avoiding

ABC’s of Life Series — Day 9 Letter I : Instincts Are There To Guide Us

ABC’s of Life

Day 9   Letter I

Our Instincts Are There To Guide Us

Instincts are the bodies’ natural way of helping us avoid harmful situations. These harmful situations could be anything that hurt or destroy our mind, body, or spirit.

Our instincts or intuition can be used to help us lead more fulfilling lives, and help keep us aware of what is going on around us. Instincts are the bodies natural compass to navigate through life and keep ourselves protected.

Some people refer to instincts as that little voice inside of them. Other people may refer to it as “getting vibes”. Some people may call it God’s voice, and some just simply call it listening to their gut.

Whatever one decides to call it, intuition is something that we are all capable of tapping into. It is something we can likely recall from a young age, and a gift that we are all born with.

I believe that our instincts become stronger the more in tune we become with ourselves. I have also noticed that once we decide to live a calm life in pursuit of happiness; intuition appears to become stronger. It  becomes louder, and easier to hear.

As we age we tend to learn from all those times in life where we said : ”Something told me not to go, that could have been me.” Or perhaps we have said something such as “Something told me to wait so a waited, and thank goodness I did.”

Another example we could probably all relate to at a younger age: Have you ever taken a test and then changed your original answer? While reviewing the scored test, did you see that your original answer was correct? That was your natural gut instinct, and the majority of the time it is correct.

There are many situations where intuition has allowed us to question our surroundings. Intuition removes us from bad situations, and often opens the doors for many opportunities. Listening to it can save our lives, not listening can destroy them.

For Today: Go to a quiet place and relax. Reflect upon a current life situation that is troubling you and tune into your instincts. What was your initial reaction to the situation? Was there something in the beginning that warned you of this problem you now face? Did instincts guide you around parts of the situation then get ignored at other points?

Take today to be lost in your thoughts for a bit. It is a great day to tune in.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 © Angela Bininger and The Empowerers, 2009-2011. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this websites author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.  

Are You Teaching Your Kid To Lie?

I have always said:

“If we ever want to know the truth about something we must simply ask a young child.”

 

Children naturally tell the truth until taught to do otherwise. They say exactly what is on their mind and exactly what they feel. From temper tantrums to screaming their feelings or simply talking, children have a way of not holding back on their thoughts and feelings.

A young child will tell us if we got a bad hair cut, or if our shoes aren’t working with our attire. They will tell us if we have gained or lost weight, as well as how mom and dad really are. Unless children are being trained to be emotionally dishonest they will most generally tell the truth.

With children being as honest as they are it leaves one to wonder how lying begins.

What creates a liar? And how do we as a society create less liars and instead create more acceptance for others and their emotions?

As people we are taught at a young age to be emotionally dishonest with ourselves. We are told to say please and thank you whether we mean it or not. We are forced to say that we are feeling fine when that may not actually be the case. We are taught not to voice our opinions and at other times told to speak up. All of these things we are taught; when once upon a time we had the ability to be emotionally honest with ourselves and the world around us.

Because we train children and each other to be emotionally dishonest we have more or less created a world of liars. We wonder why people hide from their emotions, and why they lie to themselves. We wonder why people are not honest with people in their lives. When in reality, everyone is just doing what they were taught and told to do.

When we expect someone to think like us, feel like us, and react like we would we are merely creating a person who is afraid to be who they are. This causes a person to build walls and become distant. This puts a gap in the relationship, and is the beginning of not knowing that person anymore. That person begins to find friends and people in the world that accepts him/her as he/she is. They surround themselves with people who make them feel at ease. Somewhere that they do not need to wear a mask. A place where they can simply be themselves.

I will hear parents ask or say: “Who is this child?”, “What happened to him/her?”  “I didn’t raise him/her that way!” and a series of other questions or statements  when they realize their child has become a manipulative lying teenager. People making these statements are often unaware of their contribution in making that child be emotionally dishonest with himself/herself. Once emotional honesty vs. emotional dishonesty is approached by that parent, it will be easier for that parent to not only cope, but also correct the behavior in the child before it carries over into that child’s adulthood.

Once we grasp the concept of emotional honesty and the benefits of it, it becomes easier to see situations more clearly. 

© Angela Bininger and The Empowerer, 2009-2015. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this websites author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.

When We Know It & We Hear It But We Refuse To Look At It

We have all faced times where our instincts have led us to questioning. And sometimes, we may question but refuse to believe what we hear or we may flat-out ignore the other signs we observed along the way. Why do we do this?

Often times it is because we are comfortable. The known is easier to accept than the unknown. The unfortunate part of these situations is that being comfortable can stunt our growth. Being uncomfortable is what promotes change. Being uncomfortable builds passion and stirs ones ambition. Being uncomfortable, encourages one to dream and follow through.

Although there are countless scenarios to use with this saying, I will start by using a person’s drive in a relationship that is failing vs. that of a person who recently jumped off of the fence.

Example:

The couple is miserable, and can’t stand each other. They fight and disrespect one another regularly. Yet they remain somewhat attached, and dependent for various reasons. One has intentions of leaving the relationship, but fear is currently winning the race. Because this person remains comfortable, it is harder to leave. Those comforts seem hard to sacrifice. And the simple change of leaving, is overwhelming.

Now take the person that has taken the plunge. They conquered fear and they left. Suddenly, this person sees the entire world differently. Some realities flat-out stink, while others are worth taking a picture.

Out of these two people: the one who stayed in the relationship and one who left; the one who left is closer to success and happiness. Why? Because they were uncomfortable. By being homeless and giving up the comforts of their lavish home, they were given the ability to work multiple jobs, try different venues, and make a change. By being uncomfortable and facing their own demons they were able to figure out what makes them tick. And by being uncomfortable, they were able to discover their purpose.

Sometimes being uncomfortable is a good thing. It is necessary. It creates change, and restores happiness over time.

We can see the truth, hear the truth and know the truth; but we never have to believe the lies. And we should never refuse to look. 

 

 

© Angela Bininger and The Empowerer, 2009-2015. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this websites author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.