COINCIDENCE

Every now and then something unforeseen and special happens. Something that logic or reason will tell you is either impossible or that the odds against it happening is too overwhelming. Yet when those things happen occasionally, it fills us with so much wonderment.

The question that comes to mind: Are they miracles, may be flukes or coincidences? Or do they hint at some sort of superior or philosophical power? Perhaps it could be another dimension of reality that exists just beyond the range of the human mind, something like karma, fate, destiny or divinity?

Before we go further, let’s explain what is Coincidence?

It is an occasion when two or more similar things happen at the same time, especially in a way that is unlikely and surprising.

 

Whether coincidences are meaningful remains a mystery.

People tell stories and make connections in an attempt to justify coincidences. They almost seem unwilling to admit that things could have been different. A typical coincidence story is about how they met their partners… If only they had not gone on that date, if only this.., if only that… well, what about it..? Even if they had not met their current partner they would have met someone else and may be could have been happier or unhappier or maybe they would not have been at the same place or in the same situation they find themselves now. Often people get caught up on some weird coincidences they share with their partner or how they met as if this means it is a sign from the Universe that they should be together.. Those coincidences actually has nothing to do with the quality of their relationship.

I am a firm believer that things are as they are for a purpose and that it always work out for the best. You might not understand the purpose at the time but eventually you will (or may be not). Each one of us exists due to a single extraordinary event.

One thing we can ask about coincidence, is whether the events in our lives are objective or subjective? Is there perhaps a deeper order, an overarching purpose to the universe? Or are we the lucky accidents of evolution, living our precious lives in a random world that only has the meaning we choose to give it?

Do you believe in coincidences OR do you believe that everything happens for a reason?

“The things that come to us easily, our propensities, are carried on a deep subconscious level into our next life. There are no coincidences.”  ― Raquel Cepeda

 “Do you think the universe fights for souls to be together? Some things are too strange and strong to be coincidences.” ― Emery Allen

Switch Off

Social Media overwhelm?

"I’m curled up on the couch, watching television and trying to browse through the days' newspaper, but my right hand keeps twitching for my cell phone. If anything on the TV or newspaper seems interesting and I want more information, I’ll go online to find out more about the topic." Does that sound familiar & can you relate to this behaviour?

A few interesting stats:
Most people basically spend every second of their day with their phone at arm’s reach. The average person checks their phone every 6 and a half minutes – that is almost 200 times a day!  One in 4 admits to spending more time online each day than what they do on sleep, while 73% say that they find it hard to go the entire day without using their phone or computer. Source: CapeTownMagazine.com

Let's take a step back & think about this craziness for a moment.

Social media and simply being connected online has become a big part of our lives. Within a matter of seconds a story can reach a global audience, you can easily locate a friend via a social media platform of your choice, or even Google them. If you want to listen to a song, YouTube is a free online jukebox, if you would like to check the weather, there is no need to watch the 7 o'clock news because there are apps that provide the most updated weather reports! 

There's literally an App for everything; from sleep cycle alarm clocks, to running apps, grocery list reminders, drunk dial apps(yes, you actually get an app for that too - it prevents you from calling certain #'s when under the influence...). Apps to improve your "performance" in bed (YES, you get those too - Passion), another silly one, Amazing girlfriend manager - this app actually allows you to keep track of important dates, information and reminds you timeously - it can even keep track of multiple girlfriends! I guess i need to do a post on unusual & funny Apps so that I can elaborate more..

Back to switch off, see with all these Apps to our disposal, it makes it very difficult to stay focussed on one thing.

Besides the Apps, you get websites that target different audiences. Most of you are familiar with Facebook & Twitter, but there are many other well known ones. For example; professional networking like  LinkedIn, online dating-focussed sites like DatingBuzz, Ashley Madison and Badoo, but to name a few. There are also various news sources, like news24, iol, cnn, ewn etc. Everything looks & feels so much easier to do with all the resources made available to us.

The big question that arises is: "How does a person switch off from all of this?"

