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15.Freedom of Choice: We all have free will, and can choose to do anything we wish. There is no situation where we do not have choice. It may appear that we do not, but there are always options, if we have
courage and strength to take them. We just have to have courage of conviction to make decisions.
16.Change Happens: Change is continuous and is always happening around us. We can not actually perceive change, but can see end result of it. Change is not a bad thing nor is it to be feared. Through change we can grow and go forwards.
17.Taking Responsibility: Our actions cause a reaction - it is a law of nature. We have to be aware of our actions and take responsibility for them and for consequences of them. It is no good doing something and then saying you did not mean to do it. Had you not meant to do it, you would not have done it. By taking responsibility for our actions, so we can take back our power and freedom to choose. We have to accept that no one will live for us, and that sometimes our actions will cause others, or ourselves, a measure of discomfort. Remember though, that discomfort is one way of helping us grow and to show us where changes need to be made.
18.One Step at a Time: To get to any goal, break it down into a number of small steps. If you have many small successes, then this will lead to a big success. If you aim for a big success straight off, you may fail. Remember that a journey towards any destination starts with a single step, and then a second and a third, and as many as required until you reach that destination. Remember to reward and praise yourself for your successes, however small they are. By acknowledging them, you increase your power and will to succeed, strengthening your belief in yourself.
19.Judgement: We have no right to judge another for their words, thoughts or deeds. They have freedom of choice to do as they please and act as they wish, just as we do. We are in no position to judge anyone, as we are imperfect ourselves. It is easily done, for example, you see a big man with tattoo's, a skinhead and wearing leather, and automatic assumption is that he is trouble. He may be a florist for all we know. This colours our judgement of people and changes how we act towards them. By having no preconceptions of other people, we can interact better with them, and perhaps make a new friend.
20.Integrity: Integrity is all about how we act when no one is looking. We must live to our own standards and should not judge others by them. This is about living in line with our highest vision despite urges to contrary.
21.Air Your Doubts: By airing your doubts, fears, and worries, by looking at them and seeing them for what they are, so you can conquer them and rid yourself of them forever. By refusing to confront them, so they gain power over you, and become even more deeply rooted. After you realise what they are - release them.
22.Failure: It is very rare for us to fail. We only ever choose to stop trying. That is us exercising our free will. We can stop trying any time we wish, but those that succeed never stop until they get to their goal. Success often does not come easy, and does require work and effort from us. You will find that most 'overnight successes' have been working hard for that success for many years. Failure is not something to be feared or worried about, because we can never fail! Everything we do, no matter whether we view it as a success or failure is a valuable lesson for us to learn. By looking at a perceived failure as a valuable lesson, it no longer feels as bad. The only true failure is not learning lessons our mistakes teach us.
23.The Ongoing Journey: Our journey of exploration through life never, ever stops. The destination is not reward or goal. The journey to destination is goal itself.
24.Don't Mind: If we take an objective view of our mind, then we can see that lots of thoughts drift through it, many of which we are unaware of. A sad, angry or fearful thought may drift up from sub-conscious and change how we feel for no apparent reason. We must take control of mind through tools such as meditation, and become aware of these thoughts and realise them for what they are. Then, we can let them go and stay relaxed and centred. By consciously focussing on our breathing, and keeping it deep and even, we can help to release these negative thoughts.
25.Emotions: Emotions come and go. They flow through us all time, often without us even realising. Many of us do not express our emotions because we feel we have to "Be manly" or "Be responsible" or "Be cool". When we feel negative emotions, we can feel our bodies tense. If we do not express these emotions when we feel them, tension is stored within our bodies. Having emotions is not to be feared and should be celebrated. When you feel an emotion - express it! If you are happy - smile and laugh, if you are sad cry. Expressing your emotions releases tension they give, and helps you live more fully in here and now. Once you have expressed an emotion, it is gone and will not return with same force for that situation. If we refuse to express them and store emotions up, then, like damming a fast river, eventually water level will rise too high if we do not provide it with an outlet.
26.Play: As children, we play exuberantly. We have fun, enjoy ourselves and have lots of energy. Then something happens, we grow up, and we no longer play believing that adults have to be adult and they don't play. Playing is one of our greatest sources of pleasure. It takes many forms, from sport to games to laughing and joking with friends. Playing increases our energy and makes us more positive. It makes those around us more positive and generally lifts spirits of all involved. There are times to be serious, yes, but there are times to play too, and that is what we must not forget.
