dreams

Use sunscreen

peace

There is this beautiful image of two birds, sitting on a slender branch of a tree in winter


"Tell me the weight of a snowflake" - a coal-mouse asked a wild dove

"Nothing more than nothing" was the answer

"In that case, I must tell you a marvelous story" - the coal-mouse said

"I sat on the branch of a fir, close to its trunk, when it began to snow -not heavily, not in a raging blizzard- no, just like in a dream, without a wound and without any violence. Since I dit not have anything better to do, I counted the snowflakes settling on the twigs and needles of my branch. Their number was exactly 2,741,952. When the 3,741,953rd dropped onto the branch, nothing more than nothing, as you say -the branch broke off"

Having said that, the coal-mouse flew away.

The dove, since Noah's time an authority on the matter, thought about the story for awhile, and finally said to herself, "Perhaps there is only one person's voice lacking for peace to come to the world"

Three cups of tea

There are books worth recommending and being given to your beloved. Three cups of tea is at the top of my list

The donut theory

The one characteristic of great leaders and talented managers is to achieve great results, above average in their organizations. The impact of these results is given frequently in the form of donuts. And let me explain. We all know what a 'donut' is: a bun with a hole in the center and an outer round and mushy. The 'donut' is a way to express and find the balance and integration between what we do and what we could do or be: between duty and devotion.

In its internal part is our area of responsibilities and obligations. The set of duties to be fulfilled and which are set by the organization. This is what we are commanded and what is expected of us. Not complying this means failure. But to observe them does not necessarily mean success. Success is not the opposite nor reverse to failure.

The mushy area of donuts, the donut around the hole, contains our area of possibilities, freedom and opportunity. There are thousands of things in this area that are not commanded or forbidden. But here they are, paradoxically, the main keys to success and the contribution and impact on the organization and in our career. It's about taking initiative, take risks, identify opportunities and take advantage: no waiting for the angels to fly in front of us to hold them by the ankles, but get them. Nobody will punish or criticize us for not doing it, but we will not succeed unless we try.

In addition to dedication, commitment and tireless fighter morale, the talented director has many features that differentiate the merely excellent professional right: total surrender, action and risk improvement, perseverance and courage, ability to seize opportunities, leadership, and sense of enjoyment. All of them are not written or in your contract or job description. Not part of their duties and obligations, but what he could do, not because others demand it, but because it is demanded by himself.
The best and most exquisite essences and qualities that a professional can bring to an organization belong to what people will only give if they want. This can not be bought or sold but given away generously and comes from the bottom of the heart.

The times that we have delivered more excitement to a project and devoted to it without haggling of time and effort, and which have been significant milestones in our career and our life, didn’t have anything to do with the duties of our position and, much less to the wage. There were choices from the free exercise of our will, where we have applied our best talent, giving much more than what was asked, with total commitment, dedication and generosity, expecting nothing in return and satisfying the hunger of the spirit and our needs to exquisite development.

What matters is the journey not the arrival. The goal is the journey. This is what is in the mushy part of our rich and donuts.

By Jose Medina

Stop making up stories, and get out to succeed!

Genius feeds on rebelliousness, uniqueness, creativity, self-confidence, healthy self-esteem and on opening the wings. Not all dare to be great, some prefer to go for a mediocre life. The world seems to be mediocre. Maybe this phenomenon happens because many have enjoyed achieving success without effort. Why try your best to get a goal because it is bright, intelligent, committed ... if then the place is given to the 'silly' or 'ball' in office? I understand that many people have pointed to mediocrity without stopping to think about the price they pay. Fear, lack of bravery and courage make many people give up, and not persist in achieving their dreams or to live their lives in freedom and greatness.

Whether you work hard towards success or you take the elevator rapid rise to the top. You choose: genius or mediocrity. Winners always have a plan. The losers always have an excuse. I like the story about two shoe salesmen who were sent to Africa. When they arrived and saw that nobody was wearing shoes, one of them sent a fax saying: "Back home. Nothing to do. All barefoot. In contrast, the other said: "All barefoot. Great opportunity. Send thousands of shoes ...." The first chose not to lose out, and the second to go out and win. Different attitudes, different results.

Going out for victory is not the same as go for not lose. Who goes through life not going to lose, never wins. If you do not collect the expected results, analyze if you have a strategy. If you feel trapped in fear, neglection or victimization, if you lead your life, and you complain but do nothing, it is easy to see why mediocrity is installed in your home. The complaint should only take five minutes, and just to confirm what we have to face. Ergo, do something productive with the complaint. If you feel lacking of energy, if you think all take advantage of you, if you feel unable to assert your opinions, desires, values or work ... it is time to review the extent and style of engagement you have with you.

Are you willing to go out and win? If you don’t like what you are getting, check what and how you sow in your life. If showing your genius seems dangerous, do not complain. Do and say whatever the CoO (Club of the Ordinary) says, will be very easy to be member of the year. We chose. Nobody does anything that does not consent. It depends on you to have the cap of the mediocrity or the genius.

