Ultimate Potential

The Engrossed Journey!

2011-11-12T12:37:00.001+05:30

If I ask you to feed a poor – You would first ensure yourself to be stomach-full.

If I ask you to visit a severely ill woman in town- You would first ensure about the boil on your neck.

If I ask you to clothe a drenched, shivering man- You would abstain from taking your coat off because you would only give it off when it’s into rags.

It’s all about time.

That hungry man, that ill woman, that man resisting the cold – They may all die if not attended.

Why do we care? We have all been engrossed in our self, so much that someday we may even challenge death. We have all curtained the real being in us.

We were all born - Raw. Unmasked. Earthy.

We continue to believe that Life is lived by the sense of self-defense where actually we are to live for others not for ourselves.

You don’t do a great deed when you look after yourself?

You don’t do a great deed when you feed a hungry you?

You don’t do a great deed when you clothe your shivering body?

We need people when we are born. We need people when we die. And the secret is …

We need them the most in between. (Tuesdays with Morrie)

We are mortal! What are we proud about? We must die someday. Either we would be burnt into ashes or dumped somewhere. And that’s how a sweeper as well as a President is treated.

Mitch Albom in his book, “Tuesdays with Morrie”, quotes Morrie beautifully, “We must love each other or perish”.

It doesn’t matter whether we travel in a limousine or a bullock-cart but it does matter whether our vehicle is filled with love or pride.

Happy Journey!

Faraz Burud

Drawing Good Into Your Life

2011-07-23T22:28:00.001+05:30

At some point in your life, you’ve likely encountered a circumstance you’d like to change. Maybe you want a different job, to meet someone special, or to pursue online training so you can finish your degree. Being conscious about what you want and need is an important step in following the Law of Attraction, a metaphysical thought process based on the notion that like attracts like. Asking the universe for gifts is one thing. Empowering change based solely on the way you think is another.

Made popular recently by the book and movie, The Secret, the Law of Attraction can work if you know how to work with its energy. Operating under the belief that what you put into the universe comes back to you, thinking positively makes more sense. (Pay attention, pessimists!) Rather than demanding an A in that online course you’re taking, offer to help the universe.

Obviously you’ll want to keep doing your homework and studying for tests, but do more than say, “I want an A in my class.” Try a phrase like, “An A in my class would enable me to apply for that fellowship.” By changing your language just a bit, you put intention into the universe. You’re able to focus on your future goals – not just the A you’re working towards, but also the opportunities that will open up after you’re selected for the fellowship. Pay attention to signs. Maybe you need to work with a tutor to ensure that you get an A and shortly after expressing that need out loud, you see a flyer for a study group or receive an email about extended hours at the library. While some might think of these as coincidences, those who follow the Law of Attraction will likely recognize the announcements as validation that they’re on the right path.

When you ask the universe for help in attaining a goal, you have a perfect opportunity to express thanks for what you already have. As a result, you might just find more good coming back to you. It’s worth the effort to continually put positive energy into the universe, even if – and especially if – things aren’t going your way. Working with the Law of Attraction is not an instant cure, however. It’s not realistic to say, “Losing 10 pounds would help me meet my fitness goals” and expect to fit into a smaller size a week later. Redirecting the way your brain has always thought – “I want; I need” – will take time. Just like learning a new language, you will not become fluent overnight.

Never forget that the universe has bountiful gifts. Don’t be afraid to ask for exactly what you desire, remembering, again, that showing a willingness to do the work will help you reap the rewards you desire. Whether you’re aiming for a good grade on your next test or trying to make the Dean’s List, contributing positive energy on top of hard work will likely bring the results you desire. Like everything in life, adjusting your perspective will allow for new insight. It may take some time, but know that manifesting good on a continual basis is possible.

Cheers

Meg

Consistency: A True Factor of Success

2011-07-10T02:46:00.001+05:30

This is where most people drop out or fail on their path to success. They give up because they get bored of what they need to do or do not have enough patience to see results. Consistency is something that needs to go hand in hand with your determination and passion.

Have you ever asked yourself WHY you do something or WHY you want to achieve that something? Focus your energy for a moment and emphasize on the reason WHY!! Once you get this clear in your mind, the rest will simply follow. Your WHY should be so big that the obstacles that come in your way start to seem so small that you can simply overcome them. Allow me to state this with a simple illustration.

Shift away from your screen and look at any object around you that inspires you. Now while you look at that object, take your hand and extend it straight at your eye level. Doesn’t it blur your vision on that object. That is because it shifted your focus from that object to the obstacle- your hand. If you slowly bring your hand closer to your eyes, it completely blocks out your vision on the object. This is when we focus on the problems that come our way. It just gets bigger and bigger and we eventually give up on our dreams and goals. Now taking your hand back to it’s original position, shift your focus back on the object that inspires you, don’t you see the obstacle- your hand, blur now.

This illustration was to help you understand one thing. Do not focus on the obstacles that come your way, it will sway you away from your path and make your dreams/goals seem difficult or impossible to achieve. Instead choose to stay focused on your goals and the obstacles will automatically blur out. This is one reason your WHY should be so strong that it does not shift your focus away from your dreams. You continue to move in the right direction with dedication and eventually achieve what you desire for.

Your WHY will fuel your consistency level and continue to keep you motivated. It is definitely not easy to keep up with, *but not impossible right*, but if at the time you want to give up, remember the reason WHY you are doing what you do or the reason WHY you want that something. You will get back on track.

Keep Pushing Yourself!!

Vishal D

Your Life Without Limits

2011-06-18T10:04:00.001+05:30

Each and every one of us, at some point feel we can achieve so much in this Life. We are filled with positive energy flowing through our body feeling so powerful and confident. Like we can conquer the world.

But then, there also comes a moment when we feel the opposite (negative) just because we didn’t achieve that something that we struggled so hard for or we regret over a bad decision we made. We start doubting and underestimating ourselves. We start to blame ourselves for the consequences. Now let’s not say “That’s how life is !”

