Sat Chit Ananda, Pure Blissful Consciousness

I seek you in temples, in altars and shrines, in mantras and malas, in murtis and idols, what do I seek? That which is already in me, which I do not realize or can't fathom, the depths of non duality, my being is you, only you, yet I question every step, every turn that life takes, ridden with the burden of karmas, mistakes or lessons that I learnt, only increasing my faith in the very existence of the force that is the very essence of life, who do I call in the a crisis, when I am overcome with joy, the cosmic Brahman, I see you in all, peace, peace, peace.

The atman drives our existence, taking us through life's experiences, some that are what we want and some that are painfully not needed. Yet the being evolves with these experiences, strengthening ever more with the realization of Sat Chit Ananda.

Sat Chit Ananda, never changing Absolute being, surreal, the undifferentiated state of non-duality. It is the most perfect expression of living reality, the primordial Self, our inner being, that which is a part of the divine. Chit, pure consciousness, are the experiences unlimited by creation.

Ananda is bliss, limitless divine joy of the soul. We identify with that which does not change, and become the witness of the changes of nature. Going from a state of being to no being, from asking to receiving and giving, inner peace, tranquility and joy.

Watch as the seer and not the doer, go to higher levels of consciousness, not bound by rituals or doctrines, the self can be realized in any which way that your inner being asks you. Some find their path through meditation others through singing kirtans or yoga.

Sat is truth, the destroyer of falsehood, delusion, ego and illusion. It leads us from the unreal, the perceived reality to the real, out of the shadow and into visible consciousness of our true state that is union with the Brahman. Sat liberates us from a limited, narrowness of thought and action to our boundless and natural state of pure being.

So no more Karma or karmic action, and retribution it is the absolute truth of the being that you see simply and subjectively. I bore the brunt of my karmic action weighed down with pain and sadness with the world, till I realized that my being is pure and only in unison with the Brahman.

He is me, I am him, so where and how is this a game of blame. Go forward, take charge of the Sat through Chit and reach for Ananda.

Chit is consciousness reaching out of slumber and forgetfulness into our true nature of unconditional love. Ananda is pure absolute bliss, joy and union with the Brahman. Release all tensions, stress, obstacles, chaos and conflict, and disturbances and you are in union with the Brahman, surrender and be purified.

In Satchitananda, the chakras are balanced in harmony and this synergistic flow allows the kundalini to flow and prana permeates every molecule of your being and floods the consciousness.

https://ezinearticles.com/?Sat-Chit-Ananda,-Pure-Blissful-Consciousness&id=9503584

Why You Must Face The Fire Of Failure To Succeed

Failure is the flipside of success. No one can escape it; no one has ever escaped it, never. It is one of the many immutable laws of life. Do you agree? Drop me a line, please.

In business, education, health, finances, social media, farming, teaching, governance, the stock market, relationship, blogging, etc, our mindsets determine how we look at failure or success.

It also decides, if our failures in any profession, project, vocation, art, science, skill or knowledge, could make or mar us, for life.

If we look at failure as temporary and therefore a stepping stone to success, we will be able to face the heat, the fire, in order to learn the valuable lessons behind our failures.

But, if we blame the devil, enemies, outside factors, or whatever, for our failures, then the mindset is already fixed and the lessons may not be learnt. Man the devil, man the saint.

Our mindsets determine whether or not we will rise and continue the journey, each time we fail or get stuck, somewhere along the line.

There is nobody on this earth plane that has not failed times without number. No not one. I have failed many times. Sometimes we win, sometimes we lose, but our world is expanding.

Now, to the why. Each time we fail, we introspect, become sober and contemplative, trying to find out what went wrong in our planning, scheming or strategizing. Or who the hell is standing on as an obstacle on our journey to success.

That is, if we are conscious of our failures and wants to take responsibilities for it.

It is okay to blame the devil, outside factors, whatever for our failures. But, in truth, it is not right. This is my take.

When we fail, we should pause to reflect, go back to our drawing table to re-strategize and then take action.

Just like me, I am pretty sure you do not like the discomforts, stress or inconveniences that come with failure.

You and I love pleasure, a near stress free life and the many comforts of life. This is life for you. Therefore, nothing is wrong.

But, in truth, to succeed, we must face the fire, the heat, leave our comfort zones, work our ass off, ignore distractions and learn the lessons, in order to grow. This is the inescapable sides of failure.

