Ways to Honor Yourself

10 Ways to Honor Thyself

Take the self-love challenge and discover the beauty within.

By Rev. Laurie Sue Brockway"

To fall in love with yourself is the first secret to happiness." - Robert MorelyLove is one of the most powerful energies on the planet. We are born with love in our hearts, and it lives within us all. But some of us put so much focus on finding love and approval "out there" that we never get a chance to truly develop it within ourselves. We look for it in the external world--from parents, partners, friends, bosses, new people we meet, people we admire.

If any one of them disappoints, devastation follows.How many times have you been hurt because of someone else's opinion of you? When we experience self-esteem only through the eyes of others, one unkind word or a bad mood in another can shatter our sense of self.Are you feeling the love? If not, it is time to take our self-love challenge--10 tips and techniques to help you enhance your life by cultivating love from within.

1. Create a Self-Love "Curriculum"

Lack of self-esteem can grab hold in times of stress and challenge, and self-loathing is fueled by exhaustion and hopelessness. Self-love can be reborn by making a commitment to add life-affirming activities to daily life. It is crucial that we nourish ourselves--body, mind, and spirit. This does not mean going to a spa every few years. It has to be blended into our lifestyles and treated with as much importance as a doctor's appointment or worship service. Many of us are very generous with those around us.

We give of ourselves to friends, family, coworkers. We twist ourselves into pretzels to accommodate the needs of others. But when it comes to ourselves, we can be stingy.The First

Step: Chart a course to improved self-image that stimulates all the senses. This will fill you with a sense of hopefulness and potential! Make a list of 10 things that will enhance your feelings of self-esteem. Incorporate everything from meditation and prayer, to taking yourself out on dates, to activities that bring you joy, and enhance your well-being on all levels. Above all, "follow your bliss"!

2. Replace Self-Defeat with Self-Love

Being kind to yourself is a healthy habit to get into. Work to release feelings of regret, angst, fear, and anxiety, and instead fill up with love, joy, possibility, and spirit. For example, does your current morning meditation include sipping coffee while berating yourself for a goof-up at work, worrying about something that happened between you and a friend, or giving yourself guilt because of that chocolate cake you ate? If someone else were beating up on you the way you beat up on yourself, you'd fight back. In this case, you have to learn to fight the urge to defeat your own purpose in life and replace repetitive, negative thinking with that which uplifts you heart and soul. The First Step: Begin with a prayer to be filled with Divine Presence and possibility--positive, hopeful thoughts and ideas. Create a new intention that if you slip into negative self-talk you will switch your focus. Try a special mantra or affirmation that can redirect your energy. Some possibilities to get you started: I am one with God. I am a good person. Light fills my being. I radiate good energy and thoughts.

3. Open Your Heart

We may say we want love, success, and happiness, but we don't always back up our dreams with self-honoring actions. Without self-love, we have no foundation to uphold or contain love, self-esteem, and true potential. Someone can love you with more heart than you ever imagined, but where will it go if you have no internal mechanism for recognizing pure love? The universe can shower you with opportunities, but you will miss the best plums on the tree because you won't think you deserve to reach for them.The First Step: Take 10 to 20 minutes every morning to meditate to a piece of music that feels heart-opening to you. One that I like is this moving and soul-stirring chant, "Open My Heart," by Ana Hernandez and Ruth Cunningham, from their CD HARC: Inside Chants. Hear more at http://www.myspace.com/anahermusic.

4. Write a New Mission Statement

Loving ourselves can be a learning process for some of us, and we all learn best when the topic we are dealing with is presented to us in plain language. The First Step: Craft a "Self-Nurturing Mission Statement" for your life. The statement should put forth the intention and vision for a fulfilling life in which honoring yourself is key. Your mission statement might look like this: I am a beautiful person, and I have so much to share with the world. Honoring myself and my needs is my first priority. My life is enhanced daily by simple acts of self-nurturing, and my world is in balance. I have excellent boundaries, and I wake up each morning with a deep sense of self-love, self-esteem, and the knowledge that I deserve good things in my life. It is my birthright to be happy, successful, and loved.

