Christmas - A Possibility

It's the same time of year again; December has come and with it has brought all the joys of Christmas. The Christmas celebration is associated with different traditions but what is the real meaning of Christmas? I have tried to explore it a bit.

It is a symbol of the togetherness and also for expressing good will to others. It is a time of God showing His great love for us. It can be a time of healing and renewed strength. It is a time to express gratitude, are we generous with the gifts that have been given to us, seeing ourselves as their stewards and not their owners? Not only cleaning and lighting the corners of our house but also cleaning and lighting deep, dark corners of our hearts. To wake up and realize the gifts of love we have received, waking up to the subconscious and spiritual depths of ourselves.

Christ and his presence among us—as one of us—give us reason to live in hope: that light will shatter the darkness, that we can be liberated from our fears and prejudices, that we are never alone or abandoned.

This Christmas let us clean out our system and follow few new realms of possibility:

• Tendency to think and act spontaneously rather than on fears based on past experiences.
• Ability to enjoy each moment.
• Loss of interest in judging other people.
• Loss of interest in interpreting the actions of others.
• Loss of interest in conflict.
• Loss of the ability to worry.
• Contented feelings of connectedness with others and nature.
• Frequent attacks of smiling.
• An increased susceptibility to the love extended by others as well as the uncontrollable urge to extend it.

Sharing some of the beautiful pictures of Christmas, and wishing you all a Blessed Christmas.

Renew This New Year

With 2010 coming to an end, and 2011 at its dawn, imagine waking up this New Year morning and being the person you'd love to be and having the life you'd love to have! Creating a passionate life that is aligned with passion is the secret to a life filled with joy and fulfillment. How to change from a passionless, old mundane life to a life overflowing with passion; begins with self-reflection of our life as it is today. Whatever the reason, at some point, the time comes to reinvent our self. It may come about as a natural growth and evolution, or it may be a choice to catapult our self into a new life and a new self.

Having a passion for what we do in life overflows into all aspects of our life. We have the energy to contribute to our relationships and family. We have interesting hobbies which we love. Friends and family find us ‘fun’ to be with and life feels enjoyable, exciting, and adventurous. It improves our health. We remain young at any age.

The skill of consistent reinvention is something that anyone can learn. What works at one time in our life may be inappropriate at another time. What the world needs from us at one time may be different from the next.

Why not throw off old habits and customs and embrace new ones! Reinventing our self is never easy, as we shall be going against patterns that have been established for years. However, with determination, effort and patience; doing so is possible and the rewards will surely be positive and unexpected. Dreams do turn true, but only if we are willing to make the needed efforts. Reinvent yourself and discover ways to bring new meaning and joy to your life.

Create a new personality. Throw and flush out old behaviors, mindsets, reactions and words. With a new day, be a new creature. Make use of new words, speed up the walk, smile more, have new reactions to different things. View the world with a new eye and different vision.

Mind is the key in the process of reinventing our self and so we need to make sure that we use it in the right way. More often than not, the reason for our disappointments and failures in life is because we've programmed our subconscious mind to sabotage our best efforts!

Unintentionally we program our subconscious mind negatively by the things we regularly do, say and think. We can be our own worst enemies. Sometimes even when we think we are saying something positive, we're in fact saying something negative! But we have the power and capability to change and resolve it. We hold our self back due to self-limiting thoughts and beliefs. We process thousands of thoughts each and every minute, and we are not aware of it. When we take the time throughout the day to be aware of our thoughts, we could make a powerful mindset shift that will significantly change our lives!

There are many external influences that affect our thoughts, and identifying, limiting, and/or removing those influences is another way to re-shape our thoughts. We fall into a habitual way of thinking and once habits are created, it takes acknowledgment and commitment to shift it and change it. When we replace old habits with new behaviors, life takes on new purpose, new focus, new momentum, and our desires become reality!

Enjoy reinventing yourself and may the journey bring you much joy and lasting happiness. Just like the Phoenix rising from the ashes, you can create a whole new you.

Everything in life requires time and commitment. First of all we must adapt a mindset of renewal.
Renew is to repeat so as to reaffirm; revive; to replenish; to bring into being again, reestablish; to start over. It’s not the obstacles or challenges we face that keep us from succeeding. It’s our inability or unwillingness to learn from those things that allow us to be defeated.

Resilience is the ability to recover quickly from illness, change, or misfortune.
Reinvention is a never ending process. It’s the daily, on-going pursuit of personal growth and fulfillment – a path that ultimately leads to more rewards and greater responsibilities.

The final thought I will leave you with involves taking action. You can read and think all day every day, but it is by taking action, inspired action, that you will be able to reach a level of success greater that you ever would have imagined. This New Year let us take a pledge to be committed and focused to make sincere and honest efforts to renew ourselves.

Don’t predict the future create it. And you deserve the best!!!

Cultivate Humor

Cultivating a humorous mindset helps us see our self and any situation with a suppler mind so that we are not locked into a negative view. Humor is one way to change our view intuitively—and enjoyably. What we are looking for is gentle, playful perspective that embraces humanness but never at the expense of others—or of ourselves. The goal is not to take life too seriously.

By cultivating this new trait in the personality, one can be the person that everyone likes, the person who is funny, and just drips of charisma. The “HOLY GRAIL” of not just being funny... but being interesting, witty, likable and charming as hell. Funny Conversationalist That EVERYONE Wants to Meet and Be around…... someone who people become obsessed and fascinated by, a people magnet to all, one talks to.

