Sunday, November 9, 2008
As you go through the decisions that you make in your daily life how much do you rely on your intuition? Do you feel focused and strong in the choices that you make? Or do you feel that you have to deliberate, analyse, weigh out pros and cons, get lots of opinions from friends or family and scare yourself into a decision? Maybe you are one to make a quick decision and then second guess it to the point that you undo what you believed in?
Well you are not alone! We all have had our rounds of confusion and analysis paralysis. The one conclusion is that logic alone does not work. And the answer is to learn how to use a tool that you were actually born with. That tool is your intuition. We hear the words ‘surrender’, ‘trust’ and ‘let go’ all the time. But what does that really mean? And what are we surrendering to? Our logic tells us this is dangerous. So our best attempts to let go last a few minutes and then we are back to trying to figure it all out!
Your intuition is comprised of the energetic senses that you were born with to assist you in staying connected to your higher or inner self. We can refer to that self as a number of names, Divine Guidance, God, The Universe etc. I refer to it as Spirit. But essentially it is all the same thing.
We are always connected to that power greater than our physical selves and that connection is our intuition. I have taught classes on Letting Go and while people have the best of intentions the thing that really holds them back is a lack of trust. That is because we do not understand the mystery of our intuition.
So here are five key points for you to consider that will hopefully help you get a better handle on the most powerful sense that you have.
1. Your intuition is your direct and absolute link to communication with Spirit.
2. Your intuitive senses lay over your physical senses. We get energetic or intuitive feelings through energetic sight (like deja vu), energetic hearing (you hear a small voice that gives you a warning or feels like a hunch to follow), energetic feeling (a gut feeling in your stomach that feels like butterflies or goose bumps) and energetic knowing (feeling like you just know how to do something or how a situation will turn out without learning or cause).
3. Everyone is born with intuition and has the ability to develop it to be strong and reliable.
4. Intuition is always the most efficient and accurate advice that you can get about any issue, concern or desire.
5. Our society encourages us to ignore our intuition and focus strictly on logic. We disengage from our energetic senses and end up feeling very confused, anxious and taking a very long slow road to happiness. Your intuition is always working whether you focus on it or not! When you harness the power of your intuition you are able to fully access your personal power. Not using your intuition is like having eyes and ears and ignoring or fighting their functions. Your eyes and ears are on your head and whether you are concentrating on using them or not they are always working.
They become very powerful tools when you deliberately focus your sight or hearing! Think of how hard it would be to watch a wonderful movie or listen to a beautiful symphony without your ears or eyes! Unwavering trust begins with knowing your intuition and how to use it!
So many people call me for readings and want me to confirm for them that their future outcomes of various hopes or problems will be exactly as i predict. This is so disempowering. Real trust comes from having a direct communication with Spirit yourself through understanding, recognising and knowing how to use and rely on your intuition!
I have done hundreds of intuitive readings for clients and the ones who really do the best after the reading is over are the ones who take responsibility for themselves and use their intuition in combination with their creative problem solving tools like logic to decide what to do next.
When we ignore our intuition we feel anxious, confused and uneasy. We may feel intellectually that it is the right decision but something still doesn't feel certain. So we decide to take lots and lots of action to leave no stone unturned. This creates that going by the seat of your pants or chicken without a head feeling.
When we use our intuition it may seem illogical but our decision feels right. It feels like a sense of knowing or certainty that you may not be able to describe. And your actions feel inspired. You feel led as opposed to running after an outcome. You feel guided to take inspired action and your hunch feels like a knowing instead of a reckless risk.
It’s time to empower yourself by harnessing your own intuition! When you take the time to learn about, understand and tap into your intuition, you will find that your decisions and actions are so much easier to make!
You will live so much more powerfully and efficiently. Your tasks will be done in a fraction of the time because you will be working from certainty instead of fear! You may consider the opinions of others for a perspective but you will know that your intuition has the final say!
Labels: Common Beliefs, Common Sense, Life Intuitions, Life Makeover
Saturday, November 1, 2008
The park bench was deserted as I sat down to read beneath the long, straggly branches of an old willow tree. Disillusioned by life with good reason to frown, for the world was intent on dragging me down.
And if that weren't enough to ruin my day, A young boy out of breath approached me, all tired from play.
He stood right before me with his head tilted down and said with great excitement, "Look what I found!"
