Great

Believing that great things are already happening
makes a great deal of difference.

Organize

What do you have in mind today?

Most people will think of the things that needs to be done today. But have you forgotten about the things that are still undone from yesterday? There are so many things each person have to handle every single day. How do people get by and still have time for fun?

Are you a person who has to scramble through things every single day just to finish a task? How much time do you need to find something you need? How does your desk look like? How anyone lives through their daily lives really depends very much on the person and has got nothing to do with the aesthetics of what our eyes can see.

Some people live great in a total mess. These are called the creative bunch. We may see papers everywhere, totally disorganized and we get a headache but for them, this is their way to higher understanding. If one day, you cleared up their desk, they would have a hard time looking for that one thing that they need at that very moment. If left in a mess, it would just take them seconds. If all organized up, it would probably take them hours if not days, and in some cases, they may not even be able to locate it in their entire lifetime.

Some people need space for clarity. If things are in a mess, they cannot function at all. They need everything to be organized. You will see that their desk is often empty you really wonder how anything can get done. Where are the notes? Where are the “to do” lists? Where are the plans? Everything is just not there for anyone to look for. If someone puts something on their desk, they would be freaked and they immediately want it off. So, they get on is in the speed of light and then leave their desk empty again. There would probably be files upon files elsewhere as long as the desk is empty.

Most people are a little bit of both. You are probably the messy person when you are busy and the tidy person when you have a little time to get organized.

It is perhaps the greatest feeling of all to get things lifted off your shoulders. It makes you feel light. How you want to do it depends on the task itself and how you actually organize its route to finishing. Sometimes, drastic measures are necessary.

Humans are social animals. We need to live amongst other people and get things done together. Even if you are an introvert, there is no avoiding human contact. Even if we are all in a lockdown, there is no avoiding communication between each other. Everything needs to be planned out strategically in order for anything to work out the way it should. Time will tell that if we work together as a team, we are stronger.

A team means there is a leader. The leader is responsible to get things organized and moving. A great leader will plan small tasks for each member of the group. A great leader knows who is best at each task. A great leader gives opportunities. A great leader encourages brain storming. A great leader builds paths for exploration and enhancement. It is all about how well the person can deal with situations in a strategic way.

You may have thoughts that the current situation do not permit any organization because it is ad-hoc and of high urgency that needs to be done this very second. Sometimes, you just need to jump into action before even having the time to think. This happens all the time in stocks and business where decisions a second later can mean a total disaster. It is okay during that urgent time. Have you ever thought what needs to be done afterwards? Most people forget this. Post-mortem. When you have been stripped off your rights to think then, you think afterwards. Can it be done better? Is there another path to take? How to tackle such situations in future? These are all very important information for the entire team so that when you are not there to guide them through, they can function as they should.

Think the way successful people do. Organize your thoughts to help others help you.

 

Once you have a clear idea of your priorities – that is your values, goals and high leverage activities, organize around them.

Stephen Richards Covey (Stephen Covey), American educator and speaker, 1932-2012

Research

What is the difference between the successful and me?

We already know that everyone is different. But what is at stake is the difference between each of us. Why are some people always on top while others are always below par? There must be a reason behind every effect that we see.

What do I want out of life?

Some people know how to ask this question while most will just go with the flow. It is only the people who question that will get answers. The universe is vast. Everyone is living in our own little universe but perhaps we do not know that every atom in us speaks of the same language. Most of the time, it is ignorance that cause us to be stagnant wherever we are. There is no one else to blame but ourselves.

If you are a person who is seeking for the bigger purpose of life, congratulations! You are one step ahead of everyone else, who are still living in the darkness of their own limitation. When you dare to ask, you will get answers. Most often, the answers come in very subtle ways. It seems like life is playing you out but it really is just a test, to test if you are hungry enough for that change.

Successful people are always hungry. It does not seem that anything and everything that they already have is enough. It is never enough.

You may feel that you are happy now because your loved ones are safe.
You may feel that you are grateful now because you have a steady job to feed your family.
You may feel that you are satisfied now because you are still breathing.
Has it ever occurred to you that you may be able to do more?
Has it ever occurred to you that you may be able to influence people to better their lives?
Has it ever occurred to you that you can actually make a difference?

The state of being content is holy. There is no doubt about it. Has it ever occurred to you that if you are able to spread your love throughout your lifetime, you will be able to help others out of their own darkness? Darkness does not mean evil, it only means that the person is not able to step out of what they believe to be true and most of the time, the truth is not what it seems.

Truth is only what we believe in.
Truth is only what we are made to believe in.
The truth is, nothing in this world is hard fixed. Everything changes over a period of time. Why not you?

If you are already leading a good life, would it be better to help others live a better life too?

The point is not to influence for the sake of getting famous or becoming a celebrity. The point is to influence so that other people can be as caring, loving, and successful as we are. The point is to make this world a better place through little steps every day. The point is to restore humanity.

You may think that this is the job of the holiness and you are not religious at all. Perhaps there is a misunderstanding. Religion is in place because people with great minds have been enlightened and they pass down the knowledge to us. Every religion teaches one thing and one thing only; to be kind to all beings. Anything that deviates from that is probably the opinions of the teachers themselves. Whether or not you believe in the religion, it does not stop you from believing the teachings and yourself, that you are capable of making this world a better place for everyone.