This is the beauty, the valuable and timeless lessons we must learn from our failures. God bless humanity.

https://ezinearticles.com/?Why-You-Must-Face-The-Fire-Of-Failure-To-Succeed&id=9873715

Lessons From the Untethered Soul (By Shelley Roy)

Having read several of my books, blogs, and articles, by now you are probably aware that like Michael Singer, I believe we are trying to do something that doesn't work - we are trying to find love, joy, happiness, etc. outside of ourselves. We are trying to control something that is not within our control: other people and the world around us. Everything we wish to experience is part of our inner landscape; they are not out there somewhere to be found.

Singer in his book, the untethered soul, helps you explore your inner landscape, an activity that for me has been a life long journey. He begins by asking you to look at the concept of self and the inner dialogue you engage in with self. Once you begin to think about and explore the concept of self, you quickly realize "... the concept of 'self' may turn out to be a bit more elusive than initially presumed."

As a human you have been both blessed and cursed by your ability to think about your thinking. The blessing is that it is in the world of your thoughts that you can control your experiences in life. The curse is you are probably looking to the world to have specific experiences and your inner dialogue is acting as the judge of what's happening around you. Breaking the barrier of this inner and outer world thinking will free you from your perceived problems.

So how do you begin to do this - you become intimately aware of your inner roommate - the voice inside of you. You recognize that your inner voice will never be content and at peace, and you let go of "I". You recognize that-"Your consciousness is actually experiencing your mental model of reality, not reality itself." When you perceive a problem you stop asking, "What should I do about this?" and start asking, "What part of me is being disturbed by this?" What part of me is ________ (jealous, angry, frustrated, irritated, etc.)? Singer states, "You will not be able to solve anything outside until you own how the situation affects you inside." For a man not familiar with Perceptual Control Theory (PCT), he has captured one of its greatest lessons. Disturbance is an inside job.

Letting go of the inner judge and shifting your thinking to what I like to call the balcony view immediately relieves stress. My good friend Andrea Christopher once described it this way - it's as if I am the math problem, then I am working the math problem and finally I am watching myself work the math problem. "You don't have to think about it or analyze it; you can just be aware of it." Doing this allows you to let go of the "I".

From the balcony you allow yourself to "experience every note the heart can play." You recognize that everything is just information and it's up to you to quiet the roommate and relax into the moment. Singer provided me with a more spiritual perspective on PCT which is a very science heavy explanation of human behavior.

This book was like diving into the deep end of the pool of my own soul. PCT with a spiritual twist. I loved it!

https://ezinearticles.com/?Lessons-From-the-Untethered-Soul&id=9443118

Essence of Being a Parent

As parents, it is very important for us to get involve with our kids' education. It could be in terms of helping them with homework, getting extra academic assistance if needed and supporting them all the way to reach their goals. When we are involve, our kids tend to perform better in school, stay out of trouble, and avoid drug and alcohol abuse.

By getting involved in our children's lives, we can easily spot trouble and help our kids faster. The early signs of anxiety, depression, eating disorders and other mental disorders are sometimes subtle but staying vigilant and watchful can help save our child's life.

Involvement in our child's school and social life help us become more responsive to our child's emotional, social, spiritual, intellectual and other needs. Our involvement also improve our attitude toward a child's school and toward education. When we involve ourselves to what our kids are doing, they feel respected and valued especially when it comes to their choices and priorities. By doing so, we show our kids our multiple personalities with varied skills, talents and experiences. Our involvement also send signals to our kids that we are always there for them no matter what.

We teach important lessons that will help our children later in life. By getting involved always, we can help pass along countless lessons and establish the importance of reading by taking our kids to the library and helping them pick out books and read with them. We can also demonstrate that involvement is a key part of parenting, so when our children become parents, they will have that experience to draw upon and carry forward.

Our involvement encourage our children to achieve more, have better self-esteem, are more self-disciplined, and show higher aspirations and motivation toward school.

Children's positive attitude about school often results in improved behavior and desirable attitudes.

Moreover, our involvement can make our children appreciate the importance of education. It also means we know where our child's education journey is going and are able to be part of the ups and downs along the way. As a result, our children are more likely to have higher self-esteem, be disciplined and have more self-motivation.

Furthermore, getting involved has countless benefits not just to our kids but also for us. By walking alongside our son or daughter's journey, we are more likely to be sensitive to our child's emotional and social needs. It creates ties and strengthens bonds with our children and can boost our confidence in parenting and any decision-making when it comes to our child's education.

When our children see a unified approach to their education between their parents and the school, they are more likely to understand the importance of their studies.