In his hand was a flower, and what a pitiful sight, with it's petals all worn, not enough rain, or to little light. Wanting him to take his dead flower and go off to play, I faked a small smile and then shifted away. But instead of retreating he sat next to my side and placed the flower to his nose and declared with overacted surprise, "It sure smells pretty and it's beautiful, too. That's why I picked it; here it's for you."
The weed before me was dying or dead. Not vibrant of colors, orange, yellow or red. But I knew I must take it, or he might never leave. So I reached for the flower, and replied, "Just what I need." But instead of him placing the flower in my hand, he held it mid-air without reason or plan. It was then that I noticed for the very first time that weed-toting boy could not see: he was blind.
I heard my voice quiver, tears shone like the sun as I thanked him for picking the very best one. You're welcome, he smiled, and then ran off to play, unaware of the impact he'd had on my day. I sat there and wondered how he managed to see a self-pitying man beneath an old willow tree. How did he know of my self-indulged plight?
Perhaps from his heart, he'd been blessed with true sight. Through the eyes of a blind child, at last I could see the problem was not with the world; the problem was me. And for all of those times I myself had been blind, I vowed to see the beauty in life, and appreciate every second that's mine. And then I held that wilted flower up to my nose and breathed in the fragrance of a beautiful rose. And smiled as I watched that young boy, another weed in his hand about to change the life of an unsuspecting man.
Labels: Life Lessons, Life Makeover, Life Philosophies
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
No one will manufacture a lock without a key.
Similarly God won't give problems without solutions.
Life laughs at you when you are unhappy...
Life smiles at you when you are happy...
Life salutes you when you make others happy...
Every successful person has a painful story...Every painful story has a successful ending
Accept the pain and get ready for success..
Easy is to judge the mistakes of others....Difficult is to recognize our own mistakes
It is easier to protect your feet with slippers than to cover the earth with carpet.
No one can go back and change a bad beginning; But anyone can start now and create a successful ending..
If a problem can be solved, no need to worry about it..If a problem cannot be solved what is the use of worrying?
If you miss an opportunity don't fill the eyes with tears...It will hide another better opportunity in front of you
"Changing the Face" can change nothing. But "Facing the Change" can change everything.
Don't complain about others; Change yourself if you want peace.
Mistakes are painful when they happen. But year's later collection of mistakes is called experience, which leads to success.
Be bold when you loose and be calm when you win. Be bold when you loose and be calm when you win.
Heated gold becomes ornament. Beaten copper becomes wires. Depleted stone becomes statue. So the more pain you get in life you become more valuable.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Everyone has two natures. One wants us to advance and the other wants to pull us back. The one that we cultivate and concentrate on decides what we are at the end. Both natures are trying to gain control. The will alone decides the issue. A man by one supreme effort of the will may change his whole career and almost accomplish miracles. You may be that man. You can be if you Will to be, for Will can find a way or make one.
I could easily fill a book, of cases where men plodding along in a matter-of-fact way, were all at once aroused and as if awakening from a slumber they developed the possibilities within them and from that time on were different persons. You alone can decide when the turning point will come. It is a matter of choice whether we allow our diviner self to control us or whether we will be controlled by the brute within us. No man has to do anything he does not want to do. He is therefore the director of his life if he wills to be. What we are to do, is the result of our training. We are like putty, and can be completely controlled by our will power.
Habit is a matter of acquirement. You hear people say: "He comes by this or that naturally, a chip off the old block," meaning that he is only doing what his parents did. This is quite often the case, but there is no reason for it, for a person can break a habit just the moment he masters the "I will". A man may have been a "good-for-nothing" all his life up to this very minute, but from this time on he begins to amount to something. Even old men have suddenly changed and accomplished wonders. "I lost my opportunity," says one. That may be true, but by sheer force of will, we can find a way to bring us another opportunity. There is no truth in the saying that opportunity knocks at our door but once in a lifetime. The fact is, opportunity never seeks us; we must seek it. What usually turns out to be one man's opportunity was another man's loss. In this day one man's brain is matched against another's. It is often the quickness of brain action that determines the result. One man thinks "I will do it," but while he procrastinates the other goes ahead and does the work. They both have the same opportunity. The one will complain of his lost chance. But it should teach him a lesson, and it will, if he is seeking the path that leads to success.
Many persons read good books, but say they do not get much good out of them. They do not realize that all any book or any lesson course can do is to awaken them to their possibilities; to stimulate them to use their will power. You may teach a person from now until doom's day, but that person will only know what he learns himself. "You can lead him to the fountain, but you can't make him drink."