Life is not just about humans. We are all just passing by. We are all just travelers in human form. We only believe what we see and we see to believe. This is the reason why everyone have their own opinion in happenings around the world. It is because we all see things differently. It is also the differences that make us unique. Do not believe everything you read on this blog or any other blogs. Always do your own due diligence.

Research on what is in your mind. Trust that your heart will bring you to your purpose.

 

Research is what I’m doing when I don’t know what I’m doing.

Wernher Magnus Maximilian Freiherr von Braun (Wernher von Braun), German-American aerospace engineer and space architect, 1912-1977

Feeling

What do you have in mind when you first wake up in the morning?

Sometimes we wake up having a clear mind of what we want to do. Sometimes we are just blank. Sometimes we might be all cluttered up and totally confused how we can get over the entire day without screwing up. Whatever it is in the mind on whichever day, it is really up to us to make the best of everything there is at our disposal.

Think back.

Have you ever had a day when you wake up and the sky is clear?
Have you ever had a day when you wake up and your mind is blank?
Have you ever had a day when you wake up with a broad wide smile?
Have you ever had a day when you wake up with the feeling of fulfilment?
Have you ever had a day when you wake up knowing you can take the day?
Remember that day. Remember how you feel that day. Remember your accomplishment for that day.

Many people think that it is by luck. Perhaps. But what if it is not luck that made the difference? What if it is you that actually made the difference?

Whatever you feel and however you feel plays an important role in making your day for you. Luck is not always there. If you are solely counting on luck to live your life, you are bound to be disappointed many times over. You will then start to blame this and that for life not happening the way you want. You become depressed and you start to think lop-sided in all directions. Your life is going to be topsy-turvy. There is no doubt about it.

How you feel inside makes your emotion. Emotion is the strongest tool we have to amend the way things work. If you feel broken, your emotion is probably sad or angry. These will turn into negative thoughts. What are you telling your subconscious mind? There is no use just feeding the bad wolf in you. You are just going to be destructive of yourself and others. What is the value in that?

There is always a choice. Life offers us many chances. Whether we choose to see it and take it is entirely up to us. You can feel happy even if there is thunderstorms outside. You just need to learn to see the beauty in everything that comes your way. Life is full of ups and downs. If you are able to understand this, your mind will completely change for the better.

Take life one step at a time.
Stay calm even if you feel like things are bogging you down.
Stay calm even if you are broken inside.
Stay calm even if you are all alone.
The only way to get out of a difficult situation is to KEEP CALM!

Talk to people around you. They may not understand how you feel but letting other people know what is happening in your life helps you a lot. This is a great time to connect. This is a great time to talk things out. You never know, may be one of the people you are talking to will be able to enlighten you in an unimaginable way. You only have one mind. Let others in to help you. There is no need to feel shy about your situation. Though there may not be a direct solution for you, telling other people will let out a little stress within you. Deep inside, you know you need that.

Even if you are an introvert, you can still do this. Social media these days have span far and wide. It has reached even the unreachable. There are groups for introverts. Perhaps you will feel more secure connecting with the like-minded. Tell your fellow members. Tell them your problems. They may not have any solution for you but telling someone can always release some burden off your shoulders. Perhaps when you feel lighter, you will be able to find a solution on your own.

Feeling makes emotion that feeds your mind. Always remember the happiest moments in life to quickly bounce back stronger from any situation.

 

It’s often just enough to be with someone. I don’t need to touch them. Not even talk. A feeling passes between you both. You’re not alone.

Norma Jeane Mortenson (Marilyn Monroe), American actress and singer, 1926-1962

Self-Sufficient

We often question what it is in the world that we are looking for.

Each time we ask this question, we are placing ourselves in a situation of uncertainty. There are many realms in this world. Whatever we see is only limited to our own imagination. Some people are gifted with the vision of certainty. If you are to interview them, they will probably tell you stories of their travel through space and time to realms that we can only dream of going.

To the normal people, these gifted humans are mystiques and that they are strange. Just because they are the minority with such a gift, that does not make them strange at all. In fact, it only makes them stronger.

As humans, we usually side the part where we think is true, anything our five senses can detect.

Whatever we see is of utmost importance to every one of us. That is the reason why people often say see to believe. What do you make of magic? We often think of magic as a trick that has been carefully engineered to make audiences see the unbelievable possibilities. What if there is magic beyond explanation? Has anyone ever questioned how Wim Hof is able to walk up Mount Everest without prior training, proper clothing, or any special equipment? Perhaps you would say that he is the special being. Do you know that he can train people to do the same things as he did? How do you explain that?

Whatever we hear is often taken as the second truth. However, we do not realize that our minds work in a very susceptible way to the negative side. Has anyone ever questioned why the news is always showing terrible events happening around the world? Is it because there are no great things happening that is worth reporting? It has all got to do with the audience. Making news is also a kind of business. Reporters will only make news that sells, and negative news are the most sellable ones. Somehow, majority of the common people just like to learn about disasters rather than enrichment.

Whatever we smell is what makes our mood for the day. Scent is something more subtle that the body processes differently from the rest of the other senses. It is something that can make our imagination run wild. If you smell something delicious, you will somehow feel a little urge to eat even though you know that you are not hungry. If you smell something calming, you can have a better night’s sleep compared to when you smell a stench of animal droppings. Everything has a scent to it. Somehow, because of sight and sound, we have neglected our sense of scent.

