The Happiness Perspective E-Book

Diane Wing

• Herausgeber: Loving Healing Press
• Kategorie: Ratgeber
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2016

Seitenzahl: 299

Beschreibung

Are you longing for greater happiness, but you feel like it's just not possible? Have you heard that happiness is just a state of mind, but you don't know how to attain that state? Diane Wing, a teacher, personal transformation guide, and intuitive consultant, has unlocked the secrets that make happiness possible. This book is packed with methods to help you transform your thought processes, patterns, habits, and behaviors so you can experience greater happiness, peace of mind, and abundance. Discover in these pages the art of seeing life differently through such processes as:

• Turning regular household chores into meditation activities
• Reducing the noise in your environment so you can focus better
• Knowing who you truly are rather than trying to be everything to everyone else
• Saying no in effective ways that don't make you feel guilty
• Learning to do less and appreciate more
• Cleansing your thoughts to remove negativity and ground yourself

Your personal evolution into greater happiness awaits you! Don't wait any longer.
"The Happiness Perspective is a superb account of positive choices, exercises, and plenty of questions to ponder. I will be using it soon with my women's groups."
--Barbara Sinor, PhD, author, Finding Destiny
"Profoundly transformative, The Happiness Perspective is a brilliant, comprehensive blueprint for self-awareness, inner peace, and the attainment of ultimate happiness."
--Dyan Garris, author, visionary mystic, and New Age recording artist
"The Happiness Perspective is filled with tips and techniques that work to change your worldview and bring calmness into your life. I know because I've tried many of these techniques myself, learning how to do less and enjoy life more."
-- Tyler R. Tichelaar, PhD. and award-winning author of The Children of Arthur series

Leseprobe

The Happiness Perspective

Seeing Your Life Differently

by Diane Wing, M.A.

Loving Healing Press

Ann Arbor • London • Sydney

The Happiness Perspective: Seeing Your Life Differently

Copyright © 2016 by Diane Wing, M.A. All Rights Reserved.

Learn more at www.DianeWing.com

Paperback 978-1-61599-314-7

Hardcover 978-1-61599-315-4

eBook 978-1-61599-316-1

Distributed by Ingram (USA/CAN), Bertram’s Books (UK/EU), Ingram International (AU)

Published by

Loving Healing Press

5145 Pontiac Trail

Ann Arbor, MI 48105

www.LHPress.com

[email protected]

Tollfree (USA/CAN) 888-761-6268

FAX [phone]

Contents

Part I: The Happiness Perspective

How Do You Want to Live?

Seeds Take Time to Grow

Are You Really Ready for a Change?

The Pursuit of Happiness

You Are Your Best Authority

Is Happiness a Matter of Luck?

