One of the major principles of happiness – and this comes as a shock to no one – is that perception shapes reality. The way we view something determines our experience. I saw this during the Inauguration. A person could say, “It’s fantastic to be here among so many people,” or a person could say, “It’s a pain to be stuck in these crowds and long lines.” Same reality, different perception.
I realized the importance of characterization when I eavesdropped on a few conversations between my three-year-old and her grandmother.
My daughter: “Can I please have some ice cream?” (yes, she did say ‘please’)
My mother-in-law: “Okay, but you had a cookie earlier, so I’m just going to give you a little bit.”
My daughter: “No, no, I want a big bowl! Not a little bit.”
My mother-in-law: “Tonight you’re going to go to bed nice and early.”
My daughter: “No, no, no! Not early, I want to stay up late!”
Had my mother-in-law said, “I’m giving you a big scoop” or “We’re letting you stay up late,” my daughter would have accepted that characterization instead of protesting. Same bowl of ice cream, same bedtime, different perception.
And this isn’t just true of children. The other day, I was talking to an acquaintance, and the subject of happiness came up. She said, “Well, Gretchen, you dabble in the subject of happiness, don’t you?”
Yes, in fact, I do dabble in the subject of happiness. I’ve been dabbling away for ten hours a day for more than three years now.
I’m proud to say that I handled it nicely in the moment, but I’m embarrassed to admit how much this characterization annoyed me. My reaction doesn’t speak well of me, at all; I know perfectly well that this person has no particular reason to know what I’m up to and that she didn’t mean to bug me – yet I found it hard not to feel irritated with that particular characterization.
It’s helpful to “Watch the characterizations” when we’re speaking to other people, and it’s also important when we’re characterizing things for ourselves. One of the challenges of my happiness project is to try to be more positive and lighthearted -- without being fake and superficial.
Often, I’ve found that I can characterize something in a way that’s more positive, but just as truthful. For example, “That meal was very filling,” instead of “That meal was very heavy.” Or “The play had a lot of great moments” instead of “The third act of the play was boring.” Sometimes, of course, I’m trying to make a specific critical point, and that’s fine, but sometimes remembering to “Watch the characterization” allows me to make my point in a less negative way – in particular, to myself.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
How a Monk's "Vow of Stability" Applies in Ordinary Life.
A few years ago, I read Thomas Merton’s famous memoir, The Seven Storey Mountain (it was this book that led me to read The Story of a Soul, which got me started on my obsessive interest with St. Thérèse of Lisieux), about his conversion to Catholicism and his decision to enter a Cistercian monastery.
I’ve been reading more Merton lately. In The Sign of Jonas, I learned to my surprise that Cistercian monks make five vows at the time of their profession. I knew about the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, but it turns out they also make vows of stability and conversion of manners.
I was intrigued with the vow of stability. This vow means that a monk stays put. Unless he’s sent somewhere else by his superiors, or gets a dispensation from Rome, a monk must remain in the monastery of his profession.
Merton explains: “By making a vow of stability the monk renounces the vain hope of wandering off to find a ‘perfect monastery.’ This implies a deep act of faith: the recognition that it does not much matter where we are or whom we live with…Stability becomes difficult for a man whose monastic ideal contains some note, some element of the extraordinary. All monastaries are more or less ordinary…Its ordinariness is one of its greatest blessings.”
When I first read this, it reminded me of – what else, marriage. Marriage is a vow of stability, made with the conviction that by committing yourself to one person, you’re better able to achieve happiness than by searching continually for the “perfect” person, and that the ordinariness that descends on it after the early exhilaration and novelty wear off is, in fact, one of its most prized aspects.
But the the vow of stability also reminds me of my favorite lines from Samuel Johnson. Quoting a Spanish proverb, Dr. Johnson proclaims, “He who would bring home the wealth of the Indies must carry the wealth of the Indies with him.” I puzzle over the meaning of this mysterious line all the time, but in this context, it suggests that the perfect monastery isn’t a place you can join, but an attitude of mind you must develop.
