Secular Toolbelt.....Fun!

Thread Tools
 
Old 09-11-2008, 10:26 PM
  # 1 (permalink)  
Member
Thread Starter
 
desertdonna's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Glitzville
Posts: 334
Talking Secular Toolbelt.....Fun!

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?
desertdonna is offline  
Old 09-12-2008, 09:25 AM
  # 2 (permalink)  
Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude
 
Zencat's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Oxnard (The Nard), CA, USA.
Posts: 13,949
"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
Zencat is offline  
Old 09-12-2008, 10:10 AM
  # 3 (permalink)  
Big Idiot Man Child
 
windysan's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: La
Posts: 5,664
Don't forget to stop and buy bait.
windysan is offline  
Old 09-12-2008, 10:12 AM
  # 4 (permalink)  
Member
 
1963comet's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Michigan
Posts: 1,381
This saying has helped me. If I use it, I will abuse it.

This keeps me reminded that I will never control my use.
1963comet is offline  
Old 09-12-2008, 10:24 AM
  # 5 (permalink)  
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 26,425
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!
Ananda is offline  
Old 09-12-2008, 10:25 AM
  # 6 (permalink)  
things as it is
 
zendust's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: New York
Posts: 233
"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
zendust is offline  
Old 09-12-2008, 01:26 PM
  # 7 (permalink)  
Knucklehead
 
doorknob's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Davenport, WA
Posts: 4,005
"A wise man proportions his belief to the evidence." - David Hume
doorknob is offline  
Old 09-12-2008, 03:03 PM
  # 8 (permalink)  
Administrator
 
Dee74's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 211,439
this one's pretty apt for internet forums Donna

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

D
Dee74 is offline  
Old 09-13-2008, 02:48 AM
  # 9 (permalink)  
9/15/08
 
Overman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: midwest
Posts: 257
"Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves."
-Carl Jung


Useful when attending AA meetings...

Overman is offline  
Old 09-13-2008, 02:52 AM
  # 10 (permalink)  
9/15/08
 
Overman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: midwest
Posts: 257
"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.
Overman is offline  
Old 09-15-2008, 08:01 PM
  # 11 (permalink)  
Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude
 
Zencat's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Oxnard (The Nard), CA, USA.
Posts: 13,949
"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."
— ****** 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
Zencat is offline  
Old 09-16-2008, 11:24 AM
  # 12 (permalink)  
Reach Out and Touch Faith
 
shockozulu's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: On a Sailboat
Posts: 3,871
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.
shockozulu is offline  
Old 09-17-2008, 08:19 AM
  # 13 (permalink)  
Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude
 
Zencat's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Oxnard (The Nard), CA, USA.
Posts: 13,949
"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
Zencat is offline  
Old 09-30-2008, 09:26 AM
  # 14 (permalink)  
Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: united states
Posts: 93
"When you look around the room and nobody else is laughing, obviously it's not funny"-Me
back2theliving is offline  
Old 10-04-2008, 11:35 AM
  # 15 (permalink)  
Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude
 
Zencat's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Oxnard (The Nard), CA, USA.
Posts: 13,949
"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
Zencat is offline  
Old 10-04-2008, 11:39 AM
  # 16 (permalink)  
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 26,425
"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!
Ananda is offline  
Old 10-06-2008, 10:03 PM
  # 17 (permalink)  
Member
Thread Starter
 
desertdonna's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Glitzville
Posts: 334
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.
desertdonna is offline  
Old 10-07-2008, 12:35 PM
  # 18 (permalink)  
Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 18
"All you must do is accept all that is unacceptable to you." -
-- Cheri huber
DharmaQueen is offline  
Old 10-09-2008, 07:26 AM
  # 19 (permalink)  
Member
 
SelfSeeking's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Northeast US
Posts: 1,340
Litany Against Fear (for the sci-fi fans)

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.
SelfSeeking is offline  
Old 10-30-2008, 07:05 AM
  # 20 (permalink)  
Member
 
ClimbingUP's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 106
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.
ClimbingUP is offline  

Currently Active Users Viewing this Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are Off





All times are GMT -7. The time now is 10:30 PM.