Stay Sharp

Stay Sharp Once upon a time a very strong woodcutter asked for a job in a timber merchant, and he got it. The pay was really good and so were the work conditions. For that reason,the woodcutter was determined to do his best. His boss gave him an axe and showed him the area where he was supposed to work. The first day, the woodcutter brought 18 trees. "Congratulations," the boss said. "keep up the great work" Very motivated by the boss's words, the woodcutter tried even harder the next day, but he could only bring 15 trees. The third day he tried even harder, but he could only bring 10 trees. Day after day he was bringing less and less trees. "I must be losing my strength", the woodcutter thought. He went to the boss and apologized, saying that he could not understand what was going on. "When was the last time you sharpened your axe?" the boss asked. "Sharpen? I had no time to sharpen my axe. I have been very busy trying to cut trees." My Message When was the last time you sharpened your axe, when was the last time you let go and really stopped? In today's world, it seems that everyone is busier than ever, but a whole lot less happier. Could it be that we have forgotten how to stay "sharp"? There's nothing wrong with activity and hard work. But we should not get so busy that we neglect the truly important things in life, like our personal life, taking time to get close to our Creator, giving more time for our family, taking time to read and paying attention to people's needs. We all need time to relax, to think and meditate, to learn and grow. If we don't take time to sharpen the "axe", we will become dull and lose our effectiveness. So as we move into 2012 start to think about the ways in which you could do your job more effectively and add a lot of value to it. May you have an awesome week! If you holidaying please be safe and return sharp and ready to make a difference. Darren Zwiers   The Quote: Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe. - Abraham Lincoln

Get Your Positive Goggles

Get Your Positive Goggles Last week I got the honour to learn this story from Rabbi Zelig Pliskin himself... There is a famous story of a 15yr old boy who got 50% on a test. The teacher called him over and he thought for sure that the teacher would reprimand him and tell him off on why he got such a bad mark. The teacher said “The reason you got 50% was because you only answered half the test, but lets have a look at the questions you did answer.. “Question 7, you answered that so beautifully, Question 13, wow such a concise and clear answer brilliantly done”. So the boy went away surprised, he felt good about it. Next week same thing again. He a got 50%. Teacher calls him over again and the boy now knows for sure the teacher is going to reprimand him, he’s really going to tell him off. The teacher said to him again “You only got 50% because you only answered half the questions, but what you did answer was brilliant, question 4 that was the hardest question and you answered it so well... Keep up the great work”. The boy left saying to himself “wow I see, I do understand this work” and he concentrated in class (he was a dreamy kid) he reviewed is work over and over again and worked hard. On his next test he got 100% and for four tests in a row after that he got 100%. This kid grew up to be extremely successful in all his studies and achievements, all because that teacher took a couple of minutes to point to him how well he did and not the opposite. My Message It’s so easy to reprimand someone, but you don’t realise that you could be damaging a part of them that they feel insecure about already. This can have a permanent effect on their lives. It’s so important to give people a positive sense of self and this isn’t flattery, its seeing the potential in every person. Seeing that they are destined to great and awesome things. Every person in this world no matter who they are or where they come from have the potential to do incredible things, there is the essence of beauty in every soul. Don’t be the one to shut it down by speaking horrible about or to someone. View people as they could be or they might be as every individual wants to be seen in a positive light, including you. May you have an awesome week where you can exercise patience and gentle care to the people around you.. Darren Zwiers The Quote: “People underestimate their capacity for change. There is never a right time to do a difficult thing. A leader's job is to help people have vision of their potential.” John Porter

Who's The Dummie?

Who's The Dummie? (Author Unknown) A young boy enters a barber shop and the barber whispers to his Customer, "This is the dumbest kid in the world. Watch while I prove it to you." The barber puts a five rupee coin in one hand and two one rupee coins (1+1=2) in the other, then calls the boy over and asks, "Which do you want, son?" The boy takes the two one rupee coins and leaves. "What did I tell you?" said the barber. "That kid never learns!" Later, when the customer leaves, he sees the same young boy coming out of the ice cream store. "Hey, son! May I ask you a question? Why did you take two one rupee coins instead of five rupee coin?" The boy licked his cone and replied, "BECAUSE THE DAY I TAKE THE FIVE RUPEE COIN, THE GAME IS OVER" My Message Think of this story the next time you interact with someone who you 'feel' isn't at the intellectual level that you are on. When you think another person is 'dumb', you are making a fool of yourself, because no matter how smart you think you are, you will never be able to fully evaluate another person's intellect. Never underestimate anyone, you will be surprised how much you can learn from people when you give them the chance to truly open up and express themselves. Don't block people off because you think you can't learn anything from them. Be inspired by others give them a chance and let the good people lead you to greatness. May you have an awesome week full of patience and harmony with those around you. Darren Zwiers The Quote: "To Handle yourself, use your head; to handle others, use your heart." - Donald Laird

