Showing posts with label Fulfilment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fulfilment. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 22, 2018
Monday, July 9, 2018
This Is Hopeless Unless You Realize Your Potential
Life is hard, isn't it? It just seems like there is always something to challenge you, a setback, a disappointment, a frustration. Maybe you are having a mid-life crisis, or feeling burnout at work. It is so easy to get discouraged. It is so tempting to give up, to settle into a state of hopelessness, helplessness, or frustration.
Many people do give up. They live lives, as Thoreau said, of "quiet desperation." They spend their days at a boring job that doesn't pay enough, come home, have a beer or a glass wine, watch television until it is time for bed, and then get up the next day and do it all again. This is hopeless.
But if you were willing to settle for that, I doubt you would be reading this article. You are feeling called to something more. You are sensing there is more to you yet to be born. You are open to making some new choices, some new decisions, taking a few risks.
Why is that? Why would you want to risk? What is it that is calling to you? Maybe it is a dream, or a vision, or a desire that has been born in your heart to be more than who you are today.
The truth is there is only one you. In this world of seven billion people there is no one else quite like you, no one else with your particular gifts, no one else with your particular way of seeing and experiencing the world. Did you ever think about that?
If you should die without realizing your full potential there will never be another chance for the world to receive the gifts that you came here to give. No one else that can take your place. This is a huge responsibility for you to bear on your tiny shoulders, but there it is. There is only one you.
So what can you do to realize your full potential? Here are three suggestions:
1. Listen to the still small voice inside. Many people are too busy in "doing-ness"... to do lists, goals, appointments, volunteer activities, things that keep you going non-stop. It is easy to forget to take time to listen to the inner voice, that inner guidance, those little suggestions that pop into your mind from who-knows-where. But in listening, you may hear the voice of your destiny calling to you.
2. Pay attention to your heart-felt desires, to what you feel passion for. I believe your heart-felt desires are meant to guide you. They are there for a reason. They are a little bit like the yellow brick road was for Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz. The yellow brick road took her for a real adventure: excitement, jeopardy, peril, and ultimately success! And along the way, she become wiser, more heart-centered, and courageous!
3. Take a risk. When you feel hopeless, or feel like a failure in life, it is because you are telling yourself that the past equals the future. But that is only true when you make the same choice tomorrow that you made today. Take a risk, make a new choice, and watch what happens! Your potential is right there, waiting for you to claim it.
Saturday, June 30, 2018
4 Steps to Becoming Free and Happy
Whenever someone tells you that your way is blocked by discouragement or confusion, check over these 4 Steps. It won't be long before you will find the barrier at your back and find yourself on the open highway once more.
1. A sincere desire for inner change
You must really want to be different. Your first desire should be for the truth itself, not for ideas that please you by backing up what you already believe. The earnest man dares to sail uncharted seas. When he finally reaches port, he finds that this new world, though strange at first, is what he really sought all along. You can change the thing that is wrong in your life. You just need to be prepared and ready to do it. Whenever you develop the desire, you can take away from your life what is defeating it. The capacity for reformation and change lies within.
2. Contact with workable principles
This means we must be in contact with some sort of genuine help. This can be a person who has already set himself at liberty, it can be a book, or it can be a matured way of thinking. You must be aware of counterfeit; you must not accept something as true merely because it appears so to you. You must make every offered idea prove itself to be a workable principle. You must personally verify everything. The road to happiness lies in simple principles: do what interests you and that you can do well, and put your whole soul into it every bit of energy and ambition and natural ability you have.
3. Self honesty
Genuine courage consistent in being honest with yourself. What makes men free is for the most part is the truth which men prefer not to hear. The really heroic person is one who is willing to be wrong for the present in order to be right later on. But honesty does not mean that you change your viewpoints really for the sake of change; it means you explore your viewpoints in order to separate truth from falsity. Then truth dissolves falsity. There is nothing of more practical use than self honesty.
4. Persistence
You may be sincere, and you may have found a source of genuine help. And you may also have a full supply of self honesty. By adding one more thing, then you have all you need for swift strides forward; it is an old-fashioned and admirable quality called persistence. You must keep going. As the New Testament phrases it, he must not fall by the wayside. Persistence pays. Persistent people begin their success where others end in failure.
To be happy, rather than say "if only" substitute instead the words "next time". Success consists of getting up just one more time after you fall.
Entrepreneurs average 3.8 failures before realizing a final success. What sets the successful apart is amazing persistence. There are a lot of people out there who have good and marketable ideas, but pure entrepreneurial types almost never accept defeat.
The line between failure and success is so fine that we are often on the line and do not know it. How many a man had thrown up his hands when a little more effort, a little more patience, would have achieved success. A little more persistence, a little more effort, and what seemed like a hopeless failure may turn into glorious success
Becoming free and happy is what finding your True Self is all about. It is based upon an awareness that there is a better way to live and then eliminating all obstacles to realizing it. Visualize your destiny and make it a reality.
