Wasting Time

I can’t help observing how our modern society is widely slipping into petty, useless habits, wasting  precious time in gossip – a time that could be better spent in more fruitful ways. But, in the end, everybody is free to spend their time they way they prefer. Thus, for example, if they choose to devout themselves to thinking, reading and talking about other people’s (famous or not) affairs, they are free to do so. Still, I wonder: Were they aware of the fact that the precious instants they are wasting in such frivolous way will never come back, wouldn't they choose to do something more useful, more constructive, with the aim of doing something “good”, of improving the quality of their lives? Probably they wouldn’t.  Or they would. Who knows? 

Tuning In

It is possible that infinite paths delivering information exist. But our brain is wired to only perceive one, so far. We have a single "cable" that connects us to the infinite field that is out there, the one which, every now and then, a "special" mind, a genius succeeds in tapping into. So a new idea is born, a revolutionary theory is presented, a daring hypothesis is brought forwards. And usually - at first - they are all categorically refused or made fun of. Only later are they taken into consideration and eventually proven to be right. Do you accept the possibility that you, too, have the capability of tuning in, of adjusting your brain to receiving a different  kind of frequency? A frequency that can help you improve yourself, overcome your limits and live a happier life?

Useful Make-up

Worry is a real killer. It stems from fear (the origin of all evil) and –  if you let it –  it can literally destroy your life. When you worry in a “normal” way, no harm is done. But some people either over-worry or never stop worrying. When you over-worry, you give too great an importance to something that is not dangerously significant. For example, a pimple on a teenager's forehead can become a real tragedy - so she won't go to a party she was looking forward to - or it can be just accepted. She simply hides the pimple with  make-up and... off she goes to the party! What kind of "teenager" are you?

True Beauty

Ladies, as well as men, have to look after their physical appearance, because looking nice is a natural desire that most human beings share. The problem arises when this desire becomes overwhelming and the individual considers it as the main (if not the only) tool to present themselves to the world in order to receive love and admiration. If they believe this, they are wrong. After having appreciated their beauty at first sight, their true nature, their character and personality are what will make such admiration continue or disappear. If inside the beautiful shell there is no consistency, the admiration will fade away. People like to deal with true, interesting, dedicated human beings rather than with a deceiving façade.

Listen!

There exist certain values which should never be given up, no matter the reason. If you succeed in finding the path to your own heart, you will find it easy to re-mold your life. It is enough for you to listen to the voice of your intuition, that always tells you the right thing to do. In such way you will see how your negative thoughts drift away and disappear from your mind. As a consequence, your motivations and spiritual goals will change. Your behavior is  transformed for the better and one fine day you will see that you have become the positive individual you have always wanted to be. 

Soul Needs

In order to live a more serene and peaceful life, you do not need to abandon your business, forget your activities, neglect your friends. Not at all. Whatever your life has been endowed with must be appreciated and cherished. Your family, your job, your friends, your skills are gifts for which you must be grateful. What you need to do, though, is not to forget that your soul needs a fair amount of spiritual nourishment as well. Therefore, feed it with elevated thoughts, use meditations on fruitful ideas (such as those suggested by a good book, an interesting article, an inspired lecturer) in order to dig deeper into yourself and understand better what your true nature is. 

Don't Fret

If you tend to fret… please don’t. Don't be a worrier. Take life easier. Don't forget to think about others beside yourself. Being generous, available, dedicated can greatly help you to see your problems under a less dramatic light. As a consequence, you will feel less stressed out, you will experience serenity and well being. You must finally accept the idea that there are certain things that will "never" go the way you want. That's why it's better to smile in spite of the challenges and try to make the best out of them. Life is made of never-ending ups and downs and there is absolutely nothing you can do about them. All you can do is change your attitude towards them. But - if you do it - your general mood will improve consistently.

Easy Fulfillment

The deepest part of your "self" knows what a fair thought, word or action is, what should be said and done, what should be avoided. Unfortunately you are often lured away by other considerations, by elusive desires and foggy goals. A quick, easily achievable fulfillment is often pursued instead of looking higher, instead of nursing more elevated aspirations. Don’t we all know the old saying “ It is easy to know what we should do, but it is difficult to actually do it”? Why is it so difficult? Because, when talking about making progress or mending flaws, you start by wishing to do something on the matter, but then you end up forgetting your good intentions.

Useful Curiosity

Something that is really important in life is the desire, the will to engage oneself in the acquisition of knowledge. If you remain in your shell, content with what surrounds you and do not wish to learn more, you will keep on leading a very repetitive life, with no wider horizons in sight. On the other hand, being curious can encourage you to read more, to find out about things that can excite your interest. You might discover that you like to know more and your enthusiasm will grow while you  keep exploring new fields or delving deeper into old ones. If Einstein believed that his only special talent was curiosity, what about "you"?