That is simply giving up on your hopes. Instead, take a moment, close your eyes and visualize how you want things around you to be, how you want your life to be. Change will work in your favor if you permit it to.

Have you ever seen a blind man finding his way around the city with his cane, or a deaf person working in a café or restaurant. Does that not inspire you? Despite their incapability, they strive to live their life without limits.

It all starts with having made a mistake and later regretting upon it. What matters is how you look at things around you.We look at things how we want to see them and not how they are meant to be looked at. It’s just a perspective here. It’s all in your mind. You can’t keep limiting yourself to certain beliefs, expand your horizons, tune in to the better side of yourself. Reveal the person you really are! You have to keep tweaking your mindset every now and then, adding more experience and knowledge to it. It’s the most valuable asset each and every one of us own. Use it wisely.

You got to fail to succeed, bad decisions give you a learning experience to step up and keep climbing higher. The decision here is yours, do you want to learn from your mistakes and increase your success speed or do you want to just look at yourself in the mirror and sulk at what you see?

Take a step back for a moment, analyze yourself, is it worth crying over spilt milk, it’s the past, Move on! Time will do it’s job. Take control of your life! It’s yours and only yours and to be filled with the things you desire for. Set goals you’ve never set before, do the things you’ve never done before.Your life is meant to be LIMITLESS!

Remember, you need to see the invisible to achieve the impossible!

Breakthrough!

Vishal D

Be Truly Present

2011-06-05T10:39:00.001+05:30

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been reading The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle and it really has me thinking. It’s been helping me to contemplate my life currently and how I can change it for the better. I have recently discovered that life has many options like the numerous chip choices one would find in higher end vending machines. The only thing, I as a conscious human being needs to do, is be thankful for and aware of all the beautiful things in the world around me!

The Power of Now teaches the reader how to be truly present. Whether the present moment is full of happiness, sorrow, or anger. If you are able to become truly in the moment you can learn to control your mood and enhance the outcome of the moment as a whole. Becoming truly present is an important skill to develop if you are to looking to become genuinely happy. If you are able to control your sadness and anger, as well as deeply feel your happiness, I think you are on the brink of something truly special: contentment…..

This past weekend I was able to exercise being truly present while getting a huge tattoo on my arm. It was a 3-hour process with only a short 10-minute cigarette break in between the outline and the full-color of the piece. I can honestly say, that even though I have other tattoos on other painful places like my foot, my ribs, and my wrist, my shoulder piece was the most painful thing I have yet to experience in my lifetime. I do believe that if the piece was done in two sittings I would have been just fine, but that wasn’t the case. It hurt like hell! But I’m glad I experienced it, because not only do I have a beautiful piece of work on my shoulder, I also have a better understanding of what degree of pain I can personally tolerate.

While in the tattoo artist’s chair I had back and forth thoughts that involved trying to meditate on being the sole occupant of a pure, white room wearing silky white pajamas and relaxing to the sounds of the ocean outside the window (like I did during my rib tattoo). But this time I wanted to try and be truly present. Present with the pain and present with the mental strength I was capable of in that moment. I succeeded admirably to my surprise. The artist and my present companion both told me I handed myself better than they thought they ever could! I was happy when the whole deal was over because then the pain would finally subside a bit. I was even happier at how I was able to remain present and conscious of what was taking place.

This might sound petty compared to the moments in your life that require deep focus and mental presence, but this is just the most recent example I could provide to you that expresses what I mean when I say it’s important to always be “truly present”. It’s an amazing feeling to really embrace the moment, every moment in your life. Most people forget how to feel absolutely because they are distracted by the every day hustle and bustle. Not this girl! I’m happy to say I strive to live every moment truly and deeply!

Cheers

Meg

Writing on behalf of http://www.evending.com

25 Ways to Raise Someone’s Energy and Your Own

2011-06-03T15:11:00.001+05:30

In our society we are so used to the day to day interactions with people who play mind games and try to influence others. Being with others and being genuinely you can be difficult when trying to navigate the world we live in. The competition for attention can be quite draining and often, after a day of continuous contact, you come home and feel completely drained instead of energized.

The 25 traits below represent the ideal way to be with others. Consciously working on these for yourself is the spiritual practice doing onto others as you would have them do onto you. Those who possess these traits are liked by many simply because being this way gives energy to others. It is the practice of being loving, caring, giving and sharing which is all about the flow of energy.

Allow others to be just as they are.
Give others the space to be and express themselves.
Show them your gratitude.
Be genuine, honest, open and loving.
Show a genuine interest in them.
Show them how unique they are.
Speak your truth without the need to justify it.
Allow others to speak their truth without judging them.
Listen. You’re alone when you do all the talking.
Don’t gossip about others. Talking highly of others is great but gossip is an energy drainer.
Give others the benefit of doubt – Everyone is human. Things are not always what they seem.
Give others space when they need it. Everyone needs their own space at times to refocus.
Consider their feelings.
Allow others to make their own decisions.
Allow your encounter to be just as it is without needing it to be different.
Be the same person with everyone.
Give them energy by sharing your excitement and passion for life.
Let them know how they bring something special to your life.
Be yourself.
Ask others for their honest opinion.
Resolve problems together.
Spend quality time with them. When you are there, be fully present.
Share an experience. Do something that you both have never done before.
Be playful, laugh and have fun. Stop being so serious. Being too serious is an energy drainer.
And most importantly, Know when to walk away from someone who is draining your energy on purpose. Its one thing to help someone in need and another to be abused by energy suckers. I’m sure you have already met someone who continuously drains you.

Try to feel when others are taking energy from you or giving you energy. Observe how others interact with you and if you look closely enough, you can pinpoint which trait they are not observing within themselves. Some people know and actively like to drain energy from others and most people have no clue because they are not conscious of it. It’s become a subconscious habit. Seeing and changing your subconscious habits allows you to connect with the flow of energy that’s within you. When the energy flows outward, you don’t have the need to get it from somewhere else.