Study upon study shows that a sense of humor is high up on the list of traits that most people seek in others.“Humor being one of the top traits Employers look for when hiring a worker”. There is an actual science to being funny, witty, interesting and being liked by other people.

A good sense of humor does a lot of good things for a person. It makes them more likable and increases their attractiveness. Also, people with a sense of humor tend to be very natural at starting and leading a good conversation. Each and every one of us can cultivate our inner funniness to a level that people would admire.

Cultivating humor not only makes life more bearable, it makes one more attractive to others. Humor can dilute the negative emotions, eliminate frustration and suffering. Who have a sense of humor, life is full of fun, and many painful annoyances that earlier seem to matter, can be coped up with ease. Use humor to deal with troubles and conflicts, make people feel happy, harmonious, and friendly.

How to foster good humor?
• Choose to allow yourself to laugh at your own behaviors and beliefs— but not at yourself. Make that distinction clearly.
• See your life not as a distraught drama but as a romantic comedy. Recognize the inherent farce-like quality in situations.
• Creating your own funny expressions for your experiences makes you more flexible and allows you to interpret and assess reality better.

Humor is wonderful. It leads to happy thoughts and add spark to relationships. Apply it every day in life. It is a great therapy which can really lighten things up in workplace, in a relationship, and anywhere else.

“Who do not know how to joke then there is no hope”- is an old saying. In real life, humor can eliminate frustration and pain, relieve tension, bring joy and hope. Sense of humor is an important part of emotional intelligence.

Humor is a special kind of tool for people to adapt to the environment. It is the human face of adversity to reduce mental and psychological pressure.

What is life without a sense of humor? Many a life has been inspired by the ability to laugh in a tough situation and smile at the miseries of life. The drudgery of life is often relieved by these little glorious moments of humor. The capacity to see the flip side of life in the day to day situations and to come out of the bottlenecks of life, with a smile is indeed a great blessing. Charlie Chaplin said that he would not have survived the greatest battles of his life without the great sense of humor he had. He could come out smiling in the hardest moments of his life. He laughed at the ironies of life, the very bitter sarcasm that life is.

Life and the drudgery of everyday living cannot be changed by crying or crimping about it. In this quest for solutions, if one can keep a cool head by being sensible and light-hearted about the situation, definitely the chances are that solutions would emerge on its own. Gloominess, depression and melancholy can only add miseries to life. But humor can brighten life, inspire the mind and spark the brain to look for way outs.

That is why sense of humor is a must for healthy living.
When the going gets tough, how does one keep a firm footing and avoid slipping and falling into an abyss of despair? There is no better tool than a sense of humor. One of the main causes of suffering and stress is a sense of helplessness, powerlessness, or lack of control. But a sense of humor can put one back in control. Genuine humor points out the weaknesses of humanity, but without contempt. It is a commentator of life, not a critic of it. Its purpose is to uplift, not tear down, and to lighten the burdens of others, not add to them. Good humor is a shock absorber that helps us get over the bumps in life. Those with a good sense of humor have a good sense of life.



Sense of Humor detaches us from our problems and releases negative emotions; it is the best medicine. It transforms our thoughts, which in turn transforms our feelings for the better.

Know Thyself Better

Most of us believe that we know ourselves very well. But in reality lot of people are strangers to themselves. Why? Not everyone is courageous enough to travel the path within to achieve a better self-understanding. For a person to have a well-lived life, it is important that he knows himself well.

Know thyself, and thou shall know the Universe and God.- Pythagoras
Learning about oneself is a lifetime process. Every day we are given new insights about our self. Maintaining the hunger to know our self better makes us more self-aware, opening up new opportunities to enrich our life.

We are born as a baby, taken care and brought up by our family, receive education by schools and colleges, and then employed by some company to earn a living. Life goes like a journey, in between platforms keep changing. The earlier we ask this question; that do I know myself, the earlier chances of leading a happy and successful life.

It is true that if we are happy with our self then only we can make anyone else happy. To make our self happy we have to know what we are and this demands some self-exploration. The best way to know our self is to be honest about our feelings and explore every new thing which God is exposing us to. Instead of being laid back always welcome anything new which is there around and never ever say no. Then only one gets more challenges and get to know the self better.

Meeting new people and making friends with them is the other way through which we can know our self better. It's always when we meet somebody new then we come across a person with new set of habits, attitude, knowledge, behavior and personality. When we interact with that person we come across so many points which are missing in us. Then we contemplate on the way we reacted with him, or went along with him. In a way we are helping our self to know in a much better way.

Learning new things in life also help in getting to know our self better. You never know while exploring something new you might come across something which excites you and reveals some new personality trait in you. Trying out a new game, hobby, food, and activity should always be welcomed in life.

Life is a wonderful journey to explore. It's up to us how we can make out the best out of this exploration. Therefore let us start exploring first!

We all possess a soul blueprint, even in basic terms, a high level of common sense. When life begins to change, the only place that we can go is within. Going within, is the only way to know our self better and going within is the only way to understand how to proceed on the journey of life change.

Knowing our self better can bring out the best in who we are, and as we are on the journey of our own discovery, be patient and be kind to yourself. Knowing yourself better, is a journey worth taking.

