all have our own journey of self discovery, which is enough to keep us busy for a lifetime.


Besides other people’s behaviors, there are many other things in life that we cannot control. We cannot control illness or death. People we love will become ill and we all will die. When we accept and surrender this type of control, it allows the emotions of helplessness and powerlessness to surface. These are uncomfortable emotions to feel. However, if you can sit with them long enough to process them you can connect with your true power. It is through letting go of what we cannot change that we gain strength.


The Courage to Change the Things I Can


Let’s look at what we can control, which is our own thoughts and behaviors. It takes courage and inner strength to change our thinking patterns and behaviors. This is where our inability to let go can be put to positive use. Be fixed and steadfast into channeling your thoughts to focus on the positive aspects of others and yourself by seeing the loving presence in everyone. Be persistent in this journey of positive focus. Work to have compassion for others who are stuck in the negative of rigidity because they are suffering.


Refusal to let go in the positive is persistence. It is the ability to keep going when others give up. In 2011, my mother had a severe stroke which left her entire right side paralyzed. The stroke


affected her speech, eating, toileting, and movement. Despite these difficulties, she used her persistence to keep moving. Every day she worked hard to write, to speak by sounding out words and to exercise. She even began exercising her left side, the very next day after the stroke in the ICU hospital bed.


This type of persistence and rigid focus on the positive strengthened her character and those around her who were open to learn from her. She was determined to do as much as she could no matter what, improving upon herself up until her death five months later.


And The Wisdom to Know the Difference


Instituting a practice of energy work and praying the serenity prayer, has helped me gain insight to know the difference between what I can and cannot control. Although I cannot change illness and death, I can change my thoughts from loss, depression or negative thinking to new opportunities, gratitude and positive memories.


When it comes to others attempts to control me, I have learned to protect my own energies. This is where I have turned to the Divine to help me to see clearly what are my emotions and what are other’s negative rigidity. Simply, I boil it down to I cannot change others no matter how maddening they feel to me. I can protect my energies by changing my thoughts and behaviors. I can spend less time with them, walk away, smile,


aspiremag.net


or pray for them. I can get a healing session and meditate to re-connect with myself.


Amen


The spiritual societies of the world may look at rigidity as something to completely release so one can embrace the goal of flexibility. I believe in a balance between these two energies. Keep that rigidity if you have it and celebrate it because you could use it for the good of yourself and others.


Our point of power is remembering that we have a choice in all situations and with all people. We aren’t meant to separate from each other due to resentment, anger or fear. Our journey in life is interconnected. We learn about ourselves through each other. If you are in a difficult rigid situation, don’t give up! Believe and trust, knowing that you will find your own unique way that is positive, empowering and respectful of yourself and others.


Lisa Hutchison’s writing has been published in Aspire Magazine and Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Power of Positive. She is a licensed therapist and Reiki master. Lisa has a private healing practice offering reiki healing sessions, intuitive guidance and educational groups. Contact Lisa by email: lisadhutch@verizon.net or http://mysite.verizon.net/resznk9l Excerpts taken from The Serenity Prayer (c 1942) Reinhold Niebuhr.


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