7 Benefits of Calmness

First a story:

The Secret of Calmness

A disciple and his teacher were walking through the forest.

He asked his teacher, “Why do only a few possess a calm mind?

The teacher spoke, “An elephant was once picking leaves from a tree. A small fly came buzzing near his ear. The elephant waved it away with his long ears. The fly came again, and the elephant waved it away once more.

“This was repeated several times. The elephant asked the fly: ‘Why are you so restless and noisy? Why can’t you stay for a while in one place?’ The fly answered: ‘I am attracted to whatever I see, hear or smell.

My five senses, and everything that happens around me, pull me constantly in all directions and I cannot resist them. What is your secret? How can you stay so calm and still?’

“The elephant stopped eating and said: ‘My five senses do not rule my attention. I am in control of my attention, and I can direct it wherever I want. This helps me to get immersed in whatever I do, and therefore, my mind is focused and calm. Now that I am eating, I am completely immersed in eating. ‘”

Upon hearing these words, the disciple’s eyes opened wide. He looked at his teacher and said, “I understand! My mind will be in constant unrest if my five senses; and whatever is happening in the world around me are distracting me. On the other hand, if I am in command of my five senses, I can disregard sense impressions, and my mind will become calm.”

“Yes, that’s right,” answered the teacher. “The mind is restless and goes wherever the attention is. Control your attention and you control your mind.”

Source: http://mythologystories.wordpress.com/2013/01/02/calmness/

Set peace of mind as your highest goal, and organize your life around it - Brian Tracy

Calmness is about serenity, tranquility, and peace of mind. You are not disturbed easily because calmness is strength:

1.     Clarity: Your mind is not cluttered. You are not thinking about anything else but what you need to do now. It can be an assignment, a problem to solve, an idea for a new article, or planning for your next trip. You can think clearly, rationally and you can decide wisely.

2.     Focus: As your mind is like a calm lake without ripples, you are focused on the task at hand. A calm mind facilitates a flow experience at work. It is productive. Working with concentration gives you job satisfaction and a sense of well-being.

3.     Promote positive emotions: Calmness is pleasurable. You feel good and self-assured.

Being relaxed, at peace with yourself, confident, emotionally neutral loose, and free-floating –these are the keys to successful performance in almost everything - Wayne W. Dyer

4.     Anti stress: Calmness is the best way to fight stress. You are able to breathe slowly, attend to your work with undivided attention under challenging conditions. 

Never be in a hurry, do everything quietly and in a calm spirit. Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset - Francis de Sales

5.     Enhance Health: When your mind is not at ease because there are outstanding issues bugging you, you can’t relax and you can’t go to sleep with peace of mind. A mind in turbulence is stressful.  Learn to forgive and let go; live in calmness and enjoy a good night’s sleep.

6.     Live in the moment: When you are calm you are not anxious and worrying; your mind is at peace and you pay attention to each passing moment.   You enjoy what you do one thing at a time.  

7.     Avoid negative impulse actions: When you are calm you will not get agitated easily. You are composed under hostile conditions. You are perceived by others to be confident when you stay calm.   

Few things are brought to a successful issue by impetuous desire, but most by calm and prudent forethought. - Thucydides 

10 Productive Ways to be Happy

Happiness is not something ready-made. It comes from your own actions. 

Dalai Lama XIV

You are responsible for your own happiness. It is a by-product of your positive mental attitude and doing the right things in life. Be wise and choose the productive ways to happiness:  

1.     Calmness: You are in a state of tranquility and serenity. Your mind is clear and you can do things with concentration and make decisions wisely. Calmness, like meditation, is a great source of good health and happiness.

Learn to be calm and you will always be happy.

Paramhansa Yogananda

2.     Gratitude: It is about appreciating what you have. You are contented with your life. You think of all the goodness in life. Gratitude is living in abundance and happiness is about satisfaction. 

We tend to forget that happiness doesn’t come as a result of getting something we don’t have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have.
Frederick Keonig

3.     Kindness: Be kind to yourself and to others. Be compassionate and speak kind words. Seek forgiveness instead of vengeance. Kindness promotes peace of mind and happiness within.

I believe compassion to be one of the few things we can practice that will bring immediate and long-term happiness to our lives.
Dalai Lama

4.     Positive mindset: Be optimistic, look at the bright side of things. Positive thinking motivates you to be more confident in yourself. Happiness is about self-assurance and hopefulness of the future.  

Optimism is a happiness magnet. If you stay positive, good things, and good people will be drawn to you.
Mary Lou Retton

5.     Relationships: A family is a great support system. Your spouse and children are your sources of happiness.  One sure way to be happy is to connect with positive people, reaching out to others for mutual benefits, and sharing happiness. 

