Peace in thoughts

I'm not catholic and have grown up sometimes participating in Lenten rituals and sometimes not.  I attend Unity church of Dayton.  Unity teaches truth principals based on the teachings of Jesus Christ with translations towards every day life.  It's pretty relaxed and modern as far as church goes.  Yesterday, Lent was discussed and I decided to embrace practicing letting go of negative thinking for the 40 days of Lent (beginning yesterday, really and extending I hope beyond Easter Sunday.  It's a consciousness I think.  One that goes hand in hand with my quest for finding peace in every day places.  I decided as part of my letting go of negative thinking process to include letting go of the idea of where I live (see Blog 1) holding the key to my happiness.  So, I'm letting go of Michigan and moving back to my house in Dexter as a central key to my happiness as am I letting go of living in our two bedroom apartment in a very transient section of Beavercreek, Ohio as a central key to my happiness (and with those go a lot of negative thinking).  I'm also including swearing in the negative thinking.  As much as I love saying a couple of the words more than others (begins with SH and ends in T, and the F-bomb) I need to do this more for my five year-old's ears than mine (last week I heard him scream out, "God D----t!" from his room and he told me he stubbed his toe and that's what I say when I get hurt). 

Also discussed at Unity yesterday was (a reminder for me) the idea of doing your passion.  For me, my passion work has always been in the performing arts - acting on stage, in film, recording audio books, performing voice-over commercials and cartoon voices.  The idea that your work should be something that you give from within and not drudgery...even if you are mainly working at a job that is a means to an end, not to think of it as such, but rather a place of service.  That when you begin to think of your work as giving a part of yourself in service, you begin to receive that energy from others and give with love.  Kind of "God on the job".  Commit to abundance.  Affluence means to flow freely forth.  Remove obstructive thoughts. 

I will try this Lenten season to up limiting thoughts and beliefs about myself and others.  I won't steal others joy or my own by making judgements on them or negative thoughts on myself.  Along with giving up negative thoughts, swearing, and releasing residence as a key to my happiness, I release negative thoughts about my body which I've had since I was at least in middle school.  I will accept myself and body and love it all.  I will care for myself and my family lovingly from a place of service (as they are a reflection of me)!  I will also embrace and appreciate whatever form of my work passion comes my way and live in the moment of it all and celebrate my past experiences, whether it be coaching a student, an audition, or, as with last night, acting on camera on a student film set.  I have always struggled with not fully being present with my work as when I finally am doing it I'm continually looking for the next job, or measuring my achievements against my peers or others (where I should be...what I wish I had).

I find myself aware very much of negative and limiting thoughts creeping into my mind and it's going to be a challenge not to let them all get the best of me.  I look forward to the challenge.