Everything you experience results from the meaning you have given to things.  Individuals frequently assume that what they perceive is true.  Actually, it’s not.  It is what it is, your reality.  Just yours.  Although it’s difficult to accept this, it’s the truth.  Your interpretations of events stem from a variety of sources, including your upbringing, past experiences, anxieties, objectives, hobbies, and dislikes.

Realizing this could help you let go of many unpleasant memories and emotions.  You can gain a wonderful strength and a sense of security you have never had before by realizing you can select what something means to you.  You frequently experience grief, resentment, or rage in response to things that you see as terrible or negative because of the significance they hold for you.  Deciding to alter what something means to you can give you the power to at least balance out how you feel about it and, consequently, how various things influence your happiness. 

Consider some events in your life and days you are aware have a detrimental impact on your happiness.  What is going on?  Who is doing what?  Now, what significance are you assigning to something in a particular situation?  Is it possible to reframe it differently? (Yes, is the answer).  It may be difficult, and you might not want to.  Still, you shape your world.  Although meanings are frequently suggested, you are free to pick the interpretation you give anything.

If my life is going to mean anything, I have to live it myself. ~ Rick Riordan

What’s Important

The idea is everything in your life has only as much significance as the meaning you assign to it. You get to decide what importance you give to every event and situation in your life.

You have to acknowledge that you frequently give potentially empowering items meanings that are disempowering. If a deal doesn’t work out, you perceive it as a loss rather than a chance to land a better or more pertinent one. Rather than using your debt as inspiration to pay it off, you view it as an agonizing reality.

You must realize that you have the freedom to choose the meaning you assign to objects. This is an enormously powerful power of choice. By changing the connotation, you allocate to past events and future events, you can immediately regain control over your life.

No matter how you slice it, there are always two sides. Look past the side that disempowers and consider the differing perspective. What is the silver lining in this misfortune?

Let me conclude by posing a straightforward query: who has control over your destiny if you don’t? Contemplate it? Are you ready to regain control of your life, or are you willing to give it over to “others”? All you need to do is modify the interpretation you place on the events of your life.

Keep your mind open. The meaning of things lies in how people perceive them. The same thing could mean different meanings to the same people at different times. ~ Roy T. Bennett

Meaning You Give

Some people think that nothing in this world is what it seems to be. Everything in the universe appears substantial, palpable, and real, yet in reality, it’s all just a projection of your brain. The things that occupy your time when you are awake are just as real as the dreams you have at night. You are all living in one big dream.

You sometimes find yourself in situations you consider to be less than ideal or in the middle of delightful surprises. This amazing combination of individual and group experiences is what you refer to as life. Developing a meaningful philosophy to go along with it is one of the most essential things you can do to make the most out of the life you live.

Most philosophies will meet your fundamental needs. While many live well above the minimal threshold needed to merely survive, not everyone is thriving due to the egoic lies they believe. What’s noteworthy from a psychological perspective, though, is that most people can handle suffering.

Buddha’s fundamental teaching is that the root of your suffering is attachment.  Your thought patterns and behaviors limit your experiences and perspectives. This causes you to stay in a fearful and disempowering place instead of moving into happiness. It’s not always what happens to you that is defining, but how you respond that muddles and limits your growth.

I have always believed, and I still believe, that whatever good or bad fortune may come our way we can always give it meaning and transform it into something of value. ~ Hermann Hesse

What’s Your Philosophy

Developing your life philosophy is akin to building a ship. It will support you throughout difficult times and let you glide through joyful ones. Defining a life philosophy is not difficult; simply make it brief, with no more than three or four points centered around your responses to the following questions:

• How can I have a meaningful life? What should I do?
• To have a meaningful life, where would I have to go?
• How would I spend my days if I wanted to feel the most alive and fulfilled?
• Which issues do I feel most driven to resolve?
• What takes up so much of my thoughts and emotions that I neglect myself?
• How would I describe the ideal day?

Developing your life philosophy is a continuous process of improvement; it’s not a goal in and of itself. Consider your life plan frequently and don’t just focus on your everyday activities.

This particular life philosophy of going for your aspirations despite other people’s opinions is unique and true to who you are and how you want to live! It’s essential for you to regularly take time out and reflect on how you are thinking and feeling to continue on the path leading to the life you desire.

To invent your own life’s meaning is not easy, but it’s still allowed, and I think you’ll be happier for the trouble. ~ Bill Watterson

Moving Forward With Meaning

Don’t overthink things in life! You get enthusiastic about potential, adventure, and opportunities when you have a fantastic life philosophy. Time is passing you by, so don’t waste it by not living the life of your dreams.

Your personal and professional lives are guided by your ability to be present in every connection and to set aside enough time for regular contemplation. There are no right or wrong answers in this life; instead, there are strategy, execution, and iteration. Getting past your concern that you won’t have the answers because you lack the experience, perspective, or time to precisely organize or plan your meaningful life is the toughest but also the most rewarding thing to undertake.

Consider life to be an ongoing educational process. In actuality, there are numerous routes to achievement rather than just one.  Acknowledging this can help you to clear your head and proceed, enabling you to complete tasks as efficiently as possible instead of being stuck. You get the courage to keep moving forward once you begin to take deliberate action and realize you are capable of making decisions that make sense and result in positive outcomes.

Remember that life is fleeting. Concentrate on the important things and let go of the rest.

When a person can’t find a deep sense of meaning, they distract themselves with pleasure. ~ Viktor E. Frankl

Do you need help to alter the meaning you’ve given to your life so you aren’t disempowered? Are you looking for a way to reframe the stories you tell yourself?  Do you need some accountability to help you create your philosophy for life? If so, please reach out to me at TerriKozlowski.com and we can create a plan for you to alter how your mind deals with these thought processes.

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