With fast internet, more capable smartphones & increasingly versatile tablets/laptops, it is becoming so much harder to unplug. Majority of us can admit to always having an urge to somehow be connected online. Whether it is via social media, reading the news, checking the weather, whatever the form - it all comes down to our attention being drawn to an electronic device giving us access to endless possibilities.

In short, WE'RE ADDICTED!!
 

Like any bad habit, if you really want to abstain or cut back, you need to make a concerted effort. To help you switch off & reclaim a slice of a life outside of the internet try some of the following.

• Go without your phone for 1 day OR try at least for half a day. 
• Spend an evening without browsing the Internet.
• Instead of sending a WhatsApp, FB msg or Tweet call the person OR meet with them in person.

For now, these 3 should suffice. Believe me it's not going to be easy but give it a try! Test yourself and see if you can indeed Switch off.

With the festive season on hand, make a conscious effort to Switch Off. Put down that device and reclaim your life. Engage with others in person, you'll be amazed at the impact social media has on our day-to-day lives and relationships. The media we call social, is anything but...

 

Check out this video "Look Up". So beautiful, true and very appropriate!

Platoniese vriendskappe

Die vraag wat dikwels gevra word, kan daar ‘n bloot platoniese vrienskap tussen ‘n man en vrou bestaan?

 

Sommige sal van opinie verskil, maar uit ondervinding weet ek dat ‘n suiwer platoniese vriendskap tussen mans en vroue wel moontlik is. Hulle werk en sosialiseer saam, maar kan tog uit mekaar se bed bly. Openhartige, ware platoniese vriendskappe bestaan wel. Om te kan praat van ‘n platoniese vriendskap moes jy dit al ervaar het of een het, anders sal jy altyd van ander mening wees. Nie alle verhoudings met vriende/vriendinne is bedoel om romanties of seksueel geortienteerd te wees nie.

 As mens, is ons is as verhoudingswesens geskep en deur ons lewens het ons verskeie verhoudings, elkeen met sy eie aard. Daar is familie, kollegas, ’n huweliksmaat, vriende, vriendinne en kennisse. Elkeen in jou lewe vir ‘n spesifieke doel. Jy het ‘n kollega met wie jy sekere hoogte- en laagte punte deel, dan is daar die ‘n vriend/vriendin met wie jy oor godsdiens/politiek/seks/algemene nuus ens kan praat. Julle argumenteer maar word nie kwaad nie, daar is geen afguns en eerlikheid is die grondslag van die vriendskap. Belangrik om te onthou, vriende help mekaar om te groei maak dus altyd seker dat jou platoniese vriendskap hierdie aspek vervul.

Die uitkyk op vriendskap vanaf ‘n man / vrou se perspektief kan baie verskillend kan wees. ‘n Platoniese verhouding tussen twee mense van die teenoorgestelde geslag is wel moontlik. Kies vriendskappe met uiterste sorg & hou die romanse slegs vir dié een aan wie jou hart behoort.

Met alles hierbo gese, nie alle vriendskappe is platonies nie, wees bedag en baie versigitig vir die gevaar tekens. Hier is ‘n paar reëls van die webwerf Woes - (http://www.woes.co.za)

§  Al voel jy ‘n wedersydse aantrekkingskrag, beteken dit nie dis is OK om daarop te reageer nie.

§  Verstaan die grense & hou daarby.

§  Moet nie die skinderbekke ‘n rede gee om te wonder nie.

§  Bly uit situasies wat intimiteit kan laat opvlam.

§  Wees op die uitkyk vir gevoelens van jaloesie.

§  Wees openhartig teenoor jou éie maat oor die aard van hierdie vriendskap.

§  Gebruik die geleentheid om by jou vriend/vriendin te leer.

Die sleutel tot enige vriendskap is ’n gesonde waardestelsel. Vriende vorm en slyp mekaar. As jy ‘n platoniese vriendskap het, koester dit, in vandag se lewe is dit iets baie raars. Moenie iets onverwoordelike of irrasioneel doen om dit te bederf nie.

 

Daily choices

 Everyday you have the opportunity to write a new page in the story of your life.

We can't choose the circumstances which surround the events of our lives, but we always have a choice on how we respond to it. Our attitude, every habit, daily routine etc. plays a role in the choices we make. No matter how small the decision, it has an effect on our overall well-being.