Neil
Source - http://unbelievableyou.com/25-ways-to-raise-someones-energy-and-your-own/

Creative Thinking is Essential for Success

2011-05-06T20:35:00.002+05:30

This is a factor most often ignored by many people. Or rather not considered. I believe Creative Thinking is crucial to every aspect in life. It helps get the best out of us and gives us many different perspectives on things we would otherwise have done by the norms. Creative Thinking is being different and standing out from the crowd. If you have noticed, all the millionaires in the world are where they are today because they thought something different or did something differently.

"What matters is not what you do, but how you do it."

It sure requires courage and dedication to shine out from the rest. The focus should be on creativity, action, doing and not boredom, complaining, or idleness.

It is nothing but taking the efforts in materializing your goals blended in with your creative juices. A person with a positive attitude sees the positive side of all situations. He or she is optimistic about the future and hence is able to take responsibility for their actions. A positive mental attitude stresses joy and discovery over sadness & depression.

Now you must be asking yourself, "How do I think creatively?"Or, "What does the whole creative thinking process involve?"

Here are some tips and ideas to help you achieve the same.

- First of all, expect the Best in life, visualize your dreams and believe in yourself. Eliminate negative thoughts and people from your life. Use positive self-talk, stay motivated every day and think anything is possible. Continue learning something new every day. Building a strong and diverse knowledge base is the foundation for creative thinking. you should be like a living sponge and soak up all the knowledge you possibly can on a variety of subjects.

- Creative thinkers avoid "boxed in" thinking and accept uncertainty during their search to find solutions and create new ideas. They dream and use their imagination to see an improved and expanded vision.

- Creative thinking must be part of the normal daily routine, not scheduled for a certain time and place. It flows naturally, involves all of our senses, emotions and intelligence. Creativity can be developed into a powerful everyday thinking process by eliminating common mental blocks. Creative thinking does not have to be a difficult process, it should not be like rocket science for the average individual.

- It is important that we get rid of and free the barriers in our mind to let the creative juices flow naturally and freely. One should be prepared to give careful thoughts and efforts to achieve maximum creative results. Creative thinking can be fun and enjoyable with phenomenal outcomes, but be prepared for some hard work too.

- Be alert to potential problems and opportunities. Always think of you can make things better or efficient. Don't ever be satisfied with the status quo! Being alert means having a proactive attitude during the entire day to seek out potential problems. They could be opportunities in disguise.

- To get the best results, you must be tuned into the future, seek new horizons and new ways of doing things. Yes, we must reflect on the past only to learn from the failures and mistakes. Be a dreamer. Dream BIG, BIG, BIG Dreams. Only then will you reach your full potential and the innovation and change you seek. We have destiny over the future. When we tell our brain the direction we want to proceed in, it kicks into action to get us there. The future is ours to mold and shape, no one else's! In today’s economy and information age, one cannot wait to take action, we must act immediately or yesterday.

- Using positive self talk and asking questions about your work or personal situations is an effective method to spark new thinking and encourage creative activity.

- A strong purpose behind your search for new ideas and a passionate vision for a better future will keep your creative engine running. This will automatically help you focus your creative talents and put your brain into positive action.

Why should you pull off the track of life and stop when you could be blazing new creative trails like a bullet train speeding down the track of life at over a hundred miles per hour? Procrastination & laziness never accomplish anything.

"Life is like a ten-speed bicycle. We all have gears we never use."

Vishal D

The Four Principles of Spirituality

2011-04-23T13:56:00.001+05:30

1. Whomsoever you encounter is the right one

This means that no one comes into our life by chance. Everyone who is around us, anyone with whom we interact, represents something, whether to teach us something or to help us improve a current situation.

2. Whatever happened is the only thing that could have happened

Nothing, absolutely nothing of that which we experienced could have been any other way. Not even in the least important detail. There is no “If only I had done that differently…, then it would have been different…”. No. What happened is the only thing that could have taken place and must have taken place for us to learn our lesson in order to move forward. Every single situation in life which we encounter is absolutely perfect, even when it defies our understanding and our ego.

3. Each moment in which something begins is the right moment

Everything begins at exactly the right moment, neither earlier nor later. When we are ready for it, for that something new in our life, it is there, ready to begin.

4. What is over, is over

It is that simple. When something in our life ends, it helps our evolution. That is why, enriched by the recent experience, it is better to let go and move on.

If these words strike a chord, it’s because you meet the requirements and understand that not one single snowflake falls accidentally in the wrong place!

Always trust your beliefs & Instincts

Vishal D

Do You Believe in Yourself?

2011-02-26T22:44:00.001+05:30

You are giving in your 101% towards something you really want to achieve or fighting for something so bad that every vein in your body is dedicated towards it and then…BHAM! Suddenly this moment amidst the blues where you suddenly feel like giving up on it. The thoughts in your head are going against your will striving for it. “I can’t do this anymore!” …. “This is not what I really want!”…. “ Am I really giving my 101% ?”…. “ I wanna give up!”…. “ God! Why me?'”…. “Why do I have to do this?”….

Don’t let any of this get to you, it could break you! Believe in yourself! That’s what you will always…always do, right!?!? Despite what others tell you. But what matters the most is your belief system, based on your thoughts, experiences, circumstances and character, that will always help you trust your instinct or intuition or gut feeling, whatever term you prefer using. It is your inner self what makes your outer self! It is what you say to yourself that becomes. We are humans, we are bound to doubt during our rough phases in life, but that doesn’t mean we think of giving up on ourselves just because of this one rough phase. Guess what, God did not say your life is going to be smooth and easy or be the way we want it to be. “We all are perfectly imperfect!” It is the challenges and the tough times that make our lives so much more interesting.