5. Redefine the Word 'Selfish'

What if Selfish became self-ish? Try taking this word, which has a negative connotation, and giving it a positive spin. It is time to be a little more self-ish! The First Step: There is a kabblistic tradition taught by Rabbi Joseph Gelberman that tells us to take each word and imbue each letter with a new, fuller meaning. Try this on for size:S Nurture your SPIRIT.E ENJOY moments alone.L LOVE yourself.F Keep FIT and FEEL good.I Make your unique needs IMPORTANT.S SHOWER yourself with gifts.H Be HAPPY and open-HEARTED.

6. Email Yourself Love Notes

Send yourself an email every day (for at least 30 days) with a new message of encouragement and love. Think it's goofy? Think again. If you were falling in love with another person, how would you feel if he or she emailed you some loving words of encouragement every day, just because they care? You would feel high on life, happy, whole, and thrilled. You would feel like something magical is happening. You would be uplifted and empowered because someone had chosen you and was honoring you by constantly letting you know how they feel about you. In this case, you are creating all the same feelings--by yourself, for yourself.The First Step: You can write anything you choose. Some examples to get you started: Tell yourself how beautiful you looked today; give yourself laurels for any job well done; thank yourself for all the good things you do for others in a day; write yourself a romantic note extolling the virtues of...you!

7. Literally Bathe in Self-Love

We all need to recharge and regenerate ourselves. And there is nothing like giving yourself some "me time" in a warm, wonderful bath. Use it as a way to clear your mind, reclaim yourself, heal, and transmute blues and blahs. The First Step: Draw a bath. Play relaxing and sensual music. Slip into the warm water, daydream, and allow yourself to bask in the energy of love. It truly creates an impression in your own mind and spirit that you are someone who deserves royal treatment and who is willing to receive it! You can power your bath with your own special salts and scents, or use these special formulas:1. Basil Bath--Just a tablespoon or two boiled in a tea holder and poured into the bath promises a sense of well-being. Studies show that basil relieves stress, and the Hindu culture used basil to stimulate fertility and good fortune.2. Rose Bath--Using rosewater and fresh rose petals, this is a bath the ancient Romans used to evoke the love goddess, Venus.3. Salty Sea Bath--Conjure the healing of the ocean with one or two cups of coarse sea salt, which will restore your electrolytes. Feeling achy? Use some Epsom salts too.Fully immerse yourself to clear your energy field. Dunk nine times and say a prayer with each. At the most primal human level, a nice warm bath gives you a chance to get a new perspective on life.

8. Put Healthy Things into Your Body

We all know by now that certain foods, chemicals, and substances like alcohol can work against us in all areas of life. It is time to truly acknowledge that your body is your temple and treat it as sacred. If you are having any kind of imbalance or dis-ease--depression, illness, self-hating blues--see if you can find an external "chemical" cause for it. Start with what you are eating. Then look at what you are drinking, as well as chemicals you are taking in. For example, sugar, wheat, yeast, processed foods, certain carbs, and alcohol can all add together to make an I-Don't-Feel-Great stew and a grumpy you. The First Step: There are many things we can do to lighten up and alleviate the cause and effect of the things that may make us cranky, ill, and feeling hopeless--which can all add to lack of self-love and self-esteem. Experiment with eliminating different potential trigger substances from your life. Delete things from your general diet that cause you to turn on yourself. Make a choice to find out what foods empower your well-being--perhaps more fruits and veggies, or your body might need more lean meat to keep your head clear--and add in the things that help you feel great.

9. Perform a Self-Love Ceremony

When I teach relationship readiness seminars, I have people look into a mirror into their own eyes and recite vows to themselves. The First Step: The following is an abbreviated sample ceremony, just to get you started:

1. Light a candle and bring light into the room.

2. Say a brief prayer: Divine Spirit of all there is, please fill this place with your sacred presence. Support me in my efforts to express my love for self. Help me see my own divinity. Amen.

3. Sit down and meditate on the qualities you most honor in yourself.

4. Write down three vows that are personally meaningful to you: " I adore you...I love your strength and wisdom...I will promise to love and honor you..., etc."

5. When you feel ready, look into the mirror and connect with your own eyes and read the vows to yourself. It may be uncomfortable at first, but you can transcend that. Your self-love vows will send a powerful message to your subconscious mind.