There’s a lesson here for happiness. It’s often tempting to think that we’d be happy if only external circumstances would change. Sometimes it’s true that some external change would make a huge difference to our happiness (some people argue that this is never true, that external conditions should never matter, but I think that’s unrealistic for most people) – but sometimes we need to embrace a vow of stability and make our happiness in the situation in which we find ourselves, instead of searching restlessly for perfect circumstances.
The vow of stability was difficult for Merton, because at least in the early days, he was tempted by the idea of joining the Carthusians – an order that has been described as a “community of hermits” where monks spend most of their time alone. As a Cistercian, he spent more time with his community than he wanted. I wonder why he didn’t join the Carthusians in the first place – does anyone know?
I’ve been reading more Merton lately. In The Sign of Jonas, I learned to my surprise that Cistercian monks make five vows at the time of their profession. I knew about the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, but it turns out they also make vows of stability and conversion of manners.
I was intrigued with the vow of stability. This vow means that a monk stays put. Unless he’s sent somewhere else by his superiors, or gets a dispensation from Rome, a monk must remain in the monastery of his profession.
Merton explains: “By making a vow of stability the monk renounces the vain hope of wandering off to find a ‘perfect monastery.’ This implies a deep act of faith: the recognition that it does not much matter where we are or whom we live with…Stability becomes difficult for a man whose monastic ideal contains some note, some element of the extraordinary. All monastaries are more or less ordinary…Its ordinariness is one of its greatest blessings.”
When I first read this, it reminded me of – what else, marriage. Marriage is a vow of stability, made with the conviction that by committing yourself to one person, you’re better able to achieve happiness than by searching continually for the “perfect” person, and that the ordinariness that descends on it after the early exhilaration and novelty wear off is, in fact, one of its most prized aspects.
But the the vow of stability also reminds me of my favorite lines from Samuel Johnson. Quoting a Spanish proverb, Dr. Johnson proclaims, “He who would bring home the wealth of the Indies must carry the wealth of the Indies with him.” I puzzle over the meaning of this mysterious line all the time, but in this context, it suggests that the perfect monastery isn’t a place you can join, but an attitude of mind you must develop.
There’s a lesson here for happiness. It’s often tempting to think that we’d be happy if only external circumstances would change. Sometimes it’s true that some external change would make a huge difference to our happiness (some people argue that this is never true, that external conditions should never matter, but I think that’s unrealistic for most people) – but sometimes we need to embrace a vow of stability and make our happiness in the situation in which we find ourselves, instead of searching restlessly for perfect circumstances.
The vow of stability was difficult for Merton, because at least in the early days, he was tempted by the idea of joining the Carthusians – an order that has been described as a “community of hermits” where monks spend most of their time alone. As a Cistercian, he spent more time with his community than he wanted. I wonder why he didn’t join the Carthusians in the first place – does anyone know?
Happiness Interview with Leo Babauta.
I’m a longtime fan of Leo Babauta’s wildly popular blog, Zen Habits. I always find a lot of thought-provoking material there about happiness and its related topics (exercise, creativity, relationships, productivity…) Leo also just came out with a terrific book, The Power of Less, about "the fine art of limiting yourself to the essential" -- it hit the Amazon bestseller list on the day of its release. His website, The Power of Less, has a lot of great material on the topic.
Leo lives on the island of Guam, has six children, runs marathons, and has done a lot of provocative thinking and writing about happiness.
Gretchen: What's a simple activity that consistently makes you happier?
Leo: Anything! I love reading, running, writing, spending time with my family, watching the ocean, taking a walk in nature, playing games and sports, drinking green tea, lounging around on a lazy Sunday afternoon, cuddling when it's rainy outside, talking with a good friend, wrestling with my toddlers. Any moment is an opportunity for happiness!
Gretchen: What's something you know now about happiness that you didn't know when you were 18 years old?
Leo: That happiness isn't something that will come at a later date in life -- it can be here and now. I was always waiting for something -- a better job, getting married, a nicer car, buying a house, traveling the world, retirement, wealth and fame. Trouble is, whenever you reach one of those things you're waiting for, you tend to start striving for the next thing, and you forget to be happy!
