Turn The Divisiveness Off

Written by Don Shetterly

It is too easy for us to engage with behaviors we think are helpful, but not be fully engaged as human beings.  We want to be conscious.  We want to be aware, but more often than not, we participate in life unconsciously.

It is epidemic these days as so many find their sustenance through every news headline, broadcast, and news shows.  They decry that which is said, but they cannot get enough of it.  They thrive on all that is reported as if their life will crumple to the ground without it.  If it is not the news, it is people that are like minded they listen to as if it is the gospel truth.

Many people say, "That's Not Me!" 

Many will say, "I Don't Do That!" 

Unfortunately, they do.

If as many people did not watch the TV news as said they did, we would see different programming.  If as many people didn't crave everything politicians said or tweeted, we wouldn't see much of this stuff show up.  If we learned to respect those we disagree with, we would be much more human and loving than we are.

The news and various people across the spectrum of our society get people cranked up.  They say and do things that will get a rise out of people and get them to respond.  Even while saying they won't, people seem not to be able to help themselves.

We worry far too much about what is in the news these days. My personal opinion is that there are little substance and value in the news reports.  Our society bases so much of our life upon this while screaming and raving about it.

If you want to bring change to the world, then turn the TV off.  There's very little value in what is purported to be news, and that is from all perspectives.  There is not anything out there worth consuming.  The more people that turn the TV off, the more things will change.

Yes, that is my view and opinion, but I do put my money where my mouth is.  We no longer get regular TV because it just had very little value to it for the money spent.  At first, I thought I could never do this, but I can tell you that I'm so happy we did.  We no longer miss it, and I believe that we've found a little more peace in a day.

The people grandstanding for all to hear in these times, thrives on someone listening to them.  If they are met with silence, it becomes like a clanging gong that no one needs to hear.  The best thing you can do to stop it is to just not listen.  Turn it off.

There is so much more to life, and we are consumed as a society by what is fed to us every day.  Let us find the joy and the peace, not the anxiety and despair.  Let us find love towards one another, not divisiveness and hatred.

The choice is up to each one of us in how we choose to live our daily lives and what we allow in.  We are at a turning point I believe, and I hope that each one of us will choose wisely each and every morning we awaken.

Our body, mind, spirit, and heart will thank us for it.

What You Read and Watch Affects You

So often during the day we go through and preach love and acceptance to the world.  We talk about how we should all work together and be accepting (especially for the others in the world).  While that is a good thing, I think we might be missing something.  Let me explain further.

We tend to dismiss what we do while looking down our noses at others, gasping at what they write, create, or upload as a video.  We gasp at the news.  We gasp at the politicians.

However, we don't stop and pay attention to how we play a role in all of this.

What you read and watch affects you.  It impacts your thoughts now and into the future.  It impacts how you view the world and those around you.  It impacts so much of your peace and joy in this world.  It really does.

It really does...

Now I'm not saying to walk around with your head stuck in the ground, ignoring what is going on in the world.  With that said though, most of what you read online generally sucks these days and much of it isn't true.  The rest is so biased and slanted, no matter what source you use.

There is no reporting of fact.  There is no fair and balanced in any of the media. Sorry if that shakes the ground below your feet, but hey - that's about the only fact that has truth to it these days.

So when we glue ourselves to every tweet on Twitter, post on Facebook, or video that is uploaded, we are impacting our life of joy and peace so much.  We are often destroying the life we are meant to live when we can't step away.  When we follow every news pundit, news station and politician, we're giving our mind and body empty calories.

Consuming the garbage...

The more we spend our every minute consuming the garbage that is put out in the world today, the more we are robbing ourselves of something we need.  We can't have love and acceptance of others while filling up our belly on this garbage.  There is no value to it.

Plus, the more you consume this stuff, the more that is going to be put out on a daily basis.  Do you think that if people stopped watching this garbage and paying attention to every hateful and disrespectful tweet, that it would continue to come out?  The more you pay attention and watch and read the stuff, the more they do it.  If everyone got as wise as they think they are and stopped consuming all of it, things would change.

