Daily Question, March 28 What keeps me from trusting that an extraordinary life is available to me? 50 Reflections Share Click here to cancel reply.Please log in or Create a Profile to post a comment. Notify me when someone replies to my comment via e-mail. Matthew E1 year agoMatthew EEntitlement is what keeps me from trusting that an extraordinary life is indeed already mine. At the half century mark, regretfully, I am just now seeing I have an extraordinary life. I have been walking blind with arrogant entitlement. I am here to live differently from now on. I “found”:gratefulness.org out of the brokenness of my friend Adam. Adam was in the midst of burn out and came to my home for a few days to just be. A few weeks later he wrote in a newsletter about his soul renewing ...Entitlement is what keeps me from trusting that an extraordinary life is indeed already mine. At the half century mark, regretfully, I am just now seeing I have an extraordinary life. I have been walking blind with arrogant entitlement. I am here to live differently from now on. I “found”:gratefulness.org out of the brokenness of my friend Adam. Adam was in the midst of burn out and came to my home for a few days to just be. A few weeks later he wrote in a newsletter about his soul renewing time with us and his journey into gratitude. In a few short weeks his ulcer was healed, dark mood lifted and his chest tightness released. His suffering became my double blessing. I thought he was the one in crisis, turns out (surprise) it was me. I am so grateful. Read More11 Reply Mica1 year agoMicaThank you, Matthew E – that’s a thought-provoking answer – Entitlement – and a wonderful story. 7 Reply Carol1 year agoCarolI think most of us would just like to live an ordinary life these days. Travel, see and hug friends and relatives, attend large gatherings, sing in a choir, dance til we drop! An extra ordinary life is not about egoic successes. It’s about a healthy relationship with one’s self and with others. As I’ve stated many times before, I’m reminded of John Lennon’s song, “Imagine.” . 8 Reply Mica1 year agoMicaThank you, Carol – a young adult family member said last night that he was waiting for life to get back to normal, and he disagreed with my opinion that we’ll never get back to the old normal. Thank you, too, Carol, for reminding me of John Lennon’s moving song, “Imagine.” 2 Reply DeVonna1 year agoDeVonnaI am living an extraordinary life! I know I am loved with an everlasting love. I know I am blessed beyond what I “deserve”. And I know that eternity awaits me. That, my friend, is extraordinary! 5 Reply SK1 year agoSKNothing now or anything from the past years has kept me from living, having and being in an extraordinary life. I have had advantages, opportunities, great love and support and the God of creation backing me all the way. There has been no "life maze" for me to negotiate but rather an endless walk in a labyrinth meeting others on the same path, going away from others, turning, going, coming full circle. I have good health, good memories, have learned from errors, cherish my family and friends, ...Nothing now or anything from the past years has kept me from living, having and being in an extraordinary life. I have had advantages, opportunities, great love and support and the God of creation backing me all the way. There has been no “life maze” for me to negotiate but rather an endless walk in a labyrinth meeting others on the same path, going away from others, turning, going, coming full circle. I have good health, good memories, have learned from errors, cherish my family and friends, feel at peace with who I am and whose I am. Read More4 Reply Ed Schulte1 year agoEd SchulteYour sharing echoes the ‘Word of the Day’ very well! Just to be is a blessing. Just to live is holy. RABBI ABRAHAM JOSHUA HESCHEL 2 Reply k'Care-Reena1 year agok'Care-ReenaWHAT KEEPS YOU FROM TRUSTING THAT AN EXTRAORDINARY LIFE IS AVAILABLE TO ME? My previous mental health conditions keeps me from trusting that this "amazing life" is available to me. At 27 I was diagnosis w/ [Anxiety & Panic Disorder] I was advised from my MD's that is NOT CURABLE BUT TREATABLE. At first they diagnosis me with a chronic heart condition that can cause a heart-attack;.which increased my anxiety more. From all my research within the past 3yr has given me the experience & ...WHAT KEEPS YOU FROM TRUSTING THAT AN EXTRAORDINARY LIFE IS AVAILABLE TO ME? My previous mental health conditions keeps me from trusting that this “amazing life” is available to me. At 27 I was diagnosis w/ [Anxiety & Panic Disorder] I was advised from my MD’s that is NOT CURABLE BUT TREATABLE. At first they diagnosis me with a chronic heart condition that can cause a heart-attack;.which increased my anxiety more. From all my research within the past 3yr has given me the experience & knowledge. We know what other’s do not know this is because we have had a few break-throughs and self discoveries. My environment can also be inconsiderate as sometimes its influences the body, mind & soul survivor. I try to be in places that have open sky’s and less sky scrapers. When I begin to feel lazy it is most. likely that my environment NO LONGER serves me; I take the proper precautions to adjust my surroundings and move from time to time. When I get comfortable I do not put forth