“The most infectiously joyous men and women are those who forget themselves in thinking about and serving others” -Robert J. McCracken
Within our life time, each of us will need to place our needs or wants to the side. It may be at a point when we have kids or some other obligation. This may be due to unforeseen circumstances or by choice, either way, you will be in a position requiring effort to help other first.
“Balance, peace, and joy are the fruit of a successful life. It starts with recognizing your talents and finding ways to serve others by using them.” -Thomas Kinkade
When this happens, you will have moved from a 'taking' environment into a 'serving' environment. This does not mean that you lose everything and nothing is gained. Far from that, you will reap benefits of having this serving attitude. It will impact you and those that you are serving.
“Happiness... consists in giving, and in serving others.” -Henry Drummond
Find a serving attitude in your heart and you will be rewarded with a fuller life. It is in the giving of yourself that your success will be measured.
Friday, May 11, 2007
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
Take Time For Yourself
So many times we are 'running so fast' trying to accomplish all of our daily routines. From getting ready for work, the kids off to school, important tasks at work to the evening activities, it can a very full day. Mixed in with all of this ordinary ritual of your day are the 'problems' and the 'planning' that you encounter or need to think about.
These 'things' you need to think about are those that will help your life move forward. All of the other things going on are part of that but are mostly the routines of the day. To move your life forward, you have a need to clearly think about any problems in your life. You need to clearly think about the future of your life. This can be difficult in between getting a child on the bus and getting to the train station in time.
So what should you do? Plan to take time out each day to reflect. Take just seven minutes to do this from your busy schedule. Why seven minutes? It is an odd number that is easy to remember, it is a 'lucky' number in some beliefs. Seven corresponds to the seven days of the week, the seven planets, seven rungs of perfection, seven spheres of celestial stairs, the seven petals of the rose, the seven branches of the shaman's cosmic tree and so on.
Seven denotes the fullness of the planetary orders, the fullness of the energies and principles in spiritual order. Seven was the Ancient Egyptian symbol of eternal life, and symbolizes the dynamic perfection of a completed cycle. Seven conveys the fresh start after a cycle has been completed and of positive regeneration.
Okay, so I made my point about the number seven. There are many different reasons why I chose seven minutes, but mainly just to give you a time frame for thought and reflection. That's the only reason. As a person in this life, we do not have all of the answers. We can not fix everything on our own. But daily we need to stop and think about where we can find help.
Each of us need a few moments to see where we can find guidance and reflection. Whether this be spiritually, intellectually or even physically, it is okay to look to others for help if that is needed. It also allows you time to think about what the need might be.
Take seven minutes each day, reflect upon your life and start to move your life forward. You will begin to see things more clearly and your life will change.
These 'things' you need to think about are those that will help your life move forward. All of the other things going on are part of that but are mostly the routines of the day. To move your life forward, you have a need to clearly think about any problems in your life. You need to clearly think about the future of your life. This can be difficult in between getting a child on the bus and getting to the train station in time.
So what should you do? Plan to take time out each day to reflect. Take just seven minutes to do this from your busy schedule. Why seven minutes? It is an odd number that is easy to remember, it is a 'lucky' number in some beliefs. Seven corresponds to the seven days of the week, the seven planets, seven rungs of perfection, seven spheres of celestial stairs, the seven petals of the rose, the seven branches of the shaman's cosmic tree and so on.
Seven denotes the fullness of the planetary orders, the fullness of the energies and principles in spiritual order. Seven was the Ancient Egyptian symbol of eternal life, and symbolizes the dynamic perfection of a completed cycle. Seven conveys the fresh start after a cycle has been completed and of positive regeneration.
Okay, so I made my point about the number seven. There are many different reasons why I chose seven minutes, but mainly just to give you a time frame for thought and reflection. That's the only reason. As a person in this life, we do not have all of the answers. We can not fix everything on our own. But daily we need to stop and think about where we can find help.
Each of us need a few moments to see where we can find guidance and reflection. Whether this be spiritually, intellectually or even physically, it is okay to look to others for help if that is needed. It also allows you time to think about what the need might be.
