What's Behind A Word

A blind boy sat on the steps of a building with a hat by his feet. He held up a sign which said: "I am blind, please help." There were only a few coins in the hat. A man was walking by and took a few coins from his pocket and dropped them into the hat. He then took the sign, turned it around and wrote some words. He put the sign back so that everyone who walked by would see the new words. Soon the hat began to fill up. A lot more people were giving money to the blind boy. That afternoon the man who had changed the sign came to see how things were. The boy recognized his footsteps and asked, "Were you the one who changed my sign this morning? What did you write?" The man said, "I only wrote the truth. I said what you said but in a different way." What he had written was: "Today is a beautiful day and I cannot see it."

Reflection

Words are certainly the most common use of communication among humans today; the amount of ideas and thoughts that we all express verbally or are expressed to us verbally on a daily basis is astounding. Behind all these words  reveal a hidden meaning; the intentions, the feelings, the emotions, the tones and overtones, the vibrations that they carry. With this in mind, it's surprising how little attention we pay to the words we use every day. What's even more fascinating (and we all guilty of this) is how quickly we can draw up our own conclusions simply because of how we are feeling at that exact point or the mindset we in. How often has someone suggested something innocent to you and you barked back at them, then later regretting how you responded.

The more we clear ourselves of negative energy, the more sensitive we can become to the subtleties behind the words we hear and speak everyday. Entering a conversation or discussion with a positive attitude will change the outcome of what's been spoken dramatically and will also strengthen the relationship to whom you are engaging with.

May you have an awesome week!
- Darren Zwiers

"Think twice before you speak, because your words and influence will plant the seed of either success or failure in the mind of another" - Napoleon Hill.

Toss Some Rocks

A lecturer at a university is giving a pre-exam lecture on time management. On his desk is a bag of sand, a bag of pebbles, some big rocks and bucket. He asks for a volunteer to put all three grades of stone into the bucket. A keen student duly steps up to carry out the task, starting with the sand, then the pebbles, then the rocks, which do not all fit in the bucket. “This is an analogy of poor time management,” trills the lecturer, “If you’d have put the rocks in first, then the pebbles, then the sand, all three would have fit. This is much like time management, in that by completing your biggest tasks first, you leave room to complete your medium tasks, then your smaller ones. By completing your smallest tasks first you spend so much time on them you leave yourself unable to complete either medium of large tasks satisfactorily. Let me show you..” And the lecturer re-fills the bucket, big rocks first, then pebbles, then sand, shaking the bucket between each so that
everything fits.

Reflection

We can all agree that we live in a very fast pace world, if we cannot manage our time, it will manage us and nobody wants to run into that downward spiral. We've heard the famous saying "time is money" but time is far more precious than money… it is priceless and fleeting. If we cannot manage our time effectively, we will loose a whole lot more than just money. We can miss out on our goals, our precious family moments and of course the opportunities that life has on offer for us. Time management is a crucial aspect in our lives and must be taken seriously. It is important to plan and prioritise our activities, to set realistic deadlines for the things we want to achieve. If we allow sand and water issues to fill up our day, then we won’t have anything left to fit in the big important tasks. Of course things 'come up' and we have to redirect our focus from time to time, but having a solid plan of our allocated time will allow us to keep on track achieving the larger, greater
things in life.

This isn't as simple as it sounds, so in the next week or so, take a few minutes in the morning to plan your time, not just at work, but in your personal life too. Allocate your big to small tasks and never put off until later what you can do right now!

May you have an awesome accomplished week!
- Darren Zwiers

"Until we can manage TIME, we can manage nothing else"   Peter Drucker. 

"Do not wait; the time will never be 'just right.' Start where you stand, and work with whatever tools you may have at your command, and better tools will be found as you go along" Napoleon Hill.

The Blind Leading The Blind

A blind man had been waiting a while at a busy road for someone to offer to guide him across, when he felt a tap on his shoulder. "Excuse me," said the tapper, "I'm blind. Would you mind guiding me across the road?" The first blind man took the arm of the second blind man, and they both crossed the road. Apparently this is a true story. The first blind man was the famous jazz pianist George Shearing. He is quoted as saying after the event, "What could I do? I took him across and it was the biggest thrill of my life."

Reflection

We are all born with a unique set of capabilities, but unfortunately we handicap ourselves towards them by hiding behind a lack of self-confidence, self-awareness or even an unnecessary complex. We tend to believe that we cannot do certain things and this prevents us from taking take risks that open the door to new and exciting opportunities. By taking the next, sometimes scary, step we get to learn astonishing things about ourselves as we get to discover our hidden abilities. Recognising these "hidden" abilities are what makes life worth living for, it's the "thrill" as in the story above. They direct us to a new higher understanding of our self… So the next time you're in a predicament of "can I, should I, would I be able to," just do it and you will be amazed at how much power you have contained inside you. Every single human being, regardless of race, sex or spiritual belief, has the incredible capacity to accomplish far beyond what they think their limits are… they just need to cross the road ;)

May you have an awesome week, where the things you thought were impossible are now brand new additions to your experience bank.
- Darren Zwiers

"...there is something you must always remember. You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think... - Winnie The Pooh (A.A Milne)

Quiet Time

There once was a farmer who discovered that he had lost his watch in the barn. It was no ordinary watch because it had sentimental value for him. After searching high and low among the hay for a long time; he gave up and enlisted the help of a group of children playing outside the barn. He promised them that the person who found it would be rewarded. Hearing this, the children hurried inside the barn, went through and around the entire stack of hay but still could not find the watch. Just when the farmer was about to give up looking for his watch, a little boy went up to him and asked to be given another chance. The farmer looked at him and thought “Why not? After all, this kid looks sincere enough.” So the farmer sent the little boy back in the barn alone. After a while, the little boy came out with the watch in his hand! The farmer was both happy and surprised and so he asked the boy how he succeeded where the rest had failed. The boy replied “I did nothing but sit on the
ground and listen. Amidst the silence, I heard the ticking of the watch and gently moved it in that direction.”