Back to Basics: The Need to Build a Strong Foundation

Everything Is Relative

Part II: Shift Your Perspective

Chapter 1: Regarding the Internal

Shift Your Perspective: On Adjusting

Shift Your Perspective: On Anger

Shift Your Perspective: On Anxiety

Shift Your Perspective: On Change

Shift Your Perspective: On Choices

Shift Your Perspective: On Desire

Shift Your Perspective: On Discomfort

Shift Your Perspective: On Doubt

Shift Your Perspective: On Fear

Shift Your Perspective: On Finding Yourself

Shift Your Perspective: On Mindfulness

Shift Your Perspective: On Motivation

Shift Your Perspective: On Negativity

Shift Your Perspective: On Self-Trust

Shift Your Perspective: On Regret

Shift Your Perspective: On Toxic Emotions

Shift Your Perspective: On Yourself

Chapter 2: Regarding the External

Shift Your Perspective: On Acceptance

Shift Your Perspective: On Aging

Shift Your Perspective: On Clarity

Shift Your Perspective: On Competition

Shift Your Perspective: On Complaining

Shift Your Perspective: On Detachment

Shift Your Perspective: On Disruption

Shift Your Perspective: On Drama

Shift Your Perspective: On Eating

Shift Your Perspective: On Encouragement

Shift Your Perspective: On Forgiveness

Shift Your Perspective: On Getting Help

Shift Your Perspective: On Gratification

Shift Your Perspective: On Judgment

Shift Your Perspective: On Learning

Shift Your Perspective: On Meeting New People

Shift Your Perspective: On Obligation

Shift Your Perspective: On Rejection

Shift Your Perspective: On Relationships

Shift Your Perspective: On Saying No

Shift Your Perspective: On Shopping Online

Shift Your Perspective: On Spring Cleaning

Shift Your Perspective: On Starting Over

Shift Your Perspective: On Success

Shift Your Perspective: On Trees

Chapter 3: Regarding the Eternal

Shift Your Perspective: On Control

Shift Your Perspective: On Healing

Shift Your Perspective: On Imagination

Shift Your Perspective: On Intention

Shift Your Perspective: On Letting Go

Shift Your Perspective: On Love

Shift Your Perspective: On Patience

Shift Your Perspective: On Peace

Shift Your Perspective: On Power

Shift Your Perspective: On Relaxation

Shift Your Perspective: On Sacrifice

Shift Your Perspective: On Silence

Shift Your Perspective: On Spirituality

Shift Your Perspective: On Strength

Shift Your Perspective: On Transformation

Part III: Staying Happy in the Present While Creating Your Ideal Future

Introduction to Part III

I Want My Life to Be Different…

Stuck?

Chapter 4: Your Personal Evolution: What Does It Mean to You?

The Meaning of Personal Evolution

The Process of Personal Evolution

Shifting on the Path of Personal Evolution

Finding Yourself in Order to Find Happiness

Can Your Future Be Predicted?

The Keys to Staying Happy in the Present While Creating Your Ideal Future

Is Your Current Lifestyle Sustainable?

Live a Balanced Life

Chapter 5: The Lessons That Lead to Happiness

Lesson 1: Go With the Flow!

Lesson 2: Listen to Those With Experience!

Lesson 3: Adapt, Acclimate, and Learn to Live Without Your Stuff!

Lesson 4: Understand a Different Culture and Way of Being!

Lesson 5: Be Respectful!

Lesson 6: Let Go—Make Room for the New

Lesson 7: Be Grateful—Harness the Power of Gratitude

Lesson 8: Stay Open: The Perfect Place at the Perfect Time

Lesson 9: See the Magick: Beliefs Drive Vision

Appendix: Dumping, Grounding, & Protecting

Clearing and Grounding

Clearing your energy serves to rid yourself of internal and external unwanted energies.

Glossary

References

Bibliography

About the Author

Index

Also by Diane Wing

Self-Help

The True Nature of Energy: Transforming Anxiety into Tranquility

The True Nature of Tarot: Your Path to Personal Empowerment

Fiction

Trips to the Edge: Tales of the Unexpected

Thorne Manor… and other Bizarre Tales

Coven: The Scrolls of the Four Winds

In loving memory of my baby brother, Steven

Part I: The Happiness Perspective

Is happiness possible?

Everybody wants a happy life, but it is elusive to many.

I recently spoke to a woman about the idea of happiness. She stated that she felt being truly happy is not possible, that you can be happy in a certain circumstance, such as getting a promotion or receiving a gift, but not happy in general. How sad to feel as though no one can be truly happy. I disagree with this point of view. I know people who are incredibly happy with their lives, including me. It has nothing to do with how much money they have. In fact, those I know with the most money are the least happy overall.

The ones who have true happiness are the ones who feel a sense of fulfillment. They live a life that is perfect for who they are at their core, living in accordance with their true nature. They develop a lifestyle that includes self-control and taking responsibility for what they create in their lives. They revel in the small daily joys that provide them with a laugh or a sense of discovery.

Those who live in fear of what may come next and who adopt a sense of helplessness and hopelessness are unhappy. The ones who continuously chase after a goal derived from what others say will make them happy find that joy is always just out of reach. Each individual must determine for him- or herself what it means to be happy. Define what happiness means to you and get aligned with it.

You likely have a wish list waiting to materialize. Is it a list of stuff or a way of being that you seek? What if all of your desires came true? Do you believe it is possible? Do you think you have the ability to bring good things into your life in a positive way?

Tough questions to be sure. You may fluctuate between self-trust and uncertainty. When doubt creeps in, it sets up the potential for self-sabotage and procrastination. Sabotaging the potential for your dreams to become reality allows you to remove responsibility for why you do not have the things you want. The truth is, we are responsible for manifesting every single thing that is in our lives.

