Secular Toolbelt.....Fun!

[desertdonna]

Hi all!

I thought if would be fun if we could post helpful slogans and tips to put in our secular toolbelt. They can be sayings, slogans, even book ideas with a brief intro. We'd like this toolbelt to be heavy duty, like those construction workers wear so there's plenty of room to pack lots of stuff in it.

Rather than just providing links to other recovery methods, please pick out some singular jewels to put in the tool belt so we can bring them out and toss them around.

I'll give it a whirl:

"Unease, anxiety, tension, stress, worry — all forms of fear — are caused by too much future, and not enough presence in the moment. Guilt, regret, resentment, grievances, sadness, bitterness, and all forms of nonforgiveness are caused by too much past, and not enough presence in the moment." - Page 50 The Power of Now by Echhart Tolle

Moral of the story? When we are mindful in the present moment, states of unease may rise, but then will dissipate without any action or reaction on our part.

Okay, who's next?

[zencat]

"We cannot control life's difficult moments but we can choose to make life less difficult. We cannot control the negative atmosphere of the world, but we can control the atmosphere of our minds. Too often we try to choose and control things we cannot. Too seldom we choose to control what we can -- our attitude."
- John Maxwell

[windysan]

Don't forget to stop and buy bait.

[1963comet]

This saying has helped me. If I use it, I will abuse it.

This keeps me reminded that I will never control my use.

[ananda]

If I feel, act and live this moment totally right now...i don't have to feel, act and live it still in the future.

You don't always get what you want, you don't always get what you need, you get what you get...so just go on!

If you're going through hell...don't stop!

[zendust]

"The everyday practice is simply to develop a complete acceptance and openness to all situations and emotions, and to all people, experiencing everything totally without mental reservations and blockages, so that one never withdraws or centralizes into oneself."- Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche

[doorknob]

"A wise man proportions his belief to the evidence." - David Hume

[Dee74]

this one's pretty apt for internet forums Donna

The pursuit, even of the best things, ought to be calm and tranquil.
Cicero

D

[Overman]

"Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves."
-Carl Jung


Useful when attending AA meetings...

[Overman]

"Neurosis is the inability to tolerate ambiguity. Neurotics complain of their illness, but they make the most of it, and when it comes to taking it away from them they will defend it like a lioness her young."
-Sigmund Freud


Too true.

[zencat]

"Within each of us is a hidden store of energy. Energy we can release to compete in the marathon of life. Within each of us is a hidden store of courage, courage to give us the strength to face any challenge. Within each of us is a hidden store of determination. Determination to keep us in the race when all seems lost."
— Roger Dawson


"When I'm trusting and being myself as fully as possible, everything in my life reflects this by falling into place easily, often miraculously."
— Shakti Gawain


"You can change your beliefs so they empower your dreams and desires. Create a strong belief in yourself and what you want."
— Marcia Wieder

[Alera]

The most helpful tip I have is from SMART Recovery. When I see something that is causing a craving, I simply visualize a large red stop sign. Then I say the word under my breath. "Stop". Then, once I've recognized and stopped myself from going down that dark path, I change my behavior or activity so the urge, hopefully, won't come up again.

[zencat]

"Believe in Yourself and there will come a day when others will have no choice but to believe with you."
- Cynthia Kerse


"If you don't design your own life plan, chances are you'll fall into someone else's plan. And guess what they have planned for you? Not much."
- Jim Rohn


"We cannot live only for ourselves. A thousand fibers connect us with our fellow men; and among those fibers, as sympathetic threads, our actions run as causes, and they come back to us as effects."
-Herman Melville

[back2theliving]

"When you look around the room and nobody else is laughing, obviously it's not funny"-Me

[zencat]

"What you have to do and the way you have to do it is incredibly simple. Whether you are willing to do it, that's another matter." -Peter F. Drucker

"Every defeat, every heartbreak, every loss, contains its own seed, its own lesson on how to improve your performance the next time." -Og Mandino

"There are two primary choices in life; to accept conditions as they exist, or accept the responsibility for changing them." -Denis Waitley

[ananda]

"There are two primary choices in life; to accept conditions as they exist, or accept the responsibility for changing them." -Denis Waitley

thanks for sharing that zencat!

[desertdonna]

Thanks everyone! These are really good.



"It is hard to fight an enemy who has outposts in your head."

- Sally Kempton


That one made me laugh.

[DharmaQueen]

"All you must do is accept all that is unacceptable to you." -
-- Cheri huber

[SelfSeeking]

I must not fear.
Fear is the mind-killer.
Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
I will face my fear.
I will permit it to pass over me and through me.
And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.
Only I will remain.

[ClimbingUP]

I’ve been reading a book called Healing the Shame That Binds You by John Bradshaw. In the chapter “Choosing to Love and Forgive Yourself for Your Mistakes”, he describes a therapeutic device for combating negative self talk. Whenever a client would recount a negative action or thought, he would counter with “Will you love yourself and accept yourself for that?” Now, when I find myself stuck on a particularly painful moment in my own past, I’ll stop myself and ask “Will I love and accept myself for it?” It’s a powerful tool for keeping yourself in the moment. But it also helps turn a negative past into a positive future.

[desertdonna]

"Happiness is a clear mind. A clear and sane mind knows how to live, how to work, what e-mails to send, what phone calls to make, and what to do to create what it wants without fear." Byron Katie

[zendust]

Once Suzuki Roshi was asked by someone, "How much ego do you need?" and that Suzuki said, "Just enough so that you don't step in front of a bus."

[zencat]

Your love is located within you.
It is yours to nurture and savor.
It is yours to give in any way you choose.
This is true for others as well.



All that you need
in order to have total happiness,
fulfillment, and love in your life
you already have right now,
whoever you are, wherever you are.



There is a rhythm to the universe.
When we are able to get quiet enough,
we experience how we are a part of that
perfect rhythm.