Commence Action Now

by Academy for Creative Training, posted in Ability, Achievements, Action, be proactive, Confidence, Enthusiasm, faith, life, Motivation, Problems, Start, Vision

We are half way through 2020 and for the world at large it has just been a downhill ride. Deaths, illness, economic woes and quarantine rules have taken a toll on the world at large. Worse still, as on date, every individual is gripped by insecurities of personal safety, fear of the future and a seemingly endless wait, for any form of hope.  Almost everyone you meet will have a lament that s/he cannot take it any longer; the insecurities have kicked in. Yet, the governments, the health professionals and  family and friends keep driving the point home that one can cope with the uncertainties of these times by following the guidelines and believing in your capabilities to overcome. To do this one needs to keep saying I CAN.

Commence – It simply says start the process of changing your thinking, your attitude, your behavior and your approach to any challenge before you. The one thought that will help you in this direction is the knowledge that whatever your troubles/ difficulties/ challenges, there is someone else also coping with it. You are never alone. A classic case is the suffocation of lockdown. Truth be told; it works because everyone is going through the same pain. Get a grip on your mind and think about possibilities not problems.

Action – Changing your thinking is a very challenging business but even more complicated is acting upon your thinking. Procrastination is the biggest threat to action. If you have read this far, it means you have taken the right action to not merely glance at this post but actually invest your time to read it. However, that is isn’t good enough. Have you decided and listed out what you are going to do about the learning from this post and what you have read so far? Have you outlined how you are going to change your beliefs or attitude or behavior? We all have good intent; but translating that intent into results requires concrete action. Start NOW.

Now – Yes it says NOW and it means you start the good intent you have right away. Perhaps you have some thoughts already swirling in your head; go get pen and paper or use your mobile but jot down your thoughts on which you plan to act. May be you would like to put into action the first thought you wrote down. If it is really vital to your plans go on and do it. It is important that you keep working on what you start because you may not always be able to complete what you start. Prioritize it and see how you progress. NOW means New Opportunities Working.

Never let your insecurities become a stumbling block in your quest to attain what you dream of achieving; because you CAN, NOW.

Try This:

  • Can you recollect the worst fears that you have overcome till date? How did you manage it? Was it raw courage / encouragement from others / you were left with no choice? Which of these alternatives helped you the most in life?
  • You may also take inspiration from the following links

https://tinyurl.com/yb9sbbgq – No Hands No Legs No Worries. (Video)

https://tinyurl.com/gmr2maq – Airborne to Chairborne ( Article )

This post is courtesy www.actspot.com

You are also invited to visit our Inspirational and Motivational Blog

www.poweract.blogspot.com

The best non verbal communication

by Academy for Creative Training, posted in awareness, life, Motivation, Relationships, smile, Vision

Non verbal communication conveys more honestly than any other form of communication. Experts and communication researchers have reinforced this fact through research and empirical data. They have also suggested how one can read, interpret, understand and benefit from understanding the subtle text and sub text of various non verbal communications. The best non verbal communication is experienced when one interacts with little children; they are spontaneous in their responses and since they have no other means of communicating they are honest, dispassionate and expressive in their communication. We too are equally quick and responsive, to their communication of laughter/ tears/ fear/ peacefulness, which are largely the emotions, they display in their communication.

If you reflect, you would perhaps realize that we tend to respond in a similar manner even to adults, in whom we see shades of that child like innocent non verbal communication. We form judgments about others, based on similar traits. We feel comfortable or experience discomfort, depending on how genuinely others communicate non verbally with us. The genuineness of the positive, non verbal communication is best revealed by the eyes, soul and heart.

Laugh with your eyes – Joy radiates from the eyes even if it is the face and lips that take centre stage. Pure joy that transcends into laughter is best personified by the tears of joy that one cannot hold back. It is not just the shimmer in the eyes but the radiance in it that leaps out and makes the communication complete.

