Pain

"Pain is a gift that forces us to do good things for ourselves..."
Doreen Virtue, PhD

First-rate Intelligence

"The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function."
F. Scott Fitzgerald

Pray and Sing

"To pray is important. To sing is important. And to sing is to pray twice."
Saint Augustin

That's Life...

"That's life isn't it? We have to learn to balance the joy and the difficulties."
Samantha Page

Life Lessons

"...life Lessons are concealed in life experiences."
Bonolo Ramaja

Celebrity

"Celebrity is just obscurity biding its time."
Carrie Fisher - "The Letter Writer"

Untrained Eye

"The untrained eye sees only harsh desolation."
National Geographic "Into the Wilderness" series - "Canyonlands" episode

Washed By Our Tears

"Perhaps our eyes need to be washed by our tears once in a while so that we can see Life with a clearer view again."
Alex Tan

Conflict

"The quality of our lives depends not on whether we have conflicts, but on how we respond to them"
Thomas Crum

Oldness

"Oldness happens to all of us at times when we venture too far from the vital reality that is us.
We listen and care too much for what others think... With so many assaults, part of us simply gets old, becomes frail, and withers and dies.
The ageless are those who preserve the spirit of the child. They are inquisitive, curious and playful."
Steven K Baum PhD - "Growing Up at Any Age."

Simple Moments

"In a complicated life simple moments can be very healing."
Candice Derman

Playfulness

"Playfulness it at the core of creativity."
"I'm a lot more uncomfortable around people than people know."
"Go back to the past - even with fear... Come back from the past with pride."
Source unrecorded.

Better Times Will Come

Don’t let the pain of one season
destroy the joy of all the rest;

Don’t judge life by one difficult season.

Persevere through the difficult patches
and better times are sure to come.

LifeLine Southern Africa September Newsletter

Wingeing and Whining

"Every time you winge and whine you increase your stress."
Justin Cohen

The "Happy" Test

* Do you find it hard to set goals for yourself?
* Does the future seem bleak?
* Do you prefer being alone?
* Do you have few hobbies?
* Do you dwell on the past?
* Do you rely on alcohol, caffeine and sugary snacks for a "lift"?
* Are you a pessimist?
* Would you like to change your looks or personality?
* Do you dislike your job?
* Are you in a bad relationship?

Count up your "yes" answers.

Score: 0
You are fortunate - you love life.

Score 1 - 3
Your life looks pretty good. You still need to make a little extra effort.

Score 4 - 7
Good start. You also need to do more to fulfil your happiness potential.

Score 8 - 10
You are generally unhappy. Reassess your life and lifestyle. Consider visiting with a counsellor. Gradually reverse your negative thinking processes.

Some things you might like to work with every day:

Accept yourself as you are.
Celebrate the good things about yourself.
Share some good news every day.
Look for good things in others around you.
Convert negative thoughts - reword them into positive sentiments.
Surround yourself with the colours: orange, turquoise, green, violet - these colours enhance your mood when you need an attitude -lift.
Exercise aerobically for at least 30 minutes every other day - trigger the release of your body's feel-good chemicals and endorphins.
Set yourself attainable goals. Reach them. Keep your aims small to begin with.
Dance more. Move your body more - to music!
Avoid eating sugary snacks - they give you an instant boost and then your body plummets lower than you were to begin with.
Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole foods.
Avoid alcohol and caffeine.
Sleep enough most nights.

Emotionally-skillful people thrive and have better relationships.
Contented people have a more fulfilling life.
Happy people enjoy their work more.
Cheerful people find more joy in their every-day life.

Become more optimistic and positive.
Apply more of these success-disciplines in your life.
Improve your general outlook on life - your life.

"Out of small persistent daily efforts proceeds great annual progress..."

Western Times - April 1999

An Adventure

"An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered.
An inconvenience is is only an adventure wrongly considered."
GK Chesterton

Success

"With every level of success there is a degree of failure."
Dr Phil

You Can't Save the World...

"You can't save the world, but you can note what's needed and do the next right thing."
Catherine Eden's mother
"There are men in pink hats and many other astonishing things at every turn, but you have to pay attention or you'll miss them."
Catherine Eden
O Magazine SA December 2010 p 106

Emotions

"Let emotions subside... and then decide."
Joyce Meyer

Another Perspective...

"Change takes time; you've got to let them catch up with you!"
"Mona Lisa Smile" Movie