Being involved also boosts the mental and psychological makeup of our children thereby, fostering high positive self-concept and help them interact better with their peers and advance their social skills.

https://ezinearticles.com/?Essence-of-Being-a-Parent&id=9884653

Message From the Universe: The Love Triangle

"When a thing hurts your eyes, stop looking at it.

When it hurts your ears, stop listening to it.

And when it hurts your heart, stop justifying it.

I love you so much,

The Universe"

Physical pain dissipates quickly, but emotional pain can stay with you for the rest of your life. People uses words towards others without really understand the ramification it can have to the receiver. You need to realize that every word you say can have either a positive or negative impact in someone's life. You can take someone's money, belongings or any other assets and they will recover, but it can be hard to recover pride and respect for yourself when someone have crossed the boundaries. It is said that in relationship, emotional unfaithfulness is worse than physical. It is true because of the fact that once someone leave the relationship emotionally, because of someone else, it is hard to get them back to invest into the relationship. When physical unfaithfulness occurs, the culprit lives in regrets and feels embarrassed and ashamed of their behavior. They will feel more inclined to do whatever it takes to regain the trust back from their significant other, if, of course, the latter is willing to give them another chance.

In the grand scheme of things, people will have the tendency to use words that can have an impact towards others ONLY if they feel that the other person will listen and take their message into account. When you let others control your feelings, you give them the power, you give them ammunition to further pursue their objective in bringing you down and keep you there permanently if you let it happen. Words can hurt, yes, but ONLY from the ones that you are willing to let that happen. You can control your own emotions, so ignore the things YOU do not want to hear, ignore the things YOU do not want to see, and if you really love someone and feel pain because of their behavior towards you, stop justifying their behavior and leave the relationship IMMEDIATELY. Life is not made to suffer when you have control over it. Toxic relationship will bring you down faster than you can blink your eyes. You might think you can change that person, well DREAM ON. You really can't. One more thing, if your previous relationship have been toxic in nature, and that your ex was taking control of your life by telling you what to do and when to do it, and after leaving that relationship you promised yourself to NEVER be in that position but focus on controlling the next relationship, you are GUARANTEED to fail. The next relationship will quickly see your games and will dump you faster than a lightning strike. Learn your lessons but do not take revenge on the next person because of how you were treated on the previous one.

Life is filled with lessons to be learned and acquired. We pursue our dreams, works on ourselves to become better people. We focus on being healthy to enjoy what life has to offer and do our best to spend time with loved ones. Do not let others stress you because they are stressed and depressed about their own lives. You can help them but do not let their negativity take over your life and get depressed as well. When you do your best to help them with no results, they will need professional help and it is your duty to let them go seek that help. You are not their savior so try NOT to act as one. This is not selfishness, it is to keep yourself sane and healthy. There is nothing wrong with that.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Message-From-the-Universe:-The-Love-Triangle&id=9660450

Why Strong Roots Help Us Withstand The Storms Of Life

None Are Immune To The Ravages Of Life

Think of a current problem causing you distress. Imagine it as best you can without getting caught up in the details. Have you given any thought to why this experience is happening? I don't mean the nit-picky details but the deeper lessons contained within the event? Perhaps you haven't arrived at that point yet or you are still trying to make sense of it. Every experience, particularly the undesirable ones, come into our life to teach us valuable lessons and insights about ourselves. We may experience frustration and turmoil because the situation occupies attention in our mind, as we come to terms with it.

What do I mean by having strong roots to withstand the storms of life? It's said, the tallest oak trees bury their roots deep into the ground to gather nutrients and stability from the external elements. Violent winds and Mother Nature can impose itself on the oak tree where it can topple over. We can take a leaf from Mother Nature (if you'll pardon the pun) and create strong roots ourselves to weather the storms of life. None of us are immune to the ravages of life. There may be seasons where we experience joy and happiness and then suddenly we are neck deep in despair and tragedy. Life may seem unfair and unexplainable, when months earlier everything was going our way. Have you experienced this before? If so, what were your anchoring mechanisms to overcome it? What lessons or insights did you learn about yourself?

No Two Journeys Are The Same

Sometimes, we don't understand the lessons until months or years later, so it's difficult to make sense of what is taking place. Other times, the storms blow upon us with great intensity, wreaking havoc and destroying our lives. It may seem like a disruption to our lives where we feel uncertain about the future. It is my experience that trying to explain unfortunate events adds to our pain and misery. I often counsel clients to avoid looking for meaning to their misfortunes but to flip the coin and look for the lessons contained within the experience. Meaning is subjective and depending on our outlook, we may interpret the event negatively or positively. If you asked those close to you, they might have a different explanation of the event. Rather than explain why things happen, it is best to look for the lessons that cultivate our personal growth.

