In the Desert…
A lot of people are going through a financial “desert” these days due to the global recession. One thing sure, the desert is not the place for desserts. The desert is about survival, endurance and stamina. The best and the worst in us come out in the desert, and we also come out either better or worse from any desert experience. The desert makes us realize what is really important and what is really basic in life.
…There’s a Reason
Sometimes people come into your life and you know right away that they were meant to be there, to serve some sort of purpose, teach you a lesson, or to help you figure out who you are or who you want to become. You never know who these people may be. Possibly your roommate or neighbour, long lost friend, lover, or even a complete stranger. But when you lock eyes with them, you know at that very moment they will affect your life in some profound way.
Oh well…so what?
I’ve never made a fortune, and it’s probably too late now. But I don’t worry about that much, I’m happy anyhow. Haven’t got a lot of riches, and sometimes things are tough. But I’ve got someone who loved me, and that makes me rich enough.
Focus on ‘GOOD’ – not on ‘BAD’…
Most people tend to judge a person on how bad they are – on the negative aspects of their character and not on the positive. We don’t focus on their “clean”, we focus on their “dirt”. A newspaper publisher which only prints good news does not stay in business long.
Feeling Discontent…
“Perhaps our eyes need to be washed by our tears once in a while, so that we can see life with a clearer view again.” – Alex Tan. We all have those times in our lives when we cannot seem to find a way to feel better about things. We may be feeling down because we can’t have what we want in a job, relationship, or some other area of our life. And no matter what we do it seems we just feel sad and discontent.
Too Much Air!
Mark 9: 30-37 “If anyone wishes to be the first, he shall be the last of all, and the servant of all.” In other words, flatten your tires of pride. Our inability or unwillingness to flatten our tires of pride is the one single cause why we live miserable lives. Is there any relationship that burdens you right now? The key is humility. YES, JUST FLATTEN YOUR TIRES OF PRIDE!
Courage to Stay on Course
Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass…it’s about learning to dance in the rain! – Vivian Greene. Anytime you decide on the pursuit of an important goal, you’ll be faced with a series of challenges. Peaks, valleys and plateaus are par for the course. But the thing that separates the people who make it from the ones that don’t is the courage to stay on course.
Is it all worth it?
COMMITMENT is not a light switch that goes from “off” to “on.” When building a relationship with someone, the level of commitment gradually increases. Commitment in a relationship is complicated in that it takes two people, and it requires an alignment of FACT (events, actions) and ATTITUDE (thoughts, beliefs) for both of them.
You Can’t Please Everybody! I’ve tried that…
WE’VE heard this cliché so many times, or is this simply the plain truth? Yup, you’re right! It is difficult, indeed, to please everyone. Each day comes with challenges. We work with people, we move around people. Interaction with others is so much inevitable. We cannot do without others in this game called life. We simply have NO CHOICE but co-exist with other human beings.
Come Forth!!!
Believe that things will work out! Follow your intuition and curiosities. Trust your heart even when it leads you off what appears to be the right path. You have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary!
How should we live?
“Who are you to judge the life I live? I know I’m not perfect, but I don’t live to be. But before you start pointing fingers, make sure your hands are clean.” – Bob Marley. What should you live for? Wealth? Power? Service? Longevity? Reason? Love? Faith? Family? God? Virtue? Happiness? Fulfillment? Comfort? Contentment? Integrity? There are hundreds to choose from.
Be knowledgeable. Not a know-it-all.
It’s all about attitude. Be it at home or anywhere, a good attitude is an asset. At the same time, a bad or worse still, a know-it-all attitude, could pose serious threats to your personal growth and alienate you in all places. While a “know-it-all” can be avoided like the plague otherwise, dealing with such an individual can become quite challenging.
“ME”
Through our lives we are conditioned into an EGOIST state of mind where we view ourselves as somehow separate from the rest of the world but at the same time the CENTER of it. It is an illusionary state in which we identify with a set of concepts, feelings, opinions, and judgments about past experiences. Then wrap it all into a big ball convince ourselves that our big ball of “nothingness” is a rock solid substantial thing, it is our own little shadow “reality” in which we root our identity, and we name it “ME”.
Sometimes it’s time… time for a change!
Each of us has a set of values, which provides a structural foundation for our life. With fundamental principles such as “integrity,” “honor,” “providence” and “kindness,” many details of day-to-day living come into proper perspective. I reflect and recall the times when I made decisions that altered my life. Deciding on family issues, a job, and business, or journey. Some of these decisions have led to ‘happiness,’ some to ‘sadness.’ Others, thought major at the time, appear insignificant in later life. Numerous I thought difficult; several I barely recognised, yet turned out to be central.
Happy New Year!
Christmas time had passed and the arrival of a new year is just around the corner. Wow! Time and tide wait for no man. Another precious year of our life has passed out. Some of us have travelled more, others less on the way to our cherished Home. We should do our utmost to achieve the object before us. And my best wishes are with each one of you.