The 10 Human Regrets

Only the mediocre die always at their best. Real leaders are always improving- and raising their bar on how superbly they can perform and how quickly they can move.

-JEAN GIRAUDOUX

Have you ever regretted forgoing an opportunity or chance in your life path that would have proven a sure and better prospect in propelling you toward your personal vision and self improvement goal? What could be the one dreaded thing that lives and eats life away within you and scares the sense out of you yet you keep pushing it further, never get enough time to really confront and do away with it…? Personally i regret not taking up one particular job offer, within one company i so much wanted to work for even for a day…because i was so scared of the work load and culture shock i would meet…plus too much negative opinions from my ‘trusted friends’…how can i just jump onto this when i haven’t even stayed in my current job for 3 weeks…what will my boss think of me…blah blah…

Eventually i found a place in my heart to forgive myself and more importantly learn more about my fears and drives as an individual. What really motivates me…what puts me off…how far can i embrace uncertainty…and most of all how much faith do i have? I realized that getting lost along your path is a part of finding the path you’re meant to be on. Sometimes we need to get off track before we can develop the clarity to be on track.

On that note i owe deep gratitude to one special person in my life, who through their influence, subtle nudge, a strong presence even in absence, iced with a worthy reading culture, has proven to be a constant beam and pillar to motivating me in creating a habit of reading meaningfully.( Of course i have been an ardent reader but truthfully…most of the time just for fun and entertainment. Nothing more or less…). They lent me this book from which i base today’s title…with a usual reminder of how the rich and most successful people tend to also possess the largest libraries. Odd. Simple. Plain. True.

‘A hare inherits a swifter pace than a snail, but a snail may distance him in the end by  slow and sure progress day after day. It is not usually the most brilliant scholar in a college class that wins the valedictory or the highest place in after life. His very brilliance is his peril, for he depends upon it rather than upon hard work, which is the winning horse in the race of life, even though he gets a head-start.’

What our society,businesses,families and communities lack and are in dire need of are enthusiastic,initiative and responsible young men and women ready to be leaders without a title. No one needs formal authority to lead- only a desire. A will to be involved and the commitment to making a positive difference. It starts with an excellence in our current roles.

Leadership has nothing to do with what you get or where you sit. Leadership is a lot more about how brilliantly you work and how masterfully you behave. Right where you stand. One cannot be creative and innovative if they are too scared to think ,feel and be different. Everyone is an original copy of themselves ( unless of course there is a duplicate of you in existence somewhere…i hope not 🙂

So lets dive into this 10 regrets…enough blubbering.

1. You reach your last day with the brilliant song that your life was meant to sing still silent within you.
2. You reach your last day without ever having experienced the natural power that inhabits within you to do great work and achieve greater things.
3. You reach your last day realizing  that you never inspired anyone else by the example you set.
4. You reach your last day full of pain at the realization that you never took any bold risks and so never received any bright rewards.
5. You reach your last day understanding that you missed the opportunity to catch a glimpse of the mastery because you bought the lie that you had to be resigned to mediocrity.
6. You reach your last day and feel heartbroken that you never learned the skill of transforming adversity into victory and lead into gold.
7. You reach your last day regretting that you forgot that work is about being radically helpful to others rather than being helpful only to yourself.
8. You reach your last day with the awareness that you ended living the life that society trained you to want versus leading the life you truly wanted to have.
9. You reach your last day and awaken to the fact that you never realized your absolute best nor touched the special genius that you were built to become.
10. You reach your last day and discover you could have been a leader and left this world so much better than you found it. But you refused to accept that mission because you were just too scared. So you failed. And wasted a life.

Many times we play victim and blame everything outside of us for the mess we find ourselves in. When we learn to assume responsibility for the place we are now, we begin to realize that each one of us alone creates the lives we get to live. Choices make or break us.

