June 9, 2010
“Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.”
— Mother Teresa, charity worker
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When we give a sincere compliment, it costs us nothing, but it enriches the person who receives it. It usually doesn’t take much of our time, but it has a long lasting effect on the recipient.
Why don’t we take time to give more compliments?
May 22, 2010
“Life is something to do when you can’t get to sleep”
Fran Lebowitz ( 1950- )
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I still feel like a kid most of the time. I really don’t like going to sleep at night. I can’t wait to get up early in the morning.
By the time I’m ready to go to bed, I’m so exausted that I fall asleep right away. In between I try to live life to the fullest.
Do you have a hard time sleeping sometimes?
If you do, I reccommend that you do something very enjoyable until you’re so tired, that you will need to rest very quickly.
May 21, 2010
When it comes to relationships with your loved ones;
Love is spelled T-I-M-E.
May 20, 2010
Our life is frittered away by detail…simplify,simplify.
Henry David Thoreau
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How much time do you spend taking care of things that are not important?
How much time do you invest in things that are important?
Do you take time to get rid of what’s not essential?
May 18, 2010
“It is neither wealth nor splendor, but tranquility and occupation, which give happiness”
Thomas Jefferson
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Thomas Jefferson was describing the “Flow” before it was clearly defined by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
Flow is the mental state of operation in which a person in an activity is fully immersed in a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and success in the process of the activity. Proposed by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, the positive psychology concept has been widely referenced across a variety of fields.
According to Csikszentmihalyi, flow is completely focused motivation. It is a single-minded immersion and represents perhaps the ultimate in harnessing the emotions in the service of performing and learning. In flow the emotions are not just contained and channeled, but positive, energized, and aligned with the task at hand. To be caught in the ennui of depression or the agitation of anxiety is to be barred from flow. The hallmark of flow is a feeling of spontaneous joy, even rapture, while performing a task.
Colloquial terms for this or similar mental states include: to be on the ball, in the zone, in the groove, or keeping your head in the game.
(source: Wikipedia, english, May 18, 2010)
How often are you experiencing the Flow?
May 14, 2010
Did you ever hear about a simple but powerful concept: the Ant Philosophy. I think everybody should study ants.
Ants never quit. That’s a good philosophy. If they’re headed somewhere and you try to stop them, they’ll look for another way. They’ll climb over. They’ll climb under. They’ll climb around. They keep looking for another way. What a neat philosophy—to never quit looking for a way to get where you’re supposed to go.
Never give up, look ahead and do all you can.
How many times do we start a project without finishing it?
I declare myself; GUILTY. (too many times…)
Have a great week end!
May 11, 2010
It’s the age-old question, how to reconcile the fact that life is so short?
Make the most of every nanosecond.
Or at least, die trying…
May 10, 2010
| “Perfection of character is this: to live each day as if it were your last, without frenzy, without apathy, without pretense.” | |
| Marcus Aurelius (121–180) Roman emperor, philosopher |
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In other words, we should try to be fully aware of each moment, to do one thing at the time with people, to be active and productive and to simply be ourselves.
May 9, 2010
“Forgive yourself before you die. Then forgive others”
Morrie Schwartz ( Tuesdays with Morrie p.164)
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Why is it so important to forgive ourselves? Why is it so important to forgive others as soon as we can?
Forgiving ourselves and others is an act of letting go, it is also an act of selfishness because when we let go, we let go of the emotions that are poisoning our day. Who needs these emotions? Shouldn’t we use our limited time and energy for more exciting activities?
Morrie said “Forgive yourself and others before you die”
But since we don’t know when we are going to die, why not forgive NOW?
If we know that we will eventually forgive, why wait?
May 8, 2010
“If you’re not making mistakes, you’re not trying hard enough.”
— Vince Lombardi, football coach
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There is nothing wrong with making mistakes. This is how we learn.
Where did we get the idea that we have to avoid making mistakes?
What we should try to avoid is repeating the same mistake over and over again.