A Winning Attitude

A Winning Attitude (Richard Branson - From his book: Screw It, Lets Do It) Some you win and some you lose. Be glad when you win. Don't have regrets when you lose. Never look back. I know that you can't change the past, but I try learn from it. We can't all run big airlines or trains. Many of us have more modest goals. But whatever your dream is, go for it. Always be aware if the risks are too random or too hard to predict - like gambling on unknown factors or risking all on the spin of a coin - but remember, if you opt for a safe life, you will never what its like to win. My Message We can learn a lot from the above extract from Richard Branson's book. Never settle with whats just given to you. It's so important to always go out your way to go beyond whats required of you, in all areas of our lives, towards our careers, our families, friends etc. The message is simple... If you never take chances in life you'll miss out on the best things. Give up trying to avoid mistakes, because the only mistake that can truly hurt you is choosing to do nothing simply because you’re too scared to make a mistake. Rise above the crowd, be outstanding and really go out your way to make your dreams a reality. Look around you... it's the ones who put so much commitment and effort into achieving their goals that are living life to the fullest, be that person and inspire us to become it too. May you have an awesome week, of unlimited possibilities Darren Zwiers The Quote: "The only reason for time is so that everything doesn't happen at once. - Albert Einstein"

The Seven Wonders of the World

The Seven Wonders of the World Junior high school students in Chicago were studying the Seven Wonders of the World. At the end of the lesson, the students were asked to list what they considered to be the Seven Wonders of the World. Though there was some disagreement, the following received the most votes: 1. Egypt's Great Pyramids 2. The Taj Mahal in India 3. The Grand Canyon in Arizona 4. The Panama Canal 5. The Empire State Building 6. St. Peter's Basilica 7. China's Great Wall While gathering the votes, the teacher noted that one student, a quiet girl, hadn't turned in her paper yet. So she asked the girl if she was having trouble with her list. The quiet girl replied, "Yes, a little. I couldn't quite make up my mind because there were so many." The teacher said, "Well, tell us what you have, and maybe we can help." The girl hesitated, then read, "I think the Seven Wonders of the World are: 1. to touch... 2. to taste... 3. to see... 4. to hear... (She hesitated a little, and then added...) 5. to feel... 6. to laugh... 7. and to love. The room was so quiet, you could have heard a pin drop. My Message This story serves as a gentle reminder to all of us that the things we overlook as simple and ordinary are often the most wonderful and we don't have to travel anywhere special to experience them… They are right in front of you. Don't take the simple things in life for granted because you don't realise how incredibly lucky you are to be breathing, thinking, smiling, reading this email. Most of you if not all of you are in good shape and by that I mean your body functions well, you in control of your thoughts and you are independent. Don't let a single day pass without acknowledging how good it is to be alive. Know exactly what your wonders of the world are and make sure to celebrate them. May you have a beautiful week filled to the brim with happiness and appreciation. Darren Zwiers The Quote: "There's a basic human weakness inherent in all people which tempts them to want what they can't have and not want what is readily available to them." - Robert J. Ringer"

The Moth That Fell In Love With The Star

The Moth That Fell In Love With The Star There once was a moth that fell in love with a star. All his friends and relatives mocked him, told him he was being unrealistic, and urged him to focus his efforts on some local, possible, attainable goal: a streetlamp, a porchlight, a candle or a lantern. Even a chandelier, if he must. But our Moth was in love with His Star, and he would not give up. So while all his pals, his parents, his sisters and brothers and cousins and aunts, soon burned themselves out around the local, ready-made luminaries, and wound up as charred bits of ash on the sidewalks, the porches, the floors and tables of the town, our Moth enjoyed a long and happy and healthy life in endless pursuit of his limitless Star. My Message These days, I imagine "ambitious" to have undertones of "you can't do that, can you". But there's no sane reason why it should be so. Many things are difficult, but millions of people have done them. Look back into the past, and you will see that we are doing what was once impossible millions of times every day. What's ambitious to one person is trivial to the next, and impossible to another. So don't judge other people's goals. You know your own limits, and what's safe and what's stretching you, and what's overstretching you (at the moment). You also know your own dreams, and if you have the courage to believe in even one little grain of sand out of your dream, then I think you're on the way to something good! I've written on this theme before but I think it's important to get practical with it! Can you think right now of one ambitious goal you would love to be doing... write it down. Now, think of the very first step to obtaining it... also right that down... The rest should follow! As I have been writing these emails for over a year now, I want to try something a little different. I have created a "Monday inspiration" page on Facebook. A place where you can share your ambitions and goals - click here. Maybe we can all identify ways to help our friends through this, after all we in this world together, so let's work in unity to make our lives awesome. I wish you all a week full of success! Darren Zwiers The Quote: The very substance of the ambitious is merely the shadow of a dream. - William Shakespeare

