Tag: Possibilities

“money can’t buy happiness”….but….

Strictly speaking – absolutely true.

In fact, I would argue that it is achievement that brings us true happiness.

Consider this, however……

Achievement is possible only when one’s resources & aspirations are in alignment. And given the role of money in our world today, one can hardly dispute that it is most useful in helping bring one’s resources & aspirations into alignment.

Clearly, money does indeed play a pivotal role in the achievements which do indeed bring us great happiness!

So rather than parroting the tired old refrain that “money can’t buy happiness”, perhaps we’d all be better served to keep in mind instead the following from Mark Twain:

Prosperity is the best protector of Principle.

 

don’t just “live & learn”, learn & live!

“Live & learn” is the advice commonly offered us after we’ve made some sort of mistake, the nature of which required us to pay a rather hefty price. The implication is that having paid that price is what gives us the opportunity to “learn a valuable lesson”.

For myself, though, I think it a far better, wiser, and more comfortable proposition to live according to the mandate: Learn & Live!

Naturally it takes a little more upfront effort, but why not give it a try and see how it works out for you.

no limits, only plateaus

It’s never too late to be the individual you want to be. Never.

Start or stop whatever you want whenever you want. You can change or stay the same; there’s no time limit, no rules. Make the best of it or make the worst of it.

Personally, I hope you make the best of it.

I hope you stretch and live a life you’re proud of. And if at any time you find that you’re not, I hope you conquer fear and restart refreshed, confident you’ve lost nothing, gained everything.

Remember: there’s no time limit, no rules.

And life is good.

how to go with the flow

It is a sad fact that the world is rife with frightened people who, rather than making the effort to elevate themselves, simply park on feeling inadequate and parrot terminologies that they have heard yet fail to sufficiently comprehend. And one victim of this is the idea of being logical & systematic. This is in fact a tremendously valuable trait, but it is often maligned as “being anal” by the weak-minded, who often find themselves incapable of any kind of sustained and focused concentration.

That said, even many intelligent people have been misled to believe that being logical, organized & systematic necessitates being rigid and closed-minded. This is a fallacy. On the contrary, disciplining yourself to think & behave in a systematic way endows you with the power to consider insightful questions for yourself which you then feel compelled to answer in an effective manner.

Possessing such a mindset enables you to engage any activity to its successful conclusion without a moment of wasted time, effort, or energy. In this light, I think it is safe to say that being described as logical & systematic is most definitely a complement, and as a quality available to all with the initiative to cultivate it, worth the effort.

 

freedom is your #1 responsibility

Whether we know it or not, we all have some very deeply entrenched beliefs. And it is these that really govern our thoughts, and so our decisions, and so our actions, and thus in turn our lives.

So in the interests of living confidently & well, it’s probably a good idea to get some clarity on what these beliefs are, where they come from, and whether or not we want them to rule our lives. However, the hidden key to success here is to distinguish between two types of belief: what you believe IN and what you believe ABOUT.

A few examples of beliefs IN: “I believe in…..” a Deity, the power of Fate, Basic Human Good, Destiny, Self-determination, etc.

A few examples of beliefs ABOUT: “I believe that…..” “People are inherently good or evil.”, or “The world is ending soon.”, or “Life is suffering.”, etc.

Pretty big difference, right? Take some time and consider this well.

Done? Great! Now keep this in mind: While our beliefs IN and ABOUT must be considered separately, remember that they’re always working together inside us as a team. So it is up to us to determine at any given moment which ones will be in play, and for what reasons.

This is our #1 Responsibility: Freedom of Thought.

Enjoy!

cause & effect – a primer

I personally believe that our lives are governed by Cause & Effect.

It is important to understand however that there are two types of Cause: Causes that are completed events and Causes that are kept alive in our minds through assumptions, associations, or beliefs.

If a Cause is a completed event, then it obviously can no longer be affected by your present actions. So when you experience Effects resulting from these types of Causes, your only option is to effectively manage those Effects as best you can. For those of us who like feeling in control, accepting this idea may take some getting used to, but it is important to remind yourself that these Effects are not some form of punishment or vengeful Fate at which to shake your fist, but simply Effects; so don’t generalize!

As for Effects based on Causes that have long passed yet are kept alive in our minds through assumptions, associations, or beliefs, well, trying to manage their Effects only leads to futility. Why? If you yourself are keeping a Cause alive, how can you expect its Effects to disappear? Be reasonable.

The intelligent & effective response in this type of situation is to challenge the Cause – your assumption, association, or belief – and thereby ameliorate its Effects. This is not only the right strategy, but I also feel it is our responsibility as sentient human beings; what each of us thinks & feels is our own individual responsibility.

So, to sum up: if you find yourself experiencing a negative Effect, look to its Cause. If that Cause is a completed event (e.g. you broke your finger years ago, and it just doesn’t work right anymore), I suggest you adopt a philosophical approach and just do your best to manage that Effect with dignity & aplomb. If the Cause is being kept alive in your mind (e.g. “…but it’s not fair!”, etc.) then I recommend that you challenge the offending assumption, association, or belief, and in doing so de-power the negativity of its Effect.

Okay, this may seem a little complicated, but really it is quite simple. I assure you when you think it through, you’ll agree. And bonus: you’ll be that much more contented in your life to boot!

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