Weekly Quote
"Life is what happens to you as you are making other plans." John Lennon.
Weekly TimBit – Expectations, illusions and outcomes –
What a great line. Life just happens. I believe in setting goals, planning, and spending time trying to figure out how to create a better future. Problem is, life can change in a heartbeat. I will guarantee at least one person who is reading this e mail – that your life has not turned out in every way the way you planned it, or thought it would. It is either better in some ways or worse.
If you would have told me when I was 25 years old, that by age 59, I would have written 31 books, traveled to over a 18 countries and spoken to over a half a million people, my response would have been, "You must be talking about someone else."
You and I have done things we never planned to, both positive and negative, and we have not yet done some things that we have planned to, thought about or worked toward, for many years. Am I right? Much of a person's expectations in life comes from their illusions about: people, circumstances or life in general.
All of life is a personal interpretation or perception of what is happening in our world. Each of us can look at a sunset, picture, or event and see something different. We can eat the same food, hear the same sounds, and smell the same smells, but in every case we will experience something totally unique.
Life is filled with illusions that present themselves as real. One of the biggest illusions that people who are happy and/or successful, have let go of, is that anyone other than themselves is responsible for their happiness, success, security, well being, and life outcomes.
It is important to have friends, support systems, and to be able to count on others for understanding and help from time to time. However, really happy and successful people know that although these are helpful, and even important sometimes, they have learned that they are responsible for their own life outcomes.
Illusions are nothing more than our mind's interpretation of outside issues, events, circumstances, stuff, people or anything that does not originate within our consciousness. Is there a sound in the forest when a tree falls, if there is no one there to hear it? We, could discuss this type of philosophical topic until we are both – blue in the face.
What matters is, are your – illusions, interpretations, attitudes, values, beliefs, or opinions – getting in your way or moving you forward? Are they sabotaging your happiness or success or contributing to it?
Question for the week –
Are you living with reality – what is – or with illusions – what you want?
Recommended reading for this week –
How to Keep People From Pushing Your Buttons, Ellis
Make it a great week and a tremendous year, In His service, Tim