OVERCOME BOREDOM
ASK
How often do you get bored? Perhaps, the question should be reframed to read, 'how often during a day do you get bored?' The fact is many people get bored very often and they are clueless as to how to overcome their boredom. In fact, a vast majority of them don't even think of overcoming boredom. They get used to live with it.


If you want to find out how to overcome boredom, you should understand why you get bored in the first place. The interesting thing about boredom is that you may get bored when you do something as well as when you are idle. You can understand that you will feel dull when you are idle. After all, there is nothing to sustain your interest or even attention. Unless you engage yourself in an activity, your brain finds nothing to do and makes you feel bored.

But why should you get bored when you are actively engaged in doing something? People usually get bored when they do routine or repetitive tasks. Unfortunately, a vast majority of the people in this world are engaged in doing repetitive tasks. For many, it is a job or profession, the way to earn their daily bread. From an unskilled worker to a senior executive, for a large section of people, the daily routine remains the same. Because they don't enjoy this routine, they always look forward to the weekend. But sometimes, you may get bored even while being engaged in a pastime or getting yourself entertained. Obviously, there is something routine about these activities also.


The only way you will be able to overcome boredom is by getting interested in what you are doing. How can you get interested in something that is so dull? You just have to apply your mind and use your imagination. If you are a machine operator working on a lathe, look at every job you do as great, something that adds value to the object you are working on. Observe how it undergoes a change in your hands. Take notice of the changes in the shape and other characteristics of the object and be proud of your own contribution to the operations that are taking place. Be excited about every improvement your contribution brings about. It may look difficult but once you start looking at things this way, you will begin to enjoy whatever you are doing.
Labels: | | edit post
SHARING SECRETS
ASK
Everyone has a few secrets. In close relationships, people keep secrets because they are embarrassed or fearful of a partner's hostility and possible rejection. It is often in one's interest to keep some things private, especially when romantic partners are likely to respond poorly to the truth. Being rejected, scorned, or stigmatized does not help any one work through a serious issue. But, keeping secrets can also be harmful. Keeping secrets often prevents people from dealing with the problem at hand. Keeping secrets leads to increase stress, anxiety, and it often makes people think about the issue (event or topic) more frequently. For instance, people who have a secret crush on someone often dwell on their feelings more than people who are able to talk about such things out in the open. Keeping secrets can make things seem more important than they really are. Likewise, revealing secrets is very helpful when it is done right; that is, in a safe, non-judgmental environment. Revealing secrets can reduce stress, it helps people let go of an issue and think about it more clearly. If a secret is bothering you, it really does help to get it out - as long people don't respond negatively or use the information against you. In fact, research shows that the simple task of writing down a secret, even if no one ever reads it, makes people feel better. Writing a secret down is cathartic - it reduces stress and anxiety. You will find that letting go of one of your own secrets is helpful and not so embarrassing after all.






Labels: | | edit post
KNOWING THE RIGHT THING TO DO
ASK
click to generate your own textclick to generate your own textclick to generate your own textclick to generate your own textclick to generate your own textclick to generate your own textclick to generate your own textclick to generate your own textclick to generate your own textclick to generate your own textclick to generate your own textclick to generate your own textclick to generate your own textclick to generate your own textclick to generate your own textclick to generate your own textclick to generate your own textclick to generate your own textclick to generate your own textclick to generate your own textclick to generate your own textclick to generate your own textclick to generate your own textclick to generate your own textclick to generate your own textclick to generate your own textclick to generate your own textclick to generate your own textclick to generate your own text
How often do we find ourselves struggling to know the right course of action, the right thing to say? There is no magic solution to knowing the right thing to do. But, these are a few suggestions for working out the best course of action.

Listen to Your Inner voice Deep within, we all have an inner voice, – our own conscience. It is sometimes hard to put our finger on this part of us, which knows the right thing. To be able to listen to our own conscience we have to silence the mind and put aside the perceptions of the ego. Conscience is like a muscle, the more we listen to it – the stronger it becomes. If we value our inner pilot, it will be easier to listen to it.

Does your decision bring inner peace? The best way to tell whether we are doing the right thing is to feel whether we are inwardly happy with the choice. As William Shakespeare suggested it is:


“A peace above all earthly dignities, a still and quiet conscience.”