Do the unusual thing: When faced with a choice in daily life, step back for a minute and think. Then take the option that is and feels unusual or difficult one.
Do something new and something you wouldn’t expect from yourself. For example if you often step back from a challenge,just don’t for this one time. If you often get into arguments with people then just don’t this one time and instead just let it go or treat the other person with kindness. Do the opposite of what you usually do and see what happens (while using common sense of course).

This is fun and great way to get new experiences and to learn things about the world and about our self that we wouldn’t know if we kept going like we usually do. It’s also a great way to be surprised about life as things often turn out more positively.

Getting stuck in the same old routine until it becomes a rut can suck the life out of us. Doing the unusual thing in small and big situations, no matter how it goes, is a great way to feel alive again and to reveal aspects of our self that may have been hidden from us.

Expand the mind by becoming aware of the things we resist. We do not need to change anything. Awareness is a catalyst for true change. In its light, ignorance cannot persist.

Hurt And Forgiveness

We live under an illusion that hurt is caused by another person, so he should get punished, or I have to take revenge from him. In the process we withdraw from him, stop interaction, thinking that we are giving pain to that person. He should feel bad; we can make him feel bad. Even if we forgive we show as if we have done some great favor to the other person.

Whereas the whole situation is wrongly interpreted; the reality is I have chosen to hurt myself, my mental agony is my own creation. If somebody needs to be forgiven, its me, I have to forgive myself I have to be sorry with myself, and forgive for creating hurt inside.

We might not be able to forget an incident, but it should no longer cause pain, forgiveness means to remember the incident but forget the pain associated with it. At times we choose to live with pain. We are holding on to that pain, check- pain is not holding on to you. When we accept the responsibility that whatever is happening is because of me and only me, any situation or person cannot impact me anymore. This is when we are totally liberated.

Life is under control, it is no longer in control of other people, past or situations. Whole life we try to control other people and situations and feel that our life is not in our own hands. But who has given the control outside? Our getting upset inside shows that we are trying to control things outside, other person’s behavior, other situations. But do not want to control our self and take the responsibility of our own behavior.

We cannot control anyone, neither anyone can control me. At times we do say that I have no choice, I have to do this…and feel like a victim and create hurt. Whereas the fact remains we always have a choice. The other person is just playing their role. The situation is just playing its drama. It is our choice to create fear, hurt or responsibility. Instead of feeling like a victim and saying ‘I have to’; the statement is actually I choose to…….do this.

We have to watch things carefully, how much weight and how much waste. Hurt is just extra weight and only waste we are carrying unnecessarily with us all the time. Today we know the importance of staying fit, the diseases caused by obesity, but we are unaware of extra weight on the soul, leading to the diseases of soul. We avoid eating junk food, it adds to the weight and is a waste for the body. But we keep feeding our soul with the junk of others. We enjoy gossiping and discussing others weaknesses. This adds to our weaknesses.

On the other hand if we discuss the strong points of others, their strengths, we become strong in the process. Fried food is very tasty and tempting it attracts a lot, similarly gossip attracts, it is inviting, gives pleasure, but it is harmful to the soul. Criticizing someone else creates negative energy, its waste and junk, creates weight on the soul.

Whatever hurt we are carrying with us is extra weight of the past, weaknesses of others, waste news etc… If body has extra weight cannot run or climb heights. Similarly extra weight on soul cannot rise or transform for better. If body does not release the waste in time and keep on carrying it, the whole body can become toxic and leads to sickness of various kinds. So release the waste from the soul before it gets toxic for it. Release all the past hurt, forgive the people and situations for your own benefits.
 

Keep soul light, it can adjust anywhere in any circumstances. Don’t overload it with any junk, be careful every day, every minute.With a lighter soul, we have improved flexibility for new challenges, transformation is much easier. When otherwise faced by a challenge it looks like a big rock, we take a hammer and start breaking it, no result. On the other hand with a lighter soul, we can rise above the rock/ challenge and jump across the hurdle, rather than fighting head on with the situation and trying to change it.

Stress And Performance

In most work situation/ jobs, our stress response causes our performance to suffer. A calm, rational, controlled and sensitive approach is usually called for in dealing with most difficult problems at work: Our social inter-relationships are just too complex not to be damaged by an aggressive approach, while a passive and withdrawn response to stress means that we can fail to assert our rights when we should.

In workplaces where people are constantly afraid and insecure, employees are at risk of "numbing out" to protect themselves. We see it in the blank faces of clerks, the lack of enthusiasm by front line workers, and in the remarkably insensitive ways managers and employees treat each other. The very mechanism which allows a person to survive an emotionally painful environment also makes it difficult for them to respond sensitively and empathetically to others. The organizational conflict and customer service consequences of this are obviously very costly.

This numbing process affects far more than the interpersonal realm of organizational performance. It affects all aspects of decision-making, innovation, and safety. With the thinking impaired, people are at greater risk of causing serious mistakes and accidents. They are also obviously less likely to make wise decisions and create process improvements.

To create a high performance organization, an organization which brings out the best in its people, we need to understand how stress affects people's intellectual, emotional, and interpersonal functioning.

I recently saw a poster, in which a man was standing on a surfboard in a complex yoga posture, balanced on one leg, – on the crest of a large ocean wave. Underneath, the inscription read: “You can't stop the waves, but you can learn how to surf.” Stress emerges from believing you can control or stop the waves. Performance is about learning how to ride them.

