Be strong enough to face the world each day.
Be weak enough to know you cannot do everything.
Be generous to those who need your help.
Be frugal with what you need yourself.
Be wise enough to know that you do not know everything.
Be foolish enough to believe in miracles.
Be willing to share your joys.
Be willing to share the sorrows of others.
Be a leader when you see a path others have missed.
Be a follower when you are shrouded in the midst of uncertainty.
Be the first to congratulate an opponent who succeeds.
Be the last to criticize a colleague who fails.
Be sure where your next step will fall, so that you will not stumble.
Be sure of your final destination, in case you are going the wrong way.
Be loving to those who love you.
Be loving to those who do not love you, and they may change.
Above all, be yourself!
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Friday, January 30, 2009
13 Keys
- Master your mind and thoughts. Don't let them control you.
- Discover and learn to use your personal compass, feelings and emotions.
- The awesome power of focus and concentration. Eliminate distractions.
- Be organized and utilize your most valuable resource, time!
- Your Health, the most valuable thing you own.
- Become - Action and results orientated.
- Question limiting beliefs and uncover the truth!
- Learn the real secret behind goals. Affirmations.
- Face fear and destroy it!
- Communication. Ask for what you want, say what you feel and convey what you mean.
- Ego is a dirty word, clean yours up now.
- Be yourself, there is only one YOU.
- Most importantly put it all together and put it into practice.
http://www.keytolife.com.au/keys.html
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Work Home Balance
A man came home from work late, tired and irritated, to find his 5-year
old son waiting for him at the door.
SON: 'Daddy, may I ask you a question?'
DAD: 'Yeah sure, what it is?' replied the man.
SON: 'Daddy, how much do you make an hour?'
DAD: 'That's none of your business. Why do you ask such a thing?' the
man said angrily.
SON: 'I just want to know. Please tell me, how much do you make an
hour?'
DAD: 'If you must know, I make $50 an hour.'
SON: 'Oh,' the little boy replied, with his head down.
SON: 'Daddy, may I please borrow $25?'
The father was furious, 'If the only reason you asked that is so you can
borrow some money to buy a silly toy or some other nonsense, then you
march yourself straight to your room and go to bed. Think about why you
are being so selfish . I don't work hard everyday for such childish
frivolity's.'
The little boy quietly went to his room and shut the door.
The man sat down and started to get even angrier about the little boy's
questions. How dare he ask such questions only to get some money?
After about an hour or so, the man had calmed down , and started to
think:
Maybe there was something he really needed to buy with that $25.00 and
he really didn't ask for money very often The man went to the door of
the little boy's room and opened the door.
'Are you asleep, son?' He asked.
'No daddy, I'm awake,' replied the boy.
'I've been thinking, maybe I was too hard on you earlier' said the man.
'It's been a long day and I took out my aggravation on you. Here's the
$25 you asked for.'
The little boy sat straight up, smiling. 'Oh, thank you daddy!' he
yelled. Then, reaching under his pillow he pulled out some crumpled up
bills.
The man saw that the boy already ha d money, started to get angry again.
The little boy slowly counted out his money, and then looked up at his
father.
'Why do you want more money if you already have some?' the father
grumbled.
'Because I didn't have enough, but now I do,' the little boy replied.
'Daddy, I have $50 now. Can I buy an hour of your time? Please come home
early tomorrow. I would like to have dinner with you.'
The father was crushed. He put his arms around his little son, and he
begged for his forgiveness.
It's just a short reminder to all of you working so hard in life. We
should not let time slip through our fingers without having spent some
time with those who really matter to us, those close to our hearts. Do
remember to share that $50 worth of your time with someone you love.