Whatever we eat has a taste to it. Some people are labelled as gourmet because their taste buds have much greater sense than the rest of the other people. This used to be a very important tool to let us get through life in the jungle. We have just forgotten the use of them along the way while we excel in the modern age. By just having a little taste of a plant in the tip of the tongue, we should be able to tell if it is food or poison. Losing touch with nature makes us more susceptible to ingesting unhealthy foods thinking they are for the best of us. Perhaps it is easier to explain that convenience is never nature intended for living.

Whatever we can feel by touch is what we deem real. Anything that we cannot touch is just talk. Humans love the fact that things come in cold hard evidence. While something we can touch is also something we can see, something people talk about that probably has a smell and taste to it, it does not mean that otherwise do not exist. What seems real can be from imagination. Everything that the mind can imagine can become a reality. We may not see it in our lifetime but it sure will become a reality in future. Before the Wright brothers invented the first flying machine, humans can never fly. It is through their imagination and perseverance that we are now able to go around the globe in less than 60 days.

There is one more sense that we have definitely lost touch with, the sixth sense. This is the most powerful of all senses. This is the one sense that keeps our ancestors alive in the harsh environment they had to live through in order to bring us to this world. This is not mystical, it is real. All babies had this but it is lost over time. It is lost because of the material things we feed our minds with. If you are a person who keeps asking “why he is so successful while I am not?” perhaps you are looking into the wrong direction. The answer is within. Only you can answer this question for yourself, nobody else can do it for you.

Always travel within for answers. Success will only come to people who are self-sufficient.

 

The snow itself is lonely or, if you prefer, self-sufficient. There is no other time when the whole world seems composed of one thing and one thing only.

Joseph Wood Krutch, American writer and naturalist, 1893-1970

Perfect

What if it does not work?

What exactly do you want work? Do you mean that you want it to work at your every first attempt? Do you in other words mean that you want your life to be perfect?

Everybody wants their life to be perfect. But what exactly is perfect? Your definition of perfect can be very different from mine. We are all individuals and we have our own perception of everything in this world. Each incident has two sides of the story, just like each individual having two faces.

You did not read wrongly, each individual has two faces. Perhaps you do not want to admit it but it is a fact. One is the highly motivated positive face, and the other is the downside normal skeptical face. Westerners call it the angel and the devil. Taoist call it yin and yang. Whatever names we choose to call it, each of us do have two faces.

Success only presents itself to those who are in balance.

Being motivated is good. You have the energy to take anything to its highest levels. You have the courage to drive yourself uphill. However, being overly motivated can sometimes pose a threat. Because you are so confident in yourself you can become ignorant to the signs that the universe is trying to communicate to you. You are too busy scrambling your way through the jungle, you ignored all the important pleasures of life. You forgot to just stop once in a while to observe your surroundings. You forgot to stop once in a while to simply breathe and belong. You will reach the top faster than everyone else but there is a sense of emptiness within you that is hard to recover.

You can be wealthy of money but poor in relationship.
You can be healthy of relationship but weak in self-love.
You need to be present. You need to be here now.

Being skeptical is good. You can find the problem before everyone else. But being overly skeptical is a problem altogether. It is because you scrutinize everything that comes your way, you tend to lose opportunities. Way too many chances are just gone because of your doubt. Those questions that you keep asking yourself. What if you fail? What if people laugh at me? What if people hate me? What if it does not work? What if … what if … These endless “what if’s” are not going to get you anywhere. After a decade or two, you should already realize that you need to change but somehow, you are still where you were. By the time you are ready to finally make the first move, it could already be too late for some.

“What if” is the first two words of a question we can ask ourselves differently:
What if I can make the difference?
What if I regret for not taking action?
A question can be good or bad depending on how we choose to phrase it.
A question can make a huge variance to which path we choose to take.
When you ask a question, ask wisely.

What makes a successful person?

Anyone can be a successful person. We only need to learn to balance ourselves in all situations. This is a skill that people learn over time. Even if the person is born with the life of an emperor, he has to decide to take the path moving towards becoming a good emperor. Otherwise, his empire will be very short-lived. Throughout his entire journey to becoming an emperor, he has to face many challenges. While he is an emperor, he has to try to turn enemies into allies. Before he steps down from this throne, he has to train his successor to become the person fit to rule the entire civilization. All the choices he make, he has to balance between good and bad, educated and spontaneous, love and war.

There is not a single decision by anyone in the world that is good for everyone. It is always positive for some and negative for others. It only matters that the decision made is for the good of the majority and less painful for the rest.

Life is not perfect. Accept this for a fact and you will feel better.

 

Nobody’s perfect. We’re all just one step up from the beasts and one step down from the angels.

Jeannette Walls, American author and journalist, 1960-present

Simple

There is just so many things that needs to be done. Which is more urgent?

Humans have the greatest minds in the entire world but humans have also made things more complicated than it should be. Life is really simple. You wake up, you get through the day, and then you sleep. This is basically all we need to do every single day. How complicated can this be?