The Little Wave

The Little Wave (Author: Mitch Albom - Tuesday's With Morrie) This story is about a little wave, bobbing along in the vast blue ocean, having a grand old time. He's enjoying the wind and the fresh air until he notices the other waves in front of him, crashing against the shore and the rocks. “My God, this terrible”, the wave said. “Look what's going to happen to me”... Then along comes another wave, an older wave that had traveled further, It sees the first wave, looking grim, and it says to him: “Why do you look so sad?” The first wave says: “You don't understand! We're all going to crash! All of us waves are going to be nothing! Isn't it terrible?” The second wave says: “No, you don't understand. You're not a wave, you're part of the ocean.” My Message How many times when a large challenge confronts us we feel overwhelmed and frightened?... too many times, if not all of the time. Ok ok we are only human at the end of the day, so its normal, but whats important is to never forget to look at the greater picture, to look beyond the challenge itself and identify what you are contributing towards. It doesn't matter how big or small the challenges are, the fact that its a challenge means that its a tool to help you grow and become greater than what you are. We are all part of this world and we all have our tasks and duties and just like the wave who is apart of the ocean he is adding his part to the greater good. Never be afraid of achieving great things in life, don't be frightened by the challenges life throws at you, they are yours to mold and sculpt you into the greatest you that could ever live. May you have an awesome week, where you get the opportunity to embrace challenge and rise to become the great person that you deserve. Darren Zwiers The Quote: “Opposition is a natural part of life. Just as we develop our physical muscles through overcoming opposition - such as lifting weights - we develop our character muscles by overcoming challenges and adversity.” - Stephen R. Covey

Hidden Treasure

Hidden Treasure A man purchased a vacant lot and erected a house on it. He dwelt there for over 30 years. Then late one night, the telephone rings and there is an old quavering voice on the other end: " I must inform you that I am the last survivor of a group that buried a chest of gems in the premises where your house now stands, I am about to die, therefore I wish you to know". The man is so joyous he cannot sleep. He is wealthy! But actually for 30 years he was the legal possessor for the unclaimed treasure. My Message What makes this man happy today than thirty years ago?… "The knowledge of what he possesses." We never truly own anything unless we fully identify the fact that we posses it. Love, kindness, happiness... these are some of the things we naturally posses within us, yet we forget that they are always working for us throughout our lives. We take for granted that we own such amazing gems and instead program ourselves to operate under a strict routine or we too afraid or even lazy to use our possessions. Never forget that we have been given things in our lives to make the most of them, to use them in order to achieve incredible and meaningful things, to make a difference that no one but yourself can make. Take stock of all the great and beautiful things you own, claim them and work with them in the best way you can.  Have an amazing and awesome week! Darren Zwiers The Quote: “Complete possession is proved only by giving. All you are unable to give possesses you.” - Andre Gide

The Three Year Old Grandfather

The Three Year Old Grandfather (Author Unknown) Shortly before his death a 90 year old man requests that the following be engraved on his tombstone: “Lived Three and a Half Years”. He explains as follows; “For the past 9 years, I have moved from one hospital to the next, suffering without end. I certainly would not call that ‘life’. I have no recollection of what I did from birth until age 4. From then until the age 15, I did nothing but play around. From ages 15 - 25, I studied laboriously in preparation for ‘life’. So, you can already subtract 34 years from my life.” “True form the ages of 25 - 81 I lived, but for one third of the time I got no pleasure out of life, because I was sleeping. Fifty six minus sleep time equals approximately 37 years. However, during these ‘good’ years, I worked very hard. Every minute I looked forward to the end of my workday, when I could go home. Honestly, I enjoyed around an hour and a half a day at home, resting up and recharging my batteries for the morrow, another day of arduous, frustrating work.” “If you add up an hour and half a day for 56 years, you will come out with approximately 30,000 hours, which is around 3 and half years of my life”. My Message What is important to you in life? What do you gain most pleasure from? Are you working hard at things you don’t ‘really’ feel interested in? Are you working hard, resting quick and then working even harder? Is this the point of life? The Ultimate question you should be asking yourself “Am I working at something that vibrates right down to the core of my being; Something which holds so much meaning in my life that it drives me to the next day without even thinking about it." This my friends is what we should be asking ourselves every day, and making sure we do all we can to live it out. As you can see by the above story, this 90 year old man realised when it was too late that his life could of been truly lived even while he worked. All he had to do was change his mindest and start to love the fact that he is able to contribute to the world. Yes there are moments in our lives where we have to “bite the bullet” and do the tedious tasks, but those times don’t have to last long as we are recreating our actions every day. What are you doing that makes a powerful and positive impact in your life? Can you say with confidence “that this week I am going to make sure I am one step closer to achieving the most out of my time in this world”... If you can't, then I suggest you look deep and hard into your heart to find ways to bring out the best of your time alive. Don't be the three year old grandpa and count all the lost opportunities. Wake up and start living today!! Have an amazing and awesome week! Darren Zwiers The Quote: Opportunities fly by while we sit regretting the chances we have lost, and the happiness that comes to us we heed not, because of the happiness that is gone. ~Jerome K. Jerome,

It's Life's Job

It's Life's Job (Steve Jobs, Commencement speech June 12, 2005) Jobs: "When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: "If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you'll most certainly be right." It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: "If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?" And whenever the answer has been "No" for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something. Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart." My Message As we have sadly seen the passing of a brilliant man a visionary and creative genius I thought it fit to use a few of his powerful words which he addressed Standford University in 2005. The above story has such a powerful message. We sometimes think of the idea of "what if today were the last", but how often do we use the heaviness of death to motivate us to do what we are set out to do? In Jobs' speech he is simply saying "Seize the day" While he acknowledges that no one wants to die, Jobs says the knowledge that we all will, should be motivation enough to live the best life possible. “Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life,” he says. “Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become.” How much more real can life be, when we learn that we are here for a short time only, and that is the truth. we don't know when our last day is, but we should at least fill our lives with all the things we really want to do. Life is too short to do something you don't want to be doing. Jobs truly made this idea a reality and it's not hard to see what came from it. This week, get out there and start making plans to achieve the things you have only dreamed of, start living to the fullest and getting ultimate pleasure out of every second that life has to offer. Have an amazing and awesome week! Darren Zwiers The Quote: “Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn’t matter to me…Going to bed at night saying we’ve done something wonderful–that’s what matters.” - Steve Jobs

