God Gave Us Each A Talent

God made us all unique,
Born in a world of talents,
Giving us one each,
Helping us all to balance.

But sometimes these are used wrong,
Sometimes we forget to thank God,
When in his arms we should belong,
Singing and chanting "I love you God."

So let those who haven't found theirs yet,
Tackle their way through life,
Give them the joy of knowing they can't regret,
In using for wrong and right.

Even when we're feeling low,
Or think there's no way out,
We think we have no way to go,
Not knowing what you're about.

Finally we pull through,
Because you're our only hope,
we know it's you we'll never loose,
You give us the strength to cope.

So as you made us all unique,
Giving us different talents,
Help us to find one each,
So we can truly balance!

- Unknown

Believe in Your Dreams and Yourself!

I hope this story encourages you in times when your dreams seem far away, or, when you are not able to believe any words of encouragement deep in your heart.

I was doing a diploma course. When the course ended, placements started. The first company came and I was not selected. My roommate got selected though. I felt good for her, but miserable myself because I started thinking that I'm not worth anything good. I'm worthless. My room mate had not come in until dark and I was feeling so miserable that I did not even want to enter the room we shared because I had memories of both of us studying in it all through the course. I felt so miserable that I found myself crying standing on the road talking to one of my classmates, unable to control my tears. When my roommate came, she consoled me, said all the words to encourage me, pointed out the mistakes I had made in the interview so that I would do better the next day. She made me gather strength for the next set of companies that were scheduled to come the next day.

She went to bed, saying that I should wake her up if I wanted to know something about the topics we had to study for the interview. After she went to sleep, I started saying to myself half-heartedly, "Tomorrow is MY day. The company cannot go without selecting me. I will get myself selected tomorrow." I did not feel this from deep inside but I kept on saying this the whole night, probably in my sleep too, and in the morning until I faced my interview. It went ok, not too good. Still I kept on saying these one-liners to myself but now there was a difference. I found a little belief started growing that "It actually IS my day" and now it was not half-heartedly that I said all that, I started to believe it. I was so charged up by this time by my growing belief that I found myself totally at ease and confident of selection that I found myself singing with my class-mates while people were going through the interview in their respective turns.

I went through the last stage of selection, which went quite well. In the evening when the results were announced I was not selected. I went home thinking that something is wrong, this was not possible. I was not in the mood to read the topics for the interview next day with some other company.

Morning came and I sat for another written exam for the first company, still thinking about what had happened yesterday. Before sitting for the exam, I was crying when one of my classmates tried to console me that I should not worry, everything will be fine. They gave the exam and it went bad.

I came out of the room and one student told me that our head of the placements was searching for me. I went to his cabin and he congratulated me saying, "You have been selected by the company that came yesterday". I couldn't believe it. I found myself saying, "I knew this had to happen". My heart said to me, "See! I told you, you could do it. Just believe in yourself!"

My belief eventually had made me achieve what I was wishing for. Then at that point I remembered that I had an intuition that I would get selected by this company when they had come to give their pre-placement talks.

So if you have a dream then just believe that you can achieve it no matter what. Even when you can't feel deep in your heart any words of encouragement, just believe in your dream and your heart will finally show you the way. And believe that there is God who sees us every moment. Believe in intuitions and gut feelings for they are voices of your sub-conscious mind.

- Author Unknown

Live Your Life To The Fullest

Today was a day similar to all other days..

I was coming back home after a busy full day. When I reached the entrance gate of my building, I found people dressed in white. I didn’t give it too much importance and went up to my floor. I got off the lift to find the door of my house open. There was a crowd of people.. I was frightened. I entered my house. I saw relatives gathered in the hall - all in white. The place was surrounded with grief. They were taking among themselves.
I saw their sad faces. and asked them what happed but they didn’t notice me. I quickly moved to the next room - I saw my parents sitting in front of a body covered with a white cloth.

Oooohhhh no. Who was it? I asked my parents but they continued crying and didn’t give any answer. I was bewildered and tried to guess who it was. I looked around the room trying to figure out which of the relatives was missing. Slowly I reached towards the body and tried to remove the cloth with my trembling hands.

It was me.

Now I realized why nobody noticed me. My life was over. Slowly I sat down in one corner and became listless. I tried to recollect what remained to be done in my life. My whole life was passing in front of my eyes.

I was surveying all my relatives who were present in the room. I try to hear what they were talking about me. I tried to recollect all my interactions with all of them. All the times that I wanted to apologize to them for my bad behavior and all the times I didn't because I was ashamed.

I am remembering the time which I missed out - to enjoy with my family, relatives and friends. I spent my whole life just running running and running - I forgot to enjoy with small kids.

I saw the wrinkles on my parents' face. I wanted to give happiness to them; I wanted to tell them how much I loved them. But now no one will hear me. I see some of my friends entering the room. I wanted to tell them ‘THANK YOU’ for their support and help...all the times I didn't do so only because of my ego.

I asked God to give me just a minute to tell all this too my family and friends..Please god give me only last one minute, only one minute …… I know, I will never get… Some tears drop. I closed my eyes.
I am remembering the goal which remains to be achieved. I wanted my family to become proud of me. I remembered all the time I wasted in what we loosely called ‘TIME PASS’. But now time has really passed. I wanted to help so many people but I couldn’t because of my laziness. I could see so many people whom I had wanted to meet and talk to, but as always I pushed it for tomorrow.
That tomorrow never came.

Please live your life today..to the fullest. We never get the last one minute to say BYE ..

- Author Unknown

Winning Means Giving It All

As I approached the final mile of the race I realized there were only three opponents left. Obstacles standing between my goal and me.....the finish line.

As I reached the first opponent, I closed my eyes and heard this message: "You only fail if you fail to try." I peddled with all my might and took his place. One down, two to go.

As I neared number two I once again closed my eyes. Knowing this one would be harder, I searched for strength. Not only was I more tired than before, but this opponent was the second strongest. Suddenly I heard the voice from within: "You only see the obstacle when you take your mind off the goal." I visualized the finish line and continued to push my body to it's limit and took position number two.

My last opponent, my last obstacle was in first place for a reason. He symbolized every goal that I hoped to achieve. Knowing this would be the toughest moment of the race, I again closed my eyes. This time I waited for the message. But it didn't come. As the fear rose from inside I realized it was up to me, not this voice, to win the race. With that in mind, I opened my eyes and it hit me. On the back of my Opponent's shirt was the message. It read "If you can read this........I'm winning!!!"

Then with every ounce of energy in my body and soul, I peddled and fought the toughest battle of my life. As I crossed the finish line, I realized that first place means nothing if you haven't given 150%. There is always someone out there who is a little faster or a little stronger, but the real champion is the one who reaches the finish line with nothing more to give.

- Unknown

Doing The Right Thing

Each day as you wake up, make the decision to strive to do what's right.

Approach your life as you would your game....

...when you make a mistake, learn from it, correct it, and get ready for the next point. Life moves too fast to sulk and dwell on the past.

...when you're down, fight harder to get back on top. Life is full of hardships. Fight hard against those feelings of despair.

...when you're doing everything right and still can't win, be patient. No matter how good we are or how hard we struggle to make the right decisions, life often makes us wait.

...when you are on top of your game, relax and enjoy it. Life is fully appreciated when we survive adversity and can relax in the sunlight of success.

Each sunrise brings a new opportunity. No matter how bad the day before was, today is brand new. When you wake up, seek the strength and courage to do the right thing.

- Author Unknown

Life Is About Correcting Mistakes

Monica married Satyajeet this day. At the end of the wedding party, Monica's mother gave her a newly opened bank saving passbook, with Rs.1000 deposit amount.

Mother: 'Monica, take this passbook. Keep it as a record of your marriage life. When there's something happy and memorable happened in your new life, put some money in. Write down what it's about next to the line. The more memorable the event is, the more money you can put in. I've done the first one for you today. Do the others with Satyajeet. When you look back after years, you can know how much happiness you've had.'

Monica shared this with Satyajeet when getting home. They both thought it was a great idea and were anxious to know when the second deposit can be made.

This was what they did after certain time:

- 7 Feb: Rs.100, first birthday celebration for Satyajeet after marriage

- 1 Mar: Rs.300, salary raise for Monica

- 20 Mar: Rs.200, vacation trip to Bali

- 15 Apr: Rs.2000, Monica got pregnant

- 1 Jun: Rs.1000, Satyajeet got promoted

..... and so on...

However, after years, they started fighting and arguing for trivial things. They didn't talk much. They regretted that they had married the most nasty people in the world.... no more love...Kind of typical nowadays, huh?

One day Monica talked to her Mother:

'Mom, we can't stand it anymore. We agree to divorce. I can't imagine how I decided to marry this guy!!!'

Mother: 'Sure, girl, that's no big deal. Just do whatever you want if you really can't stand it. But before that, do one thing first. Remember the saving passbook I gave you on your wedding day? Take out all money and spend it first. You shouldn't keep any record of such a poor marriage.'
Monica thought it was true. So she went to the bank, waiting at the queue and planning to cancel the account. While she was waiting, she took a look at the passbook record. She looked, and looked, and looked. Then the memory of all the previous joy and happiness just came up her mind. Her eyes were then filled with tears. She left and went home. When she was home, she handed the passbook to Satyajeet, asked him to spend the money before getting divorce.

The next day, Satyajeet gave the passbook back to Monica. She found a new deposit of Rs.5000. And a line next to the record: 'This is the day I notice how much I've loved you thru out all these years. How much happiness you've brought me.'

They hugged and cried, putting the passbook back to the safe.

Do you know how much money they had saved when they retired? I did not ask.I believe the money did not matter any more after they had gone thru all the good years in their life.

Moral :

"When you fall, in any way,
Don't see the place where you fell, Instead see the place from where you Slipped. Life is about correcting mistakes."