Hug with your soul – A hug of sheer ecstasy is not just in the warmth of the hug but in the silent, unseen but deeply felt connection of the souls. Even from a distance the soul can hug and tug at one’s raw emotions through a force that is inexplicable. Ever hugged someone in an ICU where entry is barred and all you can do is look longingly through the glass. Ever felt the connection?

Smile with your heart – The smile that is most vibrant, does not glow till it comes from your heart. Notice the smile of a little child and the parents. It is pure, unadulterated love that is ignited in the heart and reflected on the face. Ever felt it the same way when meeting a long lost buddy or a very close neighbor who you haven’t met in years.

Nature provides us many such moments to elevate ourselves and those around when we are touched by the sheer beauty and magnificence of wonders of nature. It could be natural environment, the wildlife, the vast expanses of the sea  and shoreline, the radiance of a rainbow… does your heart skip a beat, a smile light up your face and you wanting the moment to remain forever….

Life too provides many such moments. Something that you read; something that you see; someone that you meet; some adventures that you experience. Some moments that are indelibly etched in your mind and heart. That is when your eyes, soul and heart are in perfect sync.

Try This:

  • Recount your most favorite moments. Think back to the reasons that made it so special and memorable. Do those memories touch your heart and soul and bring a tear in your eyes?
  • Visit an orphanage and interact with the children there. Make a note of your feelings and experiences there.
  • What is the most sentimental object you have with you? Why is it special? What memories or feelings do you associate with it?

This post is courtesy www.actspot.com

You are also invited to visit our Inspirational and Motivational Blog

www.poweract.blogspot.com

Define your own life

by Academy for Creative Training, posted in affirmations, attitude, belief, courage, Decisions, Enthusiasm, focus, life, methods, Perceptions, Perseverance, self belief, success, Vision

While the above may not be a classical yoga pose for display on this Yoga Day, the picture illustrates how one can adopt or adapt or redefine, just how one would like to make life more meaningful. What characterizes human life, is the uniqueness that each human being can consciously imbibe and/ or display, to the world around. The world around will have very defining patterns of conduct, social norms, professional and personal goals, all of which empower human beings, to live harmoniously. However, what makes the world so interesting is that individuals find unique ways to evolve and display their individuality.

Every individual therefore, has a unique purpose in life. The sooner you discover it for yourself, the better it helps one mold and play that part. The tragedy of human beings is not that they are less privileged or not gifted, but their inability to discover their potential. Everyone is given life; life means a purpose. How you make your life, purposeful and powerful, depends on how you leverage your potential. How does one define one’s life purpose? The answer to that question will reveal how you shape your life. To find that answer you will have to begin in the following way:

Choose the right attitude – If you don’t know the answer; try to find it. If you have to struggle to find it ; begin the quest. If you don’t know where to find it; look everywhere- read/ ask/ question / imagine/ connect / think….  Your attitude will define how far you can go.

Focus on what you can do – So you have your limitations; so what. You also have your strengths; list them. Select your strengths; now use it . Enhance your strength; learn/ practice/ find a guru…. When you can identify your strengths, you can determine how strong you are, to achieve what you want, in your own unique way.

Aim high – No one can stop you from aiming high; go on and aim for the stars. Aim to achieve; now you will begin your quest to achieve. You can be whoever you choose to be; start with the first step…. The higher you aim, the brighter your chances of reaching closer to something worthwhile.

Do it your way – Listen to all your well wishers; your parents, teachers, siblings, friends but then remember, you have to furrow your own path, in your own way. At times people will give sane advice including what you should not do; ultimately you do what you believe should be done…. You know the destination…you choose the way.

Remember that failures are successes in the making – Failures are not just your inability to achieve what you set out to do. It also includes, your inability to make those around you, comprehend what you are aiming to do. You succumbing to the demands placed on you by society, even when you know they cannot see your vision, is also in many ways, a failure. However, at times you are helpless and so you give in. They are minor setbacks. … keep pursuing your goal and scale the pinnacle of success as defined by you, by charting your own course.

Your vision; your way; your victory!