Eagles In A Storm

Eagles In A Storm (Author Unknown) Did you know that an eagle knows when a storm is approaching long before it breaks? The eagle will fly to some high spot and wait for the winds to come. When the storm hits, it sets its wings so that the wind will pick it up and lift it above the storm. While the storm rages below, the eagle is soaring above it. The eagle does not escape the storm. It simply uses the storm to lift it higher. It rises on the winds that bring the storm. My Message When the storms of life come upon us - and all of us will experience them, we can rise above them by setting our minds and our belief to what is right at that moment. To become flexible. The storms do not have to overcome us. We can give our thoughts the power to lift us above them. Remember, it is not the burdens of life that weigh us down, it is how we react and handle them. We have huge amounts of control over who we are and where we going, we just need to open our wings and learn to fly above the storms of life with an opptimistic outlook and happy mindset. If you choose to, so too will you soar above the storm. May you have an awesome week! Darren Zwiers The Quote: There is a counsel like deep water in a person's heart; one with understanding will draw it out - (Mishlei 20:5)

Haste Makes Waste

Haste Makes Waste (Author Unknown) I recently read a story of a guy who was late for a dentists appointment. As he drove into the multilevel parking lot, there were two cars ahead of him looking for a parking space. The lead car was crawling at a snails pace. The guy in front of him was blasting his horn, and he was tempted to do likewise to get the lead car to move on. However, he reasoned that there was no need to add to the cacophony. As the lead car swung around the corner, he noticed the handicapped symbol on the license plate. he was so happy to be patient enough not to add to that drivers misery. My Message Animals cannot postpone. They promptly go after what they desire. we humans on the other hand, may want to do something, but we also have the ability to decide to delay or forgo it. The ability to practice patience is a uniquely human trait. It's a choice we make and will define what kind of individual we are. We may discover that had we been more patient we would of gotten a better deal. Far more important than a better deal is that by being patient, we will not have to regret having said words that we cannot retrieve. Knee-jerk reactions may offend others. The spirituality of being patient is very beneficial to the condition of our spirit and the key to achieving ultimate happiness. May you have an awesome week! Darren Zwiers The Quote: Patience is the ability to count down before you blast off. ~Author Unknown

Life Is Like A Homemade Cake

Life Is Like A Homemade Cake (Author Unkown) A little boy is telling his Grandma how "everything" is going wrong: school, family problems, and severe health problems in the family. Meanwhile, Grandma is baking a cake. She asks her grandson if he would like a snack, which of course he does. "Here, have some cooking oil," she says. "Yuck" says the boy. "Then how about a couple raw eggs?" "Gross, Grandma!" he replies. "Would you prefer some flour then? Or maybe some baking soda?" she asks. "Grandma, those are all yucky!" he replied. To which Grandma replies: "Yes, all those things seem to taste bad all by themselves. But when they are mixed together in the right amounts and the right manner, they make a delicious cake!" My Message So many times we wonder why we have to go through bad and difficult moments. We always say “why me”? “what did I do to deserve this”? The reality is that all things put on our plate are for the better, to enhance our way of living, to teach us what we need to know and where we shall go. How many times have you looked back and realised that it wasn't so bad. When we going through a difficult time we only looking at the cooking oil or the raw eggs but once time has passed and healed the heart we see the cake the delicious life which we have created for ourselves. So the next time things get tough remember its just one small ingredient for a fulfilled life. May you have an awesome week! Darren Zwiers The Quote: "The greatest glory in living lies not in never failing, but in rising every time we fail." - Nelson Mandela

The Animal School

The Animal School (Author Leo Buscaglia) The animals got together in the forest one day and decided to start a school. There was a rabbit, a bird, a squirrel, a fish and an eel, and they formed a Board of Education. The rabbit insisted that running be in the curriculum. The bird insisted that flying be in the curriculum. The fish insisted that swimming be in the curriculum, and the squirrel insisted that swimming be in the curriculum. They put all of these things together and wrote a Curriculum Guide. Then they insisted that all of the animals to take all of the subjects. Although the rabbit was getting an A in running, perpendicular tree climbing was a real problem for him; he kept falling over backwards. Pretty soon he got to be sort of brain damaged, and he couldn’t run anymore. He found that instead of making an A in running, he was making C and, of course, he always made an F in perpendicular climbing. The bird was really beautiful at flying, but when it came to burrowing in the ground, he couldn’t do so well. He kept breaking his beak and wings. Pretty soon he was making a C in flying as well as an F in burrowing, and he had a hellava time with perpendicular tree climbing. Finally, the animal who ended up being valedictorian of the class was a mentally retarded eel who did everything half way. But the educators were all happy because everybody was taking all of the subjects, and it was called a "broad-based education." My Message I find so much truth behind this story. Think about how often we do this as adults, both in our personal and professional lives. We have been cultivated and familirised with a system which we are so obedient to. Yet we tend to forget that we are all unique and have our own awesome talents. Are you only getting a C in your greatest talents? Are you making a D in your God Given abilities, because you are working so hard on things that aren’t? We need to remind oursleves on what we brilliant at, and then make sure we focus our energies on that brilliance, even if it means stepping out from what we have been taught. You know the greatest leaders, most powerful innovators and pioneers are the ones who have stepped out from the crowd and did it the way they believed it should be. You need to embrace your oneness, your uniqueness and do not conform to something just because others want you to be. Be yourself and be the best that you can possibly be! May you have an awesome week where there are no restraints to how you live your life. Darren Zwiers The Quote: Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid - Albert Einstein