 

Choices are made in every moment, every word, thought, and in every action. Only YOU have power over how you shape your world. In order to make positive + life enriching choices you need to live with a positive attitude. With every choice that you make, you move your life in a specific direction, always ensure that whatever that direction may be that it is something meaningful.

 

The choice is always up to you. You decide whether you want to get up and do something OR sit down and let it pass. Make choices that uplift you, choices that make you happy & create a feeling of positivity.

Every:
   CHOICE you make, makes a difference - Always use that power wisely.

Every:
   MOMENT you live provides you with opportunity - Transform it into meaningful value.

This is YOUR LIFE, live it with your best intentions at heart. You will be faced with situations in which you have no control over. Do not become discouraged or frustrated, instead take a deep breath, and move forward one step at a time. In the end, things always work out the way they are supposed to.

One of the most critical choices we have to make during our careers is whether to move to a new job or position, OR in your personal life whether to continue with a relationship if the affection and love has disappeared... You need to ask yourself whether this change is important to you & your goals. If you make this choice today, what will it mean tomorrow? Next month? Next year?

 

Whatever you do, try to avoid making hasty decisions based on an emotion you're experiencing in the moment, give it a great deal of thought & make the choice with good intention.

 

Embrace the opportunities to choose TO DO, choose TO HAVE, & choose TO BE!!

  

Imperfection of Infatuation

Is there anything else that feels quite as beautiful as LOVE? Think about it as you read through this post...

The following might sound familiar?
Your heart is pounding, you're filled with soo much excitement and anticipation. If your phone beeps, you jump out of excitement to answer or read the text. You can’t focus on your work; your appetite for food is lost because the only thing on your mind is that person. The connection you feel with them is like an out of this world experience, almost as if you’ve known each other for a lifetime.

Can you relate to this..? Here's more:
Have you ever met a person that cause an explosion of emotions, questions, feelings, thoughts & attraction in you, that you find yourself thinking about them all the time.. The smallest actions leads you to over-analyze everything they say & do, doesn't matter how simple the act. You ponder over-and-over again about their intentions and how they possibly feel about you. Do they feel, think, miss, dream about you the same way, you do?

So what is this feeling? 
At first it feels like a fresh rush & suddenly you feel alive and overwhelmed. You experience an extreme sense of happiness and it is a bliss just to know and see this person. But somewhere along the way you get carried away by the unreasoning passion or addiction to this person almost like an obsession. And if you carefully think about this, your heart might tell you its love, you are in love, you have found a partner to love, when you see this person you see love but in fact it is INFATUATION.

So what is infatuation?
It is an intense but short-lived passion or admiration for someone or something. Sexual attraction is normally the central attraction and it completely clouds a persons reasoning and judgement.

Infatuation focusses on the perfect. Love is understanding and the mature acceptance of imperfection. It is real. It gives you strength & grows beyond you.
Infatuation says, "We must get married right away. I might lose my love." Love says, "Be patient. You belong together.  Plan your future with confidence." Making decisions based on infatuation will bring heartache and pain - approach with caution.
When infatuated you are excited and eager, but not genuinely happy. Infatuation has an element of sexual excitement be sure that you are sober and don't confuse infatuation with love.

Several articles exist on the internet about infatuation. You will find comparisons between infatuation and love all over, hence my decision not to elaborate too much on it in this post. Do yourself a favor and check it out, you'll be amazed how closely linked these two really are. Perhaps you are in a relationship or admiring someone from a far... Is it love or infatuation? Only YOU can answer!

How did I get to the title?
From all the titles I could have chosen, I decided on " imperfection of infatuation" because the more research and thinking I did about this topic, the more "flaws" I identified. Soo many people confuse this or are not fully aware that what they are feeling or going through is in fact infatuation and all the signs & feelings are soo real that they think it is love. Unrealistic expectations are set! When infatuated a feel good atmosphere should always be present and when things go wrong the parties involved easily pull away because it wasn't love - no real commitment was made, it was fun while it lasted. So as beautiful it might feel, it is not love. However, I do not deny the fact that in some cases infatuation can grown into real love, but again I will emphasize on knowing the difference and approaching with caution - someone might get hurt and that someone might be You.


