The wind leaves a mark on the rocks that it passes over. It gives them shape and form. A tire leaves tracks on the ground it rolls over. The passing sun makes an impression on the world that passes below it. It marks the earth with both heat and shade. The people we meet shape us like the wind; they leave impressions and they mark us with both their love and their hate.

People leave footprints on our hearts. We remember the first time we were hugged, the first time we were scolded, the first time we fell in love and the first time we fought; each memory a different print left by a different person. These memories are what define who we are. They are the lens through which we see the world. It is the memory of getting burnt that reminds us to stay away from fire.

If any of these experiences were to change, we would not be the people we are today. If we had been scolded instead of hugged, if we had been rewarded instead of punished on any occasion; the lessons we took away from that moment would have been very different. Consequently we would be very different.

Some of these prints are seared into us. Feelings we will never forget. Others are like footprints in the sand. The tides of time wash them away. It is important to hold on to these memories, and more importantly, the feelings associated with these memories. It is only when we forget our childhood experiences that we truly become old.

The secret to eternal youth is not in the discovery of some obscure fountain. Eternal youth lies in the heart that has not lost the prints of its childhood feet.

A bird always knows when it’s time for the young to leave the nest. If you get too close to a beehive the bees will sting you, even if you don’t mean them any harm. There are some things that we do without even thinking about doing them.

Breathing is one such activity. The Planets revolve around the sun and trees grow. They “do” these things without really “doing” them.

This is known as Wu Wei, which means natural action. Knowing when (and how) to act is not about thinking “now” is the right time to do “this”. It is about simply doing, doing the natural thing. The aim of Wu Wei is to achieve a state of perfect equilibrium. A state where you always know what you need to do.

The literal meaning of Wu Wei is “without action” and is often included in the paradox wei wu wei: “action without action”. An example of active non-action using wu wei would be to teach in such a way that no course of action is dictated to a student (they are just told raw facts for use and left to their own creative devices), so they assume that they have been taught nothing, that is, until all they have learnt has been integrated in their lived experience.

I think the comic book summarization Zen Speaks says it best “A good teacher teaches the student that they already know the answer.”

When we choose to do an action, we are interfering with the natural way. Whenever we have to think about what needs to be done, we are thinking about manmade superficial matters. In any natural situation we just ‘know’ what to do. So, by reducing the number of things we have to think about doing, we reduce our interference with the natural order of things.

We have gotten so used to getting our own way. We have gotten so used to shortcuts, to things being easy, that I can’t help but wonder, have we all become spoiled brats?

When we are driving on the roads, we won’t give the soccer mom room to cut into the lane. We blast past student drivers even if they are nervous. When was the last time you let a senior citizen cut ahead when standing in line?

Do you remember the last time you yelled? The last time you made a snide or sarcastic comment? Of course you do. You are snippy with the hostess if she won’t give you a table. The fact that she is just doing her job is irrelevant.

We want things and we want them now. We get agitated and frustrated if things take longer than they are supposed to. We don’t care about the fact that the weather is bad. We want to get on that flight. We have to get to our vacation.

We can go along with anything, as long as it’s done our way. We will go out of our way to make things happen the way we want them to. We will lie, cheat, use tricks and whatever else is required.

The following are the characteristics of a spoiled child, lack of consideration for other people, recurrent temper tantrums, and an inability to handle the delay of gratification, demands for having one’s own way, and manipulation.
We seem to have forgotten that the generations that came before us survived on much less. Not only did they survive, they thrived. They didn’t have lightning fast internet connections, they didn’t have touch phones, or even a washing machine. They were fine. So, what’s wrong with us? When did we get so spoiled?

Think of all those times when you were in trouble and you leaned on a friend. I’m talking about the hundreds of people we meet, and share a bond with. They may not be very close to us, but they still lend a helping hand. These are the people you laugh with at a party, the ones who gossip behind your back and the ones who tease you when you act like a fool. Of course you always return the favor.