the high vibration or energy that is required for my business & Non Profit Org. Please keep in mind Environment factors are anything to do with your surroundings and imprints from a child (beliefs & behaviors created as a child. My mind constantly tells me that I may have a panic attack and shouldn’t be traveling alone, however my HEART tells me I am protected and have a duty & obligation. Read More6 Reply Katrina1 year agoKatrinaAfter reading the responses of others and wrestling with my own, I’m considering that the question itself is either bogus or simply confusing. And that primarily lies in the use of the word “extraordinary”. What is extraordinary to one is not to another. I would have to define the extraordinary life in my mind even before answering the question. I’m not up for that today. 6 Reply Matthew E1 year agoMatthew EThat is a courageously honest answer. Keep seeking and you will find. I prayed for you today. 6 Reply Michele1 year agoMicheleNothing keeps me from trusting that an extraordinary life is available to me. I am trusting the Universe. Many responses on this website have uplifted me and given me hope. Positivity. 6 Reply Ed Schulte1 year agoEd SchulteNOTHING trust wise. If there is a "stopping" it is there for protection only. . .. But on the other hand “life available” while experiencing the dualism of life in the world of separation is for gaining ‘Life experiences’ fundamentally needed, absolutely important conditioning so as to …… .be able to exist and live as “ordinary” in the IMMENSE experiences to-come in the so-called, “extra-ordinary” higher states of BE-ing-ness. Yes they are all there NOW (and always have been...NOTHING trust wise. If there is a “stopping” it is there for protection only. . .. But on the other hand “life available” while experiencing the dualism of life in the world of separation is for gaining ‘Life experiences’ fundamentally needed, absolutely important conditioning so as to …… .be able to exist and live as “ordinary” in the IMMENSE experiences to-come in the so-called, “extra-ordinary” higher states of BE-ing-ness. Yes they are all there NOW (and always have been THERE) ….When one does not develop their BEing-ness while in the world of separation then there is a sense called “doubt” which is a protection system within the sub-consciousness saying, “your not ready for more yet,” Read More5 Reply devy1 year agodevyM’y attitude has shifted to the idea that life and being alive is extraordinary. There is so much that living has to offer. I just look around me and see all that there is, that having reasonably good health, being able to hear and feel my heart beat and my lungs breath is something amazing and realize how amazing the human body is and things around me such as Mother Nature and the stars in the sky are. 4 Reply EJP1 year agoEJPThe ghosts of the past. 7 Reply Antoinette1 year agoAntoinetteLimited thinking for example the pandemic is not allowing for me …. stops me from living an extraordinary life. At the same time, it’s interesting to look deeply at the word extra-ordinary. Life it self is extra ordinary. Being grateful to breath and have working eyes that can allow me to see the beauty around me is extraordinary! The “ordinary” is where gratefulness is born and blossoms. 7 Reply Misty1 year agoMistyThis question assumes that one doesn’t already consider their life extraordinary. Isn’t ordinary life also, in many ways, extraordinary? This question also makes it sound like we hold ourselves back. Do we? I think this question has hit a nerve for me, just at the moment. As someone who puts a lot of expectations on themselves, I instead need to practice that what I do is enough. I am enough. 8 Reply sunnypatti1 year agosunnypattiNothing. Anymore, that is! The old version of me didn't think I deserved love or happiness, muchless an "extraordinary" life. But through healing, empowerment, and the grace of God, I have learned that I do deserve those things. I also know that extraordinary is subjective. Is my life extraordinary in a way that I am famous, astonishing, or incredible? Probably not. But it is a miraculous life that I'm living. It's unique because it's my individual experience. It's phenomenal to me, the things t...Nothing. Anymore, that is! The old version of me didn’t think I deserved love or happiness, muchless an “extraordinary” life. But through healing, empowerment, and the grace of God, I have learned that I do deserve those things. I also know that extraordinary is subjective. Is my life extraordinary in a way that I am famous, astonishing, or incredible? Probably not. But it is a miraculous life that I’m living. It’s unique because it’s my individual experience. It’s phenomenal to me, the things that I have grown through and the processes by which I came to where I am today. A simple life can be an extraordinary life, depending on your perspective – I woke up to another day. My heart is beating. My brain is thinking. I’ll go to work and do my thing, and then I’ll come home and garden, cook, play with our animals…maybe the next couple of days there might be some waves, so I’ll get to go surfing. If not, I’ll practice some yoga or pull up a kickboxing class on youtube. The fact that I can do these things while living in a state of joy and gratitude for them all is pretty extraordinary… to me 🙂 