So I've learned, only recently, that I don't have to wait or strive for anything in order to be happy. I can be happy right now, and I am. Read my recent post on this.
Gretchen: Is there anything you find yourself doing repeatedly that gets in the way of your happiness?
Leo: Thinking about the future or the past -- worrying, replaying conversations in my head, stressing out about things that aren't happening right now. Lately I've learned to focus on the moment more and more -- to be present more than ever before. It's really a miracle cure for unhappiness, stress, worry, depression, and everything else.
Thinking about the past and future is the cause of all unhappiness.
Gretchen: Is there a happiness mantra or motto that you've find very helpful?
Leo: "Smile, breathe and go slowly." - Thich Nhat Hanh, Vietnamese Zen monk, author and peace activist. I absolutely adore that quote, as my readers know. It's applicable in any situation -- when you're stressed at the office, stuck in traffic, doing chores, or even running a marathon -- it was my mantra when I ran the Honolulu Marathon in December.
I just love that in just a few words, Thich Nhat Hanh teaches us how to be present and be happy, right here and now.
Gretchen: If you're feeling blue, how do you give yourself a happiness boost?
Leo: Going running always clears my head and helps me to feel better. I also try to focus myself back on the moment, through running and through breathing, because feeling blue is almost always caused by thinking about the past or future ... if you're in the moment the blueness goes away.
Also, I love cuddling with my children. Instant happiness.
Gretchen: Is there anything that you see people around you doing or saying that adds a lot to their happiness, or detracts a lot from their happiness?
Leo: The happiest people I know always focus on the positive things in their lives -- they always appreciate what they have, see the silver lining on everything, and find the good in everyone.
The people who aren't as happy focus on the negative things -- they complain, they pity themselves, they think they can't do something, and especially this: they criticize. They criticize others, and themselves. It always leads to unhappiness, for themselves and often those around them.
Gretchen: Have you always felt about the same level of happiness, or have you been through a period when you felt exceptionally happy or unhappy - if so, why? If you were unhappy, how did you become happier?
Leo: I wasn't always happy. It was only a few years ago that I was stressed and overworked, overweight, inactive, smoking, in debt, and so on. And I wasn't motivated to change anything.
I started making small, simple changes in my life, and these days I'm happier than ever. Small, baby steps did the trick.
Gretchen: Do you work on being happier? If so, how?
Leo: Sometimes, but these days it's not so much something I work on as a set of habits I have -- again, to remind myself to be present, to remind myself to be grateful and to appreciate life, to remind myself to cherish the small things. I am thankful for all that I have, and when I remember this, I'm instantly happy. It doesn't take much work. :)
Gretchen: Have you ever been surprised that something you expected would make you very happy, didn't - or vice versa?
Leo: Sure, lots of times! I thought getting a big promotion or raise would make me happy. Surprise! It only made me work harder and become more stressed, and the extra salary seemed to disappear right away. I thought a nicer vehicle would make me happier, but it just got me deeper into debt, cost more to maintain and fuel up, and was harder to drive because it was bigger than my old, small car.
I also thought being frugal and simplifying would be hard, and that the sacrifices would make me feel deprived and less happy. That was completely untrue -- I'm happier than ever now that I've simplified my life, and now that I'm able to focus on the essential things that I value most, that make me happy.
Leo lives on the island of Guam, has six children, runs marathons, and has done a lot of provocative thinking and writing about happiness.
Gretchen: What's a simple activity that consistently makes you happier?
Leo: Anything! I love reading, running, writing, spending time with my family, watching the ocean, taking a walk in nature, playing games and sports, drinking green tea, lounging around on a lazy Sunday afternoon, cuddling when it's rainy outside, talking with a good friend, wrestling with my toddlers. Any moment is an opportunity for happiness!
Gretchen: What's something you know now about happiness that you didn't know when you were 18 years old?
Leo: That happiness isn't something that will come at a later date in life -- it can be here and now. I was always waiting for something -- a better job, getting married, a nicer car, buying a house, traveling the world, retirement, wealth and fame. Trouble is, whenever you reach one of those things you're waiting for, you tend to start striving for the next thing, and you forget to be happy!
