Opening the Windows Within: Inspiration and Insights to Elevate Our Lives

By David W. Stanfield

Many people today are struggling; some are discouraged, and others worry about what the future holds. When the joys in life seem distant, inspiration will help us become renewed. In Opening the Windows Within, author David W. Stanfield explores important aspects in our lives to help us move past our obstacles and difficulties to improve the chances of experiencing a more rewarding and harmonious life.

With the emphasis directed toward self-improvement and enhancement, Opening the Windows Within offers glimpses into ourselves by examining characteristics of our being, including consciousness, emotion, and spirituality, and it helps us realign our sense of values and perspective.

Stanfield conveys the idea that we need something more to sustain the passion in our livesbeyond the labor of our careers and the toil of daily responsibilities. He encourages us to pursue our interests, ambitions, and dreams because they often provide the enrichment we seek in life. Opening the Windows Within shows that when we elevate the emotional, spiritual, and intellectual aspects of our nature to a heightened level of maturity, we are better prepared to face any challenge that comes our way.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Nov 24, 2010
• ISBN: 9781450269414

David W. Stanfield

DAVID W. STANFIELD is a small-business owner and has worked twenty-seven years in the HVAC industry analyzing systems. He and his wife, Carol, live in Frederick, Maryland with their three Cocker Spaniels. This is his debut book.

Book preview

Opening the Windows

Within

Inspiration and Insights to Elevate Our Lives

David W. Stanfield

iUniverse, Inc.

Bloomington

Opening the Windows Within

Inspiration and Insights to Elevate Our Lives

Copyright © 2010 David W. Stanfield

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

iUniverse books may be ordered through booksellers or by contacting:

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any Web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

ISBN: 978-1-4502-6939-1 (pbk)

ISBN: 978-1-4502-6940-7 (cloth)

ISBN: 978-1-4502-6941-4 (ebk)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2010915833

Printed in the United States of America

iUniverse rev. date: 11/19/2010

Acknowledgments

I am grateful to everyone throughout my life who has provided the positive influence that helped shape me and guide my way. Thank you to my family, teachers, friends, ministers, and colleagues.

My greatest gratitude is reserved for my wife, Carol. Together we have shared twenty-five wonderful years of marriage. She has continually supported my pursuit of writing and accepts me for who I am, including a few slight annoyances. The warmth that she provides extends within our home, creating a pleasant atmosphere, which has certainly helped this work proceed.

I extend my most sincere gratitude to my dear friends Terri Carr, Darly Loomis, Mike Foster, Kent Adcock, and Mark and Melissa Van Der Hulst. Your support, encouragement, and engaging conversations initiated many ideas and kept my quest alive. The experiences we have shared created lifelong memories and helped us to become wiser and stronger. Passion is ultimately what drives us and, when we can harness it and channel it toward a good cause, wonderful possibilities will emerge. Without the affirmation and inspiration that you have provided, this book would not exist.

Thank you all,

David W. Stanfield

Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1. Lighting the Inner Flame

Life

Love

Truth

Hope

Values

Chapter 2. The Essence of Emotions

Emotion

Feeling

Heart

Well-Being

Energy

Chapter 3. Self-Identity and Empowerment

Learning

Perspective

Character

Influences

Desire

Motivation

Chapter 4. The Most Magnificent Mind

Thought

Consciousness

Perception

Mind

Intelligence

Competence

Chapter 5. Seeking Spiritual Significance

Spirituality

Spiritual Warmth

Religious

Philosophy

Reflection

Chapter 6. The Human Connection

Communication

Relationships

Humanity

Nature

Patriotism

Society

Afterword

Sailing through Life

Sights and Sounds to Behold

Greater Prosperity in Life

Introduction

We live in a time of great prosperity and with more information available to us than ever before. Past generations have brought advancements that have improved virtually every aspect of our lives and contributed to more comfortable lifestyles. This success occurred not by accident but rather through diligence, ingenuity, perseverance, and a host of other positive qualities. We are beneficiaries of these successes, as though they were unfolding petals from the blossoming flower of freedom.

Many people, however, are struggling to cope in today’s society; some are discouraged and others worry about the future. We still live in a prosperous time, but the public sentiment sometimes seems to be in contrast with this. People are in need of something more that might help them become renewed. I believe that this can be achieved by realigning our sense of values and perspective.

Many difficulties that we contend with are caused not by our lack of information, but rather by our limitations in using information. Knowledge holds the answers that will move us beyond our difficulties if we can gain access to what is meaningful and apply it wisely. Our future success will be directly proportional to our level of sound reasoning, good judgment, and sincere motives.

Opening the Windows Within ventures into aspects regarding human nature and other important subjects that affect our lives. Insights and meaning are offered to help provide clarity, guidance, and refreshing views to many of life’s complexities that confront us. When meaningful and inspiring new ideas reach us, the positive effect may prompt profound changes in our lives. As the thoughts are introduced within this book, I hope that many will be helped as they move toward self-improvement and life enhancement.

When we gain greater insight into the understanding of our nature, we are able to tap deeper into areas of our consciousness. This provides us with some additional tools to help overcome our obstacles and to experience greater enrichment. As anxieties and concerns are lifted from our lives, they are often replaced with peace and promise. When this occurs, life suddenly becomes more rewarding.