Read More7 Reply Holly in Ohio1 year agoHolly in Ohiohahahaha. Wow. Interesting question. My father certainly lived an extraordinary life, many times over, and was widely recognized for it. It can be difficult growing up in the shadow of an extraordinary and successful parent. Expectations for yourself are high, but you never quite feel out of that shadow. It doesn't help matters that your parent expects all his children to be extraordinary, to buck the system, to strike an unique path, to, as my brother puts it, "have contempt for confor...hahahaha. Wow. Interesting question. My father certainly lived an extraordinary life, many times over, and was widely recognized for it. It can be difficult growing up in the shadow of an extraordinary and successful parent. Expectations for yourself are high, but you never quite feel out of that shadow. It doesn’t help matters that your parent expects all his children to be extraordinary, to buck the system, to strike an unique path, to, as my brother puts it, “have contempt for conformity.” I don’t feel extraordinary. Unusual at times, yes, but not extraordinary. And I’ve had unusual life events, not through my own doing. But it wasn’t until this question today that I realized that I DO have an extraordinary life… …that the gift is, we all do. Quiet or famous doesn’t matter. Conformity or non-conformity doesn’t matter. Success or continued struggles doesn’t matter. This life is mine. It is like none other. I have choice. It is miraculous, and extraordinary. Read More9 Reply GratefulOne1 year agoGratefulOneHolly, I can relate to your response. I had a parent that was very outgoing, gregarious and talkative. I felt “in the shadow” at times. But I learned as time went on to grow into “be yourself” and “just be”. From Leave Yourself Alone by Barry Magid “Just sitting means just that. That “just” endlessly goes against the grain of our need to fix, transform, and improve ourselves. The paradox of our practice is that the most effective way of transformation is to leave ourselv...Holly, I can relate to your response. I had a parent that was very outgoing, gregarious and talkative. I felt “in the shadow” at times. But I learned as time went on to grow into “be yourself” and “just be”. From Leave Yourself Alone by Barry Magid “Just sitting means just that. That “just” endlessly goes against the grain of our need to fix, transform, and improve ourselves. The paradox of our practice is that the most effective way of transformation is to leave ourselves alone. The more we let everything be just what it is, the more we relax into an open, attentive awareness of one moment after another. Just sitting leaves everything just as it is.” Read More3 Reply GratefulOne1 year agoGratefulOneFrom today’s Word of the Day: Just to be is a blessing. Just to live is holy. RABBI ABRAHAM JOSHUA HESCHEL 2 Reply Howie Geib1 year agoHowie GeibThere are times throughout each day, moments really, when my grounded reality is in a world that is essentially hostile. That is threatening in its nature. Those moments I am operating in a fundamentally survivalist mode, and in those times trusting that the future is rosy just doesn’t have a chance. Now, it is also true that this is not the dominant state of affairs. That through practice and after a good deal of therapy (LOL) I am able to shift that grounded reality. I am not attached to it ...There are times throughout each day, moments really, when my grounded reality is in a world that is essentially hostile. That is threatening in its nature. Those moments I am operating in a fundamentally survivalist mode, and in those times trusting that the future is rosy just doesn’t have a chance. Now, it is also true that this is not the dominant state of affairs. That through practice and after a good deal of therapy (LOL) I am able to shift that grounded reality. I am not attached to it in my deepest sense of self or my character. I do not succumb to it. It passes. Why is this tug-of-war going on? I assume it’s because I refuse to be in denial about the utter awful parts of our existence. What we are capable of and actually perpetrate on one another. Read More6 Reply Holly in Ohio1 year agoHolly in OhioOr it is simply that you have experienced fright and pain in your life. Be gentle with yourself, Howie. 5 Reply Kevin1 year agoKevinReality and need. Reality, because thinking, wishing, and believing, don’t make things happen. Work and commitment make these things happen. And the second part of my answer, “need,” is about knowing what I need, and I personally do not have a need for an extraordinary life. What I do strive for is a life of purpose, meaning and usefulness that adds a measure of worth and perhaps joy, as rent, for my time here on the planet. 9 Reply Mica1 year agoMica“Purpose” – thank you, Kevin 2 Reply « Previous 1 2 My Private Gratitude Journal Write an entry in your private gratefulness journal Get Started This site is brought to you by A Network for Grateful Living, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. All donations are fully tax deductible in the U.S.A. DONATE https://gratefulness.org/content/uploads/2015/03/GX-Gold-Participant-L.png Community Engagement Guidelines Privacy Policy [email protected] Connect with us on Social Media: © 2000 - 2022, A Network for Grateful Living Website by Briteweb
