Invest on Mind - It's a priority

We talk to others all the time about investing money but money isn’t everything, right. If we invest in our self, we can earn returns that will last a lifetime. Some of us take meticulous care of our bodies, we go to the gym, we eat properly, we sleep well. But we don’t spend merely as much effort looking after our minds. There are many small things we can do to work better on our minds.

• Read

Have you ever walked into someone’s home and not seen a single book? It’s scary! Yes, one would rather see furniture made from the different materials than no books (I mean kindle too). Some don’t even believe it matters so much what you read. Sure, some things might be more beneficial than others, but one thing the act itself is what will improve your mind. When you read, we have to be more focused than when doing something like watching television or messing around on the internet. We tend to read at quiet times of the day, first thing in the morning or in bed before going to sleep. The quiet of the time spent reading and the time spent focusing on something pleasurable increases the benefits. It doesn’t matter so much what we read but if we want to make reading count even more as a way to invest in yourself, read something beautiful, something inspiring, or something educational that too on a repetitive basis.

• Meditate

Meditating is hard, at least, it is for me. We wriggle, we get intrusive thoughts, in our head, we make snarky comments to the voice in the guided meditation. There is a lot of scientific evidence that meditation has tremendous benefits. It reduces symptoms of depression and anxiety, it improves concentration and memory. It can even help people struggling with addiction. .Everyone has an area they need to improve in and some of us have a lot of them that need a lot of improvement. But you can acknowledge the need for improvement without using nasty, hateful language toward yourself.

• Invest In Your Body

Some of us are in the opposite position; we tend to our minds to the detriment of our bodies. But one is not worth much without the other, so we need to get them in balance. If we’ve been neglectful of your body, there are some small but impactful things we can do to change that. Even if we don’t suspect anything is wrong, we’re no doctor! In the likely event, there is nothing catastrophic wrong with us, a good doctor can help achieve a much higher degree of feeling well than we may currently have. Having certain vitamin deficiencies can make us feel low energy, can make it hard to concentrate, and can even make feel mildly depressed, but most deficiencies are easily and cheaply addressed and can make a big difference to how well one feel.

• Sleep

We probably aren’t getting enough sleep or water and what we’re getting might be poor quality. This is a big, big one. If we can get enough, our life will improve. If we chronically aren’t getting enough, our life can become hell. It’s bad for heart, sex life (what more convincing do one need?), it can even contribute to weight gain. Try to keep the times one goes to sleep and the times one wakes up consistent. If we love sleeping in on weekends, I know how crazy this sounds. But the reason we love sleeping in is that we aren’t getting enough sleep. It has nothing to do with hating to get up early.

• Learn One Practical Skill

It doesn’t have to be something that makes money, but it certainly can be. It can just be something to save money. Learn some instruments, will get some good vibes. Learn to cook so one can save spending so much on eating out. We might even be able to turn this money-saving skill into a money-making skill.

• Relationships

We can invest in ourselves by investing in relationships, or sometimes taking a loss and moving on. All the money in the world won’t keep the company. We maintain a vague relationship, maybe because we’ve known the person for a long time, but we hardly miss them if they were no longer in our life. We can cut these people out of our life, we can, One will just is relieved. We will have more time for the people who really matter. The more social relationships we have, and the healthier we will be, mentally and physically. Most of us have family, friends, and co-workers, try to add one more group. Volunteer for a cause, care about. Doing so has its own benefits. Helping others makes us happy in a way buying things never will. The wider your social circle, the more opportunities will be coming on the way.

• Rekindle An Old One

Not an old romance for cripes sake. That is almost always a terrible idea, but there are people who were once in life who are no longer in life for no better reason than both terrible at keeping in touch. we are so guilty of this and with the move imminent,  one is determined not to let it happen again. It’s not hard to keep in touch. A text, an e-mail, a Facebook message. But if lost touch with someone you care about, reach out to them. They will probably be delighted to hear. Sometimes, though, both lives change and the bond doesn’t have the same connection as before. That’s okay. Some people are in our lives at a particular time for a particular reason. Things change and the relationship isn’t the same, but you tried and that’s worth something.