- Author Unknown

7 Ways to Make a Good Impression

Impressions are important: they leave an initial taste in people's mouths that can remain prevalent for the entire relationship. If you are paranoid about what kind of impression you make, run through these seven list items and see if you are consistent with them; if you are, then you will probably expose the best of yourself. If not, then work to meet these standards.

1. Dress: The absolute first impression you will make on someone will be through your clothing, because that is what is seen from a distance, and cannot change throughout your meeting. Make sure to dress according to the situation-don't over or under dress-and maintain within the limits of good taste. If you aren't sure if what you're wearing looks good, ask people for an honest opinion. One last thought: always, and I mean always, pull up your pants.

2. Hygiene: Take a shower! Shave! Brush your teeth! You must be fully bathed and groomed before you meet with someone for the first time, because scruffy looking people generally don't seem as neat and mature. Pay attention to the little elements like breath: keep a pack of mint gum with you wherever you go, and periodically check to make sure you aren't killing bugs every time you breathe out. If you sweat heavily, keep a small stick of deodorant/anti-perspirant close, and if you notice you're stinking you can freshen up. People notice the minutiae!

3. Manners: At the table and with other people be civilized, polite and respectful: keep your elbows off of the table, open doors for people and address everyone-initially, at least-by their formal title. This will make an especially good impression on senior citizens, because you will prove that you aren't one of those "new fangled punks."

4. Speech: Have clean, clear diction and speak sans "like" or "you know." It is important to be articulate because that inspires a feeling of intelligence and education in the person you are meeting with. Always leave out profanity, and whatever you do, make sure to speak loud enough for all to hear, because conversationalists are easily agitated if you force them say "excuse me?" more than a few times.

5. Discretion: Choose what to share about yourself: forget to tell everyone about that time you went camping and ruptured your appendix, then fell face first into a pile of bug infested leaves-it is rude and will alienate you from the group. Try to withhold from conversations on personal subjects like religion or more disgusting topics like personal medical care. Before you speak, think about the possible impact of what you might say, then imagine its implications in the long run.

6. Humor: Humor can be your most powerful tool or your doom, because everyone has a slightly different sense of humor. What might be hilarious to you might seem disgusting to another, or vice versa. Try to withhold from any jokes that aren't family or dinner table friendly; you can tell those later.

7. Start and End with a Bang: I am a classical musician, and in my orchestra, among other messages, the conductor tells us that the "audience remembers mostly the first and last notes of a symphony." This is the same in a personal encounter: whoever you are meeting with will remember how you greet them, and then in what manner you left them. If you feel you have trouble with this, practice a few different phrases in the mirror, and introduce elements like: "pleased to meet you," or "honored to make your acquaintance." Ignore the antiquity of these phrases; it often makes them more memorable.

Making a good impression will set any relationship off on a good foot. If you are in a situation where you need to be judged at face value-such as a job interview or date-then make sure to go through this list and make sure you are within bounds of reason and good taste on all of your decisions.

- Unknown

Look Around You

A very special teacher in high school many years ago had a husband who unexpectedly died suddenly of a heart attack. About a week after his death, she shared some of her insight with a classroom of students. As the late afternoon sunlight came streaming in through the classroom windows and the class was nearly over, she moved a few things aside on the edge of her desk and sat down there.

With a gentle look of reflection on her face, she paused and said, "Before class is over, I would like to share with all of you a thought that is unrelated to class, but which I feel is very important. Each of us is put here on earth to learn, share, love, appreciate and give of ourselves... and none of us knows when this fantastic experience will end. It can be taken away at any moment. Perhaps this is God's way of telling us that we must make the most out of every single day."

Her eyes beginning to water, she went on, "So I would like you all to make me a promise... from now on, on your way to school, or on your way home, find something beautiful to notice. It doesn't have to be something you see - it could be a scent - perhaps of freshly baked bread wafting out of someone's house, or it could be the sound of the breeze slightly rustling the leaves in the trees, or the way the morning light catches one autumn leaf as it falls gently to the ground. Please, look for these things, and cherish them.
For, although it may sound trite to some, these things are the "stuff" of life. The little things we are put here on earth to enjoy. The things we often take for granted. We must make it important to notice them, for at any time ... it can all be taken away."

The class was completely quiet. We all picked up our books and filed out of the room silently. That afternoon, I noticed more things on my way home from school than I had that whole semester. Every once in a while, I think of that teacher and remember what an impression she made on all of us, and I try to appreciate all of those things that sometimes we all overlook.

Take notice of something special you see on your lunch hour today. Go barefoot. Or walk on the beach at sunset. Stop off on the way home tonight to get a double dip ice cream cone. For as we get older, it is not the things we did that we often regret, but the things we didn't do.

- Author Unknown

Make Your Life Beautiful.

1. Keep Smiles on your face.
2. Trust yourself & Do your work Accurate.
3. Don't give up Hopes.
4. Keep time to Dream.
5. Think about Sweet Things/Sweet Ones.
6. Allocate separate places for problems in your mind.
7. Keep a separate time to think about problems. ( not the whole day)
8. Have chat with people who you like.
9. Laugh with Friends.
10. Keep a little time to be Alone.

Have you ever feel the beauty of sunset on the horizon.
Have you ever feel the sweetness of a starry sky in a night.
Have you ever feel the beauty of the full moon.
Have you ever feel sweetness of a rainbow on cloudless sky.

Collect smiles from these to your life----------------------life is----------sweet.

- Unknown

Never Under Estimate Anyone

A young boy enters a barber shop and the barber whispers to his Customer,

"This is the dumbest kid in the world. Watch while I prove it to you."

The barber puts a five rupee coin in one hand and two one rupee coins(1+1=2) in the other, then calls the boy over and asks, "Which do you want, son?"

The boy takes the two one rupee coins and leaves.

"What did I tell you?" said the barber. "That kid never learns!"

Later, when the customer leaves, he sees the same young boy coming out of the ice cream store.


"Hey, son! May I ask you a question? Why did you take two one rupee coins instead of five rupee coin?"

The boy licked his cone and replied, *"Because THE DAY I TAKE THE FIVE RUPEE COIN, THE GAME IS OVER *

Moral : When you think the other person is dumb, you are making a fool of yourself

- Author Unknown

We are Born To Be Achievers......

Some of the best music was composed by
Beethoven.
He was deaf.....

Some of the best poetry about nature was
Written by Milton.
He was blind.......

One of the greatest leaders was
Franklin Roosevelt.
He served from a wheel chair.

No Stars without Scars!!!!!
We are born to be achievers.

- Aakash

Lessons Of Life

I feared being alone
until I learned to like
myself.

I feared failure
until I realized that I only
fail when I don't try.

I feared success
until I realized
that I had to try
in order to be happy
with myself.

I feared people's opinions
until I learned that
people would have opinions
about me anyway.

I feared rejection
until I learned to
have faith in myself.

I feared pain
until I learned that
it's necessary
for growth.

I feared the truth
until I saw the
ugliness in lies.

I feared life
until I experienced
its beauty.

I feared death
until I realized that it's
not an end, but a beginning.

I feared my destiny,
until I realized that
I had the power to change
my life.

I feared hate
until I saw that it
was nothing more than
ignorance.

I feared love
until it touched my heart,
making the darkness fade
into endless sunny days.

I feared ridicule
until I learned how
to laugh at myself.

I feared growing old
until I realized that
I gained wisdom every day.

I feared the future
until I realized that
life just kept getting
better.

I feared the past
until I realized that
it could no longer hurt me.

I feared the dark
until I saw the beauty
of the starlight.

I feared the light
until I learned that the
truth would give me
strength.

I feared change,
until I saw that
even the most beautiful butterfly
had to undergo a metamorphosis
before it could fly.

- Author Unknown

Motivational Story - Little Candle

Once upon a time a little candle stood in a room filled with other candles, most of them much larger and much more beautiful than she was. Some were ornate and some were rather simple, like herself. Some were white, some were blue, some were pink, some were green. She had no idea why she was there, and the other candles made her feel rather small and insignificant.

When the sun went down and the room began to get dark, she noticed a large man walking toward her with a ball of fire on a stick. She suddenly realized that the man was going to set her on fire. "No, no!!" she cried, "Aaaaagghhh! Don't burn me, please!" But she knew that she could not be heard and prepared for the pain that would surely follow.

To her surprise, the room filled with light. She wondered where it came from since the man had extinguished his fire stick. To her delight, she realized that the light came from herself.

Then the man struck another fire stick and, one by one, lit the other candles in the room. Each one gave out the same light that she did.

During the next few hours, she noticed that, slowly, her wax began to flow. She became aware that she would soon die. With this realization came a sense of why she had been created. "Perhaps my purpose on earth is to give out light until I die." And that's exactly what she did. God created you and I to produce light in a dark world.

Like that little candle, we all can produce the same amount of light, no matter how small we are or what color we might be. But we can't produce light until we receive it from an outside source. That source is God, the light of the world.

- Author Unknown

The Integrity of True Beauty

Thought is an amazing thing:
It can be a mirror, a lens, a bridge, a wall, a window, a ladder or a house. There is nothing in the world that has the cutting edge of a new thought. It is fascinating to watch the clearance it can make and the new life it can bring. Often, without knowing it, we are waiting for a new idea to come and cut us free from our entanglement. When the idea is true and the space is ready for it, the idea overtakes everything. With grace-like swiftness, it descends and claims recognition; it cannot be returned or reversed. It becomes more forceful than any single action could be. Indeed, it becomes the mother of a whole sequence of new feeling, thinking and action. Though we live mostly in the visible world and our personalities, roles and work distinguish and identify us externally, we dwell more forcefully elsewhere. A person can dwell inside a thought.

