The Final Exam

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."

My Reflection:

I love this story because it reminds us of how quick we are to sell ourselves short when we have what it takes to become great individuals. It’s also frightening to see how so many of us will settle with second best just because its easy or requires less effort. We should always live our lives with champions attitude. If you want to truly believe in yourself and become a successful person then you are going to have to face your self-doubts and be ready to take care of it… This isn’t a simple task but a first step will be to adopt a positive attitude. Eg. if you start wondering, “What if I fail?” you can respond by saying, “Then I’ll just try again.” or Instead of telling yourself, “I could never do X,” say, “I can’t do X yet. But I’m working on it.” This simple mindset will transform a negative situation into an opportunity for personal growth and in turn will give yourself a fighting chance to reach high levels of personal satisfaction.

Never forget that you are always more capable and worthy than you give yourself credit for, so what are you waiting for… Go for gold!

May you have an awesome week.
Darren Zwiers

“Don't be afraid to be amazing.”- Andy Offutt Irwin

Three Wishes

A sales rep, an administration clerk and the manager are walking to lunch when they found an antique oil lamp. They rubbed it and a Genie came out in a puff of smoke. The Genie said, "I usually only grant three wishes, so I'll give each of you just one." "Me first! Me first!" says the admin clerk. "I want to be in the Bahamas, driving a speedboat, without a care in the world." Poof! She's gone. In astonishment, "Me next! Me next!" says the sales rep. "I want to be in Hawaii, relaxing on the beach with my personal masseuse, an endless supply of Pina Coladas and the love of my life." Poof! He's gone. "OK, you're up," the Genie says to the manager. The manager says, "I want those two back in the office after lunch."

My Reflection:

Growing up my dad always used to tell me to be careful what you set your heart upon as it will be yours. This sounds great because we all wish for big and mighty things, but sometimes the things we wish for aren’t good for our personal growth let alone our lifestyles and when we get it, it's not what we really expected. A good lesson is to stop wishing for specific things and rather wish for quality of life, like harmony, peace and stability. Wishing for meaning guarantees reward as you are pursuing a satisfying experience one that will enhance the quality of your life.

I wish you an awesome week :) A week where you can look at what you’re trying to manifest with fresh eyes – and yes, ‘be careful what you wish for’, as it may not be what it seems.

Darren Zwiers

“The wise man in the storm prays to God, not for safety from danger, but for the deliverance from fear.” — Emerson

Greatest Hitter

A little boy put on his baseball uniform and went outside to play, chanting "I'm the best baseball hitter in the world!" He throws the ball in the air, swings and misses. Strike one! He adjusts his hat and says, "I'm the greatest baseball hitter in the world!" He throws the ball in the air, swings and misses. Strike two! He adjusts his hat a little more, takes a couple of practice swings and says, "I'm the best baseball hitter in the world!" Once more, he throws the ball in the air, swings and misses again. Strike three! He puts his head down, thinks for a few moments about what just happened, then jumps and says, "I'm the best pitcher in the world!"

My Reflection: 

If we only focus on the the negative aspects of a situation we will certainly miss out on the opportunity that lies just beyond it. It’s time to stop thinking about what is happening to you and to start focusing on what you can achieve in any given situation. A negative outlook won’t get you anywhere. Being optimistic on the other hand will take you places you have dreamed about. Living life to the fullest involves taking risks every day, and while not all of them end the way you want them to, it is in your control to adjust your outlook on the end result… It's not about what happens to you, it's about how you react to what happens and having a clear optimistic mind, you will be the best at what ever you set out to achieve!

I wish you a positive week ahead, where every situation presents itself optimistically in your mind!
Darren Zwiers

“Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened.”  ― Dr. Seuss