Try these:           

  • What is your most outlandish desire? How do you propose to achieve it?
  • What is the one thing you do very differently, from the accepted norms?
  • Who is the one person you recall who did things in her/ his own way, paying no heed to what the world around demanded of her/ him? How would you rate their happiness and success?
  • Recall three of your most traumatic failures. Can you identify the key reason for that failure? If the word ME is not in it, then think again about those failures.

This post is courtesy www.actspot.com

You are also invited to visit our Inspirational and Motivational Blog

www.poweract.blogspot.com

2 Uninvited Guests

by Academy for Creative Training, posted in awareness, Count Blessings, Future, life, Love, Motivation, plans, truth

Just as I started writing this post, I get the news of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s death, apparently committing suicide by hanging himself. Coincidental, considering that this post was to reflect on two uninvited guests, Love and Death. The irony is that the public at large could only remember the actor as an evolving and successful actor, loved by his fans, and having no reason to commit suicide. It may be a strange way to view the rest of this post, because he had captured his fans heart and now he succumbed, possibly to the pressures of life and his heartbeat is no more; perhaps also momentarily also taking away, a heartbeat away from his followers and fans.

If you look back to your own life, there would be wonderful memories of times when you gave your heart away. It may not necessarily be to a person, but it could be for a pet, a book, a movie, a subject that you grew to love. If you still retain that exuberance and joy of discovery, perhaps you still find many uninvited guests in the little pleasures of life, be it exotic food, a unique painting or historical site. Perhaps you could just be in love with nature, the cooing of birds or the rainbow after the rains, or the wildlife that you see in safaris. The fact is, when you find love, there is a skip of your heartbeat that you cherish and try to hold on to. True love grows, although Shakespeare would have you believe, that it is blind. The reality is that you can rarely ever pinpoint, when the spark of love really kindled the flame within. It is an uninvited guest that steals your heart in a seamless but endearing way.

On the other hand, death is a guest that is not really welcome, except when the throes of living are really dire. Unfortunately it sneaks up quietly and in most cases, before one knows, has snared its victim most ruthlessly. Occasionally, unwittingly, as in the case of suicides, death is not really a welcome guest, but invited to help free from bondage, that is difficult for a third party, to imagine. When death is swift, like in the case of an accident or a heart attack, it is a merciful guest; though very much uninvited.

The reality is, uninvited guests can drop by anytime. Be prepared to host them.

Try these:           

  • Have you ever thought about what an apt epitaph for yourself should read like? Perhaps you can attempt to write one.
  • Can you recall the most remarkable uninvited guest, who you still remember? What made her/ him an endearing character for you?
  • What was your experience as an uninvited guest at some place? Did you feel awkward / disenchanted/ pleasantly surprised/ very disillusioned?

This post is courtesy www.actspot.com

You are also invited to visit our Inspirational and Motivational Blog

www.poweract.blogspot.com

Searching for answers?

by Academy for Creative Training, posted in accept, answers, Be Positive, Confidence, Difficulties, Fear, Hope

As each of us is stumbling through the challenges that the Covid 19 has brought in its wake, there is a silent question that each of us trying to answer ‘ why is this happening at this time?’ The more we try to find an answer to this question, the more confusing it gets. There are many who feel it is nature’s way of extracting retribution from humans for the misuse of nature’s bounty. There are other theories that suggest that it is a long overdue course correction alert to a greedy world. There are still others who think that this is just a way of leveling people, economies and helping it align with the natural environment. Perhaps it is a mixture of all these theories and more.

We may not get any clear cut answers immediately, which will clear our confusion. We may therefore worry, fret over the situation and / or attempt to find ways to cope. Some may even try to find sly ways to get around the challenges of lock down, social distancing and personal protection. The reality though is that, there is an inherent threat that will keep each of us on our toes. It is this unseen, ever present and possibly fatal treat that is playing havoc with our mind, our behavior, our responses and our sanity. Coping with it requires us to get some sort of a rational explanation that will make sense to us.