It really is up to each one of us to make a choice as to what we let into our lives.  No, you can't live being completely oblivious to what is going on, but too much of it takes up far too much of anyone's time these days.  We are so unconscious as a human population, that there is no wonder why the garbage propagates faster than a virus.

You can't control what others do, but you can control the choices you make and what you let into your life.  Don't say that you're for acceptance and then retweet and share everything that comes along.  You're basically no better than that which you despise.

We need people who are more conscious in life.  We need more people who truly walk the talk and have love and respect from deep within their heart.  It is more than mere words.  We need people who are aware, not following whatever is being said on their TV, in a tweet, or a video.  We've got to be better than that if we want this civilization to survive and  thrive on this planet.

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Blog Post And Images (c) 2017 by Don Shetterly

• Permission required before any part of this blog post is reprinted, reworded or used in any form. 
• You are welcomed to share the LINK to this blog post.  

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The Destruction Of TV Programming

Yesterday while waiting on some work to be done on my car, I was in the waiting area of the shop.  The TV was playing all kinds of programs that I would not normally see.  It was playing loudly which to me was annoying enough.

It is important to note that we don't have cable in our house as we quit that a few years ago.  I was tired of paying a lot of money each month for something that offered little value in return.  I've never watched TV in the morning hours anyway.

As this morning program played, it was obvious that the people on there were talking a mile a minute.  I don't think they were hardly breathing or attempting to stop to breathe.  The incessant chatter was annoying.  It was a vibration that anything but one being connected and at peace with themselves.

Throughout the programming, there were at least a dozen political ads, if not more.  I lost count trying to keep up with them.  Most of the political ads were blaming the other person for something they claimed they were doing right.  It was ridiculousness at its best.  I know, negative ads work in elections, but to me, I try to avoid them.

Back to the point of this post before I get sidetracked too far.  If I listened to the TV stuff every day and watched this programming, I'd be like a cat with claws out going down a chalk board.  I don't see the value to this.  I don't even see it being entertainment.  It is anything but that in my mind.

Apparently, many people must watch it or I would guess it would not be on the air.  People must be moved by these political ads, or they would not do them year after year.  People may complain about all of this, but they are watching.

All of this comes at a cost.  It comes at a personal price for every human that consumes this stuff.  You can't expect your body to be at peace and connected when all you fill it with is things like this that are the opposite of peace and being connected.  Sorry, if you like this programming, but it does not do a body good!

I was doing all I could to get away from the TV noise because it was becoming a very agitating experience.  I'm not against entertainment, but I think we as a society need to at least engage a few brain cells.  If we just consume all that is fed to us, how is that thinking for ourselves or being real and at peace.

How can we expect peace from the world and engage in these behaviors and practices?  When we canceled our cable, it was one of the best things that we did.  Yes, we still watch some things on Netflix, but I don't miss the news.  Ok, I use news in the silliest of terms because there is no news that is truly information.  It is all a bunch of bias and screaming one view or another.  All of it!

Sometimes I think I'm missing out by not being consumed by all this programming, but days like today show me clearly that I'm not missing a thing.  I can still find out enough of what is going on without it taking over my day.

In my view, we should all do things that help build each other up, including our own self.  We should do things that bring about peace and stability, not pit one person or group against the other.  Social media often destroys more than it builds up, but with programming on TV that has become such a standard part of our life, we don't even notice this most days.

It is up to each one of us how we participate in life and whether we build up the world together or we join with others tearing it apart.  No one can dictate that to you, but as you become more connected to your mind and body, the more you will no longer have a desire for what we think is essential for making it through our day.

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Blog Post And Images (c) 2016 by Don Shetterly

• Permission required before any part of this blog post is reprinted, reworded or used in any form. 
• You are welcomed to share the LINK to this blog post.  

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Glued To The News Of A Tragedy

Lately, we are overloaded as a people.  Our nervous systems are designed to handle a great deal and so is our brain.  Yet, when we see events of the past few weeks unfolding every day, we push the limits of all that we can endure.