Yet each individual who thinks is limited and confined within his own mind. The poignancy of thought is that it can never bridge the distance between the self and the world. The medieval mind filled that interim distance with the interesting presence of the five Transcendentals -- Being, The One, the Good, the True and the Beautiful. Being is the deepest reality, the substance of our world and all the things in it. The One claims that all things are somehow bound together in an all-embracing unity: despite all the differences in us, around us and between us, everything ultimately holds together as one; chaos does not have the final word. The True claims that reality is true and our experience is real and our actions endeavor to come into alignment with the truth. The Good suggests that in practicing goodness we participate in the soul of the world. The fifth is the Beautiful.

Every act of thinking, mostly without our realizing it, is secretly grounded in these presences.
Integrity is the adequacy of a thing to itself. There is here a sense of achieved proportion between a thing and what it is called to be. Creation is always in the heave of growth; the integrity of beauty is that inner straining towards goodness and completion. There is a wonderful urgency within things to realize the dream of their individual fulfillment. Nothing is neutral, everything is on its way. Aquinas insisted that goodness, truth and integrity belonged essentially to beauty. In light of this we can see that much of the current cultural breakdown can be understood as failure of vision with regard to beauty.
~ John O'Donohue,
Beauty : The Invisible Embrace

This Life Is Yours

*** Take the power to choose what you want to do and do it well.
*** Take the power to love what you want in life and love it honestly.
*** Take the power to walk in the forest and be a part of nature.

*** Take the power to control your own life. No one else can do it for you.
*** Take the power to make your life happy. This life is yours.

- Unknown

The Practice of Desire

Someone once shared with me this very simple yet profound discovery, "If I practice desire, I suffer." What could be simpler? This essential teaching arose from his own direct experience. (...)

You may have very sophisticated justifications as to why it is is perfectly okay to act on a desire -- this time, one more time, for the last time -- and in the middle of these justifications, you can stop. If you don't give yourself an exit, a kind of crucifixion occurs where an inner resolve arises and says, "Even if it kills me, I am not going to move in this moment." Not moving offers the possibility of discovering the peace of surrender, resurrection, redemption. With that discovery, the bondage of desire or addictive habit is naturally weakened. It is possible in this moment to totally cut the addiction; at the very least the link is weakened. Then the next time the impulse arises, you know you have a choice.

Even though you may know intellectually that it will lead you down the same old path, you may never have fully and consciously acknowledged your attachment to it. There is energy in that infatuation. The pure force of your desire may subject you to cellular shaking. Be willing to experience the whole of that force and not go numb or disassociate.

Acting out a desire takes some effort. It take imagining and thinking about what you want or what you have lost. It takes comparing the present moment with some idealized moment of the past or the future. It takes attempting to either grasp at something or to avoid something. It is a practice. Is it your practice?

What are you spending your lifetime practicing? If you are practicing desire, you are suffering. If you are suffering, see for yourself if you are practicing desire.

- by Gangaji from "The Diamond in Your Pocket"

Only Words

My father is a triathlete. That is, he has competed in several triathlons¯a kind of marathon that includes running as well as swimming and bike riding. He's been doing it for years, and he really enjoys all the sports, but his favorite is bike riding. Ever since I was little, I've always loved going biking with my dad. We would leave the city behind and follow the bike trails way up into the woods of Wisconsin. We had a favorite spot where we would picnic. It was always our special time, and it kept me in great physical shape.

But as I grew older and became a teenager, I was distracted by other things to do with my time. Suddenly, it was very important to go shopping with friends or to a movie with a boy. I saw my dad every evening at home. Why did I have to
devote my free Saturdays to all-day bike trips with him, too?

If my indifference hurt him, he never let on. He never asked me outright, but would always let me know when he was planning a bike trip in case I wanted to come.

I didn't, and as I approached my sixteenth birthday, I wanted to spend less and less time with my dad. Except for one thing I didn't mind being with him when he was giving me a driving lesson.

More than anything else, I wanted that driver's license. It meant freedom. It meant no more waiting for parents to pick me up. No more carpools. It meant looking cool behind the wheel of a car as I drove past my friends' houses. Of course, since I didn't have my own car, I would still be dependent on my parents, since they were allowing me to use theirs.

It was a Sunday morning, and I was in a terrible mood. Two of my friends had gone to the movies the night before and hadn't invited me. I was in my room thinking of ways to make them sorry when my father poked his head in. "Want to go for a ride, today, Beck? It's a beautiful day."

But I preferred to sit in my room and stew. I wasn't very polite when I said, "No! Please stop asking me!" It didn't matter that he hadn't asked me in months. Or that he was trying to cheer me up. It didn't even matter that he just wanted
to be with me, as I knew he did.

"Leave me alone!" That was what I said. Leave me alone. Those were the last words I said to him before he left the house that morning.

My friends called and invited me to go to the mall with them a few hours later. I forgot to be mad at them and went. I came home to find the note propped up against the mirror on the mail table. My mother put it where I would be sure to see it.

"Dad has had an accident. Please meet us at Highland Park Hospital. Don't hurry, just drive carefully. The keys are in the drawer."

I grabbed the keys and tried hard not to speed or cry as I drove.

When I reached the hospital, I went in through the emergency room. I remembered the way because I had been there once before when I broke my arm. I thought about that incident now. I had fallen out of the apple tree in our backyard. I started to scream, but before the scream was out of my mouth, there was my dad, scooping me up, holding me and my injured arm. He held me while my mother drove us to the emergency room. And he held me as they set my arm and put a pink cast on it. I do remember the pain, but I also remember how safe I felt in my dad's strong arms. And I remember the chocolate ice cream afterward.

I saw my sister Debbie first. She told me our mom was in with our dad and that he was going up to surgery soon. She said I had to wait to see him until after the surgery. Just then, my mother came out.

She looked very old. I burst into tears without saying a word, and she put her arms around me.

My father's injuries were extensive. He had been riding on the sidewalk and, as he approached a stoplight, it had turned green. He had the right of way, but the white delivery truck making the right-hand turn didn't think so. At least, the
sixteen-year-old driver didn't think so. Later, he admitted that he never saw my dad because he didn't look in his outside mirror.

The only reason my dad wasn't killed is that he ran into the van; the van did not run into him. He smashed head and face first into the side of the truck. His fiberglass helmet absorbed the blow, but he broke both shoulders and his left
clavicle. The doctors put him in a horrible metal brace that attached to his body with screws. It braced his head and neck and looked horribly painful. My mom forewarned me about this apparatus before she let me see my dad because she was afraid that the sight of him would freak me out. She was right.

Still, as my mom said, it could have been much worse. My dad never lost consciousness. This proved to be a very good thing because the shaken boy who drove the truck wanted to move my dad, to help him up. Even I know you don't move someone who has been injured like that.

"Your father was able to tell the kid to leave him alone and just call 911, thank God! If he had moved Daddy, there's no telling what might have happened. A broken rib might have pierced a lung...."

My mother may have said more, but I didn't hear. I didn't hear anything except those terrible words: Leave me alone.

My dad said them to save himself from being hurt more. How much had I hurt him when I hurled those words at him earlier in the day?

I had to wait until the next afternoon to see him. When I did, he was in terrible pain. I tried to tell him how sorry I was, but I couldn't tell if he heard me.

It was several days later that he was finally able to have a conversation. I held his hand gently, afraid of hurting him.

"Daddy... I am so sorry...."

"It's okay, sweetheart. I'll be okay."

"No," I said, "I mean about what I said to you that day. You know, that morning?"

My father could no more tell a lie than he could fly. He looked at me blankly and said, "Sweetheart, I don't remember anything about that day, not before, during or after the accident. I remember kissing you goodnight the night before,
though." He managed a weak smile.

I never wanted him to leave me alone. And to think it might have happened. If he had been killed, we all would have been left alone. It was too horrible to imagine. I felt incredible remorse for my thoughtless remark.

My English teacher, a very wise woman, once told me that words have immeasurable power. They can hurt or they can heal. And we all have the power to choose our words. I intend to do that very carefully from now on.

BY: Becky Steinberg
Only Words From Chicken Soup for the Soul: Teens Talk Relationships

Five Essential Success Steps

A life without direction, without ambition, dreams and aspirations, could be a life half lived. Establish direction in your life, achieve your dreams and be very happy.

How do you maximize your chances of goal success?

Step 1. Life Review

Complete a thorough life review list. Gain a better understanding of your life including values, strengths, weaknesses & more. Determine the things you like and those you dislike and make a list of ten items each. Refine the information into key elements, rank your list and focus on the top three. Set a vision from these three key likes and dislikes and create a picture of where you want to be, those parts of your life you want changed and those parts you do not want changed. Use repetition techniques (say your vision to yourself 20 times daily) to reinforce your vision. Look beyond you current situation and lock your vision into your future.

Step 2. Goals

Develop Goal/s, based on the Life Review to achieve the changes or desires reviewed. Each goal should be summed up in one sentence. Goals need to be achievable (with a stretch), not open to interpretation, and set with boundaries of time and clear definition of success. Do not set goals which are truly beyond reach. If you have large incredible goals, break the goal up into short and long term goals. Set key dates and have clear descriptions of what you will do to achieve the goal by the set date. Don't be lazy, write it all down. Cement the goals into your conscious and subconscious mind. Repeat the goal to your self constantly, when awake and when asleep. If possible, dream of your goal/s.

Step 3. Actions

Develop the actions which will result in the achievement of the Goal/s. Using proper 'goal action' building techniques to ensure effectiveness. Your Action plan must include descriptions, dates, steps, responsibilities, what, how and when. Develop a thorough & effective plan to take you from A to B. Remember 'actions create outcomes', activity will only keep you busy. An action is defined as a completed task which gets you one step closer to total goal achievement. It may not be perfect, it may come across hurdles, don't let that stop you. Get started, don't procrastinate. Stop making up excuses. Make a list of all the actions, cross them off when completed. Use a diary if beneficial.

