression, hostility and deep-seeded doubt. If we can cut down on the negative, we automatically allow more positive in and eventually out. When we put good things into our minds, good things come out. When we surround ourselves with good people, we become more effective. Notice that we have "to put"... these things aren’t automatic. It is a constant effort of the human will to swim upstream of a rigorous, negative flow. The good news is that it gets easier every time we do it!
"When you consistently maintain a positive frame of mind, you'll become known as a problem-solver rather than a complainer. People avoid complainers. They seek out problem-solvers."
- Joseph Sommerville
These are all pretty basic thoughts. Here's where the commonality twists a little. We are made of three parts: spirit, soul and body. Our soul is made up of our mind, will and emotions. Therefore, it is the soul (mind) that is the "bridge" into our spirit. Are you still with me?
The truth is that we can spend all of our time motivating ourselves happy and still feel empty at the end of the day. Why is this? Because we are only "feeding" the gateway or the bridge to what really propels us! The SPIRIIT controls the soul (mind, will and emotions) and body. If we were to simply engage our spirit with the only language it understands, faith, we could bypass all the other stuff!
"The antidote to frustration is a calm faith, not in your own cleverness, or in hard toil, but in God's guidance."
- Norman Vincent Peale
As I spend more time in prayer, my faith automatically grows. Fear ends where faith begins. Faith bypasses the mind, cuts off fear and injects a steady stream of hope and peace.Instead of just engaging my mind in positive activity, I am feeding it's primary source of power. So while some motivational quotes speak to my soul, the ones that leave a lasting impression are the ones geared toward my spirit. The ones that remind me of my purpose,destiny and original design by God to be different and accomplish great things with Him. It is in these that I can feel flames billowing up inside me, pushing back doubt and anxiety. A fierce peace shields my soul and protects against restlessness. And yes, even this is a daily effort. Just because I know something, doesn't mean that I don't need to be reminded of it.
So how much power is in a single quote? I guess it all depends on where the words are aimed. Whether it's your spirit or your soul, positive response is a powerful force that only allows for great things. The difference between soul and spirit ...functioning on a high level ...or accomplishing the impossible. Either way, the daily effort is well worth it!
When we let go of fear, only then can we gracefully move from
what was into the miracle of what can be.
-AR
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