FAILURE: A ‘FRIEND’ OR A ‘FOE’?

Failure is no stranger to us. We have all failed at some point in our lives, at one thing or another. If there is anyone who claims that s/he has never tasted the bitter cup of failure at least once in their lifetime, then that person has never tried anything. Having said that, what is failure really? My definition of failure is that ‘It is the temporary state or condition of not meeting one’s goals.’ Failure is not permanent, unless we make it so ourselves. So, you failed! It is not the end of the World! And it doesn’t mean that you can’t change and rise above your current realities. If you think failure is permanent, think again!! Check out this list of successful people, whom I’m sure you are all familiar with, and you will be surprised how many times they have failed before they became the world renowned achievers they are.

1.  Henry Ford: Ford is today known for his innovative assembly line and American-made cars, he wasn’t an instant success. In fact, his early businesses failed and left him broke five time before he founded the successful Ford Motor Company.
2. Oprah Winfrey: Most people know Oprah as one of the most iconic faces on TV as well as one of the richest and most successful women in the world. Oprah faced a hard road to get to that position, however, enduring a rough and often abusive childhood as well as numerous career setbacks including being fired from her job as a television reporter because she was “unfit for tv.”
3. Walt Disney: Today Disney rakes in billions from merchandise, movies and theme parks around the world, but Walt Disney himself had a bit of a rough start. He was fired by a newspaper editor because, “he lacked imagination and had no good ideas.” After that, Disney started a number of businesses that didn’t last too long and ended with bankruptcy and failure. He kept plugging along, however, and eventually found a recipe for success that worked.
   
4. Albert Einstein: Most of us take Einstein’s name as synonymous with genius, but he didn’t always show such promise. Einstein did not speak until he was four and did not read until he was seven, causing his teachers and parents to think he was mentally handicapped, slow and antisocial. Eventually, he was expelled from school and was refused admittance to the Zurich Polytechnic School. It might have taken him a bit longer, but most people would agree that he caught on pretty well in the end, winning the Nobel Prize and changing the face of modern physics.
5. Thomas Edison: In his early years, teachers told Edison he was “too stupid to learn anything.” Work was no better, as he was fired from his first two jobs for not being productive enough. Even as an inventor, Edison made 1,000 unsuccessful attempts at inventing the light bulb. Of course, all those unsuccessful attempts finally resulted in the design that worked.
6. Orville and Wilbur Wright: These brothers battled depression and family illness before starting the bicycle shop that would lead them to experimenting with flight. After numerous attempts at creating flying machines, several years of hard work, and tons of failed prototypes, the brothers finally created a plane that could get airborne and stay there.
7. Abraham Lincoln: While today he is remembered as one of the greatest leaders of our nation, Lincoln’s life wasn’t so easy. In his youth he went to war a captain and returned a private (if you’re not familiar with military ranks, just know that private is as low as it goes.) Lincoln didn’t stop failing there, however. He started numerous failed business and was defeated in numerous runs he made for public office.
8. Michael Jordan: Most people wouldn’t believe that a man often lauded as the best basketball player of all time was actually cut from his high school basketball team. Luckily, Jordan didn’t let this setback stop him from playing the game and he has stated, “I have missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I have lost almost 300 games. On 26 occasions I have been entrusted to take the game winning shot, and I missed. I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”

Source: http://www.budbilanich.com/50-famous-people-who-failed-at-their-first-attempt-at-career-success/

So, is failure a friend or a foe? It depends on your perception of it. But for me, after having read these success stories, failure is definitely a stepping stone and a recipe for success!

If you like this article, please share with your friends!!!

Thanks,

Lidia

THE HORSE PARABLE

We, human beings, have a tendency to categorize things we process whether they are situations or people. We often judge ours and other peoples’ situations quickly, without enough information and with no idea of what the future holds.

Here is a parable that will give us all a very important lesson:

‘There once was a poor old man who owned a beautiful white horse.
Whenever noblemen passed through the village, they always noticed the horse and offered handsome sums of money for the stallion. But the old man always declined their offers, saying, "This horse is my friend. How can I sell my friend?"

One morning the old man awoke to find the horse was gone. The village people gathered and said, "Old man you were a fool not to sell the horse. You could have been wealthy! Now it has been stolen, and you have nothing. It is a great misfortune!" But the old man replied, "Don't go so far as to say that. Whether the horse was stolen or not, or whether it is a misfortune or a blessing, is unknown. All we know is that the horse is not in the stable."

