About Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.

Sometimes in life we find ourselves dwelling a lot on the past. We discover that the more we try to move on with life, the more the past comes calling. There are also times when the thoughts or fear of the future tends to overtake out thoughts, depriving us of the happiness that today brings. For example, when we are at work, we fantasize about being on vacation; on vacation, we worry about the work piling up on our desks and other activities at the work place. We dwell on disturbing memories of the past or fret about what may or may not happen in the future. The truth is that whatever the past was, it is gone. There is nothing you can do to change anything that has happened. If you keep re-visiting the past because of regrets, then you need to understand that you can’t go back and undo whatever has been done. Also, if you hang on to a guilt of the past, you are only damaging yourself. I admit, it is hard to resist the allure of dwelling on the past, but of what use it is when all it does it to deny you of the joy and happiness of the present?

The truth about life is that it unfolds in the present. If you want to be successful and happy in life, you must turn your attention and focus on what is happening to and for you right now. Too many times, we let the present slip away, allowing time to rush past unobserved and unseized, squandering the precious seconds of our lives as we worry about the future or ruminate about the past. Believe me, worrying about it would not change anything. All you can do is to focus on the present and don’t let it deprive you of what you can do better today. You must turn your attention to the “here” and “now”. Don’t become obsessed about the past simply because it was better for you, learn to appreciate the memories but also move on and put your efforts into finding a different kind of good time right now. If it was truly better then, may be you can analyse exactly why - money, power, health, vigor, fun, youth etc, then move on to find other avenues and explore. You have to leave both good and bad stuffs behind and find new challenges, new areas to inspire yourself.

Every day is a fresh start and you can make of it what you want, write what you want on that blank painting. Keeping that enthusiasm can be tough though - yes it might be hard at the beginning but very possible with perseverance, focus and dedication. The past is like a room different from the one you live in now, you can go there but you don’t live there anymore. You can go visit but it isn’t home anymore. Home is the present and each second of it counts. Don’t waste too much time in the old room. Don’t miss what is happening now in the new room because you were too busy looking back or later you will be busy looking back at this time and wondering why you wasted it. The worst part about living in the past or the future is that it deprives you of your creative power. If you are not living now, you are giving up your live because if there is anything you would like to change in life, it is best done now. If you are living in the past, you cannot do anything about it, it is gone. Also, if you are worrying about the future, you are living somewhere that doesn’t exist. The future is now.

You need to live more in the moment. Living in the moment involves a state of active, open and intentional attention on the present. It means that your awareness is completely centered on here and now. You are not worrying about the future nor thinking about the past. When you live in the present, you are living where life is ‘happening’. Don’t be deluded, the past and the future are illusions, they don’t exist. Just as the saying goes “tomorrow never comes” It is always waiting to come around in the corner and never shows up. The real time is always NOW. People who live in the moment are happier, more exuberant, more compassionate and more secure. They have higher self-esteem and are more accepting of their own weaknesses. They fight less with their partners and are more accommodating and less defensive. Live here, live now, live in this moment. I leave you with this popular saying “if you worry about what might be, and wonder what might have been, you will ignore what it is”. Learn from yesterday, live for today and hope tomorrow. I love you.

SACRIFICE......How much are you willing to "give up to go up"?

Good day friends. First I want to specially apologise for my absence here in the last one month. My gratitude also to those who cared to find out why I had to take a break. It means a lot. I really do appreciate it. I am back now and I hope we will continue to share knowledge. Now let’s get going...

Many are quite unfamiliar with the Law of Sacrifice; “To attain something of greater value, one must give up something of lesser value.” However, just like the Law of Gravity, it doesn’t matter either you believe in it or not. Indeed, sacrifice is a 'recipe' for success. Unfortunately not too many in our generation are willing to make the necessary sacrifice(s) needed to achieve their goals in life. Sacrifice can be defined as destroying or surrendering of something for the sake of something else (something often greater). There is no success without sacrifice. Sacrifice involves giving up something for something else. If you are experiencing success, it is either because you have made sacrifices or someone else sacrificed for you in the past. And if you are not experiencing success, perhaps it is because you are sacrificing for someone coming after you or you or someone else have failed to sacrifice in the past. Just like freedom, whatever freedom you enjoy today is because someone else paid the price for it. No Freedom is free. Just like they sacrificed in their generation for our freedom, we must sacrifice now for the future generation.

Whatever it might be, we all have a vision. Something we really want to achieve or something we want to become in life. Something we are ready to do almost anything to achieve. Sacrifice is directly connected to Vision. We all have the Vision of a greater accomplishment ahead in the future, a vision worth giving up momentary privileges, in order realize it. There are also moments when we do not mind giving up the large paved road and taking the narrow dusty one because we are convinced this will take us to a greater destiny. Sometimes we do not mind giving up what could be today for what will be tomorrow when otherwise too many people will just take what is at hand now and never get what could be tomorrow because they were unwilling to give up to go up.

Sacrifice is a gift not only to another, but also to oneself. It involves self-denial. Without sacrifice, no vision will be accomplished. Believe it or not, you either “pay today and play tomorrow” or “play today and pay tomorrow". You have to make sacrifice today for what you want to become tomorrow. Whenever you give up something you gain something else. So always think of sacrifice as trading something for a positive future outcome for yourself or others, be it your time, money, or opportunities.

How good are you in making sacrifice? Are you ready to forego some of the things that you like best so that someone you love can have a better life? Have you ever dropped something you are doing just to cater to the needs of someone? Have you been unselfish enough to give a part of your life to someone you care about? How much are you willing to sacrifice a part of your life, your time, your comfort, or just a slice of yourself? How considerate are you towards others who are less privileged, less informed, or who have less in life? Are you unselfish enough to share what you have with others? These and more related questions clearly describe the true essence of sacrifice. Truly, you give love and affection when you sacrifice something. You will be happier and more complete when you share your life time, money, joy etal with others. Above all, you become greater even with just a commitment to do a little sacrifice. 

Every true leader must resolve to make regular sacrifice. As parents you have to make sacrifices for your family. As a spouse you will know that the best marriage is founded on selfless service and sacrifice for the needs and betterment of your other half and a better future together. The person who loves enough to sacrifice is the person who truly loves. The only thing that you should never sacrifice or compromise are your good virtues and character.

Note that there is a profound difference between sacrificing something and having something taken away from you. It involves not doing what you want to do but what is necessary to become the best. History has shown that those who will make the plans and make the personal sacrifices necessary to succeed, go on in life to be successful. I once heard the story of how a great footballer denied himself of basic needs like clothes as a kid just to buy a ball to practice with. Keep your focus on the prize. Set your dream, your goal ahead of you, and then stay focused on it. Be committed to a cause bigger than you and be willing to sacrifice big for it. Remember, almost nothing great can be achieved without a sacrifice. Believe me friends, there is no greater force against a people who are willing to die for a cause.