Be Authentic, Be Yourself

Whenever we pretend to be someone that we are not, people can either see through the act or they sense that we are not being authentic. I grew up in an extremely affluent area but my father had a low paying government job. I began to form an opinion about where I fit in this distorted world. It's the only world I knew. I didn't know first hand about the world outside of mine. Then I left home at a young age, and experienced poverty because I had no idea how to make it on my own. I found myself homeless at the age of 19. That experience then shaped a new reality for me. After becoming a social worker, I was exposed to a whole group of people that I had never met personally before. People who grew up on welfare and had parents on disability. When the children hit 18 they applied for disability (SSI). It's just how things were in that community and the people I worked with and came to know, love and respect, didn't know any other way of doing their lives. I began to see their issues in a very different light. I now saw them as strong human beings tackling impossible odds, instead of needy, dependent people. The experiences they were exposed to in terms of abuse, trauma, and deprivation opened my eyes to a whole new reality that so many people grow up in. If a plant is never nurtured and isn't given soil to grow in, it will shrink and die or live marginally. There is always that rare plant that grows under any conditions. For some people, life can be a horror from a very young age.

The point is, we often feel shame as a result of our childhood experiences and that makes us want to pretend that we are someone other than who we are. Once we can see our past for what it was and what it wasn't we can gain more respect for ourselves for having survived what we endured. We can also have more compassion for others who have gone through something different or something that seems worse.

Lack, deprivation, starvation, and poverty are ideas that are instilled in us from birth. We have to heal the wounds and recover in order to move to a higher level of existence. Money, health, quality food and love are all forms of energy that we receive. Those who never learned to receive because of they only knew lack and deprivation in the past have a difficult time in their adult lives unless they seek professional help and take measures toward healing on every level.

We are all enough at birth. We are all enough throughout our live in spite of our experiences. We are perfect as we are and the experiences we are having today are exactly the ones that we are supposed to be having.

Letting go of the hurt and pain of the past is a long process. It takes courage and fortitude to stay on a path of healing. There needs to be a spiritual connection to something that you believe is greater and wiser. Few people are able to face their demons head on and experience the pain necessary to heal.

By Debbie Simon
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Einstein Quotes

Einstein Quotes: 6 Great Lessons You Can Get from Them

Albert Einstein is one of the most celebrated scientists of all time-and oftentimes he's viewed as eccentric. Nevertheless, despite his weirdness, there's one thing that we've not got from him: his mind. What better way to celebrate his genius than through different Einstein quotes.

The Lesson from Einstein Quotes

Indeed, more than the theory of relativity and several mathematical equations, Einstein left a mouthful for us to share to everyone: the Einstein quotes. And with variety of great lessons we can derive from them, surely, we wouldn't mind being overly generous:

1. Einstein teaches us about peace. A lot of people assumed that because he's a scientist, he lived in seclusion. Though this is partly true, the Einstein quotes will tell us that he was never really afraid to speak his mind. He has very strong views on politics, most especially on peace. He wanted to advocate peace and order in different parts of the world, considering that he'd lived through the horrors brought by World War II.

2. Einstein gives us a different view of fear and death. There are some Einstein quotes that will show us how much he loved life and yet how much he embraced the possibility of dying anytime and anywhere. And because he knew that he had a surprising influence to the world, he was gracious enough to share his views on this matter through his inspirational sayings.

3. He shows us that gossip doesn't take you anywhere. Einstein would have never attained the status he enjoyed when he was alive if he had entertained gossips about him or about other people. For him, there are three things that are important: work, play, and keeping your mouth shut.

4. He gives us a whole new meaning about patriotism. Einstein quotes can inform us of the basic formula for patriotism, and it doesn't include violence and mandatory offering of one's life for one's country. For him, it should come from the bottom portion of your heart, and the passion to protect your fellowmen should push you to make the ultimate sacrifice.

5. He adds importance to life and living. Albert Einstein doesn't only care about space, Earth, or molecular structures. More than anything else, he put great emphasis to the value of human life and its role with respect to the universe. He could discuss about a human person' frailties, but never failed to also mention about his victories, strengths, and uniqueness-things that make us kings and queens among living things.

6. Einstein quotes show us Albert's love for God. Einstein would often describe himself as agnostic, but deep inside, he's one great lover of God. He believed in the Almighty's great influence on people's lives and that one can attain enlightenment when he had already given up his selfish desires. He also stressed that science and religion are two independent things but are complementary to each other.

