Thoughts on positive force . . . Day and day out while taking my dog for a walk I am pounding the same thoroughfares. But mind you I always notice something new, like for instance today I noticed that some of the cherry blossom trees bordering the streets start to blossom with those tiny delicate pink flowers. Alongside are other trees standing like skeletons not even shooting a single bud of green leaf. The cherry blossoms always amaze me, they are so beautiful and they come in different varieties. During the month of April we have the Cherry Blossom Festival at the Japan town, and year after year I never failed to watch the parade along with the street festival of wine and music. Here will be food booths, cultural performances, karate, live bands, Japanese sword demos, tea ceremonies, taiko drumming, origami demos and more. As I remember, cherry blossoms symbolize clouds due to their nature of blooming en masse, besides being an enduring metaphor for the ephemeral nature of life, an aspect of Japanese cultural tradition that is often associated with Buddhistic influence, and which is embodied in the concept of mono no aware. The association of the cherry blossom with mono no aware dates back to 18th-century scholar Motoori Norinaga. The transience of the blossoms, the extreme beauty and quick death, has often been associated with mortality. I can only grasp that cherry blossoms are associated with the good side of life. Talking about the good side of life is to become a positive force aimed to nurture, to inspire through good deeds. “Be the person who touches the lives and hearts of people. Be a positive light to others as you put a smile on their faces. For in the end...its not what you say that matters, its how you make them feel that lovingly stays in their memory.” Unknown Just as this essay points out, be the positive force in all your undertakings . “The most effective way to prevent what’s bad is to promote what’s good. The best way to influence behavior is not to control and regulate, but to inspire and motivate. You get more for your efforts when they’re applied in a positive direction. Instead of fighting against what you dislike, work to build and support what you value and desire. The answer to despair is not to despise it, for that only adds to it. The answer is to overwhelm it with goodness and love. Focus your attention and energy on what works, and make more of it. Celebrate what is good and right, useful and valuable, and allow it to grow. Nurture, promote and support what you love about life. Delight in the good things, and give the power of your joy to them. Be a positive force by acting with positive purpose. Give your awareness and energy to the good side of life, and make it stronger than ever. In the words of one blogger: “Be inspired by inspiring others . . . “ There are not many things that can get you fired up like helping and inspiring others. People who make a habit of doing this say it nourishes their energy and makes them focus on what’s really important. They’re thankful for the chance to help, because they know that these benefits are two major reasons they’re able to achieve their own Goals. They get more in return. The best part is that inspiration is a two-way street. When your friends and family start to pile up successes and become Positive Forces because of your example, you’ll get a taste of how powerful and rewarding the whole thing can be. The pride you’ll feel is tough to describe. The more you lead each other, the higher your Fire will build, pushing you to set new Goals and reach for new possibilities. When you act as a Positive Force, you start to build a whole new self-image. It fills you with confidence for the future, by proving that you have the power to affect change. You feel more valuable and sure of your abilities. This knowledge helps you refocus and set your sights higher. More ambitious goals seem like real possibilities now that you know that you can do it. Before you know it, you’re moving faster along the path that marches consistently upward. Your goal program and your energy can have a huge impact on your surroundings. To make a real difference – to give your days more meaning – a good place to start is by having a Purpose that’s larger than yourself. A mission that goes beyond the borders of your present, everyday world. A mission that includes helping others in some way. When you start your Fuel For Improvement program, your goals may be as basic as getting some sleep or as involved as a career change. As you gain success, the scope of your program and your priorities grow. Whatever your Goals are at the start, when you improve yourself, the range of who and what you care about will expand into something more important. That ‘something’ is served when you work to make a difference. By translating your early success into Positive Force, you transform those initial Goals into an even more meaningful Purpose. The feeling you get from acting as a Positive Force may uncover some core, underlying reasons why your Goals are so important. For example, mental and physical Fitness plays a huge role in reaching your Goals. But in the long run, the real benefits behind your good Fitness will probably be realized by your family, personal enrichment, career, or community. Again, what are you going to do with your Fitness? Here are suggested action steps . . . Try these things today, and you’ll soon become a Positive Force for others: 1) When a negative thought enters your head, use a mental interrupt to replace it with an opposite thought before it forms words. 2) Be humble. Most people talk about what theyve done or what theyre going to do. Let others do the talking for you. 3) Propose a way to improve something at work. Ask to lead the effort to make it happen. 4) Go to a neighborhood or professional meeting, attend a speech, take a class, or take part in some other event that gives you a chance to meet people that you can learn from. 5) Spend time teaching someone how to do something at home or work. 6) Follow through. Keep your promises. Show up when youre supposed to and do what you say youll do. 7) Show your loved ones that you appreciate them. 8) Dedicate one vacation day to a project in your community. 9) Take the neighborhood kids on a day trip (zoo, ballgame, museum, etc.) Cheers! Joegar
Posted on: Tue, 28 Jan 2014 07:38:22 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015