You Have the Power to Change Your Life

graphic © mwys.net

You have the power to change your life.

We all dream of getting rid of bad habits and forming new ones. However, the idea of changing our lives for the better is only exciting at first. As days go by, the excitement fades as reality hits us in the head. We imagine ourselves living a different life the very next day but the truth is, real positive change takes time to materialize. The point being that it’s possible to change as long as we persevere with the process.

Social scientist and behaviour researcher B.J. Fogg, PhD started the project Tiny Habits to demonstrate through first-hand experience the importance of taking one step each day towards habit creation. Tiny Habits is an ongoing online program and over 3,000 “Habiteers” have tried the program since its kicked off last December 2011. The main task is pretty simple: start with a small act (one push-up, flossing just one tooth), find yourself a crisp anchor, and always acknowledge your progress through celebration.

Dr. Fogg reiterated that his goal is to help people learn how habits work. In our fast-paced era, we’ve formed the assumption that everything has to happen fast. Unfortunately, things that matter most in life, such as habits, relationships, and success, take more than a blink. Changing our life forever starts in small acts that we gradually embed in our subconscious.

Real change occurs over time. To quote Olympic silver medallist Jim Ryun: “Motivation is what keeps you started. Habit is what keeps you going.”

Work for a Cause, Not for Applause

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Work for a cause, not for applause. Live to express, not to impress. Don’t strive to make your presence noted, just make your absence felt.

It’s a human need to feel loved, valued, and appreciated. Our self-esteem soars whenever we gain recognition, driving us to work harder and be even more recognized. Yet lurking beneath this need is the tendency to be a recognition addict, a person who does things for the hunger of being noticed. Although it may be beneficial in the workplace, it could easily turn us into insincere, attention-hungry individuals who are willing to cheat or lie just to feel special.

In his compelling article “We Must Stop Being Recognition Addicts in the Workplace,” Glenn Llopis writes about the danger of seeking recognition instead of respect in the workplace. “The great difference between the recognized man and the respected man is the difference of the head and heart. The recognized man appeals to the head where things are easily forgotten. The respected man captivates the heart. And the heart does not forget.”

Recognition is not synonymous to respect. While an employer can gain recognition for his performance, it doesn’t necessarily suggest that people like working with him. In a workplace, there’ll be people who insist to do things their way in order to be recognized solely for a job well done. We may succeed on our own but it won’t be as rewarding as sharing it with other people. And when we do fail, we fail without a comrade to have beer with.

To Keep the Body in Good Health is a Duty

Background Image – T.Voekler – Wikipedia – lic. under CC-BY-SA-3.0

“To keep the body in good health is a duty, for otherwise we shall not be able to trim the lamp of wisdom, and keep our mind strong and clear. Water surrounds the lotus flower, but does not wet its petals.” – Buddha

The lotus flower may be one of the most mentioned and praised flower in ancient and religious literature. It has been a symbol of beauty and purity in cultures and religions like Buddhism and Hinduism. Its significance does not lie solely on its beauty but also on its ability to thrive in muddy water and bloom unstained by its surroundings. Buddha considered it as the full embodiment of the essence of detachment and purity.

Lotus or Nelumbo Nucifera is an aquatic perennial plant commonly cultivated in water gardens. The seeds or roots of lotus are planted deep in the soil of the pond or river bottom. It normally grows up to 150 cm in height and spreads up to 3 meters. The leaves float on top and may be as large as 60 cm in diameter, while the flowers which are usually found on thick stems can be up to 20 cm in diameter.

The lotus flower displays its elegance above mud and muck that are sometimes even foul. It starts its journey under mud and makes it way towards the surface. It comes out from below as a stem with few small leaves and closed flower pod. In time, it opens its large beautiful petals where not even a speck of mud is present.

To quote Sai Baba: “You must be a lotus unfolding its petals when the sun rises in the sky, unaffected by the slush where it is born or even the water which sustains it.”