Step 4. Thinking
Review the journey to success. Is it working? What needs to change? Is your thinking process optimized? Create 'Positive Thought Statements' (words which empower you) to keep you motivated and complete the set goals. Set benchmark dates. Read material which will help you better understand and achieve the goal in mind. Measure your progress, review all obstacles and create solutions to move around or over them. Seek support where required from friends, family or from professionals such as Life Coaches. Continue to reinforce the goal in your mind. Believe in yourself and the achievement of your goal.

Step 5. Successful completion

When the goal is met to your satisfaction, celebrate the achievement. Be flexible, if you set an incredible goal (i.e. one which most of the population could not achieve) and you achieve 80% of the goal, that is truly a remarkable achievement. Cement the accomplishment, reward the effort and build on the success. What have you learnt about yourself? Review the Goal Success inline with your vision. Are your true expectations met? Be proud of what you have accomplished, whether it is big or small. Move onto the next big item in your life. Learn everyday, about yourself and the world around you.

- by Life Coach Leo

Inspiring Story

One day a teacher asked her students to list the names of the other students in the room on two sheets of paper, leaving a space between each name. Then she told them to think of the nicest thing they could say about each of their classmates and write it down. It took the remainder of
the class period to finish their assignment, and as the students left the room, each one handed in the papers.

That Saturday, the teacher wrote down the name of each student on a separate sheet of paper, and listed what everyone else had said about that individual.

On Monday she gave each student his or her list. Before long, the entire class was smiling. "

Really?" she heard whispered. "I never knew that I meant anything to anyone!" and, "I didn't know others liked me so much," were most of the comments.

No one ever mentioned those papers in class again. She never knew if they discussed them after class or with their parents, but it didn't matter. The exercise had accomplished its purpose. The students were happy with themselves and one another. That group of students moved on.

Several years later, one of the students was killed in VietNam and his teacher attended the funeral of that special student. She had never seen a serviceman in a military coffin before. He looked so handsome, so mature. The church was packed with his friends. One by one those who loved him took a last walk by the coffin. The teacher was the last one to bless the coffin.

As she stood there, one of the soldiers who acted as pallbearer came up to her. " Were you Mark's math teacher?" he asked.

She nodded: "yes." Then he said: "Mark talked about you a lot."

After the funeral, most of Mark's former classmates went together to a luncheon. Mark's mother and father were there, obviously waiting to speak with his teacher.

"We want to show you something," his father said, taking a wallet out of his pocket "They found this on Mark when he was killed. We thought you might recognize it." Opening the billfold, he carefully removed two worn pieces of notebook paper that had obviously been taped, folded and
refolded many times. The teacher knew without looking that the papers were the ones on which she had listed all the good things each of Mark's classmates had said about him.

"Thank you so much for doing that," Mark's mother said. "As you can see, Mark treasured it."

All of Mark's former classmates started to gather around.

Charlie smiled rather sheepishly and said, "I still have my list. It's in the top drawer of my desk at home."

Chuck's wife said, "Chuck asked me to put his in our wedding album."

"I have mine too," Marilyn said. "It's in my diary"

Then Vicki, another classmate, reached into her pocketbook, took out her wallet and showed her worn and frazzled list to the group. "I carry this with me at all times," Vicki said and without batting an eyelash, she continued: "I think we all saved our lists"

That's when the teacher finally sat down and cried. She cried for Mark and for all his friends who would never see him again.

The density of people in society is so thick that we forget that life will end one day. And we don't know when that one day will be. So please, tell the people you love and care for, that they are special and important. Tell them, before it is too late.

- Author Unknown

Act In Spite of Your Mood

"I don't 'feel' like it", is a common chant we often say to ourselves or to others when we're tired, not in the mood, or simply procrastinating. No doubt feelings are important and need to be acknowledged, yet at the same time, they often prevent us from taking the action we need to take, at the time we need to take it. Consequently, in the end, because we didn’t do what we needed to do, we tend to feel worse.

It takes courage to act regardless of your current mood. It's easy to succumb to your feelings. But remember, your feelings come from your thoughts, and you have the power to change your thoughts. When you change your thoughts, you will change the way you feel. Instead of focusing on how you're not in the mood, focus on the benefit of completing whatever needs to get done. Focus on how you'll feel when you’re finished and how proud you'll be of yourself for acting in spite of not being in the perfect mood.

Utilize the "law of momentum" which states that, "A body at rest tends to remain at rest while a body in motion tends to remain in motion". In short, get into motion! Remember, moods are a product of the "mind". The trick is simple: don't think, just do it! Train yourself to "get started" even if you're not in the mood. Moods tend to quickly dissipate once you're in action.

Whenever you don't "feel" like it, check in with your current thoughts. What are you thinking that is resulting in this feeling? Then simply change your thoughts. Remember, action generally comes from your higher self, the part of you that is for growth and expansion. Inaction generally comes from your protective mind, the part of you that tries to keep you stuck in your comfort zone. When you act in spite of your mood, you are choosing to manage and control your mind instead of letting it control you!

So the next time you're not feeling "in the mood", either change your thinking or simply say to your mind, "thank you for sharing". Then focus on only taking the very first step to get started, then take another, and another. One step at a time until the law of momentum kicks in. By then, chances are you'll forget all about not being "in the mood", and will be well on your way to completing whatever it was you needed to do...and feeling great about it!

- by T. Harv Eker

Beautiful Thoughts

Sometimes in life, you find a special friend;
Someone who changes your life
just by being part of it.

Someone who makes you laugh
until you can't stop;
Someone who makes you believe
that there really is good in the world.

Someone who convinces you
that there really is an unlocked door
just waiting for you to open it.

Always try to help a friend in need

Believe in yourself

Be brave...but it's ok to be afraid sometimes

Study hard

Give lots of kisses

Laugh often

Don't be overly concerned with your weight, it's just a number

Always try to see the glass half full

Meet new people, even if they look different to you

Remain calm, even when it seems hopeless

Take lots of naps..

Be weird whenever you have the chance

Love your friends, no matter who they are

Don't waste food

RELAX

Take an occasional risk

Try to have a little fun each day.
...it's important

Work together as a team

Share a joke with friends

Fall in love with someone..

...and say "I love you" often

Express yourself creatively

Be conscious of your appearance

Always be up for surprises

Love someone with all of your heart

Share with friends

Watch your step

It will get better

There is always someone who loves you more than you know

Exercise to keep fit

Live up to your name

Seize the Moment

Hold on to good friends; they are few and far between

Indulge in the things you truly love

Cherish every Sunday

At the end of the day... PRAY

....... and close your eyes
And smile at least once a day!

- Deepthi

You Were A Reason, A Season or A Lifetime

People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime. When you know which one it is, you will know what to do for that person. When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually. They may seem like a godsend and they are. They are there for the reason you need them to be. Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end. Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away. Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand. What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled, their work is done. The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on.

Some people come into your life for a SEASON, because your turn has come to share, grow or learn. They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have never done. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy. Believe it, it is real. But only for a season.!

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons, things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation. Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life. It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.

- Unknown

Make a Difference

Once upon a time there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing.He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work.One day he was walking along the shore. As he looked down the beach, he saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself to think of someone who would dance to the day. So he began to walk faster to catch up. As he got closer, he saw that it was a young man and the young man wasn't dancing, but instead he was reaching down to the shore, picking up something and very gently throwing it into the ocean.

As he got closer he called out, "Good morning! What are you doing?"

The young man paused, looked up and replied, "Throwing starfish in the ocean."

"I guess I should have asked, why are you throwing starfish in the ocean?"

"The sun is up, and the tide is going out. And if I don't throw them in they'll die."

"But, young man, don't you realize that there are miles and miles of beach, and starfish all along it. You can't possibly make a difference!"

The young man listened politely. Then bent down, picked another starfish and threw it into the sea, past the breaking waves and said, "It made a difference for that one."

Each of us can make a difference to this world. Everybody is useful and it is just the matter of whether you want to make a difference.

- Unknown

Inspiring Story - The Apple Tree

A long time ago, there was a huge apple tree. A little boy loved to come and play around it every day. He loved the tree top, ate the apples, took a nap under the shadow...He loved the tree and the tree loved to play with him. Time went by.......

The little boy had grown up and he no longer played around the tree everyday. One day the boy came back to the tree and he looked sad. "Come play with me," the asked the boy. I am no longer a kid, I don't ' play around trees anymore." The boy replied, "I want toys. I need money to buy them." "Sorry, but I don't have money.....but you can pick my apples and sell them. Then you will have money." The boy was so excited. He grabbed all the apples on the tree and left happily. The boy never came back after he picked the apples.

The tree was sad.. One day the boy returned and the tree was so excited. "Come and play with me" the tree said. I don't have time to play. I have to work for my family. We need a house for shelter. Can you help me? "Sorry but I don't have a house. But you can chop off my branches to build your house." So the boy cut all the branches off the tree and left happily. The tree was glad to see him happy but the boy never came back since then.

The tree was lonely and sad. One hot summer day, the boy returned and the tree was so lighted. "Come and play with me!" the tree said. "I am so sad and getting old. I want to go sailing to relax myself. Can you give me a boat? " "Use my trunk to build your boat. You can sail far away and be happy." So the boy cut the tree trunk to make a boat. He went sailing and never showed up for a very long long time.

Finally, the boy returned after he left for so many years. "Sorry, my boy, but I don't have anything for you anymore. No more apples for yo u...." the tree said". "I don't have teeth to bite" the boy replied. "No more trunk for you to climb on" I am too old for that now" the boy said. "I really can't give you anything.....the only thing left is my dying roots" the tree said with tears. "I don't need much now, just a place to rest. I am tired after all these years." The boy replied "Good! Old Tree Roots is the best place to lean and rest on." "Come, come sit down with me and rest " The boy sat down and the tree was glad and smiled with tears......

