“If you are trying to undo a past behavior pattern, there are two ways you unintentionally keep it alive: The first way is by judging and resisting it. What you resist persists. If you keep bringing it up, it will keep bringing you down. Guilt is resistance to the presence of love, persecution turned inward. (A good definition of guilt is, “punishing yourself before God doesn’t.”) If you want to make sure you keep doing something, just keep feeling guilty about it. If you want to remove its hold on you, find evidence for your innocence. Keep trying different perspectives on for size until you find relief. Try to understand why you were drawn to the behavior.
Perhaps anyone who had the experiences that led up to that behavior might have chosen the same route. Was there any good that came out of the experience? Did (or do) you actually enjoy it, but according to societal standards, you are not supposed to? Have you learned through the experience? Are you stronger, wiser, deeper, or more compassionate? Did the experience and its results move you to a new place in your life that you would not have come to otherwise? How would someone who truly loved you view the behavior? Do anything you can to shift your regard of the event(s) from judgment to compassion and empowerment.
The second way you keep your past in force is by broadcasting it. The more you call others’ attention to it, the more you reinforce its power over you. Now their thoughts, feelings, and expectations are added to the mix.”
Alan Cohen, in “Why Your Life Sucks…And What You Can Do About It”
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Jeff Maziarek, author of Spirituality Simplified and Codi’s Journey, launched Pondercentral.com in April 2007 as a Web-based forum for “PONDER on THIS,” a series of weekday inspirational email messages he began sending to subscribers in March 1999. A FREE service since its inception, “PONDER on THIS” provides subscribers with meaningful content to assist them on their individual paths of spiritual growth. In addition, it benefits subscribers, authors, and publishers by including links to Amazon.com where subscribers can learn more about the book being quoted, and also purchase it.