Albert Einstein quotes will be something that will help us get by each day-and more important perhaps than all the scientific theories you can ever learn from him. Read More...

What is Your Life's Purpose ?

Why Are You Here?

Have you ever wondered why you were put on this earth? Is there something deep inside you that makes you believe that you are here to do something special? That you have a calling to fulfill? That you have a life's purpose? If so, is that purpose, that higher calling, being fed and nurtured? Or is it dying on the vine from neglect and inattention?

"The purpose of life is to live a life of purpose" Richard Leider

If indeed there is a purpose in your life, and if you really want to discover it and then proceed to live it out, where do you start?

You might want to begin by asking yourself these questions:

1. What is most important to me in my life?

2. What are my deepest values and beliefs?

3. What motivates me? (i.e. What makes me get up in the morning?)

As you meditate these questions, thoughts and ideas will begin to surface that will help you to evaluate where you are now and where you want to go.

Reach for the Stars

The truth of the matter is, your life is already driven by some kind of purpose, although it may not be the purpose you intended. Your purpose may be basic survival - you just want to make it through another day. While physical survival is important, is that the highest you want to attain? Will you limit yourself to mundane, inferior soap-opera scenarios when it's possible for you to reach for the stars? Ultimately the choice is yours.

You need no one's permission to dream big. To reach for those stars. To chart out your life to live it to the fullest. To find your own personal purpose - your own reason for being.

Finding your purpose is not an achievement. For instance, you can receive a great promotion in a job you hate, and that would be considered a real achievement by many people. But is that your purpose? If you hate the job, probably not.

Overcoming Obstacles

Discovering and then following your life's purpose will be an evolving thing and may take many years. Obstacles will have to be overcome along the way. Those obstacles may be such things as fear of what others think - needing approval. Fear of the unknown - moving out of your comfort zone. Fear of failure - that you may step out to try something new and the bottom will fall out. Fear is definitely a dream-stealer. Only you can make the choice whether to continue to let those negative thoughts determine your actions (or your inactions).

Of this you can be sure - as your life's purpose becomes clearer, your life will begin to move more powerfully in the direction you want it to go. Slowly but surely, your days will become ever richer and fuller as you move with greater purpose, focus, and intention through this journey called life. Living in your life's purpose will bring the greatest joy you can ever know. Read More...

Rhinoceros Can Fly

Did you know that one of the biggest animals on earth can fly? You didn't? And, if you have seen an rhinoceros fly, does this mean you are the only one? Well, this isn't as strange as you think.
Alright, maybe rhinoceros really can't fly but here is the point. Perceptions are the big reason that a lot of people see things that others do not see. Take the office environment for example where employees are constantly complaining about the unrealistic demands of their boss. Are their perceptions, or how they view the demands of their jobs, the real truth or are they simply the imaginations of those employees? Some of their feelings may be real and some may not. The point is, however, if you feel that your boss is overly demanding then they are. It doesn't matter what the truth is; the fact is because this is your perception no matter what your boss does or doesn't do, your perception is your reality.
Perceptions play a significant role in our lives each and ever day no matter who or where you are. In fact, your perceptions will rule first before logic, fact, or truth. Perceptions are difficult to change. These thoughts enter your mind from the start of the day to the end. If you think you are going to have a lousy day where everything that can go wrong will then, in most cases, this is what you'll get. If you think that you will never get out of your current rut, then this is where you will undoubtedly stay.
So, what's the answer? Who will help you change your perception? You may not want to hear this but the only person who can change your perception is you. It is not up to anyone else; not your spouse, children, bosses, friends or family. You make the choice on a daily basis of what you believe to be the case, or what you feel won't be the situation. Thousands of people are stuck in the perception that they are owed a better future, a better job, or a better more rewarding relationship. Nothing, unfortunately for those looking for a magical cure, can be further from reality.
The only person responsible and accountable of who you are, what you will be, or what you can have is up to you. You are in control. You decide what your life will not only look like but actually what it will be. Dreaming that some miracle will happen won't get it done; hoping that others will change before you do is only fooling yourself. And, not only is this fooling yourself but you are not taking responsibility. You are really giving control of your life to circumstances or to others.
Take control; change your own perceptions; take action that will move you closer and closer to who and what you want from life, and do it now. Read More...