Are you comfortable with the idea that the storms of life needn't damper our spirit, yet how we interpret it determines how we move forward? Sometimes, it may require revisiting lessons from the past to reinforce our understanding of an event. Sometimes, lessons reappear in different forms until we learn what we need to. It may be frustrating since there is no guide or teacher to tell us when the lesson will appear. We may have to revisit the same experience until we have enough and give up. However, in letting go we may finally learn what we need to. No two journeys are the same since we are all on different timelines, depending on our level of consciousness. For those who are awake and aware, they may realise the lessons sooner than those who are asleep. The more aware of what life is trying to teach us, the less pain and suffering we will endure.

With this in mind, I'd like you to return to the opening question in which I asked you about a current life problem causing you distress. After you finish reading this article, write a list of five lessons the experience is trying to teach you. You may find it difficult at first because your focus will be on the negative aspects of what is taking place. I invite you to push past it because it will help you release your resistance to what is taking place. Once you've written five lessons, sit on it for a day or two and place it somewhere you can see it, such as your bathroom medicine cabinet, bedroom mirror or fridge. Continue asking the following question over the coming days: "What does life want me to know about this experience?" Be attentive to what shows up in the form of: an impulse, a feeling, images, words or otherwise. Life communicates to us in familiar ways, so pay attention to your surroundings. It is when we create strong roots to withstand the storms of life, that we will learn what we need to about our life's narrative.

https://ezinearticles.com/?Why-Strong-Roots-Help-Us-Withstand-The-Storms-Of-Life&id=10163491

Beauty From You to Me - Acknowledge That Beauty Is in Everyone and in Everything

Everyday as I awake, I eagerly anticipate what beautiful things God has in store for me. Sometimes life sends us curves that need silence and introspection. I am content to learn the lessons that the universe gives me, even though I am sensitive and easily affected by pain and suffering of myself as well as the pain of other people; sometimes I feel the pain of people who I have never met. I realize that as I patiently wait for the universe to open doors and opportunities for me, that I still must do the normal, not-so-fun things of daily living. I decided a long time ago that I would find beauty in every activity until the day that I take my last breath. There are many activities completed daily in our daily lives, far too many to even list that are taxing and make us forget how beautiful life truly can be. My best course of action is to enjoy the journey and to seek and find beauty in EVERYTHING!

I enjoy listening to music from various genres, writing songs or poetry, especially while engaging in two or more other activities. Sometimes I am vacuuming and I start dancing and enjoying the rhythm of the music.

While gazing at the sunrise, I usually decide what household chore I need to do first.

As I watch the waves of the nearby lake, I imagine that I am swimming in a clear,emerald-green ocean.

If I am watching television, and I notice a beautiful product or family style commercial is when I admire the beauty of people doing mundane things everywhere.

Reading has always been an amazing escape to visualize another setting and learning about the splendor and beauty of other people's' cooking styles, habits, practices or ideologies, there is beauty to be found EVERYWHERE!

There are so many gathering areas where you can discover new people and places, all you have to do is have an open heart and decide that you'll seek and meet beautiful, new people. Meeting new people or engaging new activities is like discovering new frontiers or enticing a new adventure. Time alone, time on the phone, or taking time to have a great conversation is amazing and a beautiful discovery that you'll appreciate for decades!

Enjoy your garden, take in the full scenery, notice the flowers, or the birds that fly to your yard or garden.

Beauty is everywhere, it's simple to attract, and a great way to notice something different, uncommon or beautiful.

Enjoy the simple things, tasks or chores, it's never a bore when you work around your home.

You'll find adventure or uncover the beauty in simple,yet subtle ways if you pay attention to beautiful things around you throughout the course of your day.

If I cook, or clean or do my laundry; it is in the simplicity that beauty surrounds me.

As I wash my clothes and witness dirt and grime get washed away, it is similar when compared to life. Life is allowing the old concepts, ideas or beliefs to go away, get washed out or cleansed. Giving room for new experiences is giving new life to clean, freshly laundered clothing and a beautiful new way of living.

In life, it is ourselves who decide what we need to release, purge, cleanse or omit to uncover beauty under the surface; like the caterpillar and butterfly story.

In the newness comes the beauty in appreciating the unknown from you to me; from me to you. If you and me have argued, then I must apologize, the reason is not important, the time lost and the beauty of our friendship is more important than who's right or who's wrong.