This is a story for everyone. The tree is our parents. When we were young, we loved to play with Mom and Dad...When we grew up, we left them...only come to them when we need something or when we are in trouble. No matter what, parents will always be there and give everything they can to make you happy. You may think the boy is cruel to the tree but that is how all of us are treating our parents.

- Unknown

A Matter of Trust

Doc:

I have been seeing this woman on and off for over 1 year, we have only been seeing each other seriously since the beginning of May. We have had difficulties with trust from both ends in the past, but things have improved dramatically over the past few months.

99% of the time I trust her completely and I know that despite the difficulties we have had, things are improving and continue to grow. However, a there are a small percentage of the times where I have doubt. This manifests itself in behaviors such as questioning whether or not she is telling me the truth. For example, today, I attempted to login to her cell phone account. I didn't login, but immediately felt like shit for doing this. I called her to tell her what I had done and apologize. What can I do to keep myself from carrying out these behaviors a small percentage of the time which put our relationship in serious jeopardy?

===============================================================
Hello!

First of all, if you're going to do something like this don't turn around and confess to it! All that will do is cause even MORE mistrust between you!! Sheesh!!!

You're right for feeling like shit. Invasion of privacy is the worst crime that can be committed within a relationship - even worse than cheating! The reasons for this are because of the source of it which I'll get into in a minute.

The very first thing I want both of you to do is to go change ALL your passwords - phones, email, everything - and then don't tell the other person. That's going to eliminate the temptation to invade each other's privacy. That will solve one big problem here.

The second problem isn't going to be as easy. The issue isn't that you both have trust issues; it's that you have "I don't trust myself" issues. Let me explain:

What you don't trust is:

1) Your ability to know or sense when something is really wrong; and,
2) Your ability to deal with the things you find out.

Thus, you're both trying to get the OTHER person to make you trust them. That can NEVER happen. You can't give away your responsibilities here to someone else and expect them to live up to them. First of all, it's not their job. Second of all, what if they don't? Then you can blame them without taking any responsibility for it yourself!

The reality is that relationships are far more about PERSONAL responsibility than anything else. If you don't have it, your relationship will continue to suffer because of it.

Let me give you an example of how this works:

When I get involved with someone I'm going to date for a long period of time I tell them this: "You know, I can't be around you 24/7 to watch what you do and frankly, I'd never want to be in that sort of relationship anyway. I'm with you because I believe in you and I hope that's why you're with me. I'm a quality person and I want to be around people that have champagne tastes. If you decide you want to go out for beer, I can't stop you, but instead, I'll have realized that you're not the person I am looking for and I'll go off to find someone else that wants champagne."

Do you see the point of this little speech? I take PERSONAL responsibility for my actions - I don't try to lay them off on anyone else. Instead, I let her be responsible for herself too. I believe that I can deal with things even if I don't like them by finding someone else. In fact, I can and so can you!

If you need more of an idea of how this works, go to my website, http://beingaman.tv and click on "Video" and "Self Help" and watch the one about Trust.

The bottom line is that you need to start working on building up your own trust for yourself and stop worrying about what anyone else does, says or thinks - even your girlfriend.

- by Dr. Dennis Neder

Ten Things God Won't Ask:

1...God won"t ask what kind of car you drove;
He"ll ask how many people you drove who didn"t have transportation.

2...God won"t ask the square footage of your house,
He"ll ask how many people you welcomed into your home.

3...God won"t ask about the clothes you had in your closet,
He"ll ask how many you helped to clothe.

4...God won"t ask what your highest salary was,
He"ll ask if you compromised your character to obtain it.

5...God won"t ask what your job title was,
He"ll ask if you performed your job to the best of your ability.

6...God won"t ask how many friends you had,
He"ll ask how many people to whom you were a friend.

7...God won"t ask in what neighborhood you lived,
He"ll ask how you treated your neighbors.

8...God won"t ask about the color of your skin,
He"ll ask about the content of your character.

9...God won"t ask why it took you so long to seek Salvation,
He"ll lovingly take you to your mansion in heaven, and not to the gates of Hell.

10...God won"t ask how many people you forwarded this to,
He"ll ask if you were ashamed to pass it on to your friends.

Read Carefully

Happy moments, praise God.

Difficult moments, seek God.

Quiet moments, worship God.

Painful moments, trust God.

Every moment, thank God.

- Author Unknown

Nothing is Purposeless!!!!

One beautiful spring day a red rose blossomed in a forest. Many kinds of trees and plants grew there. As the rose looked around, a pine tree nearby said, "What a beautiful flower. I wish I was that lovely." Another tree said, "Dear pine, do not be sad, we can not have everything."

The rose turned its head and remarked, "It seems that I am the most beautiful plant in this forest."

A sunflower raised its yellow head and asked, "Why do you say that? In this forest there are many beautiful plants. You are just one of them." The red rose replied, "I see everyone looking at me and admiring me." Then the rose looked at a cactus and said, "Look at that ugly plant full of thorns!" The pine tree said, "Red rose, what kind of talk is this? Who can say what beauty is? You have thorns too."

The proud red rose looked angrily at the pine and said, "I thought you had good taste! You do not know what beauty is at all. You can not compare my thorns to that of the cactus."

"What a proud flower", thought the trees.
The rose tried to move its roots away from the cactus, but it could not move. As the days passed, the red rose would look at the cactus and say insulting things, like: This plant is useless? How sorry I am to be his neighbor."

The cactus never got upset and he even tried to advise the rose, saying, "God did not create any form of life without a purpose."

- Author Unknown

The Key To Freedom

I used to think that Freedom
Was what someone gave to me.
Until I found that I was bound
By nameless heavy chains
I could not see.

I used to think that Freedom
Was what someone gave to me.
Until I learned that what I'd earned
Was simply my permission
To use that very freedom
That no one but myself
Could give to me.

Those locks and bonds and prisons
Are the things we've learned to hate.
Yet those most despised constructions

Are identically the ones
We have masterfully come to create.

I spent my lifetime waiting
For someone to set me free,

I could not grow
I didn't know

That in my very hands

I held The key.

- Dr Shirley Kashoff

Spontaneity

In his inspiring book Be A People Person, John Maxwell tells a true story about an important game of rugby that took place between two English schools. During the closing minutes of the contest, a boy more gifted with enthusiasm and school spirit than with experience, was sent into the game for the first time. Forgetting all the rules, particularly the one that says a player does not touch the ball with his hands, and conscious only of the fact that the ball had to be at the goal line within seconds if his school were to be victorious, the boy picked up the ball and, to the amazement of everyone, started the sprint of his life to the goal line.

The confused officials and players remained frozen where they stood, but the spectators were so moved by the boy's spirit and entertained by his performance that they stood up and applauded long and loudly.

This incident totally eclipsed the rest of the game's action. As a result, a new sport was born: Football. It wasn't because of carefully worded arguments and rule changes, it was because of one boy's enthusiastic mistake.

The bottom line is that sometimes spontaneity produces incredible results and enthusiasm is always an asset in life. Be spontaneous and enthusiastic and I'll see you at the top!

- by Zig Zaglar

The Good Life

Beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses. — Luke 12:15

Driving down the highway in Houston, I passed a billboard with large letters that announced "THE GOOD LIFE!" I couldn't wait to get closer to read the small print, which explained that the "good life" was about buying a lakefront home starting at $300,000. Which made me wonder if some unhappy families might live in those homes, with kids who never see their parents or couples who, though living on the lake, wish they weren't even living together.

Luke 12 came to mind as I remembered the story of the man who asked Jesus to tell his brother to divide the inheritance with him. That was the wrong thing to ask Jesus! He replied with a warning, "Beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses" (v. 15). He then went on to tell the story of an extremely rich man who, from God's point of view, was a fool — not because he was successfully wealthy but because he was not rich toward God.

The sooner we get over the illusion that more stuff means more peace, happiness, and self-fulfillment, the better off we will be. And then the more able we will be to find the longed-for peace and happiness — the true "good life" — that only Jesus can provide. — Joe Stowell

O Lord, help us to be content,
Whatever we possess;
Protect us from the foolish lie
That "more" brings happiness. — Sper

- Author Unknown

A Moving Story!

An 80 year old man was sitting on the sofa in his house along with his 45 year's old highly educated son. Suddenly a crow perched on their window.

The Father asked his Son, "What is this?" The Son replied "It is a crow".

After a few minutes, the Father asked his Son the 2nd time, "What is this?" The Son said "Father, I have just now told you "It's a crow".

After a little while, the old Father again asked his Son the 3rd time, "What is this?" At this time some ex-pression of irritation was felt in the Son's tone when he said to his Father with a rebuff. "It's a crow, a crow".

A little after, the Father again asked his Son t he 4th time, "What is this?" This time the Son shouted at his Father, "Why do you keep asking me the same question again and again, although I have told you so many times 'IT IS A CROW'. Are you not able to understand this?"

A little later the Father went to his room and came back with an old tattered diary, which he had maintained since his Son was born. On opening a page, he asked his Son to read that page. When the son read it, the following words were written in the diary:-

"Today my little son aged three was sitting with me on the sofa,when a crow was sitting on the window. My Son asked me 23 times what it was, and I replied to him all 23 times that it was a Crow. I hugged him lovingly each time he asked me the same question again and again for 23 times. I did not at all feel irritated. I rather felt affection for my innocent child".

While the little child asked him 23 times "What is this", the Father had felt no irritation in replying to the same question all 23 times and when today the Father asked his Son the same question just 4 times, the Son felt irritated and annoyed. So...

If your parents attain old age, do not repulse them or look at them as a burden, but speak to them a gracious word; be cool, obedient,humble and kind to them. Be considerate to your parents.