“The key to keep moving forward during your hard times, is to let your vision for your life be guided not by what you can see but by what you can imagine.” – Nick Vijicic

Learn to believe where other’s doubt and half the task is already accomplished. Believing in yourself is what takes courage and will power. It makes you stronger and increases your FAITH in yourself and the Almighty. When you strongly believe in something, believe in it with all your heart, mind and soul. Automatically your mind gets into alignment with what you desire. And you feel that strong driving force waking you out of bed, getting you on fire. This is when you focus on “WHY” and not “HOW”. The “HOW” makes you doubt and grows your fears, the “WHY” ignites you, pushes you no matter what. – Like a horse/stallion running a race with blinders, just focused on winning the race. Stand your ground! Keep saying to yourself a million times- “I Believe I can…”, “I Believe I am…”, “I Believe I will…”

There are always dark sides, but it’s just a side (just like a coin has two sides). You can choose not to look at it. Become a possibilitarian, no matter how dark your life seems to be, raise your sights and see the possibilities. Always see them, for they are always there.

At the end of the day, what matters is that phenomenal feeling of achieving that goal/desire you strived really hard for. That is what you focus on, the end result and it’s fruitful benefits…. the “Why do I want to do this ?” attitude.

TRUST your instincts ! BELIEVE in yourself ! LIFE is what YOU make out of it!

It’s yours to conquer…JUST BELIVE ! JUST DO IT !

Vishal D

Reveal The Person You Really Are

2011-02-08T20:32:00.001+05:30

You are out there at a social gathering or a get-together and your having a really nice time interacting with the new people you’ve just met, indulging in some great conversations and after a while they ask, “So, what do you do?”

Your answer to this simple question reveals an incredible amount about your personal sense of identity.

When faced with the question, “What do you do?” most people automatically respond by talking about their 9 to 5 occupation. The problem with this response is that it immediately defines you in terms of your job and places you in a pigeon hole that is often filled with stereo types associated with your profession. Is that who you really are?

Let me give you an example, Jessica is a marketing executive who is working at an MNC. However, her real passion in life is painting. When she is not working, she spends most of her time painting. For a long time, whenever someone asked “So Jessica, what do you do?”, Jessica’s response was, “Oh, I’m a marketing executive.” The person she was speaking to then asked about what it was like working as a marketing executive. And before she realized, she was talking about her boring mundane job.

One day Jessica decided to change the way she responded to that question.

She decided that she was no longer going to define herself as a ‘marketing executive’ who enjoyed painting in her spare time. Instead, she was going to define herself as a ‘painter’ who was currently working as a marketing executive in order to pay her bills.

This simple decision had a big impact on Jessica’s sense of personal identity. She realized that it was important to tell people who she really was rather than talking about her job title.

A few weeks later, Jessica was at a friend’s house party and as she was interacting with a guy named Bryan, who asked her, “So Jessica, what do you do?” Jessica responded by saying, “At the moment I’m working as a marketing executive but what I’m really passionate about is painting.”

As soon as she said these words, Jessica realized that this was exactly what she was looking for. It was a completely honest statement but did not place her into the ‘marketing executive’ pigeon hole. Instead, it revealed who she really was and opened up multiple options for conversation.

To Jessica’s delight, Bryan asked her about her painting and they had a really interesting conversation. Bryan was a web designer and he told Jessica that a lot of artists were now selling their work directly to customers over the Internet rather than dealing with galleries.

Later that night, she realized that her new sense of identity was already having an impact on her life. Instead of talking about being a marketing executive, she was now discussing her painting with others and discovering new opportunities to grow.

Think about it, today if someone asks you, “What do you do?” Make the decision to talk about your passions rather than you occupation title. Develop a response that is honest, reveals who you really are and see the multiple avenues for conversations opening up.

You will be amazed by the wonders this simple technique can do for you.

Have a Great Day!

Vishal D

The Turtles

2011-02-03T20:44:00.000+05:30

A turtle family decided to go on a picnic. the turtles, being naturally slow about things, took seven years to prepare for their outing. Finally the turtle family left home looking for a suitable place. During the second year of their journey they found a place ideal for them at last! For about six months they cleaned the area, unpacked the picnic basket, and completed the arrangements. Then they discovered they had forgotten the salt. A picnic without salt would be a disaster, they all agreed. After a lengthy discussion, the youngest turtle was chosen to retrieve the salt from home. Although he was the fastest of the slow moving turtles, the little turtle whined, cried, and wobbled in his shell. He agreed to go on one condition: that no one would eat until he returned. The family consented and the little turtle left.

Three years passed and the little turtle had not returned. Five years...six years... then on the seventh year of his absence, the oldest turtle could no longer contain his hunger. He announced that he was going to eat and begun to unwrap a sandwich.

At that point the little turtle suddenly popped out from behind a tree shouting, "See! I knew you wouldn't wait. Now I am not going to go get the salt."

Some of us waste our time waiting for people to live up to our expectations. We are so concerned about what others are doing that we don't do anything ourselves. Expectations hurt and frustrate us when not received, right? Remember we are not living for anyone else but for ourselves. So go ahead, break this unwanted barrier of expectations, follow your heart, push yourself, lend a helping hand, reach your full potential.

You get more of what you give!

Vishal D

Law of the Garbage Truck

2011-01-19T18:32:00.001+05:30

I recently stumbled over this really interesting story in one of my emails. It surprisingly changed my whole perspective and made my realize something. I Hope it does the same to You.

One day I hopped in a taxi and we took off for the airport.

We were driving in the right lane when suddenly a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his brakes, skidded, and missed the other car by just inches. The driver of the other car whipped his head around and started yelling at us.

My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean he was really friendly.

So I asked, 'Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital. This is when my taxi driver taught me what I now call, 'The Law of the Garbage Truck.'

He explained that many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it and sometimes they'll dump it on you. Don't take it personally.

I started thinking, how often do I let Garbage Trucks run right over me? And how often do I take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the street? It was then that I said, “I don’t want their garbage and I’m not going to spread it anymore.”

The bottom line is that successful people do not let garbage trucks take over their day.

Life's too short to wake up in the morning with regrets, so ... Love the people who treat you right. Pray for the ones who don't.

“Life is ten percent what you make it and ninety percent how you take it!”

Have a blessed, garbage-free day!