Like soap suds, from the washing machine, going down the drain; I allow myself to release the pain; as clean, rinse water cleanses my clothes. I allow light to cleanse, and energize my life in the light of wisdom and appreciation.

I enrich my life and enjoy the beauty from you to me from me to you, as we discover new ideas and different principles of conduct or engaging in great verbal energy exchange. The smile that you send to me is amazing, comforting and beautiful and has made my day so much happier!

As I mop and dust and remove the rust, from around my appliances, doors, and floors in my home, it's as if I removed the mask that once covered the beautiful view from my eyes. My perceived ideas that were once deluding me and rendering me unwilling or unable to see beautiful friendships established between friends that choose to be friends is no longer hampering my vision of beauty to be found during the course of life events.

Understand that by allowing yourself and others to engage in dreams, judgement-free,there is beauty; the beauty from you to me; from me to you..

Discover beauty in daily living..

~I enjoy learning from you and from others offering me knowledge continuously.

https://ezinearticles.com/?Beauty-From-You-to-Me---Acknowledge-That-Beauty-Is-in-Everyone-and-in-Everything&id=9459457

Lessons on Life, Learning and Earning (By Emmanuel Oluwadunsin Ayeni )

These few days and the rest of the year, I will share real practical posts, videos, podcasts, they will be stories on life, learning and earnings.

My goal is to give so much away that will benefit many people, especially those who may need to just read this now.

On Life...

Life is measured in the currency of Time. Hence we have grown through the past to get into the present with hope of the future in view. You would have mastered LIFE if you succeeded in mastering the 3 Forces. For anyone who has mastered these three, all things are possible.

Now and always you will unlock all doors when you have truly mastered the forces of Faith, Love and Hope... mastering these will be a topic for the coming days.

In life understanding the laws of identity makes you know you are unique and a powerful being.

Nothing can beat the expectations you set for yourself... God has endowed you and only the one in the mirror can stop you.

On Learning...

One day... I looked over to my beautiful wife Jumoke, as I was going back to complete my reading of the last few chapters of an interesting book and I said " I love you... " She looked over and said something to me that got me " I love you too, but sorry I cannot study for you... " I replied, " I know, because the door of change is one only you can open from the inside" She can not study for me, people can't grow FOR you but they can grow WITH you and be part of your journey. Others can help share their light with you, but the change always begins from within.

Learning is the way through which we grow our capacity to open the doors of ignorance, mediocrity or lack. Knowledge they say is power, applied Knowledge empowers absolutely.

On Earning...

Always Learn to earn and earn to Learn.

I got exposure to the phrase " Learn to Earn" some years ago as an undergraduate, I had stumbled on a material by the reputable Stock broker and Fund Manager, Peter Lynch where he delved much more on this.

The best form of knowledge is the one we internalize and we are able to apply with results... At times, our earnings can be one out of many ways to measure some of these results... Ask companies that will stop at nothing to make sure sales targets are met.

I always believe and share that Personal Mastery precedes Money Mastery.

When you have grown your capacity to become one who earns in the millions range, you will do the things required to make this happen and indeed you will have your desired earnings.

Remember there is no limit to all you can achieve in your rise to greatness if the right sets of principles on life, learning, and earning are learnt and applied.

I celebrate your meteoric rise to greatness.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Lessons-on-Life,-Learning-and-Earning&id=9623706

No Regrets - Only Lessons

We have all been there. We have looked back in the past and said, "wow, what was I thinking? Biggest mistake of my life."

Can you really tell me that you haven't done that? All I have to say to that is, it was a biggest lesson learned in life. Most of us are looking in the rear view mirror while trying to drive ahead. See I could look back and say that I made the biggest mistake by having a kid with such a deceiving person but that doesn't change anything nor do I feel that way. You have to be able to forgive not just yourself but also the other person. Free yourself from the hatred you carry around in your heart because that burden is only drowning you. Not being able to forgive puts you in a victim mentality and you sit there drinking poison while wishing the other person would die.

Guess what?

The other person is living with no concern about you. The only person you are hurting is yourself.

My son is the biggest blessing in my life and without him I wouldn't have half of the motivation that I have to keep going. My passion wakes me up everyday feeling blessed that God has given me another day to work towards my dream. I have a purpose in life and no one or nothing will stop me from getting it. I can't stress enough about how important it is to move on from the past life lessons, put it behind you and grow from it.

