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