Vishal D

Don’t Be Too Hard On Yourself

2011-01-09T11:45:00.001+05:30

It is easy to spend much of your day beating up on yourself for past mistakes. We analyze that relationship that failed and relentlessly review all the things that we did wrong, or we look at that business decision that cost us so much and dwell on the things we could have done right. It is not going to get you any better. Once and for all stop being so hard on yourself. You are a human being and human beings have been designed to make mistakes. As long as you don’t keep making the same mistakes again and have a good judgment on letting your past serve you, you will be on the right track. Accept them and move on.

Many times we try to change ourselves by wanting to develop certain qualities and character that we see in others.

Well ask yourself one question, do you really want to develop that character? Will it really be you? Are you ready to face the circumstances? In this process we try really hard to be someone else that we often forget who we really are. We pressure ourselves on trying to become someone else and this could have an opposite effect on the people around you. If your ready for that, go ahead!

What my point here is, don’t try to become someone your really not. It’s human nature, we want to be like that cool guy or that man with the awesome personality. Learn to stay grounded and be yourself for a change. Embrace who you really are and your purpose here on earth. Give yourself some time. You will learn much more and will be respected for it.

As Mark Twain said,”We should be careful to get out of an experience only the wisdom that is in it and stop there.” We shouldn’t be like the cat that sits down on a hot stove lid. It will never sit down on a hot stove lid again and it will also never sit on a cold stove lid anymore. Experience is the best teacher! Value it!

The best way to learn from your mistakes and grow as a human being, is to make a list of the ten biggest mistakes you made in your life on the left-hand side. And on the right-hand side, write down the corresponding lessons and benefits you gained from them. Make another list of the qualities you want to develop and ask yourself if you really intend to. Then besides each of them, write down the things you need to do to bring about this certain quality in you.

You will soon see that your life would not be as rich and colorful without the mistakes of your past. So be gentler on yourself and see life for what it really is- A path of self-discovery, personal development and life long learning!

Keep Rising!

Vishal D

Lighten Your Baggage

2010-12-19T12:38:00.001+05:30

Once upon a time a big monk and a little monk were traveling together. They came to the bank of a river and found the bridge was damaged. They had to wade across the river. There was a pretty lady who was stuck at the damaged bridge and couldn't cross the river. The big monk offered to carry her across the river on his back. The lady accepted. The little monk was shocked by the move of the big monk. "How can big brother carry a lady when we are supposed to avoid all intimacy with females?" thought the little monk. But he kept quiet. The big monk carried the lady across the river and the small monk followed unhappily. When they crossed the river, the big monk let the lady down and they parted ways with her.

All along the way for several miles, the little monk was very unhappy with the act of the big monk. He was making up all kinds of accusations about big monk in his head. This got him madder and madder. But he still kept quiet. And the big monk had no inclination to explain his situation.

Finally, at a rest point many hours later, the little monk could not stand it any further; he burst out angrily at the big monk. "How can you claim yourself a devout monk, when you seize the first opportunity to touch a female, especially when she is very pretty? All your teachings to me make you a big hypocrite.

The big monk looked surprised and said, "I had put down the pretty lady at the river bank many hours ago, how come you are still carrying her along ?"

We encounter many unpleasant things in our life- fear, guilt, pain, negative belief, regret, etc, they irritate us and they make us angry. Sometimes, they cause us a lot of hurt, sometimes they cause us to be bitter or jealous. We just burden ourselves with them and they become obstacles in our life. But like the little monk, we are not willing to let them go away and to some extent it becomes painful. We keep on carrying the baggage of the "pretty lady" with us. We let them keep on coming back to hurt us , make us angry, make us bitter and cause our self-esteem to drop. Why? Simply because we are not willing to put down or let go of the baggage of the "pretty lady". We should let go of the pretty lady immediately after crossing the river that is after the unpleasant situation is over. It may sound easy when said, but it is much better when done. It will not only make us feel lighter but easier for us to move on in our life. There is absolutely no need hurt ourselves with these unpleasant feelings, especially after it is over. Infact, be grateful that it happened and learn from your past.

Take a while, note down on a piece of paper, a list of all the baggages you carry with you, analyze them and ask yourself,” is it really worth carrying all of this on my head ?” I’m sure the answer is, “No, not at all !”

So promise yourself to shake off those unwanted baggages from your life. It is not worth, especially if you cannot do anything about them, right?

Lighten up!

Vishal D

Give Time, Time

2010-12-09T18:19:00.001+05:30

We all have heard this famous quote,”Time is the best healer.”

I want to emphasize on it’s importance.

It happens to all of us, when we are going through difficult and negative situations in our lives, we want it to get over soon…really soon. But after it is over and done with, those memories still remain fresh in our minds to some extent and we are often reminded of those situations which only makes us feel terrible and we go into our negative zones again. Like I mentioned in the previous article,”Don’t dwell on your past”, it will only hold you back from pursuing any of your current or future events. Learn from it so you don’t make the same mistakes again and you keep moving forward.

It is only a matter of time that our (negative) past events fade away from our minds. For some, it may take a month, maybe longer,

maybe even a week or even a day. It varies from person to person. It is all about your mind control. Do not let your mind just wander in every direction, instead focus and take control of your thoughts, make the changes, convert the negative to positive ones. You will have to leave yourself no choice but to stay determined on this if you want get over those terrible memories and move on in life.

It is a part of life, that we suffer and go through tough times. Embrace it, for that is what makes you the person you are today. If you think about it, it’s your past, it happened, it’s over, can you do anything about it? Can you rewind your life back and stop that incident from happening, we all wish, but it’s practically not possible. So get that straight and move on. All you have to do is have faith in yourself and trust in time, give time, time!

Every minute is precious, value it!

Vishal D

Always Honor Your Past

2010-12-04T17:55:00.005+05:30

Every second you dwell on your past, you steal from your future. Every minute you spend focusing on your problems, you take away from finding your solutions. And thinking about all those things that you wish never happened to you is actually blocking all the things you want to happen from entering into your life. It makes no sense to worry about past events or mistakes unless you want to experience them for a second time. Instead, use the lessons you have learned from your past to rise to a whole new level of awareness and enlightenment. In other words, your past experiences are one of your best teachers. Be Grateful that you went through those tough times as those event have made you the person you are today.