I'm not asking you to forget your past completely because it has taught you so much but I'm asking you to let it go, put the burdens down of the past and keep moving forward. It's not about who you were. It's not about who you are. It's not about what choices you adapted to and the decisions you made. It's about whom you are deciding to become; the choices and habits you're adapting to on a daily basis. It's about you doing it faithfully and consciously.

That's what moving ahead looks like. I don't need to tell you who you are. Look at yourself in the mirror and tell yourself how incredibly amazing you are and how far you have come. Look ahead and rise up. This is your time; don't allow anyone to interfere in it. Drop the baggage from the past and live a little.

http://ezinearticles.com/?No-Regrets---Only-Lessons&id=9646449

Learning Lessons From A Seed And A Brownie

Let me share with you lessons - learning lessons from the most unexpected circumstances!

Lesson of the Seed

The Lesson of the Seed is "You reap your harvest after you do the work." You dig the soil and water the seed (effort), wait a while (patience) and then you pick your beans.

Effort + Patience = Results.

Simple, right?

Well, I baked brownies today.

I think I did what was instructed in the box. I waited for 45 minutes and took it out of the oven afterward.

Well, why was it that when I was about to cut it, I couldn't?

It was so hard the metal bread knife will break when I tried to cut it! As in!

My mind looked back at what I did wrong. It did say 1/3 cup of oil, 1 egg, and 1/3 cup of water combined with the pouch mix! Was it the timing? Did I forget to put an egg?! or maybe I forgot to put water!!!

I must have done something wrong because of my results - a brownie-so-hard-you-can't-eat-it!

Recalling what happened, I think I wasn't really focused 100% when I baked it. I was all over the place watching TV, frying dried fish for breakfast and washing the dishes at the same time.

You know what? I think I did forget to put in 1/3 cup of water!

Baking brownies was the simplest thing ever but because I didn't give my all, it was a flop!

Yes, after I did my work, I will reap my harvest. But the lesson of the seed didn't mention the quality of the harvest!

Does the quality of the harvest matter?

Learning Lessons of the Brownies

Well, based on the lessons of the brownies, it does matter.

If I want to truly succeed in life, if I want to really achieve my dreams, if I want to make things to happen in my life, and I am putting an effort to do that, I believe it is also important to check the quality of work I am putting in to make it happen.

At the same time...

I can't just believe I will have the best brownies ever if I don't put in a little effort to do that!

I can't just pray to God to give me the best brownies ever if I don't put in a little effort to make it happen!

I can't just leave my brownies to chance that someday soon it will be the best brownies ever if I will not give a little effort to make it a reality!

I guess the lessons of the brownies is for all of us, don't you think?

If we check the results we are getting, do we like what we see?

In our relationships? In our careers? In our plans? In our life in general?

BE-NOT-A-VICTIM

Sometimes no matter how we want to blame, point fingers and become the victim of our circumstances, let us not. Why? There are three reasons why.

First, our circumstances will not change.

Second, others will not change for us, even if he/she is someone we love dearly.

Third, what for?

The one most affected by our own results is us, not them. Oh, I am sure they have their own results to carry too!

The good news is we can always pray to God to give us some more time to change our results - to have better relationships, to have the career we love most, to make our plans and dreams come true and to live life fully.

And I thank God for that.

I thank God for time to change because that's the only thing we can control. We can only control and change ourselves!

Our circumstances, the people around us will not change for us. But...

We can always change the way we see things, look at things from their perspective and do some adjustments.

STARTING ANEW

So, I am getting my brownies mix again.

1/3 cup vegetable oil - check

1/3 cup water - check

1 egg - check

350 degrees. 45 minutes - check.

Be patient.

And viola! The best brownies ever!

Yes, sometimes, it's as simple as that too!

http://ezinearticles.com/?Learning-Lessons-From-A-Seed-And-A-Brownie&id=9620439

These Success Acts Wrote Their Own Stories: Here's How To Write Yours (Former SEAL Trainee)

Peyton Manning played 13 years for the Indianapolis Colts and earned four MVP awards in that time.

Until he was cut.

What happened? He (re-)wrote his own story.

Joe Montana was considered the underdog almost every game.

That is, of course, until he rose to the occasion-every time. Every time the media or the fans found holes in his game or a way to put him down he proved them wrong by never falling.

What happened? He (re-)wrote his story.

These examples aren't reserved for athletes. People across the globe and throughout history have rewritten their stories because that's what successful people do.

Successful people choose when to stop.

Successful people choose how to interpret failure.

Successful people choose to respond, rather than react.

