Simple Keys to a Fuller Life

What's Best Opening to Divine Guidance Acceptance and ompassion Love and !mpo"erment

#ote$ For a concise, two-page summary of this inspiring eight-page essay, click here.

Forethought
Do you have any idea ho" full your life can %e& Do you have any idea ho" rich your life can %e& If you're willing to stop, to reach inside, and to feel for a moment, you are likely to become aware that there is a significant, untapped potential inside of you. Below are some simple methods to explore opening more fully to your own inner potential. The simple keys to life presented here can be practiced by anyone with an open mind and an open heart. Though the principles are simple, putting them into practice in your daily life may not be easy at first. et if you choose to set clear intentions and follow through, the doors of transformation could !ery well open. ou may be surprised at the positi!e changes that begin to unfold in your life. ou may find that these truly are simple keys to a fuller life.

What's Best$ Serving the Greater Good

'he (o"er of hoice
"!ery one of us makes countless choices e!ery day. "!ery choice we make has an impact on our li!es. "!en seemingly insignificant choices can affect what we experience

and sometimes how we feel as we mo!e through the day. #hen hunger strikes, we can reach for a healthy, nutritious snack, or we can choose the sugar high of $unk food. This choice impacts our body and health, and can e!en affect the way we think and feel about oursel!es. The more important the decision, the more profound its effect. For instance, how do I choose to act towards that person who treated me badly% #here do I choose to focus my time and energy% &o I generally choose to be passi!e and wait for things to happen to me, or do I acti!ely set clear intentions and create what I want in my life% These ma$or decisions ha!e a profound impact not only on how our li!es unfold, but also on how we feel about oursel!es and how we relate to others. "!ery choice we make, howe!er big or small, affects us in some way.

)o" Do *ou +a,e

hoices&

#hat do you use to guide you in making choices and decisions throughout your day% If you are interested in li!ing a richer, fuller life, there is a way you can gi!e your choices a clear focus and direction. There is a foundation upon which you can base all of your decisions which can make life better not only for you, but also for those around you. This foundation is to choose based on ser!ing the greater good, or in other words, choosing what's best for you and for all of us.

- "ill do my %est to choose "hat's %est for me and for all of us.
Imagine a world where e!eryone made choices based on what's best. Imagine if e!ery parent, spouse, friend, teacher, businessperson, and politician truly did their best to choose what's best for all in!ol!ed in e!ery decision they made. #e would certainly li!e in a more caring, supporti!e world. 'ow imagine if you based all of your choices e!ery day on what's best for all in!ol!ed. ou might ha!e to make compromises at times, yet think of how much fuller and clearer your life could be. Think of how much better you might feel about yourself.

-t's the -ntention

(But how do I know what is really best%( you might ask. The answer is simple. It doesn't matter. #hat matters is not the choice you make, but rather the intention behind your choice. )any times you won't know what's best. ou will not be clear which choice is best for all concerned. #hat matters is that whate!er decision you make, you are clear in your intention of choosing based on what's best for you and for all in!ol!ed. If it later turns out that you made what appears to ha!e been a bad choice, there's no need for guilt. By simply knowing that you did your best to choose with a sincere desire for what's best, your conscience stays clear and open. This then allows you to more easily learn from your mistakes, and to li!e with a clear mind and heart.

What's Best for +e/ 'oo0

*hoosing what's best does not mean you ha!e to always sacrifice yourself for others. +n o!erly exhausted mother can lose her temper easily. ,ome time off for this mother might seem selfish, yet in the long run, it can help her to be a better mother to her children. +t times, gi!ing to yourself is what's best for all in!ol!ed.

Big

hoices +a,e a Big Difference

#ith the many choices we make e!ery day, it would be impossible to consciously think about what's best all the time. #ith smaller choices, there's no need to consciously think about it. ,imply knowing that you always hold this intention is enough. #hat is important, though, is that whene!er you find yourself facing a difficult or important decision, remind yourself of your intention to choose based on what's best. By making a commitment to practice this simple key e!ery day and in all aspects of your life, choosing what's best will gradually become a natural part of who you are. +fter a while, you may be surprised to find your mind becoming clearer and your heart feeling lighter. our decisions become easier and more focused, and your life becomes much richer and fuller. ,o as we mo!e through each day of our li!es, let us do our best to choose what's best for all of us.