Actually, even before such a pandemic, in our own life, at various stages, we have been confused. Things like career choices, matters of relationships, deciding on picking up or giving a miss to crucial opportunities that come at a personal cost are all confusing, challenging and complicated. Yet we took decisions, often keeping fingers crossed, though the path ahead was unclear. What we simply did was weighed the options with the limited understanding we had and took a chance. Not easy for sure, however it was a choice one made. The fears were overtaken by hope, determination and self belief that there is light at the end of the tunnel we chose to move through.

Looking back, there were mistakes galore but there were also spurts of unexpected surprises. Occasionally we even caught an elevator to success, at times we paid a heavy price but when the dust has settled we can see that we did progress, the price was perhaps excessive but the reward was sweet. Oh yes, you can now even see, why things happened the way it happened. Some would attribute it to karma. Others could attribute it to daring decisions taken. Some others could perhaps see it as an outcome of hard work and discipline. Strangely enough, what everyone will normally  agree to is that, whatever happened was for a reason that is now clear.

The future is chartered out. The way may be foggy, it may have pitfalls, it may have thorns or it may be smooth sailing. For the present, do not stress but accept things as they happen, especially when you are powerless to do anything to prevent it. Believe that someday you will know the reason for the trials, tribulations, successes and joys that you embraced on your journey.

Try these:           

  • What was the toughest part of the lock down for you personally? How did you cope with it? What is the one lesson you learned from your lock down experience?
  • Tape any two fingers of your hand and try to function for the whole day with these two fingers taped. How did you feel about the experience? Were there times you wanted to remove the tape out of frustration? Was this frustration partly because you knew that you voluntarily did the experiment?
  • What is one of the happiest events that happened in your life? Looking back did you plan for it or did it happen accidentally? If you planned for it, are you learning from that experience and raising your bar to success higher?

This post is courtesy www.actspot.com

You are also invited to visit our Inspirational and Motivational Blog

www.poweract.blogspot.com

Struggling is not failure

by Academy for Creative Training, posted in affirmations, attitude, Be Positive, Change Self, Difficulties, Fear, Hurdles, improvise, life, Motivation, Suffering, Thinking, Troubles

These are trying times. For those confined to their homes or in quarantine, the struggle to come to terms with lack of social contact, is a difficult pill to swallow. However, that is nothing compared to the struggles of those who have lost their source of income; be it the small trader, marginal businessmen but mainly the daily wage earners. The struggle becomes worse because not too long ago, everyone was relatively much more comfortable and suddenly everyone was unceremoniously knocked off their comfortable perch, by an unseen, lethal and yet to be controlled menace.

At times, this unexpected, and as of now, unending struggle, to regain our confidence and our future seems impossible to cope with. That is when hope begins to fade, struggles seem to be mounting and an inexplicable fear of failing, overwhelms us. Yet if one were to take a look at the image representing this post, the beauty of the blooming flower, that seems to have taken roots in a parched land, offers hope, gives one confidence that the struggle will yield results soon.

When struggling, it is important to bear in mind that, ‘ if one continues to do what one has always done, the results would be what one has always got’. In the current scenario, this is a double edged sword; you may not get any results, or you may get some results in the end, but it may be too little, too late. So the next alternative is to think of doing something different, in the hope that you may get different results, and hopefully they would be a lot better, and a lot faster than expected. The challenge is not to give up, fear failure and concede defeat. Notice how the flower has bloomed by finding a crack in the dry earth; look for such cracks and opportunities to bloom again.

A struggle requires patience. However, one cannot just keep waiting; one must be keep doing something planned and practical, that should hopefully get you the results, you hope for. The fruits of your effort could take time to fructify, but the effort must not be discarded, nor should it be compromised by attempting foolish short cuts. Like the seed that germinates underground in the dark even in a parched land, the struggle should go on and it will then grow from beneath the soil to bloom. Look at your struggles as a journey through a long tunnel; if you give up and you fail to keep going, you won’t exit the tunnel; keep going and you will see the light at the end of the tunnel.

