consciouSynthesis

It has been almost 6 years, since the day I first read James Allen’s As a Man Thinketh . I take THAT day, in the year 2004 as the day I was “baptized” into my pursuit of personal growth and self awareness. It is that book, which introduced me to the world conscious growth as I now know it.

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Ever since I did my guest post (4 things you need to know about all ideas) at QuestForBalance, I have been thinking of the simple ideas from years past; ideas that, though simple and old, have been life changing for me.

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In this article, I share 6 of those ideas. I highlight them NOT as The Way, but as simple ideas that have benefited me greatly.

1. Expanding my Knowledge and Awareness through Reading

I have read a lot about spirituality, religion, philosophy, life change and self improvement in the last 6 years than in any other period of my life. I continue seeking for more; even if it is mostly more of the same.

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Much of the information I have read during this time is the same old stuff; nothing new. In fact, I can even go on as to state that a lot of it has not even been useful to me … but I don’t see that as a problem.

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The greatest benefit to have come from this is that I have developed the habit of reading. Reading is like music to my ears. Many times, in the course of my life I am able to retain my sanity because of this important habit formed over time.

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I have reached a point where I enjoy reading and musing over ideas about life not necessarily to get something but because the mere act of reading and playing with these ideas in my mind IS something. In short, I don’t necessarily read to get it; I read because I get it. The journey of reading about life change is NOT to get me to a (somewhere outside of me) destination; reading itself is THE destination.

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That is how much joy I find in reading about life change and personal growth; it’s insane I tell you. Plus I, from time to time come across ideas that completely change my life.

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2. Becoming WORLD CLASS with Simple Productivity

I have found that whenever I seriously follow through on the various ideas about simple personal productivity in my day to day life, I become a better human being. For example, a few years ago, the simple acts of diligence and effective management of my time impacted me greatly in life and in my professional work as a computer systems developer.

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I remember listening to Brain Tracy’s Eat That Frog! 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time; I religiously started to implement these time management insights in my everyday life; for the next few months that I did that, my personal and professional life greatly improved. I was more productive at work and accomplished a lot more projects for my department in a very short period of time.

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I became more focused and during that time I raised my personal profile at work in very interesting ways… not to talk about the personal satisfaction that comes with contribution and giving value.

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Now, project this kind of life over a long period of time … with the necessary balance, it is a solid everyday dominion if you ask me!

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3. Living my Congruent Values

We all have a sense of “right” and “wrong”; the standards by which we order our steps. Looking back, I can see that I have felt my best when I have been walking in tandem with my congruent life values and in my sense of personal integrity. However, during the times (and they have been many!) when I have ignored my most cherished values, I have felt my worst.

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If you ask me, it is better to live your congruent values than not to do so; this is the key to personal harmony which many seek. This is a simple truth and it is NOT rocket science.

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4. Being Master of my Destiny and KNOWING IT AS TRUTH

I really believe this; I believe that I am a very important parameter in the equation of my life; this knowledge is what has kept my sanity in the most difficult situations. I won’t tell you that I know all the mysteries of life; but this I know … true or illusion… I am a co-creator of what I see. I matter. I have a say.

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Now, here is the big idea. Since I am a co-creator, it means there is another Co-Creator; this is the mystery of life; the Universe; the God in me; the Great I am (The Great Me)… or whatever you want to call it. THAT ONE is a mathematical constant (that is, a known and trusted parameter). So, only I need to change when it comes to effecting change in my life… I am the only variable when it comes to making meaning out of my experience of life…hence being master of my destiny.

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This is just an idea; a belief… a life changing belief when KNOWN AS TRUTH. I hold on to this.

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5. Being Non Resistant to LIFE Changes

This idea can best be described by quoting a few brilliant words from Bruce Mau’s Incomplete Manifesto for Growth:

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“The prerequisites for growth: the openness to experience events and the willingness to be changed by them.”

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THAT is what I mean by non-resistance to life; the ability to live and let live; to surrender to win; the skill allowing your self to experience events and be changed by them. This is strength. Pay attention to this:

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A local mining company was laying off workers during the 2008/2009 world economic slump. A former acquaintance of mine was working for this particular company at the time.

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Every time you called this guy … even just to say hi … he would straight on bring up his job situation, not to complain but to affirm that he will not be laid off. During the exchange, he would make a lot of positive affirmations and self assurances that he was not going to lose his job because of his “faith”. According to him, everyone would go…but not him.

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He seemed motivated and upbeat; and while I admired his attitude, I had a problem with his apparent “positive” talk. It didn’t matter how confident he sounded; his resistance spoke volumes of his fear!  It didn’t take long. He lost his job. Thank God he found a better one after a few months of “suffering”.

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You see, resistance is fear. To me, most positive affirmations are a manifestation of fear… not faith. No wonder I rarely do affirmations. Faith is exhibited in a quiet and yielding spirit; a heart that is ready to experience.

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Bend and you shall never break… you will change for the better.

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6. Being Happy for No Reason (or Just Because)

This is another simple idea about personal growth; one that I have come to appreciate because of what it has done in me… at many crossroads of life; Being happy for no reason at all; Taking happiness not as an effect but as a cause of the same effect; its own effect.

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Usually people turn to these when they have tried all and have nothing else to turn to. Soon they realize just how fun life can be if they always lived this way. I have tried, tested and tasted “living happily for no reason”; I am glad to tell you that it works; it is sweet!

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But I also want to admit that in the past, I have also turned to this only in times when I don’t see any “objective” reason for me to be “happy”; when things are not going well for me; that’s when I have become frantic about applying these and many other simple ideas in my life.

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But times are changing; it is not enough to be on and off the path of enlightenment. A sustained effort in life change is for all purposes a desirable thing. And so I invite you.

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This is just about all I wanted to share with you. Remember,

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“You don’t need many ideas to change your life; you don’t need complicated ideas to change your life; all you need is an idea you are willing to take in and use”

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Pick some of these ideas, think of others and run with them. That is what I am doing NOW.

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Photo Credit: Alfiere