Try it!

At times you can't help feeling depressed. It could be that life seems too big a burden to stand, or you feel that your efforts are useless, or that no one is paying attention or appreciating what you do, or... or... Such feelings are totally normal, and all human beings have to face them, one time or another. The important thing is not to give in to them. If you do, you lose hope. This is the worst that could happen to you, and it must be avoided at all cost. How? Unfortunately, there is no "treatment". Each must find their own way to deal with such a predicament. Just as an example, dedicating yourself to your favorite hobby might help you to get out of a dark mood, at least temporarily. As the mind cannot experience two feelings at the same time, passionate attention drives away sadness. Try it, it might work.

Share

Don't you think that it would be worthwhile to manage your own life in a way that, beside making yourself (hopefully) happy - as you deserve - it could also be an example for somebody else? Imagine the fulfillment you will experience when a relative, a friend or a simple acquaintance tells you : "You inspired my life" or "You gave me the courage to go on" or "You provided me with the strength I needed to dare". Our main goal in life should be to do good to ourselves and, as immediate consequence, to do good to our fellow human beings. If we think only of ourselves we become selfish. But the perfect love of ourselves cannot be separated from the love towards others. Don't forget that we are all connected to each other. The good must be shared, because it belongs to all. And those who have a greater awareness are the ones more directly responsible for the sharing.

Worry

How do you deal with worry?  You can accept worry as a natural state, a human feeling that must be endured. So you keep on worrying because you don’t know what else to do. This attitude keeps you in a rut and your life ends up remaining in a miserable state most of the time. You can also fret, which means you feel vexed or troubled and lead your life in a state of continuous nervousness, you never relax. To complain is another way to deal with worry, which -  beside non solving your problem - makes it even bigger because you keep focusing on it. This solution turns you into a nag, hardly cherished by your family and friends. You can also decide to resist it, to be the “though guy” and not allow worry to put you down. So you act as nothing happened, as if everything was fine. But what is going on inside yourself is another story. The “act” that you put up is just a mask that hides your true feelings. Is there a good way to deal with worry? "Release" is the magic word. Find your own way to do it.

Thinking Thoughts

What is the mind? We usually define it as the tool through which we are able to think. But what is "thinking"? The typical definition says that it is the process through which you create thoughts. And if you look up the meaning of "thought", you'll be informed that it is the product of thinking. It sounds like the proverbial dog chasing its own tail, doesn't it? So, what is the conclusion? The conclusion is that you think, i.e. you create thoughts - but you can explain neither what the process actually is, nor how it is carried out. Why am I wondering about such topic? Is it a simple mental exercise or a deep philosophical question? It could be either, neither or both.

Dreams

Since childhood, I’ve always been a Disney fan. I love his movies because, beside the beautiful animation, there is usually a deep wisdom behind the stories narrated. I have also noticed that in most of the theme songs the word “dream” is mentioned. They encourage you to have dreams, they exhort you to believe that dreams can come true. It’s a wonderful message for human beings of every age. When you stop dreaming, you stop living. You may still be “alive” but - without a dream in your heart - your life becomes dull, boring, possibly useless. When you are young, your dreams are aimed at creating your own happiness. When you grow older, you may become more interested in creating happiness around you. But the important thing is for you to keep…. “wishing upon a star”! 

Interpretation(s)

How sure are you that what you see is really the way you see it? And how can you be sure that the way you see people is how they truly are? You will answer that, because you see things and people in a certain way, this is "how" they are. Actually... they are not. This is the way "you" see them. Can they be perceived differently? Absolutely...Yes! As a matter of fact, every human being has his/her own way of seeing and interpreting things. That is why one single "interpretation" of the world is impossible. There are as many interpretations as the number of human beings. Absurd, you will certainly say. Reality is one. Is it really? Ponder a moment upon this point. You are sure of who you are, aren't you? Yes, you are - because this is the way "you" see yourself. But be assured that the way others see you is totally different. And each has their own personal opinion about you. Do you disagree? It's your right (but you are wrong!). Ask them, if you dare (lol).

Usefulness of Art

Italian poet/novelist/playwright/philosopher Luigi Pirandello (Nobel Prize for Literature 1934) said that life is a buffoonery that can be dealt with only through writing. He said that because he was a writer (and I tend to agree with him). But it can be said the same about any kind of art or skill. Life is difficult and it always provides human beings with many challenges. It is up to each individual to choose how to face such challenges. Most think that only practical actions can be useful. But in many cases an intellectual outlet can be greatly beneficial as well (if not more). Not all problems can be solved through physical action because actual deeds cannot always provide the psychological/emotional relief that one wishes for.