Those in our profession who have learned how to transform stress into enhanced performance understand the foundational principle: what's important is not what's happening but how we're relating to it. We are frequently unable to control the way our cases develop or their outcomes. But we always have the ability to choose how we respond to these developments, rather than merely reacting automatically and unconsciously. If we can make conscious and skillful judgments and choices, rather than mechanically responding from habit and emotion, the results will naturally take care of themselves.

With the following equation we can understand the relationship and difference between pressure and stress (Pressure= Stress/ Resilience). Although pressure is healthy and important for completing any project, deadlines and performance commitments etc... Whereas stress is a state of mind, an experience while completing the task, which is very much within the control of an individual. And if we have unnecessary and waste thoughts while doing a job, the concentration level, decision power, performance and the focus to complete the job with details goes down drastically. Resilience is the amount of pressure an individual can handle, based on their belief system and thought process.

Through trial and error modern man has found a unique stress buster—knocking at the door of soul. When all outward sources of solace dry up it is but natural to look within, and to know, to understand the nature of the `self` and its requirements. This kind of mental orientation helps realize one`s inner potential and achieve personal growth. Spirituality, or knowing one`s `self`; and one`s relationship with God; is rapidly catching the imaginations of modern men.

In addition, leaders must learn to deal with stress, scare, worry and anxiety that disturb and destroy the 'calmness' and 'peace' of mind. It has been argued that if leaders are free from stress, they will be in their centered state and higher state of mind, as a result of which they can precisely see things as what they are, and can make the accurate and right decisions.

Stress and pressure, the way it is created today at work is through fear, and we expect that this fear shall help in motivation. Fear is a negative input, and can only result in negative output. Fear drains out energy it is not at all a motivator. Concentration suffers, and focus narrows as our brain becomes overloaded.

To remove stress from our daily lives, we have to work on the quality of thoughts. And understand that pressure shall always be there. Temporarily we all have experienced that mind is diverted when we are on a holiday, in a party, watching TV or a Movie, Shopping etc. What happens here is mind gets stimulation for a while and we feel relaxed. But stimulation is not relaxation.

For a more reliable system we have to work on our thoughts, turn them into positive, through a continuous and conscious practice of positive thinking, we are not only relaxing, but restructuring and reforming our whole personality from within. Like the mythological phoenix, we are burning the old samskaras, (impression left by previous thoughts or actions) habits and tendencies in order to be calm and serene always. This process is not only much quicker than other systems which work on an external basis only, but the results are also more reliable and permanent.

The art of resting the mind and the power of dismissing from it waste thoughts and all that creates worry is probably one of the secrets of energy in our great men.

Revolutionize Thinking

A mind once stretched by a new idea can never return to its original dimensions. We see the world not as it is but as we are. The size of our life reflects the size of our thinking. Our thinking creates our reality. Our beliefs truly become our self fulfilling prophecies.

Focus and energy shifted from conceiving something good to creating something great. “You will be bold and extraordinary, just being you." We all have within us the ability to be great. I believe that we are all created perfect and complete exactly as we are. However, we experience blockages to our perfection - - and these blockages can be transformed by subtle shifts in our thinking, thus transforming our ways of being, health, actions, and our reactions.

What we are thinking now is creating our life. Stop for a moment and identify thoughts. Are they positive or negative? Recall your daily thoughts; do you focus mostly on what is wrong in life rather than creating the life you want? We build our life by the blueprint and foundation of our thoughts.

Change the consistent thought pattern. The negative thoughts racing through our mind contribute to muscle tension, high blood pressure, and various other physical ailments. Negative energy created from negative thinking is permeating the cells of our body and surrounding our physical Self. This energy is interacting with the energy around us and intermingling to create our life.

To demonstrate a change from this, switch thoughts for a few moments and feel the difference in body and energy. Think of a meadow or a beautiful landscape. Feel it completely. Now think of something that prompts a smile. When we smile, we can feel a change in energy.

Change your thoughts and you change your world. - Norman Vincent Peale

Create a shift here, don't get critical or judgmental on any situation or any person; observe this behavior for few days and see the difference. This shall help to change the present and future. The judgments and criticism are coming from the past, let us not recreate the past again, let us create better present and future, it shall become better only by better thinking. This shall help us in becoming more peaceful with inner stability. And peace is power, power to influence, whether a situation or a person.

Experts say that when we’ve repeated a new thought or practiced a new habit for about 90 days, it becomes part of the brain architecture… part of our living. Let us never make the mistake of thinking that we’ve learned all there is to learn or that we can’t possibly grow any more. As long as we never get overly satisfied with whom we are, we’ll continue to grow.

In the words of B. Copeland, “Life is now in session. Are you present?”

With this little effort, it creates an aura of strength, purity and positivity around us. A shield which protects us from the arrows of negative talks of others and negatives of any given situation, rather giving strength in order to find a workable solution.

Let us find newness in every day, every situation and person. World has changed, so have myself and so have others, how can one person or situation be compared to something else based in the past. Let us deliberately work for and find something new in everything.

On the other hand if one tries to judge things based on their random perception which is developed based on the past experiences, then it acts as a filter or glasses to view every situation. The present and the future gets affected by our past perception and we find ourselves in similar situations with similar people, without any appropriate solution to move ahead progressively.

