When I pronounce the word Future,the first syllable already belongs to the past.
When I pronounce the word Silence, I destroy it.
When I pronounce the word Nothing,I make something no non-being can hold.
"Όταν γελάς κινδυνεύεις να περάσεις για χαζός"
"Όταν κλαις κινδυνεύεις να περάσεις για συναισθηματικός"
"Όταν ανοίγεσαι στον άλλο κινδυνεύεις να μπλεχτείς"
"Όταν εκδηλώνεις τα συναισθήματά σου κινδυνεύεις να δείξεις τον πραγματικό σου εαυτό"
"Όταν εκθέτεις τις ιδέες και τα όνειρά σου μπροστά στους άλλους κινδυνεύεις να χαρακτηριστείς αφελής"
"Όταν αγαπάς κινδυνεύεις να μην στο ανταποδώσουν"
"Όταν ζεις κινδυνεύεις να πεθάνεις"
"Όταν ελπίζεις κινδυνεύεις ν'απογοητευτείς κι όταν δοκιμάζεις κινδυνεύεις ν'αποτύχεις"
Ναι, αλλά πρέπει να ρισκάρεις γιατί ο μεγαλύτερος κίνδυνος στη ζωή είναι να μη ρισκάρεις τίποτε.
Ο άνθρωπος που δε ρισκάρει τίποτε, δεν κάνει τίποτε, δεν είναι τίποτε και δε γίνεται τίποτε. Μπορεί να αποφεύγει τον πόνο και τη λύπη όμως δε μπορεί να μάθει και να νιώσει και ν'αλλάξει και ν'αναπτυχθεί και να αγαπήσει και να ζήσει. Δεμένος με τις βεβαιότητες του, είναι ένας σκλάβος. Έχει παραιτηθεί από την ελευθερία του. Μόνο ο ανθρωπος που ρισκάρει είναι πραγματικά ελεύθερος.
~Λεο Μπουσκάλια-"Να ζεις, ν'αγαπάς και να μαθαίνεις"
Ξέρετε πως δεν πιστεύω ότι έχει καταφέρει ποτέ κανείς να διδάξει τίποτε σε κανέναν. Αμφισβητώ την αποτελεσματικότητα της διδασκαλίας. Το μόνο που ξέρω είναι ότι όποιος θέλει να μάθει θα μάθει. Και ίσως ο δάσκαλος είναι ένας διευκολυντής, κάποιος που απλώνει τα πράγματα μπροστά στους άλλους και τους λέει πόσο ενδιαφέρον και υπέροχο είναι αυτό που τους προσκαλεί να φάνε.
As we all know, communication is essential in society. Advancements in technology have transformed the way that we correspond with others in the modern world, yet when conversing face-to-face, it's not only speech we verbalize that matters. Body language is truly a language of its own. We all have quirks and habits that are uniquely our own. What does your body language say about you? And what can you learn about others by becoming aware of what some of the signs mean?
I thought it would be fun to list some of the well-known signs that body language experts study and recognize. It is said that when talking to a person the information that we receive can be broken down as:
10% from what the person actually says
40% from the tone and speed of voice
50% is from their body language.
Head
Lowering one's head can signal a lack of confidence. If someone lowers their head when complimented, they may be shy or timid
Touching or tugging at one's ear can indicate indecisiveness
Sincere smiles encompass the whole face (noticeable in the eyes)
A false smile usually only engages the lips
Tilting one's head can symbolize interest in something or someone
Overly tilted heads can be a sign of sympathy
Closing of eyes or pinching at the bridge of one's nose is often done when making a negative evaluation
When a listener nods, this is usually a positive message and relays that they are interested and paying attention
However, excessive nodding can imply that the listener has lost interest but doesn't want to be rude
Touching/rubbing one's nose may indicate doubtfulness or rejection of an idea
Sticking out one's chin toward another may show defiance
Resting a hand on one's cheek is often done if they are thinking or pondering; and stroking the chin can mean the person is trying to make a decision
Upper Body
Pushing back one's shoulders can demonstrate power and courage
Open arms means one is comfortable with being approached and willing to talk/communicate
Folded arms show that there is a sort of barricade between them and other people (or their surroundings) and indicate dissatisfaction
Resting one's arms behind their neck shows that they are open to what is being discussed and interested in listening more
Pointing one's finger can be construed as aggression or assertiveness
Touching the front of the neck can show that someone is interested and concerned about what another is saying
Hand movements that are upward & outward signify positive and open messages
Palms that are faced outwards towards another indicate one's wish to stop and not approach
If one's fingers are interlaced or if the finger tips are pressed together, it usually shows that a person is thinking and evaluating
If offering ideas to other people, many times the sides of one's palms are close together, with fingers extended
Lower Body
Putting your hands on your hips can show eagerness and readiness (also, at times, aggression)
Hips pushed forward, while leaning back can show that one feels powerful (also can be a suggestive gesture)
A wide stance - where one's feet are positioned far apart - signifies more power and dominance
When one sits with legs open and part, they might feel secure in their surroundings
Crossed legs can mean several things: relaxed/comfortable, or defensive - depending on how tense the leg muscles are