One of the most beneficial practices I know of is that of looking for the good in everyone and everything, for there is good in all things. We encourage a person by seeing his good qualities and we also help ourselves by looking for them. We gain their good wishes, a most valuable asset sometimes. We get back what we give out. The time comes when most all of us need encouragement; need buoying up. So form the habit of encouraging others, and you will find it a wonderful tonic for both those encouraged and yourself, for you will get back encouraging and uplifting thoughts.
Life furnishes us the opportunity to improve. But whether we do it or not depends upon how near we live up to what is expected of us. The first of each month, a person should sit down and examine the progress he has made. If he has not come up to "expectations" he should discover the reason, and by extra exertion measure up to what is demanded next time. Every time that we fall behind what we planned to do, we lose just so much for that time is gone forever. We may find a reason for doing it, but most excuses are poor substitutes for action. Most things are possible. Ours may be a hard task, but the harder the task, the greater the reward. It is the difficult things that really develop us, anything that requires only a small effort, utilizes very few of our faculties, and yields a scanty harvest of achievement. So do not shrink from a hard task, for to accomplish one of these will often bring us more good than a dozen lesser triumphs.
I know that every man that is willing to pay the price can be a success. The price is not in money, but in effort. The first essential quality for success is the desire to do--to be something. The next thing is to learn how to do it; the next to carry it into execution. The man that is the best able to accomplish anything is the one with a broad mind; the man that has acquired knowledge, that may, it is true, be foreign to this particular case, but is, nevertheless, of some value in all cases. So the man that wants to be successful must be liberal; he must acquire all the knowledge that he can; he must be well posted not only in one branch of his business but in every part of it. Such a man achieves success.
The secret of success is to try always to improve yourself no matter where you are or what your position is. Learn all you can. Don't see how little you can do, but how much you can do. Such a man will always be in demand, for he establishes the reputation of being a hustler. There is always room for him because progressive firms never let a hustler leave their employment if they can help it.
The man that reaches the top is the gritty, plucky, hard worker and never the timid, uncertain, slow worker. An untried man is seldom put in a position of responsibility and power. The man selected is one that has done something, achieved results in some line, or taken the lead in his department. He is placed there because of his reputation of putting vigor and virility into his efforts, and because he has previously shown that he has pluck and determination.
The man that is chosen at the crucial time is not usually a genius; he does not possess any more talent than others, but he has learned that results can only be produced by untiring concentrated effort. That "miracles," in business do not just "happen." He knows that the only way they will happen is by sticking to a proposition and seeing it through. That is the only secret of why some succeed and others fail. The successful man gets used to seeing things accomplished and always feels sure of success. The man that is a failure gets used to seeing failure, expects it and attracts it to him.
It is my opinion that with the right kind of training every man could be a success. It is really a shame that so many men and women, rich in ability and talent, are allowed to go to waste, so to speak. Some day I hope to see a millionaire philanthropist start a school for the training of failures. I am sure he could not put his money to a better use. In a year's time the science of practical psychology could do wonders for him. He could have agencies on the lookout for men that had lost their grip on themselves; that had through indisposition weakened their will; that through some sorrow or misfortune had become discouraged. At first all they need is a little help to get them back on their feet, but usually they get a knock downwards instead. The result is that their latent powers never develop and both they and the world are the losers. I trust that in the near future, someone will heed the opportunity of using some of his millions in arousing men that have begun to falter. All they need to be shown is that there is within them an omnipotent source that is ready to aid them, providing they will make use of it. Their minds only have to be turned from despair to hope to make them regain their hold.
When a man loses his grip today, he must win his redemption by his own will. He will get little encouragement or advice of an inspiring nature. He must usually regain the right road alone. He must stop dissipating his energies and turn his attention to building a useful career. Today we must conquer our weakening tendencies alone. Don't expect anyone to help you. Just take one big brace, make firm resolutions, and resolve to conquer your weaknesses and vices. Really none can do this for you. They can encourage you; that is all.
I can think of nothing, but lack of health that should interfere with one becoming successful. There is no other handicap that you should not be able to overcome. To overcome a handicap, all that it is necessary to do is to use more determination and grit and will.
The man with grit and will may be poor today and wealthy in a few years; will power is a better asset than money; Will will carry you over chasms of failure, if you but give it the chance.
The men that have risen to the highest positions have usually had to gain their victories against big odds. Think of the hardships many of our inventors have gone through before they became a success. Usually they have been very much misunderstood by relatives and friends. Very often they did not have the bare necessities of life, yet, by sheer determination and resolute courage, they managed to exist somehow until they perfected their inventions, which afterwards greatly helped in bettering the condition of others.