Sometimes we want to do something, but feel tremendous discord and inner turmoil. With these kind of decisions we cannot get any peace of mind, but, we spend time vainly trying to justify our decisions. Sometimes we can succeed in overriding the voice of our conscience – but, this inevitably leads to regrets later on. Note the ‘right decision’ may not lead to outer peace. Sometimes doing the ‘right thing’ will bring complications in our outer life. But, in working out the best thing to do, we need to place importance on our inner state of mind. If we know we are doing the ‘right thing’ we can more easily tolerate outer sufferings.

Give Time for Reflection Quite often our initial reaction is clouded with emotion. When we react in haste, it is more difficult to know the right thing to do. When writing an important letter, always give time to revise your initial draft. Sometimes we write things in the heat of the moment, but, on quiet reflection we realise there are much better ways of saying things. If a difficult situation arises try to give yourself time before pronouncing your verdict. This is particularly true if we are consumed with anger. When we are angry we lose our equanimity and our judgement is often impaired.

Are you acting out of Ego – Jealousy / Pride? It is important to be able to critically analyse our motives. If we are acting out of a feeling of wounded pride or jealousy it is highly likely we are not taking the best solution. In deciding the best thing to do, don’t act from a misplaced feeling of pride or what makes you look good. Try to act selflessly, when we have selfless motives it is much easier to know the right thing to do.

Read the Wisdom of Teachers who inspire you. If you feel an affinity with a certain teaching / philosophy, how does your decision fit in with these basic ethical / spiritual principles. Sometimes we read teachings of other people, and part of it really resonates as an inspired philosophy to guide our life by. Remember these particular quotes and try to live this philosophy, even in the most trying circumstances.

Take Advice Don’t be too proud to seek the advice of others. Two heads can be better than one; for some questions it can be helpful to take a second opinion. It is important to take advice from the right people. Often the best person may be someone who is detached from your situation. However, we should not feel duty bound to follow the advice of others and society. Often the ‘right thing’ is that which is not dictated by social pressures.

Are You Happy with the consequences? A simple spiritual philosophy, is to act in a way that takes into consideration your neighbour. When deciding what to do, try to place yourself in the position of other people – would you be happy if behaved like that towards yourself? Would you be glad if other people did this to you? Will you regret this decision if people find out what you are doing?

Silence Sometimes to know the right thing to do we need to speak a little less and listen a little more. Silence often saves us from having to enter into difficult and unnecessary disputes. Often problems are not helped by our intervention. Through remaining silent we often enable the problem to resolve of its own accord. (When silence is the best philosophy)



Labels: | | edit post
STAY ENCOURAGED AND POSITIVE
ASK
click to generate your own textclick to generate your own textclick to generate your own textclick to generate your own textclick to generate your own textclick to generate your own textclick to generate your own textclick to generate your own textclick to generate your own textclick to generate your own textclick to generate your own textclick to generate your own textclick to generate your own textclick to generate your own textclick to generate your own textclick to generate your own textclick to generate your own textclick to generate your own textclick to generate your own textclick to generate your own textclick to generate your own textclick to generate your own textclick to generate your own textclick to generate your own textclick to generate your own textclick to generate your own textclick to generate your own textclick to generate your own text Many people have a sad love story in their past. Bad things happen in life. Your story may be sad now, but it will get better. You are not alone in your sadness. Try to stop thinking about what happened. Don't beat yourself up over it. Try to control your emotions and see the light at the end of the tunnel. And believe that one day you will have a happy story to share. Focus on the good things that happen in life. Do not focus on that sad love story. Stop it from running over and over again in your mind. Don't wonder about all the "what if's." Forget about it. The sad love story is in the past. And the past is gone, the future is unknown, and the present is a gift. You can choose what to think about. Choose to think about good memories or good future memories that you will make in life. If you keep thinking about that one sad event, then you will get even more sad and perhaps depressed. Don't do that to yourself. Forgive yourself and others. Look for the good in life. Everybody has bad things happen to them. Even those really happy people that look like they have the perfect life, they too have sad love stories. No one is perfect and no one has a perfect life. Bad things happen to good people and bad things happen to bad people. And vice-versa with good things. Again think about the good things. Know that you are not going through these sad emotions alone. And soon these sad emotions will pass. Yes, you might have just had your heart crushed into a million little pieces, but don't give up. Give yourself time to heal over your sad love story and then pick yourself up and move on. Believe that one day you will have a happily ever after. This heart aching pain will not last forever. Have hope for a wonderful future ahead. Keep on loving yourself and others more. Think good thoughts always. Remember, that you are not alone. Stay encouraged and positive that your sad love story will turn into a happy one.
Labels: | | edit post