Hi Sweetheart!

• Dump your personal myths about being tough and aggressive in order to get ahead in life. Giving and loving are not signs of weakness.
• At least twice a day, say to someone, -'May be I'm wrong' whether or not you are in error.
• Go out of your way to express your affection and admiration for family and make a point of accepting any tenderness they show you. Regularly buy a thoughtfully chosen gift for them.
• Make a conscious effort to employ understanding and forgiveness when you encounter people you don't like.
• Take time out everyday to examine and appreciate something beautiful.

Dear Reader, I invite you to add your very own tips for living life beautifully in this feature.

Life's Like That! - Treasures from my old diary

Bad facts about life:

1. Life isn't fair, always.
2. For every 'why me', there is an equal and opposite 'why not me?'
3. No matter how bright, charming and lovable you are, everybody is not going to like you all the time, leave alone love you forever.
4. From time to time, it will always rain on your parade.
5. Every now and then, no matter how smart you think you are, you will do something terribly dumb.

Good facts about life:

1. Unless you are exceptionally unlucky, life is nearly quite fair most of the times.
2. A lot of the times you will not have to ask the question 'why me?'
3. No matter how ill-deserved it is, luck is a dumb thing; once it comes it usually stays for a while. Sometimes it overstays too!
4. most of the time other people are too dumb to really remember you stupidities.
5. Nothing is so bad that it can't get worse.

Subtle Transformations

Inner transformations are so subtle! If we are aware, we can experience transformations moment to moment. But we don't realise the amount of leap we have taken till we compare our progress keeping in view a long span of time; say, our attitude today as compared to a year ago or so. Suddenly we know what it is to mellow down! The information which would have made you jump with wild reactions keeps you calm now because you are able to take a pause and choose not to hurt the other person or because you are fully aware your opinion in the matter will not be taken in the same spirit! Your equations change. Although, the old patterns tend to peep in and sometimes make their way in; but you know how to attend to them - first by seeing that they are patterns and then working on them.

Today I feel quite free if not totally. External events of a certain kind which used to bother me like hell have ceased to affect me. If you give up the sense of owning something; it ceases to disturb you. On second thoughts, what is it in this world that you own? Nothing. One by one you have to drop tendencies,objects, human beings, ET AL..... I can see that things do not make me feverish any more but they do disturb a bit. Ego comes into play.I still have to practice not to react either in words or in thoughts. The inner chattering has to stop. I thank you God for giving me this much - whatever little awareness it is. Oh! How much I have struggled to establish myself in the centre within! Nobody but yourself can establish yourself.

It's only Divine Grace showering upon me; otherwise how could have I consciously chosen to forget the ugliest and still be my loving self? My inner peace and strength keeps me calm and it shows! My attention has shifted and divine process has taught me how to stop giving energy to negative emotions. The results are amazing! There's only peace within. There's patience and faith that things will turn out to be favourable. There's no doubt.Even if there's a slightest one, it's followed by faith and strength. I am surprised to find this new kind of confidence! I had never thought of myself as my own self! Thank God for everything.

Give to Yourself

Someone has truly said - "You cannot give happiness to others if you are not happy yourself." So firstly, make arrangements make yourself happy without feeling guilty! Some of us are so much used to living for others; which is great in its place but the resultant effect years or decades after thereof is that we start finding justifications when we want to do something just because we enjoy doing or may be because we simply want to do it. That 'something' could be something silly as well as great!

I want to tell all those kind and sensitive people out there - Experience joy and love! Stop blaming others. Live because you want to live. It's a long time since you thought of something all by yourself just for yourself in which no other person is involved. All these years you were going against nature. You wanted to give everything by being physically, mentally and emotionally available. In the process you did lots of things which were not your arena. You almost forgot all those things which were under your scheme of things. In such circumstances, the whole struggle becomes a huge waste of one's energy. Here, I am referring to mental energy and a whole lot of it! You are tremendously stressed out when you keep pursuing activities you do not personally enjoy.

So, choose your path. There is so much to be experienced. Don't forget to thank God for all those experiences which have moulded you to be a better person. They have helped you to discover yourself!

Moving Beyond Old Limitations

I came across this beatiful quote from a spiritual master some time back while I was working on curing myself of some medical imbalance.

• No one can liberate you, for no one has bound you, you hold on to the nettle of worldly pleasures and you weep for pain. The kite is pursued by the crows so long as it carries fish in its beak. When it drops the fish, from that moment it is free. First thing to understand is to let go off all the bondages rather not to identify with any bondages whatsoever.

Then I prayed -

• O God! Show me light, show me the way, my direction, my path. What am I meant for? You have already thought of something special for me.
• Please give me strength to see every creature in the universe inncent, faultless and pure.

This is what I was supposed to tell myself in order to heal myself as per my reiki master -

• I move beyond old limitations. I meet new horizons. Now I allow myself to express freely and creatively.

I continued with my own conversation within -

I do everything that wish to do. I live my life exactly the way I want. I receive co-operation and understanding from everyone around me. I get opportunities to explore my talents and grow. I enjoy my life because I pursue all the activities that I love.

I spend my life doing Divine activities. I complete all the activities and actions that I am supposed to do in this life as my divine duty as God has entrusted that work to me. I work with love in my heart.

Needless to say that I am cured now.

Poem - "Divine walking with me"

Whatever my stars fortell

Why should I deter -

Living my life to the fullest

For You always walk with me;

Absorbing all pains and joys

Celebrating all the victories and failures

With the same spirit

For You always walk with me

Mental Calisthenics - Treasures from My Old Diary

• Think of what would please an old friend, or anyone close to you. And act upon it.
• Write something everyday. A note to yourself, a bit of poetry or an entry in a daily journal.
• Memorise something interesting, funny, moving or serious (short and sweet length) once in a while. And to provide a total contrast, try to remember something from what you read, heard, said long ago.
• Review your calender for the next two weeks. If there's nothing good in it, do something different, the best things in life are free: museums, galleries, lectures... even some recitals.
• Make a decision to think only the pleasnt thoughts about a period of life that bothered you a lot.
• Think about two things everyday that deal with a positive reinforcement of things you want to change about yourself.
• Indulge in these mental exercises and watch your life change for the better.