The subjects have been categorized to provide a dynamic outline that displays the important aspects of our lives. Thoughts are topically arranged to create continuity and to allow attention to stay focused. Each individual thought was developed as a stand-alone expression that encapsulates the idea and allows the reader to relate according to his or her liking. Since many of the thoughts are rich and packed with meaning, effectiveness is gained by reading at a casual pace and pausing between expressions. The reader’s own thoughts may be stirred as meaning is reflected upon, so taking notes is encouraged.

The thoughts and expressions in this book are a compilation of the author’s own ideas. These ideas were not formed through research, but rather through creative thinking, meditation, and contemplation, which were concentrated on the very subjects written. Many of these ideas were spontaneous—and they would sometimes occur so rapidly that it was not possible to capture them all on paper. This self-discovery process has evolved over seven years. New wisdom is gained when subjects like consciousness, emotion, and spirituality are explored. As positive emotional energy is projected deeper into the reaches of our consciousness, wonderful and powerful ideas will emerge.

The author’s credentials may seem improbable for a work of this type and magnitude. His resume consists mainly of twenty-seven years performing testing and balancing in the HVAC field. He is also the owner of a successful small business that he founded in 2003 and still operates. He considers his limited higher education an advantage, because it has allowed his perspectives in life to be shaped through more varied sets of lenses. His greatest attributes include creativity, organization, a keen mind, a relentless passion, and a loving heart.

Every facet of information on these pages may resemble some small window that offers a glimpse into ourselves—or broadens our view and appreciation of life. As we experience greater harmony and balance, we may feel as though our own windows within are being opened.

Every heart and mind has treasures

held within that are waiting to be found.

Our lifetime is our journey for discovery.

As you reflect upon these pages, you may find

yourself led to these unfound treasures.

Chapter 1:

Lighting the Inner Flame

Life

We have arrived at the nature of who we are through our development during our lifetimes. The blended effect of all our qualities, experiences, and knowledge continues to be enhanced. Being human is a lifetime occupation.

When we have gained a broader perspective about what is most important in life, the small challenges we face along the way will amount to only slight interferences.

Self-reflection is a unique gift to mankind that allows us to see inside ourselves and become in tune with how we think and feel. When we have a better sense about who we are, we will make better decisions as we navigate our journey through life.

We pave the path before us as we set out upon our life’s journey. In doing so, we fill many roles, such as surveyor, engineer, laborer, and diplomat. How well we have prepared ourselves will greatly determine how wonderful our journey is destined to be.

We have depended on others before us to hold the torches that light the path for our journey through life. We too must bear the torches for others so that they will avoid stumbling on their own journeys.

We face many obstacles as we make our way through life, but hardly anything we encounter couldn’t be improved by having a pure conscience, sincere motives, and a positive outlook.

The fast-paced and busy lives we lead sometimes leave us with little time to contemplate. When we finally slow down, it is often just long enough to catch our breath so that we can keep going again. Wherever we may be in life, we should always allow time to draw upon refreshing and inspiring thoughts so that our lives may be lived more meaningfully and enjoyably.

As we reflect back on our own segment of time at what we have accomplished or what purpose we have served, will we feel fulfilled? Will we have achieved what was intended for us? Now is the time to ask these questions while the rest of our lives still await us.

Life’s freedoms are truly experienced when our enthusiasm and aspirations are thriving and we have broken free from the shackles of anguish and discouragement.

We may pause at times in our lives to consider what more we could have done or what minutes we could have spared. Life only yields us so many minutes. When we have a strong devotion, ambitious endeavor, or worthwhile cause to tend to, we will ration our minutes more sparingly.

Every minute saved through focused effort, planning, and efficiency is a minute gained to spend according to our own choice.

Since we all need a sense of direction as we navigate through life, why not use the compass found in compassion?

It is easier to get where we are going in life when we maintain a clear focus, realistic vision, and have a sense of direction.

We must gain control of our better senses; otherwise, we will rely too heavily on our lesser senses while striving to meet life’s opportunities and challenges.

When people elevate the emotional, spiritual, and intellectual aspects of their nature to a heightened level of maturity, they are better prepared to face any challenge that comes their way.

How remarkable the design is for each day with enough time provided to accomplish all the necessary labor and tasks that we can fit in and enough time for rest so that we can renew again.

Our lives become more enriched when we maintain balance. Strive every day to live, learn, love, labor, and laugh—and do these leisurely when possible.

A typical rosebush may have ten times as many thorns as it does flowers, but when we observe a rosebush, we usually focus more on the flowers. This is also a wonderful way to view life.

We go through life more graciously when we maintain a warm heart, a cool temper, and turn a cold shoulder toward anger.

The essence of life is ultimately reached when our emotions, senses, thoughts, and feelings have aligned with our spiritual nature and increase our awareness of who we are within.

For life to be fully appreciated, it has to be lived with the richness and fullness of human interaction and emotion.

We are each living through our own segment of time within the timeframe of all human existence. The space that we occupy is merely a speck in the entire universe.

It has been said that idle time is the devil’s workshop. Perhaps this is so, but it is also God’s workshop. In fact, it is whoever’s workshop we decide it should be.

How can we realistically set out to solve the world’s problems when many of our problems originate from our own way of thinking?

More information exists now than has ever existed before, but after a while, too much information loses its effectiveness. When necessary information goes unknown to society, we need to find a