6. Celebrate your union with self with a sip of something sweet.

7. Play celebratory music.

8. Dance...and feel the love. Need a shorter version? Every time you pass a mirror, smile and look deeply into your own eyes.

10. Choose a Personal Theme Song

We all need a self-love anthem, a song that makes us feel good about ourselves and snaps us into a state of higher self-esteem and hopefulness immediately.Some people come alive when they hear Frank Sinatra. Some relate to an awesome gospel song or religious hymn. Others connect to anything by Natasha Beddingfield, such as the song "Unwritten."

The First Step: Pick a personal theme song that makes your heart sing and always brings a knowing smile to your face. Music has the power to lift our deepest spirits as well as our self-esteem. Ultimately, the more we love ourselves, the more love we can share with those around us. And the more love we bring to our families and friends, the more love we add to our world.

Principles in Life , Wealthiness within

Codes of Honour

Integrity. Sincerity. Honesty.
Responsibility.
Enthusiasm. Initiative. Decisiveness. Resourcefulness.
Resolve. Power of Intention. Determination. Commitment. Singularity of Purpose
Courage. Self Belief. Confidence.
Perseverence. Consistency. Persistence. Dedication. Endurance. Resilience. Discipline .
Humility. Humility comes with Appreciation of one's Strength.
It is a combination of Awe - Respect - Gratitude - Compassion - Love
Balance. Temperance
Contentment. Inner Bliss. Peace of mind. Self Knowledge.


Attract what you want to be

Be to myself what I want in another personWhy? Because if you don't, you will be everything but what your really want to be... You will be what the other person is, good or bad!I decided that this would make a great topic for today. To find out what others have to say, I entered the phrase as a search term into Google and Yahoo. To say I was appalled by the results is an understatement. Most of the results had to do with people who wanted to kill themselves, that nobody loved them, and complaints about how others had treated them badly. Maybe on second thought, it was mean't for me to see these postings to verify to myself what I already know. This is a lesson that I didn't learn until I was older, like gray hair older. Everyone a person comes in contact with affects that person. I rub dirt on my hand, I have dirt on my hand. If we associate with people who have wrong thinking, loose morals, criminal actions and such, over time it will break down our boundaries and change us. Our personalities, actions, thought processes and behaviors, are an amalgamation of all the people and social environments we have been in contact with in our lives. Of course, the more time we spend with any one individual or in a particular social environment, the more we absorb of that individual and social environment. We are a product of our social environment. So knowing this we can answer a few questions that you may have about your life and life situations.

Why am I a loser?
Why do I always fail?
Why am I always in trouble?
Why does everything always happen to me?
Why doesn't anyone love me?
Why do I never have the things I want?

Take a good look at the environment you are in and the company you keep.

Are they winners?
Are they successful?
Are they always in trouble?
Are they leading good wholesome lives?
Are they loving and respectfull to others?
Are they grateful for the things they have?

This social attraction works in both directions. If you want to attract people that are winners, successful and living good lives, you must strive to be a winner, successful and live a good life to attract those people and values into your own lives.So the choice is yours, take responsibility for yourself and pre qualify your social environment and relationships to meet the criteria of the kind of person and life you wish to lead.Its all about attraction, so...Be to yourself what you want in another person and that is what you will attract to yourself and your life.And don't blame others for your life, you attracted everything in your life to yourself.... change what you attract.

"The real winners in life are the people who look at every situation with an expectation that they can make it work or make it better."

There are no problems in life, only solutions. Remember all of the science fiction movies where they are always looking for the "source". Well,your the source. The source in within you. It starts with your mind and your approach to life. A winner achieves dispite adversity. There is a positive side to everything. I have business set backs all of the time. Because of the Principles of Life, I know that the universe is an ordered place. Therefore, everything happens for a reason. People lose because they fail to recognize this fact at a time of diversity, or they just don't know any better. Yes, it hurts and it can get one down when they have a setback or something happens that isn't expected or what you want. But the universe knows what you need. The universe will guide you if your let it. You may not know today or even next week why something went wrong. But, if you wait long enough the reason will reveal itself and you will understand why something went wrong or didn't work out.Thats why winners can face their problems and can look at every situation with an expectation that they can make it work or make it better. It isn't what just happened that matters, its what happens next that makes the difference. And, as I have said before, you only lose if you give up. The universe wants you to win, so just keep going forward.

