(4) Ups and downs

You wish to be happy all the time. It’s a general wish that all mankind shares. Is it possible, though? Hardly. Is it a tragedy? Not really. Why? Simply because being human means experiencing all the ranges of feelings according to the experiences everybody is given during their lives. Besides, you can enjoy happiness, or any other feeling, only if you have knowledge of its opposite. If you like being on a mountain top, would you want to stay there forever? You probably wouldn't. The lower land, too, has its positive side: going down you might stumble on some rocks, but your walk will make you feel more active. Therefore, up you go... stay and enjoy the view. Down you go... move and enjoy the walk.

                      (3) New perspective

There are people who are good-looking, and others who aren’t. There are people who are smart and others who aren't. 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 that can be enhanced. You only need to perceive yourself from a different standpoint and realize that improvement is usually possible. The same happens with your approach to life. If you learn to see yourself in a more favorable light and act accordingly, your new perspective will become your reality.

                  (2)             ‘Invictus' 

‘I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul’: these verses are so famous that they have become a household expression. 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 influence, even determine, the way your existence will unfold from now on? And, if you do, are you consistently using such power? No one can afford to be superficial on such a subject. At least, no one who cares to live more serenely.  

                         (1)         Your life is a garden  

Imagine your life and yourself as a garden. Every experience is important because it is like a seed planted in fertile soil. At first, it seems that nothing happens. Then a tiny stalk starts to show and slowly grows till it becomes a beautiful flower. The little green stalk out of the ground is like the hint of awareness that you begin to feel deep inside. It's the awareness of the significance of your being part of humanity, of the relevance of your attitude, of the consequentiality of your behavior. Time is a great teacher, but only if you are willing to receive the message it keeps sending you throughout your whole life by the experiences it offers you, day after day, after day, after day.  

31. Ask yourself:

How would I feel if I succeeded in materializing my 'dream'?

(Give a detailed description) 

       THE  END

30. Ask yourself:

Do I have the intention of doing something about it? 

What? In what way?

WHEN?

Answer sincerely 

 29. Ask yourself:

Do I accept the idea that I could get free from conformism, and achieve my 'dream'?

How could I do that?

Answer sincerely

 28. Ask yourself:

How well do I know my own nature?

Do I actually know what I would like to do with my life?

Answer sincerely

 27. Ask yourself:

Who are the friends who make me feel dissatisfied or disappointed?

What do they say?

What do they do?

Answer sincerely

 26. Ask yourself:

Who are the friends whose company makes me feel better with myself?

What do they say?

What do they do?

Answer sincerely

 25. Ask yourself:

How often do other people tell me to be more 'realistic'?

Who are they?

What they refer to?

Answer sincerely

24. Ask yourself:

How often do I tell myself that 'dreaming' is useless? 

Why do I say it? 

Answer sincerely

 23. Ask yourself:

If I imagine some improved aspects of my life, what do I see? 

What are the obstacles that prevent me from achieving them?   

(people, things, situations)

Answer sincerely

 22. Ask yourself:

Do I think I deserve a better situation? (work, family, social...)

What in particular?

How could I get it?

Answer sincerely

 21. Ask yourself:

Do I believe that only some people are "lucky"?

(If "yes", give some examples)

Answer sincerely

 20. Ask yourself

Do I believe it worth trying or am I sure it would be impossible?

Why?

Am I conditioned from past experiences?

Answer sincerely

19. Ask yourself

Would I really be able to be successful?

Or do I believe it's impossible? 

Am I conditioned from the past?

Answer sincerely

 18. Ask yourself

Do I feel I could make an attempt?

How far could I go?

Answer sincerely

 17. Ask yourself

If I succeeded to... (specify your 'dream') would I feel more fulfilled?

To what extent? 

What would change in myself?

Answer sincerely

 16. Ask yourself

Do I believe I could have more from life?

What would that be?

How could I get it?

Answer sincerely

 15. Ask yourself:

Could I ever be able to....?   

(Describe your 'dream' in detail)

Yes? No? Why?

Answer sincerely

 14. Ask yourself:

What changes could I make, if I believed in myself?

How could I do it?

Answer sincerely

 13. Ask yourself:

Am I interested in making changes in myself and in my life?

Yes? No? Why?

Answer sincerely

 12. Ask yourself:

Am I aware of may capabilities? Yes?

What are they? 

How could I benefit from them?

Answer sincerely

 

11. Ask yourself:

If I think about my "ideal", could I do something to resemble it?

What? In what way?

Answer sincerely

 10. Ask yourself:

How do I judge/see myself?  

How would I "grade" myself as a human being? 

Based on which criteria?

Answer sincerely

 9. Ask yourself:

If I could choose, "what" would I like to be or to have?

(profession/job, talent, spirituality, money...) 

Why "that"?

Answer sincerely

 8. Ask yourself:

If I could resemble someone, "who" would I pick?

(Give a practical example) Why?

Answer sincerely

 7. Ask yourself:

How often do I feel dissatisfied? 

About what? Why?

Answer sincerely

 6. Ask yourself:

Do I feel I need to please others in order to be liked or appreciated?

Who? In what way?

Answer sincerely

 5. Ask yourself:

Do I ever wonder whether I have real chances of doing something new, different? 

No? Why?    Yes? What?

Answer sincerely

4. Ask yourself:

Am I interested in new possibilities, in different ways? Why?

Why precisely those?

Answer sincerely

3. Ask yourself:

When I conform to the way society suggests, do I feel fulfilled? More appreciated? Safer?

Yes? No?

Why?

Answer sincerely:

2. Ask yourself:

Do I believe I need to conform myself to the general opinion?

To what extent do I usually do it?

Do I tend to follow what the media say it’s fashionable?

Yes? No?

Why?

Answer sincerely:

                               30  QUESTIONS FOR YOU

1. Ask yourself:

How do I think others perceive me?

Do I think I actually am the way they see me?

Yes? No?

Why?

Answer sincerely:

To sum it up, try this.

Reassess your life, NOW. Rate each item from 0-10 points.

1.   Health       /

2.   Love       /

3.   Finances       /

4.   Family relationships       /

5.   Friends      /

6.   Environment (social/work)       /

7.   Physical/material fulfillment       /

8.   Emotional fulfillment      /

9.   Spiritual fulfillment       /

10. General lifestyle       /

TOTAL                                                    /100

How does it feel?