Not every investment starts with money. Some things are just as important. Don’t forget to tend to them and to yourself as well.

SELF ESTEEM : Be Real, Not Perfect

A clear definition of SELF ESTEEM entitles that it reflects an individual's overall subjective emotional evaluation of his/her own worth. It can also be defined as "the decisions made by an individual as an attitude towards themselves," Self-esteem, can be divided into two namely:

• High self Esteem
• Low self Esteem.

Low self-esteem is characterized by "A lack of self-confidence and feeling bad about oneself". People with low self-esteem often feel unlovable, awkward, or incompetent. Although the high one just means "you think positively high about yourself, and you see a lot of positive values and potentials in you and your capabilities. It is important to note that, what causes a person to either have high or low self-esteem about himself/herself is the way you think about your self.

Beautifully quoted that “The golden opportunity you are seeking is in yourself. It is not in your environment, it is not in luck or chance, or the help from others; it is in yourself alone.” Therefore, An individual can have low or high self-esteem, depending on what you think about yourself. The decision is always yours.

"A strong POSITIVE self-image, is the best possible preparation for SUCCESS in life."

In life, we are faced with different challenges, which prepares us for the tasks ahead. The most influential ones in society today have a lot of stories to tell on how they made it in life. Mind you, they thought of themselves been high that is why they got where they are today. They never saw themselves as ordinary men. Some are from a poor background but they never allowed where they came from, deny them what they wish to be tomorrow. Their high spirit kept pushing them to where they are today.

Some persons are born with a diamond spoon in their mouth, and probably something disastrous happens and they lose their wealth. While others who are born with such a spoon in their mouth might be lucky to have the spoon permanently fixed in their mouth for life. What if you aren't born with a diamond spoon? Does that make you a failure? If no, why should you think low of yourself?

Irrespective of the condition you were born into, you can become someone of great worth if you think positively of yourself. Don't accept defeat in life's trials. Don't tell yourself you can't succeed and don't look down on yourself. There can always be a turning point in the life of everyone. It's only the dead that has no hope. You, that is alive still, have a hope of a turning point in life. Always remember, Time and season have a lot to play in the destiny of man.

Many of us might not be able to boast of wealthy homes from birth. While some us may be able to boast, but confessing that the good times are yesterday. Don't think low of yourself because situations changed. You can still be great again. See every circumstance you are in as an opportunity to become even greater than what you are experiencing. Also, contentment should be your watchword, as it is for major crowd who keep themselves happy. To maintain high self-esteem, learn this:

Don't compare yourself with others. You can never be the same as you are UNIQUE. Be contented with what you can afford. The wealthiest persons aren't those that wear the most expensive clothes. No one can be you. Everyone is unique, so you are. Remember, all fingers aren't equal, yet no finger is more important than the order. Every lofty height you desire to achieve, living right and trusting in God can take you there. You must make the right efforts to get to right places. Deceitful achievements have a reward as they come with pain.

Sometimes the pressure from friends can make you go off track. Even the most liberated people are adversely affected by the pressure of public opinion. Notwithstanding the opinions of others, it is best to be giving yourself the confidence that you can achieve something in life. Many of us are encircled by people's opinion, who do not allow us to live with the freedom of our own opinions and the exploration of our personal choice. Having high esteem about ourselves is on the tendency to reflect the opinions of others. Mind you, you actually teach people, how to treat you by how you treat yourself. Carry yourself with prestige and see others succumb to that manner.

Friendship

"Friendships never die; their legacy lives on, in the heart... "

Recall the worst time of your life. Now try to remember that one person who stood by you in this hour of crisis. It could either be parents, sibling or close friend. Chances are it was the latter. Your friend was there for you, comforting reassuring and supportive. That’s what friends are about: providing constant support, our comforting confidant and our worst critic. They are the family we choose! Friends are the people we love to spend time with. They give us company when we are lonely, support us unconditionally and accept us despite our shortcomings. They make celebrations fun, and they help us be ourselves.