Thursday, June 28, 2018
Discover Your Purpose
Humans aren’t alone in having a purpose.
Everything in nature is always expanding or evolving towards fulfillment.
Think about it…
A bee wants to pollinate flowers and trees. A plant produces oxygen. A cloud forms to produce rain.
However, unlike plants and other living creatures, you and I don’t have to accept the environment we are in. Humans have the unique ability to co-create our reality through our thoughts.
As a result, instead of all members of the species having the same overriding purpose (e.g., pollination for bees), each person has his or her own unique purpose. And it’s up to the individual to discover what that purpose is.
The problem is we get so caught up and bogged down with our daily activities and obligations that our awareness of our own unique life purpose is easily shrouded over.
When you don’t know your purpose, however, there are consequences. You may have a continuing sense of frustration. Or you might feel like you’re “off-track” or out of sync with your inner self.
Make sure you’re clear on this
Some people confuse their goals and desires with the life purpose. But there’s a significant distinction.
Over the course of your lifetime, you’ll have a succession of desires and goals. However, your purpose is deeper and more permanent than any goal. It’s your reason for living.
Let’s say you’ve always wanted to write a book and, one day, you set a goal to do so. The thought of it excites you because you want to make money, be well-known, change people’s lives, or build a legacy.
Even though writing a book is a terrific accomplishment, it doesn’t give you a reason to stay alive. That is what a purpose does. It gives you a reason to get up in the morning, every day of your life.
Is it love?
People who discover their life purpose use their mental, emotional and creative energies to develop a skill, talent, or interest they love.
When you give yourself to something you genuinely love, it calls forth your spirit. That makes you happier and more fulfilled, and you feel like you’re in sync with your inner self.
What’s more, your everyday life takes on new meaning as you share your gift with the world.
Action is where you get results
I know it’s not always easy to think your way into finding your life purpose. If you’re too much “in your head,” you may have to act your way into it.
The more we act, the more we get clear on things. So, while you’re working on discovering your purpose, be sure to do whatever you’re currently doing the best you can. Give it all that you’ve got.
And, instead of worrying about whether something will work out, if you should try something, or if you can make money at it, just do it. Start trying new things to see where they lead you. This will help you get out of your own way.
The experience of doing a great job or trying something new is its own reward. Clarity comes through the process of exploring and seeing what works and what doesn’t.
Stop wasting your time
In the video, I mentioned that I used to investigate things that didn’t remotely interest me just because someone had presented an idea or opportunity to me. Don’t do that. It’s a waste of your precious time.
However, when you do feel a pull towards an activity, idea, or opportunity that involves doing something you love, pursue it fully and vigorously. Then, pay attention to the feedback your actions give you along the way.
Infuse all your actions with love for what you’re engaging with. That includes all the people you interact with, as well.
If you consciously infuse your thoughts, emotions and behavior with positive, life-affirming energy, it will be easier for you to see your true purpose with greater clarity.
A magnet steadily pulling you towards it
Hazrat Inayat Khan, a Sufi spiritual leader, described the pull of your purpose in this way:
…one may suddenly think during the night, “I must go to the north,” and in the morning, he sets out on his journey. He does not know why, he does not know what he is to accomplish there, he only knows that he must go. By going there, he finds something that he has to do and sees that it was the hand of destiny pushing him towards the accomplishment of that purpose which inspired him to go to the north.
I find that people who set out to “go to the north” and discover their life purpose live their life in service and bliss. They recognize that they are hard-wired to do something very well and that talent, skill, or ability will blossom when they discover it.
Wednesday, May 30, 2018
Who is in charge of your emotions?
While we cannot control the events that happen in our lives, we can master how we experience these events. People are always going to encounter stressful times. It could be losing a job, losing your health or even losing a loved one. Something happens that is outside our control, and it knocks us down. But stress, anger, sadness – these feelings don’t come from the facts, they come from the meaning that we give the facts. Of course, the terrible things that happen are real. But the question is, how are you going to allow that to shape your life? Are you going to let it tear you down, or are you going to use it to empower and enlighten the way you go through life?
It’s all about the meaning that you give the events and experiences of your life. Because when you come up with a new meaning, you can get a new perspective, and, ultimately, a new life.
THE STORIES WE TELL OURSELVES
We unconsciously decide what events and experiences in our life mean; we do it all the time, but may not be aware of it.
Take a downturn in the economy, for example. One person could interpret that as, “I’m going to be broke.” Another person, though, might say, “This means I’m going to work harder and I’m going to be more creative about saving.”
What do you think the outcome of this thought pattern will be for each of these individuals? Pretty different, right? Is it apparent why each will have very different approaches to life, and why each will experience very different emotions? That all comes from the meaning each person assigned to the event.
