Some of the most profound treasures in my life came from the most unexpected places. I heard a former gang member from LA say, You have a duty to delight in your life. Hearing that statement from that particular person made me stop and consider what he was sharing.
It took sitting with this statement for a couple of weeks and moving with the thought of this fascinating statement that, I got it and I want to share what I found with you because it has helped me so much. I can honestly say — I have so much more delight in my life. Right now!
Here are my thoughts on delight
Your big beautiful life is a gift. A gift from your parents and the life force. You have a choice to find delight in this life or to find it depressing. It is a choice and you get to choose to go in one direction or the other at every moment.
You weren’t just handed a life full of challenges so you could go down into a hole and hide from life. Wishing it would be over. You were handed challenges to overcome them. And every time you move through a challenge and really let it go — you get stronger and more able to move up to delight. And I’m telling you delight is so light and joyful — choose it rather than the heavyweight of depression.
How do you do that? Check out these three simple steps.
Step #1. Forgive your parents —
I know that seems overly simple but most of us blame our parents for the challenges we faced in childhood and the issues we experience as adults. It seems like the easy path to point our finger and blame others but that is giving our power away.
I understand, I pointed my finger and blamed my bi-polar mother for years and years for all the craziness she created in my childhood. But my resentment toward her never did anything but bring me down. Down toward depression. It was through my forgiveness and understanding of her humanness and challenges that I finally broke free and found delight in my amazing life.
I now appreciate her. She gave me the gift of life and the challenges she presented in my life made me strong and able to handle the struggles of others without falling into the dark hole of depression.
You MUST accept responsibility for your life and learn to respect your parents. They gave you the gift of life. Without them, you wouldn’t be having this fascinating journey. I know, I know — if you are in blame this life can seem less than fascinating. It’s the blame that does that.
Yes, your parents may have done a less than stellar job of parenting. Perhaps you were abused. I understand some of your experiences were challenging. But they were your experiences. You can accept them, embrace them and forgive yourself and everyone else involved in creating those challenges — and move on.
Once you move on — you are free! You are powerful enough to choose to move toward delight!
Step #2 – Thank your parents for the gifts they gave you —
Yes, Your parents gave you life but they also gifted you with how to handle life. How to deal with the outer world and be in your inner world. Your parents were your teachers. They came here to guide you. That’s why the relationship with your parents was difficult sometimes. You just thought they came here to love you. Yes, that was part of their contract but they also came here to teach you. So thank them for those gifts. Without knowing how to deal with the outer world and be in your inner world — you would never have made it this far in life.
So, be thankful. Write them a note of appreciation. You don’t have to send it, just the act of honoring and appreciating their gifts will allow you to lighten up and move up the emotional scale to delight!
Step #3 – Walk-in beauty and delight —
Right now, this moment, stop — look around and notice the beauty that exists in your life. No matter where you are, the story you could tell me of all the things that are wrong — really find the beauty. Hold your newly found beauty as the most precious thing in your life. Embrace it and walk forward into the rest of your life. Find what is beautiful around you and be delighted by that beauty.
It’s really that simple!
Practice these 3 simple steps over and over again and you will be fulfilling your duty of delighting in your life in no time. Remember — this statement came from a former gang member living in a notoriously violent area of Los Angeles.
If you want to go deeper into walking in delight check out this week’s Ageless Movement Practice. It will guide you to forgive your parents, honor their gifts and walk-in delight.
Let me know what choice you are making at this moment — are you walking toward delight or depression? Share in the comment section below.
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