From today say this aloud, "I want to see my parents happy forever. They have cared for me ever since I was a little child. They have always showered their selfless love on me. They crossed all mountains and valleys without seeing the storm and heat to make me a person presentable in the Society today".

Say a prayer to God, "I will serve my old parents in the BEST way. I will say all good and kind words to my dear parents, no matter how they behave. When I am old, I do not want my child to repeat the words when the crow perches on my window".

- Author Unknown

The Examination Of Life

God is a great examiner..
we all are students..
this life is the answer book..
on which we take examination...
this world is the hall..
where we are sitting...
to take the examination...
the time allowed only three hours..

first hour's bell rings in childhood..
second in youth,third bell is old age....
the bell of the last hours is ring...
by messenger of God...
THE EXAMINATION IS OVER

- Unknown

Generosity

Mahatma Gandhi went from city to city, village to village collecting funds for the Charkha Sangh. During one of his tours he addressed a meeting in Orissa. After his speech a poor old woman got up. She was bent with age, her hair was grey and her clothes were in tatters. The volunteers tried to stop her, but she fought her way to the place where Gandhiji was sitting. "I must see him," she insisted and going up to Gandhiji touched his feet. Then from the folds of her sari she brought out a copper coin and placed it at his feet. Gandhiji picked up the copper coin and put it away carefully.

The Charkha Sangh funds were under the charge of Jamnalal Bajaj. He asked Gandhiji for the coin but Gandhiji refused. "I keep cheques worth thousands of rupees for the Charkha Sangh," Jamnalal Bajaj said laughingly "yet you won't trust me with a copper coin." "This copper coin is worth much more than those thousands," Gandhiji said. "If a man has several lakhs and he gives away a thousand or two, it doesn't mean much. But this coin was perhaps all that the poor woman possessed. She gave me all she had. That was very generous of her. What a great sacrifice she made. That is why I value this copper coin more than a crore of rupees."

- Author Unknown

Motivational Story

It was a sports stadium.

Eight Children were standing on the track to participate in the running event.

* Ready! * Steady! * Bang !!!

With the sound of Toy pistol , all eight girls started running.

Hardly have they covered ten to fifteen steps, one of the smaller girls slipped and fell down, due to bruises and pain she started crying.

When other seven girls heard this sound , stopped running, stood for a while and turned back , they all ran back to the place where the girl fell down.

One among them bent, picked and kissed the girl gently and enquired ' Now pain must have reduced' .

All seven girls lifted the fallen girl , pacified her, two of them held the girl firmly and they all seven joined hands together and walked together and reached the winning post.

Officials were shocked . Clapping of thousands of spectators filled the stadium.

Many eyes were filled with tears and perhaps it had reached the GOD even! YES.

This happened in Hyderabad [INDIA], recently!

The sport was conducted by National Institute of Mental Health .

All these special girls had come to participate in this event and they are spastic children .

Yes, they were mentally retarded Challenged. What did they teach this world?

Teamwork? Humanity? Equality among all??

Successful people help others who are slow in learning so that they are not felt far behind..

- Author Unknown

Inspirational Story

A contractor, who had made a fortune building homes, told his supervisor of 35 years, "I am going to build one last house and you will build it for me becoz I'll be gone for a year.

Use the best material --money is no consideration ..make it the greatest house we've ever built"......having given these instruction , the man left ..

The supervisor thought that this was a great opportunity to make a fortune. He used the cheapest material inside but made the house look beautiful from outside..

After a year, the contractor returned, he inspected the house and asked the supervisor what he thought of the house.

The supervisor replied "It's the best house I've ever built"

The contractor handed over the deed to him and said "this is my parting gift to you"

MORAL ---

We should develop a high standard of personal ethics ....and always do the right things, even if no one is watching us.

- Author Unknown

Changing Corporate Culture One Person at a Time

Personal Accountability is defined by Webster’s dictionary as, “the quality or state of being accountable; especially an obligation or willingness to accept responsibility or to account for one’s actions”. I’ve heard it said that personal accountability is the best way to change corporate culture for the better, one person at a time. In our rapidly changing, and increasingly complex business environment, strong talent is often hard to find. When we do find a strong candidate for our organization, the competition for that person is fierce. Often, however, a strong candidate will choose the strong corporate culture over higher pay.

Effective leaders understand the power of accepting responsibility for the results they create. When something goes wrong, or a project does not turn out as originally intended, leaders look inward to explore how they may have impacted the result. Rather than directing blame towards others or at external circumstances, effective leaders seek to understand their contribution and to learn and grow in response to challenges. When the individuals within an organization adopt the concept of personal accountability, there is less blame on others and more focus on moving forward to achieve the goals and vision of the organization.

Let’s look at this from another viewpoint. In discussing accountability, it is sometimes easier to start with what accountability is NOT, as our society has been built on the Model of Blame. If something is “wrong” then there must be someone or something to blame; someone or something is responsible.

Let’s get this out now; personal accountability is not self-blame. Too many people believe that being accountable is being responsible and being responsible has the experience of blame attached. The first and most important step in understanding and applying accountability is accepting the concept there is no blame. This idea, while it sounds simple, is really quite radical, and doesn’t fit within belief systems held by most people today.

If the concept of no blame is difficult for you, simply ask yourself this question, “What if there is no one to blame?” How would that impact your life? How could it assist you and free up your energy? Become conscious of where in your life you blame others and yourself. If possible, let go of the blame and see how it feels.

The truth is, for most people, the idea that there is no blame is exceptionally difficult to accept. We have been hard wired to blame and there must be someone or something at fault. If we begin to release this idea, we can let go of the emotional energy and weight of blame in our lives. What we are aiming for is the experience of truly accepting what is.

Assigning blame creates “victims”. Personal accountability is about eliminating blame, complaining, and procrastination. Personal accountability is about accepting responsibility – in essence, it is about leadership.

Now, by saying that we don’t assign blame, does that mean we never discipline employees? Not at all. We should hold ourselves and our teams accountable. Discipline is accountability. Accountability equates to responsibility. However, when we point fingers, when we accept the “us against them” mentality, when we look for someone or something to blame, we create a “victim” mentality. We delay progress towards our vision.

When we think of personal accountability, how many “other people” do we think about? Remember, it’s “Personal Accountability”, not “That Person’s Accountability”. We can’t think about who, other than us, needs to hear this message. We have to be concerned with our own behaviors and actions.

Here are 10 steps a leader can take help create a corporate culture of personal accountability:


1. Don’t talk about people, talk to people.

2. Communicate in a respectful manner. If you are too mad to be respectful, calm down before addressing the problem.

3. Yelling is not acceptable.

4. Do not “air our dirty laundry” in public. If you have a problem with someone, speak with them behind closed doors.

5. Be mindful of who is listening. Close doors or lower your voice (or the volume on your speaker phone) as necessary.

6. Don’t be a “bully” to others, particularly those in jobs subordinate to us. We address problems with the appropriate person in an appropriate manner.

7. Don’t preach desired behavior; rather practice desired behavior. People will form their opinions of us not just in terms of how we treat them, but how they see us treating others. Additionally, remember that our team members are our internal customers. They will treat our external customers the way that we treat them.

8. Do not perpetuate problems through gossip. Just to make sure we’re on the same page, gossip is defined as, “idle talk or rumor, especially about the personal or private affairs of others” or “a report (often malicious) about the behavior of other people”. Do not spread rumors. Address issues then move on.

9. Do not speak negatively of others, of the company, or of the company policies to those “outside the team” or to other team members.

10. Always ask these questions when a problem occurs:

• “Why did this problem occur? Why did this person make a mistake?”

• “What could I have done to prevent this problem? Was it a lack of communication on my part?”

• “Did I fully explain my expectations?”

• “How would I want to be treated in this situation?”

Our job is always going to be tough, with unexpected crises popping up, but we don’t need to make it tougher by bringing unnecessary drama and stress into the workplace. Let’s all do our part to reach the goals of the organization, and help to change corporate culture one person at a time, starting with ourselves.

- By Mark Morris

Try Life

Smooth roads never make good drivers.
Smooth sea never makes good sailors.
Clear skies never make good pilots.

Problem free life never makes a strong person.
Be strong enough to accept the challenges of life.

Don’t ask life, ‘Why me?’. Instead say, ‘Try me!’

WRITE YOUR NAME

Don’t write your name on sand, waves will wash it away.
Don’t write your name in sky, wind may blow it away.

Write your name in hearts of people you come in touch with.
That’s where it will stay.


LIFE IS A MIRROR

What you want to see in others.,
You must first see it inside you.

What you expect from others.,
You must first expect it from yourself.

Life is just a mirror.

- Rose

We Have The Power

What we are today is result of our own past actions.
Whatever we wish to be in future depends on our present actions.
Decide how you have to act now.

We are responsible for what we are, whatever we wish ourselves to be.
We have the power to make ourselves.

- Author Unknown

Power of Positive Talk

I remember my dad teaching me the power of language at a very young age. Not only did my dad understand that specific words affect our mental pictures, but he understood words are a powerful programming factor in lifelong success.

One particularly interesting event occurred when I was eight. As a kid, I was always climbing trees, poles, and literally hanging around upside down from the rafters of our lake house. So, it came to no surprise for my dad to find me at the top of a 30-foot tree swinging back and forth. My little eight-year-old brain didn't realize the tree could break or I could get hurt. I just thought it was fun to be up so high.

My older cousin, Tammy, was also in the same tree. She was hanging on the first big limb, about ten feet below me. Tammy's mother also noticed us at the exact time my dad did. About that time a huge gust of wind came over the tree. I could hear the leaves start to rattle and the tree begin to sway. I remember my dad's voice over the wind yell, "Bart, Hold on tightly." So I did. The next thing I know, I heard Tammy screaming at the top of her lungs, laying flat on the ground. She had fallen out of the tree.

