Minoo 2.0

What gives me hope?

The fact that alternate ways of living can be just as satisfying. So we never need to think – “I can’t give this or that up.” or “How am I going to live without all of this?” 

That’s what gives me hope.

What gives me hope?

The fact that in every age, there have been, besides men and women hellbent on pursuing fame, fortune, power and goods, there have been other human beings who have dedicated themselves to the spirit of inquiry, or when told, “this is how it’s done” have said “Oh really!”

That’s what gives me hope.

What gives me hope?

That for every movement in the direction of excessive puffery, vanity, or fussiness, there has been a counter movement in the direction of simplicity.

That’s what gives me hope.

What gives me hope?

That finding peace may be as simple as accepting change.

That’s what gives me hope.

What gives me hope?

The fact there is a Minoo 2.0.  One, who after successfully dealing with her anger issues, went on to live and write about how to become a low maintenance person in this post. 

That’s what gives me hope.

Hope is a question of confronting your cynicism, taming your demons, looking for the light, and reflecting on what matters.

So cheers to more people hopping on to the hope bandwagon - where there’s always room for one more.…M…..a Pearl Seeker like you.

 
As always, thanks for reading and have a great day.

P.S. Thanks to Don Swart of White Hat Security for giving me the idea of calling the new improved moi, "Minoo 2.0.". Quite apropos for these times!

What Gives Me Hope (2)

Link to Site From Which Picture Was Taken

When after few hits and some big misses, and a lot of lessons learned - as listed in this post and this post and this post, I  found my way in investing.

                                 

When I look at all the folks who have never let anything come between them and a fulfilling life.

                                 

When I discover that my lack of a college education, while it has closed some doors to me, has opened others.                                

When I discover that prospects for a job are only a book away.

When I think back on the personal challenges I have put behind me.

When I discover that being less anxious and feeling more connected is just a meditation technique away.

When I think back on the fact that I changed careers, changed my diet, changed in temperament – so I need never fear about being stuck, as I narrate in my post The Path To Change.

When I discover that the solution to something is just a conversation or an internet search away.

When I understand that the most embarrassing moments become funny in recollection.

When I understand that changing some lifestyle habits is just a friend away.

When I think about the fact that the most enchanting thing passed on in families are traditions such as this one rather than money.

                          

I've discovered that hope is just a matter of thinking back on all the anxious, challenging, tough, embarrassing, frustrating moments and events you’ve survived, counting your blessings, reflecting on what matters, and appreciating the ride. So thanks for reading and cheers to both you and I being ever hopeful, ever reflective, and being ever able to appreciate the ride……M…..a Pearl Seeker like you.

What Gives Me Hope?

Picture taken from Public Domain Pictures.Net

What gives me hope?

Knowledge is advancing.

From the Higgs Boson… to the mapping of the Human Genome… to life-saving Medical Breakthroughs... to Advances in Robotics… to Mobile technologies… to Social Media…to software breakthroughs …… knowledge is advancing.

That gives me hope.

What gives me hope?

Health means more than doctors.

From eating a balanced diet….to exercising regularly…..to making sure we get enough sleep and relaxation…..to paying more attention to the impact of our lifestyle choices on the illnesses we are susceptible to ….health has come to mean more than running to doctors for tests and prescriptions.

That gives me hope.

What gives me hope?

Fairness is winning over tradition.

Whether it is woman’s rights, or kid’s rights, or gay rights, rights of minorities and disadvantaged populations, or animal rights, fairness is winning over tradition.

That gives me hope.

 

What gives me hope?

New spiritual leaders have emerged.

From Mahatria (thanks Aarati), Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in the East.....to Eckhart Tolle, Allan Watts, Chuck Swindoll, John C Maxwell, Wayne Dwyer, Deepak Chopra in the West, new spiritual leaders have emerged.

That gives me hope.

 

What gives me hope?

Personal change is alive and well.

Whether it’s the amazing story of Chuck Colson and his founding of Prison Fellowship after being sent to jail for his participation in the Watergate scandal, or the hope-inspiring story of Travel Channel’s Andrew Zimmern’s recovery from addiction, or the story of Alferd Williams who learned to read at age 70, personal change is alive and well.

That gives me hope.

 

Hope is essential to life.  The student hopes to learn and to graduate with flying colors.  Young adults hope to succeed in all areas of life, even the areas in which their parents didn’t. The bride and groom going up the altar hope for a long and happy married life. The musician hopes to enthrall his audiences.  The writer hopes to inform, to persuade, to motivate or to delight his readers. The speaker hopes to be heard and remembered. The entrepreneur hopes his company will survive and thrive. The reformer hopes to create change. The person who has done something wrong hopes to repent and turn his life around. The doctor hopes to heal.  The inventor hopes to create new products. The researcher hopes to make discoveries.  The person with a new idea hopes her or his idea catches on. The teacher hopes to impart knowledge and inspire a life of learning. The thinker hopes for fresh insights.