To conclude:
Sorting out your feelings can be a real challenge, whether you are admiring someone or are in a relationship it is important to be fully aware of your true feelings.

Ask yourself whether your relationship be able to stand the test of time? Because love benefits and grows through time; infatuation ebbs & diminishes with time. Infatuation lacks confidence and is insecure. When the person is away, you wonder if she/he cheating. Infatuation might lead you to do things you`ll regret later, but love never will - LOVE CONQUERS ALL!

To answer the question I asked in the beginning, "YES, there something else that feels quite as beautiful as LOVE"

There's a big difference between falling in love and being in love. There's a big difference between infatuation and falling in love. Phil McGraw

“Yes, I was infatuated with you: I am still. No one has ever heightened such a keen capacity of physical sensation in me. I cut you out because I couldn't stand being a passing fancy. Before I give my body, I must give my thoughts, my mind, my dreams. And you weren't having any of those.”   ― Sylvia Plath, The Unabridged Journals of Sylvia Plath    

My “Love list”

Have you ever thought about the things you love in your life?

You are about to read the list of things I deem important. I am focussing what I enjoy & make my everyday worthwhile.  The list is not in a specific order.

I LOVE:

SPENDING TIME with family & friends and even though I do not see them everyday, every moment with them is cherished.

TRAVELING. To explore new places, meeting new people & simply enjoying whatever the destination has to offer.

CHALLENGES. It tests our courage, determination & willingness to change. 

LEARN NEW SKILLS. It makes me feel empowered & well equipped for the task at hand.

SOCIALIZING & having a good, meaningful conversation.

See other SUCCEED.

The sound of RAIN.

DANCING. It is good for the body and soul.

KISSES -all types of 'em but the ones on the forehead makes me feel special.

finding a QUOTE or phase that describes my current situation

having an old FAVORITE SONG popping up in my playlist

getting a LETTER in the POST (very old school but I still love it)

TEA- it refreshes & revives me

WINE - A glass a day, keeps the doctor away (my motto...) BUT on a serious note; the antioxidants in red wine may help prevent heart disease so I got to love it!

Good morning MESSAGES

HOLDING HANDS - Sometimes reaching out and taking someone's hand is the beginning of a journey.

HUGS - The nurturing touch of a hug builds trust & a sense of safety. This helps a lot with open and honest communication

INTIMACY with my wife - to me its about being emotionally close to her & letting my guard down - sharing my "inner-world"

WAKING UP beside my wife.

RUNNING - it relieves stress, builds strength, creates happiness and inspires my creativity.

GIFTS - big or small, it's the thought that counts.

SURPRISES - Simply love them, irrespective how unexpected or weird they might be, I always welcome them.

CANDLES - They are comforting & they add ambiance.

MAKING PEOPLE LAUGH

COMPLETION of a project.

Meeting INSPIRING, AMBITIOUS and GOAL-DRIVEN people

FLOWERS - My favourite St Joseph Lillies

A truthful COMPLIMENT (giving and receiving one)

LAUGHING until my stomach aches

SCENIC drives and views

The SOUND of the OCEAN

Behaving silly and not caring what others think - just LETTING MY HAIR DOWN.

Looking at the SUNRISE or SUNSET

Taking pictures

I LOVE the colour RED

So to end this off, my list can shrink or grow as time goes on. Things CHANGE, I change, and so will this list.

Don’t let the things you LOVE get buried in the stress of your daily life cycle or get overpowered by challenging times. Keep them alive by digging into them daily - even if it’s just for 5 minutes. Life is a series of moments to be experienced - always do what you love & enjoy the beauty inside each moment. Do not put off the FUN & JOYOUS things for later. Do them 1st, because you never know if today may be your last!

Live each day in the pursuit of happiness!

Toxic people

At some stage in our lives we come across toxic people, and believe me they exist everywhere. They exist in families, amongst friends and also among colleagues.