If we are glued to the news of a tragedy, it can be just as harmful in my view as if we were right there involved in the tragedy.  I say this because I can see it in myself.  When we watch the images that are repeated over and over, its like we are re-traumatizing ourselves.  It imprints into our brain and wires us with emotion to make this a very strong neural pathway.

Even if we hover over every news article and tweet or Facebook posting, we are allowing ourselves to be glued to the news of a tragedy.  It is not healthy for us.  It keeps our body revved up as if the events are happening and continuing to happen.

It keeps fear alive inside of us...

It keeps fear alive inside of us because when we see these things unfold, it connects with that part within our mind and body that says, "it is not safe".  When we connect with the unsafe part, it recalls all those memories where we did not feel safe.  It re-traumatizes us as if not only this current event is happening, but that there is a strong basis for past events to have happened.

When we keep our body and our mind ramped up in fear, we are not taking care of ourselves.  We are not allowing our nervous system to calm down.  We are not feeling in our body, because the last thing that fear does is allow you to feel anything in your body.  The less we feel, the more we set ourselves up for illness and health conditions that will have an environment to grow.

Our nervous systems are overloaded...

Our nervous systems are already overloaded in this world.  We have pushed ourselves far beyond the normal limits of healthy behavior.  Events like we've seen unfold lately only push those limits into the upper ends of the danger zones for our mind and body.

It is up to each one of us to limit how much we take in during these tragedies of life.  Being glued to the news is not something that is helpful.  I'm not telling you to stick your head in the sand, but limit your intake of this harmful and toxic news that is replayed hour upon hour.

The media's goal is to keep you hooked into their programming so they make money.  They are not here for our evolution or awareness or consciousness.  If they limit what they show, you'll turn to those that don't.  If you truly want to take care of yourself, then don't glue yourself to the news of a tragedy.  It will only harm you, not help you.

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Blog Post And Images (c) 2016 by Don Shetterly

• Permission required before any part of this blog post is reprinted, reworded or used in any form. 
• You are welcomed to share the LINK to this blog post.  

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Money Behind Anonymous Comments

More and more, all news media is a major turn off these days.  If it was something that added to the discussion, it would be one thing, but more often than not, it is something that degrades humanity.  If you look at the real reason behind anonymous comments on news sites, you will often find it is all about the money.

Recently in the Orlando Sentinel, one of their columnists wrote an article about anonymous comments.  He was very correct in what he wrote, but unfortunately his employer will not do anything about stopping this practice.  It is not in their best interest to stop them, because it ultimately brings in money.  Of course, it is interesting that his column is drawing a great deal of criticism by the very people that are part of the problem.

News is not news these days.  News it not about informing you.  News is nothing more than a tabloid press designed to draw you in, engaging your ego and adding some fear, to the point where you need more of it.  News is about exciting you and upsetting you so you will come back and pay attention to more of what the crafty creators know will continue this relationship.  Yet many people continue to consume what they think "news" is just because they are mesmerized by the illusion of news.

It Isn't The Outrageous Shows

All too often, people of this country (and maybe other countries) get caught up in what the news pundits and media are up in arms about.  Yes, I know the goofballs out there tend to hype up everything and anything.  They scream, rant, rave, and ridicule so people will tune in and listen to them.  They make themselves look goofy, while trying to act as if they have something to say.

Unfortunately, it isn't the outrageous shows that cause the problems in our country or throughout the world.  Yes, they add to the problem, but there is a little known fact that too many people overlook.  If these people did not have an audience, they wouldn't be making millions yapping their gums every day.  Think about that for a minute.  It may sound harsh, but it is true.  See, in order for these goofballs to spew the hatred and outrageous statements that they do, they need an audience of willing participants.  Sure, I know - everyone believes that to be informed, you have to tune into these nut jobs, but in all reality - YOU DON'T!

A Little Good News or Some Toxic Negativity

If you follow the news much these days you will see what a depressing entity it really is. Okay, depressive news is nothing new of course because I can remember many years ago when a song came out by Huey Lewis and The News, titled A Little Good News. Many in those days were sitting here and saying the same thing.

