Day 44 - Virtue - Vice

 Virtue  (Goal Number:         )                                     Vice

goodness, purity, spotlessness, innocent                                                            weakness, fault, wickedness, degradation

 AWAKE TO THE GENUINE VALUE:

You live not in self-righteous pseudo-virtue, but the virtue of a person who simply lives in harmony with God, expressing a good and pure nature. As much as humanly possible, you live a spotless life. You are an innocent person, innocent of wrongdoing, for you live an ethical life. You are considered to be a moral and upright person.

 

 PARTIALLY ASLEEP TO THE GENUINE VALUE: 

You occasionally slip from a fully ethical life. You are mostly a good person with a good nature, but you can have your negative times. It is unlikely that the idea of living a spotless life has ever occurred to you. You are considered to be an okay person.

 

LIVING IN THE IMPOSTOR VALUE:

You have not exercised your spiritual muscle so you are not all that ethical. You can be quite weak, giving in to temptations. You have a loose relationship with the truth and standards of morality. You may be in a group that considers dark and wicked things as fun or at least acceptable. You have fallen into a degraded kijnd of life.

 

Look at your life. Which is the most true for you?   ____ 1   _____ 2  _____ 3

 

What to do:

DECISION

Choose. Which do you want for yourself and your world? Which way would you like life to be?

 

FOCUSING YOUR MIND

Going for the target you have chosen

To shift in the direction of virtue, select some or all of the following and copy them in order to have them with you. Live with them. Think about them. Absorb them.

·     It feels good to take the high road.

·     Goodness and mercy fill me.

·     I am clear on my standards, and I live up to them.

·     It is important to me to live an ethical life.

·     I do as much good as I can every single day.

REINFORCING BEHAVIORS

Action steps to take to get off the log

·    Select at least one of the 40 Genuine Values today to apply to your life, especially the one you think is the weakest link in your life. Ask yourself what you can do to strengthen it in your life. Notice when you are weak in regard to it, and affirm you are strong and rooted in it. Practice living it consciously today.

·       Pick one or more acts of kindness to do each day. It is especially powerful to do at least some anonymously so that you do not expect to receive praise and thanks. It is powerful to do kindness outside of the constraints of ego.

·       Anything you have done for which you are not proud, make amends wherever possible. Give and receive forgiveness once you have done all you can to make it right.

·       Become aware of how it feels inside of yourself when you are ethical, kind, and doing good work. Notice how the opposite feels or has felt. Choose to feel good by doing good.

Remember Virue

 

Day 43 - Variety - Uniformity

 Variety             (Goal Number:         )            Uniformity

openness to newness, diversity, inclusivity                           closed, homogenous, conformity

  AWAKE TO THE GENUINE VALUE: 

In your view, the old adage is true – variety is the spice of life. You are open to new people, new ideas, and new ways of doing things. You also use common sense to ascertain which new things are wise choices. Your openness leads you to have a varied and interesting life. You find it exciting to explore new ideas, new recipes, new cultures, ec. You have a diverse group of friends, tastes, and life experiences. You include others in your circle easily and with an open heart.

 PARTIALLY ASLEEP TO THE GENUINE VALUE: 

You tolerate some variety, but you prefer more constancy. You are not opposed to others or new tastes or new experiences, but you rarely seek them out. You have some variety in your circle of friends, but you have some clear limits.

LIVING IN THE IMPOSTOR VALUE:

You are adamantly closed to newness in any area. You insist that people agree with you on any issue or idea upon which you have concluded you know the truth. You like things just one way, no new recipes, no new ideas, no new kinds of people or cultures. You think that if everyone were like you, it would be a better world. It is important to you to conform to whatever it is you are part of, and others should too. You are almost afraid to have an enquiring mind.

Look at your life. Which is the most true for you?   ____ 1   _____ 2  _____ 3

What to do:

DECISION

Choose. Which do you want for yourself and your world? Which way would you like life to be?

FOCUSING YOUR MIND

Going for the target you have chosen

To shift in the direction of variety, select some or all of the following and copy them in order to have them with you. Live with them. Think about them. Absorb them.

·     There are over 8 billion people on earth, each unique. I find this exciting.

·     I am open to new ideas, new tastes, and new experiences.

·     I see the sacredness of each person.

