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

Day 37 - Responsibility - Evasion

 Responsibility              (Goal Number:         ) Evasion

respond appropriately, stand, sponsor                                    neglect, escape, indolence, ignore, hide from

 AWAKE TO THE GENUINE VALUE: 

Responsibility means you have the ability and willingness to respond appropriately to yourself and others. You are rooted in a steadiness that stands, rather than runs, regarding your promises and obligations. You are what is called a stand-up person. You are reliable ad trusted. You take accountability for your decisions and actions. You consider an honorable person to be a responsible person, and you are definitely honorable.

 PARTIALLY ASLEEP TO THE GENUINE VALUE: 

You are responsible when it suits you. You can be reliable when it fits into your agenda and beliefs. You sometimes make empty promises. You usually are accountable for your decisions and actions, but you sometimes try to shift the blame or ignore your decisions and their results.

LIVING IN THE IMPOSTOR VALUE: 

You are not reliable. You neglect or evade your responsibilities and try to escape from doing them. You can be quite lazy. You tend to ignore inconvenient duties and obligations. You hide from your responsibilities, even hiding from yourself. If you get caught avoiding your obligations, your first response is to blame others or to deny you knew about the duties. You are considered irresponsible and not trustworthy.

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 responsibility, 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 becoming a more and more responsible person.

·     I stand up and am accountable for my decisions and actions.

·     I like being thought of as a reliable person.

·     I am learning to respond appropriately.

REINFORCING BEHAVIORS

Action steps to take to get off the log

·     Think of the last time you neglected some duty. What were you telling yourself? What did you tell others? Imagine others were doing this to you. How would you feel? Use honest self-talk to coach yourself.

·     Responding appropriately means knowing in each situation, what would be the best response. Imagine various situations. Imagine appropriate ways to respond. Practice the best responses in your imagination until they become natural.

·       Survey any areas where you have not been reliable. What can you do now be responsible in those areas? What do you need to clean up from past lack of appropriate responses?

·       Create a strategy to keep track of your responsibilities – say make lists and cross them off when completed; put reminder alerts in your phone; put a list on your refrigerator door or bathroom mirror.

·       If you shirk a duty, do NOT blame or ignore. Admit it and make it right..

Remember Responsibility

Day 36 - Quality - Common

Quality             (Goal Number:         )             Common

excellence, first class, valuable                                               low, base, vile, shabby below par

AWAKE TO THE GENUINE VALUE: 

Quality in all things is important to you. You require excellence in all you do and expect it from others around you. You want quality relationships, quality work, quality in items you purchase. You like first class all the way. You value life and all that you choose be in your life, so you want it to be the best , Your definition of quality can include the necessity of beauty and function, and both need to be excellent to get your stamp of approval. You could be described as classy.                                     

 PARTIALLY ASLEEP TO THE GENUINE VALUE: 

You like nice things, but just okay is often your motto. You do an okay job, and are an okay friend and spouse. You shine sometimes, but just getting by is more your style.Your tastes are often middle of the road.

LIVING IN THE IMPOSTOR VALUE:  

You are definitely not classy. Your choices are classified as low class. Your surroundings are likely to be shabbv. Your behavior is ofren less than stellar, even vile, Whatever you do, you do the bare minimum. Excellence and high quality are not in your way of life.

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

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 quality, 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 a person of quality,

·       I live a high quality life.

·       I surround myself with as high-quality things and people as I can.

·       I appreciate excellence.

·       I aim every day to be the best person I can be.

·       My life is a valuable gift, and I give it high-quality attention.

·       The life of everyone is a valuable gift, and I give others my highest quality attention.

REINFORCING BEHAVIORS

Action steps to take to get off the log

·       Assess your life. Where do you show up as less than excellent? What can you do about it? What will you actually do about it?

·       Think about your body. How can you help it be more healthful, stronger, more attractive? Do it.

·       Think about your mental and emotional life? How can you learn to think more clearly and deeply? How can you be calmer and more in charge of your emotions? Research these and take action.

·       What can you do to make your surroundings more excellent?

·       What do you need to change in order to be a first class spouse, parent, friend, and employee/employer? Go about changing whatever you need to so that you can live a high quality life.

Remember Quality