Past Forward . Part 17
Restored from the Empower Network archive (2011–2017), lightly edited to meet our current advertising standards. Views are the original author’s.
Continued from previous blog post
Because it is that simple. So it was fun knowing there other women who think like I do. She also takes care of herself. Because I think the easiest thing to do is to control what we eat. And it starts with HOW we THINK.
Remember that Algebra story? I flunked it in two consecutive quarters because of how I thought as a kid. I focused on the wrong question “why does my Algebra teacher hate me?” instead of thinking and focusing on the right question “who can I ask to help me explain this foundational algebraic expressions and principles so I can understand this?“
Because the answer and the mentor was hidden in my own household, my own older brother who was / is a genius at explaining algebra to a kid!
Past .. Forward
So if you are still reading this very long – winded blog post that I am going to chop off again into a blog series….
… go ask yourself…
What part of your present problems or struggles could be answered by lessons that you have had from your past struggles?
Because we all have overcome certain challenges in our pasts…. remember what I wrote earlier, when we fail, or when we experience “failures” there is always some lesson that we can take away from it.
I think it was Og Mandino who wrote this, I don’t remember exactly… but it goes something like this… “there is a seed of triumph in every adversity”.
When we keep things simple, even the most complex of problems can begin to be solved when we start from the basic principles behind it.
I have written this before… that in order to be a good leader, you have to be a good follower first. But it’s not about following others blindly...
… I personally can only do that, like follow blindly, I can do that with Jesus and God.
We can all be students of life. We can all learn from good teachers, and bad teachers. But when a real eager student comes, the right mentor always appears.
God doesn’t need people, but He can use people to show us what He wants for us.
When we struggle with life’s issues, and we are frustrated and desperate for answers, it’s time to get courageous.
When we pray and ask God for help, He gives it. We may not always understand it. But God didn’t say “Understand Me” because it’s not humanly possible. He said “Trust Me”.
We can only do what we can from where we are at and with what we have. And each of us, going through our own process of personal development, of knowing ourselves, of understanding ourselves, why do we do what we do, why do we feel what we feel, why do we have this type of philosophy or that type of belief…
… do not be afraid to ask the right questions. It can really be as simple as answering the basic question “Are You Happy?” “How do you describe your own happiness?” “What would make you happy?”
And then as you dig into and go through that empowering process, of knowing yourself, then you can and will begin understanding yourself, and how you view the world. You can begin to understand other people too, in that process of understanding yourself.
A lot of people are “conformists”… they are afraid to be unique. When we are all unique, we have our own individual differences and gifts that we can celebrate, because when we have learned how to celebrate ourselves and the good in us, it will be easier to see and find it, the same goodness, in other people as well. We can see the potential in others as well.
What would have happened if that teacher from grade school did not carve out the time to teach that little girl the power of her brain to teach and command her right hand to follow what her left hand was writing? So she can learn how to write forward and not backwards?
What would have happened if that coach didn’t encourage that athlete to persevere and do what it takes to perform better academically so she can continue on playing for the varsity team?
What would have happened if that big brother didn’t carve out four hours out of his own study time to give to his little sister to teach her the study techniques so she can learn algebra? (and then later on learn other things?)
What would have happened if I was never trained to think FOR myself?
When I share my stories in my blog posts… my intention is to have others look into themselves as well, to be able to look back into their own past, not with eyes of regret, but looking through the eyes of wonder, and understanding, how did I learn this or that? Who taught you how to do certain things? What influenced you to believe what you now believe? What events transpired that brought you to where you are now?
And what lessons have you learned?
Will you keep on doing what you are doing?
Or is it time for change?
It’s time to hit the Publish button. (Before I start typing backwards!)
Move forward in life. (or get left behind!)
Be empowered!
Cris
Related Articles:
The Basics . Part 1
Final Answer . Part 2
Varsity . Part 3
Clique . Part 4
Perks . Part 5
Complex . Part 6
Quarter . Part 7
Graduation . Part 8
Tutor . Part 9
So What . Part 10
Ambidextrous . Part 11
Talk To The Brain . Part 12
Gifts . Part 13
Train The Brain . Part 14
Love Yourself . Part 15
Rubix Complex . Part 16
Past Forward . Part 17
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