Some days later the horse returned, bringing with it several beautiful wild mares. Again the village people gathered, and they said, "Old man you were right! The horse was not stolen, and it was not a misfortune. It was a blessing, and now you have many fine horses!" But the old man replied, "Again you go too far. Don't say it's a good thing, don't say it's a bad thing. Just say the horse is back. Whether it is a blessing or a misfortune is unknown."

Some days later the old man's only son began to train the wild mares, but he was thrown and trampled, and one of his legs was badly broken. Again the village people gathered. "Oh old man, you were right! It was not a blessing but a great misfortune, and now your only son is lame! With a sigh the old man replied, "Don't say it's a good thing, don't say it's a bad thing, just say my son has broken his leg. Whether it is a blessing or a misfortune is unknown."

It happened that a few weeks later the country went to war, and all the able bodied young men were forcibly taken for the military. Only the old man's son was passed over, because he was crippled. The whole village was crying and weeping, for they believed their sons would probably be killed and never come home to them. In their grief they came to the old man and said, "You were right old man, your son's injury has proven to be a blessing. Your son may be crippled, but he is with you, while our sons are gone forever! The old man simply shook his head and said, "Will you never learn? Only say that your sons have been forced into the military and my son has not. More than that is not known."

MORALE OF THE STORY => Observe the reality of what is and accept it. It’s what it is! There is no need to judge! Simply accept things as they are and leave the rest to the Creator. You never know what tomorrow brings!

Thank you for reading,

Lidia

Every cloud has a silver lining

They say ‘Every cloud has a silver lining’. How could the bad things that happened in our life have a positive side, how can our problems which seem bigger than the Mount Everest have a good aspect to them?

The loss of a prized possession, the missing of an opportunity, the end of a relationship that was supposed to last forever, the loss of a job that you loved so much … what if this all happened to your benefit? Hard to believe, right? But God has something better in store for you, a better job, a better possession, a better relationship.

Clouds are the difficult phases in our life and silver linings are the rays of hopes. Every difficulty is a test of a person’s strength, and ability. When someone passes through an ordeal, s/he comes out stronger, better and brighter. So every calamity has a scope for progress. Nothing is permanent.  It doesn’t rain all year the sun will eventually come out. Just stay calm and maintain a positive attitude. Because, the night is always darkest before it dawns, the end of a relationship is a beginning of another one, the loss of a possession is an opportunity to get something better, difficult times lead to better days, failure leads to success. When God empties your hand he is actually preparing you to receive something better. Hence, all of the clouds in your life have a silver lining just believe and never give up!

‘God is the master of restoration taking the broken and damaged and making them beautiful.’

Thank you for reading,

Lidia

Every cloud has a silver lining - Give us an example of a time when something good came from something bad for you.  Add your comments below!

Happy Valentine’s day!

Valentine’s Day is around the corner with only a few hours left. Love is in the air! Flowers, candies, cards, chocolates and all kinds of gifts expressing love are exchanged on this day! I want to remind everyone though, Let’s not wait for February 14^th (Valentine’s Day), to express our love and to celebrate our friendship!

 Cheers to Love & Friendship!!!!!!!

I want to share with you a beautiful quote about love that touched my heart.

 “Only once in your life, I truly believe, you find someone who can completely turn your world around. You tell them things that you’ve never shared with another soul and they absorb everything you say and actually want to hear more. You share hopes for the future, dreams that will never come true, goals that were never achieved and the many disappointments life has thrown at you. When something wonderful happens, you can’t wait to tell them about it, knowing they will share in your excitement. They are not embarrassed to cry with you when you are hurting or laugh with you when you make a fool of yourself. Never do they hurt your feelings or make you feel like you are not good enough, but rather they build you up and show you the things about yourself that make you special and even beautiful. There is never any pressure, jealousy or competition but only a quiet calmness when they are around. You can be yourself and not worry about what they will think of you because they love you for who you are. The things that seem insignificant to most people such as a note, song or walk become invaluable treasures kept safe in your heart to cherish forever. Memories of your childhood come back and are so clear and vivid it’s like being young again. Colours seem brighter and more brilliant. Laughter seems part of daily life where before it was infrequent or didn’t exist at all. A phone call or two during the day helps to get you through a long day’s work and always brings a smile to your face. In their presence, there’s no need for continuous conversation, but you find you’re quite content in just having them nearby. Things that never interested you before become fascinating because you know they are important to this person who is so special to you. You think of this person on every occasion and in everything you do. Simple things bring them to mind like a pale blue sky, gentle wind or even a storm cloud on the horizon. You open your heart knowing that there’s a chance it may be broken one day and in opening your heart, you experience a love and joy that you never dreamed possible. You find that being vulnerable is the only way to allow your heart to feel true pleasure that’s so real it scares you. You find strength in knowing you have a true friend and possibly a soul mate who will remain loyal to the end. Life seems completely different, exciting and worthwhile. Your only hope and security is in knowing that they are a part of your life.” 
― #BobMarley

Wishing you all a Happy Valentine’s day from Everyday Inspirations!!!