·     It is fun to try new foods.

·     Travel is thrilling and expanding.

·     It would be boring if everyone and everything were the same.

REINFORCING BEHAVIORS

Action steps to take to get off the log

·     Decide to explore a belief you have closed as settled. For example, you may say that the Bible is inerrant. You find out that there are over 5,800 different manuscripts and fragments so far found, with over 500,000 variants. Which is inerrant? Or pick some other topic upon which you have placed the closed sign,

·     Pick a cuisine you have never tried. Find a restaurant or some recipes, and try out some of the dishes.

·     Learn about a local group you know little about.

·     Attend meetings in different groups that you usually avoid, from book studies to charities to other religions. Attend not to make them wrong, but to listen and understand that there is another way to look at things, many other ways. Each finds the way for them. Your way is fine, and unless their way causes harm, so is theirs.

·     When you feel yourself closing up, stop, take several deep breaths, and tell yourself to let go. You are not in charge of others and their ways. It is a big enough job to be in charge of yourself. Think of Jesus’ saying about getting the log out of your own eye before the speck in someone else’s.

Remember Variety

Day 42 - Spirituality - Irreverence

 Spirituality       (Goal Number:         )                         Irreverence     

closeness to God, faith, inspiration, sense of the sacred                   separation, sanctimony, impiety, wickedness

 AWAKE TO THE GENUINE VALUE: 

Spirituality is the very heart and core of your life.  You are aware of the closeness of God, of the presence that surrounds and fills you.  You have come to realise that you are not alone.  You have deep and abiding faith. You are filled with inspiration.  You have a sense of the sacred, knowing that the Divine is present in all people, all places, and all things.  You also have a generous and compassionate heart, understanding that people are in various places on their spiritual path.  Your life is a testament to your deep faith.  You do your best to model this and also teach others, gently, without hyperbole, pressure, or irritation.  You also realize that because God is infinite, you can never know everything about God, which in turn makes you humble.

 PARTIALLY ASLEEP TO THE GENUINE VALUE:

You think a spiritual life is somewhat important, but it is not the center point of your life, or you are quite rigid in your religious expression. You may feel your particular religion is the only right religion, perhaps even only a small subsection of your religion is correct.  In that case, you simply dismiss all other religions as false, refusing to think that God has inspired anyone else than the founders and theologians of your particular religion.  You do not think that everything is sacred, however you realise some things are very special.  You have faith, but you are rarely inspired and filled with the spirit unless you are in an emotionally led group experience

LIVING IN THE IMPOSTOR VALUE:

You feel separate from any sense of the divine.  You may feel it is all superstitions and myths and irrelevant to modern times.  You make fun of those who are religious, feeling superior to them.  You may or may not go all the way to wicked, but even if you are good, it is not based on anything spiritual.  And since there is a spiritual need in us, you have attempted to fill it with other things such as: sports, consumerism, career, celebrity worship, politics, and other worldly things.  You may vaguely feel that something is missing, but it never occurs to you that it is the spiritual.

Look at your life. Which is the most true for you?   ____ 1   _____ 2  _____ 3

What to do:

DECISION

Choose. Which do you want for yourself and your world? Which way would you like life to be?

FOCUSING YOUR MIND

Going for the target you have chosen

To shift in the direction of spirituality, select some or all of the following and copy them in order to have them with you. Live with them. Think about them. Absorb them.

·     Something in me longs for spiritual connection.  

·     My faith grows more and more every day.

·     I see the sacred in all of creation.  It inspires me.

·     I realize that God is infinite, and so I can never know everything.  Life is a journey not a destination

REINFORCING BEHAVIORS

Action steps to take to get off the log

• As we look with fascination at the hundreds of thousands of years of human history, we see the constant interest in spirituality of humanity.  We  can perhaps conclude there is something in all of us that seeks God. Think on this.

·       Spend some time studying the history of your particular religion.  How and when did the theology evolve? Who developed it?

·       Do the same with another religion.

·       Look up some of the ancient religions and get to know a little about them.

·       Read a little about the new physics.  Learn about the fantastic workings of the atoms and smaller until there is nothing there but energy.  Read about the vastness of the cosmos, of how fast our planet is traveling.  The strange as all of this is, how less strange is the idea of God?