Reflection

I love this story, as it has such a powerful message to learn. A peaceful mind is essential for our effectiveness in handling life. It keeps us calm no matter what the situation is. It allows us to always stay rational and positive. A peaceful mind can think far better than a worked up mind. It can find solutions much faster and will keep you focused on what is important. We cannot immediately escape from turbulent situations in life, but we are all faced with the same choice; either we can panic and jump to conclusions or we can be calm and logical. It's true that the outcome of every situation all depends on the mindset of the person being challenged. When things get extremely chaotic, when you feel overwhelmed or in a state of panic… Stop, be silent, listen to your intuition and it will lead you in the right direction. This, of course, is a practice and you should exercise your mind regularly. I would suggest a few minutes of silence in your mind every day, and you will see how effectively it can assist you through life with absolute ease and clarity.

Have a peaceful week, where harmony is your minds greatest weapon. - Darren Zwiers

"To enjoy good health, to bring true happiness to one's family, to bring peace to all, one must first discipline and control one's own mind. If a man can control his mind he can find the way to Enlightenment, and all wisdom and virtue will naturally come to him" - Buddha.

A Tail of Happiness

Once there was this kitten that was chasing its tail. It just chased it and chased. An older, wiser cat came along and he watched this kitten. The cat watched the kitten for a long time. Then he asked the kitten, "Kitten, why do you chase your tail?" The kitten replied, "Because I will find happiness in my tail." The old cat watched for a time longer then he said, "I, too, use to chase my tail because I thought I would find happiness there. But I realised that I didn't need to chase my tail for wherever I went it seemed to follow." And the old cat got up and walked away with his tail whishing behind.


Reflection

No one can expect to be happy 24/7, yet it seems the pursuit of happiness has become a total preoccupation. It's just not possible to live in a state of utopia, where happiness is an everyday constant. It's true that so many people chase happiness so much that it actually becomes artificial. Happiness can't be something you chase, it is the result of things you do and posses in your life. So instead of being on this 'pursuit' of happiness, rather focus on your family, your friends, focus on the needs of others and your work. Be grateful for all these things in your life. Do the very best you can with all the things you posses and I can assure you happiness will follow you.

Have an Awesome week,
Darren Zwiers

Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions - Dalai Lama.

Goodness Within

There was a father who had three sons and a magic ring. This magic ring had the power to bestow the gifts of kindness, generosity and grace to the one who possessed it. The father had used it well his entire life. Eventually, however, the time came when the father knew he was dying. Unwilling to give the magic ring to only one of his sons, he sent the ring to a jeweler and asked that two other identical rings be made. Afterwards, he called his sons together and told them “I have loved you my entire life and now I must pass along to you my most cherished possession. I give each of you a magic ring. These rings will bestow kindness, generosity and grace. Use the rings well, that you may have a long life and prosper with God’s help.”

Now, after the father died, the sons believed that only one of them actually had the magic ring. They began to argue and complain. Each believed that another brother had the magic ring. Eventually they took the rings to a judge and demanded “tell us which of these is the magic ring!” The judge answered “it is impossible to tell by looking at the rings. I would suggest we wait and watch to see who lives the most virtuous life like your father. The one who lives well will be the one who, obviously, possesses the magic ring.”

Each of the brothers agreed to this idea. And each of the brothers lived as if he possessed the magic ring. From that day forward, each of the brothers was filled with goodness, thoughtfulness, and honesty.

Reflection

We can never hold a symbol, item or relic in our hands and say that it will bring us more love and happiness. Kindness, thoughtfulness and generosity all come from the heart and is manifested by the way we live. We can remind ourselves of items that resemble these virtues but it is impossible for them to orchestrate the way we respond to the world and the people around us. Goodness comes from within you, so rather than focusing on how to find these virtues, focus on how you can use the abundance of greatness already given to you. We spend a lot of our time with our noses in self-development books, we go to lectures to hear how to become a better person, now I'm certainly not saying these are bad, they crucial to your growth, what I am suggesting is to stay focused on what's inside of YOU, focus on what you already posses. You have an innate kindness that's always ready to express itself. An awesome life is not about the possessions we hold in our hands, but rather our attributes we hold in our hearts.

Have an Awesome week,
Darren Zwiers

"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart." ~ Helen Keller 

Words In The Wind

A man badly insulted his neighbour. Realising his mistake, he went to his teacher to ask how he can get forgiveness. The teacher told him to take a bag of feathers and drop them in the centre of town. The man did as he was told. Then the teacher asked him to go and collect all the feathers and put them back in the bag. The man tried but couldn't as the feathers had all blown away. When he returned with the empty bag, the teacher said, "The same thing is true about your words. You dropped them rather easily but you cannot retrieve them, so be very careful in choosing your words."

Reflection

So often we don't take our words seriously. We shoot our mouths off without even realising the harm we are causing. Words can make someone smile, giggle, laugh and cry. They can build someone up, or tear them down. The truth is that you can never ever get these words back again. They are forever. It's time to pay attention to our words, it's time to change our negative speech into a language of positivity, encouragement and meaning. Words aren't just a mundane everyday thing we use. They hold a far greater power than you could ever imagine and they will last for generations to come. You remember the saying “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never harm me”? Well words can definitely harm someone, far worse than broken bones. Make sure the words you choose are always thoughtful and considerate. People who use caring language are always highly respected. There is no denying that... Be one of those people.

Have an Awesome week,

Darren Zwiers

“Kind words can be short and easy to speak but their echoes are endless.” – Mother Theresa