A struggle is often lonely. You may have family, friends and acquaintances around. At times you are all alone. The reality is that no one will ever be able to fully empathize or understand your struggle. In fact, there could be many who could be critical, mean, unhelpful and downright hurtful to you as your struggle. If lucky there will be a few who encourage and push you along but walking the talk is a something you have to do on your own steam. Look at the picture to see how your struggle when successful will turn out; beautiful, refreshing and victorious. Your lonely struggle is never a struggle alone if you have your spirit of resilience and the will to succeed accompanying you.

Try these:           

  1. Many of you who are reading this post may be struggling to cope with the massive disruption in their life. Students who have yet to give their exams ( which are long delayed); students whose admissions are on hold; students whose on campus classes are now  threatened; teachers who have to adapt to the new teaching styles; people who have lost their jobs or livelihood. Do not just brood over your problems. Write down your various alternatives.  Seek help. Change tracks. Keep your momentum going, so that you are not stagnant, stunned and/ or stupefied by the situation.
  2. Maybe you are struggling to lose weight or to enhance your income or to keep your relationships on even keel. Whatever your struggle take a leaf out of the plant in the picture above (there is only a flower I know) and don’t give up.
  3. If you can, do see the following movies to understand how people struggled to beat the odds.
      • 12 Angry Men
      • Manjhi
      • The Shawshank Redemption

This post is courtesy www.actspot.com

You are also invited to visit our Inspirational and Motivational Blog

www.poweract.blogspot.com

Learn to love your own company

by Academy for Creative Training, posted in attitude, Be Positive, Change Self, dare, Imagination, Judgment, Perceptions, solutions, Thinking, Vision

Imagine being marooned alone on an island. How would you survive such a drastic change in your social life? While the above is a hypothetical situation, the reality in lock down is that each of us is perilously close to such a situation. Ironically there are people around us and yet the lock down and social distancing rules that everyone has to adhere to, has ensured that our interactions are minimal, business like and over time stilted and artificial. Perhaps, for some, those at home could be a challenge to deal with, because of our individual quirks and the unexpected amount of time forced to share time and space with each other. Perhaps being alone is a good solution but since even that is not something most of us are used to, the effort becomes difficult and irritating.

Ironically, being alone offers one the freedom to be yourself, to spend time the way you want, to explore possibilities and to reminiscence, remember and reflect. It frees our mind of routines, gives one the opportunity to think creatively, mentally explore ways to work around problems and discovering shades of yourself that existed but remained hidden.

To learn to like to be alone and to enjoy the company just of yourself you must first believe that being alone is not a punishment but a boon. A change in attitude immediately allows you to see possibilities galore ahead of you.

The second prerequisite is to allow yourself time to do nothing without feeling guilty, give your mind space to wander and to flutter like a butterfly and be relaxed even if the mind occasionally drifts towards unwanted thoughts.

The third thing is to identify your key interests, latent passions, wishful thinking to drift to the forefront of your thoughts. This will give your mind some directions to focus upon and varied dimensions of opportunities to explore.

The fourth important requirement is that one enjoys the process of the mind throwing up ideas to explore, the dialogue you engage in with your mind, the occasional silence, the sudden bursts of anxiety, often followed by a more vigorous spurt of alternative solutions to cope with the fear.

The fifth most blissful aspect of being alone is choosing what to do. You have the time, the alternatives, possibly ample resources but most of all you have choices. When alone no one can dictate the choices but you have to be decisive and choose. You can spend it reading, sleeping, thinking, meditating, playing games, worrying, doing what is urgently needed or simply doing all of the above in a random order.  It is this freedom of choice that is at the heart of learning to enjoy your own company.