Change is Inevitable, Personal Growth is a Choice. Just remember that change is inevitable. And if you can't grow and adjust through all of life's ups and downs, you are not likely to stand the test of time. So, instead of blaming your mother or anyone else in your like for your misery, change your attitude and beliefs, and take the steps YOU need to take to be happy.Taking responsibility for your own needs, your happiness and your life, is the most empowering thing you can do for yourself and the only way to make your relationships work.You need to take ownership of your emotions and be responsible for the choices you make. And if you don't like a situation in your life, you're the only one who can change it. Life is full of interruptions: birth, death, divorce, relocation, new job, health challenges, financial disasters, events that shape our lives and give us opportunities to evaluate, change, grow and find our purpose in life. While we can't control much of the world or the various situations changing around us, we can control how we respond.Stability is when everything is settled. But stability means there's no growth, no development, no exciting new gains that might result from unexpected pains. Some people call change progress and celebrate the improvements that it brings. Others curse those same changes and long for the good old days. Same changes, different responses. The choice is ours.There are two kinds of people; those who are changing and those who are setting themselves up to be victims of change.Our crisis’s, disasters and life problems give us an opportunity for us to change. It's a chance to choose a new path.The secret is in recognizing that major change is inevitable. Understanding and planning for that will keep us relevant in the moment while moving ably forward into the future.

To intentionally attract something, we must give up our attachment to it

The Law of Detachment, also known as The Law of Allowing. This law states that in order to intentionally attract something, we must give up our attachment to it.We already know that you get what you think about, whether wanted or unwanted. This also includes what you think about consciously and unconsciously. That's right, even your unconscious thoughts affect what you attract.Whatever you are thinking and feeling about what you desire is attached to that desire. So, if you have any doubt, fear, or negative emotion, you are actually repelling your desire, want, craving or need.To practice the Law of Detachment and receive your desire you must be willing to trust it to a higher power, or who this author calls GOD. You need to put your consciousness in a place of peaceful expectancy; a place where you feel certain that all is well and that you have received your desire. You need to believe without doubt or fear. I ask for my desire or need and than put it out of my head and just thank everyday for receiving that desire or need. The bible calls this faith, but many people do not really understand how this works. There is a three step process to realizing your dreams and desires. 1 ) ASK:You must verbally ask, with expectancy, for your desire, craving, or need to be met. You must always ask, you cannot receive without first asking. Don't think it, say it. 2 ) ANSWER:The universe or what I believe is my higher power, ALWAYS answers. That power can answer with a yes or a no. Its' not always the answer you want, but its always the right answer. But you receive the answer the moment you ask. 3 ) RECEIVE:To receive you need to be in alignment with what you are asking for, you need to passionately believe even if you have seen no evidence whatsoever that your want has been met. This is where most people fail in their prayers. They ask, the universe answered, and then they don't believe they have received. How many times in our prayers have we asked GOD for something and then every time we pray we ask again. He heard your the first time. Oh God, please, please, please. ASK ONCE and ONLY ONCE, from that point forward only THANK, thats right, THANK GOD for what you have asked for. Even if you have seen no evidence that your desire has been granted. That's faith, asking and believing that you have received. You will not get what you ask for in your time. You will always get it at the right time, and only the universe or the higher power knows what that time is. Everything happens when it is supposed to happen, good or bad, every time, and without exception. This is because the universe and GOD are perfect and do not make mistakes.So, stop repeatedly asking for GOD to give you your desire as he does not like repetitious prayer. Just start thanking him TODAY, without doubt, and with expectancy.

Wisdom is our gift , need to be nurtured

The Moral Superiority of Wisdom Over Knowledge

Traditional thought has mostly agreed upon the meanings of the words

"knowledge" and "wisdom".

Nevertheless, the difference between the two is sometimes not immediately evident, especially to one not versed in the history of thought on the subject. In this paper, I will examine the differences between knowledge and wisdom, particularly those related to moral worth, and present an argument for the moral superiority of wisdom over knowledge.