·       Someone has said that to think there is no Creator would be like to believe that an explosion in a type setting factory would create the complete works of William Shakespeare and in order.  Think on this simple yet profound statement. 

·       Spend time every day meditating, contemplating, and praying. Start a journal of your insights and experiences from these times. Make an appointment with yourself to spend this time, and put your appointment in your calendar.

·       Spend time reading about the great mystics, such as Meister Eckhart, Hildegard von Bingen, Julian of Norwich, Jacob Boehme, Brother Lawrence, Rufus Jones, Thomas Kelly, etc.

Remember Spirituality

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 [MO1]

Day 41 - Day of Reflection 6

 As we come near the end of the list of 40 values (only 4 more left), we have this last Sunday day of reflection. Each week we have discussed 6 Genuine and Imposter Values and our relation to them.It is my hope and prayer that this has led you to insights that help you in your life, and that you see even more clearly than you might have before that the high road of the Genuine Values is not only the best, but also something that resonates within you.

Please review the 6 of this week, and select one to refocus on today. As you review it, look for more ways to look at it, more ways to incorporate the Genuine and to eliminate the Impostor from your thoughts and actions. Be alert today of examples in your life, in programs you watch, in books you read, in advertisements, etc. Fully see the importance of us living up to our highest values as much as humanly possible.

Thank you for being here on my blog. Even though I may not yet know you, I feel your desire to walk the path more awake, more in tune, more completely. I know that the Presence of God walks with you and calls you to awaken. You are needed to help turn life here on earth to all that it can be. For all those walking here now, for all those to come, I thank you for all you do and shall do, God bless you dear spiritual friend.

SDay 40 - Service - Dissercice

 Service             (Goal Number:         )             Disservice      

beneficial, blessing, boon, help                                                            damage,  harm, injurious, curse, hurtful

 AWAKE TO THE GENUINE VALUE:                                            

You live a life of service.  You try to have everything you do be beneficial to all people, including yourself.  In many ways, your life has been about being a blessing to everyone.  It is important to you to make a difference with your life by serving others.  You prefer situations where everyone wins.  You are a helpful person, always ready to do your part in helping others, willingly and with a generous heart..

PARTIALLY ASLEEP TO THE GENUINE VALUE: 

You are sometimes a serving person, and sometimes you are more self-serving.  You like to do things beneficial to yourself and others, especially to yourself.  You like it best when people you care about are the winners.  You are willing to help, up to a point.

LIVING IN THE IMPOSTOR VALUE:

Your life is definitely not about service.  Even when you try to help, it turns out you do more harm than good.  In fact, you sometimes do serious damage.  It can irritate you to even be asked to help.  It can upset you so much that you end up cursing, and so you make a very negative impact.  You can be quite a hurtful person.

Look at your life. Which is the most true for you?   ____ 1   _____ 2  _____ 3

What to do:

DECISION

Choose. Which do you want for yourself and your world? Which way would you like life to be?

FOCUSING YOUR MIND

Going for the target you have chosen

To shift in the direction of service, select some or all of the following and copy them in order to have them with you. Live with them. Think about them. Absorb them.

• I desire my life to be a beneficial presence.
• I am thankful for all of the blessings in my life.  I endeavor to be a blessing.
• It feels good to know that people trust me so much that they want my help.
• I want to be truly helpful.

REINFORCING BEHAVIORS

Action steps to take to get off the log

·     Think seriously about how the world runs so much on organizations and people who are in service, working to do good.  Imagine a world without these services.  Find a way for you to be of service to others to make the world a better place.

·     Decide each day to be a blessing to at least one person.  Keep increasing this until you are a constant blessing.

·     Look for ways to be helpful and help from a good and generous heart.

·     Refuse to do any harm whatsoever.

Remember Service

Day 39 - Self-Respect - Self-Hate

 Self-respect      (Goal Number:         )                    Self-hate

trust of self, personal identity, connection, self esteem, dignity             deprecation, disconnection, detached, deflating, shame

AWAKE TO THE GENUINE VALUE: 

You live from a place of self-respect. Some say this is higher than self-esteem, which can easily morph to egotistic thinking, but it does have a healthy kind of self-esteem. Self-respect comes from living up to your own inner values, being congruent and consistent and true to yourself. You do not sacrifice who you are. You trust yourself and are clear on your personal identity. You walk life with dignity.