When we learn from our mistakes, we improve our quality of life and we save time in the long run.
Do you try to avoid making mistakes at all cost?
May 4, 2010
What do most people get out of criticizing others? I simply can’t understand that.
Sometimes, I still find myself doing it . I hate it when I do this.
What a waste of time. Live and let live.
Do you often “catch” yourself criticizing others?
Shouldn’t we learn to appreciate others?
What do we get out of it ?
May 3, 2010
“To revolt against reality will only torment you.”
Author unknown
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If you have any doubts about this quote, just keep trying and I’ll promise you will be disappointed.
Remember the beginning of the post on serenity.
“Grant me the serenity to accept the things that I cannot change
And the courage to change the things that I can.”
Another way to say the same thing is
“Accept things as they really are and not as you want them to be”
This is the way to face realism.
Do you still like to be tormented?
Isn’t it a waste of your time and energy to rebel against things over which you have very little control?
May 2, 2010
“If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude. Don’t complain.”
— Maya Angelou, poet
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Good luck with this one. Have a nice day.
May 1, 2010
“It is not that we have a short life to live but we waste a lot of it”
Seneca
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Sometimes we waste our time because we don’t have much control over what is happening to us. In this case, there’s not much we can do about it.
At other times we waste our time because we lack a definite purpose in our lives.
This we can do something about. We must take the time to ask ourselves the important questions, the ones that concern only us.
It may look like a waste of time at first, but in the long run, it will save us time.
Benjamin Franklin used to ask himself these important questions every night before he went to sleep.
What did I do wrong today?
What did I do right ?
What can I improve tomorrow?
Apparently, he did this for most of his life.
If you want to learn more about this, I recommend that you read his autobiography. It will make you realize that even if he had lived more than 250 years ago, he was facing similar challenges like the ones we have to deal with today.
Great weekend to all of you!
April 29, 2010
Some of us live under the influence of alcohol.
The influence is good as long as we are under the influence. The next morning, the influence can be quite different.
Some of us live under the influence of shopping, and the influence is good until as we receive the credit card monthly statement…
Some of us live under the influence of gambling, and the influence is good until as we realize that the house always wins against most of us.
Some of us live under the influence of buying expensive toys to impress others who don’t care at all. This influence is gone when we realize that we become a slave of this habit.
Some of us are under the influence of a new religion, and the influence seems to disappear when that special God of ours doesn’t answer our requests.
Some of us indulge in sexual escapism, and the influence is gone when the temporary thrill is over.
Some of us will study philosophy and believe that they have found the Way, only to wake up later and realize that their particular philosophy can fail them.
Some of us will swear by the world of reason and science, only to discover the actual limitations of our understanding. At least at this point of our evolution.
Some of us will invest in the joy of parenthood only to realize later that our kids will be entitled to their own lives.
Some of us will want to earn a lot of money until they realize that money can’t buy love.
And while most of us live under one kind of influence or another, Time goes by.
Under what kind of influence are you living ?
Is this the kind of influence that you enjoy?
It’s up to you!
April 27, 2010
“Life is just one damned thing after another”
Frank Ward O’Malley (1875-1932)
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It’s true for most of us, at least until we choose to do OUR own damned thing.
I suppose that we feel like this when we lose the balance between how much time and effort we invest for others compared to the time we invest for ourselves.
When we spend a lot of time doing OUR own thing, others may think or say that we are selfish, however, when we invest a lot of time for others, ( I’m thinking of mothers with young children or when we are taking care of family member in need) it can lead us to becoming frustrated or irritable.
Our challenge is to find the right amount of time between what we do for ourselves and what we do for others.
Why is it so important to think of ourselves before we think of others?
The answer is; How can we give to others what we don’t have?
How can you give money if you don’t have enough for your own needs?
How can you give time when you don’t even have time for yourself?
How can you share your knowledge when you are ignorant?
It seems to me that the most generous people of today who are able to give back used to be the people who were thinking of themselves not long ago.