Try these:           

  1. Have you ever explored a different genre of art / literature / music/ photography/ movies/ TV shows? What has stopped you from exploring it? Now is your opportunity to do so. Give it at least an hour before you decide if you like it or want to explore something else.
  2. List out your three to five most pressing problems. Allow your mind to focus on these in any random manner (which means you actively explore solutions to any or all of these problems by thinking and identifying alternative solutions) , Not thinking of the problem will not allow you to find a solution and if by thinking about you feel depressed then the reality is the problem is really serious and hence you need to find solutions.
  3. If you feel you have wasted these days of lockdown can you identify the specific activities that you felt were a waste of time e.g. sleeping more / binge watching. Now ask yourself if that was a choice you made because you felt happy with it or was it because you had no specific routine for the day or was it because your mind tempted you to? Ask yourself if it is really a waste of time or was it a choice you made when the mind gave you alternatives?

This post is courtesy www.actspot.com

You are also invited to visit our Inspirational and Motivational Blog

www.poweract.blogspot.com

Begin with gratitude

by Academy for Creative Training, posted in affirmations, appreciation, Change, Count Blessings, Gratitude, Perceptions, thank, Vision

World over, there is fear, frustration and impatience with the curbs and lockdown measures that various governments have imposed on their residents, even though the intentions are noble and well known to the people. However, human beings have benefited so much from the freedom they are so used to, that any restrictions placed even if it is for the general good of all, is viewed with suspicion, disappointment and anger. The real difficulty is having a way to cope with the curb on our individual freedom that has been artificially placed on us, even if the end justifies the means.

If you look at yourself dispassionately you have much to be grateful for and for the abundance you are blessed with. Here is a look at some things that we take for granted, when we stew in our own anger, frustration and disappointments.

Being alive – I know many of you will say that the problem of lack of freedom is because you are alive. Ask yourself if you would rather be dead and have all the freedom in afterlife? Some may argue how long will we live with the fear of falling sick. Well it so happens that for the rest of our lives every individual lives with that Damocles sword hanging over our head. So just be grateful that you are alive.

Having a home, family and friends –  If you have a roof over your head and family and friends  feel blesses. Perhaps you are cut off from some of them. You can’t meet them in person. You are unable to travel to be with them. Be glad you still have them and the technology to see, hear and talk to them.

Being financially better off than most – If you are reading this, chances are that you still have the means to access technology for your own needs.  Be grateful for the financial means that is keeping you afloat, whereas around you there are millions on the brink of financial upheaval.

Enjoying reasonably good health – Despite the aches, pains that is normal in life, be grateful if you are not in quarantine for the freedom you enjoy. If in quarantine be grateful that you illness has been detected on time and that your safety is being taken care off. If suffering from more life threatening illness be grateful that you are still managing. You will realize the value of life and living.

Having an education – You are reading this because you were fortunate to get an education. It has helped you update yourself, upgrade your skills, leverage technology and even find solutions to problems. You are not at the mercy of others like those who are uneducated and illiterate.

Having the gift of discernment – If you are a free individual enjoying your liberty and the perks of freedom but more importantly having a choice between doing what is right and saying no to what is wrong, be grateful for the gift of discernment. You chose to read this; you may choose to absorb the learning; you may decide to implement the learning by noting all what you are grateful for. You are blessed with the gift of discernment; choose well.

Try these:           

  1. What is your favorite line from a book/ a poem/ a movie? Have you thought about why that line or words resonate with you? Think about it.
  2. What is the best thing you did with your education? How did you utilize it for a larger good of the society around you?
  3. What is the one sentence told to you that you still value? How did it influence you?
  4. List out, at least three things that you are grateful for, that you are able to appreciate only because of the lockdown.

This post is courtesy www.actspot.com

You are also invited to visit our Inspirational and Motivational Blog

www.poweract.blogspot.com

Self discipline – A key learning from the lockdown

by Academy for Creative Training, posted in Action, affirmations, Change Self, discipline, Motivation, self discipline, Time Management

If you are reading this, consider yourself exceptionally lucky. You have survived the Covid 19 , the lockdown but more importantly (except if you have been a frontline warrior) you have been fortunate to have been gifted a once in a life time opportunity, to have all the time in the world to do very many things that you did postpone in the past for lack of time. Look up your New Year resolutions that you outlined not too long ago. Go through your checklist of pending tasks and the ‘to do this year’ tasks. So, how much did you achieve during the lockdown? Do you regret that the lockdown opportunity was not grasped by you?