Parable of the Pencil

Parable of the Pencil (Author Unknown) The Pencil Maker took the pencil aside, just before putting him into the box. There are 5 things you need to know, he told the pencil, before I send you out into the world. Always remember them and never forget, and you will become the best pencil you can be.  One: You will be able to do many great things, but only if you allow yourself to be held in someone's hand. Two: You will experience a painful sharpening from time to time, but you'll need it to become a better pencil. Three: You will be able to correct any mistakes you might make. Four: The most important part of you will always be what's inside. And Five: On every surface you are used on, you must leave your mark. No matter what the condition, you must continue to write. The pencil understood and promised to remember, and went into the box with purpose in its heart. The Message This weeks message lies purely in the story itself. Replacing the place of the pencil with you. Always remember and never forget them, and you will become the best person you can be. Let this story encourage you to know that you are a special person and only you can fulfil the purpose to which you were born to accomplish. Never allow yourself to get discouraged and think that your life is insignificant and cannot make a change. You are far more powerful than you can imagine and just by being alive has every opportunity to make a positive change in the world, whatever your choice allow it to leave a positive mark. May you have an awesome week. Darren Zwiers The Quote: How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world. ~ Anne Frank

Power of Positive Talk

Power of Positive Talk (Author Unknown) A man was lost while driving through the countryside. As he tried to reach for the map, he accidentally drove off the road into a ditch. Though he wasn’t injured, his car was stuck deep in the mud. So the man walked to a nearby farm to ask for help. “Warwick can get you out of that ditch,” said the farmer, pointing to an old mule standing in a field. The man looked at the decrepit old mule and looked at the farmer who just stood there repeating, “Yep, old Warwick can do the job.” The man figured he had nothing to lose. The two men and the mule made their way back to the ditch. The farmer hitched the mule to the car. With a snap of the reins, he shouted, “Pull, Fred! Pull, Jack! Pull, Ted! Pull, Warwick!” And the mule pulled that car right out of the ditch. The man was amazed. He thanked the farmer, patted the mule, and asked, “Why did you call out all of those names before you called Warwick?” The farmer grinned and said, “Old Warwick is just about blind. As long as he believes he’s part of a team, he doesn’t mind pulling.” The Message As the title of the story says 'words' are very powerful and used in the correct way can bring tremendous amounts of encouragement to those we interact with everyday. The truth is that we remember how people made us feel rather than what they said. Yes, words can alter our moods, emotions and self image without even realising it. So the next time you see your fellow loved one, relative or friend make sure your choice of words are that of encouragement, enthusiasm and positivity (you have to be sincere of course). Make this a good habit and people around you will enjoy being in your presence, because you are speaking life into them. May you have an awesome week, and YES you can achieve everything in front of you :) Darren Zwiers The Quote: "The positive thinker sees the invisible, feels the intangible, and achieves the impossible."

Parable Of The Porcupine

Parable Of The Porcupine (Author Unknown) It was the coldest winter ever. Many animals died because of the cold. The porcupines, realising the situation, decided to group together to keep warm.  This way they covered and protected themselves; but the quills of each one wounded their closest companions. After awhile, they decided to distance themselves one from the other and they began to die, alone and frozen. So they had to make a choice: either accept the quills of their companions or disappear from the Earth. Wisely, they decided to go back to being together. They learned to live with the little wounds caused by the close relationship with their companions in order to receive the warmth that came from the others. This way they were able to survive.  The Message People are not perfect, we are all created with our own little 'things' that aggravate those around us, but it's so important for all us to exercise patience and tolerance towards each other. We all hurt each other from time to time and without realising it we get each other worked up, it’s an inevitable part of being in a relationship and community. But in the end we’re often better off together than we might be apart. We are all here to serve our own unique and divine purpose. Learning to live in harmony together will allow us to reach that point in the most comfortable way. The best relationship is not the one that brings together perfect people, but when each individual learns to live with the imperfections of others and can admire the other person's good qualities. So the next time the person next to you clicks his pen or chews his gum, remember just like you with your little 'faults' they are serving a greater cause, and patience will only make it easier. May you have an incredible week where patience and tolerance become your greatest tool in achieving successful relationships with those around you. Darren Zwiers The Quote: “In the practice of tolerance, one's enemy is the best teacher.” - Dalai Lama

The Wolves Within

The Wolves Within
(Author Unknown)

An old Grandfather, whose grandson came to him with anger at a schoolmate who had done him an injustice, said, "Let me tell you a story. I too, at times, have felt a great hate for those that have taken so much, with no sorrow for what they do. But hate wears you down, and does not hurt your enemy. It is like taking poison and wishing your enemy would die. I have struggled with these feelings many times." He continued, "It is as if there are two wolves inside me; one is good and does no harm. He lives in harmony with all around him and does not take offense when no offense was intended. He will only fight when it is right to do so, and in the right way." "But the other wolf, ah! He is full of anger. The littlest thing will set him into a fit of temper. He fights everyone, all the time, for no reason. He cannot think because his anger and hate are so great. It is hard to live with these two wolves inside me, for both of them try to dominate my spirit." The boy looked intently into his Grandfather's eye and asked, "Which one wins, Grandfather?"