Everyone really wants to do something, but there are few that will put forward the needed effort to make the necessary sacrifice to secure it. There is only one way to accomplish anything and that is to go ahead and do it. A man may accomplish almost anything today if he just sets his heart on doing it and lets nothing interfere with his progress. Obstacles are quickly overcome by the man that sets out to accomplish his heart's desire. The "bigger" the man, the smaller the obstacle appears. The "smaller" the man, the greater the obstacle appears. Always look at the advantage you gain by overcoming obstacles, and it will give you the needed courage for their conquest.
Do not expect that you will always have easy sailing. Parts of your journey are likely to be rough. Don't let the rough places put you out of commission. Keep on with the journey. Just the way you weather the storm shows what material you are made of. Never sit down and complain of the rough places, but think how nice the pleasant stretches were. View with delight the smooth plains that are in front of you.
Do not let a setback stop you. Think of it as a mere incident that has to be overcome before you can reach your goal.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
TRUST is a very important factor for all relationships. When trust is broken, it is the end of the relationship. Lack of trust leads to suspicion, suspicion generates anger, anger causes enmity and enmity may result in separation.
A telephone operator told me that one day she received a phone call. She answered, "Public Utilities Board." There was silence. She repeated, "PUB." There was still no answer. When she was going to cut off the line, she Heard a lady's voice, "Oh, so this is PUB . Sorry, I got the number from my Husband's pocket but I do not know whose number it is."
Without mutual trust, just imagine what will happen to the couple if the telephone operator answered with just "hello" instead of "PUB".
NO POINTING FINGERS
A man asked his father-in-law, "Many people praised you for a successful marriage. Could you please share with me your secret?"
The father-in-law answered in a smile, "Never criticize your wife for her shortcomings or when she does something wrong. Always bear in mind that because of her shortcomings and weaknesses, she could not find a better husband than
you."
We all look forward to being loved and respected. Many people are afraid of losing face. Generally, when a person makes a mistake, he would look around to find a scapegoat to point the finger at. This is the start of a war. We should always remember that when we point one finger at a person, the other four fingers are pointing at ourselves.
If we forgive others, others will ignore our mistake too.
CREATING PERFECT RELATIONSHIPS?
A person visited the government matchmaker for marriage, SDU, and requested "I am looking for a spouse. Please help me to find a suitable one." The SDU officer said, "Your requirements, please." "Oh, good looking, polite, humorous , sporty, knowledgeable, good in singing and dancing. Willing to accompany me the whole day at home during my
leisure hour, if I don't go out. Telling me interesting stories when I need companion for conversation and be silent when I want to rest." The officer listened carefully and replied, "I understand you need television."
There is a saying that a perfect match can only be found between a blind wife and a deaf husband ,because the blind wife cannot see the faults of the husband and the deaf husband cannot hear the nagging of the wife. Many couples are blind and deaf at the courting stage and dream of perpetual perfect relationship. Unfortunately, when the excitement of love wears off, they wake up and discover that marriage is not a bed of roses. The nightmare begins.
NO OVERPOWERING
Many relationships fail because one party tries to overpower another,or demands too much. People in love tend to think that love will conquer all and their spouses will change the bad habits after marriage. Actually, this is not the case. There is a Chinese saying which carries the meaning that "It is easier to reshape a mountain or a river than a person's character."
It is not easy to change. Thus, having high expectation on changing the spouse character will cause disappointment and unpleasantness.
It would be less painful to change ourselves and lower our expectations. .
RIGHT SPEECH
There is a Chinese saying which carries the meaning that "A speech will either prosper or ruin a nation." Many relationships break off because of wrong speech. When a couple is too close with each other,we always forget mutual respect and courtesy. We may say anything without considering if it would hurt the other party .
A friend and her millionaire husband visited their construction site. A worker who wore a helmet saw her and shouted,"Hi, Emily! Remember me? We used to date in the secondary school." On the way home, her millionaire husband teased her, "Luckily you married me.Otherwise you will be the wife of a construction worker." She answered ,"You should appreciate that you married me. Otherwise, he will be the millionaire and not you."
Frequently exchanging these remarks plants the seed for a bad relationship. It's like a broken egg - cannot be reversed.
