Quote for the night...

"I find that if I am thinking too much of my own problems and the fact that at times things are not just like I want them to be, I do not make any progress at all. But if I look around and see what I can do, and then I do it, I move on" ~ Rosa Parks

Quote for today...

After 3 days of intensive training, I am totally flat out. So I think I need to retire to bed early tonight. Here's a quote to end the day...

"As human beings, let us reach beyond our small, limited selves and attain an all-encompassing state of being, our hearts communing with the vast universe"

Thought provoking quiz...

Test your general knowledge by answering the following quiz:-

1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.

2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.

3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America.

4. Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.

5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor and actress.

6. Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners.

How did you do?

The point is, none of us remember the headliners of yesterday. These are no second-rate achievers. They are the best in their fields. But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.

Here's another quiz. See how you do on this one:

1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.

2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.

3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.

4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.

5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.

Easier?

The lesson:

The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They are the ones that care.

"Don't worry about the world coming to an end today. It's already tomorrow in Australia " (Charles Schultz)

Quote for tonight...

As we grow up, we learn that even the one person that wasn't supposed to ever let you down probably will. You will have your heart broken probably more than once and it's harder every time. You'll break hearts too, so remember how it felt when yours was broken. You'll fight with your best friend. You'll blame a new love for things an old one did. You'll cry because time is passing too fast, and you'll eventually lose someone you love. So take too many pictures, laugh too much, and love like you've never been hurt because every sixty seconds you spend upset is a minute of happiness you'll never get back.

Don't be afraid that your life will end,
be afraid that it will never begin.

Quotes for the end of the day...

Finally, here are some quotes from one of my favourite personality: Helen Keller

"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing. Security does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than exposure."

"Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved."

"Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it."

"Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature.... Life is either a daring adventure or nothing."

"When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us."

"Self-pity is our worst enemy and if we yield to it, we can never do anything good in the world."

"No pessimist ever discovered the secret of the stars or sailed an uncharted land, or opened a new doorway for the human spirit."

"Never bend your head. Hold it high. Look the world straight in the eye."

"Many persons have the wrong idea of what constitutes true happiness. It is not attained through self-gratification but through fidelity to a worthy purpose."

Quotes for the mid day...

"Dreams can often become challenging but challenges are what we live for." - Travis White

"When you've got something to prove, there's nothing greater than a challenge." - Terry Bradshaw

"Mountains cannot be surmounted except by winding paths." - Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

"Accept the challenges so that you can feel the exhilaration of victory." - George S.Patton

"If someone says can't, that shows you what to do." - John Cage

"To be tested is good. The challenged life may be the best therapist." - Gail Sheehy ==> I like this one best. Time to ditch the rest of the therapists and lead a challenging life! ;-)

Quotes for the morning...

I love Hubbard's cereal. They always include little pamphlets inside the cereal boxes that contain motivation quotes and positive messages. Today I found one (Issue 87) that talks about how to deal with life little challenges. Here are two quotes that I find meaningful and I would like to share with you:-

"There is no challenge more challenging than the challenge to improve yourself" - Joseph F. Stanley

"You have powers you never dreamed of. You can do things you never thought you could do. There are no limitations to what you can do except the limitations of your own mind" - Darwin P. Kingsley

So go for it!

Quote for today...(Good on you Ellen!)

"Such diversity in the room in a year where there's been so many negative things said about people's race, religion and sexual orientation. And I want to put this out there: If there weren't blacks, Jews or gays, there would be no Oscars."

- Ellen DeGeneres, host of the 79th Annual Academy Awards

Everything depends on our hearts...

Another quote for the day:-

"Everything depends on what is in our hearts. If we decide to ourselves that something is impossible, then, consistent with our minds in thinking so, even something that is possible for us will become impossible. On the other hand, if we have the confidence that we can definitely do something, then we are already one step closer to achieving in reality."

Turning poison into medicine...

"Remember you've got a choice. When you feel you can't handle something, you can either choose to feel miserable and helpless, or maybe put your life in someone else's hands to sort out - if they can be bothered. Or you can decide to take charge , take full responsibility for whatever's happening, even if none of it seems to be your fault, and decide to turn poison into medicine"

- Geoff from the book, "The Buddha, Geoff and Me"

A miraculous phrase...

While glazing through my reading materials this lazy afternoon, something caught my eye. The excerpt is as follows:-

"Thank you " is a miraculous phrase
We say it, and we become enlivened
We hear it, and we gain courage
Make a habit of saying "Thank You" throughout the day, each day
With this word, express sincere appreciation while looking the other person in the eye
When people speak or hear the words "Thank You", they become more frank and begin to understand each other on a deeper level

The hills are alive, with the sound of sirens…

No, I am not referring the rock band. I am talking about the sirens emitted from police, ambulance and fire engines. It is amazing in this town of 40,000 people; I can hear sirens ringing in my ears almost every day. I used to live or travel to cities with millions of people and I hardly hear sirens at all. Therefore, something must be awfully wrong in the town I am living.

To those who think NZ is a peaceful country, I suggest you to change your perception. I too, once had the same misconception and thought NZ is a peaceful and safe country. Now that I live here, I can tell you with a straight face that NZ is just as violent as any other parts of the world.

You might think I am exaggerating but I am not. For example, in the town (40,000 people) where I currently reside, the following statistics for 2005/2006 shows the grimness of the situation:-

• 4 murders (3 assault murders and the other was classified as accident but I doubt it)
• 1467 violence crimes
• 72 sexual crimes
• 1521 drugs and antisocial crimes
• 5212 dishonesty crimes
• 936 property damage crimes
• 436 property abuse crimes

As I write this, I can hear the police car siren wailed across the town and this is the 3^rd time for today. Either the people in this town have too much free time to commit crimes (which may be true because this region has one of the highest unemployment rates in the country) or the authorities want to remind us that they exist.

Someone once quoted this to me:-

If the minds of the people are impure, their land is also impure.
But if their minds are pure, so is their land.
There are not two lands, pure and impure in themselves.
The difference lies solely in the good or evil of our minds.

When I think about it I find the quote makes a lot of sense to me.Most people without their knowing create physical environments that reflect their inner reality. Everything that revolves around them like work, family, relationships and community is actually the reflection of their inner lives. Everything is perceived through the self and alters according to the individual's inner state of life.

For instance, someone who is depressed is likely to neglect his home and personal appearance. On the other hand, people who are secure and generous create a warm and attractive environment around them.

So, the moral of the story is if we change ourselves, our circumstances will inevitably change also. If the people in this bloody town can awaken to this truth, I am sure this place will turn into a vibrant, prosperous and harmonious place. If only they awaken to the truth…