Unfortunately, it seems so much easier to believe that you have absolutely no control over what is in your life, blaming it on fate or the things your relatives did to you. When you find yourself blaming others for what is going on in your world, take a step back and ask yourself how you are contributing to your success or difficulty. Go deep into your questioning and include your basic beliefs, the regular thoughts running through your mind, and your actions or lack thereof. A pattern will emerge that leads to the understanding of how you are the master of your life and what you are doing to bring things into being—positive or negative. You have brought everything into your life that exists there right now. Realizing this helps you to understand the immense power you possess to change whatever it is you no longer want and to manifest your desires.

What does your world look like right now? Is it bright with opportunities or dull with boredom? What do you want it to look like? Understand what each part of your life looks like until they all align. Depending on what is happening around you, your mood, your physical condition, and many other factors, your view of the world you live in can vary. In the sense that each of us has a reality based on our unique perception, everyone lives in a different world. This is the Law of Infinite Universes.

What goes on in your world? Do you have control, or do you feel helpless? Do you use your power, or do you submit to those around you? The decisions you make each day are based in the constructs and framework you have built, which are based on learning and experience and what you think is possible. Gauge where you are by conceptualizing what your world holds within it.

How Do You Want to Live?

We all have dreams of the perfect life, of a way of being on a daily basis that seems to elude the average person. Often, the idea of a different life is conceptualized by stepping out of the current circumstances into a whole new one. Generally, change happens gradually rather than all at once. The transitions that carry you toward your ideal life occur in small steps.

Thinking about the ideal life can be different from actually living it. It is worthwhile to test your ideas and experience them in small ways. Find ways to incorporate your ideal life into the life you live now. Gradually, that life will begin to manifest in bigger ways... or you may discover that this particular path is not something you really want. There may be certain things you need to let go of in order to live a certain way. It could mean that living more simply and freeing yourself from the aspects of your current life that hold you back may be necessary.

It takes courage to leave behind an old way of being. It takes the ability to go deep into yourself to discover a way of being that aligns with your true nature. It requires that you listen to yourself rather than the voices of those around you who tell you it cannot be done. Cultivate a strong vision of the ideal way of life and make the changes necessary to step into it fully.

Seeds Take Time to Grow

Growth requires time. When a seed is planted, the plant does not sprout up spontaneously. It needs time, nurturing, and nutrients to grow into its ultimate form in a healthy way. We live in a world that demands instant results, products that profess to give immediate cures or relief, programs that proclaim to change your life right away with little or no effort.

While it is true that there are moments when we have an epiphany and the resulting change seems instantaneous, it is more likely that the realization has built up over time and something you encountered in that moment triggered all the learning that led up to that point.

Are You Really Ready for a Change?

Have you found yourself saying, “I know things need to be different, but I do not know what to do to start making changes”? Or “I need a new direction,” but you are not quite sure which path to go down, and then you place restrictions on how you approach the needed changes? The way you approach change determines the effectiveness of your efforts.

Some begin their search with a predetermined notion that is consistent with how things have always been. They search for the method or person that allows them to maintain their current view of themselves and their lives. When they hit upon something or someone that forces them to think differently, the approach is rejected.

Significant change requires nothing less than moving out of your comfort zone, challenging your beliefs, and the courage to make the necessary changes. If as you read that last sentence, you feel a tightness in your stomach and feel afraid at the thought of dumping all preconceptions about yourself and your life, then the question you really need to be asking is “Am I really ready to make the necessary changes that will bring me happiness?”

Here’s the truth: making significant changes in your life is challenging, requiring commitment, honesty with yourself, and pushing yourself beyond your current thought process. When you are forced to consider a new perspective and have a big reaction to it—emotionally, physically, or mentally—it requires further examination.

In youth, changes happen faster and closer together. Progress is made with lots of small victories, and you learn about yourself along the way. As you approach forty years old, the tendency to stay in your comfort zone increases, and while the learning continues, the changes are fewer and farther between. Experiencing life-altering circumstances such as a death or divorce can move you forward or force you back, depending on your reaction to the situation. No matter what, these situations increase self-awareness.