Take seven minutes each day, reflect upon your life and start to move your life forward. You will begin to see things more clearly and your life will change.
Monday, May 07, 2007
How To Avoid Road Rage
“Anger is a momentary madness, so control your passion or it will control you.” Horace (Ancient Roman Poet. 65 BC-8 BC)
My recent article on road rage spurred several responses about how one can control themselves. So over the weekend I read a few articles and thought I would share them with each of you. Anger that develops from within your vehicle is oddly enough something we would normally never allow to surface in other social situations.
And yes, driving is a social situation. It is a gathering of people in vehicles using the same roadways, attempting to reach a particular destination. There are laws and rules to driving which vary slightly from one place to another. There are also unwritten laws of courtesy and willingness to 'let it go'.
The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety studied more than 10,000 incidents of violent aggressive driving committed between 1990 and 1996, it found that at least 218 people were killed and another 12,610 injured when drivers got angry. Many drivers involved in these incidents are men between the ages of 18 and 26, anyone can become aggressive if they let their anger take precedence over safe driving.
The AAA Foundation study found that men, women, and people of all ages can drive aggressively if they are in the wrong mood or circumstances. when drivers explained why they became violent the reasons are often incredibly trivial: “She would not let me pass,”“They kept tailgating me,” or, as this one driver accused of murder explained, “He practically ran me off the road — what was I supposed to do?”
(Source: ROAD RAGE - HOW TO AVOID AGGRESSIVE DRIVING)
So what can you do to avoid allowing yourself to start or become involved in an incident?
1. Don't offend: you know what they are, the same things that irritate you. Cutting people off, driving slow in the left lane, tailgating or making gestures. If it irritates you, chances are pretty good you doing the same things irritates others.
2. Don't engage: the old saying that it "takes two to tango." Another driver may start it, but if you respond or retaliate, then your as much at fault. Just refuse to be drawn into it, be the bigger person. The other person may be fuming, but you remaining calm and steer clear of the situation. As the article says, would you want your pilot on the plane flying and acting this way?
3. Adjust your attitude: make the drive more pleasant, it isn't a contest. The first one there is not what its about. And maybe there is some reason that person nearly drove you off the road...a bee entered the window and startled them?! Put yourself in their shoes and even if no, it isn't worth doing something you will likely regret later.
If you think you need help, find it before you go too far and commit a much greater offense. Avoid being an aggressive driver and learn how to avoid becoming a victim. There is a lot more to life then stressing behind the wheel of a car. Be safe.
My recent article on road rage spurred several responses about how one can control themselves. So over the weekend I read a few articles and thought I would share them with each of you. Anger that develops from within your vehicle is oddly enough something we would normally never allow to surface in other social situations.
And yes, driving is a social situation. It is a gathering of people in vehicles using the same roadways, attempting to reach a particular destination. There are laws and rules to driving which vary slightly from one place to another. There are also unwritten laws of courtesy and willingness to 'let it go'.
The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety studied more than 10,000 incidents of violent aggressive driving committed between 1990 and 1996, it found that at least 218 people were killed and another 12,610 injured when drivers got angry. Many drivers involved in these incidents are men between the ages of 18 and 26, anyone can become aggressive if they let their anger take precedence over safe driving.
The AAA Foundation study found that men, women, and people of all ages can drive aggressively if they are in the wrong mood or circumstances. when drivers explained why they became violent the reasons are often incredibly trivial: “She would not let me pass,”“They kept tailgating me,” or, as this one driver accused of murder explained, “He practically ran me off the road — what was I supposed to do?”
(Source: ROAD RAGE - HOW TO AVOID AGGRESSIVE DRIVING)
So what can you do to avoid allowing yourself to start or become involved in an incident?
1. Don't offend: you know what they are, the same things that irritate you. Cutting people off, driving slow in the left lane, tailgating or making gestures. If it irritates you, chances are pretty good you doing the same things irritates others.
2. Don't engage: the old saying that it "takes two to tango." Another driver may start it, but if you respond or retaliate, then your as much at fault. Just refuse to be drawn into it, be the bigger person. The other person may be fuming, but you remaining calm and steer clear of the situation. As the article says, would you want your pilot on the plane flying and acting this way?