Now, let’s move to something a little more personal. Consider a woman who had been adopted as a baby. One path she could take is to devalue herself, to believe that because she was adopted, that she wasn’t good enough to be loved. She could also take the opposite approach, and consider the fact that someone chose her and chose to love her. What’s the significance of her decisions over what story to choose? How will this impact her decisions in her daily life? How will it affect her bigger decisions?
The former story creates a sense of loss, while the latter celebrates her life and her worth. And the story she chooses will impact her whole life – because the decisions that control us are the decisions about meaning, and meaning equals emotion.
TRADE YOUR EXPECTATIONS FOR APPRECIATION
If choosing the disempowering story sounds familiar, you aren’t alone. We all tell ourselves stories that make us miserable when we could be feeling joy. We make ourselves feel sad, worried, anxious, shameful, guilty, fearful and enraged on a consistent basis. Why? Because we are wired that way.
The human mind is always looking for what you could lose, what you could have less of or what you could never have. It might seem counterintuitive, but it’s a matter of survival and of protection. You are biologically wired to prepare yourself for the worst at all times. That is why it is up to you to take conscious control over the stories you tell yourself and the resulting emotions you experience.
The secret to doing this is to trade your expectations for appreciation. If you do this, your whole life will change in that moment. And if you keep doing it, your life will change forever.
Go back to the woman who was adopted. She had an expectation that her biological mother and father should have kept her. And that expectation could have tainted her entire life. But if she shifted her expectations to appreciation that somebody picked her consciously and loved her, without the obligation or the biological imperative to do so, her entire life would change. This is the power of trading expectations for appreciation.
TAKING BACK CONTROL
The choice is yours. What are you going to focus on? What story are you going to let guide your life? You get to choose what meaning to assign. This is the one power that you have right now in this moment that can change everything.
The only thing keeping you from getting what you want is yourself. The only thing keeping you from the joy you deserve is the disempowering story you keep telling yourself. But what if you decided right now to offer yourself a new core of belief? What if everything in your life, including the most painful and traumatic events, was happening for you, not to you? What if everything was designed for you to actually have a greater life and have more to give and more to enjoy?
If you want real freedom in your life, you must make a decision to stop allowing external events to shape your happiness. And that is only done by becoming the master of meaning and finding the empowering meaning in anything and everything that comes your way.
Monday, May 28, 2018
7 Steps to Self-Fulfillment
Introduction: The Path to True Happiness
Self-fulfillment is more than material wealth or social status—it’s about aligning your mind, actions, and values. True contentment comes from within and reflects in your daily habits, thoughts, and relationships.
Here are 7 actionable steps to cultivate self-fulfillment and happiness.
1. Surround Yourself with Positivity
Your environment influences your mindset. Spend time with people who uplift you and inspire growth. Avoid constant exposure to negativity, gossip, or toxic behaviors.
Action Tip: Identify three people who energize you and three who drain you. Increase time with the positive influencers and limit exposure to the negative.
2. Visualize Success
Goal-setting is the cornerstone of personal growth. Create tangible goals, visualize success, and outline actionable steps. Tools like vision boards help translate abstract ideas into reality.
Action Tip: Spend five minutes each morning visualizing your ideal life. Imagine achieving your goals in vivid detail.
3. Celebrate Your Wins
Acknowledging achievements, no matter how small, reinforces motivation and self-worth. Rewards create positive feedback loops that sustain progress.
Action Tip: Keep a success journal. Each day, note one accomplishment and celebrate it meaningfully.
4. Take Charge of Your Happiness
You are ultimately responsible for your life. Avoid blaming others for your circumstances; instead, take proactive steps to create fulfillment.
Action Tip: Identify one area where you feel powerless. Determine three actions you can take today to regain control.
5. Help Others
Generosity and contribution amplify your sense of purpose. Sharing skills, time, or resources fosters connection and enhances personal satisfaction.
Action Tip: Volunteer, mentor, or assist someone today. Reflect on how it affects your mood and outlook.
6. Take Care of Yourself
Self-care isn’t selfish; it’s essential. Prioritize rest, nutrition, fitness, and mental well-being to maintain the energy to thrive.
Action Tip: Schedule one self-care activity daily. Treat it as non-negotiable.
7. Focus on Gratitude
A grateful mindset reframes challenges as opportunities. Recognizing blessings, no matter how small, shifts perspective from scarcity to abundance.
Action Tip: Keep a gratitude journal. Each night, list three things you’re thankful for.
Long-Term Fulfillment
Self-fulfillment is an ongoing journey. By implementing these steps consistently, you’ll cultivate resilience, purpose, and happiness. Daily rituals and conscious decisions shape a life aligned with your values.
Happiness is not found outside of you; it is nurtured from within.
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