Maybe things have not changed that much overall and all we are looking through is just one tiny little blip in time. Maybe it is all a matter of perspective. In fact, it could be that we as humans tend to navigate toward negative news and actually attract it into our lives. In all honesty before we go blaming the news media, if we as humans didn't soak up the negative news, than the news media outlets would be publishing something different.

If you need evidence of that, just take a look at Oprah's new TV station, the OWN network. It is actually a great place with some uplifting and thought provoking programming. You don't come away from watching her network feeling like you have to take a bath to rid yourself of the toxic negativity. Of course there are some that would not listen to Oprah no matter what, but the shows I have watched on there are very good.

Why The Charlie Sheen Roast Isn't Well Done!

Charlie Sheen Roast 9/19/11
on Comedy Central

I saw the headline of a Comedy Central Roast of Charlie Sheen on TV (air date 9/19/11).  I’m going to classify this as ridiculous.  It is important to note that I don’t claim to be a fan and I don’t claim to not be a fan of Charlie Sheen.  I am aware of who he is, but to be honest, it makes no difference to me in life. 

The thing is, this roast and all roasts are ridiculous as far as I’m concerned!  What do these accomplish?  They make fun of the person and joke about them.  The roast leaves people laughing at others in a public way almost as if to humiliate them.  We in this world claim it is comedy and done in fun.  Of course to that, I say hogwash!

Clutter In Our Life, Part 8

Clutter #8 - Thinking We Have The Answers
Part 8 of 10

Time and time again, I observe people talking fast, forcefully and sometimes preaching what they think it is that they know. Anymore on TV, the news pundits do this and so it continues over into life.

Just take a moment and look at any internet site from facebook to message boards to news comments and see how far it spills over. When people spend the hours watching these news show personalities proclaim their opinions as truth, it alters reality.

However, you can even walk into any given church on a Sunday or into any new age spiritual circle and see the same thing take place. If most of us realized that what we are saying to others is as much (if not more) for ourselves than it is for others, we might actually help the entire world evolve.

So often, we spread our opinions as facts and we try to convince everyone that they are fact when in reality, it is nothing more than the illusion of opinion.

Come back tomorrow for part 9 of this series, Clutter In Our Life. Below are the various parts to this series that you can read as well.

Clutter In Our Life Series
- Introduction
Part 1: Spending our hours watching TV news
Part 2: Keeping Ourselves Constantly Busy
Part 3: Numbing Ourselves
Part 4: Following Blindly
Part 5: Food Choices
Part 6: Health care, Doctors, and Medicine
Part 7: Hydrating Our Bodies
Part 8: Thinking We Have The Answers
Part 9: Exercise Is For Another Day
Part 10: We Fail To Evolve
- The 30 Day Challenge


Blog Post & Images (c) 3/20/11 Don Shetterly - use by permission only
http://www.donshetterly.com

Clutter In Our Life, Part 3

Clutter #3 - Numbing Ourselves
Part 3 of 10

Whether it is through food, coffee, energy drinks, sugar, junk food or many other things, we numb ourselves. We look for substances to give us that high in our day and soothe us from the rigors that we force our self into each day. We feel low and down so we reach for the sugar or caffeine to pump us back up.

If it isn't food substances that numb us, we park ourselves in front of the TV or video games or the latest electronic fad on the market and obliterate every hope of actually experiencing all that life has to offer.

There are moments that we need to just chill out but in our day and age, it is an epidemic where we spend more time numbing out than we do feeling and experiencing life. When we do this, we bring on all kinds of health and body conditions as the years progress.

Come back tomorrow for part 4 of this series, Clutter In Our Life. Below are the various parts to this series that you can read as well.