Lots of Love, <3 <3 <3

Lidia
SHARE THIS QUOTE WITH YOUR LOVED ONE. SPREAD THE LOVE!!!

Conversations with the Wise Old Man (Part 2)

The wise old man’s speech was interrupted by Kuku’s arrival with breakfast for us. She laid down a bowl of steaming tomato soup, on the table, for the old man and scrambled eggs, bread and sauce for me. I thanked Kuku and the old man gave her a smile and a nod as a sign of thank you. Everything smelled so good and tasted even better. After some moments of pigging out in silence, I turned to look at the old man. He was sitting starring at me and hasn’t touched his food.

“What’s wrong Baba? Aren’t you gonna eat that?” I asked curiously.

“You have a good appetite!” he said with a smile on his face. “I used to be like you. But now I am old, my teeth are gone and I have poor appetite. Enjoy these things while you can, Giovane. They may seem trivial but sometimes we don’t know the value of something until we lose it.” I nodded my head in agreement taking a sip of my hot steaming green tea feeling a bit embarrassed about my pig out session.

“Giovane,” said the old man. I looked up from my cup of tea and replied “Yes Baba!”

“Have you ever been in love?”

I gave out a deep sigh and answered “Yes, I have been in love, more than once actually!”

“So, what happened?” asked the old man seeing the frustration on my face.

“Well, it didn’t work out! Sometimes I feel like giving up on love Baba!”

“Giovane, don’t shut your heart to love in the fear of getting hurt or of loving and not getting your love returned. A heart without love is like a body with a dead soul. Open the door of your heart and let love flow in and out. Of course, at times you might get hurt. You might get betrayed or disappointed. Your love might be unrequited or can be taken for granted. But ultimately what matters the most is that you loved. Give love without the expectation of receiving it back, you will be surprised how abundantly you will get it.”

He continued, “Another thing you should know is that, Love is more of a verb than a noun. It’s in the actions than the words. Anyone can promise you the world they can make you believe they care with sugarcoated words but at the end of the day if they don’t show it in their deeds, it is meaningless. Stop deceiving yourself. Love is black and white, it is not a gray area that you have to try and figure out. if someone loves you they will show it. Period! And you will know it, it’s not that complicated.”

“Giovane, don’t go chasing after people who don’t know your worth. If you find yourself constantly trying to prove your value to someone then it’s time to let them go. You are worth so much better than that. What’s meant to be yours can’t be taken away from you. Even if you let it go it will come back to you. But if someone or something is not meant to be yours no matter how much you try you can never make that person or thing stay.”

The old man took a slurp of his soup and turned his look towards the beautiful garden. Silence fell for a while. I can tell something was bothering him.

“What is it, Baba? Talk to me.” I said in a worried voice.

He quickly replied, “Nothing Giovane!” clearing his throat he continued “When you finally decide to marry, choose the person you are going to spend the rest of your life with carefully. Marriage is a commitment of a lifetime. It’s not to be taken lightly. It’s for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer. Don’t go for a person’s look only, as it will eventually fade away and after a while you will be left with the person’s character and soul. There is this saying ‘Don’t marry someone who is beautiful to the world, marry someone who makes your world beautiful.’ I had been blessed in this regard. My wife was a beautiful woman inside and out … a rare gem … a wonderful person! She made my life exquisite. And though she is gone she still lives in my heart.”

I could sense the sadness in his tone.

“I am so sorry Baba! I can only imagine how hard it must be for you!” I replied trying to hide the tears in my eyes.

“Oh it’s okay, Giovane. I have learned throughout the years to not cry again and again about the loved ones who have passed and let my soul be consumed with bitterness! It is true that we might miss them and wish that they were here with us at times. But they are in a better place where are no worries, fears, sadness, misery, insecurity, or bitterness. And no matter how much we cry or wish, we can never be able to undo what happened or to bring them back. We are going to them sooner or later but they are not coming back to us. Hence, it’s our choice to either make peace with it & move on or to lose our mind in agony. We can keep them in our hearts and cherish the good memories we had with them in our minds. If so they will live though us in our hearts and minds. But we have to move past the sorrow and anger eventually. Because…. Life goes on...” I slowly reached out to the old man’s hands and held them in mine. Only a person who has lost a loved one knows how difficult it can be.

