It has been a long year of 2008 for me, and many a times, I've taken it upon myself to ensure the happiness of some people very close to me. A number of times this year have I put aside my choice of happiness to try and help someone else be happy. What have I found out? It doesn't work.
A friend once shared, "Don't allow someone to become a priority in your life ... when you are an option in theirs". Just like although friends can try to pull us out of unhappiness, only we ourselves can truly be happy in whatever situation we are. Same goes for others... friends whom we try to so hard to do what we feel would make the person happy, may not necessarily make them happy. In fact, sometimes, it may just have the opposite effect, depending on how the person has their views on you.
Forget about the responsibility of making people around you happy. Be happy first, and let that spread and share to others. The subtle happiness irradiating from you will do more, than the intentional acts of trying to please everyone.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Friday, December 26, 2008
There's NEVER Nothing Going On ...
There's NEVER nothing going on ...
There are NO Ordinary Moments ...
* Extract from the movie, "The Peaceful Warrior"
How so little words can have so much meaning. How often do we have trash in our head thinking about what happened in the past, or worries of what the future would bring. How often do we forget to step back and take a look at all the things around us?
Do we take time to notice the little gestures of love our family members do for us (including mums nagging us to go to sleep at more godly hours), or the courteous gesture of others when they say "thank you"? Or do we spend time analyzing and deciding how fake these people are, trying to understand the motives of people, or to simply look beyond the simple innocence of a person's intention, and prefer to dwell in the more complex, deceiving attitudes of the world?
There is NEVER nothing going on. There are NO ordinary moments. Whether or not we choose to see it, that is up to us to choose.
There are NO Ordinary Moments ...
* Extract from the movie, "The Peaceful Warrior"
How so little words can have so much meaning. How often do we have trash in our head thinking about what happened in the past, or worries of what the future would bring. How often do we forget to step back and take a look at all the things around us?
Do we take time to notice the little gestures of love our family members do for us (including mums nagging us to go to sleep at more godly hours), or the courteous gesture of others when they say "thank you"? Or do we spend time analyzing and deciding how fake these people are, trying to understand the motives of people, or to simply look beyond the simple innocence of a person's intention, and prefer to dwell in the more complex, deceiving attitudes of the world?
There is NEVER nothing going on. There are NO ordinary moments. Whether or not we choose to see it, that is up to us to choose.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Those Who Get Things They Want ... Are the Ones Who Show Up To Get Them
Rock:
This is a nice place you've got here.
I'll have me a spot like this someday. Someplace clean.
Dulaine:
You can get whatever you want, Rock.
Rock:
Nah, only some people get the s**t they want.
Dulaine:
That's true.
Those are the people who show up to get it.
This is a nice place you've got here.
I'll have me a spot like this someday. Someplace clean.
Dulaine:
You can get whatever you want, Rock.
Rock:
Nah, only some people get the s**t they want.
Dulaine:
That's true.
Those are the people who show up to get it.
Friday, December 19, 2008
A Little Bird on Your Shoulder
Morrie:
Don't look so sad because I'm going to die, Mitch.
Everybody is going to die. Even you.
But most people don't believe it.
They should have a bird on their shoulder. That what the Buddhist do.
They used to imagine a little bird on your shoulder, and everyday you say,
"Is this the day I am going to die, little bird? Am I ready?
Am I leading the life I want to lead? Am I that the person I want to be?"
If we accept the fact that we can die at any time, we would live our lives differently.
So everyday you'd say, "Is this the day? hmm?"
If you did have a bird on your shoulder, you would not put off the things closest to your heart.
* Extracted from the movie, "Tuesdays with Morrie" by Mitch Albom
Is there anything in life closest to us that we require to do? Things that we may have always left one side, because we'll have time for it one day? Something for our family, something for the people that we've taken for granted? If we did see each day as the last day of our life, it is true, we may see things differently... Think about the things you need to do ... list them out and see what can be done in 2009 ... the year of 2008 may be over, but let life begin today.
Don't look so sad because I'm going to die, Mitch.
Everybody is going to die. Even you.
But most people don't believe it.
They should have a bird on their shoulder. That what the Buddhist do.
They used to imagine a little bird on your shoulder, and everyday you say,
"Is this the day I am going to die, little bird? Am I ready?
Am I leading the life I want to lead? Am I that the person I want to be?"
If we accept the fact that we can die at any time, we would live our lives differently.
So everyday you'd say, "Is this the day? hmm?"
If you did have a bird on your shoulder, you would not put off the things closest to your heart.
* Extracted from the movie, "Tuesdays with Morrie" by Mitch Albom
Is there anything in life closest to us that we require to do? Things that we may have always left one side, because we'll have time for it one day? Something for our family, something for the people that we've taken for granted? If we did see each day as the last day of our life, it is true, we may see things differently... Think about the things you need to do ... list them out and see what can be done in 2009 ... the year of 2008 may be over, but let life begin today.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Vivir con miedo, es como vivir a medias
Vivir con miedo, es como viri a medias ...
A life lived in fear is a life half lived.