PERSONAL PERCEPTION
Different people have different perception. One man's meat could be another man's poison. A couple bought a donkey from the market. On the way home,a boy commented, "Very stupid. Why neither of them ride on the donkey?"Upon hearing that, the husband let the wife ride on the donkey. He walked besides them. Later, an old man saw it and commented, "The husband is the head of family. How can the wife ride on the donkey while the husband is on foot?" Hearing this, the wife quickly got down and let the husband ride on the donkey.
Further on the way home, they met an old Lady. She commented, "How can the man ride on the donkey but let the wife walk. He is no gentleman."
The husband thus quickly asked the wife to join him on the donkey. Then, they met a young man. He commented, "Poor donkey, how can you hold up the weight of two persons. They are cruel to you." Hearing that, the husband and wife immediately climbed down from the donkey and carried it on their shoulders.
It seems to be the only choice left. Later, on a narrow bridge, the donkey was frightened and struggled. They lost their balance and fell into the river. You can never have everyone praise you, nor will everyone condemn you. Never in the past, not at present, and never will be in the future.
Thus, do not be too bothered by others words if our conscience is clear..
BE PATIENT
This is a true story which happened in the States. A man came out of his home to admire his new truck. To his puzzlement, his three-year-old son was happily hammering dents into the shiny paint of the truck. The man ran to his son, knocked him away, hammered the little boy's hands into pulp as punishment. When the father calmed down, he rushed his son to the hospital.
Although the doctor tried desperately to save the crushed bones, he finally had to amputate the fingers from both the boy's hands. When the boy woke up from the surgery & saw his bandaged stubs, he innocently said, " Daddy,I'm sorry about your truck." Then he asked, "but when are my fingers going to grow back?"
The father went home & committed suicide.
Think about this story the next time someone steps on your feet or u wish to take revenge . Think first before u lose your patience with someone u love. Trucks can be repaired.. Broken bones & hurt feelings often can't. Too often we fail to recognize the difference between the person and the performance. We forget that forgiveness is greater than revenge.
People make mistakes. We are allowed to make mistakes. But the actions we take while in a rage will haunt us forever.
Saturday, October 11, 2008

Thursday, October 9, 2008
I invite you to try an experiment today. It's very simple and won't take up any of your time. Here's all you have to do:
see God in every person who crosses your path today.
Make believe every person you see has a large name tag that says "God" on his or her chest. If it is inconsistent with your religious beliefs to see any human as God, make believe the name tag says "Created by God."
In this experiment, there are no exceptions. When you see your spouse or your child, you are seeing God. As you pass strangers on the street, look at each as if you are looking at God.
If you're in a crowded public area and some loudmouth is using a cell phone, just look at that person knowing you are seeing God, or a creation of God. You know what you would say or think about that person if you weren't doing this experiment.
But what would you say if you were seeing God in that person?
Would you mumble profanities or criticize the person for being an inconsiderate jerk?
As you walk through your offices at work, see the name tag clearly on each person and know that you are seeing God as each person passes. How loving and caring would you be if you could see God in every person? The moment you focus on God, your mind tends to stop. The judgment stops, and all you recognize is love.
You'll be amazed at how your world changes when you see God in every person. You'll be able to look past the labels you have assigned to these people - Caucasian, African-American, pretty, ugly, fat, thin, sloppy, neat, generous, selfish, etc.; you may notice some of these characteristics, but they won't be important to you. You will see through them to the divinity within.
With your new focus, your heart is joined with each person and you feel connection, not separation. You have no interest in criticizing. You are full of compassion. You project the love that is in you and that love is reflected back to you.
This really isn't an unusual experiment or a stretch of the truth. Many religions and spiritual traditions believe that everything IS God, that the life force or energy we refer to as God appears as every bit of matter in the universe.
Even if you believe that you are somehow separate from God, you probably believe that you are created by God, in the image of God. Thus, there is an element of the Divine in every human being.
I'll be the first to admit that this experiment can present some difficult challenges. While you may be able to see God in your child or in a stranger on the street, you might have considerable resistance to seeing God in those whose behavior
you find cruel or immoral - such as those who have committed murder, rape, or have molested a child.
I don't have an easy answer for you; each person must come to his or her own conclusions. However, something tells me we are called to see God in every person, to see beyond behavior to the divine love that connects all of us.
See God in every person who crosses your path today. You'll have a day unlike any you've ever experienced. Maybe you'll want to continue the experiment beyond one day. The only "entity" that will raise an objection is your MIND, which is
conditioned to see differences and to judge others.
If you're ready to get a glimpse of your true nature, and your capacity for love and joy, begin this experiment immediately.
