Thought for Today: What Life Lessons Learned Are You Living Today?

You know, I firmly believe in living in the present although it is tough at times when I let my emotions blur my focus. And I do the same thing like everyone else, I move from past to future.

Living in the present becomes very challenging when you have grown up in a particularly dysfunctional family and are now physically closer to them. A lot of unsuspected garbage gets in the way.

I have therefore come to the conclusion that families bring out the worst in us because we all know each others triggers. More importantly however, I know that the way we live now is a choice we consciously make. And that is what is so fabulous about life!

So what life lessons are you living now or are you still stuck deliberately living the limiting life you were programmed for in childhood?

Since I haven't seen most of my family members in more than ten years and quite deliberately so, here are some of the scummy items which floated to the surface together with my responses:

• My mother was so mean to me (I've been there so suck it up and move on);
• Taking her anger out on me was so wrong (me too, see above);
• Everybody hated me (that's a perception linked to child-like emotions; if you're still there it's time to move on);
• I was so hurt (join the club but if you're attending pity parties, it's time to say goodbye and leave);
• I was her whipping boy for whatever ailed her (everything that happened to us and me in particular made me the strong person I am today);
• She never showed me any love or affection (probably because she never received any);
• They (the family) expect me to be the same and silently demand that I return to how they thought I was (when you have not learned any of life's lessons you are doomed to repeat  the experiences until you understand that life means change. nothing stays the same.);
• Why can't I be accepted for who I am now? (acceptance means change and when people constantly fight what is out of fear because that is what they have learned, they are also obliged to repudiate anything and anyone who represents it).

When we are at peace with ourselves and accepting of the lives we have led, we can reflect upon the bad times as well as the good and learn from what we have experienced. Until we come to terms with the fact that we are not the same people we once were, we can’t objectively delve into our individual histories.

Yet there is much we can discover in the annals of our lives, such as the root of our likes and dislikes and the cause of our fears. As we court tranquility within ourselves, we become less eager to react emotionally to the mistakes we have made and more apt to consider the practical applications of the memories we review in our reflections.

When your heart and mind are calm, you will have little difficulty gleaning the wisdom buried in your past. DailyOM

Life is meant to be lived in the NOW, not yesterday, not tomorrow - just right now. Are you there yet? It is a struggle for most of us at times so here's a wonderful thirty-day technique called One-Moment (minute) Meditations to help you stay right here.

Come share some of the life lessons learned that you are living today so that we can all grow together, individually.

Letting go is a beautiful beautiful thing and I wish it for all of you. Make a great day for yourself right now people.