If you have very many regrets that you wasted your time and the opportunity to get a lot of things done you have only yourself to blame. More importantly you have to blame your poor self discipline for having wasted this opportunity of a life time. Well everything is not lost. From all indications, the lockdown may get extended for many and so it is time to become self disciplined and at least now make use of the time at our disposal more fruitfully.

Here are some tips to be self disciplined:

Have a good routine for every day – The first thing to keep in mind is that a lockdown is NOT a holiday. In fact it is a regular day for you and for quite a few who are not on work from home, the only issue is that there is no specific job to be done. That is precisely why you need to have a good routine so that you fill up the available time doing all the important jobs you kept pending. It is also a time to give yourself more time for pursuing your own pursuits that you kept in abeyance because you lacked the time. Do you have an hourly schedule drawn up at least for 8 -10 hours. You can add your normal commute time in addition as bonus time. Now you have a clear cut agenda for yourself. Inbuilt time to pursue your hobbies, to learn a new skill, experiment with something that you have craved for etc.

Visualize a motivation to follow the routine – You will find it hard to follow your routine unless you have some strong motivation that pulls you to do it. Obviously in most cases the real motivation will be intrinsic motivation since you do not get any major tangible outcomes for doing what you are passionate about. In fact, the trick to be motivated is searching for and identifying the intrinsic motivators for every task you commit yourself to. You will find that the quality of your work is always much better, the urge to do it well much stronger and the outcomes always positively stimulating. Alternatively it must be driven by a fear that you have ( which could be as simple as committing to your kids or your better half or significant one that you hope to do xyz next day). You can be sure they will follow up on your progress and fear of failing them would be a good way to be self disciplined.

Minimize distractions – The most common cause of lack of self discipline is pleasurable distractions. For the tech savvy generation gadgets of all types, with the mobile phone being the chief culprit are the major source of distractions. Then there are other distractions like lure of indulging in any activity that gives instant gratification be it light reading or playing games or indulging in personal hobbies etc. The best way to overcome distractions is to make a serious effort to distance the source of distraction from you. You should ensure that your mobile phone or the sports gear or the light reading material is never anywhere close to you when you are following your routine. The more difficult it is to access it, the higher the chances of you being self disciplined. Incidentally, ensure your work environment is conducive to productive work. The work environment must be well lit, well ventilated, neat and tidy etc.

Experience the’ feel good’ from the progress made – The progress made because of self motivation must not only be experienced by you but you must learn to cherish it. Every little progress is a step forward towards success. Value every small success because it motivates you to remain focused and self disciplined. Be aware also that initial progress can be slow, takes a lot of effort and the output barely noticeable. That is when yourself belief will keep you on course. Your self belief is what helps beings the journey and your progress and success is what helps fuel your self discipline.

Make no excuses – No matter what the situation, never make an excuse for not committing to your routine. Like marriage vows, in good times and in bad, in good health and in sickness, you are married to your commitment. No excuse can be tolerated. In the rare instance where you miss out on your commitment make up for it by working more at the first opportunity. Remember that self discipline means self sacrifice too. Your time is finite and you have to allocate it appropriately, often at the cost of more agreeable alternatives that you need to sacrifice.

Be self disciplined and achieve anything you set your mind to.

Try these:           

  1. You are to commit raising a certain amount as your contribution to a relief fund. You decide the amount but no amount can be contributed from your personal funds or by raising funds by disposing off your belongings. You have to raise the amount as donations from anybody without giving any commitment to them about you returning the favor or indicating that this is a task you have taken up as a challenge.
  2. What would be a real surprise for your best friend or spouse? There mu.st be a significant cost or effort  by you attached to the surprise Can you ensure you surprise them on any occasion before the year end?
  3. What is the one thing new you gained because of the time you got all for yourself during this lockdown. It should not be materialistic but it could be in terms of new knowledge, skills, relationships, insights, self discovery etc.