 PARTIALLY ASLEEP TO THE GENUINE VALUE: 

You have some self-respect, but it can be shaky at times. You have been known to sacrifice your values to gain favor or advantage from others. You are not always consistent. You trust yourself most of the time, but you sometimes have inner doubts.

LIVING IN THE IMPOSTOR VALUE:

Your self-respect is minimal. You speak disparagingly about yourself, sometimes just to get a laugh. You are disconnected from your higher self, and so are detached from possibilities. You often hate yourself and wish you could hide, or are angry and act out your self-hate on others. If you are not yet dead to shame, you experience shame about who you are and what you have done.

Look at your life. Which is the most true for you?   ____ 1   _____ 2  _____ 3

What to do:

DECISION

Choose. Which do you want for yourself and your world? Which way would you like life to be?

FOCUSING YOUR MIND

Going for the target you have chosen

To shift in the direction of self-respect, select some or all of the following and copy them in order to have them with you. Live with them. Think about them. Absorb them.

·     I have not been perfect, and I now release my past and turn to the future.

·     I choose to do and say things that represent my respect for myself and others.

·     I walk my life with dignity.

·     I am getting acquainted with my inner values and begin to live them the best I can.

·     I feel good about myself.

REINFORCING BEHAVIORS

Action steps to take to get off the log

·       Stop every negative thought about yourself immediately, and turn it around. Encourage yourself with your self-talk.

·       Practice walking and talking with dignity.

·       Think of a time when you did not behave as a person who has self-respect. Analyze what happened. Recall what you were thinking and doing. What better choices could you make in the future?

·       Think about what it would mean if you fully respected yourself, your values, and your way of life. Ask yourself how you can live like this. Make an action plan.

Remember Self-Respect

Day 38 -Security - Calamity

 Security            (Goal Number:         )      Calamity

trustworthiness, safety, reliable, surety,  assurance , orotection                     humiliation, hardship, ruination, danger, uncertain

 AWAKE TO THE GENUINE VALUE:  

As a secure person, you feel safe and consider those around you to be trustworthy. Your life feels comfortable. You are secure in yourself, comfortable in your own skin. You are safe to be around, and others feel secure in your presence. You feel protected.

 PARTIALLY ASLEEP TO THE GENUINE VALUE:

You are not totally convinced that all is secure. There are some nagging feelings of being unsafe. You are not fully secure in yourself, and you have numerous self-doubts.  Sometimes peope feel uneasy around you, but they usually do not know why.   

LIVING IN THE IMPOSTOR VALUE:

Your sense of security is gone. You have faced humiliation, not always of your own making. You may have fallen into someone else’s problem, or you may have been the prime mover of the disaster. Because of this and other disastrous events, you feel in danger cand uncertain what to do. You have lost confidence in yourself.You often misjudge others and trust the wrong person, because you do not trust yourself.

Look at your life. Which is the most true for you?   ____ 1   _____ 2  _____ 3

What to do:

DECISION

Choose. Which do you want for yourself and your world? Which way would you like life to be?

FOCUSING YOUR MIND

Going for the target you have chosen

To shift in the direction of security, select some or all of the following and copy them in order to have them with you. Live with them. Think about them. Absorb them.

·     I am more and more secure in myself.

·     I am able to discern clearly and make decisions that are reliable and safe.

·     I am building a secure life.

·     I am trustworthy and surround myself with trustworthy people.

REINFORCING BEHAVIORS

Action steps to take to get off the log

·     Think through any disasters in your life. Look for patterns. Note them and be on alert for those same patterns, if they come up again. Do not complete them, for you know where those patterns lead.

·     List what you think you need in order to feel secure. Ponder the list. Is this a true list? Make edits. Be honest with yourself, do you think you need something outside of yourself to be secure? Why?

·     Ask yourself, when did you cease feeling secure in your own skin? What precipitated the seeds of your self-doubt? Do some visualizations and affirmations to heal this. Talk to a trusted person and get help diffusing your self-doubt.

·     Start/continue saving money, a portion of all that comes in. Cut down on unnecessary expenditures.Pay off credit cards steadily until they are paid off. Save at least enough money to cover 3 months of expenses.

RememberSecurity