Thank you for reading!

Lidia

To read Conversations with the Wise Old Man Part One, click on the following link:

http://www.inspirationsatkuwfb.blogspot.com/2015/01/conversations-with-wise-old-man-part-i.html

Conversations with the Wise Old Man (Part I)

As I arrived at the old man’s house, he was as usual sitting at the front porch of his house on a stool gazing afar. He has the most beautiful garden one could ever imagine with all the roses, sunflowers, and all kinds of trees… some I don’t even recognize. It’s like heaven on earth; it has a soothing effect just to be there. I always wonder though if he is able to see it and enjoy the beauty given his dim sight. Walking towards the old man I was wondering what he was mulling over, maybe it’s a long lost love,  maybe it’s the adventures he had as a young man, maybe it’s about the beauty of the morning as the sun shines brightly and the birds chirp in the garden. As I got closer to his sight he put a big smile on his face, he must have just noticed my arrival. “Hello Giovane (a nickname he dubbed me, it’s Italian for ‘Young Woman’)! How are you this morning? Isn’t it a beautiful morning?” he said in a weak voice and added “You are right on time, for our appointment.” How did he know what time it is? I haven’t seen any clock in his house or a watch on his wrist ever. Even if he had one, he won’t be able to see it clearly. Besides I don’t think even Kuku, the house help who lives with him, could have told him given they barely speak to each other.  This old man always takes me by surprise. Baba, as he is called by his neighbors and friends, is a man of few words but when he speaks wisdom flows through his mouth. 

“How did you know I was right on time?” I asked in amazement. The old man replied with a grin “I have lived for 73 years on this Earth. I have heard the rooster announce the mornings and I have watched the sun rise and go down countless times. I know what position the sun takes at what time of the day.”

“You are a keen observer Baba; I don’t think many people pay attention to these things no matter how long they have lived.” He gave me a faint smile and turned his gaze to the garden. After some minutes of pondering in silence he said “So what is it that you wanted to talk to me about?” he must have picked up that I was growing impatient.

“I want you to share with me some pearls of wisdom about life, love, work and everything in between.”

A moment of silence.

I took a notepad and pen out from my bag, flipped the first page and waited for his response. I kept checking the time on my watch every now and then.

He finally broke the silence and uttered “Patience Giovane!”; 
“Patience and contemplating in silence, two things this generation is fundamentally short of. Everything is so fast paced and rowdy these days that you can’t even sit still and pay attention for a moment… Let me ask you a question. How many times have you paid attention and listened to your breath as it rolls in and out like the sound of the ocean waves, to your heart beat, to your inside? Take a moment each day, Giovane, to sit in silence and contemplate. It’s the way to discovering serenity and astuteness. Allow yourself the chance to get lost in the silence, that’s how you will find yourself.”

“Regarding patience, as the scripture says, Patience is the key to the kingdom of heaven. Patience is not only about waiting for something… it’s also about how you wait or your attitude while waiting. In our lives we are always waiting for something or another to happen or we are always trying to figure out why something happened or didn’t happen.  We want to know the outcome now, we want explanations now, and we want reasons now. It’s in our nature to try to figure out things now. However, learn to trust God to take care of things. If you are looking for answers or explanations they will come to you in their own way at the right time. If you are waiting for something to happen for you it will come to you in divine order at the right moment. Though things don’t fall into place right away know that everything happens for a reason. Learn to be patient and to trust God! He is always working on your behalf, He has got it covered!”

To be continued…..]

Upcoming posts on Everyday Inspirations: Conversations with the Wise Old Man (Part 2)

Thank you for reading!

Lidia

Lessons Learned from Man's Best Friend!

Dog’s are a man’s best friend. This is not only a saying, it is the truth! Dogs are more than a man’s best friend. I remember how our dog, Rex, handled my father’s sudden passing away five years ago. He was so depressed and it was palpable that he had sensed what went on. He refused to leave my mother’s side. He would sit beside her on the floor, his face buried between his tiny paws and staring into space. He did that for days on end during the times we were mourning. It was his way of showing support to her (it was as if he knew, she needed it the most) and his way of mourning. 

