One of These Days

The year 2008 is a tightly closed jar now. I have sealed it ever so carefully, making sure nothing from the bad memories spills out. As for the good memories, I now carry them in my pocket of good things–the smiles, the laughter, the adventures, the lessons learned. They are like gemstones I can randomly pick out on a bad day, to remind me that life is more good than miserable.

There’s no doubt that the most painful part of 2008 was my problem-job. And so before the year ended, I made it a point to leave it behind at last, and start the year on a clean slate. As soon as it was accomplished, I never felt so happy, excited and at peace in a long, long time.

Sad thing is, some of the people from the past still manage to haunt me somehow, for the jar is fragile and still fresh. And my, the harshness and lies were no different from what these people had started. Although my anger had significantly simmered down, I would still feel steam coming out of my ears whenever word reaches me about some fresh backbiting. If there’s one thing they’re good at, it’s saving face by making good people look bad. Obviously, they are very bitter about what happened.  

Today, my patience was tested once again. I was already thinking of ways to fight back, thell them they’re wrong and to just shut up if they have got nothing good or truthful things to say. God, how I wanted to fight back.

And then He enters the scene to the rescue. Through a good friend, He reminded me I don’t have to get back at them. God also reminded of what I had read the other day, so I looked for it in my inbox.

Again, it was from Joseph Morris. He said,

“The worst fault in a hound is to run counter–to follow the trail backward, not forward. Is the fault less when men are guilty of it? Behind us is much that we have found to be faithless, cruel, or unpleasant. Why go back to that? Why not go forward to the things we really desire?”

And he had a poem written by James W. Foley to go along with his jolting message.

  Say! Let’s forget it! Let’s put it aside!
  Life is so large and the world is so wide.
  Days are so short and there’s so much to do,
  What if it was false–there’s plenty that’s true.
  Say! Let’s forget it! Let’s brush it away
  Now and forever, so what do you say?
  All of the bitter words said may be praise
  One of these days.
(more…)

Tags: positivity

Posted by karmee at 8:17 PM | permalink | comments[69]

Betcha by golly WOW!

How timely! I’m so amazed and shocked that my jaws dropped to the floor (apologies to Mr. Bo Sanchez).

Saturday, December 20, 2008

Positive direction

The magnitude of your next step does not matter nearly so much. What really matters is the direction.

To turn your life around, you must first turn your focus around. To move toward your goals, you must first be facing them.

Just a small step in a positive direction is a step nonetheless. Just one small positive thought has the power to turn you away from years of negative actions.

Every moment is a choice. And every moment you can choose to orient your life in a positive direction.

You don’t have to take big strides, for the small steps will get you there just as reliably. Just make sure that each thought, each action, each feeling, however insignificant it might seem, points toward where you desire to go.

Maintain a positive direction, and no matter what else happens, you’ll always be making progress. Keep yourself pointed in the direction of your dreams, and every day will bring you closer.

— Ralph Marston

I am on Cloud 9. I am free. I’ve finally set myself free. I found that life just keeps moving and moving on, like a wheel that has no plan of stopping from turning. I, too, should keep up. It’s either I mightily ride the highs and lows of life, or be left behind in the dust. I choose life.

Another note to self

Unfair

You won’t become successful by complaining that life is unfair. Certainly there are many injustices in the world, yet you won’t get anywhere by using those injustices as excuses.

Your best response is to work over, under, around and through them. Accept the fact that life is unfair, and choose to experience outstanding success anyway.

It is admirable to fight against injustice. But fighting against injustice may very well make that injustice even stronger.

A better way to end injustice is to make it irrelevant. When you create ways for yourself and others to succeed in spite of unfair circumstances, then you render those circumstances powerless.

The world is filled with inequity and unfairness. And yet, there are always plenty of workable and creative ways to rise above those negative circumstances.

When something in life is unfair, choose to succeed anyway. And make that unfairness so small and insignificant it won’t even matter.

— Ralph Marston

All I needed to hear to keep me going

‘To get something you never had, you have to do something you never did.’ When God takes something from your grasp, He’s not punishing you, but merely opening your hands to receive something better. 

