You are here

Hello there, it has been a while hasn’t it?

To be honest I haven’t been feeling myself lately, so instead of writing advice on this blog, I have been following my own. When I felt bad, I allowed myself to cocoon a bit. When I felt better I tried to make most of it with friends, events and writing.  The only problem is of course that when you have limited energy, you can’t use as much as you want to.   Bit still we’re trying. And that takes us to the next post.

You are here

We’ve seen it a lot on maps. And yes, even on the map of life: here you are and here I am.  No matter what happened, what you’ve done or what is going to wait for you in the future: here you are. You made it this far, being on this location, with no doubt: already great accomplishments. For you they might seem insignificant, but that is because you are too close to those projects. Tell anybody else of the things that drive you, the things you have already done. They will be amazed, I’ll guarantee it. Mind you not all accomplishments are falling in the same category: family, friends, money, status… usually we focus too much on the obvious means of success. Nevertheless, here you are. You made it this far and that couldn’t be done without all the effort you’ve put in your life. You might not be on the right place… yet. But the road is still long and you have many great things to encounter. Some paths may be blocked due to your past. But remember that there are still plenty of routes to take, no matter where your destination might be. So every once and a while, when you feel lost: go outside. Go to those city maps and see the message: you are here. Now please take a bow and wave at the camera.

the 6 thoughts of the mind

A coworker handed me these once:

1) make peace with your past, so that it won't cast a shadow on your present.

2) what others think of you is really no concern of yours.

3) time heals almost everything, so take your time every once and a while.

4) no one should be the reason of your own happyness. Only you are responsible.

5) do not compare yourself with others, you have no idea what they have been through.

6) stop thinking everything through. It's not bad a bad thing if you don't know all the answers.


Unfortunately I haven't seen her around lately, so I guess it requires more than 6 tricks to have a good day. Still, we are all living our life the way we think would fit us best. There is no right or wrong way to do it, there is only your own life. Make something out of it, Inspire and be inspired.

ps,
if you miss my humorous remarks in the posts: they will return shortly.
In the meantime allow me to write a joke my sister shared with me (since it's all about sharing)

"a sheep, a drum, and a snake fell down a cliff:
ba dum tss."






hey, don't look at me like this: you asked for it. See you again next week

carpe diem

Today I'm talking to you about seizing the moment. True, you might have already reead a similar subject. But there is no harm in repeating, right? Otherwise you can just stop reading... come on, I challenge you. Stop reading...

Still here? good. As I was saying, it'll do you some good to seize the moment every so often. If opportunities rise why not have a look? For example on social events, festivities,...
There are times when we honestly ask ourselves: why should I attend this event/party/... I'm in no mood to see people. My answer: give it a try anyway. You can sulk at home or you can sulk amoung people. At least there you'll have opportunities.

BUT

Yes, there is a very big but
(heheh,I wrote 'a very big butt')

There is something called balace:

If you seize every opportunity they throw at you, you'll might end up exhausted and burned out.
Unfortunately I experienced this myself. There has to be some moderation. Look at yourself and think: what has my priority? And also: am I not stuck in a vicious circle, doing the same things over and over again, without any chance of progress?
But if you are in a rut, and if you know that today won't be any good whatsoever, then why not go outside, meet some friends, do something crazy.. It can only get better.

So think big, live fast,
but don't forget to take a brake every now and then.
There is much wisdom in the things that tranquility can offer.
Like I said: it's all about balance.

Your weekly exercise

A few days ago I talked to someone who is practicing the Ramadan.  She told me that there was more to it than just fasting during the day and feasting during the night. The essential idea was to stop doing things that were harmful to mind and body. So it was not just going cold turkey on cigarettes, alcohol etc. But also to refrain from gossip and cursing. And most importantly: to reflect on the things you are doing wrong in your life, on the harmful things you inflict upon yourself and others. And especially this last part that I find worth trying out myself.

Because when we feel bad we usually tend to go for the quick solutions. Things/habits that make us happy for just a few moments. At that moment we don’t care if it’s healthy, as long as it makes the bad feeling go away. 

So why won’t you have this exercise with me? Instead of wasting time for half an hour, we close our eyes, take a deep breath and reflect on the things that prevent us from living life at its fullest. What are the causes? How can we solve it without using the quick fix? You are a smart person, deep inside you know the answers. Everything starts with a healthy mind, the rest will follow.

The sound of silence

Oh hi there.

I haven’t got much to say today… or the past week, as you might have noticed. But don't worry, I haven’t forgotten about you. It’s just that sometimes when someone has nothing to say, he/she might do good to remain silent and listen or reflect instead of just talk for the sake of talking. There is already too much nonsense in this world, when some take the freedom of speech for granted. Sometimes there is a lot of power to be found in silence. But you don’t want to hear all about that, do you? Nah, you want to hear wisdom, mindfulness and things that soothe the mind.
So why not let others speak? Take a moment to let it sink in. I don’t know who the original authors are, but I guess it’s not that important who said it, rather then what it does to you. Enjoy.

"Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about dancing in the rain."

"In this great future you can forget your past."

"Follow the white rabbit. You may never catch it, but i twill take you to some amazing places."

"The ball won’t roll if you don’t kick it."

"Better be someone for just a day than to be no one for a lifetime."

"Sometimes all you need is a bit of imagination."

"Enjoy the abundance of life!"

mattresses

This is just an observation I made. It has nothing to do with the normal posts on this blog. But since there is no sensorsheep here, I can write whatever I want, behold: chimichangas

Anyway

Thanks to modern day technology, traveling has become easier. Digital camera’s or smartphones can show you immediately which one of your thousand shelfies looks best. Apart from digital vanity, a smartphone also offers you 101 gadgets to sat in touch with the home front.

Sometimes I wonder if that is a good thing.

Hostels, pubs, public transport… there is no place you can’t go without encountering people with their phone stuck up in their noses (not literally, of course). And yes, even I am obliged to follow this trend every now and again.

Even though there is nothing wrong with it, this behavior does create a barrier for your fellow travelers. That’s a shame, because the essence about exploring this globe is to get acquainted with new faces, exchange tips and tricks, have a good laugh, share amazing stories…

Ye, yes, I know. It is important that you keep the homefront updated on your personal safety. But must it be done on a daily basis? By keeping daily contact with friends and family, you are mentally travelling hind and fro between your actual destination and the virtual old life. Think about it, wouldn’t it be better to just take in the experience of being somewhere new? You might only travel this way once. And you can open up a facenook session anytime when you’re back home.   

By the way, have you noticed it too? Everywhere we go we can see the signs: “free wifi in here”.

And yes, even I follow those signs. But I wonder what happened to the “breakfast included” offers, or even the “free coffee”. I guess priorities change.

Although there was one hostel that really got my attention: “We have the softest mattresses in Bangkok.” If you might travel through Asia, then you know that this unique selling proposition did the trick. God, I slept well that night.

… Yes, yes you read it correctly: slept; what else would one do in Bangkok at 3 AM? Don’t answer that, please, I really don’t want to know the details.  

what's the risk?

It’s strange. We risk to lose or to miss out on so many things if we remain stagnant; especially if you compare it to what happens if you do speak up or act up. There is so much to gain, even if it’s just free drinks or a nice waste of time. So why does it still feel like climbing a mountain time after time again? I guess practice makes perfect. Never slack down.

the butterfly

Well, I promised you yesterday to tell you the tale of the butterfly.
There are a few variables of it, but allow me to quote it from Thoreau:

"Happiness is like a butterfly, the more you chase it,

the more it will elude you,

but if you turn your attention to other things,

it will come and sit quietly on your shoulder."

I can concur, when happiness is lost, it can usually be found at unexpected places. But please, do not let this slow down your pursuit for happiness.
Because that journey might also bring you precious experiences.

For example. When my world shattered a few years ago, I took a solo-trip to Asia to figure out what to do with my life. Did I get all the answers? Probably not, but the trip was amazing. Not only did I encountered many interesting people, found serenity, and had some kick-ass memories. But also I discovered the wisdom that already lay dormant within me.

Heh… ‘wisdom’…  While typing it down, that word seems so strange to me. But I must admit, I did learn a lot from my little pursuit.

Of course, as always, within time old habits came crawling back to me. So I lost some of the vibe that I had built up during my journey. But some results never faded; they lay dormant at best. And you can find most of them in this blog.

So for me, happiness isn’t a destination, it’s a medium that makes life more pleasant. Enjoy it when you can, and keep your eyes open for new ways to discover it.  

freethinker

Oh, hello again. I hope you are having a good time here. Well, don’t get too comfortable, because today I am giving you some homework. 

With the weekend in sight, I won’t be posting for the next four days, so you have more than enough time to give it a try. No worries, I’m not going to challenge you into breathtaking experiences… not just yet that is ^ ^ 

This time, it’s fairly easy:

Close to a holy place I encountered some quotes of wisdom.

Your assignment for this weekend is to give those quotes some thought. They are not mine, and I won’t tell you whether I agree with them or not.

Because thinking for yourself is one of the most important things that you’ll have to do. Your own thoughts will make the life you are living truly yours. So please, make sure they are good ones.

Heaven never helps the man/woman who will not act.

It’s good to forgive, it’s better to forget.

Pardon is the most glorious revenge.

Charms strike the sight, but merit wins the soul.

The wise man/woman is always a good listener.

To learn without reflecting, is like eating without digesting.

Wisdom is knowing what to do next.