Mohandas Gandhi said it beautifully: "If you don't find God in the next person you meet, it is a waste of time looking for him further."
Reference:
Jeff Keller
Labels: God's Existence, Life Makeover, The Reality, Trust
A group of alumni, all highly established in their respective careers, got together for a visit with their old university professor. The conversation soon turned to complaints about the endless stress of work and life in general. Offering his guests coffee, the professor went into the kitchen and soon returned with a large pot of coffee and an eclectic assortment of cups: porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal - some plain, some expensive, some quite exquisite. Quietly he told them to help themselves to some fresh coffee.
When each of his former students had a cup of coffee in hand, the old professor quietly cleared his throat and began to patiently address the small gathering. "You may have noticed that all of the nicer looking cups were taken up first, leaving behind the plainer and cheaper ones. While it is only natural for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is actually the source of much of your stress-related problems."
He continued, "Be assured that the cup itself adds no quality to the coffee. In fact, the cup merely disguises or dresses up what we drink. What each of you really wanted was coffee, not a cup, but you instinctively went for the best cups. Then you began eyeing each other's cups. Now consider this:
"Life is coffee. Jobs, money, and position in society are merely cups. They are just tools to shape and contain Life, and the type of cup we have does not truly define nor change the quality of the Life we live. Often, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee that has been provided us. Enjoy your coffee!"
The happiest people don't have the best of everything; they just make the best of everything they have. So, Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. And remember - the richest person is not the one who has the most, but the one who needs the least.
Be thankful for the special flavor your friends add to your coffee.
Slow Down", Those who dont have time to read this; it'll definitely do you good.
0 comments Posted by Bloggers World at 12:47 AM*An interesting reflection: Slow Down Culture*
It's been 18 years since I joined Volvo, a Swedish company. Working for them has proven to be an interesting experience.
Any project here takes 2 years to be finalized, even if the idea is simple and brilliant. It's a rule. Globalized processes have caused in us (all over the world) a general sense of searching for immediate results.
Therefore, we have come to possess a need to see immediate results. This contrasts greatly with the slow movements of the Swedish. They, on the other hand, debate, debate, debate, hold x quantity of meetings and work with a slowdown scheme. At the end, this always yields better results.
Said in another words:
1. Sweden is about the size of San Pablo, a state in Brazil.
2. Sweden has 2 million inhabitants.
3. Stockholm has 500,000 people.
4. Volvo, Escania, Ericsson, Electrolux, Nokia are some of its renowned companies. Volvo supplies the NASA.
The first time I was in Sweden, one of my colleagues picked me up at the hotel every morning. It was September, bit cold and snowy. We would arrive early at the company and he would park far away from the entrance (2000 employees drive their car to work). The first day, I didn't say anything, either the second or third. One morning I asked, 'Do you have a fixed parking space? I've noticed we park far from the entrance even when there are no other cars in the lot.' To which he replied, 'Since we're here early we'll have time to walk, and whoever gets in late will be late and need a place closer to the door. Don't you think? Imagine my face.
Nowadays, there's a movement in Europe name Slow Food. This movement establishes that people should eat and drink slowly, with enough time to taste their food, spend time with the family, friends, without rushing. Slow Food is against its counterpart: the spirit of Fast Food and what it stands for as a lifestyle. Slow Food is the basis for a bigger movement called Slow Europe, as mentioned by Business Week.
Basically, the movement questions the sense of 'hurry' and 'craziness' generated by globalization, fuelled by the desire of 'having in quantity'(life status) versus 'having with quality', 'life quality' or the 'quality of being'. French people, even though they work 35 hours per week, are more productive than Americans or British. Germans have established 28.8 hour workweeks and have seen their productivity been driven up by 20%.This slow attitude has brought forth the US's attention, pupils of the fast and the 'do it now!' In India its around 45 hrs workweek.
This no-rush attitude doesn't represent doing less or having a lower productivity. It means working and doing things with greater quality, productivity, perfection, with attention to detail and less stress. It means re-establishing family values, friends, free and leisure time. Taking the 'now', present and concrete, versus the 'global', undefined and anonymous. It means taking humans' essential values, the simplicity of living.
It stands for a less coercive work environment, more happy, lighter and more productive where humans enjoy doing what they know best how to do. It's time to stop and think on how companies need to develop serious quality with no-rush that will increase productivity and the quality of products and services, without losing the essence of spirit. In the movie, Scent of a Woman, there's a scene where the blind Al Pacino asks a girl to dance and she replies, 'I can't, my boyfriend will be here any minute now'. To which Al responds, 'A life is lived in an instant'. Then they dance to a tango.