Before proceeding, it is necessary to have an understanding of what these two words mean. Knowledge shall be assumed to be remembrance and understanding of facts. Wisdom shall be assumed to be an understanding of the proper action to take in a given situation. More detail will be added to these definitions later, but they are sufficient for a basic understanding.Armed with these definitions, we proceed to our primary question: which of these two is greater? It is, as I have already stated, my contention that wisdom is the greater of the two. My argument in support of this conclusion is as follows:

Wisdom is morally good

Knowledge is morally neutral

The good is morally superior to the neutral----
Therefore, wisdom is morally superior to knowledge Premise 3 seems self-evident, and the argument is logically valid, so the remainder of this paper will focus on the logical defense of premises 1 and 2.The first question, then, is what is it that makes wisdom a moral good. I assert that goodness is inherent in the definition of wisdom, and that wisdom is therefore good independently of any specific moral theory. In support of this premise, I shall first give examples from four ancient authorities on the subject of wisdom. These are, in roughly chronological order, the Hebrew Bible, Confucius, Socrates and the New Testament.The Hebrew Bible contains the oft-quoted phrase "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom"[1]. The Hebrew word "fear" is often used for to mean "respect", and the context of this verse - a psalm of praise - makes it clear that this is the proper meaning here. Hence the implication is that there is no wisdom apart from a respect for God.The Confucian Analects paint a slightly different picture of wisdom: "to give one's self earnestly to the duties due to men and, while respecting spiritual beings, to keep aloof from them, may be called wisdom"[2]. The theme of respect for spiritual beings recurs here, but the taboo on involvement with them is clearly not what the psalmist had in mind. Additionally, Confucius explicitly includes action in his definition of wisdom, whereas this is only implied by the psalmist. It seems that the wise man knows his place in the world, and does not overestimate his greatness or importance. Socrates's interaction with wisdom is well known, but I will recount it here for the sake of completeness. Socrates was informed by the Delphian Oracle relatively early in his life that there was not a man on earth wiser than he. Socrates was incredulous, because he believed quite firmly that he was without knowledge. Indeed, Socrates continued to believe throughout his life that knowledge was a significant part of wisdom, but he determined that one specific piece of knowledge was more important to wisdom than the others - knowledge of just how little one knows. Socrates searched the world for a man wiser than he, but every time he found a man who ought to know something, he discovered that that man overestimated his own knowledge, and thus eventually came to believe that the Oracle had intended to send a message to the world: the wisest among us is the one who understands just how little he knows.Paul the Apostle agreed. He wrote, "if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know"[3].To bring together these diverse sources, the common belief of ancient thinkers on this subject is that wisdom is to understand one's station and act accordingly. If we extricate the issue of the nature of wisdom from specific moral theories, we can come to the conclusion that wisdom is two things: a specialized type of knowledge, and a related type of action. In light of this, I would adjust our original definition of wisdom to read as follows: wisdom consists of the ability to know and the will to take the action which is morally best in any situation. Clearly, if wisdom is by definition a thorough knowledge of morality, accompanied by action, then it is a moral good.It remains, then, to defend premise 2. This, I think, is fairly easily done. Knowledge is a tool. It may be used for either good or evil. As evidence of its usefulness for good, take the fact that our definition of wisdom, which has already been shown to be a moral good, includes a specific variety of knowledge. As evidence of its usefulness for evil, take for example the skilled oration of Adolph Hitler. The man knew and understood the history of the German people. He quoted from revered historical leaders of the region, such as Martin Luther. Adolph Hitler, who has in our day become the nearly uncontested example of evil at work in our world, was a man of great knowledge, and that knowledge was of much use to him in achieving his ends, which included a great many horrible moral evils. If knowledge is equally useful to practitioners of both good and evil, then it stands to reason that it is a morally neutral tool.In conclusion, this paper has shown that wisdom is a moral good and that knowledge is morally neutral. From these premises, it takes only one assumption, that the good is morally superior to the neutral, to reach the conclusion that wisdom is superior to knowledge. This principle has, I think, been shown conclusively to be true.