May Your way Be Tough(popular African Proverb)

Interesting - when I was a kid (USA) our version of 'cool' was 'tough' - as in 'that guy is really tough'.

It is true that 'what doesn't kill you will make you stronger'.

I think it's a sad view of life to feel you have to struggle and suffer. That's a view of life that those who would enslave you want you to think is normal.

It is better to find ways around hardship, ways to take ethical shortcuts, ways to reduce labor. Eleanor Roosevelt said, "Learn from the mistakes of others. You can't live long enough to make them all yourself." That said, I tend to have to learn things the hard way.

"May Your Way Be Tough"

To me it means something akin to...

- May your way be tough and rewarding.

As in...

- If you don't put in the work, you won't have success.

- Nothing Good comes Easily.

- The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary.


All The Best!!

TL

I believe that kind of thinking creates a self-fulfilling prophecy, so to speak. I do not believe it, or perhaps better stated, I do not believe it's a useful way to think. Lots of good things have come easily to me. They sometimes outlast what has come hard, in fact, quite often they do.

When things come easily it often means you are following the right star, as in, you have a talent or gift for something and you are making good use of it.

If you have the mentality that nothing comes easily then life will always be a struggle, much of it unnecessarily so. Your subconscious mind acts on what you believe. If you believe life is a struggle it will find ways to make it so. You'll make a bad decision, or ask the wrong question, or overlook an easy solution, etc.

What we focus on expands, so we tend to find what we look for in life.

I think those that view this as a 'negative message' about life are over-analyzing and using the wrong connotation.

The idea is for example look at Richy Rich Kid, a spoiled, entitled bozo who never achieved anything because everything was handed to him = easy life. Probably a drunk or drug addicted philander and schmoozer is his vocation. He is probably exploited and even robbed and beaten. His only 'friends' are those who use him if they can even stand him long enough to play that.

Compare that to Joe Poor Kid who works very hard and develops his skills, expertise and character as a result to get out of his box because he has vision. He can become great - even if it is just in his own mind because he has worked and achieved something. He is a success to whatever degree he is able to ACHIEVE.

touche' dennis.

you are a tough dude, yo.

(i am not of the mind that i create anything with my thoughts other than maybe a bad or good mood that may attract a conflict or an affiliation)

when i tried all that 'secret' crap all i did was create an obsession -

----------------------

'easy come easy go' :p

Patrician, I can understand that. The "Secret" is a very shallow treatement of a very serious subject. After reading the book I wrote about it in my newsletter. My write up was NOT flattering at all. I even had a psychiatrist write to tell me I hit a home run with that article.

The Secret is wishful thinking designed for mass consumption by a culture programmed to look for the proverbial "easy button." I'm more into cause and effect, and how the right mindset and self-programming helps us to see with our mind as well as our eyes.

Thanks my friend Dennis.

#1 - the worst part is they are 'scripture twisters' - I checked some of their more compelling statements against scripture and it really does sound like what they are saying is scriptural.

NOT. My fault for not digging in deeper. I guess you believe what you want at the end of the day - I didn't want to do anything unbibical or extrabibical.

For example - the biggest one is 'ask, believing that you have ALREADY RECEIVED, and it shall be given to you' (in so many words).

The scripture is referring only to spiritual gifts and blessings - not anything in the material world. Hence we are not all driving Ferraris -

The authors are actually 'spiritists' (kinda like witches) but they try really hard (and do a good job) of passing themselves off as spirtualists - BIG FRICKING DIFFERENCE.

#2 During the time when I was beginning to realize how serious it was, I really was searching for some sort of a Recovery/Detox from it - I really embraced it for a while and as I said all I did was obsess myself - honestly I have been through a lot with no intervention and I am usually in control and just fine --- and I very nearly lost it there.

While researching that I found articles on people that really 'succeeded' with stuff like this and there was a story of a lady that actually 'created' some old guy that other people could see (some spirit from somewhere that she had conjured. (like i said they are like witches).

The danger about the secret was believing something that was not true was true. Believing with every fiber of your being that something is true - like they teach with 'the secret'. Really shattering when reality hit and I realized nothing was going to happen and it WASN'T TRUE.

I would love to read your article.

Patrician, I have it in a PDF. If you PM me your email address I'll be happy to send it to you. I don't see any way to attach it to a PM.

Sounds like you went through a lot. I can't really comment about it without commenting about the religious aspects, which as you know, is against the forum rules. We've probably strayed far enough away from the OP as it is.

OK Dennis

Yeah I went over the top there and just removed the more 'religious' comments.

I sometimes forget where I am. I have been trying for years to articulate just what happened to me there and now that I did it and somebody read it, it is done.

Also removed flying monks as I realize people probably think I am psychitzoid anyway.

I will PM you my email address.

Thank you.

Check your email, Patricia.

Dennis,

May I read it too please?

Di