Lead your life. Do what fits your gifts and abilities. Saying that we have to work to earn our life and that is enough to have a job, leave it for the CoO. You put all your intention, purpose and work in what is your vocation or the mission of your soul without worrying if it is more or less rewarded and applauded in the CoO. Enjoy your life. Work at what you love. And if not, at least love whatever you are into. And build yourself a bridge to your destination. Stop telling stories, to succeed, you have to make your gifts shine.

By Rosetta Forner

Praan

This video and song, a huge source of vitamins

Bhulbona ar shohojete

Shei praan e mon uthbe mete

Mrittu majhe dhaka ache

je ontohin praan


Bojre tomar baje bashi

She ki shohoj gaan

Shei shurete jagbo ami


(Repeat 3X)


Shei jhor jeno shoi anonde

Chittobinar taare

Shotto-shundu dosh digonto

Nachao je jhonkare!


Bojre tomar baje bashi

She ki shohoj gaan

Shei shurete jagbo am

(English translation)


The same stream of life that runs through my veins night and day

runs through the world and dances in rhythmic measures


It is the same life that shoots in joy through the dust of the earth

in numberless blades of grassand breaks into tumultuous waves of leaves and flowers

It is the same life that is rocked in the ocean-cradle of birthand of death, in ebb and in flow


I feel my limbs are made glorious by the touch of this world of life

And my pride is from the life-throb of ages dancing in my blood this moment

59 seconds

Synchronicity. A friend told me about it and then on Friday I bumped into the book and I couldn't resist to buy it: 59 seconds by Richard Wiseman

Today I  regain something about emotional writing from the first chapter on Happiness:

To help incorporate effective writing techniques for your life, prepare a new kind of journal. Instead of recording the past, this journal encourages writing about subjects that help create a happier future. The paper should be completed 5 days a week, spending only a few minutes on each entry.

Monday: Give thanks. There are many things in your life for which to give thanks. These include friends, family, an apartment, your health, a job you love, the smile of a stranger, a big meal or a moment when you stood to smell the flowers. Think about the last week and write three of these things.

Tuesday. The time of your life. Think of one of the most wonderful experiences of your life. Perhaps a time when suddenly you felt happy or in love, heard amazing music, saw an incredible performance, and have it beautifully spent with friends. Choose only one experience and imagine it. Now spend a few moments to describe the experience and how you felt.

Wednesday. A fantastic future. Take some time to write about your life in the future. Imagine that everything went as best as possible. Be realistic, but imagine if you worked hard and have achieved your goals. Imagine that you have become the person you really want to be, and that your personal and professional life is a dream come true. While all this may not bring you closer to your goals, it may help you feel better and make you smile.

Thursday. Dear ... Think of someone in your life that is very important to you. It may be your partner, a close friend or relative. Imagine you only have one chance to tell that person how important it is for you. Now write a letter brief in which he describes how much you care and the impact it has had on your life.

Friday. Reviving the situation. Think about the last 7 days and take note of 3 things you have done very well. It may be trivial things, like finding parking, or more important, been offered a new job or a good opportunity.

I like the book, Wiseman sounds witty, critical and creative. Or, you can view it as simplistic, naive and empty it all depends on your perspective.

If you understand Spanish, I encourage you to have a look to Punset's interview  to Wiseman in Redes.

The absolute present

Today I read here a reflection on the absolute present that I loved, and I quote:

When you live in the absolute present, the past ceases to affect you... is present ... is absolute... nothing of what happened to me long ago will again happen to me with the same circumstances, contexts, characters, and so therefore ceases to affect me today, determine anything, frighten or slow any action.

Thinking that if I had done X, Y would have happened has no sense. Nor can I go back in time to redo the opportunity to decide, nor do I know the possibility that the outcome Y would have resulted from that decision.

I decided at that moment as best as I could with the skills and knowledge in the situation I had. 

And that is freedom, isn't it?

learning basics in the University?

I was happy to read the enormous success that Tal Ben-Shahar achieved in 2006. You can read more about it here: The most popular course at Harvard this semester teaches happiness

I think that the idea of teaching hapiness is interesting and I was wondering, if it is possible and demonstrated, as it is, that hapiness rarely depends on external stimuli, how is it that we don't get such education early in life?

Here Ben-Shahar's 6 tips to reach Happiness, they seem basic, easy, but do we really consider them?