Clutter In Our Life Series
- Introduction
Part 1: Spending our hours watching TV news
Part 2: Keeping Ourselves Constantly Busy
Part 3: Numbing Ourselves
Part 4: Following Blindly
Part 5: Food Choices
Part 6: Health care, Doctors, and Medicine
Part 7: Hydrating Our Bodies
Part 8: Thinking We Have The Answers
Part 9: Exercise Is For Another Day
Part 10: We Fail To Evolve
- The 30 Day Challenge


Blog Post & Images (c) 3/20/11 Don Shetterly - use by permission only
http://www.donshetterly.com

Clutter In Our Life, Part 1

Clutter #1 - Spending our hours watching TV news
Part 1 of 10

I know, I know, I used to be one of those people. I thought I had to listen to it on the radio, the internet, the TV and read every bit of internet news coming out. To me, it was a badge of honor and being more knowledgeable of what was going on.

However, I found out that most of the news was based upon touching the fears that humans have. It is sensationalized so much to bring out those fears and insecurities so each person will watch it. Then it is repeated over and over, mixed and digested and regurgitated until you have heard the same news every which way that is known to the earth.

The 24 hour a day news channels really do a disservice to this world but yet enough people watch them to keep them on the air. In many ways, each person that watches the news is a willing accomplice. It doesn't matter if it is CNN, MSNBC, Fox or any other network. It is all the same. Each one just spins it differently.

Come back tomorrow for part 2 of this series, Clutter In Our Life. Below are the various parts to this series that you can read as well.

Clutter In Our Life Series
- Introduction
Part 1: Spending our hours watching TV news
Part 2: Keeping Ourselves Constantly Busy
Part 3: Numbing Ourselves
Part 4: Following Blindly
Part 5: Food Choices
Part 6: Health care, Doctors, and Medicine
Part 7: Hydrating Our Bodies
Part 8: Thinking We Have The Answers
Part 9: Exercise Is For Another Day
Part 10: We Fail To Evolve
- The 30 Day Challenge


Blog Post & Images (c) 3/20/11 Don Shetterly - use by permission only
http://www.donshetterly.com

Mindful Words

I am always amazed at just how everyone sits behind a computer screen these days and can type anything to anyone and never fully know them or even know what they look like, who they are or what they are about. Because the screen doesn't force you to stand face to face with someone, it is much easier to just type words that you would not otherwise say.

Several years ago, I saw this on internet message boards where people would not think about the words they wrote but just automatically type whatever came to their mind. Often they needed to just sit on it and think about it before typing what they wrote. It is just too easy to respond and much more difficult to think about the words that should be said, if anything.

Of course today, on every news story posted online, there are comments and ratings and replies. People are either spammers or trolls and often there is no discussion of the facts, just an outright manner of whatever you feel like typing is what goes. People have no interest in looking at all sides of an issue when posting online. That is too difficult for our simple minds and our mindless ways in our world.

It just doesn't stop on the internet either because now there are talking pundits from all walks of life and from all ends of the political spectrum that just shout their opinions and words and facts rather than listening to what anyone has to say who differs with them. Each person on TV tries to see how much they can get their point across without even taking a moment to stop and truly listen to the other person. It is interesting that all sides of the shouting have their "documents" and "research" and "polls" to back up what they are saying. Stop and think about that last statement for a minute. It is interesting that everyone has their research, documents and polls as proof of what they are trying to proclaim.

We tend to live our lives in a mindless way, not paying attention to anything but what is currently on our mind. The media feeds into this and so many spend a majority of their life allowing the media to feed their brains. I hope that one day, we as a society will wake up and understand what we are doing to ourselves.

We are not helping ourselves, our society or the world by seeing who can shout the loudest, who feels they are more right than anyone else and those across the political spectrum that are convinced that they know what is best. In fact, we are hurting not only the people we shout at but we hurt ourselves individually and collectively as a society.

At the end of the day, most of the things that everyone gets so upset about, they really do not matter. In the end, the bigger person is the one that can walk away from all of it and see a bigger picture. Our world and our lives do not need to be this way. There is another alternative that we can be part of but we must make difficult choices for our lives.