An example? Bill Gates with his philantropy and his Foundation. One of the richest man in the world is becoming one of the most generous in his lifetime.
Do you feel that you invest enough time for others?
Do you feel that you invest enough time for yourself?
Do you ever struggle with these questions?
April 26, 2010
“The road to hell is paved with good intentions”
Proverb
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This is one of my favorite proverbs because it summarizes so well all the excuses
that we create to justify our inadequacies in so many areas of our lives.
The time and the energy that we often spend to make up these excuses could be invested in doing what must be done.
Life seems to tell us ” Whatever responsability that you try to avoid, I’ll figure out a way for you not to escape it”
Yes, but it’s not my fault…
I meant to do it, but then…
I was very ill, so I couldn’t …
If I had more money…
If I were younger…
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Do I really have to keep on writing?
Are you on the road to hell with YOUR “good intentions”?
April 24, 2010
“As a rule, men worry more about what they can’t see than about what they can.”
Julius Caesar
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Why do we worry so much?
What do we get out of it?
What’s in it for us?
It is true that we worry more about the unseen and the unknown.
Many people who have written or spoken about worry have told the statistics story. The earliest source that we could find of the story and most probable author was Thomas S. Kepler. He wrote about a woman who realized fears were ruining her life. She began to keep track of what was worrying her and she found:
40% of the things she worried about were about things that would never happen.
30% of the things she worried about were about things that had already happened, water under the bridge.
12% of the things she worried about were about others’ opinion. When she thought about it, she realized that criticisms are often made by those that are jealous or insecure; therefore unjust criticism is a disguised compliment.
10% of the things she worried about were needless health worries, which made her health worse as she worried.
8% of the things she worried about were “legitimate,” since life has some real problems to meet.
If you consider the above as probable statistics, it would seem that only 8% of the things that you worry about are worth the worry. Next time you are worried about something, perform a check to see if the worry is in a category other then the 8% category and if it is, perhaps logic will help free you from the worry.
Will This Matter a Year from Now?
How much quality time do I spend worrying?
April 23, 2010
Do you ever find yourself saying:
When I’m older, I’ll do this…
Or when it’s time or when I have a chance…
When I finish school, I’ll be able to…
When I have more money…
When I get married, I’ll be …
When the house is paid, we’ll go …
When the kids leave the house, we’ll move…
When I retire, I’ll have more time to…
When I’m dying… Oh no not already… AHHHHHHH…
We should learn to enjoy the road while we are travelling, because if we put all our hopes on the destination, we could be disappointed.
Most of the time, the anticipation is more exciting than the actual outcome.
For years, I wanted to be older, but NOT ANYMORE.
What about you?
April 22, 2010
The real question for me is : Is there a life BEFORE death ?
When they asked Henry David Thoreau his opinion on the afterlife, he answered to them: One Life at the time.
Sometimes , it seems to me that some of the people who worry the most about the afterlife are often the ones who don’t know what to do with this one.
Why should we worry about the unknown, why should we worry about something over which we seem to have very little control?
I hear many people talking about faith and yet, at the same time worrying constantly, how can they worry and have faith at the same time? Isn’t worrying the opposite of faith?
Do you spend too much of your time worrying about things over which you have no control?
Does this make any sense to you?
April 21, 2010
Only when your consciousness is totally focused on the moment you are in can you receive whatever gift, lesson, or delight that the moment has to offer.
Barbara de Angelis
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It seems to me that we are stubborn students of life.
Life seems to tell us; here is a situation you need to face for your own developpement, and yet, most of the time, we will try to avoid the lesson. Why? Because it’s too damned hard! The funny thing about this is; the lesson we try to avoid seems to come back to us in many unexpected ways. Somehow, we can’t escape it.
When we focus on the moment and accept to face what we have to, it is difficult, but it is one of the best way to grow.
What does this post have to do with time?