When you cross your legs towards another person, you are showing more interest in them than when they are crossed away in the other direction
A confident and powerful position is the "Figure of Four Cross" when one's ankle is atop the other leg's knee and the top leg is pointed sideways
Bouncing your foot if your legs are crossed can show that you are bored or losing patience
Eyes
The lowering of the eyes can convey fear, guilt or submission
Lowered eyebrows and squinted eyes illustrate an attempt at understanding what is being said or going on
A lack of confidence or apprehensiveness can be displayed when you don't look another person in the eyes
One tends to blink more often if nervous or trying to evaluate someone else
If you look directly into another person's eyes you are displaying self-assurance
Wide eyes show more of an interest in a subject or person
If you are irritated with a comment made by another during a conversation, a common movement is to take a quick glance sideways
Staring at someone can be an aggressive gesture or suggest that the one staring feels dominant
Recalling a memory is usually done by looking up and to the right
Looking directly upwards can indicate that one is thinking
Eye contact is normally broken if someone feels insulted by another
“He who depends on himself will attain the greatest happiness”
~Chinese Proverb
1. Know Yourself “Today you are you, that is truer than true. There is nobody else who is you-er than you.” ~Dr. Seuss
How many times have we heard “no one will love you until you learn to love yourself” or “nobody knows you the way you do”?
So get to know the right-now-real you, both the good and the bad, and own it. Write down your qualities, characteristics, values, strengths, and weaknesses. What makes you happy? What drives you crazy?
The good news is that if you don’t like certain aspects of yourself right now, you have it in your control to change that. But to change something you first have to know what you’re working with. So do some serious soul-searching and figure that out!
2. Discover who your idealized self is and start working towards that. “Open your eyes and look within. Are you satisfied with the life you’re living?”
~Bob Marley
The question we all got asked when we were little was “what do you want to be when you grow up?” Now the question is “WHO do you want to be when you grow up?” You’ve taken a good hard look at who you are in this moment, and now is the time to figure out what’s next.
Think of the “ideal you” and start doing the things that your idealized self would be doing. There was an article on Pick The Brain a while back entitled “How To Fake It Until You Make It” in which the author, David Wright, suggests that we imagine the qualities that your idealized self has (the work it takes) and start putting them into practice.
It’s time to stop playing make-believe and to start taking action! Let’s DO this!!! “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the one who’ll decide where to go…”
~Dr. Seuss
3. Be Authentic “I’m not in this world to live up to your expectations and you’re not in this world to live up to mine.”
~Bruce Lee
Always be true to yourself. When working towards becoming your idealized self it’s important not to lose sight of who you are in favour of who you think you should be. Don’t compromise your values, morals, or true personality. Your individuality is important! Some people live their lives trying to be more like somebody else. My question to you is this: If you’re trying to be somebody else, who’s going to be you?
There may be certain things about yourself that you’d like to change or improve upon, but be absolutely sure that you make these adjustments for yourself and for your best interest. If you change anything in your life for the sake of someone else, and it’s not really what you want, you will only become resentful and unhappy.
To be truly authentic, one must rise above the crowd and be a true individual. Find your truth; a reason for which to live and die. “Few are those who can see with their own eyes and feel with their own hearts”
~Albert Einstein
4. Understand that you can only control yourself.
“When there are no enemies within, the enemies outside cannot hurt you”
~African Proverb
As I started my journey to being happy on purpose, I realized very quickly how little in my life was within my control. I had no power over other people; others will do, think, and feel what they want and there’s little I can do to change or even influence that. I could only manipulate my environment and the things that happened to me to a certain degree.
I started to wonder if I could control anything in my life at all and I realized that I can only control myself. More specifically I had control over my attitude and my reactions to what the world throws at me.