Not just that, friends also help us grow at a spiritual level. Each soul is on a journey. Friends are guides who come into our lives, play their roles and move on. Don’t we all have friends who we were very close to at one point, but with whom we are no longer in touch with now? They drifted away from our life when their role as a guide was over. What friends do for us cannot be described in words. Just recall all those friends and make them feel happy, by saying thank you, that they exist.

It is important for us to have friends but many of us find it difficult to strike up a friendship. There are a few things that if you can follow, you will be rewarded with well-flourishing and long-lasting Friendship.

The first is to start a relationship with the right expectations. Don’t expect too much. If you start with high hopes, the relationship is likely to flounder. For anyone to fulfill your expectations, they need to understand what is expected of them. This understanding takes time. Besides, expectations are always two-sided, so having low expectations ensures the same from others. One of the drawbacks of starting a friendship with high expectations is that at every step, you start judging the person and his actions. (Stop Expecting Too Much). There is a constant dialogue going on in your mind where you are trying to judge if the person is fitting into your definition of a friend. Friends are the family we get to choose. But don’t expect too much from them too.

If you are too judgemental, you might focus only on the negatives and miss out on some of the finer qualities your friends might possess. (Stop Being Judgemental). People don’t necessarily have to fit into your image of a good person. There are many other ways in which people can be good. Also, if every person in your life fits into your definition of good, chances are that all the people in your life will be alike. If you are eclectic in your views, life will shower on you with abundance of friends.

Another important aspect of friendship is understanding that we all grow and change. Since we continue to grow, we continue to evolve. Hence, it is important that you don’t judge people by their past actions. Always give them another chance. See them with neutrality. That way you can start a relationship from an absolutely new perspective, like painting on a clean canvas. What you paint is then up to you.

Another golden rule is to have no preconceived notion about either the person or the relationship. What the relationship should involve should be determined by the experiences the two people share, and not by a fixed definition that is prevalent. The relationship can be an intense one or can be just a casual friendship where both people have the same idea of fun. If you don’t start with a fixed notion, the freedom in the relationship helps you grow and explore.

In any relationship, and especially in friendship, it is important to communicate clearly what you are feeling (Communication Is Important). Honest communication leads to the right expectations. Always speak frankly about the way you feel. This ensures that your friend understands you for who you are and not the image that she might have created in her mind. It also ensures that there is complete acceptance and trust in the relationship.

The more acceptance there is, the easier it is to trust. Eventually, trust is the basis for any strong relationship. But to develop trust you need to communicate clearly and be non-judgemental. Make sure you do your best to nurture the friendship.

"True friends are never apart, they may be separated by distance, but never by heart..."

Missing Someone: What it feels ?

I already know what you’re about. I already know that you already miss someone, or that you might be in a relationship, where in fact, you wonder what it would feel like to miss that person. That’s why you opened this article, isn’t it? Missing someone isn’t just “a thing” that one plans to feel. You don’t look at the person you love and think to yourself “I’m going to miss you one day.” You never plan to ever miss that person, because that person is never someone that you’d expect to miss. They’ll always be there, right?

Wrong. Sometimes they’re not always there. Sometimes they leave your life out of nowhere and all that’s left is their memory. Sometimes you might not care at first, and then when the absence sinks in, it’s too late and you can’t handle it. Sometimes they’re permanently gone, and there is nothing you can do about it. The sad truth is that we’re all missing someone. And hoping that wherever they are they’re missing us back too.

Do you ever fully forget somebody? Does the day of your anniversary, or the day of their birthday, ever become a regular day of the year? Do you just forget the days you’ve spent together? That time in the park, or that time abroad? What kind of days are they now? Can you ever go back to these places without that person coming across your mind, even if just for a second?

I don’t believe so. I don’t believe that memory with someone will ever go away. That time you watched a bad movie together, or the time you had been to a spiritual place or that time you spent a full four hours at a random garden or cafe with, talking about how Pluto totally got fucked out of being a planet.

