Permission to be Happy....
Falling or flying, living or dying, we can roll out of bed and let the world dominate and direct our path or we can take the world by storm. I chose this picture because you can't really tell what this woman is doing but what we see is based upon the filter that lies within. We react and interpret the world's stimuli based on our core beliefs, but if the core is tainted the translation will be corrupted. Like an innocent email carrying a worm ridden virus the message gets mangled traveling through our damaged self esteem. By the time the external code reaches our cerebral cortex the message has mutated into a grotesque construct of misinterpretations.
The marred vision twists reality seeing danger and betrayal in every corner. Slaves to our own suspicions we trap ourselves within a conspiracy of negativity, barricading our souls from the warmth of forgiveness, love and joy. We aren't allowed to be happy because we see those fluffy feelings as a Trojan horse seeking only to get us to let our guard down and destroy us utterly. Chained and shackled with our own fears we allow hope to come only so close to our hearts.
This attitude of dissatisfaction seems to permeate our society, increasing with strength as our economy fluctuates. The obsession with depression within the recession feeds upon itself eating our dreams. But in my humble opinion it seems that economic strife has only given us an excuse to indulge in self pity! I don't mean to offend many of us who are struggling financially but to put it plainly encouragement doesn't cost a thing and yet it is priceless!
How often have you been a witness or a participant to the break room bitch session at the office? What was your role when the guys or gals gathered together to share horror stories about the opposite sex? How many times have you dismantled someone's character from a distance never giving them a fair trial in our mind? Where were you when they passed out lessons in complaining and criticism. I believe I was in the front of the class doing extra credit. I received an A++ for my excellent interpretation of the world's beauty for ashes... I just didn't trust that people could love me if they knew who I really was, but the truth was I didn't even know who I really was. I saw myself through broken glasses stained with past failures.
Many of us have burned down the forest and the trees in our mind to see only a desolate desert in our mind's eye. We buy into the false illusion that its safer, better, more realistic and mature to be aware of the many negative aspects of our world today. But like a cop who only sees criminals day in and day out we become jaded and cynical. Today I try to see the world through different eyes searching and discovering the diamond that lies within every individual, but like the precious gem it's hidden beneath layers of dirt and debris. So many incredible and unique individuals are gifted with skills and talents they haven't even realized yet. Like a hidden prize within a cracker jack box everyone has something special inside! Unfortunately many of us have stopped looking for the miracle that lies inside settling for a life less magical and wondrous.
We have adopted a religion of rejecting our own heart's desires compromising with self deception. We believe the lie that love is for suckers, recovery is a joke and that this is as good as it gets! The addiction, the depression, the anger and poor self image owns us denying us entry to a lifestyle of laughter and joy. We believe we have to be better, make more money, be smarter, prettier, or slimmer to allow ourselves a slice of the pie called life. This way of thinking reminds me of the sinner who feels they have to be sinless before he can enter the church doors!?! An individual only needs to make the choice to laugh, smile and be an encouragement. The choice is simple but the adversity we face is years of pessimism we have chained ourselves in.
Fortunately we are our own judge in this matter we simply need to convince the jury in our mind to grant us a pardon. Like the infamous O.J. Trial we may be in court for months defending and prosecuting our own soul holding in the balance the decision for life in prison or life with purpose? My role in people's life is to be your defense attorney providing you with new insight and facts that have been forgotten. I want to empower you to unlock cage of your creation, but in the end you must convince yourself and grant permission to live, to love and to be happy, what will you decide...