With each piece of self-knowledge that is collected, you move up a notch in your development. Each shift puts you in a different mindset and brings you to a new level of understanding, ultimately requiring new strategies and a bigger push to get to the next level. The farther along you are on the path to self-awareness, the bigger the chasm between where you are and where you are trying to get. The time on the plateau creates complacency. It is easy to feel as though you have done the work and that you are where you should be, yet the Great Work of the self is never complete and affords you perpetual growth opportunities.

If you feel you have done the work and already know yourself, then monitor the questions you ask and the goals you set. Take note of when you look for the things that support your current view of yourself. Seek to move beyond where you have been. Read and listen to alternate perspectives, whether or not you agree with them, simply to expand your viewpoint. Change is imminent when you are uncomfortable and when nothing seems to work in your favor. Anxiety exponentially increases the closer you get to a major shift. When the transformation occurs, it is a relief, the weight is lifted, and you can see more clearly.

So are you ready to make a change?

The Pursuit of Happiness

Happiness is associated with meaning and purpose in one’s life. There are numerous benefits of living a happy life. Think about times when you were depressed; often, they were followed by getting a cold. Now think about times when you had a period of happiness; you most likely did not become ill, but actually experienced a heightened sense of wellbeing and increased energy. When the world looks bright, there is excitement about what is around the next corner. To look forward to what the day brings enhances motivation and sense of purpose.

Those who suffer from depression and anxiety know the detrimental effects they have on one’s life. Nothing seems worthwhile, life is riddled with fear about what may or may not happen, and the world looks gray. Happiness eliminates depression and anxiety. These states of being cannot occupy the same space at the same time. A sense of joy creates higher tolerance, more compassion, and attracts people who vibrate at that same happiness level. Gloom repels those of a higher vibrational level; a happy, positive disposition attracts those who strive for and have found joy in their own lives.

Shifting our focus from overcoming the negative to increasing the positive is a great way to cultivate happiness and tranquility. Tranquility is defined as an untroubled state, free from stress and filled with peace. It is up to us to choose the state we live in and to clear the blocks to a happy, peaceful life.

There are days when you are bombarded with external stressors and circumstances beyond your control that weigh on you and derail your attempts to live a serene life. While the circumstances may be unavoidable, your reaction to them is within your power to control. It is a conscious choice to succumb to the habitual response that has become automatic or to stop, breathe, feel your feet on the floor, and decide to react differently. If this is difficult to fathom, consider how many times getting upset helped the situation. In my experience, the answer is zero. It takes practice to shift from being upset to grounded and centered.

Exercise i-1: Take the agitation and dump it into the ground (see chapter on grounding for ways to do this) and go into nature or your sacred space to recharge. To create a personal, peaceful place, choose a spot either inside or outside, smudge the area with your favorite herbs, beat your drum, call in whatever energies make you feel calm, and/or light a candle charged with the intention of setting tranquil energy in the space.

You Are Your Best Authority

One key to happiness is recognizing that you are your best authority. Listening to sources outside of yourself and giving external “experts” power over your decisions, your hope for the future, and your view of yourself is a recipe for misery. Some spiritual mentors, coaches, authors, and unethical practitioners of all sorts prey on those trying to overcome their challenges and who need help resolving even the most mundane issues.

To avoid handing over your power, ask questions, challenge the information, and even reject it completely if it feels right to do so. When receiving advice, check-in with yourself and see whether it feels right to you. If not, keep searching for the right person to guide you—one who embodies the principles that resonate with you. When you read a book that tells you to follow a specific way of being or to use a particular technique and it does not feel right to you, listen to yourself. Just because it is in writing does not mean it applies to everyone or that it is correct. I even encourage you to question what I am telling you now, in this book!

Use the four-part inner guidance system I discuss in my book The True Nature of Energy: Transforming Anxiety into Tranquility. When you hear a certain piece of information, how does it feel in your body? Do you tense up or relax? What thoughts go through your mind? Are they filled with fear and doubt or excitement and hope? How does it feel emotionally? Is there anxiety and depression, or do you light up? When you “ask” for Divine guidance on the information, do you get a green light or a red flag?