* Extracted from the movie, Strictly Ballroom
We are all scared by things in life. Some of us have fears of the dark, some of relationships with other people, some with just about everything in the world. To live in fear is nothing wrong, but to allow the fear to rule our lives, to make us give up the things we want ... things that are the world to us, makes us live a life half lived.
Just like in the movie, "The Prestige", where Christian Bale plays the twins Alfred & Fallon are actually twins, but to create the ULTIMATE magic trick ("The Transported Man"), where they both had "half of a full life". It is better to live half a full life, then a full life half lived.
A life lived in fear is a life half lived.
* Extracted from the movie, Strictly Ballroom
We are all scared by things in life. Some of us have fears of the dark, some of relationships with other people, some with just about everything in the world. To live in fear is nothing wrong, but to allow the fear to rule our lives, to make us give up the things we want ... things that are the world to us, makes us live a life half lived.
Just like in the movie, "The Prestige", where Christian Bale plays the twins Alfred & Fallon are actually twins, but to create the ULTIMATE magic trick ("The Transported Man"), where they both had "half of a full life". It is better to live half a full life, then a full life half lived.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Beige Should Be Your Least Favorite Color
Never try to defend your present position and situation. Choose to be a person who is on the offensive, not the defensive. People who live defensively never rise above being average. We're called, as Christians, to be on the offensive, to take the initiative. A lukewarm, indecisive person is never secure, regardless of wealth, education or position.
Don't ever let your quest for balance become an excuse for not taking the unique, radical, invading move that God has directed you to take. Many times the attempt to maintain balance in life is really just an excuse for being lukewarm. In Joshua 1:6, 7, 9 the Lord says threes times to Joshua "Be strong and courageous". I believe that He is saying the same things to all believers today.
When you choose to be on the offensive, the atmosphere of your life will begin to change. So if you don't like the atmosphere of your life, choose to take the offensive positive. Taking the offensive is not just an action taken outside a person; it is always a decision made within.
When you do choose to be on the offensive, keep all your conflicts impersonal. Fight the issue, not the person. Speak about what God in you can do, not what others cannot do. You will find that when all of your reasons are defensive, you cause almost never succeeds.
Being on the offensive and taking the initiative is a master key which opens the door to opportunity in your life. Learn to create a habit taking the initiative and don't ever start your day in neutral. Every morning when your feet hits the floor, you should be thinking on the offensive, reacting like an invader, taking control of your day and your life.
By pulling back and being defensive usually you enhance the problem. Intimidation always precedes defeat. If you are not sure which way to go, pray and move towards the situation in confident trust.
Be like the two fishermen who got trapped in a storm in the middle of the lake. One turned to the other and asked, "Should we pray, or should we row?" His wise companion responded, "Let's do both!".
That's taking the offensive.
* Extracted from "An Enemy Called Average" by John L. Mason
Don't ever let your quest for balance become an excuse for not taking the unique, radical, invading move that God has directed you to take. Many times the attempt to maintain balance in life is really just an excuse for being lukewarm. In Joshua 1:6, 7, 9 the Lord says threes times to Joshua "Be strong and courageous". I believe that He is saying the same things to all believers today.
When you choose to be on the offensive, the atmosphere of your life will begin to change. So if you don't like the atmosphere of your life, choose to take the offensive positive. Taking the offensive is not just an action taken outside a person; it is always a decision made within.
When you do choose to be on the offensive, keep all your conflicts impersonal. Fight the issue, not the person. Speak about what God in you can do, not what others cannot do. You will find that when all of your reasons are defensive, you cause almost never succeeds.
Being on the offensive and taking the initiative is a master key which opens the door to opportunity in your life. Learn to create a habit taking the initiative and don't ever start your day in neutral. Every morning when your feet hits the floor, you should be thinking on the offensive, reacting like an invader, taking control of your day and your life.
By pulling back and being defensive usually you enhance the problem. Intimidation always precedes defeat. If you are not sure which way to go, pray and move towards the situation in confident trust.
Be like the two fishermen who got trapped in a storm in the middle of the lake. One turned to the other and asked, "Should we pray, or should we row?" His wise companion responded, "Let's do both!".
That's taking the offensive.
* Extracted from "An Enemy Called Average" by John L. Mason
In the beginning ...
In the beginning ...
It started with drawings ...
Drawings turned to pictures ...
Pictures turn to graphical representations ...
Graphical representations turned to characters ...
Characters turned to words ...
Words became sentences ...
And the medium of passing wisdom lay in those ...
Who said the most with the least number of words.
This blog is dedicated to the nuggets of wisdom that I hope to find through my searches in books, the Net and from friends ... Feel free to share, comment and contribute your own insights, so we may all benefit from the collective wisdom of all.
Cheers,
Justin Paul
It started with drawings ...
Drawings turned to pictures ...
Pictures turn to graphical representations ...
Graphical representations turned to characters ...
Characters turned to words ...
Words became sentences ...
And the medium of passing wisdom lay in those ...
Who said the most with the least number of words.
This blog is dedicated to the nuggets of wisdom that I hope to find through my searches in books, the Net and from friends ... Feel free to share, comment and contribute your own insights, so we may all benefit from the collective wisdom of all.
Cheers,
Justin Paul
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