What did you do today that you can be proud of?

Today I attended one of the most challenging, but fun courses at the training studio were I work out. During the class the instructor asked us all; “What did you do today that you can be proud of?” Sometimes I wrongly think we need to have a certain big achievement in life in order to become proud of ourselves, but in order to enjoy the pleasure of big achievements I need to enjoy the pleasure and excitement of small goals in my daily life. So what was I proud of today? I know you are thinking, are we going to start bragging about ourselves, no I don’t think it is about bragging, I think it is about becoming self aware and thinking of ourselves as valuable and someone that you can be proud of (in a humble manner).

At the training studio today I pushed my limit to keep on working out even though my whole body and mind wanted to stop, I am very proud of haven challenged myself.


Today I was proud of………if you don’t come up with anything, think again…eventually you will. Please feel free to note down what you did TODAY that you are proud of.

Why ‘The Secret?’

You must by now have heard of the best selling book ’The Secret’, which has been translated to several languages, people have started ‘Secret’ clubs, a ‘secret’ DVD was launched after the book reached its popularity to this extend. I had to of course get the book and see what the fuss was all about. I finished the book a while ago and was left with these thought.

The book is a marvelous collection of great life philosophy, it truly will make many people reflect about life, past experiences, and future plans. I enjoy reading these sort of books, but I have to say it was nothing new that made me go ‘ahhh….’. I have come come across all these statements and suggestions for life in other ‘self help’ books. I think if I was not trigged by reading these positive psychology/self help/ spiritual (you can call it what you like) books I would have thought ‘The Secret’ is one of the most amazing books. To me it was absolutely beautiful, but not anything revolutionary.

I do indeed highly recommend ‘The Secret’, if you want to read one good spiritual self help book then you should absolutely get this one down on your wish list. Here I am sharing few aspects of the book which made me reflect on several highly vital matters of life.

"Everything that’s coming into your life you are attracting. It’s attracted to you by virtue of the images you’re holding in your mind. It’s what you are thinking. Whatever is going in your mind you are attracting to you."

Your life is a mirror of the dominant thoughts you think!

If you’re worried or in fear, then you’re bringing more of that into your life throughout the day.

“You create your own universe as you go along” Sir Winston Churchill

“Anyone that ever accomplished anything, did not know how they were going to do it. They only knew they were going to do it” Bob Proctor (author of ‘you were born RICH’)

The Universe likes speed. Don’t delay. Don’t second guess. Don’t doubt. When the opportunity is there, when the impulse is there, when the intuitive nudge from within is there, ACT!
Begin to expect great things, and as you do, you will create your life in advance!
“All that we are is a result of what we have thought” Buddha

So imagine a world where people are using their full mental and emotional potential. We could go anywhere. We could do anything. Achieve anything!

We need to stop hiding all this ‘secret’, instead start taking advantage of the power that lies within us!

Real Success

Lately I have been thinking what Real Success truly is, and how we can experience it in our everyday lives. We all know how this concept is defined in our world; Your material goods (such as your house,cars,possessions),being married, having children,travelling,having a good education, and a well paid job. Last week I was talking to a friend of mine, who has got all that, but he was not happy. In few years he has managed to build a life that many would envy, I remember when he got married, they were both so in love, and that is all they wanted to do, and they have children together, but the truth is none of them are happy, and he does not feel successful in life. I was wondering, what can really make a person successful, are we just looking for success and fulfilment in the wrong places? I think I have often looked for success in the wrong things,places,and people. I suppose we all go through life searching for success,I just don't want to waste my life searching for success in the wrong places,which I think majority of people do,because we have not realised what REAL SUCCESS truly is!!!

A new Path

Stepping
onto a brand-new path
is difficult,

but not more difficult
than remaining
in a situation
which is not nurturing
to THE WHOLE WOMAN.

By Maya Angelou




Maya Angelou is Poet, Author, Entertainer, Mother, Sister, Friend, and a Role Model for generations. She is a universal voice of hope and inspiration, with compassion that breaks through to the hearts of nations, inspiring us to love life, and to persevere through its challenges, and to share our gifts with others.

Maya Angelou has and will remain a true inspiration in my life, I appriciate her work, her courage, her wisdom, and all that I have learned from her.

You cannot recover.....

Dalai Lama received Gold Medal in Washington DC "My religion is kindness"

Last week I was listening to His Royal Highness Dalai Lama speaking in Washington after receiving the Congressional Gold Medal, which is the highest civilian honor. The Congress, with the Democrats in majority, decided to award the 72 year old Tibetan spiritual leader, who represents Peace and Harmony. In 1989 Dalai Lama was awarded the Nobel Peace prise by the Norwegian Nobel committee, the chairman said this was "in part a tribute to the memory of Mahatma Gandhi."