And in reality, if you really think about it, to miss someone is to sort of miss a part of yourself. You miss yourself with that person. You miss who they made you become. You became alive. You became ecstatic; enchanted; jubilant. You became the best form of yourself. And then out of nowhere. you weren’t you. Suddenly, you became someone that you weren’t familiar with. You can’t keep a solid thought and your body aches for sleep. You are dumbfounded. You feel numb. You feel helpless, maybe even hopeless. Everything has a gray hue. Or you aren’t sure why you feel lost. But you do. You feel utterly aimless like you’re floating from random task to random task. You appear okay from the outside, but your mind is screaming in ways you’ve never heard. You’re paralyzed to even help yourself. You’re slowly losing yourself because, in reality, you lost apart of yourself by losing someone you love. You convince yourself that you’ll never be happy, because how could you? How could you be happy without them? How can you ever experience all of those same things with somebody else?

Missing someone is almost equivalent to witnessing a small child misplacing their parent in the middle of the mall. That moment of vulnerability. That moment of fear. All you want to do is cry and hope that a stranger will come to the rescue and help you find where you belong.

So in closing, and what I personally think, is that when you miss someone, you pretty much miss apart of yourself. Take a look around and realize that there is so much more of you to be loved, and not enough of you to be missed. Because while you were behind that door crumbling, the rest of the world was moving on. So always remember what our forefathers guided us, the two words in Sanskrit, अनुग्च्छ्तु प्रवाह:, meaning "GO WITH THE FLOW". 

Overcome Fear - The Prison Within.

There is a prison that has an inmate population in the billions. It’s a prison without walls, without barbed wire, without guards and without any physical barrier. But it is the most effective prison in the whole world. Few escape it, but those who do find real and lasting freedom. That prison is in our minds. It is a prison that holds back our initiative, our talent, our ability to express ourselves and, most of all, it holds back the fulfillment of our full potential as human beings.

That prison is fear. Our lives today are controlled by fear more than we know. Fear controls the choices we make, our actions, our habits and even our destinies. Fear has become one of the greatest threats to humanity in this day in its many forms. Recent events in the world have shown how fear can drive even those that are powerful to behave desperately and inhumanely. But the effect of fear on our personal lives is more damaging than any person can ever hope to achieve. Fear of life prevents most of us from living.

Fear of life? Yes. “Too many people are thinking of security instead of opportunity. They seem to be more afraid of life than death.”

In its extremes, fear in our personal lives causes anxiety and phobias. For people with such illnesses, the prison of fear can seem like a death sentence. Their lives may be totally controlled by fear, making life totally unenjoyable and everyday tasks a real struggle. Fortunately, this is not the most common manifestation of fear. The far more destructive form of fear is one that we have come to accept because it is so common.

There are those of you out there with brilliant business ideas. What holds you back is fear. You think about all the statistics of how many businesses fail every year, or what your friends and family will think of you if you quit your job to pursue your dreams. The fear of not being able to pay your bills, fear of getting fired, fear of starting over and the fear of not having a job title all hold you back. It is fear that keeps most of us in jobs we do not enjoy and, sometimes, that don’t even meet our financial needs.

The fear of taking risks is one that few people are able to overcome. Risk is the potential harm that may arise from some present process or from some future event. In every area of life risk-taking is a necessary thing. If you propose marriage to someone you have to take the risk that they may say no. If you are in a race you have to take the risk that you may lose miserably. If you want to live life to its fullest you have to take the risk of failure. “Only when we are no longer afraid do we begin to live.” Fear will paralyze you if you do not deal with it. It will absolutely stop you from living a life that you desire. Recognize it. Conquer it. Eleanor Roosevelt’s advice is that “you gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do.”

I’m sure you have had experience in the past when you really feared something. After doing it how did you feel. Silly? Stupid? The feeling is often one of “that wasn’t so hard after all. I don’t know what I was afraid of.” Trying to fight fear is like trying to fight the dark. You can’t do it. The way to get rid of darkness is to bring in the light. The way to get rid of your fears is to conquer them. “Do the thing you fear to do and keep on doing it... that is the quickest and surest way ever yet discovered to conquer fear”

Go ahead and start that business you want to start. Go ahead and study what you really want to study. Go ahead and become a musician, poet, artist, fashion designer or whatever else you want to do. Sure you might fail, but you might succeed too. Take the risk today and conquer your fears. Do you want to look back years from now and think I could have, I might have, and I should have. That is a sad way to live your life.

