Inspirational Writings # 3

While rummaging through some old newspaper clippings I came across an inspiring piece of writing. Titled Desiderata, it was witten by Max Ehrman (1872-1945) in 1927. I have reproduced here for your reading pleasure. Enjoy.

"Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and ignorant; they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexations to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble, it's a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantement, it is as perrenial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive him to be. And whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy."

Being Sacked

One rainy December morning, I found myself out of a job.

After two months of rumours flying around the office cubicles that some of us will have to go, it finally happened. I did hear my name was among the disposables but no one knew for sure. I was in a very uncertain position and uncertainty does funny things to your head. To keep my own sanity I avoided thinking about it and tried my best to focus on my job. I thought of all the qualities I had and naively concluded that I will not be sacked. Well, I was and what a time to be sacked. The Eid Fitr was just four days away, my wife was six months pregnant and there was not much left in the savings account.

I was disappointed initialy but it did not last long. To my surprise, I felt a sense of relief. Rather than being uncertain, I knew I am definitely out of a job and I need to concentrate in looking for work. After two months of searching. I found myself a better paying job than the one I was released from.

Looking back now I would say the whole thing made me stronger. Being fired is a not pleasant situation to be in but this sort things happens. If you find yourself out of job, the suggestions below might be of help.

1. Keep a cool head. Don't go on a rampage.

2. Finalize the paperwork. Find your severance package and make sure everything is in order.

3. Leave quietly. This is not the time for hugs and kisses. You can call your close colleagues later.

4. Look forward to the future. Avoid being nostalgic.

5. Learn the lesson. Analyse why you were fired and do the necessary if the fault lies in you.

Don't despair, being laid-off may seem to be a disaster but it can turn up to be a blessing in disguise.

Writings on Self Esteem

Self-Esteem ~ Hindu Scriptures. First Century B.C

Oh, let the self exalt itself,
Not sink itself below;
Self is the only friend of self,
And self self's only foe.

For self, when it subdues itself
befriends itself. And so
When it eludes self-conquest, is
Its own and only foe.

So calm, so self-subdued, the self
Has an unshaken base
Through pain and pleasure, cold and heat
Through honour and disgrace

Lift Yourself Up

It would be perfect if all that we ask of life is given to us in a silver plate. Then we can live a blissful life. But for most of us, life is not like that. It is more like a toggle switch. Up and down. On and off. If you are facing the blues, try the things that are listed below. It works. I've use them to prevent me slipping into self-pity mode and remain upbeat.

1. Smile. No matter how beaten you are, smile. Your troubles might not go away but at least you are doing something positive rather than a carry a long sour face.

2. Say Hi. Learn to say Hi to everyone you meet. Engage in small talk. Avoid discussing about your problems. Talk about the weather, the government or the your favourite football club.

3. Read inspiring stories.

4. Exercise. Go jogging or swimming. Give yourself a good physical workout.

5. Movies. Go for a movie or get the DVD of your favourite movie.

6. Songs. Listen to your favourite songs and try singing along.

Keep in mind that there is a season for everything and soon your blues too will pass.

Checklist #1

Bill of Rights for Winners ~ D.S Viscott

1. You have the right to be you-the way you are, the way you want to be.

2. You have the right to grow, to change, to become, to strive, to reach for any goal, to be limited only by your degree of talent and amount of effort.

3.You have the right to privacy-in marriage, family, or any relationship or group-the right to keep a part of your life secret, no matter how trivial or important, merely because you want it to be that way. You have the right to be alone part of each day, each week and each year to spend time with and on yourself.

4. You have the right to be loved and to love, to be accepted, cared for and adored, and you have the right to fulfill that right.

5. You have the right to ask questions of anyone at anytime in any matter that affects your life, so long as it is your business to do so; and to be listened and taken seriously.

6. You have the right to self respect and to do everything you need to do to increase your self-esteem, so long you hurt no one in doing so.

7. You have the right to be happy, to find something in the world that is meaningful and rewarding to you and that gives you a sense of completeness.

8. You have the right to be trusted and to trust and to be taken at your word. If you are wrong, you have the right to be given a chance to make good, if possible.

9. You have the right to be free as long as you act responsibly and are mindful of right of others and of those obligations that you entered into freely.

10. You have the right to win, to succeed, to make plans, to see those plans fulfilled, to become the best you can possibly become.

Incentives

In their bestselling book, Freakonomics, Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner wrote, "An incentive is a bullet, a lever, a key: an often tiny object with astonishing power to change a situation."

It is true isn't it? Whenever there is a change in anything, there is an incentive for that change. You wouldn't change your job, your car or your wife/husband if there wasn't an incentive for doing that. Incentives comes in many forms, money and sex being the obvious.

MLM companies are raking in billions per year using money, freedom and a life of leisure as incentives. Politicians use incentives to get your votes. Religion works on incentives. Be good and you will be strolling in the gardens of paradise. Be a sinner and you are roasted meat.

In short, incentives rules our world (Mr. Bush might not agree). If you have proper incentives for the things you want others to do for you, you will always get what you want.

Inspirational Writings # 2

My Declaration of Self Esteem ~ Virgina Satir

I am me.

In all the world, there is no one exactly like me. There are persons who have some parts like me, but no one adds up exactly like me. Therefore, everything that comes out of me is authentically mine because I alone chose it.

I own everything about me-my body, including everything it does; my mind, including all its thoughts and ideas; my eyes, including the image of all they behold; my feelings, whatever they may be-anger, joy, frustration, love, disappointment, excitement; my mouth, and all the words that come out of it, polite, sweet or rough, correct, incorrect;my voice, loud or soft; and all my actions, whether they be to others or to myself.

I own my fantasies, my dreams, my hopes, my fears.

I own all my triumph and successes, all my failures and mistakes.

Because I own all of me, I can become intimately acquainted with me. By doing so I can love me and be friendly with me in all my parts. I can then make it possible for all of me to work in my best interest.

I know there are aspects about myself that puzzle me, and other aspects that I do not know. But as long as I am friendly and loving to myself, I can courageously and hopefully look for the solutions to the puzzles and for ways to find out more about me.

However I look and sound, whatever I say and do, and whatever I think and feel at the given moment in time is me. This is authentic and represents where I am at the moment in time.

When I review later how I looked and sounded, what I said and did, and how I thought and felt, some parts may turn out to be unfitting. I can discard that is unfitting, and keep that which proved fitting, and invent something new for that which I discarded.

I can see, hear, think, say and do. I have the tools to survive, to be close to others, to be productive, and to make sense and order out of the world of people and things outside of me.

I own me, and therefore I can engineer me.

I am me and I am okay.