Many of us live our lives running behind time, but we only reach it when we die of a heart attack or in a car accident rushing to be on time. Others are so anxious of living the future that they forget to live the present, which is the only time that truly exists. We all have equal time throughout the world. No one has more or less. The difference lies in how each one of us does with our time. We need to live each moment. As John Lennon said, 'Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans'.
*Congratulations for reading till the end of this message. There are many who will have stopped in the middle so as not to waste time in this globalized world.*
Time Mgt: Never save something for a special occasion.
0 comments Posted by Bloggers World at 12:40 AMTrust you will enjoy the read and start Living each day.. each moment...!!!
A friend of mine opened his wife's saree drawer and picked up a silk paper wrapped package:
"This, - he said - isn't any ordinary package." He unwrapped the box and stared at both the silk paper and the box.
"She got this the first time we went to New York, 8 or 9 years ago. She has never put it on. Was saving it for a special occasion.
Well, I guess this is it. He got near the bed and placed the gift box next to the other clothings he was taking to the funeral house, his wife had just died. He turned to me and said:
"Never save something for a special occasion. Every day in your life is a special occasion".
I still think those words changed my life.
Now I read more and clean less.
I sit on the porch without worrying about anything.
I spend more time with my family, and less at work.
I understood that life should be a source of experience to be lived up to, not survived through.
I no longer keep anything.
I use crystal glasses every day.
I'll wear new clothes to go to the supermarket, if i feel like it.
I don't save my special perfume for special occasions, I use it whenever I want to.
The words "Someday..." and "One Day..." are fading away from my dictionary.
If it's worth seeing, listening or doing, I want to see, listen or do it now.
I don't know what my friend's wife would have done if she knew she wouldn't be there the next morning, this nobody can tell. I think she might have called her relatives and closest friends.
She might call old friends to make peace over past quarrels.
I'd like to think she would go out for Chinese, her favourite food.
It's these small things that I would regret not doing, if I knew my time had come.
I would regret it, because I would no longer see the friends I would meet, letters... letters that i wanted to write "One of this days".
I would regret and feel sad, because I didn't say to my brothers and sons, not times enough at least, how much I love them.
Now, I try not to delay, postpone or keep anything that could bring laughter and joy into our lives.
And, on each morning, I say to myself that this could be a special day.
Each day, each hour, each minute, is special.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Time Mgt: Never save something for a special occasion.
0 comments Posted by Bloggers World at 7:54 AMTrust you will enjoy the read and start Living each day.. each moment...!!!
A friend of mine opened his wife's saree drawer and picked up a silk paper wrapped package:
"This, - he said - isn't any ordinary package." He unwrapped the box and stared at both the silk paper and the box.
"She got this the first time we went to New York, 8 or 9 years ago. She has never put it on. Was saving it for a special occasion.
Well, I guess this is it. He got near the bed and placed the gift box next to the other clothings he was taking to the funeral house, his wife had just died. He turned to me and said:
"Never save something for a special occasion. Every day in your life is a special occasion".
I still think those words changed my life.
Now I read more and clean less.
I sit on the porch without worrying about anything.
I spend more time with my family, and less at work.
I understood that life should be a source of experience to be lived up to, not survived through.
I no longer keep anything.
I use crystal glasses every day.
I'll wear new clothes to go to the supermarket, if i feel like it.
I don't save my special perfume for special occasions, I use it whenever I want to.
The words "Someday..." and "One Day..." are fading away from my dictionary.
If it's worth seeing, listening or doing, I want to see, listen or do it now.
I don't know what my friend's wife would have done if she knew she wouldn't be there the next morning, this nobody can tell. I think she might have called her relatives and closest friends.
She might call old friends to make peace over past quarrels.
I'd like to think she would go out for Chinese, her favourite food.
It's these small things that I would regret not doing, if I knew my time had come.
I would regret it, because I would no longer see the friends I would meet, letters... letters that i wanted to write "One of this days".
I would regret and feel sad, because I didn't say to my brothers and sons, not times enough at least, how much I love them.
Now, I try not to delay, postpone or keep anything that could bring laughter and joy into our lives.
And, on each morning, I say to myself that this could be a special day.
Each day, each hour, each minute, is special.
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Time Mgt: Never save something for a special occasion.
0 comments Posted by Bloggers World at 10:22 PMTrust you will enjoy the read and start Living each day.. each moment...!!!