Toxic people tend to hurt those around them with their words and behaviours, often unintentionally but sometimes on purpose. The reason is often that they may feel bad about themselves or their circumstances and in turn make people around them feel bad too.

Toxic behaviours has devastating effects on relationships, it hinders growth on both personal and professional levels and negatively impacts the well-being of the toxic person and others around him/her. For long-term happiness and success it is important for the toxic person to recognize when they are behaving negatively, and consciously shift their mind-set to a more positive one.

None of us are immune to occasional toxic mood swings. At some stage we have acted in ways that are toxic and damaging to others, and it is important to be aware of such occurrences and handle it appropriately.

Here are a few guidelines to recognize negative behaviour and dealing with it:

• Let go of negativity.
• Take control of your emotions, instead of exploding in anger or tears over the smallest things. When you feel you want to yell at people, take a step back and think about how you feel and whether you think yelling at the person would be the best solution.
• Never compare your life journey with anyone else's – we’re all here for our own unique purposes.
• Try to avoid taking everything personally. Not everything being said or happening around you, is aimed at you as a person.

We all have unhealthy personalities buried deep down and it has the potential to sneak up sometimes. Awareness is very important, recognize the behaviour and stop it from taking over.

Think about ways where you can improve or how to better handle toxic people. Stay away from people who do you more harm than good or those who fill your life with stress. Start today and build positive behaviour into your life.

 

Unconditional Acceptance

How many times in your life have you uttered the words “I am not good enough” or felt this way by the words or actions from someone else.

 Sometimes we tend to be too hard on ourselves; we are seldom at peace with our efforts and to add to this if someone else disapproves s of our actions or behaviour it is just so much worse. What is important before others can accept you; you need to accept yourself first and to do this is an ongoing process – Accept all of you, your body, each curve & mark, your strengths and weakness, your intelligence and knowledge, your failures, your position at work, church, community, sexual preference, your unique personality, simply accept yourself for who you are.

Unconditional acceptance does not mean giving up on all your morals, it means letting go of who you think you should be AND instead makes you fall in love with who you currently are – hope that makes sense.

Unconditional acceptance is the basic acceptance and support of a person regardless of what the person say or do. People who have not been exposed to it may see themselves in the negative ways that others have made them feel.

When we accept ourselves, we shift from living for tomorrow to appreciating today. Acceptance heals, nurture and nourish yourself – forgive yourself and let go of any negative/bad relationships may it be with family, friends, colleagues.

Love and accept yourself exactly the way you are. Accept compliments and return it with a simple Thank You – you don’t always need to return a compliment to a giver unless you honestly mean it.

TO end this post:

§  it’s okay to accept yourself unconditionally,

§  it’s okay to distance yourself from toxic people,

§  it’s okay to break relationships that no longer serves a purpose or add value to your well being,

§  it’s okay to spend time alone & spoil yourself,

§  it’s okay to be your crazy self, no matter who’s around you, if they truly care and accept you unconditionally – they will not be bothered.

Every morning, look in the mirror and say “I ACCEPT and LOVE myself exactly the way I am”.

 

 

Being Thankful

Be thankful that you don’t already have everything you desire,
If you did, what would there be to look forward to?

 

Be thankful when you don’t know something
For it gives you the opportunity to learn.

Be thankful for the difficult times.
During those times you grow.

 

Be thankful for your limitations
Because they give you opportunities for improvement.

Be thankful for each new challenge
Because it will build your strength and character.

 

Be thankful for your mistakes
They will teach you valuable lessons.

Be thankful when you’re tired and weary
Because it means you’ve made a difference.

 

It is easy to be thankful for the good things.
A life of rich fulfilment comes to those who are also thankful for the setbacks.

GRATITUDE can turn a negative into a positive.
Find a way to be thankful for your troubles and they can become your blessings.
- Author Unknown

 Source: http://zenhabits.net/why-living-a-life-of-gratitude-can-make-you-happy/

 

If you look around you, there is something to be thankful for. A roof over your head, food in your fridge, your family, friends and colleagues. Every day that you are in good health, every day that you get to go to work, to drink clean water - each of these things are truly a gift. When you begin to recognize the goodness in your life, and make a conscious effort to be grateful for it, you will see that every day there will be more and more to be thankful for.