So I've learned, only recently, that I don't have to wait or strive for anything in order to be happy. I can be happy right now, and I am. Read my recent post on this.
Gretchen: Is there anything you find yourself doing repeatedly that gets in the way of your happiness?
Leo: Thinking about the future or the past -- worrying, replaying conversations in my head, stressing out about things that aren't happening right now. Lately I've learned to focus on the moment more and more -- to be present more than ever before. It's really a miracle cure for unhappiness, stress, worry, depression, and everything else.
Thinking about the past and future is the cause of all unhappiness.
Gretchen: Is there a happiness mantra or motto that you've find very helpful?
Leo: "Smile, breathe and go slowly." - Thich Nhat Hanh, Vietnamese Zen monk, author and peace activist. I absolutely adore that quote, as my readers know. It's applicable in any situation -- when you're stressed at the office, stuck in traffic, doing chores, or even running a marathon -- it was my mantra when I ran the Honolulu Marathon in December.
I just love that in just a few words, Thich Nhat Hanh teaches us how to be present and be happy, right here and now.
Gretchen: If you're feeling blue, how do you give yourself a happiness boost?
Leo: Going running always clears my head and helps me to feel better. I also try to focus myself back on the moment, through running and through breathing, because feeling blue is almost always caused by thinking about the past or future ... if you're in the moment the blueness goes away.
Also, I love cuddling with my children. Instant happiness.
Gretchen: Is there anything that you see people around you doing or saying that adds a lot to their happiness, or detracts a lot from their happiness?
Leo: The happiest people I know always focus on the positive things in their lives -- they always appreciate what they have, see the silver lining on everything, and find the good in everyone.
The people who aren't as happy focus on the negative things -- they complain, they pity themselves, they think they can't do something, and especially this: they criticize. They criticize others, and themselves. It always leads to unhappiness, for themselves and often those around them.
Gretchen: Have you always felt about the same level of happiness, or have you been through a period when you felt exceptionally happy or unhappy - if so, why? If you were unhappy, how did you become happier?
Leo: I wasn't always happy. It was only a few years ago that I was stressed and overworked, overweight, inactive, smoking, in debt, and so on. And I wasn't motivated to change anything.
I started making small, simple changes in my life, and these days I'm happier than ever. Small, baby steps did the trick.
Gretchen: Do you work on being happier? If so, how?
Leo: Sometimes, but these days it's not so much something I work on as a set of habits I have -- again, to remind myself to be present, to remind myself to be grateful and to appreciate life, to remind myself to cherish the small things. I am thankful for all that I have, and when I remember this, I'm instantly happy. It doesn't take much work. :)
Gretchen: Have you ever been surprised that something you expected would make you very happy, didn't - or vice versa?
Leo: Sure, lots of times! I thought getting a big promotion or raise would make me happy. Surprise! It only made me work harder and become more stressed, and the extra salary seemed to disappear right away. I thought a nicer vehicle would make me happier, but it just got me deeper into debt, cost more to maintain and fuel up, and was harder to drive because it was bigger than my old, small car.
I also thought being frugal and simplifying would be hard, and that the sacrifices would make me feel deprived and less happy. That was completely untrue -- I'm happier than ever now that I've simplified my life, and now that I'm able to focus on the essential things that I value most, that make me happy.
Motivational Quotes
Success and failure. We think of them as opposites, but they're really not. They're companions - the hero and the sidekick.
Laurence Shames
Chance favors those in motion.
James H. Austin
Sometimes the best helping hand you can get is a good, firm push.
Joann Thomas
When we have done our best, we should wait the result in peace.
J. Lubbock
The strongest warriors are these two...time and patience.
Leo Tolstoy
Success is not to be pursued; it is to be attracted by the person you become.
Jim Rohn
Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass... it’s about learning how to dance in the rain.
Unknown
The nose of the bulldog is slanted backwards so he can continue to breathe without letting go.