Remember that no matter how “safe” you play it one fate awaits us all. That is death. Whether you take a risk or not you will die. So of what benefit is it to you to be under the yoke of fear and live a life that is way below your potential? Use your life wisely. Free your mind from fear and worry and go for it.

There is the only thing you should fear and that is God. That should not be a fear of terror but of reverence. “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” Feed your faith and your fears will starve to death.

You are all you can be. Go on and be it.

Control Your Mind- Mind your own business.

The human mind is a great force without bounds. The chief tool of the human mind is the brain. Our brain allows us to unlock our imaginations and be the creative geniuses that we were destined to be. We humans being fashioned in the similitude and likeness of our creator need not to place limits on ourselves and our abilities. The creator possesses infinite wisdom & knowledge and being formed in his semblance makes use creatures of great ability. Look at the great wonders, their workman has invented and embarked on, these ventures could have not taken place if the man did not have an internal infinite source of intelligence. There is nothing that man can not accomplish if he or she sets their mind to it. If you can control your mind, you can control your life. How can we take control of our lives and get back on track when life's challenges seem to overtake us? Mind your own business. The key word is Mind. Let's discuss a little more about the mind.

Growing up as a child, I can recall several times when my elders had told the other children around me and myself to mind our own business. In the days of my youth, I never ever figured that the statement could be so profound as it is to this day. Our minds are our business and we have to be able to manage our minds just as a good CEO manages a major corporation. Our minds are powerful but yet delicate if you are not careful with what you allow to dwell in them. Our creator designed us with an internal blueprint to allow us to accomplish great feats with our minds. There is so much untapped knowledge out there about the human mind that it keeps neuroscientist actively busy and they will continue to be that way until the end of this age. I admire the curiosity and the learning curves that small children venture through in life. We actually can learn a lot from babies if we study their learning patterns. Our problem as adults is that we get to a stage in our life where we lose childhood innocence, curiosity, vivid imagination and creativity. We began to settle for what the vast majority of adults deem as the grown folks way to live. As adults, we get bombarded with life's distractions such as ungrateful family members and friends, bills, jobs and social status. You must remove all negative influences and people from around you to control your mind.

We humans must learn to think for ourselves and acknowledge no one or nothing outside of ourselves can help us to improve our circumstances. The Creator can not begin to guide you until you put an earnest foot forward towards Him to help yourself. We have been brainwashed over the years to believe that our families, friends, bosses and government can help us and solve all of our problems. That is a bunch of baloney! We have been duped to think that all these outside forces will and can save us. Stop leaning on other folks as a crutch, stand on your own two feet! Look up to gain guidance and unleash the power that you have instilled within you. All the things that happen to us physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually are the unveiling of what goes on in our minds. Be careful to watch and safeguard our minds. Only be concerned with positive things happening roundabout you. When negative energy tries to attack you, react to it with positive meditations and positive energy.

Controlling the mind takes self-discipline. Self-discipline can be initiated when you learn how to focus on developing yourself spiritually. Learn to have tunnel vision when it comes to you procuring your goals and attaining happiness from within. Know that Our Creator gave us a sound mind to take on any challenges or obstacles that may come our way. Besides, He left us with an eternal legacy to use as a blueprint to govern our lives and to solve any issues that may try to hinder us from a strong, stable mind. Control your mind and your daily walk in this life will become so much easier.

Understand - The Misunderstanding

Misunderstandings are perhaps the single greatest source of our arguments and fights with each other. They occur for many reasons. Understanding where they come from and how to avoid them will go a long way to strengthen relationships and avoid fights. It is important to understand what constitutes a  misunderstanding. We've all experienced someone confusing our intentions with what we said. We've all had someone misquote what we said. It's frustrating. Interestingly enough, the majority of arguments begin with a misunderstanding. I'd say that close to 90% of our relationship problems with people are the result of misunderstandings.