The Grandfather solemnly said, "The one I feed."

The Message

Did you know that anger is an emotion, a state of mind that has no positive side? It's so destructive not only to yourself but to those around you, yet we express it and most of the time regret it. One of our greatest challenges that we face from day to day is to distance ourselves from anger. Yes yes we are all human and this is a massive battle of character, but it is so important to be aware of the signs of anger and to very quickly work out ways to control it, acting in the best way possible, by not causing harm to those around you. A person reacting on anger could never be taken seriously and can lose honour within seconds. Don't be that person! We are all required to create better environments for ourselves, our friends and family so please as you read this remember it and when anger arises within know that you are only taking away the most beautiful thing life has to offer, love. Keep feeding the right wolf and you will get to appreciate life with an abundance of kindness and tolerance.

May you have an awesome week!

Darren Zwiers

The Quote:

When you find peace within yourself, you become the kind of person who can live at peace with others.

The Final Exam

The Final Exam
(Author Unknown)

A professor stood before his class of 20 senior organic biology students, about to hand out the final exam. "I want to say that it's been a pleasure teaching you this semester. I know you've all worked extremely hard and many of you are off to medical school after summer. So that no one gets their GP messed up because they might have been celebrating a bit too much this week, anyone who would like to opt out of the final exam today will receive a "B" for the course." There was much rejoicing amongst the class as students got up, passed by the professor to thank him and sign out on his offer. As the last taker left the room, the professor looked out over the handful of remaining students and asked, "Any one else? This is your last chance." One final student rose up and took the offer. The professor closed the door and took attendance of those students remaining. "I'm glad to see you believe in yourself." he said. "You all have A's."

The Message

How often do we give up because its just too easy to quite or how often do we not even bother to take action in achieving the things we really want, because its just too difficult. The sad and hard truth is because you don't have enough belief in yourself. I know we all talk about this and I'm sure you've heard it before, but your greatest teammate in the world is you - your self belief system. The "A" students knew that they were better than just getting a "B" and were certainly willing to put it on the line to beat it because they had worked so hard for the exam. So too we should be with life, we know we can do better than just settle for half measures, because we work so hard at achieving our goals everyday. So believe in yourself, get the "A" you deserve and when 'quitting' becomes an easy option just keep pushing on!!

May you have an awesome week where you get the power to look within yourself and know you can overcome any obstacle in front of you.

Darren Zwiers

The Quote:

"When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on". - Franklin D. Roosevelt

The Cracked Pot

The Cracked Pot
(Author Unknown)

A water bearer in the east had two large pots, each hung on each end of a
pole which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in
 it, and while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion 
of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the master's house, 
the cracked pot arrived only half full. For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only
one and a half pots full of water to his master's house. Of course, the 
perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect to the end for 
which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own 
imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of 
what it had been made to do. After two years of what it perceived to be a
 bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream. "I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you." "Why?" asked the bearer. "What are you ashamed of?" "I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your master's house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don't get full value from your efforts," the pot said. The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in his compassion he said, "As we return to the master's house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path." Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it some. But at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because it had leaked out half its load, and so again it apologized to the bearer for its failure. The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of your path, but not on the other pot's side? That's because I have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back from the stream, you've watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master's table. Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house."

The Message

Each of us has our own unique flaws, but it’s the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding. Just like the pot never realised its unique abilities until shown, and how the water bearer utilised the pot's flaws to the goodness of its being. We too should be sensitive to our fellow man and of course ourselves. If you feel you have a weakness that holds you back, whatever it is don't let it pull you down, because the beauty is that flaw is 'speed tracking' your growth. A diamond was never created in its glorious state it had to be thoroughly polished to shine. The same is with your weaknesses, It needs to be worked on to become the most graceful thing in your life, and as with the water bearer's gentle kindness, he shows how important it is to take each person for what they are and to look for the good in them.

May you have an awesome week where strength is born from your weakness and that you have the eyes and heart to help others grow the same.

Darren Zwiers

The Quote:

“Our strength grows out of our weaknesses” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Put The Glass Down

Put The Glass Down
(Author Unknown)

A professor began his class by holding up a glass with some water in it. He held it up for all to see and asked the students, “How much do you think this glass weighs?” ‘50 gms!’.... ‘100 gms!’...... ‘125 gms’ ...... the students answered. “I really don’t know unless I weigh it,” said the professor, “but, my question is: What would happen if I held it up like this for a few minutes?” “Nothing” the students said. “Ok! What would happen if I held it up like this for an hour?” the professor asked. “Your arm would begin to ache,” said one of the students. “You’re right, now what would happen if I held it for a day?” “Your arm could go numb, you might have severe muscle stress and paralysis and have to go to hospital for sure!” ventured another student; and all the students laughed. “Very good. But during all this, did the weight of the glass change?” asked the professor. “No” the students said. “Then what caused the arm ache and the muscle stress?” The students were puzzled. “Put the glass down!” said one of the students. “Exactly!” said the professor. “Life’s problems are something like this. Hold it for a few minutes in your head and they seem okay. Think of them for a long time and they begin to ache. Hold it even longer and they begin to paralyze you. You will not be able to do anything.”