Concentrate on this sentence: ‘The will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you.’

How to make work feel effortless

From http://beauty-in-out.blogspot.com, a favorite site of mine.

Sometimes work can be a drag. You get caught up in trying to be more productive and suddenly your life turns into a series of to-do lists. You gauge your measure of success by how much you accomplish. You even determine how happy you allow yourself to be by how much you’ve gotten done in the day.
We spend a lot of time trying to find ways to be more productive. To do things faster, better, cheaper and spend our time more effectively. But instead of just doing more in less time, maybe we should focus on actually enjoying the work we’re doing instead.

Here are 8 ways to make work seem like less of a chore and more like a gift:

1. Follow your natural rhythms.
A lot of the time I resent working is because I’m trying to force myself to do something I don’t feel like doing. Naturally there will always be some things you’re not crazy about doing (like cleaning the toilet). But how often do you force yourself to work more, when you really want to relax? When you force yourself to work when you’ve promised yourself a break, you’ll likely just end up distracting yourself with other things and put off working. Then you get stressed and end up resenting work. Instead, follow your natural rhythms. When you feel like working, work. When you don’t, don’t.
(more…)

Tags: work

Posted by karmee at 1:29 AM | permalink | comments[24]

One for the history books

Beautiful and victorious Wednesday night. A spirited black American finally breaks into the barriers and makes history. The White House may no longer be that “white” — but it’s amazing how this milestone has united many colors in one day, with tears in their eyes and joy in their faces.

I wasn’t there (I only watched it live on TV), I’m not an American, but President-elect Barack Obama’s speech just touched me to the core, so much that I feel like posting it. He’s the man.

(more…)

Wanted: Boy Cocoy

Kilala n’yo ba si Boy Cocoy? (Hindi naman siya kaano-ano ni Boy Bawang.)

Hindi ko rin siya kilala.

Sana magpakilala na.

O sana may magpakilala. 

Bow.

Just a reminder

All that I know is I’m breathing. All I can do is keep breathing.
All we can do is keep breathing. [breathe here]
All we can do is keep breathing. [breathe here]
All we can do is keep breathing. [breathe here]
All we can do is keep breathing. [breathe here]

- Ingrid Michaelson (Grey’s Anatomy OST)

Things that made me feel wonderful today:

1. That I have a sense of control. That I CAN take control.

2. That I can be calm, cool and collected — and it’s easy.

3. That I can be at my element — regardless of who I am facing and talking to.

4. That I have “somewhere” to get to.

5. That I don’t run out of cheerful, insightful and helpful people around me.

6. That apart from these things, God has always another day in store for me. 

Same goes for YOU!

Keep bleeding, keep keep bleeding

Awfully looooong sentences wear out my patience.

OK, I know I have two choices, but both have disadvantages:

1. Himayin ang mga pangungusap without distorting the writer’s message. Problem is: lalalim ang wrinkles ko, at babagal ako.

2. Huwag nang ipagpatuloy ang pagbabasa at pag-eedit upang iwas nosebleed at kunot ng noo. Problem is: baka masilipan naman akong hindi nagtatrabaho, hehe.

Does she breathe at all when she writes, I wonder. How I wish I could tell her, but aside from the fact that she’s not physically here, she’s…well I’d rather not say. Didiskartehan ko na lang muna…ulit.
On to the next nosebleed session! I can smell it, I can smell it!

Today

Of all the days that have ever been and of all the days to come, today is the one you now have. Though it may not be perfect, it is here, it is now, and it is the one day that is available to you.

On this day you live in a world filled with beauty. Take the opportunity to see and appreciate some of that beauty.

On this day there are precious moments ready to be filled with joy and meaning. Live today’s moments so as to add real and lasting value to your life and your world.

Spend some time focusing your thoughts on what’s right with this day. Allow yourself to genuinely feel the goodness that is present right now.

Remind yourself of all that you have to be thankful for on this day. In the heart of your gratitude, you will touch today’s limitless source of abundance.

Possibility, opportunity, value, goodness, love and fulfillment are all here and now on this day. Bring them to life today in your own special way.

— Ralph Marston

From  The Daily Motivator