If we don’t have hope, it means we are just going through the motions. It is hope which gives us the power to move forward, to carry on.  Indeed, if we give up in any area of our lives, it’s only because we have lost hope. What are the areas of life in which you are guilty of lacking hope?  Do you believe that you, your family, your charges, your company, your organization, your city, your state, your country, or the world, is going to hell in a hand basket? Ask yourself if that kind of thinking can lead to anything good. Think about it.  If you believe there’s hope, you will not give up trying and you will also not be cynical about other people trying. If however, you don’t believe there’s hope, you are not going to be motivated to try anything yourself, and you won’t see the point in anyone else trying either.  Don’t be that kind of "hope-less" person.  It’s time to make hope your friend again.  Don’t be surprised if it leads to the most productive, satisfying and fulfilling phase in your life and ripples out, impacting not just your life, but the lives of many more people.  Hope always does. As always, thanks for reading and have a great day…..M, a Pearlseeker like you.

The 6 Hallmarks Of A Good Life

Link to Original Picture on Pixabay

You did what you set out to do.  You did what you really really really set out to do.  It might not have brought you fame, or extra bucks, made you look good, put you in a higher income bracket, or wealth bracket, propelled you into higher social circles. But it brought you peace and a sense you were doing the right thing for the right reasons. You learned, you played, you won, you lost; you acquired resilience, and you gained insights and found your stride along the way.  Most of all, you grew as a person and achieved mastery in several areas of life, including over yourself.

You played fair.  You didn’t step over people to get what you want.  You didn’t undercut anyone.  Steal anyone’s thunder. Take unfair swings at anyone. Make other people look bad in order to look good. Undermine any one’s confidence. You played fair.

You were authentic.  You were the real deal.  You lived and spoke the truth.  You did not manipulate people and hide things from them or make them think things about you which were not true.  You were courageous and did not let “what will people think?” get in the way of “is this the honest, forthright thing to do?”  You were not so power-hungry or stubbornly prideful, that you brushed things under the carpet until it was convenient. Even if there was a time when you were that way, you became self-aware and then you became repentant and real.  You not only became the real deal, but learned to appreciate yourself as the real deal, as Alan Watts tells us to do in this extremely inspirational video The Real You.

You made more people happy than sad.  You did not say things or do things that diminished the people around you. You did not subject them to your tantrums, your whims and moods, your criticism and nagging. You had fun within the definition of responsibility and accountability. You knew your boundaries.  If you were a rogue angel for a while, you had a change of heart and became a person who was easy to love. You acquired responsibility. Patience.  Tolerance.  Acceptance. Forgiveness. You went from someone who pulled people down to becoming a positive life-affirming force.  A peace bringer.  A hope spreader.  An anxiety salver. You added to the world’s stock of happiness and positive energy – which it needs to move forward.

You grew in wisdom. You understood wisdom was different from knowledge. It made you humbler and able to see things for what they are. You gave up the illusion of control and realized there was much money and status could not buy. You discovered cleverness, strategy and resources did not always lead to victory. And rather than throw good energy after bad (“I have to win at all costs”), you decided to kick back and set new goals for yourself, such as the goal of learning to be more loving, learning to appreciate victories, big and small, even those that weren't your own, becoming more flexible and open, and learning to look for the rainbow behind every thunderstorm. Wisdom gave you a sense of perspective and made you realize there was more power and pleasure in experiencing a transformative change and in ideas and thought control, than there is value in gold, silver and diamonds.

You made the world a better place.  You created something out of nothing. You made things possible for people. You created opportunities. You helped people follow their dreams. You were a role model. You made people feel valued and cared for. You did small things that made a difference. You gave your best – in your work, in your relationships, in the causes you were involved in, in the ideas you brought forth.

If you can say yes to any of this, hopefully all of this, you can take pride in the legacy of a life well-lived.  If you are on the right track, keep going. Don’t second guess yourself by comparing yourself to anyone else.

P.S.  Dear Reader, hope you enjoyed this post about the hallmarks of a good life. This is not a definitive list of the hallmarks of a good life.  It is just a list to make you stop and think about what you believe are the hallmarks of a good life. Thanks for reading and have a great day and week...M, a Pearl-Seeker like you.