1. Give yourself permission to be human. When we accept emotions — such as fear, sadness, or anxiety — as natural, we are more likely to overcome them. Rejecting our emotions, positive or negative, leads to frustration and unhappiness.
2. Happiness lies at the intersection between pleasure and meaning. Whether at work or at home, the goal is to engage in activities that are both personally significant and enjoyable. When this is not feasible, make sure you have happiness boosters, moments throughout the week that provide you with both pleasure and meaning.
3. Keep in mind that happiness is mostly dependent on our state of mind, not on our status or the state of our bank account. Barring extreme circumstances, our level of well being is determined by what we choose to focus on (the full or the empty part of the glass) and by our interpretation of external events. For example, do we view failure as catastrophic, or do we see it as a learning opportunity?
4. Simplify! We are, generally, too busy, trying to squeeze in more and more activities into less and less time. Quantity influences quality, and we compromise on our happiness by trying to do too much.
5. Remember the mind-body connection. What we do — or don't do — with our bodies influences our mind. Regular exercise, adequate sleep, and healthy eating habits lead to both physical and mental health.
6. Express gratitude, whenever possible. We too often take our lives for granted. Learn to appreciate and savor the wonderful things in life, from people to food, from nature to a smile.

ideas worth spreading

Today I bring a suggestion for your favourites. TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) is a private nonprofit foundation devoted to what it calls "ideas worth spreading", widely known because its conferences and Talks of a various number of subjects.

I truly encourage curious to have a look at it, especially for those who look for inspiration

And I want to share today one of the latest videos (November 2009, India) with Sendhil Mullainathan, a must.

And I leave you with R. Buckminister Fuller quote: You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete (Thanks Art)

Validation

This is a video about aknowledging, about seeing people (truly SEEING people), and it is amazing how people is shocked by it.



Question is: do we really SEE the people around? Do we aknowledge them? Are we aware of the incredible value in it of doing so?

Languages of love

Today I pick up an idea that I found really interesting about love. The author of this book, Dr. Chapman noticed a pattern: everyone he had ever counseled had a love language, a primary way of expressing and interpreting love. He also discovered that, for whatever reason, people are usually drawn to those who speak a different love language than their own.

Of the countless ways we can show love to one another, five key categories, or five love languages, proved to be universal and comprehensive. We all identify primarily with one of the five love languages: Words of Affirmation, Quality Time, Receiving Gifts, Acts of Service, and Physical Touch.

The Five Love Languages has helped countless couples identify practical and powerful ways to express love, simply by using the appropriate love language. Many husbands and wives who had spent years struggling through marriages they thought were loveless, discovered one or both spouses had long been showing love through messages that werenít getting through. By recognizing their different love languages, they witnessed the rebirth of the love they thought had been gone for good.

Words of Affirmation
Actions don't always speak louder than words. If this is your love language, unsolicited compliments mean the world to you. Hearing the words, I love you, are important, hearing the reasons behind that love sends your spirits skyward. Insults can leave you shattered and are not easily forgotten.

Quality Time
In the vernacular of Quality Time, nothing says, I love you, like full, undivided attention. Being there for this type of person is critical, but really being there with the TV off, fork and knife down, and all chores and tasks on stand by makes your significant other feel truly special and loved. Distractions, postponed dates, or the failure to listen can be especially hurtful

Receiving Gifts
Don't mistake this love language for materialism; the receiver of gifts thrives on the love, thoughtfulness, and effort behind the gift. If you speak this language, the perfect gift or gesture shows that you are known, you are cared for, and you are prized above whatever was sacrificed to bring the gift to you. A missed birthday, anniversary, or a hasty, thoughtless gift would be disastrous so would the absence of everyday gestures

Acts of Service
Can vacuuming the floors really be an expression of love? Absolutely! Anything you do to ease the burden of responsibilities weighing on an Acts of Service person will speak volumes. The words he or she most want to hear: Let me do that for you. Laziness, broken commitments, and making more work for them tell speakers of this language their feelings don't matter

Physical Touch
This language isn't all about the bedroom. A person whose primary language is Physical Touch is, not surprisingly, very touchy. Hugs, pats on the back, holding hands, and thoughtful touches on the arm, shoulder, or face, they can all be ways to show excitement, concern, care, and love. Physical presence and accessibility are crucial, while neglect or abuse can be unforgivable and destructive

Which is your love language? Do you see the gap when expressing love?

Saint Valentine

I don't believe in Saint Valentine, but still today, like any other day, is a great opportunity to say to those we love that we do

I picked up two scenes I love from cinema and TV

Seen in Brothers and Sisters, Kevin and Scotty



And the second one with this beautiful poem, was taken from Four Weddings and a Funeral and was seen here

W.H. AUDEN

Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,
Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,
Silence the pianos and with muffled drum
Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.

Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead
Scribbling on the sky the message He Is Dead,
Put crepe bows round the white necks of the public doves,
Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves.

He was my North, my South, my East and West,
My working week and my Sunday rest,
My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;
I thought that love would last for ever: I was wrong.

The stars are not wanted now: put out every one;
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun;
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood.
For nothing now can ever come to any good.

And the question is: what makes it so difficult to express love?

Invictus

It may be obvious to speak about Mandela now, but I am moved, and it really worths sharing.


And I love when he says:

How do we inspire ourselves to greatness when nothing less will do? How do we inspire those around us?”



INVICTUS

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menac of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll.
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.