A misunderstanding could be the result of several things or some combination thereof:

1. Hearing something that wasn't said.
2. Not hearing something that was said.
3. Not understanding what was said.
4. Not knowing how to say something.
5. Thinking you said something that you really didn't.
6. Misreading body-language.

We've all been there. We've struggled with explaining something in words that is more felt or abstract. We've all thought we heard someone say something that they did not, and we've all fallen victim to someone else's twisted interpretation of what we've said. It is so easy to fall into a misunderstanding. In fact, there will undoubtedly be folk who misunderstand portions of this article. There are many reasons for that, but they can all lead to communication problems.

A small misunderstanding can easily ruin relations for years. It is thus necessary to prevent it from occurring in your precious relationship as misunderstanding is like a slow poison which can slowly ruin your long term relationship and may turn you, stranger. The best way to deal with a misunderstanding is by preventing it from occurring itself. Your relationship should be strong enough to withstand any such storm of adversity. Every relation is good until it has transparency and which everything is crystal clear between each other, misunderstanding can not sow its poisonous seeds in it. If you find anything wrong, you should openly discuss it and avoid the formation of any misunderstanding. Keep the ego aside and talk about the problem, take the views instead of assuming things. One had rightly quoted, "I don't mind being hated, but I hate being misunderstood."

The best way to deal with a misunderstanding is to talk it out. Talk it out over food, or go to the favorite hang out place to openly discuss and sort the matter. If you find other behaving differently than usual, then you must try to find out the reason behind it. Many times there are small things that trouble us and which may be caused by some gap in communication. As Being, one should try out to sort such minor differences so as to avoid a small gap in relation forming the major misunderstanding that disrupts the relation.

Take the first step and don't wait for the other one to react first. You should not have EGO issues in true elation. Every relation is precious and one must not lose them because of misunderstanding. Trust is the basis of any relationship and you should not let your trust waiver amidst the storm of misunderstanding.

Second Chance: The Opening Door

When you’ve been hurt, betrayed, or disappointed by someone you care about, it’s hard to imagine giving that person another chance. Yet forgiveness is a value that is fundamental to human relationships. Giving up on people because they’ve let you down, whether it’s your favorite athlete, a political figure, or your best friend, seems antithetical to that value.

Even though we’re taught to forgive and to give someone an opportunity to make up for past wrongs, not everyone is capable of doing so. We tend to think of forgiveness in interpersonal terms: Someone steps on your foot and it really hurts, but to the best of your knowledge, it wasn’t an intentional act. When the person apologizes, you accept it and don’t hold a grudge or strike back. However, forgiveness also has a larger intergroup context. According to the researchers, “Forgiveness seems to be a critical element in breaking cycles of counter violence in post conflict societies”. In other words, perhaps forgiveness might lead to healing and reconciliation among.

From the level of the individual to the level of the society, forgiveness seems to make a difference in the preservation of harmony. Analyzing, Forgiveness overall, beaten out by virtues such as honesty, responsibility, and loving, but it imaginative and obedient . It is proposed that country-level factors that influence the espousing of forgiveness as a value were related to almost Maslow-like qualities, such as feelings of stability and safety. These “post materialistic” qualities are aided and abetted by time away from conflict. In countries with high levels of concern about safety due to the presence of conflict, forgiveness may fall behind values that reflect the need for protection.

Once a culture becomes more forgiving, there are payoffs for its residers: As in the analysis across world, there is a positive relationship between the average well-being of people in a culture and the extent to which they value forgiveness. Simply put, being forgiving seems to relate to being happier. Whether happier people are more forgiving (and happier in the first place because their life's are stable) or whether forgiveness leads to happiness and stability can’t be answered by this correlational study. Whatever the causal chain, though, forgiveness and happiness seem linked.

Now we get to the reasons forgiveness and the associated willingness to give second chances can benefit you. With any luck, you live in a culture that places forgiveness high on the value hierarchy. Accidentally bumping into a stranger in the street won’t lead to insults or physical assault, and everyone will feel better as a result of an apology and display of humanity. What else can second chances do for you? The reasons according to me forgive someone should help to convince you may be:

• That factor of subjective well-being. You feel happier when you forgive someone else. The magnanimous pays off in terms of your own emotional benefits.

