Judge or Discern?

Judgment: The act of condemning or  criticizing someone from a position of assumed moral superiority.

Discernment: Distinguishing between. Perceiving.

Blaming comes from judgment. It leads to pain and suffering. Judgment is cruel. You have felt this cruelty when you have been judged by others.

Discernment is necessary. We discern between people and experiences to determine what we want and don't want. We discern between wisdom and foolishness when people speak or write their opinions. Wisdom and foolishness have little or nothing to do with whether or not the person agrees with you. 

Rather than battle with someone who disagrees with you, ask them how they came to their conclusions. Listen without judgment. Discern whether there is any truth in what they say. 

http://adults-at-work.com

Counting Miracles

I'm counting miracles.
Miracle: A shift in perception.  An unexpected gift.  Moments of extraordinary beauty.

Today I counted at least eight.

Miracles inspire gratitude.

How many miracles did you notice today?

William Frank Diedrich, author of
Adults at Work.
http://adults-at-work.com

Net Worth

Your net worth:  The value you add to others during your time on the planet.

You add value to others by seeing the best in them; giving something that helps them; teaching; creating art, music, writing and experiences that are meaningful to others; by loving them; by forgiving them; by listening/being present; by praying about them; by growing and sharing your talents and gifts.

Sacrificing is not giving. Real giving involves no sacrifice. You give because you want to. Sacrifice leads to resentment and the expectation that someone owes you something back.

When you truly give of yourself you expand your net worth. You receive the value you give.

William Frank Diedrich, Author of
Adults at Work
http://adults-at-work.com

Big Challenges

Life has big challenges for me lately.

Ego says:  Why me? This shouldn't be happening. I deserve better. It's not my fault!

Soul says:  "Oh Lord, chisel down my life according to thy design." (from Yogananda)

Conclusion: Intend to be happy regardless of appearances. Be present. (mindfulness)
Stay connected spiritually. Give up moods! Know that something wonderful is happening today! (Advice adapted from Elisabeth Fayt. Thanks Elisabeth!)

Today is a good day! (Me)


William Frank Diedrich, author of
The Road Home: The Journey Beyond the Spiritual Quick Fix,
 and Adults at Work.
http://adults-at-work.com
http://intelligentspirit.com

Surrender

Surrender in a spiritual sense does not mean giving up or giving in. It means that you ask your Higher Power to use you as an instrument. Surrender doesn't let you off the hook. You still need to make decisions and take actions. For most of us, it doesn't mean that you don a robe and take religious vows.

It means that you live your true purpose -- that you develop and use the talents and gifts you have been given. It means that you set aside the fearful voices of the ego and trust in that purpose and in the guidance that you receive. It means that you approach the world in terms of what you can give to it, with less concern about what you can get.

The Higher Power doesn't do things for you. It does through you and as you.

William Frank Diedrich, author of
The Road Home: The Journey Beyond the Spiritual Quick Fix.
http://adults-at-work.com

Two intentions

We choose between one of two intentions:
1.  To face our fears and move through them toward greater love and freedom,
feeling our feelings and letting them go, discarding the false images we have of ourselves.


2.  To cover up our fears through defensiveness, manipulation, projection, guilt, repressing feelings, pretending, etc.

The first leads us toward true adulthood, and inner strength. The second, toward perpetual childhood, victimhood and looking to the outside world for satisfaction.

The adult within you awaits your willingness to grow and your will to move forward.

William Frank Diedrich, author of
Adults at Work,
http://adults-at-work.com

Inner Voice

Spiritual intelligence is different than everyday mental intelligence.  Every day intelligence draws upon what is already in your brain and your ability to make connections. Spiritual Intelligence is intuition, inspiration, and creativity. It comes from emptying your mind for a moment and allowing the knowing to come through you.

It is the great idea you never thought of before. It's an instant of understanding of what is going on without being told. It's knowing what to do and when. It's knowing to continue forward even though you don't know what to do -- because you trust that you will know when the time is right.

You set the stage for spiritual intelligence through prayer, meditation, art, music, dance, or contemplation. You set aside your opinions and judgements and hear the Inner Voice -- the still, small voice. Spiritual intelligence is the ability to choose between the voice of the ego, and the Inner Voice.

William Frank Diedrich
author of The Road Home and
Adults at Work,
http://adults-at-work.com