Maintain sovereignty always. Do not blindly trust; cultivate healthy skepticism. Do not assume you can trust everyone who says he or she is working in your best interest or who claims to be an authority. If someone says his way is the only way, that is a strong indicator to continue soul searching or even Google searching. Consider other opinions, especially your own. You are the best authority of what needs to happen in your life. You have power to make choices that are for your highest good. Embrace that power and learn how to cultivate your inner guidance. It is your best defense against charlatans and unethical practitioners, and it keeps the power where it belongs—with you.

Is Happiness a Matter of Luck?

Some people just seem lucky; no matter what they do, it all seems to work out for them. Others seem to walk around with the proverbial “black cloud” over their heads, drawing challenges, difficulties, and drama into their lives. What is the difference between these two types? What I have witnessed over and over is that those who are in a state of constant struggle expect to have problems and set-up limitations by finding all of the reasons things cannot happen. There is an inherent lack of trust that things will work out for the best. Those who are lucky tend to live in a state of gratitude, where they understand that they can take positive action toward their desires, yet do not feel the need to control how their wishes manifest. They have a generally accepting and optimistic attitude toward life, and those they surround themselves with tend to view life as an adventure, with problems that arise being opportunities to overcome and succeed. The more they open to possibilities, the more positive energies they attract. Essentially, they are creating their own luck and happiness—and you can too!

Back to Basics: The Need to Build a Strong Foundation

Some believe that happiness allows for an easy road, but it is quite the opposite. Living in joy requires focus, commitment, self-discipline, and self-knowledge. Before true happiness can be created, building a solid foundation is critical to successful work. The stronger you are mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually, the faster happiness enters your life.

Be healthy, mind, body, and spirit. Eat right, clear the clutter and clean your home, and strengthen your energy field with dumping, grounding, and protecting. A clear, fortified, and focused person is able to direct his or her life in a way that a scattered person cannot.

Your external environment says a lot about your internal state. Clutter and dirt in the home or in your sacred space reflects confusion, stuck energy, and a lack of self-worth. Trying to achieve the Happiness Perspective in this type of space produces muddled and ineffective results. Prepare the space by cleaning it while inserting the energies of gratitude, love, and reverence. Charge your cleaning solutions with the energy of protection and security. Hold the bottle of cleanser and send intentions that produce the type of environment you long for—peaceful, calm, safe, etc. Piles of clothes, papers, and other items serve to choke off the flow of energy. Clear the clutter to allow energy to flow freely through the space.

If you are feeling tense, upset, or ill, take steps to shift these energies and feel bright and purposeful. Take time to heal the malady. By doing so, your ability to manifest your desires exponentially increases. By approaching your daily routine in these ways, it translates into a more centered and focused way of being in which you are able to handle most situations in your life and direct your energy more effectively.

Everything Is Relative

Have you ever had something happen that upset you to no end and then you shared the situation with a friend who felt you were overreacting? You experienced the circumstance more intensely than your friend would have.

This is because everything is relative. If you had your hopes set on a particular goal, only to have everything fall through, it could be devastating. If, on the other hand, you saw the difficulties as a lesson and a stepping stone to an even better outcome, then it is likely to be motivating.

So the question becomes, in what context are you viewing the situation? Which beliefs are kicking in, and are they valid?

Let us stay with the idea of everything falling through. If you believe that there will never be another opportunity to fulfill your dreams, then it could result in depression. If you believe that the Universe is looking out for your highest good and things will work out for the best, the result is hope and understanding.

The idea of relativity is that everything has significance only in relation to something else. It is about context; nothing happens in and of itself; there is always a framework from which it is viewed and extended with internal or external circumstances applied. What one person feels is important may or may not be to someone else. It may crush one person and bring hope to another.

Putting things into perspective allows a heightened awareness of what the situation really holds. An extreme case is that of British physicist Stephen Hawking, a brilliant man who admits he was enjoying his social life a great deal and did not focus on his studies until he acquired the debilitating disease ALS at twenty-one. He was not expected to live past twenty-five, but he is now in his seventies. This would be devastating news under any circumstance, yet Stephen Hawking said that without ALS, he would not have accomplished even half of his groundbreaking work, let alone rise to hold Cambridge University’s Lucasian Professorship of Mathematics, a position that has been held by only seventeen men, including the father of physics, Isaac Newton. Hawking said that the disease forced him to focus.