You don’t need to have an exceptionally intimate bond with someone, for them to connect with you. We connect with people the second we meet them. We feel their pain and they feel ours. We do not know their history, their hopes and dreams, and still we care. Some call these people acquaintances. But I think they’re wrong, these are your friends.

Then, there are the people you trust with your lives. The one’s who’ve always been there. You know them; the good, the bad, the ugly and everything in between. Are these your friends? No. They’re not just your friends; they are so much more than that.

They say, friends are the family we choose for ourselves. The best of our experiences are experiences we shared with a friend. The most vivid of our memories are the memories that are connected to friends. What would we do without them? We love them, we hate them and we can’t live without them.

Friends are what make life worth living. Wouldn’t it be great to have a friend at work too? You can’t hope to make a ‘friend’ if you don’t act like a ‘friend’ yourself. Be it business or pleasure, always remember, friendship comes first. Today is friendships day, so honor your friends, your foes and the world ambassador for friendship, honor, Winnie the Pooh.

When we are born we don’t have too many thoughts. We think about things like, we’re hungry, we’re thirsty, we’re sleepy and so on. We don’t know too much about anything. We don’t have opinions about anything. As we grow up we learn things. We learn that it is good to share. It’s not good to hit people. We learn that people can be mean and that mom’s, though not always right, will always love you.

Most of what we learn is good, but sometimes, in the process of growing up, we pick up some ideas that are not so good. Some people are taught that they should always think of themselves first, that it’s okay to kill an animal for sport and that, boys don’t cry. We are all made up of our ideas and our beliefs. I propose that, ‘You are what you think’.

How many of us take the time to question our beliefs? You may have an opinion about something, but have you ever thought about whether or not that opinion is yours? Are you a vegetarian because you don’t believe in killing animals, or because that is how you were raised? Do you hate a particular place because you hate it, or because that’s what you heard from the people around you?

I know so many people who believe in something but have no idea why they believe in it. They don’t even know when they started believing in it. Some beliefs can be dangerous. No person is born evil. So many crimes are committed in the name of personal beliefs.

If people took the time to examine their core opinions, maybe we would live in a world without war, hate crimes or racism, a world in which boys could cry.

When we see two people together, smiling, laughing and holding hands, we assume they are a happy couple. When we see a woman crying, we assume she has had her heart broken. We do not think of the pain behind the smiles; we do not think of the fact that the hand holding may be for show; we do not think that the tears may be of joy. We like to think we know the world around us; we like to think that the world is exactly how we think it is. We do not realize that our thoughts are our own. The world around us is the way it is, because we think of it, in that way.

We all think in set ways. We like to put things in boxes, black and white. Good and evil. The problem is that anyone who’s been on this planet for more than a decade, knows that the world is full of shades of grey. So what do we do when things don’t fit into neat little boxes? We either force them to fit or we ignore them. We turn to denial.

All of us live lives in boxes. We set parameters for the world around us and make everything fall into its own category. If someone is rude, they are bad people. If you get fired, it’s the end of the world. We need to realize that sometimes, to make things better, all we need to do is, step out of our box. All we need to do is, have a fresh outlook. We need to shake things up. If they are rude, they have had a bad day. Got fired? It’s a chance to do something new!

You’re sitting in front of the T.V watching the news. You hear the breaking story. They’re discussing Michael Jackson’s death and of course you’re discussing it with them. But since you’re talking to the T.V, no one can hear what you’re saying. If only there was a way for you to talk to the world so that everyone could hear your opinion. Wait a minute, there is! It’s called social media. Blogging, Tweeting and Face-booking have converted people from content readers into content publishers. Now everyone can share their thoughts and make a difference simply by speaking out and being heard.

Curiosity is a part of human nature. We always want to know. We want to know what the concert was like, what the people in another country are like, what it’s like to live in a tree, the list is endless. If we can’t experience these things personally, who better to hear about them, than from people who are experiencing them right now? Gone are the times when stories of exotic lands were told by reporters sitting in front of a blue screen, who had probably never seen these lands even on a map. Today you can hear about them from people born on the land. All thanks to the wonders that the internet and social media have brought about.