We are creating and giving meaning to every situation and people’s behavior. There is no meaning in any situation; we drive our own meanings based on our state of mind and past experiences of life. So, let us work on to consciously shift thoughts from negative to positive.

Consciously shift focus and choose to give time and awareness to all that we’re grateful for in life, doing this immediately shifts energy field and emerges into an open, receptive place where beautiful things can begin to happen. The act of appreciation can literally transform our life. Don’t underestimate the power of focusing on blessings each day, when we do this, we find our self becoming even more abundantly blessed with each passing day. One of the most important things to remember when we face challenges or seemingly impossible situations is to recognize that reality can always shift! In every single moment of every single day, we can choose to replace our feelings of stress, fear, or anger and breathe in feelings of peace, acceptance, joy, self love, and forgiveness. The choice is with us at all times.

We are not a victim of our surroundings or our circumstances unless we choose to be! An energetic shift is always (in all ways) available. We simply have to accept that opportunity each day of our life and begin to create our life on purpose by getting in the driver’s seat of our existence and choosing the energy that we wish to radiate into the world and our surroundings each day.

Invest in Relationships

People come first, let us invest in relationships. What is the point of achieving our dreams but being alone there, having no one to celebrate success with. Today we might have become well connected electronically, spending hours reading blogs, surfing internet, chatting online, doing FB, Orkut etc... but we have forgotten the importance of conversation and human touch, power of dinning and eating together with family and friends.

Let us work to build the bonds of humanity by being loving to kids and family, kind to friends, supportive to team members and customers. Relationships are most basic but most beautiful treasures of life; let us value them, realizing our own best through our relationships. Ultimately Business and life is all about forging human bonds.

Most of the time we take relationships for granted. We find it hard to say we value, love and treasure friends and families. Give the best when friends and families are around. No man is an island and we have to live in a community, in communication with others to survive and develop as a whole and complete person.

In the quest of the success, one important area which can be utilized as a feedback source for our life is human relationship. The quality and type of relationships that exists in our life can say much about our personality that we have gained over the period. Our relationship with other people mirrors our human life in different ways. We can measure the quality of our life by the quality of relationships we have with others. Having relationships that support us is probably the biggest key in becoming that grand person we envision to become.

Good relationships are central to a meaningful and fulfilling life.
For a high quality of life, a person should have relationships that bring fulfillment, stability, and contentment for life satisfaction. Quality of life really is not dependent upon one’s degree of wealth or material possessions. It is more dependent upon the relationships a person has - at work, in the family and friends, and the degree of intimacy and satisfaction they bring into a person’s life.

Healthy relationships support, encourage, inspire, and help one to improve and develop in a natural and functional manner. Healthy relationships are not just desirable, they are essential to human growth and development - satisfaction and fulfillment in life. In healthy relationships, one feels safe, valued and respected.

A great place to start improving our relationships is with our attitude: open mind and senses towards other people. If we are aware of this, and focus on improving our communication and relationships, we will begin to feel great about our self. A person with good communication skills will move swiftly towards his goals and dreams.

Loneliness is a powerful factor in our making an idol of a human relationship. It often drives us to value a human relationship for a kind of satisfaction it cannot deliver. There is always a price for the prize. Nothing is for free. However, with enough effort, focus, and determination that prize will become a reality and it will be well worth the price!

Money Is A Means To An End
We must learn this early in our life that money is only a means, a type of usefulness, an instrument. Like all instruments, it has certain purposes, but it will not do everything. One must learn how to use it, what it will do, but above all what it will not do."
Material goods are to be used and people to be loved, don’t do the other way round, loving the possessions and using the people. It is fatal for our own self.
Once we understand that money cannot purchase the emotions, relationships, or feelings that truly lead to happiness, money (and material possessions) will become much less important to us. If we do something just for the money, the love of it will soon die. If we do something we love, then the money is secondary but it will come a lot easier and it will last longer.

PEOPLE ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN THINGS.

We work hard to make more money to have more possessions, some worthy and some not so necessary. Owning a luxurious bungalow is costly but we rationalize that the family will have so much fun and great memories together. But at times to build that bungalow, the family is no longer together. Material possessions are not as important as possessing shared experiences with our family. Furnishing our home with family is our best investment.

The key here is only when one is grounded in spirituality and has started the journey of a loving relationship with one self, which leads to know and develop a loving relationship with the Supreme, can one truly reap pure love and, more importantly, bring forth that pure love into other relationships.

Know Your Own Self Worth

In life one may travel a lot, may go places, have loads of experiences, good or bad, but one should never lose sight of who you are and what is the self worth.

"I am unique I am worth it and I deserve much more”.

The way forward to our own true life, is from the inside. Get to know and love yourself.

If we allow our value to be determined by others, by how useful we are to them, we may find our self constantly running around taking care of them, trying to prove our worth. We are allowing our validation to come from outside of our self. Our energy will be spent proving our worthiness to others.

We have the power completely within us to decide how to see and treat our self. If we first decide and appreciate our talent, capabilities and intelligence, it will be easier for others to see these parts of us.

It means knowing our good points and also knowing our points needing improvement. It means knowing how to take a compliment and accept a thank you. It means having pride in our accomplishments but without arrogance. Arrogance is the polar opposite of humility; it is thinking we are better than we really are.