My hope is that all of us will wake up and begin to learn how to be mindful in our day with our words. With becoming mindful, we will learn what truly matters and how we can build one another up and evolve as we are meant to be. We as humans are meant to be much more than we currently are. Let our words show how much we truly care for each other and how much we want to evolve ourselves and the world.

And the mindful word of the day is hiybbprqag. Sorry, but I thought this made up word was too cute to not include here after I read the article about the search engines. I'm wondering how many though will mindfully read this and even see it.



Blog Post & Images (c) 1/31/11 Don Shetterly - use by permission only
http://www.donshetterly.com

Judgment Is For Those That Want To Be Judged

Judgment Is For Those That Want To Be Judged - That's the first tweet I sent out on my new twitter account @mindbodythought . While it may seems pretty straight forward, there have been multiple instances lately where people felt it was their duty, responsibility and life mission to judge me. Yet, in most of the circumstances, I found it to be disrespectful and hurtful. These people did not see it that way of course.

I have been wondering with curiosity just why this same scenario has played out more than once. It seems peculiar to me and so I have stopped and let my mind think on this. Maybe it is just coincidence that it happened so many times all of the sudden but somehow, I believe when things like this repeat, there is a reason for it. In this case, it is either something I am supposed to learn or something I am clearing out from my life and moving on.

Growing up, we lived in a very judgmental house which went to a very judgmental church and just about everything I heard every day was in some way judging others. If it was not something one person was doing that my family did not like, it was some other instance or event or person, place or thing. It really did not matter what it was but it was almost like judging others around us was as important as breathing.

This of course carried on to church where the minister and people of the church sat in constant judgment of its members. You were taught to believe and act in certain ways lest ye not be judged! Yet, didn't the Bible say, "judge not, lest ye be judged". I guess that part of the bible must not have had as much importance. Oh sure, if you went in and confronted everyone about this, no one would acknowledge or understand that they were judging anyone. In fact, you would be the one feeling wrong and out of place if you ever attempted to bring this subject up.

You were taught not to question the authority in the church and to just accept it as if it was as true as the words you read in the bible. In many ways, how you viewed what was written in the bible and spoken in church was through the method of what the church said was right and anything you believed must match up to their interpretation of said beliefs. As much as the church wanted you to think that you were using your own free will and your own brain to evaluate things, those that did not believe and follow the church were not close with the rest of the members. It was very subtle but very profound in how this happened.

Many people do this very same thing today in our society. Often no one is even aware they are doing it because it is so common place for them. Churches do it without flinching and even the members of the church would not even recognize it if a billboard was placed up in front of their church. It of course carries over into politics, society, family, laws, friendships, relationships and just about anything that we do. It is such a part of our fabric and yet in many ways, when we judge others, we sit in judgment of ourselves.

I have even seen some new age philosophies and healing practices that have worked hard to not be the same as a church or to believe in what the church believes. However, these same people are doing some of the same things but they just give it different names and more enlightened subjects. Of course, if you tried to bring it to their attention, you would be met with a force and resistance like no one has ever seen. Much of these new age movements involve sitting in judgment of others but doing so through a very subtle way. They appear as if they hold the answers to what is going to happen or to how you should live your life or even what healing modalities that you should use. Unfortunately, because people have been so conditioned to being judged and not trusting their own brain, intuition and insight, they follow these new age leaders with passion.

It is not just church either. Take any of the news pundits on TV from any of the news channels. You will see dynamic, out spoken people that appear to be authorities on how you should view politics, the news and the world. They expound upon these ideals, write books, give speeches and are constantly critical of everything taking place they do not agree with. At no time, do you see these people truly sitting down and listening to another person's point of view that is opposing to their view. Sure, they all have some poll or evidence or passion to back up what they say but when you get down to it, there is a strong judgment being rendered against anyone who does not believe in the way that they do.

We all need to take a step back as individuals and as a society or even as a world and evaluate how we are judging others around us. It may be through our thoughts or actions. It might be through our words or our silence. We may feel it is our God given right to let people know how they are failing in life according to our standards and beliefs. Just because a person says nice things or says things that seem to have an element of truth to them does not necessarily make these statements worthy of giving away our power.