If we die tomorrow, the company that we are working for could easily
replace us in a matter of hours... But the family & friends we leave
behind will feel the loss for the rest of their lives.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
The Wisdom Of Fear
Anything worth doing will always have some fear attached to it. For example, having a baby, getting married, changing careers-all of these life changes can bring up deep fears. It helps to remember that this type of fear is good. It is your way of questioning whether you really want the new life these changes will bring. It is also a potent reminder that releasing and grieving the past is a necessary part of moving into the new.
Fear has a way of throwing us off balance, making us feel uncertain and insecure, but it is not meant to discourage us. Its purpose is to notify us that we are at the edge of our comfort zone, poised in between the old life and a new one. Whenever we face our fear, we overcome an inner obstacle and move into new and life-enhancing territory, both inside and out. The more we learn to respect and even welcome fear, the more we will be able to hear its wisdom, wisdom that will let us know that the time has come to move forward, or not. While comfort with fear is a contradiction in terms, we can learn to honor our fear, recognizing its arrival, listening to its intelligence, and respecting it as a harbinger of transformation. Indeed, it informs us that the change we are contemplating is significant, enabling us to approach it with the proper reverence.
http://www.dailyom.com/articles/2006/5093.html
Fear has a way of throwing us off balance, making us feel uncertain and insecure, but it is not meant to discourage us. Its purpose is to notify us that we are at the edge of our comfort zone, poised in between the old life and a new one. Whenever we face our fear, we overcome an inner obstacle and move into new and life-enhancing territory, both inside and out. The more we learn to respect and even welcome fear, the more we will be able to hear its wisdom, wisdom that will let us know that the time has come to move forward, or not. While comfort with fear is a contradiction in terms, we can learn to honor our fear, recognizing its arrival, listening to its intelligence, and respecting it as a harbinger of transformation. Indeed, it informs us that the change we are contemplating is significant, enabling us to approach it with the proper reverence.
http://www.dailyom.com/articles/2006/5093.html
The Upside Of Irritation
There are many stories of spiritual masters embracing the presence of an annoying student in their community. There is even one story that documents a teacher paying an irritating person to live among his students. From an everyday perspective, this is difficult to comprehend. We generally work hard to avoid people and things that we find annoying so they don’t bother us.
From a deeper spiritual perspective, however, irritation can be an important teacher and indicator that we are making progress on our path. Being able to remain centered and awake even when we feel uncomfortable is much more impressive than doing so in an environment where everything is to our liking. No matter how good we are at controlling our circumstances, there will always be factors and people that we cannot control. How we respond to these experiences to a great degree determines the quality of our lives. The goal of spiritual development is not to learn to control our environment—which is more of an ego-driven desire. And while having some measure of control over our external reality is important, it is when we are confronted with a person or situation that irritates us and we can choose not to react that we know have made progress spiritually. It is when we have mastered our internal reality that we will have become the masters of our lives.
The more we try to eliminate annoyances, instead of learning to handle them gracefully, the further we get from developing the qualities that come with spiritual growth, such as patience, tolerance, and acceptance. It is often in the presence of people and experiences we find annoying that we have an opportunity to develop these qualities. Fortunately for most of us, our lives offer an abundance of opportunities to practice and cultivate these traits.
From a deeper spiritual perspective, however, irritation can be an important teacher and indicator that we are making progress on our path. Being able to remain centered and awake even when we feel uncomfortable is much more impressive than doing so in an environment where everything is to our liking. No matter how good we are at controlling our circumstances, there will always be factors and people that we cannot control. How we respond to these experiences to a great degree determines the quality of our lives. The goal of spiritual development is not to learn to control our environment—which is more of an ego-driven desire. And while having some measure of control over our external reality is important, it is when we are confronted with a person or situation that irritates us and we can choose not to react that we know have made progress spiritually. It is when we have mastered our internal reality that we will have become the masters of our lives.
The more we try to eliminate annoyances, instead of learning to handle them gracefully, the further we get from developing the qualities that come with spiritual growth, such as patience, tolerance, and acceptance. It is often in the presence of people and experiences we find annoying that we have an opportunity to develop these qualities. Fortunately for most of us, our lives offer an abundance of opportunities to practice and cultivate these traits.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Monday, January 12, 2009
How do i let go of my own freedom?