Opening to Divine Guidance

+any Forms of Guidance
-uidance comes in many forms. Family or friends may gi!e wonderful words of wisdom in dealing with a particular problem or situation. +n inspiring book or T. program might pro!ide meaningful ad!ice. +ll of this guidance can be useful, particularly if it helps to support our desire to choose what's best. The most powerful guidance, howe!er, often comes from sources unseen. By opening to guidance from the di!ine, we open to the support of powerful forces greater than oursel!es, which can help our li!es to grow and blossom e!er more beautifully.

+any +eanings for Divine

The di!ine has different meanings to different people. For some, the di!ine means -od, *reator, /eho!ah, +llah, -reat ,pirit, or whate!er we call the supreme consciousness or all encompassing essence of the uni!erse. For others, the di!ine in!ol!es the realm of our forefathers or ancestors. For some it is the spirits of nature or spirits from other realms. ,till others belie!e that each of us has one or more guardian angels, that we all ha!e a guiding spirit or spirits to help us along the way. ,ome people belie!e in all of these. et e!en if you don't belie!e in any of the abo!e, you might open to the possibility that there is a !ery wise part of yourself 0 a higher self or a deeper self 0 which can pro!ide you with di!ine guidance from within.

1ow we define or !iew the di!ine is not important here. #hat is important is that we open to this di!ine presence, howe!er we choose to define it, and that we consciously in!ite this powerful guidance into our daily li!es.

- "ill open to guidance from the divine. +any Ways to As,

There are many ways to ask for di!ine guidance. ou may already ha!e your own meaningful prayer or meditation practice. ou may want to experiment with different ways you hear about, read about, or come up with yourself. *hoose whate!er way feels best to you. 2ne beautiful practice is to set aside a few minutes each morning upon awakening. First, reaffirm your commitment to do what's best for yourself and for all in your life this day. Then, ask directly to the di!ine for guidance in making choices that are best for all in!ol!ed throughout the coming day. ou might also welcome wisdom and guidance from any angels, deceased relati!es and friends, or other spirits committed to what's best for all of us. ou can do the same at bedtime e!ery night, setting aside time to ask for guidance during your sleep and dream time. +ny time during the day when you need to make a significant decision, or you $ust want to calm or center yourself, stop for a moment. Take time to ask the di!ine for help, guidance, and inspiration in choosing what's best for you and for all of us.

All 1e2uests Only if it's Best

In communicating with the di!ine, you might at times re3uest or pray for a particular result. #hen you ask for something specific, by ending with (only if this is what's best,( you open to a higher le!el of guidance. There are times when in asking for something you may feel certain that you know what's best. et there can be unforeseen conse3uences or reasons why what you're asking for is not what's best. By always adding, (only if this is what's best for all of us,( you allow di!ine forces to enrich your life and the li!es of those around you in unexpected ways.

hallenges as 'eachers
There are times when what's best is not what's easiest or most en$oyable. ,ometimes unwanted challenges, difficult situations, and e!en pain can teach us important lessons that in the long run will help us to en$oy life more fully. #hen we accept all experiences as gifts from the di!ine and opportunities for growth and understanding, we open to a deeper le!el of di!ine guidance.

Atheists

an Benefit/ 'oo

"!en if you are uncertain whether -od or the di!ine exists, gi!e this key a try. ou might be surprised at what happens, particularly if you are open to change and growth in your life. The results may not always be what you hoped for or expected, but in the long run you are likely to find your life becoming much richer, fuller, and more satisfying.

By opening to di!ine guidance in all things and asking for guidance in choosing what's best for all of us, we in!ite lo!ing, supporti!e forces greater than oursel!es to help bring whate!er is best into our li!es and the li!es of those around us.

Acceptance and ompassion

Avoiding the 1eal +e
+fter making it through a mid-life crisis, an insightful man once commented, (I'!e spent my whole life trying to be someone who I'm not. 'ow I'm ready to focus on accepting and en$oying who I am.( ,o many people are trying to be someone they are not4 trying to be richer, to be better looking, to feel better, to gain status, or $ust to be liked by others. ,o many people are not happy with who they are.

Our Divine !ssence

&eep down we are all beautiful beings worthy of lo!e and support. The sweet innocence of babies and young children is a clear example of this. et for most of us, the shining essence with which we came into this life became obscured o!er the years as our family and others were unable to gi!e us the kind of unconditional lo!e and support we so cra!ed. +s children, when we were repeatedly told that we were not good enough or were punished $ust for being who we are, thick layers of confusion and doubt de!eloped, clouding our di!ine essence. 5ayers of fear and insecurity were wo!en into our personalities as we learned to sur!i!e in a world where others often cared about us only if we made them happy, or when we pro!ed oursel!es to be someone they wanted us to be.