For example, if you lose the life of a loved-one, you are going to have feelings of grief and even despair or anger. You need the grieving process as a human being and part of being authentic is being true to your emotions; otherwise you are in denial of what you truly feel and want. You can, however, choose the attitude of “moving on” or choose to dwell on it. You can choose to react by lashing out to those around you and hiding in your room with nothing but your grief and anger for company. OR you could choose to spend time with people who will make you feel better or immerse yourself in a project or work to keep your mind off things until you start to heal.
The idea that you have such little control over life might be scary for some, but you can also choose to look at it as freeing yourself from worry. If I have no control over something, there’s no point worrying about it because I can’t change it anyways. If I have control over it then I can take action, and again I no longer have to worry because something’s being done! “If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.”
~Maya Angelou
5. Achieve balance in all things. “Before Enlightenment – chop wood, carry water. After Enlightenment – chop wood, carry water.”
~ Zen Buddhist Proverb
There is a Yin and Yang; everything has its opposite, and the key is harmony between them. For example you must strike a balance between selfishness and selflessness. Chose either extreme you will quickly find yourself unhappy. If you always give to others you end up being useless to everyone because no one will take care of you for you, and a person who never gives to anyone will live a lonely and unfulfilling life.
The same can be said for striking a balance between your emotions and your logic. Are you being true to your emotions (giving them validation) or are you totally absorbed in them (giving them control)? Your logic and your emotions should work together to guide you in a balanced and healthy way of living.
6. Learn to let go.
Learn to let go of the things that are not within your control or that happened in the past. Instead embrace and work on your self-control and self-esteem. You will be more at peace with yourself and can then enjoy life despite what the world throws at you.
Ask yourself “How is this working for me?” Does it help you to feel sad or angry all the time? Is it productive and useful when you lash out when someone or something upsets you? Is it healthy to become obsessed about an issue, person, or event that you have no control over in the first place?
To let go is to fear less and love more. It means knowing that you can’t do it for someone else, that you have no control over another, and that the outcome is not in your hands. Letting go is making the most of yourself, not blaming another or trying to change them. It means caring aboutsomeone, not caring for them, and allowing another to make mistakes and be a human being. To let go is not to regret the past but to grow and live for the future. “If things start happening, don’t worry, don’t stew; just go right along and you’ll start happening too.”
~Dr. Seuss
7. Give your life meaning and actively seek your inspiration. “Love the life you live. Live the life you love.”
~Bob Marley
So many of us go around searching for the meaning of life or waiting for inspiration when really it’s within ourselves and up to us – no one will do this for you!
While at the Woman’s Leadership Conference I had the privilege of listening to our guest speaker, Canadian Olympic Gold Medalist, Clara Hughes. She shared with us that she suffers from Clinical Depression and that sometimes she gets so down in the dumps that she forces herself to ACTIVELY seek her inspirations. Clara stated that inspiration hardly ever just falls on your lap and that if you need it you have to go and find it for yourself.
Don’t look for the meaning of life; instead give your life meaning! One way that I did this for myself was by becoming a “mother” to something – I got a dog. His name is Charlie, and he’s been such a blessing for me. We’ve worked really hard on establishing a good relationship and I’ve learnt a lot being a “Pack Leader” for him. In doing what was good for Charlie (teaching him commands, working on his walking habits, regular grooming, giving him lots of love and work for him to do) I also became a better person. I learned to be more patient, how to be more assertive, and have become more active.
So go out there and find your meaning! Get inspired! Join a not-for-profit group, volunteer, get a pet, become a Big Sister or Brother, and go to some self-improvement or awareness workshops. Invest in yourself and you’ll soon reap the rewards of being content and feeling productive in your life.
8. Focus on the positive. “There are two ways to live; you can live as if nothing is a miracle; you can live as if everything is a miracle”
~Albert Einstein
The expression “everything happens for a reason” annoys and upsets some people because it suggests that your path is predetermined and that The Fates or God is in charge of your life. The idea that a child dying of cancer, for example, is meant-to-be is frustrating and unfair; but the reality of it is that you have no control over your outside world. So I choose to think “in everything I have to find my own reason”. Instead of asking “why did this happen to me?” I ask myself “What positive thing can I find in this?” By focusing on the positive of any situation (and trust me if you look hard enough you’ll find it) I help keep myself positive and happy.
The good wouldn’t be as sweet without the bitterness of the bad. You go through the tough times to strengthen you for the excruciating ones to come. It’s in experiencing these tough times where you will truly be able to live with gratitude for what you have that is good. “Some people feel the rain. Others just get wet.”