Challenges
Learn to appreciate challenges. A person is not defined by what happens to them in their life but by how they deal with what happens in their life. We all have hardships to overcome, and with each hardship, you have a choice. You can either choose to let it break you, OR choose to let it make you.
 
Allow the challenges in your life to make you a better person. With every suffering you endure, there is something to learn. We must be grateful for those opportunities, because that is how you grow and become a stronger person.

Treasure Moments
No matter how big or small. It’s these simple things, like making my loved one’s life more enjoyable, that makes my life more enjoyable. Relish in the moments you spend with family, friends, laughing at a social gathering. Cherish the moments you get to spend at work.  Next time you feel like complaining about your job, but be grateful you have a job.


A FEW TIPS TO LIVING A MORE GRATEFUL LIFE:

Say thank you. When someone does something nice for you, however small, try to remember to say thank you. And really mean it. A phone call, message or in person, say the words thank you -  keep it short and sweet

Gratitude sessions. Take 2-3 minutes each day to give thanks - to whoever or whatever you’re grateful for. You don’t have to do anything, other than close your eyes and silently give thanks. This one act can make a huge difference.
 
Give thanks for “negative” things in your life. When you think of something as negative — it’s stressful, harmful, sad, unfortunate, difficult but that same thing can be looked at in a more positive way. Giving thanks for those things is a great way to remind yourself that there is good in just about everything. Problems can be seen as opportunities to grow, to be creative.
Starting from today take on the journey to become a more grateful, happier person.

By living with gratitude you become a more happier person.

 

 



 

Petrol Pryse

Hier is 'n vergelyking van die petrol pryse in Januarie 2009 – (R5.76) en 2014 – (R13.98).

 

Dit is skokkend om te sien dat petrol pryse byna verdubbel het die afgelope 6jaar. Ek sidder om te dink wat dit binne die volgende 5-7jaar gaan wees, R40.00+ per liter...??

Ek sou dit dan eerder oorweeg om 'n Hybrid motor aan te skaf, maar met Eskom se voordurende verhogings in elektrisiteit tariewe, weet ek nie meer nie. Die publieke vervoerstelsel in ons land is ook so pateties, nie eens dit is 'n betroubare opsie nie. Dalk sal ‘n motorfiets kan werk, maar daar is ook ‘n groot risiko aan verbonde. #veiligheid vs #besparing.

Wel, dit daar gelaat.

Inligting verkry vanaf:

http://www.aa.co.za/on-the-road/calculator-tools/fuel-pricing.html?petrol-year=2014#petrol

Staying in contact

As time goes by and as we grow older, it seems that we lose touch with the people we care about. The once upon-a-time close friends become distant memories & family members drift away into their own lives. The further you go when you lose touch, the harder it seems to get back into contact with the ones you care about and sometimes it can even be nearly impossible.
So the question is how can you improve your ways of staying in contact with those you care about?

LETTERS - The time of writing letters is so old-school but yet it can be something really special to receive a written letter via post. In recent days typing a letter is soo much faster, while it may not be as personal as handwritten one, it’s certainly better than not writing at all.

TECHNOLOGY - With the recent technology to our avail, its so much easier to stay in contact even with friends or family that’s hundreds or thousands of kilometres away. Various tools make it easy and inexpensive to send frequent communication.

To stay in contact should not be a burden, make it a habit to stay in contact. Some people find this tedious because they feel nervous or don’t know where to where to start. Make time frequently and devote to stay in contact. A simple message to say “hello” or “how are you” can mean a lot. Don’t make excuses for not being in contact as the same rules applies to the other party.

Always remember the importance of staying in touch with the people you care about.

Try not to get so wrapped up in your daily lives, jobs and other responsibilities that you forget parents, siblings, close friends and other people that are important to you.

Reference given to: http://voices.yahoo.com

Being independent

INDEPENDENCE - a word that has different meaning to different people.

It all depend on your circumstance example:

To a physically challenged person, independence mean being able to look after yourself without having to rely on someone else helping you to get dressed or bathed etc.