I scampered down the tree to safety. My dad later told me why she fell and I did not. Apparently, when Tammy's mother felt the gust of wind, she yelled out, "Tammy, don't fall!" And Tammy did… fall.

My dad then explained to me that the mind has a very difficult time processing a negative image. In fact, people who rely on internal pictures cannot see a negative at all. In order for Tammy to process the command of not falling, her nine-year-old brain had to first imagine falling, then try to tell the brain not to do what it just imagined. Whereas, my eight-year-old brain instantly had an internal image of me hanging on tightly.

This concept is especially useful when you are attempting to break a habit or set a goal. You can't visualize not doing something. The only way to properly visualize not doing something is to actually find a word for what you want to do and visualize that. For example, when I was thirteen years old, I played for my junior high school football team. I tried so hard to be good, but I just couldn't get it together at that age. I remember hearing the words run through my head as I was running out for a pass, "Don't drop it!" Naturally, I dropped the ball.

My coaches were not skilled enough to teach us proper "self-talk." They just thought some kids could catch and others couldn't. I will never make it pro, but I am now a pretty goodSunday afternoon football player, because all my internal dialogue is positive and encourages me to win. I wish my dad had coached me playing football instead of just climbing trees. I might have had a longer football career.

Here is a very easy demonstration to teach your kids and your friends the power of a toxic vocabulary. Ask them to hold a pen or pencil. Hand it to them. Now, follow my instructions carefully. Say to them, "Okay, try to drop the pencil." Observe what they do.

Most people release their hands and watch the pencil hit the floor. You respond, "You weren't paying attention. I said TRY to drop the pencil. Now please do it again." Most people then pick up the pencil and pretend to be in excruciating pain while their hand tries but fails to drop the pencil.

The point is made.

If you tell your brain you will "give it a try," you are actually telling your brain to fail. I have a "no try" rule in my house and with everyone I interact with. Either people will do it or they won't. Either they will be at the party or they won't. I am brutal when people attempt to lie to me by using the word try. Do they think I don't know they are really telegraphing to the world they have no intention of doing it but they want me to give them brownie points for pretended effort? You will never hear the words "I'll try" come out of my mouth unless I'm teaching this concept in a seminar.

If you `try' and do something, your unconscious mind has permission not to succeed. If I truly can't make a decision I will tell the truth. "Sorry John. I'm not sure if I will be at your party or not. I have got an outstanding commitment. If that falls through, I will be here. Otherwise, I will not. Thanks for the invite."

People respect honesty. So remove the word `try' from your vocabulary.

My dad also told me that psychologists claim it takes seventeen positive statements to offset one negative statement. I have no idea if it is true, but the logic holds true. It might take up to seventeen compliments to offset the emotional damage of one harsh criticism.

These are concepts that are especially useful when raising children.

Ask yourself how many compliments you give yourself daily versus how many criticisms. Heck, I know you are talking to yourself all day long. We all have internal voices that give us direction.

So, are you giving yourself the 17:1 ratio or are you shortchanging yourself with toxic self-talk like, "I am fat. Nobody will like me. I will try this diet. I am not good enough. I am so stupid. I am broke, etc. etc."

If our parents can set a lifetime of programming with one wrong statement, imagine the kind of programming you are doing on a daily basis with your own internal dialogue. Here is a list of Toxic Vocabulary words.

Notice when you or other people use them

But: Negates any words that are stated before it

Try: Presupposes failure

If: Presupposes that you may not

Might: It does nothing definite. It leaves options for your listener

Would have: Past tense that draws attention to things that didn't actually happen

Should have: Past tense that draws attention to things that didn't actually happen (and implies guilt)

Could have: Past tense that draws attention to things that didn't actually happen but the person tries to take credit as if it did happen

Can't / Don't: These words force the listener to focus on exactly the opposite of what you want. This is a classic mistake that parents and coaches make without knowing the damage of this linguistic error.


Examples:

Toxic phrase: "Don't drop the ball!"

Likely result: Drops the ball

Better language: "Catch the ball!"

Toxic phrase: "You shouldn't watch so much television."

Likely result: Watches more television.

Better language: "I read too much television makes people stupid. You might find yourself turning that TV off and picking up one of those books more often!"

Exercise: Take a moment to write down all the phrases you use on a daily basis or any Toxic self-talk that you have noticed yourself using. Write these phrases down so you will begin to catch yourself as they occur and change them.

- Author Unknown

Crosswalk

As I slowly pulled myself into work this morning, I was overwhelmed with exhaustion; with full speed stress headed my way. Anticipating the "mind over matter" feeling I needed, my eyes not wanting to open my "inbox" to start the day, I remembered the crosswalk.

I was on my way to work a couple weeks ago, frustrated at how late traffic was making me, annoyed at my bad hair day. It was already scorching hot, humid and NO wind. I just wanted to stay in bed and sleep. While being frustrated and annoyed and just plain angry at the day, I was held at a stop light for what seemed like forever.

I glanced over to my left and saw a woman probably in her mid twenties, waiting for the crosswalk sign to allow her to cross. She was dressed in bright colors, gorgeous shoes, with a purse at her side and a glowing smile! Along with these striking things, she also had her dog along for the stroll.

A joyful golden retriever, hopping along on the leash, excited for the day and to be outside with his owner. He just couldn't sit still with how much energy he had. So the woman petted him with her hand, and was talking to him with so much expression, and love - they were so happy! It made me smile underneath my gloomy bad mood.

One detail not mentioned; the woman dressed in bright colors, gorgeous shoes, purse and a glowing smile, with her pal at her side was handicap, in an electric wheel chair, which she could only operate with her right hand. As the crosswalk sign changed, and she pushed the black knob forward to operate her wheelchair across the street, her dog followed happily beside her as the leash was tied to the arm of her chair.

A tear filled my eye, and I smiled! Someone else's situation can kick your mind into gear and remind us what to be thankful for! I have no doubt this woman and her dog were put there for a reason, so I would wake up, and enjoy my day no matter what my hair looked like, no matter what traffic I was stuck in, and no matter what my day had in store for me!

I greatly appreciate this woman and her golden retriever, for teaching me a wonderful lesson! Pay attention to the smallest moments, they will teach the most!

- By Amy Sandlin

Personal Discipline

Personal discipline, when it becomes a way of life in our personal, family, and career lives, will enable us to do some incredible things. One of my favorite sayings is "When you discipline yourself to do the things you need to do when you need to do them, the day will come when you can do the things you want to do when you want to do them."

We need to understand the difference between discipline and punishment. Punishment is what you do to someone; discipline is what you do for someone. My friend and mentor Fred Smith points out that some people are very disciplined in one phase of their life and not in another. Pavarotti, for example, was a perfectionist in his music and yet totally unregulated in his eating habits. Elvis Presley's life points out the discrepancy between his discipline in his personal life and his creative life. Many noticed that he would sit at the piano, working for hours on his phrasing, going over and over it until it was exactly right. He was totally disciplined about his singing. Even some geniuses such as Ernest Hemingway, who lived a very dissolute and destructive life, said, "Every morning at eight o'clock I bite the nail."

Fred Smith goes on to say there are people with superior talent who will not submit to discipline and so are not known or recognized for their abilities. He met a young man who in high school could run so fast that he would run through the curves on the track. Coaches saw that he had world class speed and expected him to be an Olympian. He refused discipline, wanting to take the easy way of simply using his natural speed. He even lost his college scholarship. Laziness was his enemy.

Discipline is building good habits into reflexes which become part of our life. It's absolutely true that unless you can instill discipline upon yourself, you will never be able to lead others. Example is still the best teacher. As Fred says, "Discipline is building good habits into reflexes which become part of our life," and to this I would add that when it becomes a habit you will be able to control your impulses in each area of life and succeed in a balanced way.

- by Zig Ziglar

Clarity

A young couple moves into a new neighborhood. The next morning, while they are eating breakfast, the young woman sees her neighbor hang the wash outside. That laundry is not very clean, she said, she doesn't know how to wash correctly. Perhaps she needs better laundry soap.

Her husband looked on, but remained silent. Every time her neighbor would hang her wash to dry, the young woman would make the same comments.

About one month later, the woman was surprised to see a nice clean wash on the line and said to her husband: "Look! She has learned how to wash correctly. I wonder who taught her this."

The husband said: "No actually, I got up early this morning and cleaned our windows!"

And so it is with life: What we see when watching others depends on the clarity of the window through which we look.

- Author Unknown

The Perfect Boss . . .

There were about 70 scientists working on a very hectic project. All of them were really frustrated due to the pressure of work and the demands of their boss but everyone was loyal to him and did not think of quitting the job.

One day, one scientist came to his boss and told him - Sir, I have promised to my children that I will take them to the exhibition going on in our township. So I want to leave the office at 5 30 pm.

His boss replied "OK, You're permitted to leave the office early today"

The Scientist started working. He continued his work after lunch. As usual he got involved to such an extent that he looked at his watch when he felt he was close to completion.The time was 8.30 PM. Suddenly he remembered of the promise he had given to his children.

He looked for his boss,,He was not there. Having told him in the morning itself, he closed everything and left for home.

Deep within himself, he was feeling guilty for having disappointed his children.He reached home. Children were not there.His wife alone was sitting in the hall and reading magazines.

The situation was explosive, any talk would boomerang on him. His wife asked him "Would you like to have coffee or shall I straight away serve dinner if you are hungry.

The man replied "If you would like to have coffee, I too will have but what about Children ??"

Wife replied "You don't know ?? Your manager came here at 5.15 PM and has taken the children to the exhibition "

What had really happened was ... The boss who granted him permission was observing him working seriously at 5.00 PM. He thought to himself, this person will not leave the work, but if he has promised his children they should enjoy the visit to exhibition.

So he took the lead in taking them to exhibition

The boss does not have to do it everytime. But once it is done, loyalty is established.

