How Do You Feel?

(The End) I have nothing against information, but what is sad is the fact that many people tend to ignore other “news” that could help them feel more serene and, why not, happier. Ask yourself how you feel after reading or listening to stories about negative happenings. Do you feel better? Do you believe that your spirit has benefited from knowing about all those "crimes" (there are so many different kinds!) or gossip? The world is not only made of dreadful or unworthy happenings. But this is what the news daily brings to your attention. The good, positive stuff is either overlooked or  minimized.

What is the actual meaning of this consideration?  No-one can answer but you.

Awareness... of What?

(The News 3) If you are a fan of the daily news, you end up believing that you are a well informed person. And, definitely, you are. But… what do you know? You are aware of the wars that are going on in the world, you can tell how many disasters recently happened. You know about the crimes, the rapes, the killings, the turmoil that are afflicting our planet. Being able to converse with your friends on all subjects, from politics to social affairs, to finance, to gossip, makes you feel proud. Now, ask yourself this single question: “What good does "all" this do to me?” Stop for a moment and wonder about what is the real benefit (not just being able to shine in your social environment) that your spirit gets from all such knowledge. Be honest with yourself.

Information....All the Time

(The News 2) The modern world, all of us, but especially the newer generation, have been craftily brought to believe that we need to be  and to be kept “informed” - all the time. So there is presently a non-stop  flow of news that bombard us from all sides, mainly from the TV screen but also from newspapers, magazines, the Internet etc. Is it good or bad? Some say that modern human beings need to be informed, to be up-to-date in order to feel they are participating in the life of the whole planet. They believe that, as our Earth has become a global village, there shouldn’t be barriers between countries and information is the fastest way to make us all feel as one great nation. But… is this really true? 

The News in History

(1) To know means to be aware, to realize, to have knowledge about something that “is” or that is happening or happened. Mankind, in general, feels the need to be informed either about what is going on or about why things “are” in a certain way. In the olden days there were thinkers (philosophers, scientists etc.) who endeavored to understand both ethical and physical laws, while others practically “acted”, took action in order to achieve a material, visible result. Those who did neither, felt the desire to “know”, to be informed about what was being thought and experimented. Thus 'the news' was born, to inform people about very important, meaningful things. Nowadays we are drowning in "news" about everything, at all times, in all places, in any conceivable way. And a lot of the information we are forcefully fed is neither important, nor meaningful.

It Can Work!

Is it possible for you to re-create your life by improving some things that need to be improved, by adjusting stuff that needs to be fixed? Yes, it is. You might object that, although you tried, people and situations still keep being difficult to deal with, so you decide that nothing works for you. Although it might seem that you are right to some degree, you must also remember that perseverance is indispensable. To achieve higher goals one must study, practice and apply themselves for the required time, never giving up. Try to remind yourself of “something” in your past  that you  wanted to such a degree that you never stopped until you got it. Is a better “life” less important?

No Miracles!

When you pray, and ask for something, you usually expect to "receive" immediately. If you don't, you tend to attribute the responsibility to "Someone" or "something" else. God? The Universe? The Creative Force? Destiny? The "others"? When you asked for "it", you believe you had done enough. When you involve a third party, you are convinced that your work is done. No matter how you call it, it's always someone or something else's responsibility! "I've done what I could!", you say as a justification, and expect to be comforted and consoled. But... have you really done whatever was necessary? Or haven't you rather expected someone else to do it for you, or something else to miraculously happen? It's time that  you open your eyes, become aware that you, and only "you" are in charge of your life, and be ready to accept the consequences, whatever they might be.

Seeking Serenity

One of mankind's greatest needs is the strong desire to be praised, admired, loved. In fact, what would our existence be if we weren't able to coexist with our fellow human beings? It would be a never-ending fight, there would always be winners and losers, overpowering and overpowered. The prevailing feelings would be fear, resentment, aggression.  Fortunately, it is not so. Negative feelings do exist but not to the point of totally destroying peace. Nevertheless, everyone wishes for a more serene life, in harmony with natural laws. In order to achieve serenity, every human being has some existential needs which - beyond simply surviving - allow them to experience the awareness of their own worth and a deep satisfaction in feeling appreciated and loved. A new-born who doesn't receive love and attention soon dies. An adult who feels neglected, despised or misunderstood shuts him/herself down, cutting all ties with the outside world. Are you willing to give others what you expect and hope for yourself?