Winston Churchill
Every thought is a seed. If you plant crab apples, don’t count on harvesting golden delicious.
Bill Meyer
Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the staircase.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
We learn to walk by stumbling.
Bulgarian Proverb
It’s our attitude in life that determines life’s attitude toward us.
Earl Nightingale
It's not enough that we do our best; sometimes we have to do what's required.....Sir Winston Churchill
Every important idea is simple, here is my idea. If corrupt men can work together to get what they want then so can good men, to get what they want....Leo Tolstoy.
"Indecision destroys energy. Determination is its own fuel. Weeds will destroy a garden, and indecision will destroy a business."
Invest your energy in reaching for the greatest possibilities rather than fretting over your worst fears.. Les Brown
We are all motivated by a keen desire for praise, and the better a man is, the more he is inspired to glory. Cicero
Success is achieving a goal or milestone that u have determined makes u feel you have accomplished something significant.
Life's disappointments are harder to take when you don't know any swear words.
Fulfill your dreams! You only have one life to live...when it’s your time to leave this earth, you 'want' to be able to say, 'I've lived my life and fulfilled 'my' dreams,... Now I'm ready to go HOME! - - Maya Angelou
There are no whole truths: all truths are half-truths. It is trying to treat them as whole truths that plays the devil! - Alfred N Whitehead
Truth will do well enough if left to shift for herself. She seldom has received much aid from the power of great men to whom she is rarely known and seldom welcome. She has no need of force to procure entrance into the minds of men." --Thomas Jefferson
False history gets made all day, any day, the truth of the new is never on the news! -Adrienne Rich
"You only live once--but if you work it right, once is enough."
A king asked his wise men for a phrase visible at all times, true and appropriate in all situations. Ans: 'And this, too, shall pass away!'
How many legs does a dog have if you call the tail a leg? Four; calling a tail a leg doesn't make it a leg! - Abraham Lincoln
I don't run away from a challenge because I am afraid. Instead, I run toward it because the only way to escape fear is to trample it beneath your feet." -- Nadia Comaneci
The excuse of using excuses is a behaviorally transmitted disease that the inhibits inherent potential of anyone coming in contact with them.
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future".
Thank goodness for art and music and theatre and chocolate and the wet noses of little puppies with waggly tails ... if it were not for those things, and things like them, the thought of what we would be left with is sobering indeed.
Courage is being afraid but going on anyhow. ~Dan Rather
Courage is doing what you're afraid to do. There can be no courage unless you're scared. ~Edward Vernon Rickenbacker
A coward is a hero with a wife, kids, and a mortgage. ~Marvin Kitman
Coward: A man in whom the instinct of self-preservation acts normally. ~Sultana Zoraya
Bravery is being the only one who knows you're afraid. ~Franklin P. Jones
You can make money honestly... or you can make money dishonestly... but you can't build a successful business on dishonesty.
Honesty, integrity, and providing a valuable product and/or service are the foundation of every successful business.
Helping others by providing something they want is the easiest way to create wealth and indirectly creates valuable prospects for your business!
"We can have anything we want in life if we're willing to help enough other people get what they want." .... Zig Zigler
Every day I want to love more deeply than the day before, therein awaits more misery. My heart burns to forgive so life brings the need to on, burns to give more but is told 'too much', burns to melt and finds nobody there... what suffering... it is no surprise the world shuns love. I know it is the only real thing here, so anything else is nothing and unrewarding though easy and pleasant.
Each of us wants to be part of something bigger than ourselves. Call it purpose, destiny or a simple desire to get beyond the insufficiencies of our current existence. An individual's yearning to reach outside his life is a seed of greatness waiting for a stream of inspiration. Carving that stream to people's hearts is a simpler task if the endeavor you are leading them into is attached to a bigger story.
"The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others." ~Mahatma Gandhi. I think, a service culture doesn't happen by accident. The company is always a reflection of the person at the helm. Their attitude, their values, and their commitment to service excellence will drive the actions of others in the organization. Always has...always will.