One of the most common things people tend to base their concept of self worth on, is the job they do. OK fine, but what happens if one cannot do the job anymore?
What happens when one retires?
What happens if one becomes or was born, disabled, and all the "jobs" are no longer possible?
Now, does this mean that one no longer has any self worth?
Well, in the eyes of some people,.... But, important fact here, in your own eyes, has anything changed.

So what's my point? One’s self worth does not, or should not, depend on anything or anyone, outside of one self.

In the midst of an economy that has been slow in generating new jobs, it is dangerous to measure self-worth and the worth of others through a job title or the ability to make money. The family breadwinner who gets laid off and suddenly faces unemployment for the first time in his life, the idealist who quits an unfulfilled job to pursue a satisfying but less lucrative career or the college graduate who, has difficulty finding meaningful employment after graduation, suffer deep emotional blows if they tie their self-worth to a job.

Eleanor Roosevelt once said, "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent."

The reality is, our self-worth is in our own eyes, who and what one really is. Not what we can do for others, or what place we hold on the social scale, it's not our job, or our status, it's you .... you as a person, what you are inside that matters.

You are worthy by the simple reason you exist, you don't have to be anything else. You live, you breathe, and as long as you do both of those things, you have the ability to use whatever resources you have, for whatever purposes you want to.

Job titles or status, are wrong. None of that has anything thing to do with who and what we are. So whatever your pathway, it's for you and you alone to decide that. Once you have decided it, and accept the reality behind it, then you have a clear inner mirror, your self-worth is rock solid, as it’s based on your own personal thoughts.

We have no say on what another thinks, but we do have a choice on how we let those thoughts affect us.

May our inner mirror be bright. The more we feel good, the more we love our self and the more we love yourself the more positive things will come our way, since we will be receptive to them.

When we start looking within and celebrating the Truth of who we truly are, then we can celebrate our unique differences instead of judging them out of fear.

Celebrating Happiness! Celebrating ONE Year of Blogging

A year ago today I started blogging. I am so excited to be celebrating the first one year blogiversary!!!! I can't believe it has been a year already, it feels like I just started blogging yesterday, but at the same time I can't believe it has ONLY been a year. I feel like sooooo much has happened in just one year. My life has improved so much, and I as a person have changed, evolved and transformed even more. I have never been so much happier, never been so at peace, and never been so much in love. I am a better person because of this positive blog. I am happy constantly! It has brought so much happiness and fun to my life on one side, yet keeps me calm and grounded on the other side. I am truly discovering myself every moment with this blog.

365 days have passed since I started blogging and each and every one of these days I have only had positive creative thoughts, how to make myself as a better person, with better surroundings, creating a positive environment all around. I truly wish this kind of happiness upon everyone, I feel so blessed.

Happy blogiversary! to this positive blog! Today is my one year blogging anniversary! THANK YOU to all of my wonderful readers and supporters. You all really feel like friends to me!

Thank you so much to everyone who's taken the time to leave a nice comment- it really means a lot to me and I read and reply every single comment. I would like to thank you all who’ve helped me get this far. I look forward to an excellent 2011 and beyond with more positivity and great offerings that will continue to change the way we think.

One year ago, this blog was born! I think I’m overly excited about today, but you’ll have to forgive me, as this has been a big year for me, and creating this blog has been one of the best things I’ve ever done. Through this blog, I’ve found my passion, and I think my calling. Since its inception in one year, had more than 335 Followers all together, viewing more than 6,455 pages of the blog, crafted 61 posts over the past year.

It couldn’t have been done without you. I could write until my fingers turned raw, but if you weren’t there to read my posts, to give me feedback, to encourage me … it really wouldn’t be worth it.

So thank you, readers. This has been a wonderful year for me, and I owe that to you.
Please forgive the self-congratulatory nature of this post. But if I can’t share my joy with you guys … who can I share it with?
I can't say thank you enough!

Here I would also like to thank God, for giving me understanding and spiritual guidance, filling my heart and mind completely. His guiding Holy Spirit directs my every step. In all that I do, I acknowledge His holy presence and give thanks for the wisdom, strength, and serenity He gives me.

As I feel and experience His constant Presence in my life, God, I joyfully receive your communication, insight, and inspiration, gently guiding me on my path and making my way sure.

His guiding light illuminates my path. His voice within me gives me the understanding, insight, and spiritual guidance I need to make wise and compassionate decisions. With Your help I could create the soul of this Blog.

You, dear Father, are my Infinite Source of Peace, Love, and Wisdom. Your Holy Spirit guides and directs me. Your Love enfolds me, and Your Light illuminates me.
I am eternally grateful for your spiritual guidance, dear Father.
Thank you for always being with me.

Beauty Of Uncertainty

The inherent uncertainty of life can lead to a great deal of anxiety and unhappiness, but it doesn’t have to. Oddly enough, with all the unpredictable possibilities stretching out before us—and the impossibility of preparing for even a fraction of them—there is one thing of which we can be absolutely certain and that is uncertainty itself.

“Without a measureless and perpetual uncertainty, the drama of human life would be destroyed”- Winston Churchill

We are cursed with the uncertainty of our own imaginings. Our imagination fuels our anxiety, and the only reasonable respite from this anxiety is to become comfortable with uncertainty.