In this day and time, having a simple life seems so distant. We have too many things on our plate. There are too many distractions pointing us to different directions. We just cannot decide on anything when the time comes. The most common question people ask these days is probably one that nobody in the ancient history would even imagine any of their descendants asking.

How to live a simple life? I have no time, no money, and no skill to do it.

Seriously?

We have been too cluttered with the outside world that we just forgotten to connect with our inner self. This is the only reason we are feeling totally lost, especially at times like this. When the whole world is on lockdown. When you are sustaining a pay cut. When you risk losing your job. When everyone else is talking about the pandemic. When the people around you seem to be changing but you are still the old you, stagnant. You still think the world revolves around you.

It is time to wake up. Nobody is stuck. Everybody has been put to the test. When there is a huge challenge, there is the opportunity unlike any other you have ever seen before. You need to grab that opportunity to make you become the better version of you. What are you waiting for?

The world is on lockdown. You have all the time you need to ponder on what makes your life simple. What other time better can you think of if not now? How much time do you need to think? Does it take a whole year to sit in the loo? Perhaps you do not yet realize this but sitting in the loo actually is the best time to find clarity. When you are passing motion, that is the time when your strength to force trash out is at its peak. Notice the feeling right after that peak. Does it feel like a big sense of relief? Notice that second this happens, notice how clear your mind is. You only need this moment. Your body is clear of shit, your mind is clear of clutter, and your soul is pure.

Living a simple life really only mean simple, nothing more than that. Do not be brainwashed by anyone else. We see things differently. We live through life differently. You may have friends telling you that living a simple life means to have a cottage in the countryside away from the city. Then you would be having all sorts of objections to it because living away from the city means you will have to commute very far each day. It is just not economical. If it is possible for you to live in the countryside, you are free to do so. But if not, then what is wrong with the place you are living in now? Any place can be simple. You buy less things. You keep less things. That is a simple life. Just that.

You say that you are a very messed up person. You do not know how to simplify things. You love to keep all memorabilia. You want to have everything just in case one day you might use them. You do not know how to differentiate which ones are important and which ones are not. You are always living thinking of the future. Really, it is not a skillset to learn to let go of things. It is all in the mind. You do not know which ones to throw out, simple, just close one eye and junk everything out. Put yourself in the situation whereby you have lost everything and you need to rebuild your life. What do you really need in your life? Do you still need that magazine you bought two years ago but never flipped a page? Do you still need that dress you bought five years ago just in case you attend a ball but has never seen the light?

In the end, you will realize what you really need is just you, and probably your phone.

Finding yourself takes little to no effort. Living a simple life gives you time, saves you money, and require no skill at all.

 

Best rule for a simple life… Care with no reason, Love with no expectation.

Ritu Ghatourey, Indian writer

Nothing

The fastest way to fail is to do nothing.

While you may have all the positive thoughts and mind. It is your action that matters. Everything else do not mean anything if you do not take action to move forward.

People often like to start things. Each time there is something new, you are motivated to get started. It is very common to just forget about it when you do not get the desired results you want. Perhaps you have been way too optimistic when you started. You get carried away easily when you hear of success stories of the people that say they get a million dollars in their bank account in a month, or they get six-pack abs within a month.

While you only see the success side of their stories, you do not know the huge changes they have made in their lives in order to achieve such promising results. While you pay to get their blueprint to success, you do not become successful overnight by just reading it, or dreaming on it. Life does not work this way. However positive a mind can be, it can only go so far. It is taking the first step out of your comfort zone that makes you one step closer to your success.

You can have all the information in the world. Information is readily available on search engines, on chats with your friends, or even on your mentors in the programmes you have signed up for. You love to start. You also like to give up easily. You expect to see results immediately with little effort, which is the ultimate reason why you give up so easily.

Always dream big, but start small.

Whatever it is that you want out of life, be it having all the riches in the world or having that great healthy body, or being in that loving relationship, everything can be done with determination and patience.

You can dream of having all the riches in the world. You still have to take action to move towards it. Even if you dream of winning a lottery, you still need to get out there to buy that lottery ticket. Correct? If you just stay in bed thinking hard that you are going to win a lottery, you are not going to win it no matter what because you have not taken action to buy that lottery ticket in the first place.

You can dream of having that great healthy body. You still have to make efforts and walk in that path. You can imagine that you are healthy. You can imagine that you are muscular. You can imagine yourself to be in any shape and size but if you keep putting junk into your body, it will be just junk in junk out. You have to make efforts to first sleep well and then eat right. If you are just sitting there playing computer games all day and night, you deprive yourself of sleep. If you are just munching on prepacked foods all the time, all you will get is to become obese. You have to make that change first and stay through to it to see results. Break your goals into small achievable chunks. When you complete a task, you have achieved something. You will stay motivated to keep your milestone.

You can dream of having a loving relationship with your Mr or Ms Right. Whoever that may be, that person is perfect to you. There are many ways to meet this person and get into a relationship with. However you come into contact with this person, you still need to start a conversation. Your relationship does not go anywhere if you remain silent throughout. However loving you may be with each other, there is still a reality you have to face. There will be problems that arise in all relationships. How you react to each problem is how much you understand your partner. How you face the problems together is how much closer you will get.

You have to understand one thing, that life is fair. You get thrown out of place, you get back up and continue walking. One fine day, you will see the end of the rainbow that you much sought after. If you just sit and mull over it without a nudge, you are just going to be stationery.