Now, think about how an initial bit of bad news turned out for the best. What were you able to accomplish that would not have been possible without that unexpected situation? It all depends on the context of the situation.

There are many ways to perceive objects, behaviors, and people. The circumstances within which they occur lead to particular interpretations. The definition we apply to the person or thing is influenced by its context. This then determines how we respond to it.

For example, a person is an attorney. The ability to make a good argument, to manipulate information, and to cite precedence is valued within the context of a courtroom. The attributes that make the person effective as an attorney are not welcome in personal disputes. I know several women married to attorneys who complain that their husbands tend to approach a marital argument in the same way they would in a trial. In their personal life, this behavior is defined as off-putting and unwelcome.

A man who spends every Saturday playing golf could be perceived by his significant other either to be taking time away from her or to be providing her with a welcome opportunity for some “me” time. This is determined by the context of her definition of what a relationship should be. If it is that as a couple you spend all of your free time together, then it will be viewed as negative behavior; if alone time is important, then it will be viewed as positive.

The interpretation of an astrological natal chart is influenced by the reader’s perspective and the chart’s focus. If the focus is on vocation, the chart data is interpreted in relation to the native’s career opportunities and associated characteristics. If the reading focuses on health, the reader will interpret the same data in the context of medical astrology definitions. While the planetary positions are the same, their definitions change based on the context.

Start to notice how your personal definition of people and things is influenced by its context. How does your definition change based on the circumstances? Come up with your own examples. The main thing to note is that nothing is completely good or bad; rather it is initially neutral and its meaning and effect is dependent upon the context in which it is being perceived. Perception is reality, and so the way you see and define something determines your feelings, behaviors, and interpretations of it.

Say you need to traverse a quarter of a mile. If you are in good health, this is an easy task that is accomplished in minutes. If you have a problem walking, then it is a struggle to complete that short distance; it takes a lot longer, and results in frustration. How can the situation be dealt with to increase the joy in the experience?

If you insist on covering the distance without a cane, forcing yourself to push through without assistance, it is even harder. Add a cane and it becomes a bit easier but still frustrating and slow going. Add a walker and stability increases, along with confidence. Now, what if you added a scooter to the mix? The happiness quotient of traversing a quarter mile goes way up. It is easier, more enjoyable, and speeds up the process.

Exercise i-2: Here is something to ponder. Are you making things hard on yourself? Is pride, anger, or hopelessness the construct providing context to your situation?

Dealing with the symptoms (emotions) only puts a temporary patch on what is troubling you. Digging out the root is key to fully overcoming discomfort and entering into a happier view of the world. It increases your energy level, expands possibilities, and enhances understanding of what is in your life and how best to use the information held within the situation.

Exercise i-3: Pick a circumstance you are struggling with. Consider the emotions associated with that particular situation. What is the root of it? Is it anger at another person or at yourself? Is it that you have given up trying? Is it that you feel you can do it on your own without the right kind of help? Once the root is identified, list ways you can modify how you are viewing the situation and what types of assistance would be appropriate to move past it.

Look at everything within the context of the circumstances or the focus. What may seem negative in one context may be motivating in another. Everything is relative.

Part II:

Shift Your Perspective

Chapter 1: Regarding the Internal

Shift Your Perspective: On Adjusting

Whether at social or business events, I find that more and more people are taking stock of where they are now and the changes that need to be made for them to move forward in the most fulfilling way. Those who have awareness of the path they need to take often find it difficult to take the steps necessary to embrace fully the lives they envision for themselves. Those who are on the path of their true callings find it necessary to make constant changes and modify their approach to manifesting the lives they want.

The key to making changes of any kind is the willingness to adjust your thinking and your actions in accordance with what you want. Simply asking for it, praying for it, or envisioning it are not enough. You must take definitive action toward the vision. Remove any time-wasting activities that do not take you toward your ultimate destination. Reject relationships or circumstances that are unhealthy for you and that create energy drains.