It is estimated that we live an average of 960 months.(subtract the ones you’ve already lived...) Life is short if you really slow down and think about it. Remembering the shortness of life strips away all distractions of life and reminds us what’s most important. Will you just die and be manure or will you leave something to be accredited to you? You do not have to be a freedom fighter or the president. Start where you are. Trust me noble acts have a way of getting out and about.

Ref:

Robin Sharma, The Leader Who Had No Title: A Modern Fable On Real Success In Business And In Life. Pg. 45&46

Wilbur, Successful Men Of Today Pg. 32

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Is The Majority Always Right?

I have always found it fascinating and quite intriguing when you consider that thought processes are not just mere patterns of routine brain activity but rather complex and highly enigmatic energy shots that lighten up certain areas of our minds, consequently…our entire system. Living in present plays a vital role in generating new thought patterns.

While riding the bus to work this morning, i let my mind flow and be carried away to the lush green grass and bush stubs that cover the pleasantly adoring Nairobi National Park. The tall,graceful giraffes i could see from a distant were already up and religiously engrossed in an almost ritual-like grazing routine. Further ahead i could catch a glimpse of the beautiful ostrich flapping its huge heavy wings, maybe signifying a new mode for the day ahead…till a cool gust of wind, breezy zephyr jolted me to the throbbing noise inside the matatu.

” If you arrest him you are arresting another tone of 45 million other citizens…let our people come out in large numbers and vote for better. Vote for change…We ought to send them home this time…,” the heated radio conversation rumbled on as i unsuccessfully tried to listen in and connect the dots. At the back of my mind i kept on wondering how much will power ‘democracy’ yields and how extensively majority power dynamics influence our daily lives as citizens. Whether we consciously notice it or are swept unknowingly in the masses.

Some few years back in high school,my literature curriculum included a play- An Enemy of the People ( i consider it a privilege to have studied it) authored by famous playwright and who most consider as the father of modern realism- Henrik Ibsen. The drama predominantly addresses the hypocrisy of society as a rotten sepulcher that tolerates moral degradation as exemplified from the highest ranking of power hierarchy, the noblest, to the humblest of persons in society. Moderation. Democracy. Though written as a response to disapprove the hypocrisy exuded by leadership during the Victorian Age, i figured the dynamics and patterns are relatively ,if not completely the same as in our current society as a nation.

Ibsen humorously lays out the play, with a guised, resilient backdrop that seeks to address issues that even our present society has problems grappling with; corruption;moral decay; shrewd deals and an elusive address of justice for the minority in society. The common denominator reiterates to the ‘fact’ that ‘the majority is always  deemed right.’ I find it true that ideas grow stale and platitudinous- they  die. Henrik ,through his main character Dr. Stockmann, shoots straight that there aren’t absolute principles of either wisdom or morality. Everything is relative.

He further portrays that the masses are nothing but raw material that must be fashioned into the people. Most of them are not ready to stand up, but are rather intimidated and ruffled at the thought of facing down the hypocrisy of the aristocracy clothed as a democracy within their current jurisdictions. They are people run down completely by the brain wash of governmental bureaucrats and unsated political mongrels’ greed for power and wealth. This makes it imperative for individuals to cultivate humane qualities that will shape a society and masses into a more rational and educated level, one that fully understand and participate in real democracy.

Majority rule dynamics are deep rooted in the Bible era too. For instance the time the Israelites are sojourning to Canaan from Egypt; Moses being a sensible leader sends forth a 12 man reconnaissance party to go out and spy the land. After several weeks this party returns and gives an account of what they observed. Unanimously they agree that it is a beautiful, fertile country with strongly defended cities and with men of huge stature. However, when it comes to the final verdict whether or not to pursue the promised land and take over, there is disintegration of 10 against 2- Joshua and Caleb.