Do nothing and you fail. Do something and you move a step closer.

 

He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.

Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. (Muhammad Ali), American professional boxer and philanthropist, 1942-2016

Complicated

Life is complicated is just an opinion.

Thanks to the extraordinarily huge human brain size, we love to complicate things. Even the simplest things in life gets labelled mistakenly for being difficult. Is it really that difficult or we chose to see it so?

Whenever we are in a situation, we usually only see the negative portion of it. It comes automatically. There is no doubt that there surely is a problem to it but is that really it? Only problematic? Or is there more to it? Why are we just thinking on one side of it?

Old wise people will tell you to listen to both sides of the story. Yes, there is always two sides to a story, sometimes even more. Why are we almost always listening only to one side of it? Why are we only focusing on the same side, the side where we first heard of?

Perhaps our big brains have given us the power to better memory but we have forgotten the more significant use of our brains, to decipher information and make decisions. Are you a memory logger or a flesh and blood living being? Are you a computer or a human?

Think before jumping into conclusions. The first information you get may be correct but may not be necessarily the only correct information there is. Any other information that seems to clash with the first information may be wrong but may not be necessarily wrong in its entirety. Always find out before jumping into conclusions, which most of us just love to do.

I always remember this story which was shared by a family with a loving dog several years back. They heard their baby scream and they ran into the room. They saw their dog’s mouth covered in blood and their baby by the dog’s side. They jumped into conclusion that their dog harmed their baby. The man of the house ran out to get a gun, luckily before he took the shot, the lady of the house saw something on the floor. There was a snake in the room. Nobody saw the snake at first look because everyone was so focused on the bloody mouth of their dog. Their dog protected their baby by killing the snake.

It does not matter whether or not you are an animal lover. It only matters what you learn from this true story. Sometimes you just need to look farther and deeper.

If you jump into conclusion too early, it could be a matter of life and death. Even if it is not as serious as this, it could actually affect someone else’s life, sometimes to a permanent extent. Before we decide if anyone is guilty of something, perhaps we should look at the boarder picture. Never to only focus on what catches our attention at the very beginning.

Take it from this pandemic. As humans, we think that it disrupts our livelihood. Our plans are gone, our money is down to the bottom, our job is insecure, and on and on we complain. We cannot travel the world. We are separated from our families that live in another state or country. The whole lockdown worldwide has caused many businesses to crumble.

On the flip side, we ought to see something that should have been done decades ago. A lesson to teach humans to get out of their everyday lives and see the world in a different perspective. Life is not about waking up to that 9 to 5 job. Life is not about chasing after materials. Life is about living life.

It is time for us to wake up. Mother Nature has suffered a huge loss in the past centuries due to human evolution and exploitation. We become better at our inventions. We become better at using resources to the max. We become so good at development and yet we have forgotten the one most important thing, our roots. There is only one place we call home. We are not made up of nations. We are in fact actually only one unified world. If humans are able to work together for the better of the world, this would not have happened. Do not blame others. Look within yourself. Ask what you have done to protect your home.

Life is simple. It is the human minds that decided to make it complicated.

 

The more complicated and powerful the job, the more rudimentary the preparation for it.

William Frank Buckley Jr., American public intellectual and conservative author, 1925-2008

Action

Taking action takes courage.

How many times have you felt like you are on top of the world only to realize that you are still at the bottom?
How many times have you felt like you are the best only to find out that there is always someone else better than you?
How many times have you felt like you are an achiever only to find out that you have failed totally and perfectly?

You have taken the action.
You have done your best.
But…

Have you ever thought that you might just be doing it all wrong?
You do not see any results.
You do not get any support.
You are all alone.

Every successful person in the world has probably been through this. They have tried and failed multiple times they probably have lost count. How do they keep up with their confidence, self-esteem, and stay through their journey till the end? How do they overcome self-doubt? How do they live with failure all the time? What do they do when their whole family mocks their action? What is in their mind?

Perhaps we are thinking that they are successful because they have some kind of super power or that they are born with a special gift of higher being. Perhaps it is easy to explain that they are saint-like to be able to ignore all the negative thoughts that get into their heads when everything goes down. Perhaps we believe that they are God-sent to make a difference in the world. Perhaps.

How do you know you do not have that super power or that special gift born within you?
How do you know you are not destined for something bigger than what it is now?

Perhaps you are just being brainwashed throughout your entire lifetime to stay put where you are just because the people around you love you too much. Sometimes, the people around you can love you in the wrong way. They believe that they are giving you the best by protecting you in the best of your interest but little do they know that they are actually suppressing your true self.

What others believe is entirely up to them, you have no control over it. What you believe is entirely within you. You have all the control over your own destiny. Where you want to go in life? What do you want out of life? How do you want to live your life?

Everyone has a different vision as to how life is for them. Our visions can be similar yet very different. It all comes down to one thing. How we are being brought up? The way we have been brought up has a massive influence over the way we think. Whether or not you realize it, the words and actions of your guardians are the words and actions that are embedded into you, hardwired. This is the reason why most people will live the lives of their guardians one way of the other, similar but with a little difference. You are just following their footsteps because that is what you believe is the life you are meant to live for the rest of your life. You have modelled upon them.