If you notice, Life’s greatest setbacks reveal Life’s biggest opportunities. If you have suffered more than your fair share of difficulties in life, perhaps you are being prepared to serve some greater purpose that will require you to be equipped with the wisdom you have acquired through your trials in the past. Use these life lessons to fuel your future growth. Remember, happy people have often experienced as much adversity as those who are unhappy. What sets them apart is that they have the good sense to manage their memories in a way that enriches their lives in different ways.

And understand that if you have failed more than others, there is a very good chance you are living more completely than others. Those who take more chances and dare to be more and do more than others will naturally experience more failures. I would rather push myself to try something new and then fail, than to never have tried at all. I would prefer to feel good about being hard on myself and having achieved something really challenging rather than living a life of comfort, security and mediocrity. That’s the essence of true life success. As Booker T. Washington said, “I have learned that success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles he has overcome while trying to succeed.”

Keep learning from your past!

Vishal D

Finding Your Life's Purpose

2010-11-12T22:59:00.001+05:30

“Your time is limited; don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma, which is living the result of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinion drown your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition, they somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” – Steve Jobs

In essence, nearly all people work towards an ultimate goal towards being happy in life. With such a simple and beautiful thought that can help you achieve your dreams and ambitions, why is it that being happy is still a farfetched idea for some of us?

Often we convince ourselves that life will be better after we have graduated from college, or sincerely dedicated ourselves to a job that we truly enjoy, or get married and so on – the cycle can be endless. In doing so, not only are you escaping from the beauty of the small moments life has to offer, but you are delaying your happiness – from experiencing blissful happiness right now AND even in the future!

Sit back. Close your eyes. Breathe. Think again.

If this is true, do you feel like your life so far has not been as fulfilling as you imagined it to be? What is it that you should do in your life? This is a powerful question most of us ask ourselves at some point in life.

Well instead of burying yourself with a vulnerable feeling of doubt and uncertainty, ACT NOW. There’s no better time to be happy than right now. If not now, then when?
The power to unleash your happiness is within yourself. You’ve heard that one before.

Find your purpose, do what you love to do the most, live with passion, search for what gives your life meaning. It's about being in tune with who you really are because having a purpose in your life is almost like a spiritual experience.

For starters, it is common for people to associate their life as an equation with their jobs (Life = Job). Letting go of your personal interests, pursuing a hobby or even dedicating time for yourself can be such a self damaging act in the long run. Let’s change that equation to Life = Risk. Live your life, explore your passions. It’s okay to take risks along the way and learn from challenges that come with them. It will only lead you to grow into a beautiful human being brimming with experiences of a life lived fully.

As the Bhagvad Gita quotes “It is better to live your own destiny imperfectly than to live an imitation of somebody else's life with perfection"

To avoid landing yourself in such a rut of not finding time, first off on your check list should be to prioritise and re-define yourself by WHO you are vs. WHAT you do.

Think about it and ask yourself these core questions. Both these circumstances speak volumes about your personal sense of identity. When faced with the question, “What do you do?” most people automatically respond by stating their 9 to 5 occupation. Wouldn’t it be nicer if you tell people who you really are rather or what you enjoy doing the most, rather than automatically reciting your job title? You’ll be surprised at the impact that it can have while interacting with other people with varying interests and tastes. And it will surely leave you smiling with a huge sense of satisfaction every time.

You’ve got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do.” - Steve Jobs

How often have you been a victim of consideration between:

a) being employed by working your mundane job, which may not give you the satisfaction or the motivation to work at your desk but gives you the security of a steady monthly income

b) Kick-starting a fantastic business proposal that you have been developing over sometime, giving you a sense of achievement, leadership, innovation amongst other superlative merits; but not actually putting these plans into action owing to lack of initiative or that driving force!

It has been my observation that so many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security. However, you have to take risks and allow the unexpected wonders to happen...only then will we understand the miracle of life fully. A calculated risk of course, not irrational ones, for there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun.

The truth is, we see in life what we want to see. If you want to find fault with other people, your career, or the world in general, you'll certainly be able to do so. But the opposite is also true. Depending on your perspective, if you search for the ugliness or beauty in anything, you'll find plenty of it – that’s for sure.

Of course, it’s easier said than done. Now that we know the destination...the path isn't impossible to find. So ask yourself, understand what is it that you are seeking for, fine tune that intuition and follow your gut feeling. Whatever it is, procrastination isn’t going to get you anywhere! Go ahead, lift your spirits and embrace today as a gift from God, that's why we call it the PRESENT.

You are the storyteller of your own life and you can create the legend or not.

Mahek Shahani J

Three Principles to Help You Achieve What You Want

2010-11-05T20:54:00.001+05:30

It so happens, many times we don’t stay committed to some things as we planned to, or rather we give up too soon. Why?

Either because we were not motivated enough or it was not all that important to us.

Allow me to get straight to the point.

I want to share with you three principles that will help you achieve what you really want...only if your are serious about achieving them.

1. VISION

This is where most dreams are born. I call it a blueprint in the mind. Without a Vision, you will go nowhere. It is important that you see what you can’t see and you will achieve the impossible. You want something so bad that you naturally keep thinking about it, you are so charged up initially and later give up. Don’t let that happen to you. Do not let other's push you down. Stay grounded, stick to what you really want, believe in yourself no matter what. Write a list of what you really want to achieve, put it up on your wall or pictures of them. It will keep you focused at all times.

2. COMMITMENT

This is what most people lack and tend to give up on. If your motivation is so strong, you will automatically do whatever it takes to achieve what you really want. Don’t let obstacles break you or hold you back. Commit to yourself from the very beginning that you will finish what you start. If your vision/passion is strong enough-your commitment will be on the same wavelength. Yes, it does get tough at times, but I am sure the results are much bigger than the barriers.

3. TAKE ACTION

This is the most important step in anything. This is where winners are born!

“You want something, go get it Period.”

