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I have learned – Maya Angelou

“I’ve learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.

I’ve learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.

I’ve learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you’ll miss them when they’re gone from your life.

I’ve learned that making a “living” is not the same thing as making a “life.”

I’ve learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.

I’ve learned that you shouldn’t go through life with a catcher’s mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw something back.

I’ve learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision.

I’ve learned that even when I have pains, I don’t have to be one.

I’ve learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone. People love a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back.

I’ve learned that I still have a lot to learn.

I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.
Maya Angelou

Thrive and success

I have considered the book “Thrive: The Third Metric to Redefining Success and Creating a Happier Life” by Arianna Huffington for a while but couldn’t make up my mind. Seth Godin posted a short review, “What does success look like now?”, over at hugdug. The text below is part of that.

Most people use the word more in association with success.

More money, more power, more friends, more fame.

It’s easy to see how we end up with more, because in a scarcity-based industrial economy, that’s how capitalists and those trained to work in the system win.

Arianna Huffington, a tireless, generous, wise soul is asking us to take a few hours to think deeply about whether more of the usual stuff is all there is.

What about: More meaning. More sleep. More connection… What about making a difference to yourself and the people around you?

The bold text is my edit, that sentence motivated me to order the book.

Reasons to write

Jeff Goins blogs about The Wrong Reasons to Write. I only qoute the lists, Jeff expands more on them in his post.

The wrong reasons to write
You want to be heard.
You want to be famous, to make a name for yourself.
You want to impress people with big words and sound smart.
You want to make a ton of money.

The right reasons to write
You have something important to say.
You want to make others feel understood, like they’re not alone.
You want to make a difference with your words.
You want to teach the world something it wouldn’t otherwise know.

I struggle with my own, often non-existing, writing. To me Jeff’s right reasons to write makes sense when it comes to writing with the purpose to share it with others. Having something to say and to make a difference, to have an impact, are terrific reasons to write. I’m still mostly writing for myself, to get into the habit of writing.

Five Freedoms by Virginia Satir

The freedom to see and hear what is here, instead of what should be, was, or will be.

The freedom to say what you feel and think, instead of what you should.

The freedom to feel what you feel, instead of what you ought.

The freedom to ask for what you want, instead of always waiting for permission.

The freedom to take risks in your own behalf, instead of choosing to be only “secure” and not rocking the boat.

Find peace where you are

There is no need to go to India or anywhere else to find peace. You will find that deep place of silence right in your room, your garden or even your bathtub.
Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

If you don’t love yourself

If you don’t love yourself, you cannot love others. You will not be able to love others. If you have no compassion for yourself then you are not able of developing compassion for others.
Dalai Lama

Loving yourself

Loving yourself…does not mean being self-absorbed, it means welcoming yourself as the most honored guest in your own heart.
Margo Anand

My 3 words

In My 3 words for 2011 I list trust, connect and grow as my three guiding words.

In New goals posted in October 2013 I list Connect and Interact, Communicate and to become location independent as my three goals. These goals are still valid.

Peace, joy, simplicity

I have now picked three new words. In no specific order they are peace, joy and simplicity. These words work well as cornerstones as well as corners in a triangle. They complete each other and none is more important than the other.

My previous three words (trust, connect and grow) focused on doing, my new words (peace, joy and simplicity) means a shift to focus on being. It’s also a shift of focus from outer things to inner.

My way of being will of course affect what I do and how I do things. The difference lies in what comes first.

What about love?

Tulku Lobsang talked about the power of love. “Love is the only way to be happy. Practice love and you can be free from sufferings. Love is everything.” In other words, love is essential.

Is it all about yourself now?

Not at all, these two quotes say it well.

If you don’t love yourself, you cannot love others. You will not be able to love others. If you have no compassion for yourself then you are not able of developing compassion for others.
Dalai Lama

Loving yourself… does not mean being self-absorbed, it means welcoming yourself as the most honored guest in your own heart.
Margo Anand

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