You may say that your dad is a carpenter and you are a doctor, so, you are different. Yes, you have a different profession and probably a different circle of friends. What you do not realize is that the values you hold within you are similar if not the same. Your perception of a great life is similar. It has been passed down through genes and mind conditioning throughout the years. Children have the clearest cleanest minds and they do pick many things up from their guardians. There is no doubt about that.

If you truly want to live the life of your dreams, you first have to know what really your dream is. You have to identify and differentiate out that it really is your dream and not the dream of someone else. You take action to move yourself towards that dream of yours and live the life that you want for you. No one else but you.

Feed yourself with positive thoughts. Like what you do. Share what you learn. Take action to move forward. Live the life of your dreams.

 

Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.

Dale Carnegie, American writer and lecturer, 1888-1955

Tranquility

How to live the life of your dreams?

Everyone ask this question all the time because humans are just not satisfied no matter the situation they are in. The mind is all there is to blame for this. The human mind is very complex. However we try to understand how the human mind works, there seems to be another story that debunk the previous one. Or there seems to be several stories supporting one but still, everyone has their own opinion and everything seems to make sense.

There is no right or wrong in any opinion. It is only opinion. Every mind works differently. Instead of understanding how the human mind works as a whole, perhaps we should be looking into ourselves. What is it that our mind is thinking?

Sometimes we feel like we are in heaven. Sometimes we feel like we are in hell. However we feel, it is strong at that very moment. However we feel, can last for a long time. However we feel, will determine how we look at life.

Everyone has their own mindset about things going on around them. Perhaps everyone is just looking too far. Everyone is just being the norm. Everyone is just doing the same things.
Looking at how some people can be so successful in their lives and we are not.
Looking at how some people are the gem of the crowd and we are not.
Looking at how some people can just leave everything behind in chase of their dreams and we are stuck where we are in the same situation ten years ago.

We may think that it is because they are different. We may think that they have super powers within them, but really, they are just regular human beings like you and I. What is it that they are doing differently from us? Why are they up there and we are down here? How did they become the person they are today? It is all in the mind.

We are all born with the same physique. The only difference is how we choose to work the mind that we have.

What do you do when you face a problem in front of you? Do you moan and groan over the situation? Or do you take it as a challenge and put yourself through the test? What are you willing to do to solve the problem that you are facing? Are you going to do it alone? Are you going to get help from others?

Success do not come overnight. Success is built over time. If you are determined to achieve success in your life, there is much work to be done.

You need to believe in your vision.
You need to be consistent with your mission.
You need to be disciplined.
You need to stay on course.
You need to adapt to changes but still stay true to yourself.
You start something, and you make sure you get through till the end.
You insist.
You take failure as a lesson.
You turn all negative comments into positive inputs.
You do whatever it takes to make your dreams come true.
You help people along the way.
You are you.
You live your own life and let no one tell you otherwise.
You can do it.
You can be the success.
You can be the influence.
You can be the model.
You are capable.
Believe in yourself.

Affirmations daily can lift the spirit. Keep telling yourself that you can do it all the time. Tell yourself right the moment when you wake in the morning. Tell yourself throughout the day in whatever you do. Tell yourself every evening before going to bed. Remind yourself that you are worthy. That is the most important of all.

If you did something wrong along the way, it is fine. Forgive yourself. Learn from your mistakes and let go of the grunge in you.

If someone did you wrong along the way, it is fine. Forgive that person. Allow yourself to open up to help the person instead of keeping the anger within you. When you forgive, you are letting yourself free.

Only then, you can find tranquility within you. Only then, you will realize that life is simple

 

It is in your power to withdraw yourself whenever you desire. Perfect tranquility within consists in the good ordering of the mind, the realm of your own.

Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (Marcus Aurelius), Roman emperor and Stoic philosopher, 121-180

Surrender

Why do people give up easily?

Humans, in general, love to start things, and just as easily, they give up. They always have the reasons why they do not do what they do anymore. They always have the reasons why they stop doing what they love. They always have the reasons, lame reasons, not to continue. It all comes down to just three (3) simple explanation.

When they start anything, they are under the false impression that success is just around the corner. Yes, success is just around the corner, but have you given your best at it to uncover success?

You set high expectations of yourself. You have great ideas. You have made it happen. You thought you have given your best. You expect other people to agree with you because you have come up with this system that helps people get out of their misery. You expect other people to accept your philosophy and change their mindset to align with yours. You expect that with all the sleepless nights you have gone through to make this happen, other people will appreciate. You expect that by believing the things you are doing will bring good to others, they will follow you.

You are wrong. You are totally wrong. Expectation is the worst enemy of determination.

You can dream big. But you always have to start small. There is no need to be perfect in everything. There is no way you can be perfect in everything. Nobody can. We are all imperfect individuals who just think we are perfect. You are not perfect. I am not perfect. We are just unique the way we are. Just be yourself. Be consistent in what you do. Align yourself with the right mindset and the right people.

When you fail at something you so passionately created. When nobody bothers with your perfect creation. You start to doubt yourself.

Am I doing the right thing?
Am I on the right path?
Am I good enough?

