Change to Survive

Nothing makes you respect the power of time, than growing a year older. Time, the elusive time, if only we understood the real power of time. Most of us don’t change when things are going smoothly, even the river refuses to change its course, yet when there is a storm, a drastic event, pushing you towards your very basic survival, even the river is  FORCED to look for options  and change its course. Change is of two types - voluntary and involuntary. Change resulting in fulfilling our desires is welcomed, yet when life takes control of your destiny, and you have to give up something close to you , the unsolicited change can be hard to digest for most of us.

I am not a big fan of  football, but the other day watching an NFL game aired on T.V., I was amazed to see these huge 200 pound or more big guys, jumping up after getting tackled with an agility that belied their size and built. We will always be brought down by our problems, but keeping the love for ourselves and for life intact, how fast we respond and adapt decides our fate. Similar to the football players, who develop this ability through practice and more practice, we can learn to face challenges head on by stabilizing our mind through focussing on the present and our blessings.

Other times, severing off  your rotting limb,  is the only way to survive. It can be a relationship, a career, or simply a  lifestyle or attitude, anything that is stagnant will rot. Have you ever seen a flowing stream in the woods? It creates its own path , soft and pliable water, not fighting the rocks, but finding ways around it. In my mind, faced by problems seemingly insurmountable,  I always imagined that I was going  deep down in the hole - from where it would be impossible to claw my way out to light and freedom. That was till I readjusted my attitude to thinking that the darkness was caused by clouds , clouds that would one day would  bring down rain and clean my soul or would be blown away to expose the beautiful sky lit with stars and moon.  To imagine being surrounded by a sight so beautiful, to be cradled in the arms of nature , gives you the courage and patience to wait for the sky to clear and sun to smile again.

As a friend of mine put it  life is a one way journey , always moving forward towards the  final destination. Enjoy the ride offering you a change in scenery .There is no way to rewind, no way to fast forward, just breathe in all the fresh experiences  that will never be repeated again.  In fact every moment of life is  a once in a lifetime  experience and all we need is to just be present,  - choosing to chaff the feelings that bog us down and just wearing the cloak of  love and good memories.

So, here I am, knowing and accepting that although the clouds might seem to have been blown away for now, they will be back  , but next time I will not in a hole but will be  standing high on the mountain waiting patiently for the sun to shine again.

8 Quotes to Make you Smile

If you have only one smile in you, give it to the people you love. Don't be surly at home, then go out in the street and start grinning 'Good morning' at total strangers.”
― Maya Angelou

Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.”
― Thich Nhat Hanh

What sunshine is to flowers, smiles are to humanity. These are but trifles, to be sure; but scattered along life's pathway, the good they do is inconceivable.”
― Joseph Addison


The groom always smiles proudly because he's convinced he's accomplished something quite wonderful. The bride smiles because she's been able to convince him of it.”
― Judith McNaught, A Kingdom of Dreams

Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.”

A smile starts on the lips, A grin spreads to the eyes, A chuckle comes from the belly; But a good laugh bursts forth from the soul, Overflows, and bubbles all around

There are hundreds of languages in the world, but a smile speaks them all.”

Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.”
Thich Nhat Hanh

Some truths to live by

Ø      Forgive but don’t forget

Ø      You are more than your grief/loss. It is up to you to fill the void with something beautiful.

Ø      We are not here to compete. Enjoy the journey, it’s not a race. We all end up at the same place sooner or later.

Ø      There will always be someone who is better off than, prettier than you. Accept it and it will make life easier.

Ø      Good times or bad – change is inevitable.

Ø      Live every day as if it is your last – because honestly no one can guarantee you that it is not.

Ø      Let not the smile or masks on people’s face fool you. If you could look beyond the pretense, everyone and I mean each one of us have been through hardships and failures.

Ø      Don’t be afraid to show your wounds, it just makes you more human.

Ø      Tomorrow is another day; don’t make it an extension of today.

Ø      If you are getting late to go somewhere, slow down. Slow down and let the moment to rush pass by.

Ø      Every moment you are a new person – embrace your past and dream of your future, but live only in today.

Ø      Don’t stop dreaming. Dreams and hopes are the vitamins for your soul.

Think before you leap - 2

I find it very amusing when people assume that just because you are self-employed or own a business, you have no financial woes. During the course of my work over the years, some of the most hard-working people I have met have been self-employed. The temptation of venturing out on your own is very alluring for most of us; you set your own timings, you are the boss etc., but like everything else in life there is a dark side to this misconception.


Firstly, the requisites for starting and owning a business doesn’t involve just money, it consumes your time and encroaches on your personal life too. Be sure your family is involved and mentally ready for what is going to be a life-style changing decision.