If i want to be free, i am not free. Only if i don't know what freedom is, i am free.
What is frustration?
Frustration is when i reach beyond where i can reach. If i feel frustrated, i am dealing with a problem that is out of reach. Basically, it is NOT my problem. If it were my problem, i'd have the tools to deal with the problem.
What to do when i feel frustrated?
I need to make it smaller, up to the point where the problem is small enough for me to really encompass the problem. That's where i see that there is no problem at all, just a decision to make.
What is ego?
Ego is energy for which there is no usefull purpose. Edward de Bono calls this "the problem of having no problem". My mind is like a computer system: once powered on, it can not do nothing. CPU's have an instruction called NOP - No OPeration - to do "busy wait". Problems are like NOP's.
What is the purpose of my life?
When i realize that ego, frustration and problems are nothing but excuses to not face this question of what to do with my life, i do away with them. I then face this existential loneliness of not knowing what my purpose is. Again, referring to my earlier definition of frustration, i come to realize that the purpose of my life is really NOT my problem. So i make the problem smaller and smaller, until there is only the need for me to understand what it is that i do. And then i see that i really don't know. I want to know, i refuse all answers. I refuse any guru, i refuse my own answers, and i cultivate and protect my burning desire to know.
That's where i find out about my life's purpose. When nothing else works, in the face of the dark, i see that my mind has no opposite to this existential darkness. My mind is calling me for help. I see that the bliss, the connection to source, is none other than this existential loneliness. These are one and the same.
And then i see how i AM this emptiness. I am NOTHING. And from nothing, anything is possible. Finally i feel at home.
If i want to be free, i am not free. Only if i don't know what freedom is, i am free.
What is frustration?
Frustration is when i reach beyond where i can reach. If i feel frustrated, i am dealing with a problem that is out of reach. Basically, it is NOT my problem. If it were my problem, i'd have the tools to deal with the problem.
What to do when i feel frustrated?
I need to make it smaller, up to the point where the problem is small enough for me to really encompass the problem. That's where i see that there is no problem at all, just a decision to make.
What is ego?
Ego is energy for which there is no usefull purpose. Edward de Bono calls this "the problem of having no problem". My mind is like a computer system: once powered on, it can not do nothing. CPU's have an instruction called NOP - No OPeration - to do "busy wait". Problems are like NOP's.
What is the purpose of my life?
When i realize that ego, frustration and problems are nothing but excuses to not face this question of what to do with my life, i do away with them. I then face this existential loneliness of not knowing what my purpose is. Again, referring to my earlier definition of frustration, i come to realize that the purpose of my life is really NOT my problem. So i make the problem smaller and smaller, until there is only the need for me to understand what it is that i do. And then i see that i really don't know. I want to know, i refuse all answers. I refuse any guru, i refuse my own answers, and i cultivate and protect my burning desire to know.
That's where i find out about my life's purpose. When nothing else works, in the face of the dark, i see that my mind has no opposite to this existential darkness. My mind is calling me for help. I see that the bliss, the connection to source, is none other than this existential loneliness. These are one and the same.
And then i see how i AM this emptiness. I am NOTHING. And from nothing, anything is possible. Finally i feel at home.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Disconnecting From The Source
We all experience periods where we feel separated from the loving ebb and flow of the universe. These times of feeling disconnected from the source may occur for many reasons, but self-sabotage is the most common cause for us choosing to cut ourselves off from the flow of the universe. We purposefully, though often unconsciously, cut ourselves off from this flow and from the embrace of humanity so we can avoid dealing with painful issues, shun the necessary steps for growth, or prevent the success that we are afraid of achieving from ever happening. When you choose to disconnect from the source, you block the flow of the universe’s energy from passing through you. You become like a sleepwalker who is not fully awake to life, and your hopes, plans, and dreams begin to appear as distant blurs on a faraway horizon. Universal support has never left you, but if you can remember that you became disconnected from source by choice, you can choose to reconnect.