Self-doubt is the worst enemy of motivation. When you first start your journey toward your passion, you are all motivated. You find all means and ways to get the tools you need to make things happen. That is a good start. You have taken your first steps. What you lack is the confidence to continue to pursue on your journey to success. After a week, after a month, after a year, your efforts do not show any results, you think you are not good enough, you think that there is something wrong with you or the things that you do. You give up.

Perhaps then, you are not passionate enough about the thing you are chasing after. Because if you are, you will find a way around it. Rather than just sit and think and crack your head over it with such low self-esteem, you can always browse around to see what others are doing. Find out what others are doing that you are not? Model upon them. There is always a way out.

While browsing, you see all the success of other people. You look up upon them but you lack the confidence to move forward. Or you are just too distracted and immersed into other people’s success, and you think “Perhaps I am not meant for this …” You sway from your initial intention.

On the other hand, you look around and you see the comfort of your own home. You were once the gem in your entire family. You were once greatly accepted by everyone. What have you done to deserve this isolation? You have followed your dreams but your family thinks you are crazy and they try to pull you back. This is a normal situation everyone faces.

Most of the time, people are just not daring enough to step out of their comfort zone. When they see someone in their vicinity straying off from their comfort zone, they will try to pull them back. This has happened to me an awful lot of times. This has pulled me back further from my dreams. This happens to everyone, and you are not spared. It does not matter what distractions you face, it only matters how you face it. Distractions is the worst enemy of success.

Successful people only surrender to their dreams. Stay true to yourself as nothing else matters.

 

Surrender to what is. Let go of what was. Have faith in what will be.

Sonia Ricotti, “Bounce Back” expert

Inspiration

Anything can be inspiring when you have an open mind.

We have mostly forgotten about what nature brings us as we get through our day to day busy lives. Our daily routines are the usual wake up, clean up, eat up, rush up, work up, then back home, settle down, and finally rest. Sometimes we end up sleeping late and everything gets delayed the next day to the point that we can no longer handle. We skip that first meal of the day because we do not have time. We get stuck in traffic because we left our homes later than usual. We cannot finish our work because we arrived late in the morning. When we finally get home, we have very little time to settle our mind that causes us to not get the good night’s sleep that we needed after a long day of work. Then we wake up late again the next day. It is a vicious cycle.

Has this ever happened to you? I know it has for me.

Perhaps this is life, you say. But there is always a way to a better life. Well, it is easy to say. Plan it. Schedule everything you want to do. As you tick it off your daily routine list, perhaps you will feel better. Just perhaps, you will be able to stick to that routine you have planned so nicely. That perfect routine for your day to day life.

Majority of the people on this planet have similar mindsets because they have been brought up to believe so. They are living in the environment that tells them this is their life and there is no other path for them to choose from. Is that really so?

Open up your mind!

Your mind is the one most crucial asset you have from the beginning till the end. Everyone has a choice whether to waste all the space in the mind thinking that life is as such or to use it wisely.

Planning is great. But there is always another way. We can incorporate something different into our daily routines. There are more than seven (7) billion humans beings in the world and the numbers are probably increasing by the minutes. There are more than seven (7) billion minds out there waiting to be tapped. Knowledge and wisdom is in abundance.

Everyone has been brought up differently. Everyone is able to give you some insight one way or the other. It could have been that neighbour who introduced to you the beauty of meditation. It could be that other person on the internet that has enlightened you in certain ways. There is no limit to how and where. That person may be half way around the globe, with technology, no place is too far to reach.

In your weekends, do something out of the norm. Get back to nature. Reconnect yourself with nature. You have worked hard all your workdays. Unwind with every chance you get. There is no need to look far, nature is around us.

People may have the idea that it is difficult to do many things with young children or pets around. Says who? It is all in the mind. It is all limitations you tell yourself. Everything can be done. You just need to look for the how. Find ideas from everyone else. Include your children and pets in your activities. Yes, you may face difficulties but if you never take the first step, you never know.

Just give yourself a chance to make things happen.

My personal experience. I always like to bring by dogs around wherever I go whenever I can. But because the country that I live in do not permit pets in many places, I had to search high and low to find those that allow pets. They cannot follow me to work. They cannot follow me to the shopping mall or the market place. Even places of nature has restrictions on pets. It is really difficult. It is okay. There is the internet. It allows me to find what others are doing with their pets during day offs. They give me ideas I could have never thought about on my own. Little by little, we figured more we can do with our beloved pets.

Life is when you open up your mind and let inspiration find you.

 

Just don’t give up trying to do what you really want to do. Where there is love and inspiration, I don’t think you can go wrong.

Ella Jane Fitzgerald (Ella Fitzgerald), American jazz singer, 1917-1996

Cold

This morning is rather cold after more than half a day of rain yesterday.

Coldness gives people the chill but if you get comfortable with the uncomfortable, it really does not matter what kind of weather you are living in. Perhaps you are having thoughts that the coldness makes your mind freeze and your whole body still. This is not the case for the person described in this article.

He takes things to the extreme. Not many are willing to do what he does. Not many can stretch over the limits he has shown. But he certainly have inspire many to challenge themselves over the limits their minds have set for them.

What would you do if the world suddenly is covered in snow?
What kind of clothing will you prepare before visiting Alaska?
What kind of gear will you be getting before you even think of climbing Mount Everest?