~Bob Marley
9. Surround yourself with like-minded people. “A man should choose a friend who is better than himself. There are plenty of acquaintances in the world; but very few real friends”
~Chinese Proverb
Change is never easy. It’s even more difficult if the people you choose to spend time with aren’t the “right people”. Just ask someone who’s had to kick a bad habit (smoking, drinking, drugs, junk food, etc.) what it’s like being around people who haven’t quit or cut back yet. It’s easy to fall back into your old habits because they come with a certain comfort. It’s the same when you’re trying to be positive and happy and surrounding yourself with people who are negative and miserable. Misery loves company right?
So surround yourself, instead, with people in whose presence you feel optimistic, happy, and vibrant. If you can’t think of one person in your life that meets this standard it’s probably a good sign that you need to find new people!
I’ve had to “weed out” people who I thought were my friends – these were the people who always seem to be gossiping, talking about negative things, and focusing on the downside of every situation. I learned to be picky about the people I spend time with and limit the amount of time and energy I spend with those who tend to be toxic to my well-being. And no, it wasn’t fun or easy doing this, but it was worthwhile because they were just bringing me down.
Sit down and write out two lists for yourself – on one side write down the names of people who give you good energy and on the other side write down those who more often take your energy. Then try to steer clear of those who drain you and make an effort to spend more time with those who motivate you and are positive. “Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter won’t mind.”
~Dr. Seuss
10. Keep going “If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.” ~ Martin Luther King Jr.
I was watching Firefly (2002-2003 TV series) and there was a saying that a few soldiers shared that was an even better version (I think anyway) of the Martin Luther King Jr. quote: “When you can’t run, you crawl. And when you can’t crawl you find someone to carry you”.
Sometimes you can’t do it on your own. But you can’t just stop either. I went and talked to my doctor about my depression when it got so bad that nothing I did seemed to make a difference. I talked to my friends and family about it and found support and love when I did. I got the help I needed when I could no longer do it on my own and it’s made all the difference in the world.
I’m proud to announce that I am doing much better now. I know what makes me happy and I do it for myself. I am purposely happy every day, even when it’s rainy and cold and everything seems to be going wrong. “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving”
~Albert Einstein
Ο πλανήτης Γη υπάρχει εδώ και 4.600 εκατομμύρια χρόνια περίπου.
Αν μετατρέψει κανείς το ασύλληπτο αυτό χρονικό διάστημα σε μια κατανοητή τάξη μεγέθους, τότε η Γη μπορεί να συγκριθεί με έναν άνθρωπο 46 ετών. Για τα πρώτα 7 χρόνια της ζωής του δεν είναι τίποτα γνωστό. Και ενώ για τα μετέπειτα χρόνια υπάρχουν απλά κάποιες αποσπασματικές πληροφορίες, γνωρίζουμε πως η Γη μόλις στην ηλικία των 42 χρόνων άρχισε να ανθεί.
Οι δεινόσαυροι και τα μεγάλα ερπετά εμανίστηκαν ακριβώς ένα χρόνο πριν, όταν δηλαδή ο άνθρωπος ήταν 45 ετών. Τα θηλαστικά μόλις πριν 8 μήνες. Στα μέσα της προηγούμενης εβδομάδας μεταβλήθηκαν οι ανθρωπόμορφοι πίθηκοι σε πιθηκόμορφους ανθρώπους και το τελευταίο Σαββατοκύριακο μπήκε η Γη στην εποχή των παγετώνων.
Ο σημερινός άνθρωπος υπάρχει εδώ και 4 ώρες. Κατα τη διάρκεια της προηγούμενης ώρας έμαθε να καλλιεργεί το έδαφος και πριν από ένα λεπτό άρχισε η βιομηχανική επανάσταση. Στα τελευταία 60 δευτερόλεπτα ο σύγχρονος άνθρωπος κατάφερε να μετατρέψει τη Γη από παράδεισο σε σκουπιδότοπο.
Πολλαπλασιάσθηκε ο ίδιος σε κλίμακα επιδημίας, προκάλεσε την εξαφάνιση 500 ζωικών ειδών, βγήκε στο διάστημα για να αναζητήσει πρώτες ύλες και τώρα στέκεται σαν ένα ανόητο παιδί μπροστά στις επιπτώσεις που προκάλεσε η μετέωρη άνοδός του, στο χείλος ενός πολέμου, που θα σημάνει το τέλος όλων των πολέμων και την καταστροφή της όασης της ζωής στο ηλιακό σύστημα.