• People can change. Means "why you should give second chances" focuses on the idea that personality isn’t set in stone. People can learn from their mistakes and when you give them a second opportunity, you allow them to demonstrate this.

• It’s practical and saves emotional energy. It needs to be the new start. As example, your previous romantic partner may have done things that caused you to break up, but when you start with someone new, you’re back to square one. Once your anger subsides, pushing the “reset” button on the first partner may just give you greater insight and appreciation for that relationship.

• You’d like people to treat you the same way. Turn the tables and imagine that it’s you who needs the second chance. Wouldn’t you feel better if you were given an opportunity to try again? Whether it’s the job you’ve been hired for or the relationship that took a turn for the worse due to your own mistakes, it’s nice to know that someone is willing to give you a chance to redeem yourself.

So above are the reasons which, one come across, If you have something interesting and different view, let me know in the comment box below. With the ending words I just say, "When we have the opportunity to show forgiveness to those we interact with, we should: It can improve our outlook on ourselves and the rest". On the other way round, "If you are lucky enough to get a second chance so don't waste it" as you had already learnt from mistakes. Change can be a slow process, but I believe everyone can move ahead with change even one inch at a time.

Move Forward - Life can be a tough Ride.

Moving forward means not to accept the calamities of life to break you. It means that you are willing to continue even during times of great difficulties. It also implies that you keep fighting until the obstacles – no matter how huge – are overcome. But moving forward also means that you do not allow external circumstances to stop you from the pursuit of your goals.

If you fail, moving forward helps you to find another way of accomplishing your dreams. If life pushes you to the ground, the willingness to move forward helps you to get back up again. It will get you going again until you’ve worked yourself out of the difficulties.

Life is not always a joyful ride. It can treat you really bad sometimes. Before you even realize, it drags you away from the sunny side of life into a dark storm. A headwind will oppose every one of your movements. Trials and tribulations will rain down upon you like hailstones. Setbacks and failures accompany every one of your steps.

When the going gets tough, people usually start looking for something to blame. Admittedly, this is a relatively easy thing to do. There will be always someone or something to blame. For this reason, it’s always easier to play the victim in difficult situations. But none of this will lead you anywhere. Playing the victim will not help you to move on with your life. All it does is to immobilize and discourage you from ever attempting to break free.

The world can be quite a tough place. Life beats you up and knocks you to the ground, over and over again. What is worse, life will give it’s very best to keep you permanently down on the ground. But only if you let it do so. Keep Moving Forward, One Step at a Time.

There are many who complain about how hard life has hit them. They think about each individual punch over and over again, deeply despising the pain that came with it. Regret, anger, and sadness about what happened to take turns. These people feel sorry for themselves and wish that it had never happened. They cannot stop thinking about how it all happened and what they could have done in order to prevent it. In short, they simply cannot accept that they’ve got beaten by life. Their inability to accept what happened centers all their attention to the problem. This, in turn, limits them from finding a solution that allows them to gradually break free.

The great problem with all of this is that not moving on is not going to help you in any way, shape, and form. For this reason, life is not about counting how often and measuring how hard it has hit you. It’s all about finding ways to get back up again, no matter how often or how hard it hits you. It’s about moving forward despite the greatest difficulties and obstacles.
Sometimes, you have to laugh off all of the bad things that keep happening. If you let every little word bother you, it is only going to bring you down. You have to remember the people insulting you are doing it because of their own insecurities. Every bad day you have will bring you one day closer to having a great day. Yes, I know some things are hard to ignore and at times they are impossible to ignore but you should not let it effect you in the long run. Remember, regardless of what others say, you are a beautiful person and you were perfectly and wonderfully made. Make a point to succeed when a person says you are not capable of doing so because when you succeed you are proving not only to them that you can but to yourself. Respect the person who is doubting you because that will let them know that you are not effected by what they are saying.

When you’re confronted with such, remind yourself that it is not so important what happens to you. Be aware that it is far more important how you think about what happened and how you react to it. It’s about making the choice to gather all the strength and courage that is left deep within you in order to get back up on your feet.

