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Here, I share my thoughts on spiritual power, relationships, simple living, managing stress, work-life balance, career decisions, money, politics, the environment, and much more.
See my self-help articles including How to Move On and How to Succeed, browse my large collection of Inspirational Quotes, and sign-up for my free Daily Inspiration - Daily Quote email and my Positive Affirmation of the Day email.
The content of all my blogs/websites consists entirely of personal opinion.
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Thursday, December 29, 2011
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Let this ending of a year, and the beginning of a new year be a time to consider what is really important in life.
New Years resolutions are most often abandoned by the end of January, and forgotten soon after, but New Years resolutions can help you to build a whole new life when they are based upon real commitments to long term values.
Please take time, right now, to write a list of your 5 or 6 most important values.
Test those values against this metric. Will each of those values still be high on your list in ten years? If you doubt the long term nature of the items on your list, consider revising it.
Now ask yourself whether the New Years resolutions you are about to adopt are the best reflection of the long term values on your list.
Your values, and the resolutions that you are committing to, are acorns that will grow into strong oak trees over the decades, so long as you continue your commitment and daily attention to them.
Choose well, and live into your commitment.
See: Quotes about Values
Planting Seeds
Let this ending of a year, and the beginning of a new year be a time to consider what is really important in life.
New Years resolutions are most often abandoned by the end of January, and forgotten soon after, but New Years resolutions can help you to build a whole new life when they are based upon real commitments to long term values.
Please take time, right now, to write a list of your 5 or 6 most important values.
Test those values against this metric. Will each of those values still be high on your list in ten years? If you doubt the long term nature of the items on your list, consider revising it.
Now ask yourself whether the New Years resolutions you are about to adopt are the best reflection of the long term values on your list.
Your values, and the resolutions that you are committing to, are acorns that will grow into strong oak trees over the decades, so long as you continue your commitment and daily attention to them.
Choose well, and live into your commitment.
See: Quotes about Values
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
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Kindness and Charity
Kindness and charity are the earthly building blocks that support all the world's religions.
Every Christian knows the story of the Good Samaritan and recognizes that the overarching theme of Jesus' teaching is loving and caring for all people.
Charity (Zakat - giving to the needy) is one of the Five Pillars of Islam. Most chapters of the Quran begin, "In the name of God the Compassionate." Therefore, in Islam, as in other religions, one would best emulate God by being compassionate.
Compassion is a central value - perhaps the central value of Buddhism.
Compassion is also a central value in Judaism, Hinduism, and the world's other major religions.
Each of the major religions, and also the major philosophical systems of thought, such as the ancient Greek, include expressions of the Golden Rule in some form.
Does this mean that everyone who claims membership in an organized religion is compassionate and generous? Obviously, it doesn't. From the Crusades to Nazi Germany to 9/11 to some of today's hate-filled political rhetoric, some terrible things have been done in the name of religion.
However, compassion, kindness, and generosity are not dead. For each of the many highly public cases in which cruelty, or just indifference, is committed in the name of religion, there are a hundred kind and generous souls working within their community churches to promote kindness and improve the lives of their neighbors and the lives of strangers around the world.
Every Christian knows the story of the Good Samaritan and recognizes that the overarching theme of Jesus' teaching is loving and caring for all people.
You have heard that it was said,
"Love your neighbor and hate your enemy."
But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.
- Matthew 5:43-44
"Love your neighbor and hate your enemy."
But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.
- Matthew 5:43-44
Charity (Zakat - giving to the needy) is one of the Five Pillars of Islam. Most chapters of the Quran begin, "In the name of God the Compassionate." Therefore, in Islam, as in other religions, one would best emulate God by being compassionate.
Compassion is a central value - perhaps the central value of Buddhism.
A generous heart, kind speech,
and a life of service and compassion
are the things which renew humanity.
- The Buddha
and a life of service and compassion
are the things which renew humanity.
- The Buddha
Compassion is also a central value in Judaism, Hinduism, and the world's other major religions.
Each of the major religions, and also the major philosophical systems of thought, such as the ancient Greek, include expressions of the Golden Rule in some form.
Do to others as you would have them do to you.
- Luke 6:31 (the "Golden Rule")
- Luke 6:31 (the "Golden Rule")
Does this mean that everyone who claims membership in an organized religion is compassionate and generous? Obviously, it doesn't. From the Crusades to Nazi Germany to 9/11 to some of today's hate-filled political rhetoric, some terrible things have been done in the name of religion.
However, compassion, kindness, and generosity are not dead. For each of the many highly public cases in which cruelty, or just indifference, is committed in the name of religion, there are a hundred kind and generous souls working within their community churches to promote kindness and improve the lives of their neighbors and the lives of strangers around the world.
The worst sin toward our fellow creatures
is not to hate them,
but to be indifferent to them:
that's the essence of inhumanity.
- George Bernard Shaw
is not to hate them,
but to be indifferent to them:
that's the essence of inhumanity.
- George Bernard Shaw
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