The Message

It’s important to think of the challenges (problems) in your life, but even more important is to know when to ‘put them down’ at the end of every day before you go to sleep. That way, you are not stressed, you wake up every day fresh and strong and can handle any issue, any challenge that comes your way! Don't let the weight of continuous worry bring you down. It is important to evaluate and process your challenges proactively but never hold onto them for too long.

May you have an incredible stress-free week!

Darren Zwiers

The Quote:

Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, it only saps today of its joy. ~Leo Buscaglia

Life Is The Coffee

Life Is The Coffee

(Author Unknown)

A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, got together to visit their old university professor. Conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life. Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups - porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite - telling them to help themselves to the coffee. When all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said: "If you noticed, all the nice looking expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress. Be assured that the cup itself adds no quality to the coffee. In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink. What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you consciously went for the best cups... And then you began eyeing each other's cups. 

The Message

Now consider that life is the coffee; the jobs, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain Life, and the type of cup we have does not define, nor change the quality of Life we live. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee which has been provided for us purely to enjoy" 

"The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything." 

Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly and enjoy the coffee ;)

 

May you have an awesome week!

Darren Zwiers

The Quote:

If you don't get everything you want, think of the things you don't get that you don't want. ~Oscar Wilde

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Carpenter

The Carpenter
(Author Unknown)

An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer/contractor of his plans to leave the house building business and live a more leisurely life with his wife enjoying his extended family. He would miss the pay cheque, but he needed to retire. They could get by. The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favour. The carpenter said yes, but in time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate
 way to end his career.
When the carpenter finished his work and the builder came to inspect the house, the contractor handed the front-door key to the carpenter. "This is your house," he said, "my gift to you." What a shock! What a shame! If he had only known he was building his own house, he would have done it all so differently. Now he had to live in the home he had built none too well.

The Message

So it is with us. We build our lives in a distracted way, reacting rather than acting, willing to put up less than the best. At important points we do not give the job our best effort. Then with a shock we look at the situation we have created and find that we are now living in the house we have built. If we had realised, we would have done it differently.
Think of yourself as the carpenter. Think about your house. Each day you hammer a nail, place a board, or erect a wall. Build wisely. It is the only life you will ever build. Even if you live it for only one day more, that day deserves to be lived graciously and with dignity. The plaque on the wall says, "Life is a do-it-yourself project."
Who could say it more clearly? Your life today is the result of your attitudes and choices in the past. Your life tomorrow will be the result of your attitudes and the choices you make today.
 

May you have an incredible week, where every brick you lay in the construction of life, is one of great commitment and dedication, making it all worth while.

Darren Zwiers

The Quote:
Whatever good things we build end up building us. - Jim Rohn

How Would You Like to Be Remembered

How Would You Like to Be Remembered

About a hundred years ago, a man looked at the morning newspaper and to his surprise and horror, read his name in the obituary column. The news papers had reported the death of the wrong person by mistake. His first response was shock. Am I here or there? When he regained his composure, his second thought was to find out what people had said about him. The obituary read, "Dynamite King Dies." And also "He was the merchant of death." This man was the inventor of dynamite and when he read the words "merchant of death," he asked himself a question, "Is this how I am going to be remembered?" He got in touch with his feelings and decided that this was not the way he wanted to be remembered. From that day on, he started working toward peace. His name was Alfred Nobel and he is remembered today by the great Nobel Prize.

This Weeks Message:

Just as Alfred Nobel got in touch with his feelings and redefined his values, we should step back and do the same. What is your legacy and how would you like to be remembered? An interesting exercise which I highly recommend doing is writing your own eulogy, it does seem strange and hard for some, but is such a powerful tool to identify how you would like to be remembered and to recognise if you are actually on the right path to being respected as you wish. We all want to leave foot prints of greatness yet so many of us are too busy with our everyday activities that we forget how important it is to keep building a strong character of goodness and love, so that we can be known and remembered for it. If you want to be spoken well of, then start living it today.

May you have an exceptionally awesome week, where life is enhanced by all the good things of who you are and what you want to be.
Darren Zwiers
 

This Weeks Quote:

Activate yourself to duty by remembering your position, who you are, and what you have obliged yourself to be. - Thomas Kempis

The Problem with Dandelions

The Problem with Dandelions

A man who took great pride in his lawn found himself with a large crop of dandelions. He tried every method he knew to get rid of them. Still they plagued him. Finally he wrote to the Department of Agriculture. He enumerated all the things he had tried and closed his letter with the question: "What shall I do now?" In due course, the reply came: "We suggest you learn to love them."