It is clear that victory had been guaranteed to them from God but due to majority mentality the Israelites are thrown into a panic frenzy and become uncontrollable. Some even suggest hysterically that they go back to Egypt! See how majority power waters down a pre-determined course of action? It only needed a few influencers to press the correct buttons and exert an adequate amount of pressure for the masses to go berserk like untamed mindless creatures without a sense of sanity or reasoning ability to make logical decisions on their own. Fear, Irrationality. An enormous lack of faith and confidence. A risk averse mentality.

Even though they finally reach the promised land, the Israelites have to spend a painstakingly 40 years extra time to achieve it. Something they could have done roughly in a year after crossing the Red Sea. Look around you…Within you…do you have the guts to confront what is wrong and stand for what you believe is right and can benefit the community and society? Soon we are casting the vote. How mentally prepared are you? Do you vote for change or a community,family,tradition,party and popularity?

It’s deeply embedded within the human nature to want to be associated with and affiliated to things, people, organizations, movements – innocent on their own- but life threatening and huge impediments to personal and societal growth if supported for all the wrong reasons as vessels to put pressure and bring about a shift in dynamics. Whatever the reasons you are affiliated to a political alignment, activist movement…think…is the cause right for development or is it just cool and popular with no real issues to be addressed?

The majority is not always right and only the strongest man stands alone.

How firm are you?

 

Talents- Shrewd or Just Lazy?

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Whatever your hand finds to do,do it with all your might, for in the grave where you are going,there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.-Ecclesiastes 9:10

Upon the right improvement of our time depends our success in acquiring knowledge and mental culture. The cultivation of the intellect need not be prevented by poverty, humble origin, or unfavorable surroundings. Only let the moments be treasured. A few moments here and a few there, that might be frittered away in aimless talk; the morning hours so often wasted in bed; the time spent in traveling on trams or railway cars, or waiting at the station; the moments of waiting for meals, waiting for those who are tardy in keeping an appointment—if a book were kept at hand, and these fragments of time were improved in study, reading, or careful thought, what might not be accomplished. A resolute purpose, persistent industry, and careful economy of time, will enable men to acquire knowledge and mental discipline which will qualify them for almost any position of influence and usefulness. -Christ Object Lessons: Talents

A story is told in the Bible of a man going on a journey who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and lastly one to the other; each according to his ability. Then he went on a journey.

The man with five talents invested at once and gained five more. So also the one with two gained two more. But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and his Master’s money.

After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received five brought the other five he had gained and behold his master commends saying,

” well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your Master’s happiness.

Note this is the same commendation the servant who had two talents gets after bringing in two more.

Unfortunately for the servant with one hidden talent, the master rebukes his laxity and laziness because he couldn’t even think of depositing his talent to gain interest. What a waste!

Finding a purpose in life, building self discipline to follow this ultimate goal to be the best version of who God intends you to be takes more than dreaming but also working. 

It is an art of learning to toe the line and shrewdly look into self. What are your abilities? Learning is an ever continuous process…what can you learn to Improve self and reach the zenith of your journey?

To every man God has given “according to his several ability.” 

The talents are not apportioned capriciously. He who has ability to use five talents receives five. He who can improve but two, receives two. He who can wisely use only one, receives one. 

None need lament that they have not received larger gifts; for He who has apportioned to every man is equally honored by the improvement of each trust, whether it be great or small. 

The one to whom five talents have been committed is to render the improvement of five; he who has but one, the improvement of one. God expects returns “according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.” 

It’s paramount to note that talents are more than spiritual endowments given to us but also other natural capabilities original or acquired. Meaning we can gain new skills by learning and studying.

Talents are not limited to capabilities but do include:

*Money.                *Speech. 

*Influence – we all have a sphere of influence. Whether we are aware of it or not.  How well do you use your influence and following?      

*Time.                      *Health.

*Strength- mental,physical and spiritual.

*Kind and random acts of affections yes even a smile, a kind word, a shoulder to lean on. Not everyone can do that.

Our talents should be used in cultivating,improving and making the world a better place. Uplifting not tearing down. Supporting not withdrawing. Giving and not selfishly gathering unto self. Because the more we give the more we receive. 

