Waiting????

Waiting can be tedious. Waiting can be tiring.
Or......
You could use that time doing something constructively.
Instead of pacing, write down a 'to-do list', or a 'done-today' list. Keep a good book with you and read that. Or if you are going to pace, then exercise. But do something requiring you to focus rather just let that time get wasted.
It is so common to complain about being made to wait, whether you're at home or out somewhere. The situation can't be helped so just make the best of it.
Why sit there collecting all that negativity? Just let it go..............
There are a million articles out there telling you how to manage and utilize your time. How to make the most of your day. In magazines, on the internet, in self-help books....
With so many helpful tips, ideas and guidelines etc. out there, are you still going to sit there and complain.....???

Be The Change.

As-Salaam-o-Alaikum
(Peace be upon thee)

Daily, people have unceasing complaints; about everything and everyone ranging from minute things, like a light bulb that needs changing or having to wait in line, to huge things, like the latest car bombing or faulty government policies. Everybody is always complaining. Yes, sometimes even me.
I'm a huge believer in Stephen R. Coveys' "The 7 Habits" series. Especially, in the concept of the circle of influence and the circle of concern.
There are so many cares in the world, one person cannot possibly cope with it all. One would keep on getting distracted from what is important and the tasks at hand.
Hence, one should limit one's concern to what one has influence over. Work within the circle of one's influence. Work from the inside out.  Change things, including oneself, to make them better. You can control your temper, nagging and criticism, you can avoid snapping at the people around you over little things, you can choose not to let other people's negativity get you down.
 And anything else out of your circle of influence, forget it. Remove it from your circle of concern or atleast stop worrying yourself about it so much that it detracts you from what you ought to be doing.
"There are two freedoms; The false, where man is free to do what he likes; The true, where man is free to do what he ought."
- Charles Kingsley.
Tired of that squeaky door? Oil the hinges. Missing garbage pick up because of a tardy teen? Take out the bags yourself. Concerned with eradicating poverty? Try helping people out via loans such as 'Kiva' or directly helping someone face to face in your town or city or your own neighborhood, (there is no shortage of folks in need of help, one kind or another, I assure you). Want to wipe out world hunger? Contribute either time or money at the local soup kitchens or local shelters or donate to organizations working overseas in a famine affected land.
Work on things you have control over, and not only will those things improve, you will also find that bit by bit there are more and more things you have control over. That is, your circle of influence is growing. Keep at it and eventually you will find that your circle of influence has outgrown your circle of concern.
"Be the change you wish to see in the world."
-Mahatma Gandhi
Stop complaining. Get up and do something about it.

Atleast It's A Start....

As-Salaam-o-Alaikum.
(Peace be upon you.)

How many of us live in the moment? I mean, really in the moment? Being right here, right now'? Without thinking about the daily race to win and being on top of what is called "Life" nowadays? The rush to get first in line, the constant run to earn more money, have a bigger house, a shinier, bigger car, that expensive branded outfit we can brag about even though it is ridiculously overpriced just so we can show people how much above them we are...........
Are we really???
Where is our own sense of self worth? Our self respect? Based on our principles, our ideas, thoughts, values???? Our sense of ourselves aside from how much we have and instead on how much we are? In this day and age people are so focused on possessions and material gain they have no idea who they are without them. They are owned by their possessions instead of owning them.
Yes it's very nice to have nice things, it's good to be able to afford what you want when you want, to be able to indulge yourself, but this is not necessary in order to be happy or to live a contented meaningful life with a peaceful frame of mind. In fact, happiness can never be found in opulence.
You're constantly on the run for more, focusing on acquiring, and yes, a lot of people even have a fear of anyone moving ahead of them or out-possessing them.
This has become much more prevalent in youngsters today. Everyone is in a race and they don't care if they deserve the reward or not, they just want it even though they have not earned it. They lie, scheme, cheat, steal, talk behind people's backs, highlight some one's flaws, literally tear people's reputation to shreds without a single drop of remorse; just to get themselves to look better or to move "ahead".
I find this extremely alarming.
“There is no beautifier of complexion, or form, or behavior, like the wish to scatter joy and not pain around us. ‘Tis good to give a stranger a meal, or a night’s lodging. ‘Tis better to be hospitable to his good meaning and thought, and give courage to a companion. We must be as courteous to a man as we are to a picture, which we are willing to give the advantage
 of a good light.”
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
It is shocking to see that materialism, and not principles, are the centre of an unbelievable majority of the population now.
Where has all the goodness gone? Whatever happened to common courtesy? Nowadays, a person focuses more on the personality they can project onto the world and not the character. The gain at the end and not the growth.
"Life is not so short but that there is always time for courtesy."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
 
“The small courtesies sweeten life; the greater, ennoble it.”
-Christian Nestell Bovee
There was much less materialism and more happiness in by-gone times. Oh, I know that shallow, cheap, materialistic, scheming, greedy, horrible and downright evil people have always been there.
But having researched the prevalence of the good and the bad a bit, I find that the human race was never in more of a danger from itself as it is now.
 We are destructive and ungrateful of the blessings we do have and we hanker after all the shiny new 'somethings', always thinking that we'll be happy after we possess the next item on the list and then the next and so on.
"The best things in life aren't things."
-Art Buckwald.
Take a very good hard look at your own life. Pass it through a mental sieve. What have been the good times and which the bad? Are you happy? What makes you happy? What can you do to achieve that happiness and yet not harm- physically, mentally or emotionally- harm another soul?
Take your time, but do examine yourself - and your life, thoroughly. Do you like yourself? And your life? Figure out what and where the problem is. Work on it.
Make things better. Make yourself better.
"Not everything that is faced can be changed. But nothing can be changed until it is faced.”
-James Arthur Baldwin.
And if you can't do it on your own and need help, then go ahead,...... ASK!
At least, it's a start.........

A New Beginning.

بسم الله رحمن رحيم
Bismillah e Rahman e Rahim
(In the name of God, the Beneficent, the Merciful.)
أسلم  عليكم و رحمة  الله و بركاته 
As Salaam o Alaikum Wa Rahmatullah e Wa Barakaatahu.
(Peace and blessings of the Lord be on you.)
A very Happy New Year to all Muslims around the world.
May it be year of prosperity and good health for all humanity. May the Lord see fit to forgive us our sins, lessen our suffering, accept our repentance and guide us on the right path.
Amen.

This blog is being launched in the hope of inspiring, guiding and helping one and all to be better in every aspect of life. Individually and collectively.
Counsel is offered for those who seek it. A friend is there for those who are in need of one.
Striving to make the world a better place; by word and deed, one day at a time.........
Maekani Khan.