Perhaps after reading this, your mind will be blown away at how someone out there is able to do the impossible. Perhaps you would think that he can do it because he has some kind super powers. Perhaps. But he has taken the challenge up one notch, which is to produce the same results on other people. He has shown that it is possible. If he can do it, so can everyone else. It is all in the mind.

We may be different in many ways but we are certainly similar in the core. We all have a mind. What we put into our minds is what makes us unique. What we decide to store in our minds is what makes us who we are. What we want our minds to think is what makes us who we become.

Break that belief. It probably has been instilled in you since young. You have to go to school and get good grades. You go to college or university and excel in it. You find a good job that pays high and stick with it. Your life is your own. It does not belong to your parents nor your teachers nor your peers. You live your own life and you are the only person who will live your life till the end.

If a loved one is right next to you when you finally leave, it is great but never to expect that it would happen. If you are to leave alone, it is still great. It is all in the mind. When you are self-sufficient, you will be able to do anything even when you are all alone. Having people around gives you company but is not necessary because the people around you may not understand why you are doing what you are doing. The people around you may have a total opposite thinking of how you should live your life.

One big piece of advice, never let anyone around you tear you down. Always believe in yourself. As long as you are doing no harm to yourself, other people, and the world, any path is a good path.

Change the environment you are in in order to change your mindset. He has given me much inspiration in all directions. I only followed one of his daily practices and I am already a different person.

Wim Hof is largely known as the Iceman. When you search for his information, you would probably find all kinds of pictures and videos of a person that looks like a caveman in icy backgrounds. Those are not backgrounds, those are the environments that he was actually in. When everyone else is in thick clothing, he is half-naked. He has climbed the Everest, walking barefooted on ice, swim without any gear under ice, and he has even challenged his own immune system.

He has put himself to the test. Not only that, he has succeeded in bringing his string of followers through is journey by just priming them to the right mindset. Everything that he can endure, he is able to replicate with others. It is not him alone. It is all in the mind. It is in the breathing. The only way to succeed is to believe, stay calm, and practice. If you are able to understand this for a fact, you will be able to do so as well. You do not need any special powers or shields or weapons to make your dreams come true. All you need is yourself.

Expose yourself to the uncomfortable. Take cold showers every morning, it makes you feel you can take the day.

 

But, there is still every reason for healthy people to take cold showers, or swim outside in cold water. It gives you the feeling that you are alive.

Wim Hof (The Iceman), Dutch extreme athlete, 1959-present

News

Everyone either watches or reads the news. It seems like the one most important thing to do, or so we thought.

Whenever there is a get together with family and friends, people often talk about what is happening around the world or what is happening around their lives. Some of it interesting while others are not so. It is great to catch up but is it necessary to be on top of the conversation all the time?

People love to complain about that politician that is not doing things right. Perhaps these people have not realized that all politicians are similar. They start up with a noble cause but somehow when they are on top of the food chain, things change. Their conditions change. Their responsibilities change. Nobody can avoid the fact that the environment that they are in changes their personality to the other end that nobody likes to see. Sometimes, it takes drastic measures to create the results that one wants. It is a give and take situation.

Perhaps we do not understand those politicians. Why are they corrupt? Why are they being nonsensical? When we first followed them, when we first voted for them, they are great people with great passion to bring up the country. They are great leaders and people believed in them. What has caused the change? Humans. We are nobody to comment on whether or not that particular politician is doing the right thing. He may be in a high position but he is not a control everyone person. He still has to go with the flow in order to make things happen for the better. What we see is only on the surface.

There is always two sides to a story, sometimes even more. We love to only look at one side of it. We are just humans. We choose to believe the side that sounds good to our ears.

Most often, the side of the story that catches our attention is the side that brings negative influence. We somehow love to know how bad the situation is.

What are the most viewed news?

Those news that make it to the headlines are always news that are outrageously bad and out of control. Take it now, for example, the headlines that flood the mainstream media is always on COVID-19. How the numbers are not receding? How more people are dying? How businesses are struggling? How economy is crumbling? So what can we do about this? We are no expert in creating vaccines. We are no expert in solving the problem. Why are we on top of this topic all day and night? Does anyone realize how bad an influence this is?

We are not living in a box. We are aware of this pandemic affecting everyone around the world. We know that, but we cannot do anything about that. Correct? So why are we fussing over and over that same thing when there is nothing we can do to change it? Unless you have found a cure, there is nothing to talk about anymore. Unless you do your due diligence to keep your family and yourself safe, there is nothing to worry about anymore.

Immersing in information does not change the world. Yes, your mind gets the information and then what? Do you plan to do something about it? What is the reason to keep all the information and not do anything about it?

Instead of getting negative inputs and keeping all the unnecessary information that you have no control over, why not choose to find and keep only those that you can do something about?

Positive affirmations. These are great information. They motivate you and makes you believe that you are the special one and that you can do anything and go anywhere your dream brings you. There is no limit to what our minds can store. There is no fast and hard rule to say that being positive all the time is strange. We are who we are and we become who we want to become. We live for ourselves.

Stop watching that mainstream news and start focusing on what makes a better you!

 

If people in the media cannot decide whether they are in the business of reporting news or manufacturing propaganda, it is all the more important that the public understand that difference, and choose their news sources accordingly.

Thomas Sowell, American economist and social theorist, 1930-present