Yes of course, take calculative risks before doing anything, but don’t think too much that it gets you all paranoid. Life is all about taking chances, without taking chances, you will never achieve what you really want. And yes, having patience is what keeps you going. I have come across many people who are serious about things when they talk about them but never really act on any of them. Amongst all three, I believe this is a vital principle for growth.

Vision + Commitment + Taking Action = Achievement

Stay Focused

Vishal D

Opinions Don't matter

2010-10-27T18:09:00.002+05:30

It doesn’t matter what other people think of you. All that matters is what you think of yourself. We waste so much energy worrying about the opinions of others, wanting to be liked and accepted and needing to please. Going by other’s opinions restricts us to being who we really are. We go into this world where we become slaves of others by letting their opinions control us. Real personal mastery is all about rising above social approval... to self-approval.

Respect Yourself.

Respect yourself for who you really are. Listen to your heart and mind. Live in your own world, not other’s. Make a promise to yourself to close doors to other’s opinions, of course not to all but to where it does not apply. Living by your values, being authentic, running your own race and doing your own dreams will help define your true character. You will not only feel confident but also be proud of yourself and gain more respect from others.

Why worry what anyone else thinks or feels or says anything about you or your dreams. Remember, Success isn’t a popularity contest. And at the end of each day, what matters most is whether you were true to yourself.

Stay open minded.

Vishal D

Commit to Reading

2010-10-23T01:57:00.005+05:30

How often do you find yourself reading an interesting book that changes your way of thinking? Or rather motivates you to do something you have never done before? Doesn't it feel great when we get ourselves into that reading mode, our whole perspective changes and the speed at which thoughts run in our heads trying to get in sync with different authors trying to understand what they want to convey.

Reading is something we all do on a daily basis, but what matters is what you read. Does it affect you in any way? If so, how?

When you read something that interests you, you want to read more of it, right? You want to learn more, be it a fiction or non-fiction, history, self-help, technology, etc; you are always learning something when you read. Over the past few years, I have learnt more from reading quality books rather than from any other sources, not to forget the internet: the information storehouse. I believe books are a foundation where one’s mind expands to new horizons. Think about it! I don’t know about you but when I read (non-fiction), my mind starts to visualize what the author is trying to put across and I start to think outside the box. I get a kick out of reading books that interests me and I am sure it’s the same for those of you who love to read.

Books are our best friends. They teach us more than we expect to learn from, especially self-help and non-fiction books, they are Life Education. They are practical and empowering, be it Motivation, Inspiration, career, satisfaction, spirituality, health, relationships, creativity, etc. Whatever knowledge you are looking for is out there, you have to simply hunt it down and it can change you forever.

I could go on with my experiences on how being committed to reading has changed my life, but it doesn’t make any sense because that is my change. I cannot squeeze all of that information into this article. But what I can do is share a few tips that will help you benefit the most out of reading.

Are you ready?

Ok, here you go...

Be hungry to learn and seek more knowledge. Then only will you have the motivation to read books.
Are you ready to change? It better be a “ Yes!”
Be open-minded.
For twenty one days consistently, commit yourself to reading atleast ten pages. This builds a habit of reading.
Keep a dictionary handy, you never know when you might come across some new words.
If you are new to reading, start with small easy reading books.
Always carry a book with you, you might just get a few minutes to read few pages that might help you in some way or the other.
It’s no rule that you should keep your books clean, write on them, make notes on the margins. Treat your books like text books in school..Like everyone hated them. So never just read.
Make notes for future reference. There is so much reading we do, how much can we actually trust our memory with.
Implement what you learn if you want to change. This is the most important and is what will bring about change.
Be consistent in whatever you do.
Share your knowledge with others.

I hope these tips help you get the best out of your reading experience.

Have a great reading journey.

Vishal D

Decide to Be Decisive

2010-10-05T18:12:00.001+05:30

We make so many decisions in a given day, but what matters most is what influences us and how we make them. I am sure some of you are highly influenced by mutual decisions, ie: consulting others for our decisions.

Many of us struggle with the process of decision making at times. Whether at home, or at work, sometimes we become paralyzed by the fear of making the wrong decision and this fear will often leads us to avoid making decisions promptly and we end up making our decisions based on other people’s opinions or advice.

For example, when someone asks, “Where do you feel like going for lunch?”

You might reply:

“Wherever you like.”

“Your choice.”

“Anything is fine.”

We often give dismissive responses which also doesn’t answer the question asked and this becomes a habit of “indecision”. This habit of indecision can become an obstacle in achieving our most important goals in life. Think about it.

It all boils down to “Change”. We have to become more aware of situations and surroundings to bring about good changes in our lives.

Firstly, we must accept the fact that we do this often. Secondly, we should make a decision to be responsive of our own decisions and not let others decide for us. We should make a commitment to our self on the same. Decision making is a skill and just like any other skill, it improves with more practice. The best way to exercise your ‘decision making skill’ is to practice on a daily basis by responding to small decisions that you make every day. With time, you will notice a tremendous difference, if dealt with properly. You can do this by following these tips.

1. Avoid responding with a dismissive remark such as “umm, I don’t know” or “it’s your choice”.

2. Stop for a moment and give yourself some time to think.

3. Become aware of what your ‘gut feeling’ is

4. State your opinion confidently.

Now, the next time someone asks you “What movie would you like to see?” don’t leave the decision making up to others. Instead, stop for a moment, become aware of your ‘gut feeling’, and then state your opinion confidently. For example: you might say something like “I feel like seeing a comedy…” Now doesn’t that make a difference?

As you practice this simple exercise, it becomes easier to understand your gut feelings and realize what you really want instead of always being influenced by those around you. And you will be able to express your feelings and opinions easily. And no one else will be responsible for your decisions but you.

Cheers!