The Lord gives us a plan to follow. It is outlined in His commandments. And all those commandments are designed to build stability within us. We are not to excuse our failures and weaknesses: We are not to say we are made the way we are, And thereby justify our sins. The Lord expects us to rise above our weakness, become strong, and pattern ourselves after Him.
Wellness is a state of mind as well as a physical and spiritual source. At the same time, complexity in gauging wellness abounds. One can assert their own "wellness" only to be challenged by another who uses a different assessment approach or methodology. Like beauty, wellness is to some degree in the eye of the beholder as well as the individual.
The way you think is key to your sense of self-esteem. You're the one in control, and you can make a difference. If you like yourself, and believe that you deserve good things in life, you'll have high self-esteem. If you dislike yourself or criticize yourself excessively, you won't.
Having healthy self-esteem is important, because it helps you deal with life's challenges and achieve the things that matter most to you. As such, make a commitment to yourself to value what you do and who you are!
Laurence Shames
Chance favors those in motion.
James H. Austin
Sometimes the best helping hand you can get is a good, firm push.
Joann Thomas
When we have done our best, we should wait the result in peace.
J. Lubbock
The strongest warriors are these two...time and patience.
Leo Tolstoy
Success is not to be pursued; it is to be attracted by the person you become.
Jim Rohn
Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass... it’s about learning how to dance in the rain.
Unknown
The nose of the bulldog is slanted backwards so he can continue to breathe without letting go.
Winston Churchill
Every thought is a seed. If you plant crab apples, don’t count on harvesting golden delicious.
Bill Meyer
Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the staircase.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
We learn to walk by stumbling.
Bulgarian Proverb
It’s our attitude in life that determines life’s attitude toward us.
Earl Nightingale
It's not enough that we do our best; sometimes we have to do what's required.....Sir Winston Churchill
Every important idea is simple, here is my idea. If corrupt men can work together to get what they want then so can good men, to get what they want....Leo Tolstoy.
"Indecision destroys energy. Determination is its own fuel. Weeds will destroy a garden, and indecision will destroy a business."
Invest your energy in reaching for the greatest possibilities rather than fretting over your worst fears.. Les Brown
We are all motivated by a keen desire for praise, and the better a man is, the more he is inspired to glory. Cicero
Success is achieving a goal or milestone that u have determined makes u feel you have accomplished something significant.
Life's disappointments are harder to take when you don't know any swear words.
Fulfill your dreams! You only have one life to live...when it’s your time to leave this earth, you 'want' to be able to say, 'I've lived my life and fulfilled 'my' dreams,... Now I'm ready to go HOME! - - Maya Angelou
There are no whole truths: all truths are half-truths. It is trying to treat them as whole truths that plays the devil! - Alfred N Whitehead
Truth will do well enough if left to shift for herself. She seldom has received much aid from the power of great men to whom she is rarely known and seldom welcome. She has no need of force to procure entrance into the minds of men." --Thomas Jefferson
False history gets made all day, any day, the truth of the new is never on the news! -Adrienne Rich
"You only live once--but if you work it right, once is enough."
A king asked his wise men for a phrase visible at all times, true and appropriate in all situations. Ans: 'And this, too, shall pass away!'
How many legs does a dog have if you call the tail a leg? Four; calling a tail a leg doesn't make it a leg! - Abraham Lincoln
I don't run away from a challenge because I am afraid. Instead, I run toward it because the only way to escape fear is to trample it beneath your feet." -- Nadia Comaneci
The excuse of using excuses is a behaviorally transmitted disease that the inhibits inherent potential of anyone coming in contact with them.
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future".
Thank goodness for art and music and theatre and chocolate and the wet noses of little puppies with waggly tails ... if it were not for those things, and things like them, the thought of what we would be left with is sobering indeed.
Courage is being afraid but going on anyhow. ~Dan Rather
Courage is doing what you're afraid to do. There can be no courage unless you're scared. ~Edward Vernon Rickenbacker
A coward is a hero with a wife, kids, and a mortgage. ~Marvin Kitman
Coward: A man in whom the instinct of self-preservation acts normally. ~Sultana Zoraya
Bravery is being the only one who knows you're afraid. ~Franklin P. Jones
You can make money honestly... or you can make money dishonestly... but you can't build a successful business on dishonesty.
