Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People?

 No victims.  No blame.

We select our desired life lessons prior to birth in the spiritual realm and then we come to Earth in order to afford our soul the opportunity for growth.

We work with spiritual guides and masters in the development of a life plan that will be sure to bring about the lessons we so desire.

This sacred contract insures that we will encounter situations that will spur our growth, including the location of our birth, the families we are born into, our birth order, our economic status, etc. 

All of these details set up the scenario of our choice.

Our task is to simply live out these experiences, all the while gaining valuable wisdom that will lead to our reunification with the divine.

As humans, we face challenges that we frequently judge as “suffering”, however, it is this very “suffering” that sets us on the spiritual path.

Earthly opportunities are much more than physical experiences, they shape our inner life – which essentially dictates our level of happiness in the world.

(part 3 of series)

Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People?

“Whatever comes our way, whatever battle we have raging inside us, we always have a choice.”

Peter Parker, Spiderman 3

Our world operates on duality. 

We experience darkness, and then we know light.  We experience sadness, and then we know joy.  We experience sickness, and then we know health.

The afterlife, or The Other Side, is nothing but love; therefore, there would be no need for duality. 

Instead, we come to Earth to experience free will within an imperfect world.

This free will allows us to make choices and these choices are what create our lives.

No one is to blame for our circumstances, except ourselves. 

Not only did we select our desired lessons prior to birth, but we also make daily decisions that create the life we see unfolding before us.

Take responsibility for each action you take, rather than looking for an outside source to fault. 

You are the creator of our own destiny.  Choose wisely.

(part 2 of series)

Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People? 

“Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also

of the overcoming of it”

Helen Keller

We live in a purpose driven universe. 

Everything and everyone has a positive purpose and it is our duty to discover the good and use it to spur our own growth.

We each encounter continual life experiences, or life lessons, that are mere opportunities for this growth, but, instead, we often put our human spin on it and declare it bad or negative without first looking for the value.

However, who are we to judge if something is good or bad?

In fact, judgment creates a multitude of issues within our society and contributes to exclusion, unfair comparisons, ridiculing and harassment.

This way of thinking creates a “me-versus-them” mentality and detracts from the universal truth that we are all one.

(part 1 of series)

 “No one is in control of your happiness but you; therefore, you have the power to change anything about yourself or your life that you want to change.” 

Barbara de Angelis

Seeking happiness outside of yourself is like expecting to become fit by watching others exercise.  It is just not possible.

You have to do the work.  You have to find your own inner strength and use it to propel you forward.

Fear can be overwhelmingly strong, relentless and a barrier we have to walk through in order to find peace.

Overcoming our fears and reaching an understanding of how everything is connected is vital to our growth.

Every single move or decision each person makes, affects the entire population. 

This quickly puts your choices in perspective, when you are able to see the effect they have on, not only you, but those around you.

You begin to put real thought into your choices.  You think twice about your selections and you become much more cognizant of the impact, especially when the outcome also directly affects you.

Compassion grows from this seed.

Self-compassion grows from this unconditional love and acceptance of others.

The acceptance of others helps us forgive and accept ourselves in a truly deep manner.

In order to find peace within myself, I first sought answers from the outside.

I sought answers from speakers, prophets, teachers, even friends.

I studied and meditated.  I prayed and hoped.

I created vision boards and explored manifesting.

And, because traditional religions did not make sense to me, I wanted to understand what spirituality was and how it could change my life.

Spirituality became a journey for me.  It allowed me the freedom to explore, to learn, to live.

Spirituality led me to myself.

Spirituality led me to inner peace.

Spirituality led me to happiness, a happiness that came from within.

No person or no “thing” can provide us with what we need to settle into ourselves.  Peace arrives when you accept yourself for who you are and stop the fight against life.

Since giving up this fight, my life has enjoyed constant, peaceful flow. 

There is no longer resistance to any experience put before me.  My only move is to extract value from it and use it as a tool, rather than as an excuse, to push me further down my chosen path.

Never seek happiness outside yourself.  Inquire within.

Seek your own approval and the rest will fade away.

Never seek happiness outside yourself.  Seek within.

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This is my radio interview on Toginet, talking about pre-birth planning, spirituality, religion, control, purpose and suffering.

“Life is change.  Growth is optional.  Choose wisely.”

Karen Kaiser Clark

No one wants to be a victim, but we are all victims of what we have been taught, even the terrorist and the madman. 

However, by re-thinking our belief systems we can refuse to be a victim needlessly.

We unknowingly develop belief systems around everything, including what type of toothpaste is considered best and what car looks the coolest.

Yet, these beliefs are often unsubstantiated.  Rarely do we ponder the origin of the belief system, the research behind it or even the validity of the claim.

Frequently, it begins with our family, our friends, and we just accept it without review.

But, remember, whatever you fuel your mind germinates.  It grows.  It affects your psyche and your worldview.

Our thoughts take form and create our experiences.

Negative thoughts attract negative experiences.

Choose wisely.

Reflect on your choices and your actions.

An unexamined life stifles us with anxiety because we live in a climate of fear, often media-inspired, and we become addicted to this comfortable feeling.

“The key to change…is to let go of fear.”

Rosanne Cash

Letting go of fear and stepping out on our own can bring dramatic changes into our lives.

Re-think all you have been taught.  Is one religion really more effective at bringing peace to the world than others?  Does one culture reign supreme over another? 

Or, does everyone have an equal place in this world and should be valued for their contribution?

“We choose our joys and sorrows long before we experience them.”

Kahlil Gibran

We each come to this world as volunteers with a specific task for each lifetime, essentially, a set of goals for the lessons we most need to learn.