What are you doing with yours today? Because everyone has a unique ability and finesse in something.

If by our example we aid others in the development of good principles, we give them power to do good. In their turn they exert the same influence upon others, and they upon still others. Thus by our unconscious influence thousands may be blessed. 
You always reap what you sow.

Ref:

NIV BIBLE  Matthew 25:14-30

10 things that quiet the Mind

1. Everything is created twice, first in the mind and then in reality. So pay close attention to the thoughts you choose. They have a way of becoming real.

2. There is absolutely nothing about your present circumstances that prevents you from making progress, one step at a time.

3. Worry, and you get what you worry about. Work, and you get what you work for. It’s often just that simple.

4. True purpose has no time limit. True purpose has no deadline. Don’t worry and stress yourself out. Just do the one thing you can right now.

5. You have to accept that some chapters in our lives have to close without closure. There’s no point in losing yourself by trying to fix what’s meant to stay broken.

6. Everyone you meet can teach you something important. In fact, the people who are the most difficult to deal with can also be your most valuable teachers.

7. Take constructive criticism seriously, but not personally. Listen, and then operate with your own intuition and wisdom as your guide.

8. Don’t run away from things; run toward them—the best way to move away from something negative is to move toward something positive.

9. Some life changes look negative and painful on the surface, but you will soon realize that space is being created in your life for something new and beautiful to emerge.

10. Feeling stuck is a FEELING, not a fact. So never assume that you’re stuck with the way things are. Life changes every second, and so can you.

Nothing special ever gets done alone. The bigger the goal, the more the teammates whose help you’ll need to reach your mission. The larger the dream, the more important the team.

You get the best out of others when you give the best of yourself- HARRY FIRESTONE.

Sometimes we waste a lot of valuable time thinking and speculating about the future. Which is more like living on borrowed money and time. We forget we own the moment. We can live it. Trust. Have some faith and just do the best we can at the present. We forget to be mindful. Aware.Present.
 Instead we choose to pursue what might not even be useful in the long run. Neglecting what really needs our attention and time. Our relationships with each other. The child-like faith that believes tomorrow will be better. 

We forget there is God who controls everything. When we realize we have limited control over things and life, we’ll fully wake up to our true selves and be true to who we really are as social beings. We’ll build each other instead of walking all over each other selfishly to get what we want.

It has to get better…how we treat each other, and look out for each other.

How deep and healthy are your relationships with others? Ambition is good but it should not blind us beyond what really matters in life. Because after all what would it benefit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul?

Losing your soul is not dying literally but living a lonely life ,becoming a walking zombie because you chose to walk alone and fast. Just as someone said ,“if you want to go fast go alone but if you want to go far go with people”. 

Sometimes the situation is black and white but we hide so much in between the greys to cover up our selfish motives in the name of ambition and goals. We want to own it all. Hold on to everything greedily.

In this materialistic world we chase titles, fast cars, big bank accounts, careers- a search for greatness when in truth, all that we really want we already have. We crave for that feeling these things will give us and so we’re always in want. Never satisfied. Never content.

The excellence and happiness we crave is inside us. Just that we’re looking for it in all the wrong places: position, social status, networth etcetera.

But before you know it, each of us will be dust. The street sweeper gets buried next to the CEO. Then titles, prestige, degrees never really matter.

All that matters is whether you grew into all you could have been. Did you add value into others or just walked all over them? Did you live for others or lived for self?

In our world we define our success byvtge things we have rather than by the people we’ve become. Rather than measuring our progress by how lives we’re influencing, we gauge it by how much money we’re making. Sad. But we are blindly choosing to focus on the wrong things. We are pursuing goals that will never make us happy.

There is nothing wrong with having good things. I am an aesthete. I adore beauty all around me. Good and tasteful things…

Question is: do you let it all define who you are inside? Does what you have or lack therefore define your identity? Do they own you or you own them?