Move forward in your life, have goals and do whatever you can to reach them. Take your life into your own hands and make something of yourself. Have confidence in yourself in everything that you do whether it is sports, school, your job or getting the lead in the school play. If you believe that you are going to do well, you will. Every time you step onto the field, stage or into the classroom or office, believe that you are going to do the best of your ability to succeed.

“Perfection is like chasing the horizon. Keep moving.”

The Art of Giving

The true Art in Giving is to give from the heart without any expectation of a return. True giving comes from the same place inside you as your deepest happiness. They are inexplicably intertwined. A gift is something that is enjoyed twice. First by the giver who revels in the pleasure of giving something special and then also enjoyed by the person who receives the gift.

A very special form of giving takes the form of small, personal acts of kindness. Very often it is not money or belongings that people need, it's the things that can't be seen, such as advice reassurance, a kind word, compliments or a smile. The act of giving doesn’t have to be limited to an exchange of presents at festival time or Birthdays. You can treat every person you come into contact with as someone who you can give a gift to.

You may be a bit skeptical, wondering what exactly do you have to give? Everybody has something of value for another person. It could be a kind word, a simple smile, some appreciation, the sharing of some special knowledge, even a helping hand or a bit of support during a difficult emotional time. You have something to give everyone.

The act of true giving is something wonderful and amazing. With most things in this world, there is only a limited amount of what you can give away. Fortunately, generosity and kindness are not bound to these same material limitations. One of life’s most basic laws is "every single act of love, kindness and generosity will multiply and return to you many times over ". The more you give the happier you will feel.

It is one of life's wonderful paradoxes that you limit the power of your giving by having an expectation of getting something in return. When you give without any thought or desire for something back, your returns will be truly limitless. Your life is like a river of energy, continually flowing. What happens when a river stops moving? It gets very muddy, and stagnant. A fast flowing river is full of life and clear water. Where would you rather drink? The acts of giving and receiving are a continuous process of circulation, that continues the flow of your life’s energies. For one person to receive someone else has to give. It’s a cycle of energy that flows continually onwards.

Pause for a moment as you read this, and take a big, deep breath. Hold it for as long as you possibly can. As you hold it inside, notice how uncomfortable you begin to feel when you are holding on to something that is meant to be released.  Now, breath out, completely and hold your breath with your lungs fully emptied. Feel how uncomfortable you feel when you are resisting taking in something that you need. True giving, without expectation of anything in return, is as effortless as breathing.

How often do you expect back from the person you gave something to a gift of a similar or greater value? Is this true giving or merely an unvoiced expectation of an exchange of similar goods? This is an ego-based form of giving. It is giving with an expectation of something in return. In reality, this is not giving at all but an unvocalized form of barter. If, through the act of giving, you feel that you have “lost something or are somehow lessened” then the gift was not truly given from your heart.

Truly giving something from the heart is an action which will fill your life with joy. This is where the expression to “give wholeheartedly” comes from. The intention behind your giving is the most important thing. The intention should always be to create happiness for both the giver and the receiver. If you experience resentment and a feeling of “I don’t really want to give this to this person, but I feel that I have to” or “I really should give them something,” this is probably what ultimately will come back to you. Perhaps, in this case, you need to consider not giving the gift at all!

What you give out is what comes back in direct proportions to the feelings you have in the act of giving.
It’s very simple. If you want to experience more joy, give joy to others, if you want more love, learn to give love, if you want attention and appreciation, learn to give appreciation to others. These are some of life’s most precious gifts and they don’t cost you anything. When you meet someone, you can silently send them a blessing, wishing them happiness, joy, and laughter. This kind of silent giving is very powerful. Do this, (with no thought of return) and you will suddenly find people around you opening to you in joy and happiness.

Make a decision that wherever you go, to whoever you meet, to give. As long as you are giving, you will also be receiving. The more you give, the more will flow back to you and be returned many times over. Giving creates a pattern of happiness, joy and love in your life beyond your wildest expectations.

"Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in Giving Creates Love.”