 Be prepared for a free fall, if you fail. There is no safety net of employment insurance, health benefits and paid vacations.


 You are on call 24/7 and responsible not just for yourself but the employees who are working for you. Be prepared to get calls after midnight – a break-in, a robbery or an employee who just didn’t turn up for work.


 Getting paid overtime is great as an employee, but not so great when you are a small business owner. Labor laws favor the employees and that’s great for people working for big corporations, but for a small business person, a raise in the minimum wage from 8$ to10.25$ can make a lot of difference.

Sustaining during slow periods of your business cycle can be challenging as well as trying to maintain your profit margins in this slow economy. Unlike a job, where if you don’t work , you might not get paid, in business, you have some obligations like rent and other bills to pay whether or not you are making any money. The responsibility can get overwhelming sometimes.

So, if you are decided to go ahead, tighten up your seat belt,sit tight and enjoy the ride- for although it can get bumpy at times, you won't know what you have missed if you don't take the chance!

Smile its Life

http://astore.amazon.com/lifehapp0f-20

Sometimes its so easy to get bogged down with all the responsibilities, the expectations we have about our life, that we forget that we are just travelers passing by and to enjoy this journey, we have to be good travelers.



Life is precious, we are important, we are unique, and these are the very statements that inflate our self-importance and ego. Self-importance leads to comparisons, which leads to envy and sometimes better than thou attitude. I am definitely grateful to be alive and enjoying this beautiful planet and the priceless relationships and friendships, but am learning to be a good traveler, I should not ignore where this journey ends. Here are the five things that help me face the life truths and bring me back on track



Life is greater than us. : We are just a speck in this mighty universe. The world doesn’t stop of us – life doesn’t stop for us. Whenever I feel overwhelmed or self-pity , I just sit under the stars and realize that my problems really don’t matter . The mountains, the ocean waves, the stars were all there before me and are going to be there always .



Change is the only thing permanent: We always assume life is going to remain the way it is – especially the good times. I remember how I eager I was to grow up and be an adult – and now I wonder what was the rush. Whether we like it or not, change is part of life, change is the law of universe and we should be prepared for it always, especially when times are good.



Contentment is underrated: In our western society, contentment is definitely not considered a virtue. We are always in the improvement mode – always improving – either our bodies, or our face or our smile or trying to improve our brain. The day we learn to accept ourselves just the way we are, we are peace.



Humor: To really enjoy the journey, make light of your problems, laugh and smile a lot. Laugh and the world laughs with you – cry and you cry alone. Surround yourself with people and things that make you laugh and smile, if not learn to laugh at yourself.




Live in the present: I hear so many people my age talking getting all nostalgic about college and school days or looking at pictures of children when they were babies, I rarely do it. Somehow, the present, no matter how tough it is (believe me it is), is still where I want to live. I realize the more I dwell in the past, the more miserable I get. Learn to live and enjoy every minute of the present.

Declutter Your Life

Why is life so uncomplicated for children and seems so tough for us? In today’s busy life, when it’s not just necessary to keep up appearances with neighbors and relatives, but also with the extended social network, life can get overwhelming. Here are some of the steps that bring some sanity back to my life.




Get your priorities right: Make a list of things that you really value and love. That should be the reason for all that you do. It might be music, your career or in my case it’s my family. Time is the only commodity that you can’t buy back, so be very careful who or how you spend it When we get our priorities right in life, you have a reason for every decision you take and life becomes more focused and easier to manage.



Learn to say “no”: There are so many unnecessary things that complicate our life, our so called “Friends”, stuff we buy, long dead emotions that we keep alive, unresolved issues and other emotional baggage that are redundant and not relevant in our life now. Make a list of things/people that don’t bring joy in your life. Do you really need them – how much time/energy do you spend on them? Learn to say no to people and issues that don’t matter and simplify your life.



Organize your Life: It’s so easy to drift away, to get carried away – maybe its shopping, maybe its forming relations, adding “friends” on Facebook etc. After you have weeded out the unnecessary, make sure to keep it simple and organized. Keep limited space in closet – limited hangers, if you buy something new; be sure to discard something old. Nurture yourself and your relationships to develop healthy self-esteem.



Develop simple pleasures: The best things in life are free. Learn to enjoy the sunsets, the flower in the garden or simply the chirping of the birds or simply browsing through some old pictures. Develop relations that are meaningful, to be embraced in positive energy and love.



Give up: Sometimes you have to give up on old habits in order to make life easier. I had the habit of cooking every meal fresh, but when I got busier, just trying to keep up with it everyday got me frustrated. I had to find a happy medium of prepping for the meals on the weekends and delegating more chores to the kids. Flexibility and compromise definitely help in simplifying life.

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