This post is courtesy www.actspot.com

You are also invited to visit our Inspirational and Motivational Blog

www.poweract.blogspot.com

6 Lessons from the fisher folk

by Academy for Creative Training, posted in acceptance, affirmations, be proactive, get going, Gratitude, Imagination, learning, lessons, life, Motivation, Reactions, Temperance, Tomorrow, Vision

20-09- 15 April 20- When fishermen cannot go to sea

The humble fisher folk set us an excellent example of what do when you have time on hand. They are used to compulsory lock down and lack of income during the heavy monsoons and or when there is extremely inclement weather predicted. What is interesting is they do not rue this time but spend that time very wisely. One reason is that they anticipate these lock down situations and the second reason is that, like a wood cutter who spends more time sharpening the axe so that he spends less time and energy chopping wood, the fisher folk  use the time to repair their nets.

For each of us, there is meaningful lesson to be learned from the humble woodcutter and the fisher folk. Use time wisely to ensure your life and your work are more productive, better managed and equally satisfying. As individuals what can each of us do to use the time give to us as bonus by nature, albeit as a reminder to respect nature to? It is important to keep in mind that our safety net in life is our blessings, the relationships, our goals, our values, our time and our own self worth. We need to repair those areas of our net that need mending.

Relook our priorities – One needs to look back at what one has achieved, look forward to what one aims to achieve and check if the price we have paid and the price we will pay are worth the end results. Check also if we are living in the present, living the moment and if we will ever have regrets of having misplaced priorities. Ask yourself if you taking care of our relationships, your health, your loved ones, are you being true to our values, do you take notice and do something about those around etc.

Respect the blessings given to us – In our pursuit of happiness which we often seek in the form of more money and power do we value the blessings that one has inherited, been gifted, been blessed with. Do we take what we have for granted? If you do not value the blessings you have, chances of you repairing the net you inherited are rather bleak because you see it as second hand, old and perhaps needing replacement.

Revive relationships – If we say that man is a social animal it simply means we need to have people around and ensure we engage with those around. Relationships need to be kept healthy if one has to have a positive, friendly, encouraging environment. Check if some relationships need more attention, if they require more effort to stabilize. Be open to nurturing healthier and happier relationships with existing circle and creating new circles of friends.  Patch up those parts of the relationship net that are frayed or require additional strengthening.

Remember the less privileged – You need to ensure that the net is spread wide if you have to get a good catch. Spreading the net wide is not a one man job. You will need the support of all types of comrades. Hence it is in your interest that the net given to those around is not torn or frayed lest your catch gets less. Even the most humble companion in your journey of life has the power to be useful to one another. Carry them along as a valued companion who is also helping you cast the net wide.

Reward ourselves – While mending the net the fishermen also swap stories, sing songs, have fun too. Having fun is an important part of the process of repairing the net else it will become a chore, a burden, a millstone around the neck. Find ways and means of enjoying the process of repairing the net although it has been forced/ trust upon you at this point in time.

Remember to be grateful – Be grateful you have a net to repair. There are many who have nothing to really care for; no possessions; no income; no meaningful life; no hope. Pause and think of all the blessings you have, most of which you never earned but inherited. When you value your blessings you will be motivated to take care of your possessions even more carefully. The net of life is now has a new meaning; a fresh perspective and above all becomes your most valued treasure.

Try these:           

  1. Draw a simple fishing net. On each intersection on the net, write down one valuable thing in your life that the intersection represents/ stands for. E.g. family / income / friends / education / good health etc.
  2. Can you list out a couple of songs that are typical of people who go fishing or which represents the fisher folks culture.
  3. List out one thing you will do to repair the following
  • Change your attitude for the better
  • Improve your knowledge and learn something new
  • Build on your strengths
  • Overcome your weakness
  • Enhance your social / professional circle
  • Spend even more quality time with your loved ones

This post is courtesy www.actspot.com

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