Uncertainty is, after all, our constant companion, so we might as well befriend it. None of us can predict what kind of thought or memory our brain will bring to consciousness in the next moment, let alone next week. I am constantly amused by the parade of memories that my brain produces without any obvious stimulus, with no apparent purpose. “Where did that come from?” I often ask myself, and then get on with routine jobs after a moment of smiling wonder.

“Uncertainty and mystery are energies of life. Don't let them scare you unduly, for they keep boredom at bay and spark creativity.” R. I. Fitzhenry

By paying attention to the moment-to-moment surprises blossoming in our heads, we can get comfortable with the idea of not knowing what’s going to happen next. Life can become a perpetual surprise party, with each of us the honored guest.With enough practice, we can develop a very tentative attitude toward all our plans for the future, with a resulting lack of distress when they are altered by unforeseen circumstances. We may also come to find humor in our unrequited yearnings for security and certainty.

“Maturity of mind is the capacity to endure uncertainty.” John Finley

God's love is always available, especially during times of uncertainty- Happiness Lies in Trusting His Wisdom! Unpredictable, But Sure is His Grace!

When we are uncertain about which direction we should go, if we so will it, God's love will come in and guide us and direct us in all our ways. When we make mistakes and we are uncertain if we should try again, if we so will it, God's love will come in and repair our grief. If we so will it, God's love shows us we must try and try again. When we do not know what to do, if we so will it, God's love comes in and helps us decide. If we so will it, God's love shall always guide us on our path. If we so will it, God's love shall help us find our way when we get lost. If we so will it, God's love shall grasp our hand in the uncertainty of our last hour, and when God's love shall grasp our hand and take us to Heaven, we shall meet Love, He shall embrace us, and He shall welcome us home forever and ever.

The frightening levels of uncertainty that surrounds us at times may unnerve us, but if we learn to trust His Wisdom and love His uncertainty, He takes meticulous care of everything.

As we look at our chaotic world today, we may believe that God has a plan but it has gone hopelessly awry. The Divine mystery is revealed little by little, step by step. It is like an action packed thriller movie where the suspense is dispelled only after you sit through the entire movie. It is our duty to rally around Him and join hands with Him in His glorious mission.

The play is His; the role is His gift; the lines are written by Him; He directs; He decides the dress and the decor, the gesture and the tone, the entrance and the exit.

We have to act the role well and receive His applause when the curtain falls. We have to earn by our efficiency and enthusiasm to play higher and higher roles - that is the meaning and purpose of life.

Lord please hold my hand tightly as I am still in the darkness, I might lose my way and get lost in the illusions of this world. Lead me on, guide me across, let me stand, I’m tired, I’m weak, I’m alone, Through this storm, through the night, Lead me on to the light. Take my hand precious Lord and lead me home.

Uncertainty is the very condition to impel man to unfold his powers.

“Uncertainty is the only certainty there is, and knowing how to live with insecurity is the only security.” John Allen Paulos


Let us accept, however, that things will never be perfect—that we’ll gain, and lose, and grow, and regress, and smile, cry, learn, and forget—we’ll be better able to embrace the present moment. We are all ever-changing works in progress, and so are the lives we lead.

Birthday Celebrations

After celebrating my birthday this month it led me to think about birthdays in general. Why do we celebrate our birthdays?

Birthdays are days of joy and happiness everywhere. Nowadays they are becoming more and more occasions for merely outer celebrations and parties, which often externalize and lower the consciousness. On the other hand they can play an important role in one's inner growth.

A birthday is a time to celebrate birth itself, the joy of life. It is also an occasion to rethink about life: How great is the disparity between what I have accomplished and what I can accomplish? Am I spending my time properly or am I involved in things that distract me from my higher calling? How can I strengthen the thread that connects my outer life and my inner life? To recall our birth is to recall a new beginning. No matter how things went yesterday, or last year, we always have the capacity to try again. Our birthday is a refresher, a chance for regeneration--not just materially, but spiritually.

The spiritual eyesight improves as the physical eyesight declines. – Plato. Although today parents and schools are ensuring to include spiritual education as a part of early education to small kids. 

Every birthday is a milestone in an individual's life. It not only signifies a year of our life that has gone by, but also celebrates maturity, growth and all the achievements in the past year.

One should thank God for gifting us with the precious “human life”.
Today is the day, for whatever we are here only because of this day and that‘s today (Birthday).
Today is the day when we began our journey of life, let's pray God to give us decades of such fabulous days of today.

Today is the day of celebration, day of joy, day of desiring to make life better and better to value the precious gift given by God.

What is the meaning of one's birthday, apart from its commemorative character? How can one take advantage of this occasion? "Because of the rhythm of the universal forces, a person is supposed to have a special receptivity on his/her birthday each year. He can therefore take advantage of this receptivity by making good resolutions and fresh progress on the path of his integral development."

Let this day of our birth be an occasion to give our self a little more, a little better to the Divine. Let our consecration be more total, our devotion more ardent, and our aspiration more intense. Open our self to the New Light and walk with a joyful step on the path to self realization.

What is the deeper true significance of Birthdays? Let us try and throw an entirely new light on this subject. I hope this will help us in spending the Birthdays, in the right way and taking advantage of the occasions for making a special progress.



