Get more of life by understanding Karma
- Written by Eric North aka “The Happiness Warrior”
“Nothing happens by chance, by fate. You create your fate by your actions”—karma
One of my strongest beliefs is in the power of karma and our innate ability to create our destiny leading to the life we desire. It sounds like an easy concept, but I see so many people struggling to understand how their actions in life are closely attached to their outcomes. If we want to change our lives and create greater happiness, we must learn to focus our intention to create good thoughts and actions to guide our way forging a path with more control of our outcomes. We cannot do the same things over-and-over again (continuing the same thoughts and actions) and expect better and different results. Nothing changes this way and we become increasingly frustrated and unhappy, or even worse, give up on ourselves. This can make us quick to blame others for our misfortunes and anger and confusion, and never achieving happiness.
There are many popular phrases to remind us of the importance of karma and such as “life is what you make it” and “you reap what you sow,” but these often seem to be ignored by many and the cycle of unhappiness and bad results repeats itself in the same continuous cycle.
Understanding karma is a way to gain an understanding of how to change these behaviors to benefit our lives as well as everyone and everything that we’re connected with. If we look at karma in a positive way, we can change the perception that karma is a punishment or form of bad luck. Karma is neither or both, but shows us the how to be happy in the present, and move forward to the future with clarity and positive action.
Karma can be divided into four categories: good, bad, individual, and collective. Depending on our actions, we can experience the many benefits of improving our karma or we can continue destructive patterns and actions and only experience the downside of karma with its frustrations and negativity. We are responsible for lives by our own actions and can learn to believe in our own power to control our destiny. Karma never stops working and everything is connected!
Often when something goes wrong in our lives, we feel an immediate sense of bewilderment, and ask ourselves why is this happening? Many of us are taught to believe that our lives are predetermined and part of some “plan”. This seems to be dead-end thinking. If destiny exists why try at all? Karma shows us that we do have control and can create the lives that we dream about when we change our actions for good. Sometimes it may seem random or just luck or bad luck, but what we do every day takes a big part in creating our happiness or our suffering. When we learn that we can take responsibility, our lives can change for the better and our outlook will continuously improve.
There was a time in my younger life when I spent several years in a very abusive relationship. It often felt like there was no one in my life who was good for me emotionally or mentally, and I felt hopeless and close to giving up. At my lowest point, I finally listened to my inner voice and found the courage to leave, I struck out on my own with just $200 in my pocket and nowhere to live. I had many struggles before me, but I persevered and began to attract good people in my life who helped me to feel happy again. I learned about karma and took the steps needed to make my life on a new path and whole again. Within a relatively short time my life became better and happier than I had ever previously believed or imagined, and it continues to this day with a healthy positive relationship with my husband.
“Whatever you give to life, it gives you back. Do not hate anybody. The hatred which comes out from you will someday come back to you. Love others. And love will come back to you.”- Author Unknown
CREATING GOOD KARMA
The first thing to realize is that karma isn’t a curse or set of circumstances, but something that takes place entirely in our own consciousness. Karma is reflective and good karma is created by our own thoughts and good actions and changing it is a matter of developing a different mindset and greater self-awareness. No one’s life is perfect or easy, and we will always have setbacks and disappointments, life is also a game that all of us want to win, but can also be fun to play.
One really good way to tell if your karma is out of balance is by observing yourself repeating the same lessons over-and-over again. This should be easy to spot and identify but can be hard to change without taking the time to doing the hard work to honestly identify what’s not working and using that knowledge to move forward.
Mastering your own mindset and thinking to remove bad karma is as easier if you can do these four things:
1. Forgive others
2. Forgive yourself
3. Let go of the past
4. Serve others and add value
Karma is a lifelong journey with a series of lessons and processes. It might not seem like it’s working at first, but your setbacks will lessen and eventually you’ll feel a shift or turning point. I remember feeling an indescribable sense of awareness and happiness when I truly experienced the power of karma for the first time. It was a feeling of greater self-awareness and the excitement in knowing that I had power over my own destiny and the ability to create my future, by controlling my present
Ways to build and increase good karma and change your destiny:
1. Be truthful--every time you tell a lie, even if a small one, you set yourself up for deceit and hidden agendas from others. Honesty is always the best policy.
2. Be authentic to yourself and live in the moment.
3. Live purposefully.
4. Practice compassion and kindness.
5. Value and respect everyone.
6. Be the example.
7. Practice gratitude.
8. Increase self-awareness (this isn’t hard if you’re prepared to be honest with yourself).
9. Stop relying on material things for happiness.
10. Help people and share your wisdom.
11. Listen
12. Show up and bring your best to everything you do!
Most importantly, look beyond your immediate self and see the big picture. Life is full of external distractions and events that can distract us from our purpose. Creating a better karma begins with each of us, and we can individually and collectively create better energy to help change the world for the better.