If all of got lost… Would you lose yourself too?

Make the most of everyday. Cherish life itself. Whom I’m becoming is far more important than what I own. My positive influence on my clients, friends and family is more important.

If your focus is on making more money, then do lots of great work. Commit into being an extraordinary person. Give your best to others. Build an excellent inner self.

Ref:

Robin Sharma,(2010),The Leader Who Had No Title: part 4.

10 Habits Of The World’s Happiest People You Should Adopt

02 Apr 2018

I’ve dived into the most interesting habits of the happiest people in the world and decided to share them with you here. 

1. They enjoy the moment

It turns out that taking the time to “smell the roses” truly does enhance happiness in life. When you enjoy the small moments- good or bad- you’re more aware of what’s happening around you.

The happiest people focus on what they can control and it’s possible to choose happiness in the moment, no matter the struggles you may be going through.

2. They have a growth mindset

In the book Mindset, Carol Dweck explains that the most successful and happy people have what she calls a “growth mindset” compared to a “fixed mindset.” A fixed mindset seeks success as affirmation of intelligence or worth; a growth mindset thrives on challenge and sees failure not as evidence of unintelligence or unworthiness but as a catalyst for growth and stretching beyond existing abilities.

After twenty years of research, Dweck concluded that those with a growth mindset had happier relationships, achieved more success in the classroom, and were much more persistent through challenges.

3. They surround themselves with other happy people

Who we surround ourselves with has a huge impact on how we think, feel, and what direction we head in life. It may sound harsh, but cutting out the negative people in your life is necessary if you want to be happier.

You won’t have to confront them personally about this; it could just mean spending less time with them gradually so you can focus on improving yourself.

4. They have a dream

Without a future to look towards, the past is the only thing we can look back on.

Whether your dream is to travel the world, start your own business, or learn a new language, having a dream is one of the most important things in remaining optimistic when things get tough.

This concept of having a purpose is especially prevalent in Eastern Asia. In Japan, there’s an actual term called ‘ikigai’, which is translated as “the reason you wake up in the morning.” When some of the happiest and longest-living people were studied, they all had such a reason.

5. They can wait

The bigger the dream you have, the more patience you have to practice.

Happy people are willing to wait for the rewards and focus on the journey, how far they’ve come, and what’s ahead for them.

They understand that the best things in life come to those who are patient and can stick it out for the long run, whether that’s a job promotion, relationship, or a new skill they’re learning.

6. They schedule “me” time into their day

Saying “yes” to everything puts you on the fast track to being miserable.

Giving is important, but if that means taking up “your” time to relax, wind down, and learn new things, then you’ll have nothing to give over time.

You can’t always be agreeable; that’s how people take advantage of you. You have to set clear boundaries.

7. They spend money on experiences- not material things

That car that you just bought diminished in value the moment you drove it off the lot, but experiences are memories that will stay with you for the rest of your life.

The happiest people would rather go on a backpacking trip around Asia instead of buying a flat-screen TV that they’ll seldom use. According to Marc and Angel:

“Experiential purchases tend to make us happier for two key reasons: 1. Great experiences improve over time when we reminisce about them. 2. Experiences are often social events that get us out of our house and interacting with people we care about.”

8. They give more than they take

Since happy people live in a world of abundance where there’s always more opportunities to be had, more money to be made, and more love to share, they’re always giving when they can.

From raising money for a charity they care about, offering a dollar to a talented artist playing in the subway, to giving their precious time to mentor a mentee, they’re always giving.

As ironic as it may sound, happy people understand that this will actually make them happier in the end.

9. They embrace discomfort

According to psychologist Peter Kramer, resilience is the opposite of depression. Happy people know how to bounce back from failure. Resilience is a padding for the inevitable hardship human beings are bound to face. As the Japanese proverb goes, “Fall seven times and stand up eight.”

