"Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan 'Press On' has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race."
---Calvin Coolidge
From Motivational Quotes of the Day for December 30, 2007
In Six Simple Strategies for Achieving Misery, Sol Herzig takes a humorous, but all too true, look at the work required to keep serenity and joy at bay and attract misery into your life. The piece is worth reading in its entirety. I will try to give you a taste:
"The strategies outlined below, practiced regularly, vastly improve our odds of achieving misery.
1. Cling to Entitlement...be aware that life owes you and that you were put on this planet to collect.
2. It's All Personal. Malicious intent is always present if you just look carefully enough...
3. Focus on Problems...Nurture the attitude that you can't really move on to anything unless everything is resolved first...
4. Magnify...Why would anyone ever want to think of themselves as "just human" when "fatally flawed" and "irredeemably warped" are available?...
5. Expect Catastrophe...People sometimes protest that their bodies feel perfectly fine. Not to worry! Think "Silent Killers"...
6. Just Say "No Thanks" to Gratitude...At an advanced level, you can even learn to see the bad in the good. For instance, should you get a big raise you could immediately focus on the tax implications...
"Within each of there is a well of energy that must be regularly replenished. When we act as if this well is bottomless, scheduling a long list of activities that fit like puzzle pieces into every minute of every day, it becomes depleted and we feel exhausted, disconnected, and weak. Refilling this well is a matter of finding time to focus on, nurture, and care for ourselves, or 'you time.'
"Most of us are, at different times throughout the day, a spouse, a friend, a relative, an employee, a parent, or a volunteer, which means that down time, however relaxing in nature, is not necessarily "you time." Though some people will inevitably look upon "you time" as being selfish, it is actually the polar opposite of selfishness. We can only excel where our outer world affairs are concerned when our own spiritual, physical, and intellectual needs are fulfilled.
"Recognizing the importance of 'you time' is far easier than finding a place for it in an active, multifaceted lifestyle, however. Even if you find a spot for it in your agenda, you may be dismayed to discover that your thoughts continuously stray into worldly territory. To make the most of 'you time,' give yourself enough time on either side of the block of time you plan to spend on yourself to ensure that you do not feel rushed. Consider how you would like to pass the time, forgetting for the moment your obligations and embracing the notion of renewal. You may discover that you are energized by creative pursuits, guided meditation, relaxing activities during which your mind can wander, or modes of expression such as writing.
"Even if you have achieved a functioning work-life balance, you may still be neglecting the most important part of that equation: you. 'You time' prepares you for the next round of daily life, whether you are poised to immerse yourself in a professional project or chores around the home. It also affords you a unique opportunity to learn about yourself, your needs, and your tolerances in a concrete way. As unimportant as 'you time' can sometimes seem, it truly is crucial to your wellbeing because it ensures that you are never left without the energy to give of yourself."
Reprinting today's meditation from DailyOM - Nurturing Mind Body & Spirit.
The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude to me is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than success, than what other people think, say or do. It is more important than appearance, gift, or skill. It will make or break a company…a church…a home.
The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past… The only thing we can do is play on the string we have, and that is our attitude.
I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you… we are in charge of our attitudes.
---Charles Swindoll
Hat tip to The Positivity Blog
"Researchers are beginning to show that meditation directly affects the function and structure of the brain, changing it in ways that appear to increase attention span, sharpen focus and improve memory...
The forms of meditation...scientists are studying involve focusing on an image or sound or on one's breathing. Though deceptively simple, the practice seems to exercise the parts of the brain that help us pay attention...
Not surprisingly, given those results, a growing number of corporations—including Deutsche Bank, Google and Hughes Aircraft—offer meditation classes to their workers...Making employees sharper is only one benefit; studies say meditation also improves productivity, in large part by preventing stress-related illness and reducing absenteeism.
Another benefit for employers: meditation seems to help regulate emotions, which in turn helps people get along...So, for a New Year's resolution that can pay big dividends at home and at the office, try this: just breathe."
Read more in How to Get Smarter, One Breath at a Time -- TIME
Also see Meditation goes to work
There are times in our lives when all the signs seem to be pointing us in a particular direction. Our thoughts and dreams are echoed in the songs and stories we hear and the media we see. Maybe the message we are getting from the universe doesn’t even make sense in the “real” world, but somewhere inside, these urges feel right. Maybe you feel you are being told to move to a new city although your life where you are is just fine. Or maybe you feel the desire to pursue a new direction in your career when it never really interested you before. When we spend time getting in touch with our higher selves, our intuition sends us directives to lead us to become our best and most fulfilled selves. And when we are open and listening, the next step is to take action and go for it.
Once we make the decision to pursue our inner urgings, the universe sets into motion the means for all sorts of details to fall into place. A sense of peace will come over us, because we know that any questions will no longer make us wonder if our dreams are possible, but how to make them happen. Instead of deterring us from our goal, these questions only serve to clarify our focus to move us forward. We need not throw caution to the wind to follow our dream. The positive shift in our energy affects everything around us. Like a rush of water, it goes ahead to clear debris from our path so that we can go forward. Our new attitude also attracts likeminded people. Sometimes even the most unlikely angels arrive to help us along our way with the information and support we need.
Wherever your dreams are pointing you today, take a step. Take action and manifest your inner urges and soul whisperings.
From DailyOM - Nurturing Mind Body & Spirit
Darren D. Johnson shares five things he learned from spending 6 hours in Omaha with Warren Buffett:
1. Be Grateful
2. Be Ethical & Fair
3. Be Trustworthy
4. Invest in your Circle of Competence
5. Do What You Love,
Found via Warren Buffet Gets It and evelynr's favorites on del.icio.us
A little girl saved the life of Hermann Rosenblatt during the holocaust. Fate brought her back into his life. Later, he had heart bypass surgery and his mother came to him in a dream, saying "You've got to tell your story, so that your grandchildren will know who their grandfather was." And what a story. So we will never forget, read about it in this aish.com article.
"Gratitude can be a powerfully transformative practice...Practicing gratitude can actually improve our emotional and physical well-being...
Here are daily practices anyone can try.
1. See the giver behind the gift...
2. Ask yourself three questions every day... 'What have I received today? What have I given? What trouble have I caused?'...'As we become aware that we've received so much more than we've given, not only does that cultivate gratitude, it also cultivates often a sense of wanting to give something back to the world.'
3. Practice even when you don't feel like it. 'One of the mistakes people often make in our culture is thinking you have to feel grateful to practice gratitude...You can practice anytime'...
4. Make thank-you your mantra...
5. Create a simple family ritual. 'In our family, every evening when we have dinner, we say our thank you's...I's not a formal prayer of any kind, but just what we're grateful for in the moment, and that's all. It brings us back, it's a touchstone to the miracles of life that we may have been overlooking.'
6. Bow to life. 'I do three bows in the morning...The first bow is to my self as part of the universe. The second bow is to my family, children, and friends to acknowledge and appreciate them. The third is bowing to the universal life force and what is. Doing this helps me let go of controlling, and instead open to the flow of life...'
Read more in this article from Beliefnet.com.
Happy Thanksgiving to All
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