That is why all the scientists at Thumba continued to work under their boss eventhough the stress was tremendous.

By the way , can you hazard a guess as to who the boss was..?

He was none other than Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, President of India . . .

- Author Unknown

Life Is A Bright Sky

Life is like a bright sky;
and clouds represent instances of unhappy times.

Sometimes the clouds are so dark;
It's hard to remember the sun still shines.

Be patient. The light will return.
It's just waiting for an opportunity to peek through.

- Unknown

Don't Change the World . . .

Once upon a time, there was a king who ruled a prosperous country. One day, he went for a trip to some distant areas of his country. When he was back to his palace, he complained that his feet were very painful, because it was the first time that he went for such a long trip, and the road that he went through was very rough and stony.

He then ordered his people to cover every road of the entire country with leather. Definitely, this would need thousands of cows' skin, and would cost a huge amount of money.

Then one of his wise servant dared himself to tell the king, "Why do you have to spend that unnecessary amount of money ? Why don't you just cut a little piece of leather to cover your feet ?"

The king was surprised, but he later agreed to his suggestion, to make a "shoe" for himself.

There is actually a valuable lesson of life in this story :

To make this world a happy place to live, you better change yourself - your heart; and not the world . . .

- Author Unknown

Inspiring Story - Voice in the Night

When I was nineteen years old, my friend Hanneke Boogaard was studying to become a nurse at Beatrix Hospital in The Netherlands. There, nursing students work during their study, the same as regular personnel. During her work on the night shift, Hanneke was strangely drawn to one patient in particular, a forty-year-old woman in a coma. Because Mrs. Groensma never had visitors, Hanneke remained at her bedside longer than the others. At first she tried not to admit it, since for her all patients should mean the same. But this woman fascinated her.

When Hanneke heard the patient had no living relatives, she spent even more time with her. She’d learned that people in comas could sometimes hear when they were spoken to. This woman had no one to do that for her, so Hanneke talked softly to her every night. Since she didn’t know her, she didn’t know what to talk about, so she told Mrs. Groensma all about herself. She explained how her parents had died in a car crash when she was young. For hours she shared her many memories of them. That’s all she had to cling to now. How she wished she had a specific personal item to remember them by - - the golden four-leaf-clover locket her mother always wore. It was lost during the accident and never found, even though relatives searched the crash site and nearby ditch. Night after night, she talked and talked and grew more and more attached to Mrs. Groensma.

She would likely never come out of the coma, and she had no one in the world to care for her. Therefore, the time came for her to be transferred to a nursing home where she would eventually die. When Hanneke objected, she was heavily reprimanded for losing touch with her professional attitude and forbidden to contact the patient in the nursing home. Hanneke saw the logic of her supervisors but could not help thinking about Mrs. Groensma often.
Time went by, and Hanneke became a nurse and found a job in the Beatrix Hospital. One day at work, she was instructing a patient when a lady who was questioning another nurse turned and deliberately walked towards her. It was Mrs. Groensma! They found an empty room where they could speak privately, and Mrs. Groensma explained what she was doing there.

She recalled having been in a dark and lonely place, all alone, until the voice of what she thought must have been an angel started speaking, drawing her attention. Later when that voice stopped talking to her, she longed for the sound so much that she started struggling to get to the place where the voice had come from. She came out of the coma and took a long time to recover. Meanwhile she had questioned the nursing home staff. They eventually told her they had instructions to keep away a certain nurse who had made the mistake of getting too attached to her.

As soon as Mrs. Groensma was able, she came to the hospital to find that nurse. When she heard Hanneke talk to the patient, she recognized the voice that had spoken to her during her coma.

Mrs. Groensma took Hanneke’s hand. “I have something I want to give you to thank you. I found it fifteen years ago in a ditch and originally wanted to put pictures of my late husband and me in it and give it to my daughter. When she died, I was all alone and wanted to throw it away, but I never got around to it. I now want you to have it.”

Mrs. Groensma handed Hanneke a small box. Inside, sparkling in the sunlight, lay a golden four-leaf-clover locket. With a pounding heart, Hanneke opened it to see her parents’ photos.

Hanneke now wears the locket day and night and visits Mrs. Groensma whenever she wants.

And they talk and talk and grow more and more attached.

- From Chicken Soup for the Soul: Woman to Woman
Carin Klabbers

The Focused Resolution

Do you cringe when you think of making new year’s resolutions? Each year many of us plan big changes for ourselves. We finish up the year in a flurry of holiday excitement and stress, then begin to plan to start our new year off on the right foot! No more of the same old! So, we diligently set resolutions. We resolve to eat better, exercise, stop smoking, spend more time with our families or even get a new job. Whatever it may be, we have the best of intentions and we are determined to accomplish it this time. Why then, do nearly all of our resolutions fail?

If it is so impossible as it seems, should we simply give up making resolutions? Just label them as a lost cause and forget it? Absolutely not! If you are aspiring to make positive changes in your life, I am here to tell you that it is completely possible! You may be wondering how, since the mortality rate of resolutions is so high. Well, let’s find out, shall we?

First of all, everyone seems to get hung up on the thought that you have to implement changes on January first, or maybe the second. Why is that? Because it’s the start of the new year? Sure, it’s a nice neat starting point, but so is any other day of the year. Let’s look at it this way. The new year starts, you start with enthusiasm toward your resolved big changes, and you fail to meet expectations. Now you are at the end of January, the middle of February, where ever, and that’s it. The start of the year is gone, you’ve had your chance and failed. What’s wrong with starting again? Is there an unwritten rule that I am not aware of that says all big changes must be implemented at the start of a new year or not at all? You can choose to make changes at any time of the year. The first of the year is good, but so is any other day of the year.

The best time to implement any big change is when you are in a good frame of mind to do it. Notice that I said “good” and not perfect. There will never be a time when it is “perfect”. You can wait for your finances to become extraordinary, for the planets to align, or for an amazing diet pill to come out to make losing weight a sure fire thing, but chances are, it’s not going to happen. So let’s aim for “good”. If you aim for that, then you will be giving yourself a strong start, no matter what day of the year it is.

Secondly, and most importantly, and this is truly the key to success…Process, process, process! This is where the power lies! It lies in the mindfulness of each step along the way to your ultimate goal. When you focus on where you are at this moment, on that process and the process alone, you are handing yourself the keys to success! Many people spend so much time all wrapped up and tangled in their goal, that they forget about the process.

Let’s say for example that your “goal” is reaching the top of a high mountain. What is the best way to reach that mountain top? How can you be standing up there and gasping at the amazing views and scenery from that vista? Let’s first imagine that you are focused strongly on your goal. You are committed to reaching that mountain top, and you don’t take your eyes off the goal for a second, you are just so focused on it. Now, because you are so determined and so focused on the ultimate goal of reaching that wonderfully high bit it earth, what do you think will happen along the way? You can see the goal so clearly and you have every intention of getting there, but you, my friend, are going to stumble and struggle, you may even fall. How can this be? You are committed, determined and totally focused on reaching that goal. How can getting there be such a problem?

The problem lies in the focus. Not a lack of focus but on what you have focused on. When aiming for a goal, many people forget to focus on the process. Being committed to a goal and focused on the outcome is all fine and noble. However, if you truly want to reach that mountain top, your focus needs to shift. You need to let go of the goal for the moment (believe me, that mountain top isn’t going anywhere! Neither is any other goal you set your sights on), just let it be for now. Take a deep breath, and turn your focus to the process. Turn your awareness to the steps. Bring your focus back to you and where you are on the way to that goal. What do you need to be doing to reach that goal, right at this moment? That’s where you need to put your focus and energy, simple as that. Too easy., huh? Simplicity is an amazing gift.

Now, let’s revisit the mountain top again. Take a good look at it. See where you have to go. Look at the ground you have to cover to get there. Become aware of it, but don’t get attached to it. Make sure it is clear. Ok, now let it go. Turn your thoughts to what you need to do to get there. Look at where you are and watch exactly what you are doing to move forward up that mountain. Where do you have to put your feet, your hands? Choose the position carefully, and start moving up the mountain.

Now just keep your focus there, where ever on that climb you happen to be. At the bottom of the mountain, just starting off? Midway up? It’s all good. Don’t look up, and don’t look down! Just focus right where you are. Every little step you take is just as important as the goal, maybe even more important because without all those little steps, you won’t reach that goal, so pay them a lot of attention. Give them your energy and your faith. The more focused and committed to each step you are-the sooner you will reach that goal.

Now, you’ve been mindful in each little step of your climb up the mountain, you’ve stayed focused on where you were in each moment and not worried about the final outcome. Guess what? You are now at the top of the mountain!

It is truly amazing what a simple shift in focus will do. Take this new knowledge and apply it to your resolutions, or any other changes you want to make. What will you do differently this time? How will you celebrate reaching your goal?

Some people like to think that resolutions always fail. I’ll bet that you can prove them wrong this year!

Some points to remember:

1. You can make a resolution or a change at any time during the year.

Just after the holidays, most people are tired, and probably not at their peak. Don’t have unjust expectations of yourself, we can’t perform at our best all the time, so don’t rush into changes you aren’t ready to make, just because it’s the beginning of a new year, wait until you are in a good frame of mind. Remember, you don’t fail if you fall down, you only fail if you don’t get back up. Falling down and getting back up is part of the process leading to success.

2. Focus on the process.

Many people put too much emphasis on the goal and neglect to put that energy into the process. The goal cannot exist without the process. The more focus you have on each step along the way, the better the chances of reaching your goal.

3. Focus on the process.

Yes, again. It bears repeating. By staying focused on the steps you ultimately put yourself in control and remove feelings of overwhelm. When you focus only on where you are and what you are doing at that moment, you stay mindful, you empower yourself and you give yourself the power to achieve any goal.

- By Arielle Sumner Consoli CPC