President Bush who handed the gold medal made it clear in his speach that this is a medal for religious freedom. China expressed its opposition to Congress's decision to honor the Dalai Lama. The medal's past recipients include Pope John Paul II, Nelson Mandela and Mother Teresa.

Basically we are all the same human beings with the same potential to be a good human being or a bad human being .The important thing is to realize the positive side and try to increase that; realize the negative side and try to reduce.

Few years ago I read the International Bestseller ‘The Art of Happiness’, by HH Dalai Lama. Back then his writings and his personality captured me. Tenzin Gyatso (born 6 July 1935) is the 14th and current Dalai Lama. In 1950, at the age of 15, he was enthroned as Tibet's Head of State and most important political ruler while Tibet faced occupation by China. After the collapse of the Tibetan resistance movement in 1959 and the Chinese invasion in Tibet, Tenzin Gyatso fled to India.

I believe that the very purpose of our life is to seek happiness. Whether one believes in religion or not, whether one believes in this religion or that religion, we all are seeking something better in life.

Although I am not Buddhist, but there are some great lessons I have gained through Dalai Lamas life. I value his world view and his courage to fight for something he believes in. I believe we can all learn beautiful things from each other, we just need to be open to learning and respecting each other!

Compassion is not religious business, it is human business, it is not luxury, it is essential for our own peace and mental stability, it is essential for human survival.

The Story Of Your Life

Don’t say you’re not important,It simply isn’t true. The fact that you were born, is proof, God has a plan for you.The path may seem unclear right now,but one day you will see that all that came before,was truly meant to be.

God wrote the book that is your life. That’s all you need to know. Each day that you are living, was written long ago.God only writes best sellers,so be proud of who you are,Your character is important. In this book you are the Star.

Enjoy the novel as it reads,It will stand throughout the ages,Savor each chapter as you go.Taking time to turn the pages!

My lifetime gym Friend

It is winter 2005, I am back in the UK after Christmas spent with family in Norway. I feel my body is shouting out for the gym. So I hit the gym, with my book (the Da Vinci Code) in order to read while burning my Christmas calories on the treadmill. While I was trying to do my own thing, and to read my book, my attention was caught by a couple who spoke Farsi. First I was not sure weather they were speaking Farsi or not, so I stopped reading in order to concentrate, and they were speaking Farsi indeed. They were arguing about how to use the tredmill. I was watching them and smiling, but they could not see me, as they were so caught up in their own world. Suddenly they decided their time was done at the gym for that day, so they went out. I thought to myself, I like to get to know these people, but I have never seen them around, so I packed my stuff quickly and ran out after them.

They were talking to an other iranian student just outside the gym. I said hi, and introduced myself, or actually what I did was more like this; ‘Are you iranian’, ofcourse they are Iranian, but that is the way you can start a conversation. They were as excited as me for this introduction. We exchanged numbers, I wrote hers in my book. I was so excited and had such good feeling about them when I got back home.

Few days later, while shopping grocery I got a call, and it was the girl I had met on campus. She was talking like if she had known me for decades. I loved her, she gave me positive energy. That was the start of a beautiful friendship with my friend Sara. I am so glad I ran out of the gym that day, I am so glad I introduced myself, I am so glad Sara called me, and I am so glad we became friends, and I am glad I know this friendship will last many more years.




So Next time you see someone you would like to become friends with, do not hesitate to introduce yourself, you never know what a simple introduction can do in your life.

Wisdom Problem.........

Learning from those older and wiser

I have a very good friend who turned 68 on Friday. You might think; ‘elham, how old are you, and why do you encounter OLD people’. Since Friday I have actually been thinking about why I encounter old people, and why I enjoy their company as much as I enjoy the company of people more my age.

I like to make it clear for everyone that I am absolutely not talking about all elderly, I am only talking about those that I encounter and those that I have learned and still learn valuable lessons from.

You know what is wrong with us young people; our EGO is just too big, we think we know it all, but deep down in our hearts we are scared and do not want to admit that we fear so many things in life. And we rather not share it with others, as they might find out about our deepest secrets! I think this Ego is not allowing us to learn from those that have walked before us. We might think they are not part of this society, they are not up to date with the current development, yes you are right, they might not be, but I believe the issues human being is dealing with today is the same as what our forefathers were dealing with 100 and 1000 years ago. If you focus on the issues of the world, it is mostly issues within various relationships we have that is causing insecurities, fears, and needs. The same underlying problems exist as much today as they did back then. So let’s calm down, and step down a bit from that huge Ego we all carry with us!

