Discernment

Stubbornness is certainly not a virtue because it prevents you from seeing the mistake you made and it thus encourages you to persevere in a wrong behavior, in an obsolete idea, in an unfair judgment. Like many others, it's possible that you, too, believe that accepting something "different" means to have a weak character.  Actually, the contrary is true. When you are brave enough to admit your mistake, you show that you are flexible and open-minded. On the other hand, sometimes it may be necessary to persist in the pursuit of the result you wish to obtain. It's up to you to discern when it's advisable to give up or when you must go on with commitment and trust. If you don't succeed, it means that you didn't do "it" the right way. Maybe you need to make changes, either in your actions, in your attitude or in your thoughts. No-one was born to lose. Defeat is a mental perspective. You are defeated only when you say so. 

Serious Decisions

If you are aware that a certain kind of "action" is bad, you can decide to abstain from it. That is easy. If you don't want to entertain a certain kind of "thoughts" because you see them as negative, you can bring yourself to change them by voluntarily replacing them with positive ones. That is a little more difficult, but it can be done. If you wish to transform a certain "feeling" you are having, you can do it through consistent self-talk, a sort of psychological reprogramming. This is definitely not easy, but it is possible. But if you yearn to achieve a certain kind of "spiritual conviction", the result is not necessarily sure. You can decide how to behave, how to think and even how to feel... and do it by means of your will-power. As to how to believe...you just have to keep trying.

Daily Inspiration

Like everybody else you, too, need a source of inspiration in your daily life. You probably believe you are self-sufficient. Maybe you are, but never completely. You know how to think and act in what you believe to be the best way, but often other people's opinions may help you clarify the righteousness of your behavior. It's therefore a beneficial habit to read, listen to or watch something spiritually positive and uplifting on a daily basis. In fact, not always are you aware of the influence that what you usually hear and see  has on your psyche and - particularly - on your mood and your consequent thoughts, words and actions.

Momentary Shut-down

Only when it's dark enough, can you see the stars. The sun light is often so strong, the "voices" of the world are so loud that you are unable to see and feel what is in the depth of your spirit. Darkness  and silence help concentration. When you momentarily shut yourself down, when you isolate yourself from the world and focus your attention on a specific concept, the "star" of intuition manifests itself. You can perceive the idea you had been looking for in order to solve a problem, you know how to behave in that difficult situation, you understand how to deal with a dilemma, you see how to make a wise choice. Don't allow your difficulties to switch off the sunlight of love and joy in your heart. Simply decide to close your eyes for a moment, concentrate and... listen.

Thanksgiving

It's Thanksgiving time. It's time for an assessment - in earnest -  of your  thoughts and beliefs about your life, of your positive and negative attitudes, of what you perceive to be your achievements and apparent failures, of how aware or un-aware you usually are while dealing with yourself and with the others. How much love do you give? How resentful are you? How judgmental? How forgiving? How much do you complain? How grateful are you?

If the negative level is higher than the positive, a day of 'official' Thanksgiving may be the most suitable moment for you to realize how blessed - in reality - you are. A careful analysis of "all" the aspects that constitute your earthly existence (physical, material, emotional, psychological, spiritual) will show you that - in spite of the drawbacks and disappointments - Life has bestowed upon you a lot to give thanks for. And, for once, focus only on this (and forget the rest).

A Song - Part IV The End

"I love myself the way I am
and still I want to grow.
But change outside can only come
when deep inside I know
(that) I'm beautiful and capable
of being the best me I can.
And I love myself just the way I am."
(Jai Josephs)

A Song - Part III "I Love the world..."

I love the world the way it is
'cause I can clearly see
that all the things I judge
are done by people just like me.
So, till the birth of peace on Earth
that only love can bring,
I'll help it grow by loving everything."
(Jai Josephs)