No matter where you are on the path, maintain a dynamic mindset, for as you step from one level to another, pass through one cycle to another, adjustments need to be made. With each new experience, you gain understanding. This leads to an adjustment in the way you think about yourself and your future and creates new opportunities to fulfill your dreams. It may spark an idea you never could have had before or may allow you to see a path that was previously unavailable to you.

With each shift, with each new experience, your view of the world may change only slightly or may change in a profound way. In all cases, you are never the same as you were before, and so adjusting to the new way of thinking and being requires reconsidering your goals and modifying the actions you take. In this way, you align yourself with yourself and redirect your efforts to bring forth the new potential.

Stay cognizant of how experiences, relationships, and knowledge assist you in growing and allow the changes necessary to accommodate your new form. Use journaling, divination tools, and meditation to tap into the deeper meanings of your life. Seek out your reflection in those around you and gaze objectively at the results your energy creates in your life. See how your outer world begins to take the shape of your transition—you may change your home’s decor, wear different clothing than you usually do, or purge items that no longer feel part of your heightened sense of self.

It is a marvelous thing when you see yourself growing and changing and taking the necessary steps to support that development, embracing that which is your true self, your true calling, and going forth in a centered, grounded manner that fosters additional awareness and understanding.

Exercise 1-1: Consider a recent shift in the way you think about yourself or your circumstances. How has this changed the actions you take? Have your priorities changed as a result? In what way? If you have not had a recent shift, think about a persistent way of looking at something and make a list of ways you can see it differently, whether you believe it right now or not. Look at it from several points of view other than the current one and choose one that feels right; then adjust to that new perspective accordingly.

Shift Your Perspective: On Anger

Think back to all the times you have been angry. Anger can result from a variety of reasons and takes on many forms. The energy of anger is directed at the perceived source—whether it is anger with the self, with someone else, or at a situation. It may be mixed with hate, disappointment, hurt, or aggravation. It may be justified... or not.

Some people feel that anger is a negative emotion to be avoided at all costs. Anger creates discordant energy that takes you off center. Loss of control in a fit of anger can prompt actions you may deeply regret later; whether it is something said or something done, the effects can be long lasting.

Anger as a primary view of the world, as in anger at others’ behavior or at one’s own circumstances, wears the person down and repels people from wanting to be around him or her. This type of person feels justified in his or her anger and holds on to it.

Blowing up out of anger can be exhausting and even dangerous, when it takes a violent form. Also, staying angry at a situation and talking about it over and over fuels the fire, intensifies the propensity to take regretful action, and keeps the negativity in place.

Sometimes, anger comes forward toward things that are out of a personal scope of control, such as death, war, the government, or the economy. The anger is attached to feeling helpless or powerless to change the situation. When that occurs, allow acceptance to replace anger and focus on uplifting aspects of life and ways to bring that higher vibration into the world.

Anger is more likely to appear when a person is fatigued, stressed, or upset. These lower the tolerance threshold and increase the likelihood that the response to certain triggers, like teasing, criticism, failure, etc., will result in lashing out in anger. To increase your tolerance, make sure you dump negativity and ground yourself on a regular basis. [See Appendix or The True Nature of Energy: Transforming Anxiety into Tranquility by Diane Wing, M.A., on page 24.]

While these are valid reasons to look upon anger with disdain and to strive for self-control, there is a powerful use for anger. Anger, used to its best purpose, can be a catalyst for change. Any strong reaction is an indicator of a deep-seated belief or problem, and the forceful nature of anger is potent when channeled to make important changes.

Anger can come as the result of a social or personal injustice. This is a higher vibrational form of anger that can lead to the creation of social movements and personal actions that create positive change.

Anger that stems from feeling disrespected, undervalued, criticized, or unappreciated points to the need for personal change, including in the way the self is viewed or in the types of relationships engaged in.

Each person has a unique set of circumstances and triggers regarding anger. Anger can hold within it the seeds of change for the highest good. Be aware of how anger shows up, and tap into this powerful source of transformation.

Exercise 1-2: The following questions can help narrow the focus that will identify where you can direct this intense energy for the highest good:

1. Why am I angry? (Surface reason)

2. Why am I angry, really? (Underlying reason)