To a teenager, independence might mean being able to get your driver license, buy your own car and live in your own apartment or simply just buying stuff for yourself.

So many other examples can be given, and if you were ME, independence would mean not wanting to rely on anyone else for financial security or making me happy.

Being independent is an important for people who want to take control of their lives and feel like they don't need others to accomplish their goals. Being more independent will give you the freedom to do what you want without caring what others think. It will also lead you to find some original solutions to your problems. In addition to all this being said, studies show that the more independent a person is, the happier he/she feels...

Sharing my story where I started from a very young age creating my independence:

Back in Primary School, in Sub B (today, Gr 2) I used to sell blank white pages at school for 5c or 10c. Silly idea, but the profit was more than enough to cover my daily sweets and treats expenditure.

 

At the age of 10 I started to help an old lady with her gardening and she was more than generous to pay me for my efforts - this money I used to buy energy drinks for Cross Country races.

 

At 16, (barely legal) I started a part-time work as a waitress at a Golf Club. This where I learnt to work with money and saving for my goals, no matter how big or small.. 

 

To my mother this meant that I did not have to bug her for my small expenditures; to me it was a learning experience which at the time did not make as much sense as it does today.

 

By sharing these personal experiences, I simply wanted to illustrate that the journey to being independent has no age restriction or time when it should start. Our decisions throughout your life are building blocks towards this - Being Independent.

 

A few tips to start a journey on being independent (whatever independence might mean to you)

 

1. BELIEVE IN YOURSELF - If you don't believe in yourself then who else will?

2. ACCEPT YOURSELF - Accept your body, personality, your opinions, choices, preferences, and most importantly your life story.

3. ACCEPT THE WORLD - Independent people are those who see the world, with its good and its bad, and consciously choose to be strong for themselves and others.

4. BE EMOTIONALLY INDEPENDENT - It's 'ok' to get attached to a few key people in your life, but you cannot let these people determine your level of happiness.  The only person that will always be with you is you. If you depend on yourself for support, you will never be let down.

5. BE SELF-MOTIVATED - Other people do not have and will never have the same vested interest in your success.

6. ACCEPT THAT LIFE IS NOT FAIR - Don't let the unfairness of the world keep you from doing what you want to do.

7. STOP CARING WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THINK - This is the most important thing about being independent.

 

Start TODAY with your journey to become independent!

Whether it is to:

 To get own car/apartment - start saving TODAY

or

 To be happy - make that decision TODAY and get rid of everything that keeps you from happiness.

 

Be accountable for yourself, take responsibility for your life and ultimately that's how you build a better and better life for yourself. Only YOU can get you to where you want to be.

 

 

 

Time

TIME - We all know what time is. The ticking of the clock, the calendar on the wall, the whine of an alarm, end of a project deadline and the list can go on.

As explained by Wikipedia - Time is a dimension in which events can be ordered from the PAST through the PRESENT into the FUTURE.

Daily events happen in our personal, professional and spiritual lives. We plan to do things by a certain time, plan a project within a certain time frame, achieve personal goals by a certain time and though a lot of planning can go into such events we often feel that "there aren’t enough hours in a day".

I often utter those words (if only there was more hours in a day), but then again it comes back to prioritising and managing your time accordingly. Prioritising the events (activities and people) you spend your time on. Asking your self the question, is this worth my time? How many times do you sit still and think about  - your day, your life, your work, your purpose -  and wonder could you have spent your time any wiser?

To life a fulfilled and happy life, it's vital to learn the importance of TIME.
Who you spend YOUR TIME with? (Family, Friends, Colleagues, Acquaintances)
Where you spend most of YOUR TIME? (Work, Home, Church, ETC.)
What you spend YOUR TIME on? (Working, caring for others/yourself, socializing, etc.)
Why you spend YOUR TIME on it? (By choice, love/care, forced, obligation etc.)

Personal time management is important. Become aware of how you use your time as a resource in organizing, prioritizing, and succeeding in life

It's your choice of who you permit into your world, who YOU GIVE TIME to or invest time with, and who you look to for ideas and information.  IT'S YOUR TIME, USE IT WISELY!!