Respect.

“The first duty of love is to listen.”
- Paul Tillich.

Each and everyone of us has a built-in need to be heard, understood and respected. The key to remember that respect is a sword that cuts two ways. What we really need most comes to us as we give it away to others.

Respect the feelings of others.

Learning to really listen and developing sensitivity for the needs of others is most often a matter of practice. When listening to others, learn to focus on them, and give them your fullest attention.

Resist the urge to interrupt or mentally construct your reply, and do not be tempted to judge or instruct. By listening attentively, you validate the speaker and convey respect and caring. It is only, in giving you shall receive.

Being brilliant is no great feat if you respect nothing. Every human being, of whatever origin, of whatever station, deserves respect. We must each respect others even  as we respect ourselves. As an old saying goes, “He who wants a rose must respect the thorn.” Man are respectable only as they respect.

Respect the man and he will do all the more – whether given or received is its own reward.

Letting Go.

Letting go does not mean giving up, but rather accepting that there are things that cannot be.

Why do you cling in pain? When there is nothing that you could possibly do about  the wrongs of yesterday. It is not up to you to judge. Why hold on to the very things which are keeping you away from being truly happy and successful in life?

Very often, people get trapped by their thoughts. Our thoughts arise from our beliefs – it colors our decisions. If we believe life to be bad, we expect bad things to happen. But, aren’t we fully in control of our thoughts? Thus, to change your world, you will have to change yourself. The world will follow you – but you will have to let go of your thoughts and beliefs in order to get there. !!!

Certainly, change is never easy. We often fight to hold on, and we fight to letting go. Your key to change is to let go ……… Your immediate action is to be at any moment willing to sacrifice what you are for what you could become.

Life is about making the right decisions and moving on. You are responsible for your life. You cannot keep blaming someone else for any dysfunction. You don’t need strength to let go of something, what you really need is understanding – the need to move on.

To “let go” is not to lose power, but to de-open the power within.
To “let go’” is not to enable, but to allow learning from natural consequences.
“To “let go” is not to deny, but to accept.
To “let go” is not to regret the past, but to grow and live for the future.
To “let go” is not to criticize or regulate anyone, but to try to become what I dream I can be.
To “let go” is not to judge, but to allow another to be a human being.
To “let go” is to fear less and love more.

Some people think it is holding on that makes one strong – sometimes it is the ability to let go . Thoughts do not change. We change. I reckon, when you need to grab something, grab it; when you need to let go, let go…….. live free ……… and have it all. !!!

Smile.

A smile is a curve that sets everything right.

Smile the moment you wake up in the morning ………………………

Develop the habit of setting a tone of happiness for the day by smiling as soon as you wake up each morning.

Smiling gets your face in the mood to be happy.

As you smile thank God for watching you all night. Then, smile at the thought that God will be present throughout the day and help you with every crisis, challenge  or obstacle.

Smile to remember of at least one good thing that happened the day before. Smile at the thought of all the opportunities and blessings that await you during the day. Smile at the very fact that you are alive and smiling. And as you smile, ask for God’s grace to give you away your five smiles to others before retiring for the night.

Life is like a mirror, we get the best results when we smile at it. Have you ever seen a smiling face that was not beautiful? A smile is an inexpensive way to change your looks – no one is never fully dressed without a smile. So wear a smile, one size fits all.!!!

“The more you are thankful for what you have, the more you have to be thankful for.”

Invest In Yourself.

Knowing what you want and
be determined to make it happen. !!!

Find yourself a quiet place, sit down and spend some time with yourself and discover from the deeper recesses of your heart what is truly important to you. Find it. Hold on to it. And live it. !!!

No matter how hard it may be, keep a positive attitude. Do not take setbacks personally. View them as opportunities and see what you are truly made of.

If you want to be truly successful, invest in yourself to get the knowledge you need to find your unique factor. When you find it, focus on it and persevere, your success will blossom.

But never lose sight of your objective. And do not lose yourself in the process – stay grounded and be appreciative of every little things in life. Do not be too hard on yourself for you may fall. And if ever, it is getting up that truly matters.

Find something, do something every single day that brings you one step closer to your goal and reward yourself for your valiant efforts, no matter how insignificant they may seem. Take the time and energy to truly invest in your most important assest: yourself.

Do not let the negativity given to you by the world disempower you. Instead give to yourself that which empowers you. Stretch yourself beyond your perceived level of confidence – you accelerate your development of competence this way. And it is never to late to become what you might be. !!!

 

Forgetfulness.

“Blessed are the forgetful, for they get the better even of their blunders.”