This Weeks Message:

This short story holds such a beautiful message on how we need to learn to love the things we cant change. Dandelions are pretty cool, but lets think of the things in our life that we always trying to change when we dont have the power or permission to, just because we want it 'our' way. Letting go of our egos and learning how to love these things will make life so much more enriching, It will give us the reward of patience and unconditional love and that is one of the greatest personality traits to master. Be patient and love more...more than you already do!

May you have an awesome week where you gain the knowledge to identify what you can or cant change and have the strength to make it work.
Darren Z

This Weeks Quote:

Nothing is more simple than greatness; indeed to be simple is to be great. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Your attitude will define your life

Your attitude will define your life

From "Man's Search For Meaning" (Viktor Frankl)
We who lived, in concentration camps can remember the men who walked through the huts comforting others, giving away their last piece of bread. They may have been few in number, but they offer sufficient proof that everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms — to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way. And there were always choices to make.

This Weeks Message:

This story is shorter than the usual but after reading it In Viktor Frankl's "Man's Search For Meaning" which I highly recommend, I couldn't miss the opportunity to share it with you.

Sometimes in our lives we encounter situations in which we really are helpless to enact change, but yet you are still in control because no matter what, you can always control your attitude towards life. You are equipped with the strength to alter your outlook on all challenges in front of you. It is so important to make that choice to look at life experiences as a beautiful space for growth and comfort. No matter where you are or what situation you are faced with you will always be okay because you have chosen to be positive and strive for the goodness in the moment.

May you have an amazing and positive week, where nothing can stop you from expressing the ultimate beauty from within.
Darren Z

This Weeks Quote:

"When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down 'happy.' They told me I didn't understand the assignment. I told them they didn't understand life." - unknown

A Monday Inspiration - Who Packed Your Parachute?

Who Packed Your Parachute
?


Charles Plumb, a US Naval Academy graduate, was a jet pilot in Vietnam. After 75 combat 
missions, his plane was destroyed by a surface-to-air missile. Plumb ejected and
 parachuted into enemy lands. He was captured and spent 6 years in a communist Vietnamese
prison. He survived the ordeal and now lectures on lessons learned from that experience.

 One day, when Plumb and his wife were sitting in a restaurant, a man at another table came 
up and said, "You're Plumb! You flew jet fighters in Vietnam from the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk.
 You were shot down!" "How in the world did you know that?" asked Plumb. "I packed your 
parachute," the man replied. 

Plumb gasped in surprise and gratitude. The man shook his hand and said, "I guess it
 worked!" Plumb assured him, "It sure did. If your chute hadn't worked, I wouldn't be here today." 

Plumb couldn't sleep that night, thinking about that man. Plumb says, "I kept wondering what
 he might have looked like in a Navy uniform: A white hat, a bib in the back, and bell bottom 
trousers. I wonder how many times I might have seen him and not even said 'good morning',
 'how are you' or anything because, you see, I was a fighter pilot, and he was just a sailor. "

Plumb thought of the many hours the sailor had spent on a long wooden table in the bowels of 
the ship, carefully weaving the shrouds and folding the silks of each chute, holding in his 
hands each time the fate of someone he didn't know.

My Message:

Who's packing your parachute? Sometimes in the daily challenges that life gives us, we miss what is really important. We may 
fail to say hello, please, or thank you, congratulate someone on something wonderful that has 
happened to them, give a compliment, or just do something nice for no reason. Everyone has someone who provides what they need to make it through the day. We all require the help of others to make our world a greater and easier place to live, in all aspects of life. Not just in our work, but with our families, our social circles and communities. It is so crucial to identify who these key people are in our lives, right down to the smallest contributor and to really go out your way to recognise them. As you
 go through this week, this month, this year... recognise the people who pack your parachute!

May you have an outrageously awesome week :)
Darren Zwiers

This Weeks Quote:
“Recognition is the greatest motivator.” - Gerard C. Eakedale

Don't Waste The Good Things

(Author Unknown
)A long time ago, there was an Emperor who told his horseman that if he could ride on his horse and cover as much land area as he likes, then the Emperor would give him the area of land he has covered. Sure enough, the horseman quickly jumped onto his horse and rode as fast as possible to cover as much land area as he could. He kept on riding and riding, whipping the horse to go as fast as possible. When he was hungry or tired, he did not stop because he wanted to cover as much area as possible. It came to a point when he had covered a substantial area and he was exhausted and was dying. Then he asked himself, "Why did I push myself so hard to cover so much land area? Now I am dying and I only need a very small area to bury myself."

My Message:

The above story is so similar with the journey of our Life. We push very hard everyday to make more money, to gain power and recognition. We neglect our health, time with our family and to appreciate the surrounding beauty and the hobbies we love.
One day when we look back, we will realise that we don't really need that much, but then we cannot turn back time for what we have missed. I was in the cemetery this week and thought a lot about life, how short it is and how much there is for us to accomplish. Lets not waste our lives always focusing on the things that give us instant physical pleasure, rather lets drown ourselves in the beauty of love, in the glory of giving, and lets heat ourselves in the fire of enthusiasm. Don't be that person who on their last few days in this world says; "I should of loved more and been a better person". You have the opportunity today to make your life awesome, don't waste it.

May you have an awesome week where you have the energy to maximise whats important to you.
Darren Zwiers

This Weeks Quote:

Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today. ~James Dean