These goals are detailed in the blueprint that we create with our spirit guides and other spiritual hierarchies in the spirit world.

This sacred contract is developed during the pre-birth planning process with the objective of spiritual evolution.

The guides assist us in selecting the best possible scenarios for learning our deepest desires.

We learn through experience during each lifetime, while tackling the assigned tasks and pursuing the desired knowledge.

We then return to the spirit world where we evaluate our progress, and, if so desired, begin to create a new plan for further development.

Therefore, it can be surmised that we are actually in control!

We make the choices that affect our lives – both while on Earth and prior to arriving in human form.

No Higher Source inflicts pain and suffering on us. 

We do the choosing!

And, as Kahlil Gibran stated, “We choose the joys and sorrows long before we experience them.” 

This is the divine design.

“Every human has four endowments:  self-awareness, conscience, independent will and creative imagination.  These give us the ultimate human freedom… The power to choose, to respond, to change.”

Stephen R. Covey, Author,

The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People

Personal awareness, or self-awareness, can be defined as having knowledge of your thoughts, how you perceive the world around you, and how you choose to act subsequently.

Awareness of ourselves, remembering that we are part of the whole, part of the creator, helps us live the life we desire by reconnecting us to that universal source/power.

Without awareness we wander around aimlessly and struggle with life.

As Covey states, we each are given self-awareness, a conscience, free will and an active imagination.  This combination leads to the greatest gift of all, personal freedom.

The first gift, self-awareness, helps us explore and understand our place in the world.

The second gift, a conscience, maintains order and sub-consciously guides us toward the Divine by encouraging acts that will benefit humanity.

The third gift, free will, allows us to make choices and have control of the direction of our lives.

The fourth gift, creative imagination, brings beauty and variance into our world and presents lessons of diversity and tolerance.

Without these components, we would not have the freedom we so cherish.

Fortunately, we are given this power to choose our life’s path.

We are also given the ability to respond in our own individual way as well as the ability to change what we do not like about our lives.

These are pretty incredible powers! 

Yet, so many of us never realize the awesomeness of our existence.

This awesomeness exists in that very power to choose.

No Higher Source chooses our life’s path for us. 

We do the choosing and this occurs, not only within our daily decisions and with our free will, but also during the pre-birth planning process when we co-create with the Divine Source in order to make sure opportunities will present themselves during our lifetime in order for us to evolve through our desired lessons.

This sacred contract is developed for your soul’s evolution and honoring that contract demonstrates significant awareness and wisdom.

“May all that have life be delivered from suffering.”    Gautama Buddha

There are many different forms of suffering amongst the human race, including self-imposed suffering from our worldly attachments, as well as the suffering we see from destructive behaviors, painful experiences and debilitating diseases.

Despite the often excruciating pain they may cause, these challenges and the resulting suffering should ultimately be construed as gifts. 

The difference between viewing our challenges as pure agony, or gifts from above, stems directly from how we perceive and respond to what happens to us.

We can wallow in our own pity, or we can continually seek out knowledge to help us understand the ways of the world.

Just as there are countless potential causes for wounds, there are also countless ways to respond to each situation and begin to heal those wounds.

Every single move you make in this world is based on a choice. 

Empower yourself with the phrase, “I have a choice right now” when you are faced with a challenge.  A focus on your own personal power will dramatically change your life.

Your choice of attitude is crucial in how you live your life, but undoubtedly so is what you choose to feed your mind.

We must always be conscious of the messages we are sending to our subconscious minds, even through the music we listen to, the movies we watch and the people with whom we associate.

These messages are our mode of transportation through life.  They create your life.  By focusing on the positive, your mind will shift its attention and will begin to see things differently.

How many times have you heard someone say, “It was the best thing that ever happened to me”?

We often have to be pushed to the brink, in order to realize our own strength.  This is the gift, the gift of suffering, which essentially propels us forward on our spiritual path.

Have you ever had an experience that felt like it would crack you in half and then it turned out to be the catalyst to your biggest breakthrough in life?

A few years ago there was a popular song that asked the question, “Are we human, or are we dancers?” These lyrics always make me think about our true existence as human beings living on planet Earth.

We are often taught from a very young age that we are at the mercy of an all-powerful source or entity, and, that whatever is decided there, will take effect here.

But, have you ever wondered why we were all sent here in the first place?

If we did not have any form of control, what purpose would our existence serve?

The question then becomes, who really has the power?

We, undoubtedly, live in a world full of chaos and confusion, a world that is ever-changing; nonetheless, there is a growing movement, the Golden Age of Free Thought, that is helping advance the human race by acknowledging and raising our level of consciousness.

This field of consciousness is what binds us.  It is what advances us as a whole; it is what steers our direction. 

This field is what recognizes our own influence and brings light to the power of our thoughts, intentions and actions.

It is our field of unity, and I truly believe this planet is ready for this change.

And, because you are reading this, you should be proud to be part of this movement, part of a group that wishes to see the world become a more positive place.

You are part of this free thought movement, this revolution, this collective awakening!

Still, anytime something new comes along, it faces resistance.  This movement is not immune.  Humans are meant to evolve into conscious beings and freethinkers and are moving us forward, helping us evolve.

As we become a more mobile, independent society, where people are less likely to accept another telling them what to do or how to think, religions are giving way to a more individualized approach.  This approach moves us beyond religion and becomes a personalized journey that leads toward spiritual wisdom.

I want to start a conversation that is long overdue, one that allows new thoughts to emerge and be discussed in depth, one that is empowering, versus judgmental, and thus, helps in the evolution of our souls.

What do you have to say as a freethinker?