I think every human being should have a wise old friend, and should counsel that person especially during important decisions in life. In Farsi we have a very good saying: ‘the old have ripped few more shirts than us’. I absolutely believe in this, as I truly think we can learn from those that have walked the journey of life much more than us. What is important to me, is not getting counsel from all sorts of old people, some older people have grown bitter as they have traveled on the journey of life, I like to encounter those who are successful in their relationships, who have learned through various experiences of life.

So this friend of mine who turned 68 on Friday, I value his wisdom, I value the journey he has traveled, with his wife, children and grandchildren. His hair is all grey, and yes I believe there is a true reason for every grey hair on his head. The counsel of the wise will make you wise (Salomon in Proverbs).


At the end I like to say what I think true wisdom is, I don’t think wisdom is about how fat their bank account is, or how many degrees they have, or what their social position is, I believe wisdom is about how deeply they view life, and how they have been able to become so successful in their relationships. Anyone can earn money nowadays, anyone can get to great positions,that is all possible, but I do not think all people holding great positions are necessarily wise. Throughout my upbringing my dad always used to tell me this: ‘Tell me who your friends are, and I tell you who you are’. Tell me who you receive life advice from, and I will tell you how your life will be!!

The Princess who dared to be herself!

Its is 31st August 1997, a car is driving with high speed in the streets and tunnels of Paris, the city were it all ended for a woman who dared to be herself. It is Princess Diana. She died exactly 10 years ago in a car crash in the city of Love. A whole world was in shock.

I recall back to that day; My mother loved Diana, she would read everything about her, and her life facinated us all. All the news channels were talking about ‘The Rose of England’. I remember crying as they were showing clips of her life. I adored her. She made a specially impact on me during her visit to the land mines in Angola. To me she was a true symbol of a courageous woman.

There are many aspects of her life I could talk about, but one which I value the most is her ability and courage to being herself and following her dreams. Although she was a popular public figure and her steps were constantly under scrutiny, but she dared to step out of that royal ‘comfort zone’ and started exploring who she was, and how she could influence the world through her own qualities.

Sometimes we can become so attached to our background, that we receive all our self worth and identity from that, not knowing there is a hidden world in each one of us, trying to push its way out of that comfort shell.

Elton John sang: “Goodbye Englands Rose....” , I do not think we can ever say Goodbye to anyone who dared to find their authentic self, and who dared living their authentic life, we should never say Goodbye to these people, as they are rare, and they are the ones that keep the beautiful spirit of human being alive. Diana was and is still Englands Rose, a rose of inspiration, a rose with a maginificiant fragrance, a rose that still encourages me to be myself, and follow my dreams.

The Story of the Pencil

Currently I am reading ’Like the Flowing River’ by Paulo Coelho, which is highly recommended. I have already red all his previous books, liked some more than others. On some other occasion I will talk more about each book, and how it affected me as a person. I like to share this particular passage with you, as it has occupied my mind for the past few days.

If you have a pencil in front of you take it up and follow me with the pencil in your hand, you will have a better understanding of the story. A Pencil has got five qualities, if you manage to hang on to all the five, it will make you a person who will be at peace with the world.

1. First Quality: you are capable of great things, but you must never forget that there is a hand guiding your steps. We call that hand God, and He always guides us according to His will.
2. Secong Quality: now and then, I have to stop writing and use a sharpener. That makes the pencil suffer a little, but afterwards, he’s much sharper. So you too must learn to bear certain pains and sorrows, because they will make you a better person.

3. Third Quality: the pencil always allows us to use an eraser to rub out any mistakes. This means that correcting something we did is not necessarily a bad thing; it helps to keep us on the road to justice.
4. Forth Quality: what really matters in a pencil is not its wooden exterior, but the graphite inside. So always pay attention to what is happening inside you.
5. Fifth Quality: it always leaves a mark. In just the same way, you should know that everything you do in life will leave a mark, so try to be conscious of that in your every action.

Now start writing with the pencil in your hand!

Always Remember God gives you...

Enough Happiness to keep you Sweet

Enough Trials to keep you Strong

Enough Sorrows to keep you Human

Enough Hope to keep you Happy

Enough Failure to keep you Humble

Enough Success to keep you Eager

Enough Friends to give you Comfort

Enough Wealth to meet your Needs

Enough Enthusiasm to make you look forward

Enough Faith to banish depression, and

Enough Determination to make each day a better day than
the last

Life must be lived forward but can only be understood
backwards.