Just think of the comeback Apple made with the introduction of the... what was that thingy again?... oh yeah, the iPod. No big deal. Before the introduction of perhaps one of the greatest innovative introductions of the 21st century, Apple was going nowhere fast. Microsoft was the brand associated with, well, everything, and just before Apple was about to fall off the cliff of nobody into a chasm of nothingness, they didn't.

What happened? Yup, you guessed it. They (re-)wrote their story. Here's what these seeds of greatness have in common:

They didn't accept the what. Instead, they pursued the why, and what enabled them to do so was their self-confidence to question, to be curious and ask, "How do I prove them wrong?" This is what I call the Cycle of Curiosity (I know-creative) and it works like this:

Curiosity builds confidence to 1) ask questions; and to 2) generate your own ideas. If we never pose questions then we never know that such a capacity exists within us, and so we rely on others' willingness to ask.

It's paralyzing to not question your own development, your own status and your own progress or to wonder what's next. If you don't know where you're headed, then you'll never get there and/or anywhere will suffice.

Question the question. Not all questions are created equally. Einstein was attributed to have said that if he had an hour, he would spend the first 55 minutes determining whether the question at hand was the right question to ask and then the remaining five minutes answering it.

Too many leaders in too many companies today are too concerned with immediate results; they don't take the time to reflect upon experiences and lessons learned therein and how to apply those lessons for future performance. Don't get me wrong, I'm certainly a results-oriented guy, but if you don't take the time to reflect on why something is right, then you'll never know how to recreate it.

Never settle. What would've happened if Peyton Manning, Joe Montana or any other athlete or leader had settled for the status quo? For what others perceived to be right? They would have different stories, that's for sure, and they wouldn't be the ones I'm writing about here. To (re-)write your story is to seek constant and never ending improvement but without the burden of overwhelm or defeat. You see, constant and never ending improvement can be a lot to swallow because it's, well, constant and never-ending. That's a long time!

Don't worry, there's an easier way to grasp this concept of "forever-ness," and it begins with setting small goals.

In Hell Week, which is one of the main attrition points in BUD/S (Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL Training), students are awake for five and half days operating on four hours of sleep the entire week. I'm not gonna lie, this is about as close to becoming a zombie as I've ever been. But, what got me through Hell Week was setting small goals. If I had focused on staying awake for 120 hours then chances are I wouldn't have lasted an hour. Instead, I knew that we had to eat every four to five hours (the instructors weren't intentionally trying to kill us, even though it sure felt like it). So, if I could just make it to the next meal then I would win. Then I'd just repeat. Win. Repeat. Win. Repeat.

The same goes for any athlete or any exec in a high stakes situation. Rather than focusing on winning the entire game-whatever your "game" might be-redirect your focus to manage the current play. In business, the "play" is the momentary or daily action(s) you need to take to drive the strategies that are emplaced to achieve business goals, which they look like the following:

1. Making a decision 

2. Communicating a decision 

3. Collaborating about a decision

Decisions inform metrics and metrics determine progress. By being mindful of what you're doing, why you're doing it, what the options are and how your actions contribute to the greater whole, you heighten your awareness and subsequent decision-making.

Keep learning. Greatness isn't a byproduct of knowledge; it's a result of applying that knowledge to become great. In other words, it's a daily grind to constantly subjugate ego for humility; to put aside the achievements of yesterday to wonder, "How will I do this again?" None of the aforementioned success stories assumed they knew everything, despite being immensely successful. They were humble enough to accept feedback and ask powerful questions that set themselves on a trajectory of "right." The takeaway here is this: people who continually pose questions also continually build their confidence to question the status quo, and the insight they glean is what helps them build context and competence because now they're armed with knowledge to act.

By the way, there's no such thing as re-writing your story. You only continue writing from where your last story ended.

http://ezinearticles.com/?These-Success-Acts-Wrote-Their-Own-Stories:-Heres-How-To-Write-Yours&id=9349797

Valuable Lessons Taught By Children

Maybe you're a parent or one of your siblings is. Perhaps you have a close friend that is a parent. It could be that your kids have kids or your kid's kids have kids. There is probably someway that children are in your life. The common mindset towards children is that it is the adult's job to teach them. Something that many people don't consciously acknowledge is that children are great teachers themselves. That is to say a child has the potential to teach an adult just as much if not more than an adult could teach a child. Lessons taught to a child will differ greatly from the lessons a child teaches. Adults tend to teach ideals in the logical realm while children teach the illogical. What do I mean by illogical?

