Flip Flop?

I read this on another blog, and wanted it here to ponder it....

In his essay "Self Reliance," Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote,

"A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines. With consistency a great soul has simply nothing to do. He may as well concern himself with his shadow on the wall. Speak what you think now in hard words, and to-morrow speak what to-morrow thinks in hard words again, though it contradict every thing you said to-day.--'Ah, so you shall be sure to be misunderstood.'--Is it so bad, then, to be misunderstood? Pythagoras was misunderstood, and Socrates, and Jesus, and Luther, and Copernicus, and Galileo, and Newton, and every pure and wise spirit that ever took flesh. To be great is to be misunderstood."

Someone who does not change his mind as he acquires new information and experience is foolish, indeed. And yet...we castigate people like Mitt Romney for changing his stand on abortion. In the past few years, I almost completely remade myself. My thoughts, how I respond to my surroundings. The choices I'm faced with and creating totally new avenues of choices so I'm not stuck in the same old patterns. This quote makes it easier for me to not limit myself by my past nor will I allow others perceptions of who they think I am to hold me back.

I've changed my mind about who I am. And I'm OK with that,

I'm looking forward to the next change.

True Class

I had the opportunity to witness a truly classy person today. A woman had a run-in with a public figure, and blogged it. She then got far more attention than she expected for it, and lots of people randomly chastising her for her choices and her changing her mind about whether all the attention was a good thing or not.

But the way she handled it prompted me to leave this comment on her blog

"Anything that I write will only barely cover the surface of all the random feelings that I'm having. You had no intention of being an example, and you were just living your life, but I've read these last few blogs since the Pizzagate, and find myself reminded of things that I once knew, and have forgotten. How to treat people with dignity, how to handle yourself in the face of adversity, Never letting yourself get so puffed up by pride that you forget what it feels like to be unknown.

You, in your 15 min of fame, have shown more grace and class than most of the people that are in public life.

As I wipe a little tear of shame from my eye, I just wanted to thank you for your example, and quiet dignity."

I've been studying the effects of positive thinking for years and years, and I STILL sometimes act like this politicians did when I don't get my way. This just gave me the opportunity to remind myself of the formula for dynamic living, and re-commit myself to living by those guidelines.

Dynamic Living = (God Given Equipment + the Principles of Success) multiplied by the power of a Proper Self Image

It gave me the opportunity to remind myself of the definition of Dynamic Living:

Dynamic Living is that kind of a life which is filled with joy and happiness all the time. A life free of fear. Free of worry. Continually in the pursuit of worthwhile goals, and totally well adjusted in life's 6 major areas, Business, Home, Social, Physical, Mental, and Spiritual.

It gave me a chance to remind myself of the Principles of Success:

1. Giving - whatever you give, you will receive.
2. Exclusion - Get rid of what you don't want, to make room for what you do want.
3. Creation - Decide what you want, define it clearly and write it down.
4. Visualization - Get a clear mental picture of what you want.
5. Command - Whatever you speak out of your mouth, that's what'll happen to you.
6. Action - Do it.... now!
7. Faith - faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
8. Enthusiasm - Give everything you've got to everything you do.
9. Self-Discipline - Do what needs to be done when it ought to be done whether you like it or not.
10. Persistence - I will...until , never give up.

I've been living the Principle of Giving quite faithfully and reaping the financial benefits of that, but I've neglected most of the others. Well... now I have the opportunity to recommit to living it.

Thank you Pizza Girl.