'he +as,
By the time we are grown, most of us ha!e de!eloped a protecti!e mask or persona to hide these layers of fear and insecurity from others, and at times e!en from oursel!es. Though we might outwardly appear happy or content, on the inside most of us to !arying degrees feel unhappy with who we are, wishing we were somebody we are not. #e feel the hea!y burden of the fears, wounds, and insecurities which ha!e built up. #e long ago lost touch with that beautiful, shining core inside of us, buried under unseen layers of fear, anger, guilt, shame, insecurity, inade3uacy, and more. et that shining essence is still there. It has always been there. )ost of us at some point in our li!es ha!e had peak experiences where that deeper essence broke through6 times where we felt deeply satisfied about our li!es, or where we were reminded of who we really are. 'o matter how much you may ha!e forgotten, no matter how thick those layers clouding your essence may be, your shining core is and always has been there.

Acceptance and

ompassion for +yself

ou can choose right now to in!ite that beautiful inner essence to shine through the clouds and to shine again in your life. By doing your best to accept and ha!e compassion for all of who you are 0 both your deep shining essence and the layers of dark clouds within 0 you can open more fully to life, and en$oy the gift of who you are. #hen fears, dark thoughts, difficult emotions, or selfish desires arise, first choose to accept that they are there. 2nce you'!e recogni7ed and accepted them, work towards finding compassion for these dark clouds and where they came from. By choosing to accept and ha!e compassion for all parts of yourself, the clouds gradually begin to shift and disperse. 8athways to your di!ine core begin to open, thus allowing your radiant inner essence to shine through. +nd don't forget to ask for di!ine guidance and for what's best for all as you explore andtransform these dark and hidden places.

ourage
It takes courage to accept and find compassion for our fears and weaknesses. It takes e!en more courage to allow others to see the clouds, to see us as we really are. et by allowing oursel!es to be seen 0 by doing our best to be fully oursel!es in all our strengths and weaknesses 0 our relationships can grow richer, deeper, and more meaningful. This may be awkward at first. It can be challenging, as some people are unable or unwilling to accept certain parts of who we are. ,ome may e!en re$ect us or ask us not to be our real sel!es with them. et as those around us see us becoming more real and honest with them, many will also be inspired to be more real and honest with us. Thus, instead of continually a!oiding or denying those clouds or dark layers in both oursel!es and others, we open to a deeper, more authentic way of li!ing and relating with others. +s these hidden parts of oursel!es are accepted and forgi!en, they become increasingly lighter. 5ife gradually becomes fuller and more free as we no longer ha!e to expend so much energy in supporting a mask or persona. 5ike that insightful middle-aged man, we are more able to accept and en$oy who we are right now, with all our strengths and weaknesses.

Acceptance and

ompassion for Others

+s you de!elop greater acceptance and compassion for yourself, you will notice that others, too, ha!e many layers clouding their di!ine essence. In trying to sur!i!e in this world, they too ha!e lost touch with who they really are. There is darkness and light, good and bad in all of us. *onsider, too, the possibility that all of us are doing what we belie!e to be right based upon our beliefs, circumstances, and upbringing. +s you work to accept and find compassion for yourself, it is most important that you choose also to gi!e this gift to those around you.

- "ill do my %est to accept and find compassion for myself and all around me.

The ,erenity 8rayer sums it up beautifully4 God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change The courage to change the things I can And the wisdom to know the difference. +cceptance of what is, coupled with compassion and discerning what we can change and what we cannot, allows us to find the courage to be all that we can be, and to empower others in doing the same. I will do my best to choose what's best, and to open to di!ine guidance as I stri!e to accept and find compassion for myself and all around me. Through culti!ating acceptance and compassion for both our bright inner essence and the dark layers which cloud that di!ine essence, we naturally open to expressing the final simple key 0 lo!e and empowerment.

Love and !mpo"erment

Loving and !mpo"ering +e
5et me start with myself. I will do my best to lo!e myself and to empower myself to be the best I can be today and e!ery day of my life. By making this commitment to yourself, to your own personal growth, it becomes easier to lo!e and empower those around you.