So, if you pay close attention to these furry, canine family members of yours you will learn some wag-worthy important lessons from their personality, behavior, and resilience. Ten important lessons to learn from dogs

1. To protect loved ones- Dogs are very protective of their family and those they love. If you love someone you don’t want anything bad to happen to them or to hurt them.
2.  To accept those you love for who they are- Your dog doesn't care whether you are smart or not, whether you are good looking or not, if you own all the money in the world or not. They just love you for who you are!
3. When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and show your support (nuzzle them :) )
4. To be loyal to your loved ones- dogs are one of the most loyal animals in the world. Think of Hachiko, the dog who greeted his owner at the train station everyday when he returned home from work, and after his owner’s sudden death returned to the train station at the same time everyday for nine years (It was made into a beautiful movie called Hachi: A Dog’s Tale starring Richard Gere). This is how loyal companion dogs are.
5. To love with all your heart- dogs are naturally and unconditionally affectionate. When they love, they love you with all their heart.
6. To let others know when they invade your territory- dogs surely know how to mark their territory and how to protect it. Don’t invade other’s territory and if they invade yours, let them know!
7. To not hold grudges- dogs don’t hold grudges for long. So learn from your pet and be quick to forgive and forget.
8. To not be afraid to show someone how much you love them- dogs aren’t afraid to show you their feelings be it wagging their tail, jumping, barking, licking extravaganza, nuzzling you. You name it!
9. If what you want lies buried, dig till you find it- if your treasure is buried dig until you find it, just like a dog won’t stop digging the ground until it finds its hidden bone.
10. When loved ones come home, greet them with enthusiasm- Dog owners know what I am talking about! Pay attention to how your dog welcomes you home, always with great excitement and with a wagging tail. Even if you were having a bad day, a warm welcome with excitement and enthusiasm can turn your mood around.

  Dedicated to my beloved pet, man’s best friend, Rex!

10 Famous African Proverbs and Wise Sayings with their Meanings

Every culture has its collection of proverbs which give advice on life or state a general truth. African people have a lot of proverbs which have been transmitted from generation to generation.

Here is a list of ten famous African proverbs, with their meanings, to inspire you:

1. Ears that don’t listen, accompany the head when it’s chopped off

 Meaning: A person that doesn't give heed to advice will bear the consequences afterwards

2. The best way to eat an elephant in your path is cut him up into little pieces

Meaning: The best way to approach a huge problem is step by step or bit by bit

3. Not everyone who chased the zebra caught it, but he who caught it, chased it.

Meaning: Trying does not guarantee success but you can never achieve success if you don’t try.

4.  He who does not know one thing knows another

Meaning: No one knows everything. But everyone knows something.

5. Rain beats a leopard’s skin, but it does not wash out the spots

Meaning: No matter how much you try you cannot change who you are

6. When a lion becomes old, even flies attack him.

Meaning: When a person loses his power even those who were below him attack him

7. The fly that had no one to advise him, follows a corpse to the grave

Meaning: A person that doesn't have someone to give him counsel will be dragged into problems or bad situations

8. You do not teach the paths of the forest to an old gorilla

Meaning: Don’t offer advice to someone who is wiser or more experienced than you are.

9.  If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.

Meaning: When you are on your own it’s easy to make decisions and take risks which helps you cover a lot of ground quickly. But you can only get so far alone, there will come a time when you get weary and need someone to support you. No one accomplishes great things unless there are others by their side.

10. One cannot both feast and become rich

Meaning: You cannot accumulate wealth if you are not prudent

I hope you enjoyed reading these proverbs and gained some insights. If you have different interpretations to these proverbs or if you want to add other African proverbs feel free to comment below!

Thanks for reading,

Lidia

Learn the lesson, Forgive and let go!

 ‘A wise man sat in the audience and cracked a joke. Everybody laughs like crazy. After a moment, he cracked the same joke again. This time, less people laughed. He cracked the same joke again and again. When there is no laughter in the crowd, he smiled and said: You can’t laugh at the same joke again and again, but why do you keep crying over the same thing over and over again?’ Lesson in Life

Have you ever found yourself struggling to let go of past hurts and mistakes or found yourself tripping over your old baggage?  

It might be that relationship you thought would never end or that opportunity you let slip by or that person you trusted with all your heart only to discover they failed short of it. Whatever it is that makes your heart heavy and makes you cry time and again, it’s time to let it go. Now is the time to let it go and wipe the slate clean! Cry as hard as you have to, shed all the tears you want but when you stop make sure that you never shade a tear for the same reason again. We humans have a tendency to wallow on hurtful events or grief for a long time while we let happy moments fade away quickly. Don’t drag the hurts, pains and mistakes of the past into your present and possibly your future life. Know that the situation only has power in your life as long as you choose to let it stay and allow it to affect you.

