Who Are You?

As most people believe they know themselves, you, too, may believe you know yourself. But, if you think about it, what do you really know? What you know for sure is your physical appearance. You say, “I’m tall, I’m short, I’m medium height. My hair is black, brown, long, short straight, curly….” You may say, “I’m fat (just a bit. Need a little diet!) I’m thin, my eyes are blue, brown…”

You look at yourself in the mirror and you have no doubt about what you see. But is what you see enough to make you know who you are? It isn’t. You don’t know who you “are”. You only know what you “look like”.

Don't Listen!

Vincent Van Gogh, the famed Dutch painter, wrote: "If you hear a voice within you say 'You cannot paint', then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced". How often are you conditioned by what others say? How easily are you made change your mind, start doubting yourself, believe that you "can't"? The voice of the world is sometimes too loud for you to resist, so you allow it to become your "inside" voice. When this happens, you can't help but be prey of negativity and lose your self-confidence. If you challenge it, though, and trust in your potential, you will see how capable are you to overcome the non-existent limits that others have created around you.

Light and Shade

If you stand with your back towards the sun, your sight is in shade, but if your turn around, everything becomes clear and light fills your surroundings. This physical experience can be used as an example of how your spiritual attitude can be transformed according to the way you decide to see things. "Seeing" means interpreting the situation you are dealing with, it refers to the attitude you choose to have. If you tend to judge things negatively, your sight becomes shadowy, blurred, you can't distinguish the truth clearly, whereas if you assume a positive way of thinking, you become more alert. You become "aware". The former way of being makes you tense, the latter grants you serenity.

Style vs. Fashion

What is the difference between fashion and style? Some think there is no difference between the two. Wrong! Why? Because fashion is a popular trend while style could be defined as a way of being.You may believe that if you are fashionable, you also have style, that if you wear the latest clothes you are undoubtedly elegant. It is not so. You may follow the newest trends and still have no style. On the other hand, you may wear a simple, even old-fashioned apparel, and look like a million dollars. How come? It seems that style is  an innate quality, a way of carrying oneself, a demeanor that makes one stand out of the "crowd". Can style be learned? It may....or it may not! 
("Fashions fade, style is eternal.", Ives Saint-Laurent)

Your Behavior Matters

Do you ever think about the effect that your behavior may have on others? Do you believe that the way you behave affects the people you deal with on a daily basis? Actually, it does. If you were really convinced of such truth, you would be a little more careful when you interact with those around you. It may happen that you do or say hurtful, unkind things without stopping an instant to weigh the possible consequences of your actions or words. When you take it too easy, when you are somehow careless about your conduct, thinking that it doesn't matter and that you are entitled to express yourself in any way you want...well, think again. You can still do and say what you want without hurting someone else's feelings.

To Know or Not To Know

Are you able to say, "I don't know."? Can you admit your 'ignorance'? Most people can't. By admitting that they don't have any or enough knowledge of a certain fact, happening or situation, they believe they demean themselves. They don't realize that the opposite is true. When you insist on trying to convince another of your incorrect statement or opinion, you end up making a fool of yourself. There is no shame in not knowing something. No-one knows everything. Unfortunately, in our competitive world, many have grown to believe that such admission would be a sign of weakness, of inferiority. They need to feel "superior" at all costs.

You Can Choose

Is your environment beautiful, natural, exciting, uplifting, friendly? Or is it dull, boring, depressing, fake? What makes it the way it is? Besides the physical features (city or country, seaside or mountains, hot weather or dry weather etc.), what mainly defines your surroundings are the people in your life. "They" greatly contribute to your general well-being. Family members and colleagues cannot be discarded so easily, but friends can. It's up to you to decide who you want or don't want to see on a regular basis. You have the freedom to choose your friends according to how they make you feel. Therefore... choose wisely.