Loving and !mpo"ering All

'ow let us mo!e to others. But do you really want to gi!e this gift to all other people% *an you really lo!e and empower e!eryone around you% #hat if you really don't like someone% #hen you feel a dislike towards a person, remind yourself that it is usually the personality that you don't like 0 the mask or dark clouds blocking their deeper essence. ou can recogni7e that beneath the mask, beneath those dark clouds in e!eryone is a shining di!ine essence. #hile acknowledging those parts you don't like, do your best to find lo!e and support for the shining being hidden beneath all the clouds, beneath the mask or personality that you don't like. ou can choose to lo!e and empower the di!ine spark within all.

- "ill love and empo"er all to %e the %est that "e can %e. #egative 3udgment
+ common distraction from the intention to lo!e and empower is negati!e $udgment. 'o matter how negati!e a person's actions or beha!ior might be, $udging someone to be bad as a person does not empower or inspire anyone to be a better person.

#hen you find yourself feeling negati!e $udgment, first acknowledge and ha!e compassion for the part of you that wants to $udge 0 the part that wants to be right and better than others. 9emind yourself that we all ha!e our faults and weaknesses. &o your best to understand and learn from your $udgment. Then let it go. 2pen to finding first acceptance, and then compassion and lo!e both for you and for the person you $udged. *hoose to let your last thought always be that of lo!e. In doing this, you can powerfully transform $udgment into lo!e and empowerment.

(reventing )arm While 1ecogni4ing Divine !ssence

#hat if you see someone doing something that is clearly wrong or that causes harm% In this case, you can be firm and take whate!er action you feel is best to stop harm. "nforcing a serious conse3uence with someone who has acted out of extreme selfinterest at the expense of others may be the most lo!ing, empowering action you can take. et e!en as you take firm action, see if you can find compassion for what brought the person to do this. 2pen to seeing their inner clouds. Then choose to look beyond those clouds, beyond the inner turmoil that causes people to do harm. In this way, you can act from a place of lo!e and support for their deeper essence, e!en while firmly stopping a person from doing wrong or causing harm. Through choosing to see beneath all of the pain, suffering, and hatred, and to recogni7e and connect with the di!ine essence within e!en those who would do us harm, not only do we heal the world, we heal oursel!es.

-magine5
Imagine for a moment a world where all people truly did their best to lo!e and empower each other. Imagine if a significant number of the people on this planet truly did their best to li!e by these simple keys to life or similar ideals. ou can choose to become one of those people right now. ou can choose to make your life and our world a better place. It is fully possible. There are people of all races, religions, and beliefs around the globe already committed to li!ing by these or similar ideals. 5et us then choose with an open mind and an open heart to add to their numbers. 5et us choose e!ery day of our li!es to do our best to lo!e and empower oursel!es and all we meet to be the !ery best we can be.

Afterthought 6 Simple Keys to a Fuller Life

What's Best

- "ill do my %est to choose "hat's %est for me and for all of us.

Divine Guidance

- "ill open to guidance from the divine.

Acceptance and ompassion

- "ill accept and find compassion for myself and all around me.

Love and !mpo"erment

- "ill love and empo"er all to %e the %est that "e can %e.

Simple Keys/ *et (o"erful Keys

By remembering and li!ing these simple keys to life as you mo!e through each day, your life is bound to grow richer and fuller. ou can start each day by recommitting yourself to these keys. +t difficult times during the day, or e!en when $ust resting or taking a break, you can remind yourself of one or more of these intentions. +t night before sleep, gi!e thanks for the day and ask for what's best for yourself and for all who share our world. *onsider also asking family and friends who share this commitment to support and remind you in times of need. Take some time after you finish reading this to explore how you might apply these keys to current challenges in your life, and in!ite suggestions and feedback from others. +nd most importantly, open to di!ine guidance in digesting and integrating what you'!e read here. If you are still uncertain about these keys, practice them for a while to see if your life changes for the better. If after awhile you don't see the results you'd hoped for, adapt them in a way that works for you. *onsider dropping one or adding new keys of your own. "xplore the possibility that li!ing with clear intentions pro!ides direction and focus, and can lead to a deeper, more meaningful life. In whate!er way feels best to you, gi!e yourself a chance to make your life richer and fuller. 'o matter what happens, no matter what you choose to do with these keys to life and with your life in general, know that there are those of us here who continually wish you much lo!e and all the !ery best in your $ourney through life. #e lo!e and support you in being the !ery best you can be e!ery day of your life.

For a concise, two-page essay4 http4::www.weboflo!e.org:keystolife;

summary

of

this

inspiring

8lease feel free to copy and share these simple keys to life with others. It is a gift of thanks for all I'!e been gi!en in my life. #ith abundant Fred Burks lo!e and !ery best wishes,

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