Here is an excerpt from Jack Canfield’s book ‘Key to living the law of attraction’ which emphasizes the importance of forgiveness and letting go:

 ‘If you have been holding on to feelings of anger, fear, resentment and betrayal now it’s time to let them go. Release those old thoughts and patterns of behavior. Start living in the present. By focusing on your pain and anger you are only drawing even more negative and unhealthy circumstances into your life. You need to make room for the positive feelings and experiences that you want to attract. ‘Anger makes you smaller. Forgiveness forces you to grow beyond what you were.’ The act of forgiveness is a necessary and truly transformational process. You must be willing to forgive any person, any situation that has caused you pain and release them. By hanging onto old negative thoughts and emotions you are only harming yourself and attracting even more negative thoughts. It’s been said that when you are unwilling to forgive someone it’s like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to get sick. So just bless the person or the situation and wish them well. Forgive them let them go and be willing to forgive yourself as well if need be. By acknowledging your positive past and releasing your negative past you can also make room for the beautiful future. True forgiveness is extremely cathartic. It will cleanse you and it will set you free.’

Excerpt from ‘Key to living the law of attraction’ by +Jack Canfield.

Therefore, learn to forgive yourself and others. Know that all negative things that happened in your life were there to teach you a lesson. Learn the lesson, forgive and move on. You can’t laugh over the same joke over and over again … stop crying over the same thing again and again!!!
As always, thank you for reading!
Lidia

6 New Year’s Resolutions for a Better and Brighter year

As the New Year begins, it is time to let bygones be bygones, forgive, forget and start anew. One thing I love about New Year is that it gives us hope as well as courage. Courage to learn from the past, to move on and start over; Hope for a better and brighter future.

As always, it’s time to make resolutions though they many not stick around till mid January. ;) Here are the 6 Resolutions worth applying in the year 2015.

1. Live in the present moment- I am sure you all are familiar with the saying ‘Yesterday is History; Tomorrow is a Mystery; Today is a Gift, that's why it’s called a Present!’ As cliché as the saying might seem, it is very true! The present moment is all that is guaranteed. Cherish it to the fullest! Let your awareness always be in the here and now. Don’t dwell in the past as it is in the past; don’t worry about the future as it will take care of itself when the time comes.
2.  SMILE more often :) - Did you know that it takes 17 muscles to smile and 43 to frown? This scientific fact reveals that it is easier to smile than frown. Another amazing fact about smiling is that it is contagious. You know what they say ‘I smile, You smile!’ So why not brighten up someone’s day and yours by putting a smile on your face? Smile even when you don’t feel like it, it will boost your mood (and also you will get less wrinkles! ;) ) For more information on the benefits of smiling visit http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/15-fascinating-facts-about-smiling/
3. Spend quality time with your loved ones- Our loved ones are important part of our lives. And because we see them every day and because we think they will always be around it’s easy to take them for granted. In the New Year (2015), put your smart phone, computer, video game down, turn your TV off, log out of Social Medias and spend more quality time with your loved ones. You never know how much more time and how many more days you or they have left for doing so.
4. Avoid Energy Vacuums- There are some people who suck all the positive energy out of you leaving you exhausted, drained and unhappy.  Stay away from negative people and from habits that drain your energy.
5. Take time to ‘smell the roses’- It is very common for us to get so caught up with our busy lives and not take moments to appreciate what is around us and to savor what life has to offer. Most of the time we become engrossed with everyday activities such as work, school, and everything else that is only a section of our life that we don’t take a moment to relish our existence. Life is not a rehearsal! Don’t let life and the joys of life pass you by. Take a moment everyday to smell the roses; After all, You Only Live Once!!!!
6. Perform random acts of kindness- People who perform random acts of kindness will tell you how good it made them feel. It has actually been scientifically proven that kindness increases immunity and production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that regulates mood in the brain. For more information visit http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/in-the-face-adversity/201211/practicing-acts-kindness  Aside from making you feel good, you are also reaching out to a brother/sister in need and making their life a little better.

 Finally, don’t forget => ‘Instead of counting off the days, make everyday count’
    Happy New Year!!! 
What are your New Year's resolutions? Feel free to comment below.
Thank you for reading!
Lidia