A friend of mine opened his wife's saree drawer and picked up a silk paper wrapped package:
"This, - he said - isn't any ordinary package." He unwrapped the box and stared at both the silk paper and the box.
"She got this the first time we went to New York, 8 or 9 years ago. She has never put it on. Was saving it for a special occasion.
Well, I guess this is it. He got near the bed and placed the gift box next to the other clothings he was taking to the funeral house, his wife had just died. He turned to me and said:
"Never save something for a special occasion. Every day in your life is a special occasion".
I still think those words changed my life.
Now I read more and clean less.
I sit on the porch without worrying about anything.
I spend more time with my family, and less at work.
I understood that life should be a source of experience to be lived up to, not survived through.
I no longer keep anything.
I use crystal glasses every day.
I'll wear new clothes to go to the supermarket, if i feel like it.
I don't save my special perfume for special occasions, I use it whenever I want to.
The words "Someday..." and "One Day..." are fading away from my dictionary.
If it's worth seeing, listening or doing, I want to see, listen or do it now.
I don't know what my friend's wife would have done if she knew she wouldn't be there the next morning, this nobody can tell. I think she might have called her relatives and closest friends.
She might call old friends to make peace over past quarrels.
I'd like to think she would go out for Chinese, her favourite food.
It's these small things that I would regret not doing, if I knew my time had come.
I would regret it, because I would no longer see the friends I would meet, letters... letters that i wanted to write "One of this days".
I would regret and feel sad, because I didn't say to my brothers and sons, not times enough at least, how much I love them.
Now, I try not to delay, postpone or keep anything that could bring laughter and joy into our lives.
And, on each morning, I say to myself that this could be a special day.
Each day, each hour, each minute, is special.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Mediation: Shorter, Faster, Less Expensive: What's Not to Like?
0 comments Posted by Bloggers World at 12:39 AMMediation is a simple concept, says The Justice Center of Atlanta:
"Bring both sides of a dispute together. With the assistance of a neutral mediator, enable them to speak their mind fully, and to hear and understand each other. Help them find the common ground that may have existed all along, but was hidden by anger, or fear, or misunderstanding. That is the essence of mediation."
What should you expect at mediation? Here's a summary of the typical steps in the process:
1. Opening Statement by the Mediator
The mediator's opening statement sets the tone for the mediation and provides ground rules. The content is up to the individual mediator, but typically it covers the following:
- Mediator's identity and qualifications.
- Mediator's role. "I am not a judge or a decision maker. My job is to facilitate communication."
- Assertion of neutrality and impartiality.
- Ground rules for the process, and the mediator's expectations for the parties.
- Confidentiality rules for what the mediator can and cannot reveal.
- Confirmations:
-That the parties are there voluntarily,
-That they are prepared to attempt to resolve the dispute in good faith, and
-That they have the authority to mediate and make agreements on behalf of the organization.
2. Opening Statements
Each party presents an opening statement, typically covering:
- Its view of the dispute
- The relief or resolution that it thinks is appropriate
- Anything that they wish to add to shed light on their position
Usually the party taking action, the complainant, goes first. Both parties fully explain their positions, even if they become emotional. (Venting by the parties can be the first step in putting the dispute behind them and moving toward resolution.)
3. Joint Discussion
The mediator generally starts the joint discussion by summarizing the parties' opening statements. Clarifying questions are then asked of each party so the issues can be properly identified, and so the mediator is satisfied that he or she understands the issues. The mediator may allow or encourage the parties to ask questions of each other.
4. Caucus with the Parties
At some point in the discussion, the mediator typically breaks the parties into separate groups called caucuses. During this time, each group is in a different physical location. The mediator meets privately with each party. This step often lasts for several hours. Virtually everything discussed in the caucuses, unless it was previously disclosed, is confidential. The mediator does not reveal the information to the other party.
Caucuses and joint sessions may continue to alternate. At some point, the mediation process will come to a close.
5. Closure
Either the parties reach agreement, partial or full, or they do not. In most cases the mediation session will close with at least some issues resolved. Once an issue has a specific solution agreed to, it is reduced to writing by the mediator, then reviewed and signed by the parties.
The mediation should end when settlement no longer seems possible, i.e., there is no more movement by the parties on any of the issues, and the parties and all possibilities seem exhausted, or if one of the parties withdraws from the mediation. However, the door should always be left open for future meetings as the parties may be amenable to settlement after time has passed, and particularly after a hard look at their next options.
Is mediation for you?