Why Personal Development?

I have been a student of life and personal development for a long, long time.
If I would have made the progress that I desire, I should not have to verbalize that.
But alas, my development is painfully slow.
When I share a Philosophical Meandering it is more for my growth and contemplation than yours. I, in no way consider myself a teacher. When I share my thoughts on paper it forces me to clarify and distill my ideas. To use an economy of words is my goal. My thoughts are just that, my thoughts, nothing more.
So why bother with personal growth? Why do I personally choose to spend my time in this venture?
We each have plenty to keep us busy, without adding to our list. We have gutters falling off the house, the car breaks down, the dog needs to go to the vet, again, the ferret is trying to eat the bird, and the grass needs cut. The bills have to be paid, more time needs paid to the family, trash pickup is on Tuesday, the mail box is falling off the post, Oops, time to go to work, and on and on life goes. (Deep sigh)
Why, on earth, would we try to squeeze in one more task?
For me it is a choice. Hey for each of us it is.
Life is packed full of negatives. Often they are likened to weeds in a garden. Without care and attention (disguised as work and dressed in overalls) the weeds overtake the garden in rather short order. Doesn’t seem fair, does it? But that’s the way it is. So, our choice is to cuss the weeds and their choking effect on our lives, or we can go to work to make our lives the beautiful gardens they are meant to be.
I have enough natural negative so to cuss the weeds would only add to my lengthy list.
I have found when in the dirt wrestling those weeds that I am much happier than when lounging around allowing them to grow.
You see I can belly ache and complain with the best.
How unfair life is, how lousy my work can be, the bills, the traffic, the state of the economy, the corrupt government, the criminal element and much of this is brought to me free of charge, in the daily news. When I allow myself to fall into this pit, I feel weak, vulnerable, and small, like a victim, helpless and trapped. Sometimes I think I could walk under a snake with my hat on. Does any of this ring a bell or strike a chord, with you?
However when I’m digging for those positive thoughts, when I’m reading the inspiring story of one who took his/her garden to the limit, then I too am filled with spirit, encouraged and powerful.
The more we look for the good stuff the more we find. That is also true of the bad. Each camp can provide endless examples proving their point. And I guess that is my point. What do you want to find?
This by the way is a Quantum Physics principal, called The Observer Effect.
Years ago in Brussels, Belgium scientists were having a little get together to discuss whether energy manifest itself as waves or particles. As they looked through high powered microscopes the wavers would see waves, the particlers, particles. Finally one of the wavers talked a particler into looking for waves. And as he began to look for waves, where he had just seen particles, the waves appeared to him. The result is the QP principal of The Observer Effect. We get what we look for! What do you want to find?
To have a beautiful garden we must do more than just root out the weeds (turn off the news). Our garden needs fed and fertilized, with great books and audios, with the encouragement of those who strive for their own exquisite life. The late Charlie “Tremendous” Jones said: “In five years you will be the same person you are today, except for the books you read and the people you meet.” That statement made me take a look.
Hey I am not advising the ‘Ostrich approach’ to life. We can stay informed without being inundated.
I believe, however, that all my worrying, cussing and handwringing, will not improve the condition of a child half way around the world. It only serves to make me less in the moment. If, in this case you choose to make a donation to help in such cause that wonderful. It’s the emotional drain of which I speak.
Let me be clear. I do care about the children of this world, the crime and violence, but the majority of that is outside my realm of influence. I can have little, to no, effect on those situations. But through my personal growth my circle of influence will expand and in turn I will be in a position of strength to help and serve more and more people.
So how do you want to feel each day? Shall we spend our limited days mired, wallowing in the stress of the world, or basking in the warm sun light as we tend to this spectacular garden we call life?
Changing the direction of our lives will happen in an instant. Deciding to change can take years.
It is simply our choice.

I would love to hear your thoughts.
mj