Hike or Stay

If you want to be in charge of your life, you first need the awareness of such a capacity, and then the willingness to do something about it. Imagine yourself being asked to go on a hike but refusing because you are unwilling or, worse, you do not believe you can make it. You are capable of walking, the scenery is interesting and your destination is beautiful. You know that when you reach it, the reward will have made the hike worth it. Yet, you find excuses, postpone the trip, play for time. In the end, you give up the idea because you feel comfortable where you are, and dismiss any beneficial exercise. You “could” enjoy a lovely hike in good company, but you prefer to stay inside and watch TV. Outside the metaphor, you have the ability to create a more fulfilling life by operating a few changes in your habits and in your ways. Nevertheless, you often refuse to become aware of the benefits that await you, and choose to keep on wearing your old comfortable slippers instead of your walking shoes.

OK

Oftentimes words are easy to say but not so easy to deeply believe and, most of all, to put into practice. If it really were an effortless task, we would live in an almost perfect world. Most people, in fact, have sound principles, know the rules of good behavior, are decent people who wouldn’t hurt a fly. Yet… our world is very far from being really good. Maybe it is very good, rather good, most likely just acceptable, possibly average. Yes, you know that the great majority of the human beings who populate our planet are not bad but… how “good” are they really? They are OK, that means they live their lives trying to survive, shut inside their selfish little box, without really caring about “the others”. This can be considered sufficient to accept human existence but it is certainly not what we would call an inspiring situation.

Master of Your Fate

19^th century English poet W.E. Henley wrote a short poem, the last two verses of which became so famous that they are often quoted either in writing or orally and have become a sort of household expressions. They are, “I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul”. The title of the poem itself, “Invictus”, a Latin word that means “never defeated”, immediately conveys the main idea. What do you think these words mean? Simple, you may say. They mean that you are the “maker” of your life. But do you really believe this to be true? Do you believe that you have the power to shape your destiny? And - if you do - are you consistently using such "power"?

New Perspective

There are people who are smart and others who aren't. There are people who are good-looking, tall, thin, and others who are not. Therefore, as the world is full of opposites, you might meet situations that you don't like but that cannot be changed. In this case you need a flexible frame of mind. What to do? Change your attitude towards the situation. If you are not happy with your physical appearance, you can always find a feature (eyes, hair...) that could be enhanced, emphasized, thus improving your looks. You only need to perceive yourself from a different standpoint and realize that improvement is usually possible, if you go for it. The same happens with your character, mood, temper, approach to life. If you learn to see yourself in a more favorable light - and act accordingly - your new perspective will become your reality.

Dissatisfaction

It seems that nowadays Truth likes to hide behind conformism. Some feelings are disguised under the mask of complaisance, even hypocrisy.  If one wants to achieve a goal, they can convince another of their fidelity, admiration, dedication while sheltering different feelings in the depth of their hearts. This lack of sincerity seems a necessary feature in order to climb up the ladder of success, to maintain useful mundane relationships, to fulfill your ambitions. It seems that being totally sincere makes you vulnerable, so you often prefer to hide your true feelings. But - in so doing - you end up being confronted by depression. Its cause? The deeply-rooted dissatisfaction (even guilt) for feeling compelled (but it's still your choice) to wear "clothes" that are not your own.

  

Experience

Irish/British playwright and political activist George Bernard Shaw  said that human wisdom is proportional not to experience but to the willingness to have an experience. I find this concept quite interesting. Wouldn't it be really wonderful if all people were capable of  learning from what happens to them? Unfortunately, it is not so. After having an altercation with somebody, you should learn that "your" behavior was not the most suitable. Will you remember it next time? Hardly. Your 'ego' is still convinced that your way is the best way, so you keep being confronted by similar situations over and over. Experience, therefore, is seldom useful and it doesn't necessarily make you wiser. It could be greatly beneficial, though, if you were willing to consider it as a teacher who gives good advice in order to pass your exams (= to become a better human being). Are you willing to see yourself as a student who has still a lot to learn?

Smile!

Smiling seems to be a problem for some people. They simply can't. That's why you often see serious faces, scowling expressions,  frowning foreheads, knitted eyebrows, gloomy attitudes. Such people appear to be always worried, filled with gloom, incapable of smiling - as if smiling would be too frivolous for their harsh existence. It's true: life can be hard. But a smile costs nothing and can perform miracles. If you smile more to your partner, many misunderstandings can be clarified before reaching a dangerous point. If you smile more to your children, you will teach them to face life in a more positive, less aggressive way. If you smile more on your workplace, you might encourage others to do the same. If you can also smile to those you don't know or even to those you don't like, you might succeed in breaking down the "wall" that separates you from the rest of the world. And you will live a better, more serene life.