Reconnecting with the universe grounds you and is as easy as you making a concerted effort to become interested in the activities you love or responding to what nurtures or stimulates you. You may also want to make a list of the activities and kinds of experiences that touch your soul. Try to pinpoint the times when you have felt fully engaged and aware and ask yourself what you were doing. But one of the easiest ways to reconnect is simply by stating the intention of doing so.
When you disconnect from the universe, your sense of purpose, creativity, and ability to be innovative are not as easy to access. You may also experience a deep and empty sense of longing or feel devoid of ideas or unworthy of love. It’s important, however, to recognize that being disconnected from the universe is never a permanent state, and it can be reversed any time you decide that you are ready to reconnect. When you are connected to the universe, all aspects of your being will feel alive as the flow of the universe pours through your being and into your life.
Reconnecting with the universe grounds you and is as easy as you making a concerted effort to become interested in the activities you love or responding to what nurtures or stimulates you. You may also want to make a list of the activities and kinds of experiences that touch your soul. Try to pinpoint the times when you have felt fully engaged and aware and ask yourself what you were doing. But one of the easiest ways to reconnect is simply by stating the intention of doing so.
When you disconnect from the universe, your sense of purpose, creativity, and ability to be innovative are not as easy to access. You may also experience a deep and empty sense of longing or feel devoid of ideas or unworthy of love. It’s important, however, to recognize that being disconnected from the universe is never a permanent state, and it can be reversed any time you decide that you are ready to reconnect. When you are connected to the universe, all aspects of your being will feel alive as the flow of the universe pours through your being and into your life.
Choose One’s Own Way
Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Worry or Think Time
Set aside a specific time each day to think about the things that keep entering your mind and interfering with your concentration. For example, set 4:30 to 5:00 p.m. as your worry/think time. When your mind is side-tracked into worrying during the day, remind yourself that you have a special time for worrying. Then, let the thought go for the present, and return your focus to your immediate activity. There's research on this, believe it or not! Persons who use a worry time find themselves worrying 35 percent less of the time within four weeks. That's a big change!
The important steps are:
(1) set a specific time each day for your time,
(2) when you become aware of a distracting thought, remind yourself that you have a special time to think about them,
(3) let the thought go, perhaps with "Be here now," and
(4) be sure to keep that appointment with yourself at that special time to think on the distracting thoughts of the day
The important steps are:
(1) set a specific time each day for your time,
(2) when you become aware of a distracting thought, remind yourself that you have a special time to think about them,
(3) let the thought go, perhaps with "Be here now," and
(4) be sure to keep that appointment with yourself at that special time to think on the distracting thoughts of the day
Awakened vs. Unawakened Mind
The awakened mind is free flowing, natural, and well rounded. It's like Teflon - nothing sticks. On the other hand, the unawakened, ordinary mind is rigid, limited and sticky like flypaper; the ordinary mind has corners and sharp jagged edges on which ideas get caught, hanging us up...
...the unawakened mind tries to grasp and hold on to emotions and things, which by their very nature are fleeting; it's like trying to grasp water between your hands. If we understand that the cause of suffering and dissatisfaction is attachment, then it's obvious that the remedy is simply letting go.
~Awakening The Buddha Within - Lama Surya Das
...the unawakened mind tries to grasp and hold on to emotions and things, which by their very nature are fleeting; it's like trying to grasp water between your hands. If we understand that the cause of suffering and dissatisfaction is attachment, then it's obvious that the remedy is simply letting go.
~Awakening The Buddha Within - Lama Surya Das
Friday, January 2, 2009
Greatest Capacity For Change
It's not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one with the greatest capacity for change
~Charles Darwin
~Charles Darwin
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