Children are great teachers of faith. If you are a parent you probably have noticed how much faith your child or children have in you. They believe you are a source of infinite knowledge. Yet the really powerful thing is they have total and complete faith in your character. They believe that you are only capable of doing the right thing. Is there anyone in your life that you have that much faith in? Faith is a powerful thing and children have a great capacity to trust those they care about. Something every adult should take notice of.

Another great lesson that can be learned from a child is to be present. Children are notorious for living or as some people refer to it as living in the moment. Obviously children don't have the stress of work, bills and preconceived notions but I don't want to take away from a child's ability to be fully present. That ability allows children to experience the complete range of human emotions that a logical mind tends to suppress. They don't wait for the right moment to enjoy the world. They just enjoy it. Let's use an upcoming doctor's appointment as an example. An adult will think about the appointment, try to prepare for it and wait for it to happen. While a child will play or do whatever he/she sees fit until the actual appointment takes place. Children have a knack for focusing on only what they want to focus on which is usually what is happening now.

The last lesson to be learned from children I want to address is their creativity. Imagination is something we all associate with children and rightfully so. It is absolutely amazing to watch a child play. They are able to create a game from pretty much anything. They come up with new ideas that aren't based on how profitable it might be but on how much fun it is. Their imagination allows them to experience life in so many different ways. When was the last time you weren't so concerned about your image that you could just act like a dog and bark at your friends? Better yet, when was the last time you were even able to imagine you were a dog? Creativity spawns from losing yourself in the moment. If you are unable to be completely present you won't be able to be truly creative.

Children are teachers of so many other lessons but those three are some of the most powerful. Being an adult is great but being an adult with a child's outlook on life is absolutely wonderful. Children are the world's greatest inventors and scientists even if most people refuse to acknowledge the fact. If children were in control of the world I guarantee it'd be a better place. They may never have all the answers but they'd definitely be willing to ask to right questions.

Remember that you must put forth the time and effort to become the person you want to be and live the life of your dreams. You owe it to yourself to push to be the best you possible. Strive to improve daily and take things in stride.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Valuable-Lessons-Taught-By-Children&id=9237263

The Law Of Increase

PROSPERITY

Here are a few thoughts on how you can achieve success all the years of your life.Be aware that growth and increase are a part of life and all of nature. It is inherent in each of us to desire more. This is not wrong, it is perfectly natural, and the way it should be. You should want to be rich in every department of your life, what do I mean by 'rich'? Getting rich for you is getting what you want very much. For some it means a bigger income, a larger sum of capital, and that's fine. You can get whatever you desire without hurting or even competing with any other person.

Helping others

Unfortunately, the uninformed believe that you can only get ahead in this world at the expense of someone else. This is simply not true. No one can become wealthy in any way without enriching others. Proverbs 13:25 says 'A generous person will prosper, those who refresh others will also be refreshed.

Getting rich for you could mean obtaining more love, peace of mind, health, wealth, owning the home of your dreams or accomplishing anything else you've set your heart upon. Getting rich is obtaining whatever you desire. It's as simple as that.

It's Acceptable

Firstly, understand that it's alright for you to desire what you want. Most human activities are based on a need for increase. Secondly, you need not compete with or deprive anyone. Don't compete - create! This way you add to the general well-being without taking anything away from anyone. Thirdly, do not neglect the things that money cannot buy. What does it cost to give love, respect and consideration to those near you? Very little, just a little extra effort. Yet these things are priceless to those receiving them. Be generous as you find new and better ways to serve. Give more to receive more.

Sharing

My father taught us that the reward for a job well done, is the opportunity to do more. Jim Rohn said that the market-place determines what you get paid, that to earn more you have to make yourself more valuable to the market-place. Zig Ziglar said, 'You can have anything you want as long as you help others to get what they want.'

And finally, the Apostle Paul said 'I know what it's like to have plenty and what it's like to have little, in all things I have learnt to be content.

To your success

There are two things to aim at in life: first, to get what you want; and after that, to enjoy it. Only the wisest of mankind achieve the second. Logan Pearsall Smith.

It is perfectly true as philosophers say, that life must be understood backwards. But they forget the other proposition, that life must be lived forwards. Soren Kierkegaard

Be healthy, Wealthy and Wise

As a lifelong student of wealth creation, prosperity and increase in all areas of life, I find it fascinating to study the biographies of achievers and to note the common denominators that these winners demonstrate in their lives. I try to emulate them, not always with success, but yet I strive to do better, to realize its a process and as a person once told me, "There's no such thing as mistakes, only lessons". Enjoy

http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Law-Of-Increase&id=9317894