Book Excerpt Chapter 9: Choosing One’s Attitude

Turning Blocks into Blessings

p. 225 - You Have Chosen to Remember: A Journey from Perception to Knowledge, Peace of Mind and Joy by James Blanchard Cisneros.

You might currently believe that there are times where you can achieve a peaceful state and times when you can't. You might have already taught yourself that you can remain peaceful if "x" happens, but not if "y" happens. My friend, the only difference in these circumstances lies not in their physical manifestation, but simply in our beliefs. It is because the work lies within, in modifying our beliefs, that only a simple reinterpretation is needed to obtain peace in any situation. When we lack peace in any situation, it is not because peace is not available, but because we have somehow blocked the awareness of the presence of peace. Once the blocks are dismantled, all that is left is the state of peace.

My friend, the universe is kind. It will offer countless opportunities to obtain peace in areas that we previously perceived peace to be unobtainable. Our Godself also knows that we can achieve peace in any situation. This knowledge is currently within us and it is only our willingness to consider it that is necessary. Currently, you may have blocks to this awareness and they manifest themselves as situations in which you believe that peace is unobtainable. Again, my friend, the universe is kind. It, along with your Godself, will assist you in bringing about situations where you block the awareness of the state of peace. This is done to allow us the opportunity and understanding that peace in such situations is indeed available and attainable. It is only by bringing these blocks up to our awareness that we will have the opportunity to choose once again.

My friend, if you look into your past, you will recall situations that once brought you thoughts and emotions of stress and pain that you now deal with in a more peaceful manner. The same situation may occur today, but your reaction to it is more positive. You simply realized that there was a better way of dealing with it. A better and more mature way of dealing with a situation brought you feelings of understanding and peace. Looking back, you see that the ability to choose peace in such situations had always been available. By dealing with the block, you were able to find peace in a situation where you once did not even consider peace as a possibility. In doing so, you dismantled another block to your awareness of the presence of the state of peace. As you continue to dismantle different blocks, you will find that the state of peace is always available to you in every situation, in every moment. It lies there waiting for your recognition of it. Once recognized, it is all you will desire. You will desire peace in every situation, and because you desire peace, you will obtain and experience it. Now and then, blocks may come up again, but you will quickly remember what it is you truly desire, and when you do, you will have it. Now when such blocks appear in your life, you will no longer curse their appearance or feel unlucky because of their manifestation in your life. In fact, once you see them, you will now thank and bless them, for you now have the knowledge that these blocks are really just offering you an opportunity to understand where the awareness to the presence of peace and love is blocked in your life. Once you understand and acknowledge this gift, these blocks will turn into blessings, and love will replace all that you once found unlovable.

As your sense of inner peace develops, you will become more and more confident that it has nothing to do with your outside environment. You will depend less and less on circumstances turning out a certain way, or on other people responding a certain way. As your inner peace develops, your outside world will also begin to change. Slowly, you will begin to realize that the world you experience outside of yourself is directly related to how you feel within.

To assist you in realizing the importance of attitude, consider the following statement on attitude from renowned author and pastor Charles R. Swindoll:

"This may shock you, but I believe the single most significant decision I can make on a day-to-day basis is my choice of attitude. It is more important than my past, my education, my bankroll, my successes or failures, fame or pain, what other people think of me or say about my circumstances, my position, or me. Attitude is that 'single string' that keeps me going or cripples my progress. It alone fuels my fire or assaults my hope. When my attitudes are right, there's no barrier too high, no valley too deep, no dream too extreme, no challenge too great for me." ¹
 

	E-Mail this to a Friend	Back to Table of Contents Back to Inspirational Quotes: Attitude, Peace of Mind, Self Development

   

View larger images of front & back cover 
of the great spiritual / self development book You Have Chosen to Remember: A Journey from Perception to Knowledge, Peace of Mind and Joy by James Blanchard Cisneros.