The sooner we understand this concept and that we put it in practice, the more time we will save to do other activities that we really enjoy. Have a nice day.
April 20, 2010
Most people I know prefer to avoid the subject of their own mortality. I know , it’s not the most exciting subject, but I think it’s a mistake not to look at death straight in the face for what it really is. Why? Because if we would dare to look at death , most of us would change a lot of things that we are currently procrastinating about.
We have seen this happen many times: when someone gets diagnosed with an incurable disease, when they learn how much time they have left to live , they change a lot of things in their life.
Some of the people who went through this extreme experience said that it was the most intense, fulfilling genuine experience they ever had.
My question to you is: Why wait until you have no time left before making significant changes in your life?
April 19, 2010
“Procrastination,the presence of mere intention, is the bane of humane existence.”
Unknown author
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How many times in our lives did we say; we should be doing this or we should be doing that, and then nothing happens.
Why?
Is it a lack of determination?
Is it a lack of desire?
Is it a lack of persistence?
It could be, but what if it was something else?
What if it was because we think that we have all the time in the world? Do we really have so much time?
I’ll let you answer these questions for yourself. Have a great week.
April 18, 2010
“Men talk of killing time, while time quietly kills them”
Dion Bousicault ( 1820-1890)
Irish-born actor & dramatist
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How could anyone in their right mind want to kill time? To want to kill time, in my opinion, is a confession of imbecility because time is what life is made of. Sometimes, we are at work thinking of what we could do on the weekend. However, when the weekend comes, do you ever find yourself doing nothing? So you wasted productive time at work because you were daydreaming, and now you are wasting free time because you did not plan in advance. You are caught off guard at the last minute.
I have a personal example that happened to my wife and I a few times. We have 3 young children who still need a babysitter when we go out. Sometimes, we had the chance to find a babysitter at the last minute. This was great, but since we had only about 60 to 90 minutes of free time together, our options were limited. By the time we agreed on what we both wanted to do, 20 to 30 minutes had already gone by.
So I asked myself; how can I avoid this kind of situation when our time is so limited and so precious?
Solution: I made a list of dozens of activities that require very little time and that are enjoyable. Since then, we can use these precious minutes in a smarter way.
Exception: Sometimes I choose to relax because I want to, and in this case, it’s not a waste of time.
When we know exactly what we want and what we like, it’s easier to use our time in a smarter way.
Do you often find yourself “killing” precious time ?
April 16, 2010
“The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation”
Henry David Thoreau
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If this is how you feel, there is still a chance to change it. It’s up to you.
Will you?
April 15, 2010
Which one will make grow you as an individual?
April 10, 2010
“No matter how small and unimportant what we are doing may seem, if we do it well, it may become the step that will lead us to better things.”
Channing Pollock
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This is encouraging and inspiring ! Why ? Because there is always room for improvement
Don’t you think so?
April 9, 2010
I really enjoyed this clip and I’m sharing it with you.
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April 8, 2010
Preparation is essential, but even more essential is the willingness to let go of a plan in a flash and off in a revised direction.
Tom Peters ( perhaps influenced by John Boyd United States Air Force fighter pilot and military strategist)
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If you want to use your time in the most productive way, it is important to plan and prepare, then start and finish.But you have to keep your eyes and your options open to new opportunities when they arise. Your biggest opportunity could turn out to be life changing and life enhancing.
How do you make sure to keep your eyes open so that opportunities don’t pass you by?
April 6, 2010
“Life is what happens to you while your busy making other plans”
John Lennon (1940-80) British rock musician
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We often say things like, “when I’m older, I’ll do this; if I had more time, I would start this project; when my children are grown up, I’ ll have more time to take care of myself.” If, If, If, when, when, when…are just excuses to test our determination.
When we really care about someone, we do what we must do.
When we really care about something, we become very creative in order to get what we want.
What we can be, we must become, ultimately, it is one of the best ways to be at peace with ourselves.
Stop waiting and Start acting NOW.
What are you waiting for?
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