"It is truly a special day in one's life. It is one of those days in the year when the Supreme descends into us - or when we are face to face with the Eternal - one of those days when our soul comes in contact with the Eternal and, if we remain a little conscious, we can feel His Presence within us.

If we make a little effort on this day, we accomplish the work of many lives as in a lightning flash. It is indeed a very very special day, for it is the day of decision, the day one can unite with the Supreme Consciousness.

For the Lord lifts us on this day to the highest region possible so that our soul, which is a portion of that Eternal Flame, may be united and identified with its Origin.

This day is truly an opportunity in life…It is one of those days when the Lord Himself opens the doors wide for us. It is as though He were inviting us to rekindle more powerfully the flame of aspiration. It is one of those days which He gives us. And this - this is a real chance in life - the day of the Grace."

On our Birthdays, we feel very happy to receive gifts. But there is one major gift that we receive every year that most people forget about. And that is the gift of life. God has given each of us the gift of life! It is very easy to forget that. We become so involved with our trials and tribulations that we forget who we are and why we are here. Our birthdays are a celebration of the gift of life, given to us by the Universal Spirit. It is a time to reflect on who we are, what we have been given and what we plan to achieve. It is a time to be grateful to God for our very existence. Thank you, God!

Happy Birthday!

We must add one more positive quality to ourselves. That will give us greater happiness than any other celebration. Let us decide to add one good quality to us on our birthday and let us celebrate it.

London- Bustling real estate

London is an exciting and cosmopolitan city; home to such a wealth of attractions, a few words couldn't hope to do it justice. If one wants can write a complete book on this vibrant city, but would share few words and more pictures, to catch the essence of the city.

London is a large international and diverse cultural centre, with art and music present throughout the city. It is home to numerous museums, art galleries, theatres and cinemas. More than 300 nationalities contribute to the diversity and liveliness of London's cultural events.

The diversity of London begins with its architecture. The city features abundance of historic buildings, but at the same time keeps up with the latest trends in modern structures. However, as a tourist one is more interested in the old buildings, especially since six of London’s most significant cultural landmarks received international recognition and were given the status of World Heritage Sites: The Tower of London, Kew Gardens, St Margaret’s Church, Westminster Abbey, the Palace of Westminster and Maritime Greenwich.

Kew Gardens

 The Palace of Westminster

The Tower of London, which was built in 1100 by William the Conqueror, is a fine example of the capital’s Medieval architecture. In London one finds many examples of other styles, many times right next to each other. The Gothic style is exemplified in the architecture of the Westminster Abbey, which was erected in the 13th Century during the reign of Henry III. The Tudor style is represented by the Hampton Court Palace and, to an extent, by the reconstructed Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, which was originally built in the early 1600s and represented the English Vernacular style of the day, but was slightly modified due to the renovation. In the 17th Century, Inigo Jones introduced yet another style to the British architecture − the Palladian style.

Hampton Court Palace

Globe Theatre London

St Paul’s Cathedral

In 1666, after the Great Fire of London destroyed much of the city, authorities reacted immediately and appointed Christopher Wren to design and oversee the rebuilding of the fifty-one burnt-down churches. Most of these churches, especially St Paul’s Cathedral, which was Wren's masterpiece, were built in the English Baroque style with the characteristic intricate ornamentation and curved lines. In the early 19th Century, English Baroque was replaced by the Regency style which left its trace on many a building throughout central London. Although new styles kept appearing, the old ones weren't entirely forgotten. Gothic architecture, for example, saw its revival with the construction of the Houses of Parliament.

Outside the Buckingham Palace, one can see guards dressed in their trademark bright red uniforms accompanied by bearskin hats. These guards are the bodyguards of the Queen. Every day, a new troop of thirty guards march to the palace and replace the old guards. This is called the Changing of the Guards ceremony. This ceremony was started in the year 1660, since which time the King or Queen of England have been guarded by the Household Troops.

Interiors- Buckingham Palace

To experience and understand London, One should stop by at least one of the 240 museums in the city. Among the most significant are the British Museum, with antiquities from all over the world, the Natural History Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Imperial War Museum, the Science Museum, the Museum of London and the National Maritime Museum – there's plenty to choose from! The best way to discover London!

British Museum- Egypt- Mummies

Natural History Museum

London is one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world. To provide an overview of London culture, we would have to define culture. Culture defines an accumulation of knowledge, experiences, beliefs, values, attitudes, meanings, hierarchies, religion, notions of time, roles, spatial relations, concepts of the universe, and material objects and possessions acquired by a group of people in the course of generations through individual and group striving.

Thus, London’s culture defines not only the patterns and traditions of the British people, but a rich history of a developed country, a significant power and the union of four countries each of which have distinct customs and symbols. The mix of cultural traditions and beliefs that add to the atmosphere of London is electrifying.

London Buses

Telephone Booths

London would not be London without its diverse mixtures of cultures under the umbrella of a strong British heritage. London could not be London, without Buckingham Palace, demonstrations in front of Houses of Parliament, Carnival, and London buses, telephone booths the Irish Pubs, parties and festivals in Hyde Park, Art exhibitions in the East End showcasing creative talent in Brick Lane or even Chelsea Flower show.

 Irish Pub- Covet Garden, London

Chelsea Flower show

London culture is fluid with a continuous amalgamation of people from different countries to create a vibrant city that is open to change but upholds cultural traditions.