Honesty, integrity, and providing a valuable product and/or service are the foundation of every successful business.
Helping others by providing something they want is the easiest way to create wealth and indirectly creates valuable prospects for your business!
"We can have anything we want in life if we're willing to help enough other people get what they want." .... Zig Zigler
Every day I want to love more deeply than the day before, therein awaits more misery. My heart burns to forgive so life brings the need to on, burns to give more but is told 'too much', burns to melt and finds nobody there... what suffering... it is no surprise the world shuns love. I know it is the only real thing here, so anything else is nothing and unrewarding though easy and pleasant.
Each of us wants to be part of something bigger than ourselves. Call it purpose, destiny or a simple desire to get beyond the insufficiencies of our current existence. An individual's yearning to reach outside his life is a seed of greatness waiting for a stream of inspiration. Carving that stream to people's hearts is a simpler task if the endeavor you are leading them into is attached to a bigger story.
"The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others." ~Mahatma Gandhi. I think, a service culture doesn't happen by accident. The company is always a reflection of the person at the helm. Their attitude, their values, and their commitment to service excellence will drive the actions of others in the organization. Always has...always will.
The Lord gives us a plan to follow. It is outlined in His commandments. And all those commandments are designed to build stability within us. We are not to excuse our failures and weaknesses: We are not to say we are made the way we are, And thereby justify our sins. The Lord expects us to rise above our weakness, become strong, and pattern ourselves after Him.
Wellness is a state of mind as well as a physical and spiritual source. At the same time, complexity in gauging wellness abounds. One can assert their own "wellness" only to be challenged by another who uses a different assessment approach or methodology. Like beauty, wellness is to some degree in the eye of the beholder as well as the individual.
The way you think is key to your sense of self-esteem. You're the one in control, and you can make a difference. If you like yourself, and believe that you deserve good things in life, you'll have high self-esteem. If you dislike yourself or criticize yourself excessively, you won't.
Having healthy self-esteem is important, because it helps you deal with life's challenges and achieve the things that matter most to you. As such, make a commitment to yourself to value what you do and who you are!
I Vote Nobody!!!!!!!!!
Did you know that there is a system in our constitution, as per the 1969 act, in section "49-O" that a person can go to the polling booth, confirm his identity, get his finger marked and convey the presiding election officer that he doesn't want to vote anyone!
Yes such a feature is available, but obviously these seemingly notorious leaders have never disclosed it. This is called "49-O".
Why should you go and say "I VOTE NOBODY"... because, in a ward, if a candidate wins, say by 123 votes, and that particular ward has received "49-O" votes more than 123, then that polling will be cancelled and will have to be re-polled. Not only that, but the candidature of the contestants will be removed and they cannot contest the re-polling, since people had already expressed their decision on them. This would bring fear into parties and hence look for genuine candidates for their parties for election. This would change the way, of our whole political system... it is seemingly surprising why the election commission has not revealed such a feature to the public....
Please spread this news to as many as you know... Seems to be a wonderful weapon against corrupt parties in India ... show your power, expressing your desire not to vote for anybody, is even more powerful than voting... so don't miss your chance. So either vote, or vote not to vote (vote 49-O) and pass this info on...
Use your voting right for a better INDIA.
Yes such a feature is available, but obviously these seemingly notorious leaders have never disclosed it. This is called "49-O".
Why should you go and say "I VOTE NOBODY"... because, in a ward, if a candidate wins, say by 123 votes, and that particular ward has received "49-O" votes more than 123, then that polling will be cancelled and will have to be re-polled. Not only that, but the candidature of the contestants will be removed and they cannot contest the re-polling, since people had already expressed their decision on them. This would bring fear into parties and hence look for genuine candidates for their parties for election. This would change the way, of our whole political system... it is seemingly surprising why the election commission has not revealed such a feature to the public....