10. They are always learning

Despite his ASL, Stephen Hawking made prominent scientific discoveries. What is more, he found the words to tell the world about his findings.

Like Hawking, the happiest people all have one thing in common. They are lifelong learners, constantly reading new books, exploring other cultures, learning new languages, etc. It is an ongoing process because without growth there’s no life.

Source: Lifehack

Letting go of control- and being okay with it.

Letting go of control… and being OK with it.

That is one of the greatest struggles many of us deal with on a daily basis, myself included.

Because letting go of control goes directly against our modernized, industrialized way of living – we are go-getters, doers, architects of our destiny. We build things and make things happen on our own terms; we don’t wait for anything to happen on someone else’s terms! At least that’s what I learned growing up from teachers, sports coaches, movies, songs, magazine articles, and so forth. So allowing things to happen was not in my DNA. I had never been one to sit back and passively let go of control.

Over the years, however, my perspective has shifted. I’ve grown mentally stronger, even as I’ve learned the hard way that a great deal of the control we believe we have over our lives is an illusion. For example, I’ve since met…

• the young man who had his life turned upside down by cancer
• the young woman, and mother of two, who lost her husband to death at 27
• the hard-working employee who lost her job when her employer of 25 years filed for bankruptcy
• the runner who lost his leg in a hit an run car accident
• the mom whose son has Down syndrome despite her doing everything right during pregnancy

It happens every day—situations we think we have control over, but we really don’t.

So what can we do?

The only choice we have: Let go, and be mindful…

And although it sometimes takes a great deal of mental strength to do so, we CAN strengthen our minds gradually with practice…

In the game of life, we all receive a unique set of unexpected limitations and variables in the field of play. The question is: How will you respond to the hand you’ve been dealt? You can either focus on the lack thereof or empower yourself to play the game sensibly and resourcefully, making the very best of every outcome as it arises, even when it’s heartbreaking and hard to accept.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, the mind is our biggest battleground. It’s the place where the strongest conflict resides. It’s where half of the things we thought were going to happen, never did happen. It’s where our expectations always get the best of us. It’s where we fall victim to our cravings to control the uncontrollable. And if we allow these thoughts and cravings to dwell in our minds, they will succeed in robbing us of peace, joy, and ultimately our lives. We will think ourselves into deep heartache and even depression.

Truthfully, there’s so much about life that we can’t control, it makes no sense to waste all our energy on these things and then blatantly neglect everything we CAN control.

We can choose how we spend our time right now. We can choose gratitude and grace. We can choose whom we socialize with—whom we share this day of our lives with. We can choose to love and appreciate the people in our lives for exactly who they are. We can choose to love and appreciate ourselves, too. We can choose how we’re going to respond to life’s surprises and disappointments when they arise, and whether we will see them as curses or opportunities for personal growth.

And, perhaps most importantly, we can choose to think better about our past and present circumstances, and let go of what we can’t control, so we can consciously make the best of the next chapter in our lives.

Source: marcandangel

Finding inner strength-When you need it most.

Hard situations build strong people. Everyone has gone through something that has made them stronger than they could’ve ever been otherwise. I’ve been there myself several times over the years, and I’ve learned a lot about coping with and growing through hardships. If you are struggling in some way right now, these three strategies can work wonders…

1. Decide to be OK with NOT being OK all the time.

Even though it’s true that life’s challenges make us stronger, and that it will be OK eventually… it’s not always OK right now, and sometimes that’s all we can feel when we’re in the midst of terribly tough times. Sometimes NOT being OK is all we can register inside our tired brains and aching hearts. This feeling is normal. This emotion is human. And accepting this can feel like a small weight lifted.