Forgetfulness occurs at all ages. Minor memory difficulties may not interfere with our everyday living. But, forgetfulness is also a common complaint among older people. However, age alone does not cause a significant decline in memory – many other factors must be considered. Sometimes stress is to blame.

Leading an interesting and stimulating life is vital for those who wish to remain mentally alert. Being in good health also improves mental performance, and exercise may even prevent a decline  in mental as well as physical fitness. Last but not least, remaining relaxed is important, as tension and pressure to remember quickly only increases anxiety which could have a detrimental effect on memory.

While forgetfulness is understandable, people should not lower their expectations about brain function as they age.  Forgetfulness is not a normal part of aging particularly for those in their 30s and 50s. To keep forgetting is painful. But not knowing what to do is the worst kind of suffering.

So how far you go in your life depends …………..

……………..on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant with the weak and strong. Because someday in your life you will have been all of these.”

In Search Of Happiness.

Happiness is there for the taking.

All seasons are beautiful for the person who carries happiness within. Many of us spend our lives searching for happiness. In the end, some are fortunate enough to realize that it is not about having more or doing more or being more. It is about how we view what is already ours.

Be content with such things as you have.

Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. Look around you today and appreciate the riches in your life. Even if your circumstances are troubling and your prospects slim, you can always revel in the vibrant colors of the morning sunrise or the amazing tenacity of a dandelion fighting to conquer its place in the grass.

Happiness is nothing more than good health and a bad memory.

Yes, action may not always bring happiness. But there is no happiness without action. Learn to appreciate what you have. For it is only when you begin to see and appreciate the richness around you, you will almost certainly find that you have a great deal more to be happy about than you once imagined.

Some of us spend a lifetime searching for happiness; looking for peace. They chase idle dreams, addictions, religions, even other people hoping to fill the emptiness that plagues them. The irony is the only place they ever needed to search was within. So your best vitamin to be a happy person is B1.

I reckon, what we call the secret of happiness is no more than our willingness to choose life. As for me, the grand essentials of my happiness are; something to do, something to love and something to hope for.

Have A Cause In Life.

“A life without cause is a life without effect.”

There is no such thing as overnight success. The cold truth is if you make it overnight, you can lose it just as fast.

If there is one key to success, the key to obtaining your desires, there is only one word, “Work.” Work, work. work, work, work.

In everything you do, apply yourself. Harness your ambitions. Be enthusiastic. And dedicate yourself to a cause.

But what if your mindset was to accomplish your objectives with seemingly little effort. and it become a part of your everyday routine? How do you do something that seems so overwhelmingly?

“Attempt the so-called ‘impossible’ until it becomes an everyday part of your life.”

You do a little here and a little there until your overwhelming, arduous, impossible challenges become your everyday routine.

I reckon, in a nutshell, that’s all ……………………..

“Every man dies – Not every man really lives.”

The Shark And The Goldfish.

These days fears and uncertainties are very much like staples of daily life in our struggling economy. As bad as things can be, economic downturns could possibly lead to opportunities as well.

On one aspect, it is easy to worry, give up and let fear paralyze you. However, you should be aware that you have more control than you think you do and how you handle adversity is your choice – and the only choice that really matters.

If you care to reflect a little, you will find that a lot of people and organisations had made a name for themselves and grew their business during recessions and downturns. These successful people and organisations all shared similar characteristics and took similar actions to thrive while others merely tried to survive. You can do the same. !!!

In “The Shark And The Goldfish,” John Gordon shares an inspiring fable about Gordy, a pampered goldfish who gets swept out to the ocean. Desperate for  food, Gordy meets a kind shark who teaches him the ultimate lesson – Goldfish wait to be fed. Sharks go find food.

Gordy also learns the difference between a full and empty stomach is our faith, beliefs and actions. In the face of adversity and lean times, this is a business fable that reinforces a proven truth: You can’t control the events in your life. But, you can control how you respond and in turn that determines the outcome.

Change happens to everyone whether we like it or not. When the waves of change hits and it always will, you have a choice to cower down and let it crush you, or you can embrace the new circumstances, learn from it and ride the wave to a more positive future.

Are you a shark or a goldfish?

Do you wait to be fed or do you take it upon yourself to find food?

The truth is, many of us out of habit choose to wait. But habits can be broken, don’t you think so?

I love fables. Thus, I am really pleased having spent my last few nights inspired by “The Shark And The Goldfish.” A fable that gives you the faith, courage and confidence to win in today’s tough economic climate. A fable that teaches valuable lessons on the importance of working hard, maintaining a locus of control and focusing on positives choices instead of negative voices.  It is certainly worthy of your time.