Social media has become popular because it allows people to connect in the online world to form relationships for personal, political and business use. Businesses also refer to social media as user-generated content (UGC) or consumer-generated media (CGM). With so many people logged in. The internet is the perfect place for businesses to reach a virtually unlimited demographic. The difference between success and failure can now be a well timed tweet. Social media is the new voice of the people, and everybody’s talking.

It is a well known fact that moth’s are attracted to light. What is it that draws these creatures to any form of luminescence, even if it means fiery annihilation? It is the warmth and the security offered by the flame that pulls a moth to it. If the things that you want are moths, then you need to be the flame. By thinking about the things that you want and believing that you have them, you can attract the things you want into your life.

The power of your mind can bring about profound changes in the world around you. By thinking positively you can affect the fabric of the universe, and attract the things you want into your life. All you need to do is imagine that you already posses the things that you desire and this will pull them towards you. After all ‘nirvana’ is only found by those who seek it. If you want something you have to believe that you will get it and then work towards fulfilling your desires. You cannot win a battle if you think you’ve already lost. It is the belief in victory that helps you attain it. So it’s time that you became the shining light that will illuminate your life and bring to you all that you desire. Always remember that just like you are what you eat, your life is what you think. So it’s up to you to make sure that your thoughts reflect the life you want. There is no limit to the things you can accomplish simply by believing that they are already accomplished. As my favorite quote from one of my favorite movie goes, ‘When its dark all you need to do, is turn on the light!’

Say there were two men, well educated, hard working and ambitious. They both aim to become millionaires and hence throw themselves into their work. Then one day one man wins a 10 million dollar lottery, and another earns 5 million in a corporate deal. Technically they both achieved their ambition, but only one of them is considered successful. You don’t need three chances to figure out who that is. The man who earned his money is considered to be successful and the man who won the lottery is considered to be lucky. An argument can be made that the first man made a conscious decision to enter the lottery being fully aware of the odds. He took a gamble and it paid off. Then why is he considered lucky and not successful in achieving his ambition? This is because he lacked one key factor that determines success; ‘Intent’.

If you never intended to pick the apple, should you be credited with the success of picking it, just because it fell at your feet? This is what happens with most business organizations. Businessmen put in a lot of effort and energy into the business during establishment. This creates momentum and leads to the business garnering immediate success. The natural inertia of an organization in its market leads to continued success. Businessmen often get confused and end up thinking that these successes are due to their efforts. They end up running the business instead of growing the business.

We must always keep in mind that we can only be considered successful if we intended to be so. Always take time to evaluate your intentions. This will give you a better chance of figuring out the best way of fulfilling those intents. Without intent you would be like a ship sailing without a destination, sailing only by the whims of the wind.

Open your mind to infinite possibilities with the Law of Attraction. The universe is infinite, and you are part of the universe! You have the ability to shape the reality of your life through your thoughts alone. The Law of Attraction posits that all our thoughts, emotions, and beliefs dictate the way we behave. As such, we are either positive or negative in our outlook. Thus, we will attract either positive or negative experiences, because like attract like on the spiritual plane. This is harmony, and the universe resonates on harmonious vibrations.

Open your mind to the high potency of positive affirmations. Even quantum physics teaches us that our thought patterns attract similar energy. If you turn your attention to what you do not have, you’ll continue to perpetuate what you are lacking. Why? Because you are focusing on a negative. You need to focus on a positive by turning your desire into a positive. By opening your mind to the Law of Attraction and believing that you already have that which you desire, you will manifest your dreams on the physical plane.

By believing in infinite possibilities with the Law of Attraction, you have to keep positive thoughts and surround yourself with positive people. Have you noticed being around negative people leaves you feeling drained and negative? Conversely, when you’re around bubbly and positive people, you can’t help but feel happy and in a much better mood. Thoughts and energy are the same way. Negative energy will cluster around other negatives. Positive energy gravitates toward other positives. Let those “other positives” be you. Be a positive to effect change in your life and be open to the infinite possibilities with the Law of Attraction. Take the first step: Believe!