The truth is, it’s not OK when someone you care about is no longer living and breathing and giving their amazing gifts to the world. It’s not OK when everything falls apart and you’re buried deep in the wreckage of a life you had planned for. It’s not OK when the bank account is nearly at zero, with no clear sign of a promising income opportunity. It’s not OK when someone you trusted betrays you and breaks your heart. It’s not OK when you’re emotionally drained to the point you can’t get yourself out of bed in the morning. It’s not OK when you’re engulfed in failure or shame or a grief like you’ve never known before.

Whatever your tough times consist of, sometimes it’s just NOT OK right now. And that, again, is more than OK.

Yes, I’m suggesting to try your hardest to be perfectly OK with not being perfectly OK all the time. Because those with the strength to succeed in the long run are the ones who lay a firm foundation of growth with the bricks life has thrown at them. Don’t be afraid to fall apart for a little while, because when it happens, the situation will open an opportunity for you to grow and rebuild yourself into the brilliant human being you are capable of being, one brick at a time.

2. Focus on today, only.

No matter what’s happening, you can resourcefully fight the battles of just one day. It’s only when you add the battles of those two mind-bending eternities, yesterday and tomorrow, that life gets overwhelmingly intense and complicated.

Accept that it’s not the experience of today that holds you back and drives you mad, but the regret and resentment about something that happened yesterday or the fear and dread of what tomorrow might bring, but probably won’t. It’s necessary, then, to let yourself live just one day at a time—just today—just right here, right now.

And this same strategy applies to your goals too—they don’t need to be so darn grandiose and convoluted that they frighten you. If your goals excite you, and are broken down into manageable chunks, you’ll be compelled to move forward with them. If they are based on what brings meaning into your life, not just what you think you “should” do, working on them will flow easier into each new day.

3. Realize that one tiny step is all you ever need to take.

It really only takes a small shift everyday that over time amounts to enormous change.

People don’t suddenly heal and start living their ideal life overnight—their daily rituals (tiny steps) play a massive role in making it possible for them to create the life they sincerely want to live.

You can choose to develop daily rituals that point you in the direction of creating your ideal life—or rituals that keep you firmly anchored to your present situation. Make the decision. Make the commitment. Then take the next tiniest step forward in the direction you choose to go.

Honestly, that’s all life is—tiny, positive steps that you take moment by moment, and then one day when you look back it all adds up to something worthwhile—something that’s often far better, and different, than what you had imagined when you began your journey.

Courage

Edit

This morning I was out basking in the sweet sun, progressively trying to improve on being mindful and focused on one thing at a time.

The sight of an eight day chick venturing out on her own- having strayed from her siblings and mother -caught my attention for a few minutes.

I watched how she enjoyed the new unventured territory full of opportunity to pick on feed and hopefully get full. Keenly, i observed her firm, yet little struts into the unkown, oblivious of all the uncertainities she was exposing herself to. Honestly, I thought she is pretty something huh! Brave.

However, at the back of my mind I kept thinking…what if she strays further and gets lost? What if the sharp,ruthless,swift eagle caught sight of her…? But again I just smiled thinking, what if all this never happens after all and she just enjoys it all then find her way back home after savouring this rare opportunity?

Life is a series of risks and rewards only for those valiant enough to grab them. For those bold enough to go for them despite the glaring uncertainties and dangers. I know this little chick would have wanted to stay in close proximity to her siblings and feed with them but the competition had to be borne in a new way. Venturing out.

Now as I write, several minutes later, her whole family has joined her in this new territory and together they are feeding once more.Quite happy I can say.And I’m just smiling thinking maybe,if she didn’t think as fast and act as quick ,then she wouldn’t land on this opportunity for her and her family as well…

Can you see the connection to life?

Mmmh…

Sometimes all we have to do to succeed is quit over thinking and trying to perfect things for the right moment but just go for it. Having the balls to handle it could be the leeway for us,to not only bask and enjoy the opportunity but also to be a blessing to those around us through creating avenues for them to earn and enjoy this life with us.

So what are you afraid of ? Look around you; there are immense lessons daily to keep you moving, motivated and wise.

Just be mindful.

Have courage.