3. Adjust your attitude: make the drive more pleasant, it isn't a contest. The first one there is not what its about. And maybe there is some reason that person nearly drove you off the road...a bee entered the window and startled them?! Put yourself in their shoes and even if no, it isn't worth doing something you will likely regret later.
If you think you need help, find it before you go too far and commit a much greater offense. Avoid being an aggressive driver and learn how to avoid becoming a victim. There is a lot more to life then stressing behind the wheel of a car. Be safe.
Friday, May 04, 2007
Road Rage - Why?
A recent news item in the Atlanta area told of a tragic death. A death that could have happened in any populated area, any city or country. Another death that happens in our society whether from illness, murder, drugs among all of the deaths that happen.
This type of death though tends to mystify me, road rage. A strange event that seems to develop from our inability to control our emotions or attitude while driving. Matthew Joint says, "in its broadest sense it can refer to any display of aggression by a driver. However, the term is often used to refer to the more extreme acts of aggression, such as a physical assault, that occur as a direct result of a disagreement between drivers."
A young father driving with his wife and young child is involved in a road rage incident with another man - he ends up dead of stab wounds. I'm not passing judgement on either person for that is the job of the court system. I do know from all accounts that 'road rage' involves two people. In most cases, each person has a part they played in a situation escalating.
Each of us have been involved most likely in some form of driving 'lapse of mental control'. It is some sense of 'territorial' behavior when we get within a car that causes us to loose a certain amount of reason. We are a better driver then everyone else, or we take offense at another's driving habits. Most incidents never grow beyond your own thoughts. Many times the other driver is unaware of your irritation.
Once the other driver is made aware though, by either a look or gesture from you. It may even be you becoming aggressive by deciding to 'retaliate' in some form with your own driving skill. It is this point which you have crossed and now the chances of this escalating into road rage have increased.
This increase can result in possible car damage, yelling at each other or possibly physical altercations. The ultimate ending being someone dead from the senseless actions. Stop and think for a minute, does it really make sense to let it get this far? If someone cut you off in traffic, tailgated too much...whatever the case may be, is it worth the potential pain. A young wife and daughter living in pain, another person now changing their own life forever.
To read more about this and what you can do to change your habits and avoid these types of incidents, see the following article Aggressive Driving: Three Studies. Stay alive, stay stress free and change your way of driving...there's a lot more to life.
This type of death though tends to mystify me, road rage. A strange event that seems to develop from our inability to control our emotions or attitude while driving. Matthew Joint says, "in its broadest sense it can refer to any display of aggression by a driver. However, the term is often used to refer to the more extreme acts of aggression, such as a physical assault, that occur as a direct result of a disagreement between drivers."
A young father driving with his wife and young child is involved in a road rage incident with another man - he ends up dead of stab wounds. I'm not passing judgement on either person for that is the job of the court system. I do know from all accounts that 'road rage' involves two people. In most cases, each person has a part they played in a situation escalating.
Each of us have been involved most likely in some form of driving 'lapse of mental control'. It is some sense of 'territorial' behavior when we get within a car that causes us to loose a certain amount of reason. We are a better driver then everyone else, or we take offense at another's driving habits. Most incidents never grow beyond your own thoughts. Many times the other driver is unaware of your irritation.
Once the other driver is made aware though, by either a look or gesture from you. It may even be you becoming aggressive by deciding to 'retaliate' in some form with your own driving skill. It is this point which you have crossed and now the chances of this escalating into road rage have increased.
This increase can result in possible car damage, yelling at each other or possibly physical altercations. The ultimate ending being someone dead from the senseless actions. Stop and think for a minute, does it really make sense to let it get this far? If someone cut you off in traffic, tailgated too much...whatever the case may be, is it worth the potential pain. A young wife and daughter living in pain, another person now changing their own life forever.
To read more about this and what you can do to change your habits and avoid these types of incidents, see the following article Aggressive Driving: Three Studies. Stay alive, stay stress free and change your way of driving...there's a lot more to life.
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