At the beginning of this, I said that sometimes when situations arise, it makes me go in and question it with curiosity. I'm not exactly sure why these situations keep arising for me but one thing I am learning is that I do not have to respond to them. If someone has been brainwashed into believing what they believe, you are not going to change their mind. They are fixated on these things and the forces within these belief systems is strong. Yes, I know there are times that I really want to respond but if I did so, I would end up doing nothing different than what these people are doing to me. If I do not want to be judged, than it makes sense that I should not sit there in judgment.

We all have to answer for our own lives and the choices or decisions we make. The more we question our beliefs and our actions in life, the more we will truly come to know who we are as humans and as individuals. The answers to our questions in life do not come from others who are charismatic or who seem to hold the answers. The answers come from within us. The answers are part of who we are and all we need to do is to seek them out. Of course, you can search for them in churches, in new age philosophies, in the media or in many other places but at the end of the day, what matters is what you find within your mind and your body and your spirit.


For Further Reading:
1) Ask Questions Within
2) Are You Brainwashed



Blog Post & Images (c) 1/21/11 Don Shetterly - use by permission only
http://www.donshetterly.com

Fear is Real

Fear is a real part of our life. In many ways, if we learn how to embrace the fears that are present in our everyday life, we can bring about tremendous growth and awareness for our self. For all too long in my life, fear ruled my every moment and I ran from things that were more of an illusion than a reality. As I learn to embrace that which comes from the struggle within me, I become more conscious and aware of all that I can be.

In our world, fear is alive and well. So many people have been wounded in life by various events and these events are holding an illusion over them that fear is the norm. We see it by what is shown on TV and talked about in the news. The pundits and talk show hosts enlarge the concept of fear to draw people into their shows, thus improving ratings and advertiser dollars.

We also see fear as being a strong motivator behind the ego of politics, power and control. If each of us would stop and open our eyes for just a moment, we would be shocked at what is truly going on. However, with the mass of our population living in fear, it is hard to identify how are minds are filtering out that which is before us.

Fear even shows up in our every day life when it comes to the way we deal with others and the way we care for our children. Even our body pains and the way we take care of ourselves physically are so engulfed in the foundation of fear. Health care is more about running from or trying to mask the pain (get rid of the pain or condition) than it is about going into fear and reclaiming that which is within us. Yet, we as a society are so locked into the power of fear that we struggle to even believe this is a remote possibility.

Our lives are touched in many ways by fear and the more we succumb to its power, the more we are holding ourselves back from finding our true potential. Society and civilization require each of us to step up and become all that we were meant to be but the more we walk hand in hand with fear, the more we bring darkness to all those we meet.

My attempt of writing about fear isn't to bring about more fear within each of us. It is instead a way for me to help others understand just how prevalent fear is in our lives and the power it holds over us. I have fought all my life to overcome so many fears I grew up with that I realize first hand just how difficult it is to not let fear rule my life. My hope is that everyone I meet will begin to understand a little more just how fear has a hold of our species and will work to begin recognizing it. Fear can be a powerful motivating agent of change in our lives or it can take us down. May we have the courage to open our eyes and see fear for what it truly is in our life and in the world.

Fear is...

• Being afraid of the unknown
• Something that feels real but may not be
• Expectation that something around you is bad
• Not being fully aware of what reality truly is
• the absence of fact that can be proved
• Illusion of reality
• Escape from that which we feel and know
• Larger than life
• When we find ourselves lacking in self confidence
• Arises from our wounded self
• Ignorance
• Following the masses
• Unjustified but seemingly real situations
• Distortion of what is truly present
• Seeing an image that is a twisting of the facts
• Facts that do not add up while logic is thrown aside
• Listening to the illusion of what others say
• Not following your own convictions
• Not being connected to your own body
• Being unable to recognize when it is present
• closing the door to truth and knowledge
• Not being open to awareness and growth
• Thinking that you have all the answers

(c) 11/12/10 by Don Shetterly - Use by permission only

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