Vishal D

Shakespeare Said

2010-10-03T10:30:00.002+05:30

I always feel happy, you know why?
Because I don't expect anything from anyone; expectations always hurt.. Life is short.. So love your life.. Be happy.. And Keep smiling.. Just Live for yourself and always remember:



 Before you speak... Listen

 Before you write... Think

 Before you spend... Earn

 Before you pray... Forgive

 Before you hurt... Feel

 Before you hate... Love

 Before you quit... Try

 Before you die... Live

Be Grateful

2010-09-29T09:25:00.011+05:30

How often do we value what we are blessed with? Today in this busy world, do we even spare a few minutes to be thankful and grateful for what we are blessed with? I am sure for many of you the answer is a hesitant yes. It’s a fact that most of us remember God only when we are facing troubles or in need of something and not when we are happy with the way our lives are going. True?

Well, I just want to convey one message. What you value in your life increases in value. When you are grateful, you radiate feelings of happiness and you automatically feel happy from within. What you focus on , grows. Try implementing this small yet powerful exercise: Every morning when you open your eyes, say to yourself either in a soft whisper or aloud,” I am so grateful for another beautiful day in my life, Thank You God !” or either create your own similar affirmations. Trust me, you will feel a state of bliss and energy throughout the day. Put this into a habit by doing it for 21 days and see how great you feel about yourself and your life. Your perception will begin to shift.

Another powerful exercise is listing down on paper 50 thing you are grateful for. The first 10 things are easy- family, health, friends, home, etc. But as you go down the list, you will realize how being grateful for the smallest of things make you feel. Be grateful for the fact you have two eyes to see from, a healthy heart, etc. The factories that manufacture so many different products that we use in our daily lives, the shops that sell you these products, etc. As you think about it, you will find so many things to be grateful for. I bet you have a lot more to be grateful for.

The Attitude of Gratitude is one of the best feelings ever. It is a feeling one needs to experience. Count your blessings and don’t take things for granted.

Abundance Surrounds Us

Until next time

Vishal D

Maintain Your Perspective

2010-09-19T11:42:00.001+05:30

When we come across difficult situations, we tend to over-react and that just makes things worse. The problem is never going to get any better, instead worse. We should stop for a minute and look at the situation from a different perspective, rather be solution-focused and not problem-focused.

I want to share a small story with you that best describes what I mean by maintaining your perspective.

One day, a man with a serious illness was wheeled into a hospital room where another patient was resting on a bed next to the window. As the two became friends, the one next to the window would look out of it and then spend the next few hours describing his roommate the beautiful view of the outside world. Some days he would describe the beauty of the trees in the park across the hospital and on the other days, he would describe to his friend the step-by-step replays of the things people were doing as they walked passed the hospital. However, as time went on, the bedridden man grew frustrated at his inability to see the wonderful things his friend described to him. Eventually, he started to hate him.

One night, during a particularly bad coughing phase, the patient next to the window stopped breathing. Rather than pressing the button for help, the other man chose to do nothing. The next morning the patient was pronounced dead and was wheeled out of the hospital room. The other man quickly asked the attending nurse that his bed be placed next to the window. When his bed was shifted to a spot near the window and when he looked out of the window, he discovered something that made him shake: the window faced a brick wall. His former roommate had manipulated the beautiful insights with his imagination and kept describing them to him as a loving gesture so as to make the world of his friend a little better. He had acted out of selfless love.

This story taught me one thing: Always stick to your perspective...no matter what. When we encounter difficult circumstances, we must pause for a while and ask ourselves, “Is there a much better way of looking at this negative situation ?” This will help us calm down and make us realize how grateful we are that this problem is not any bigger than it is now. I always remember my Mother’s words: “God will never give you a problem that you cannot handle.” Problems only make us stronger and act as lessons for us to grow from.

Stephen Hawking, one of the greatest physicists ever, once said that, we live on a minor planet of a very average star located within the outer limits of one of a hundred thousand galaxies. How does that sound for a shift in perspective? Now, given this information, are your troubles really that big? Are the problems or challenges you are facing, really as serious as you made them to be? Think about this for a moment and be grateful for them as there are many other people going through worse problems and challenges than you are.

We are on this planet for a very short time. Our lives are a small tiny dot on the canvas of eternity. Focus on the bigger things in life and live your life the way you want to live it.

God Bless

Vishal D

Thank You

2010-09-18T01:49:00.003+05:30

Thank You are two words that have the power to change your Life as well as others too. In today's busy World, we very rarely take the time to stop and say thank you which and that is unfortunate because as Mother Teresa simply puts it …

"There is more hunger for love and appreciation in this world than for bread.”

-Mother Teresa

We are human beings, we all have emotions and we all have that deep desire to be recognized and appreciated for what we do. Going a little out of the way to say these two precious words will cause no harm but will only make the other person feel recognized, appreciated and you also automatically put yourself in alignment with how grateful you are for the people and things around you. Here’s a small story one of my close friends shared with me that changed my perspective. (in his very own words)

“One day I went into the bank to deposit a cheque. There was a long queue and as time ticked by the people in the queue became more and more annoyed. For some reason, there was only one counter available but despite the negative energy of the customers, the young woman behind the counter was doing a fantastic job. I watched as she greeted each customer with a genuine smile and then processed their transactions quickly and efficiently. When it was my turn, I took note of the name on her badge and thanked her for her help. I then went to the information desk and asked for a customer feedback form. On the feedback form I wrote something along the lines of: "Today I received exceptional customer service from Michelle at the HSBC camp branch. Michelle was friendly, efficient and very professional. I commend her on her work ethic and I believe she is a valuable asset to your company."

A few weeks later I returned to the bank and Michelle served me once again. As she processed my transaction, she stopped, took a second look at my name and then with a huge smile told me that her manager had read out my customer feedback comments at her recent performance review and that she'd received a promotion.

I was delighted to hear that my comments played a small part in her success.”

Don’t we feel terrific when we sincerely appreciate someone for their help or contribution. I feel really great when I say thank you for even the most smallest things that people do or help me with. And on the other hand, I love it when people appreciate and thank me for the way my blog posts change their way of thinking. It gives me that immense joy and makes me want to share and contribute more.

“Don’t just say Thank You, say it with a genuine smile, it has a bigger impact.”

-Vishal D

So, from today, Commit to yourself to exceptionally say Thank You with a smile to everyone that does a great job or contributes to your life.

Thank You for reading this

Vishal D