Please spread this news to as many as you know... Seems to be a wonderful weapon against corrupt parties in India ... show your power, expressing your desire not to vote for anybody, is even more powerful than voting... so don't miss your chance. So either vote, or vote not to vote (vote 49-O) and pass this info on...
Use your voting right for a better INDIA.
Three magicians
Three world famous magicians were in the bar drinking and boasting about their achievements.
The first one said," During my latest show, I made three women from the audience disappear, it was so convincing that their relatives started panicking, no one could find the trick"
The second one said," Hey, that is nothing, during one of my open air shows I made the Municipality building disappear and the entire town was searching for it"
The third one sighed and said," Both of you are so local, I went to Paris and made the Eiffel Tower disappear for a full one hour, it was live on the TV, entire France was searching for the building & no one had a clue".
Just then an Indian walked into the bar and the three magicians suddenly turned quiet, gave each other fugitive glances and started to slip towards the door. A Bartender watching this got curious and asked one of the magicians, "Hey what happened ? Who is that guy?
One of the magicians whispered, " He is the World's greatest magician, he has done the biggest disappearing trick of all times, we are all mere amateurs compared with what he has done. His name is Ramalinga Raju. He has made USD 1.5 billion disappear from his company's balance sheet in front of everyone's eyes, and the entire world is still looking for it "
The first one said," During my latest show, I made three women from the audience disappear, it was so convincing that their relatives started panicking, no one could find the trick"
The second one said," Hey, that is nothing, during one of my open air shows I made the Municipality building disappear and the entire town was searching for it"
The third one sighed and said," Both of you are so local, I went to Paris and made the Eiffel Tower disappear for a full one hour, it was live on the TV, entire France was searching for the building & no one had a clue".
Just then an Indian walked into the bar and the three magicians suddenly turned quiet, gave each other fugitive glances and started to slip towards the door. A Bartender watching this got curious and asked one of the magicians, "Hey what happened ? Who is that guy?
One of the magicians whispered, " He is the World's greatest magician, he has done the biggest disappearing trick of all times, we are all mere amateurs compared with what he has done. His name is Ramalinga Raju. He has made USD 1.5 billion disappear from his company's balance sheet in front of everyone's eyes, and the entire world is still looking for it "
The Buzzard, The Bat & The Bumblebee....!
1. If you put a buzzard in a pen that is 6 feet by 8 feet and is entirely open at the top, the bird, in spite of its ability to fly, will be an absolute prisoner. The reason is that a buzzard always begins a flight from the ground with a run of 10 to 12 feet. Without space to run, as is its habit, it will not even attempt to fly, but will remain a prisoner for life in a small jail with no top.
2. The ordinary bat that flies around at night, a remarkably nimble creature in the air, cannot take off from a level place If it is placed on the floor or flat ground, all it can do is shuffle about helplessly and, no doubt, painfully, until it reaches some slight elevation from which it can throw itself into the air. Then, at once, it takes off like a flash.
3. A bumblebee, if dropped into an open tumbler, will be there until it dies, unless it is taken out. It never sees the means of escape at the top, but persists in trying to find some way out through the sides near the bottom. It will seek a way where none exists, until it completely destroys itself.
In many ways, we are like the buzzard, the bat, and the bumblebee. We struggle about with all our problems and frustrations, never realizing that all we have to do is look up.
"Sorrow looks back, worry looks around, but Faith looks up!"
2. The ordinary bat that flies around at night, a remarkably nimble creature in the air, cannot take off from a level place If it is placed on the floor or flat ground, all it can do is shuffle about helplessly and, no doubt, painfully, until it reaches some slight elevation from which it can throw itself into the air. Then, at once, it takes off like a flash.
3. A bumblebee, if dropped into an open tumbler, will be there until it dies, unless it is taken out. It never sees the means of escape at the top, but persists in trying to find some way out through the sides near the bottom. It will seek a way where none exists, until it completely destroys itself.
In many ways, we are like the buzzard, the bat, and the bumblebee. We struggle about with all our problems and frustrations, never realizing that all we have to do is look up.
"Sorrow looks back, worry looks around, but Faith looks up!"
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