“To be kind to all, to like many and love a few, to be needed and wanted by those we love, is certainly the nearest we can come to happiness.
Mary Stuart

6.     Health: Take care of your health by taking care of your body. Exercise daily, follow a balanced diet, and get enough sleep. Drink plenty of water throughout the day. Be an early riser to welcome a new day with energy and happiness.  

Happiness is nothing more than good health and a bad memory.

      Albert Schweitzer

7.     Living in the moment: The way to be happy is to focus on the task at hand and live life from moment to moment. Increase your flow experiences by working without distractions.  Go slow, notice and pay attention to your surroundings. The present is all you have to savor, enjoy and be happy. 

8.     Learn new things: Stimulate your mind and beat boredom by learning new things and reading widely. You will find happiness when you immerse yourself by reading a good book.    

9.     Meaning in life: Follow your vision and aspirations. Create a mission statement and be passionate about your goals in life. You will look forward to each new day with excitement and happiness because you enjoy what you do.

“Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.
Herman Cain

10.                        Resilience: Life is not a bed of roses. Learn a few strategies to cope with setbacks and problems in life. Overcoming obstacles is to extend your comfort zone. You will be stronger and happier.

The happiest people in the world are those who feel absolutely terrific about themselves, and this is the natural outgrowth of accepting total responsibility for every part of their life.
Brian Tracy

10 Things You Should Not Say To Your Boss

Have you ever said such words to your boss? It is possible that your mental attitude decides what to say at work. Think positive before you utter these self-destructive words. These negative words will jeopardize your career prospect and future advancement:

1.      I am late: You are familiar with your daily routine and the traffic situation along the way to work. There is no excuse to be late. You can’t even tell your boss your car breaks down. It is your job to service your car and maintain it in tip-top condition. The best thing to do is to get up early and go to work early.

2.      I am busy: It only discloses your weaknesses at work. You are not organized and cannot prioritize your work. Prepare a to-do list and identify one or two important tasks and get to work first thing in the morning when you are full of energy.   

3.      I can’t: Nobody expects you to know everything. It is for you to ask for help. It is a golden opportunity to learn new things and be more knowledgeable.

4.      I don’t know: It is for you to find out. Your couldn’t-care-less answer is an indication that you are not interested in your work and the company where you work. Be curious and be interested in what you do in order to make progress in life.  

5.      Not my area: Your answer disappoints your boss and paints a negative picture of you. It is a chance to widen your scope of work and build your career prospect for the future. You may be head of the company instead of just one department one fine day.

6.      I think: Check it out and be sure of your answer. Say you will find out immediately and get the right information.

7.      I’ll try: It is not an answer. Your boss wants a firm date from you to get a job done. Be confident and come up with a due date to complete the task.

8.      I always do it this way: Be willing to learn from others. Be flexible and make changes to get a thing done more efficiently. 

9.      It’s too much work: You are hired to work; just do it without procrastinating and you will find out it is done sooner than expected.

10.  Not my fault: Be responsible and do not blame others.  Learn from the mistake and more on instead of looking for excuses. You boss is only interested in getting things done and nothing else. 

Avoid saying dumb things to your boss. Be confident and be wise when you deal with your boss and present your best self

Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy. - Norman Vincent Peale

10 Calming Quotes

Are you staying in calmness or your mind is in turbulence?

Be inspired by these calming quotes and stay cool at all times: 

1.     Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without. -  Buddha

2.     Your calm mind is the ultimate weapon against your challenges. So relax. - Bryant McGill

3.     The more tranquil a man becomes, the greater is his success, his influence, his power for good. Calmness of mind is one of the beautiful jewels of wisdom.
- James Allen

4.     Power is so characteristically calm, that calmness in itself has the aspect of strength.  - Edward Bulwer-Lytton

5.     There is a calmness to a life lived in gratitude, a quiet joy. - Ralph H. Blum 

6.     A samurai must remain calm at all times even in the face of danger. - Chris Bradford,

7.     By staying calm, you increase your resistance against any kind of storms.   - Mehmet Murat ildan

8.     When your mind is besieged by some inauspicious thoughts, you can bring the sunshine into your life by staying calm! - Mehmet Murat ildan

9.     Calm mind brings inner strength and self-confidence, so that's very important for good health. - Dalai Lama

10.     Remain calm, serene, always in command of yourself. You will then find out how easy it is to get along. - Paramahansa Yogananda

7 Smart Ways to Shape Your Future Now

‘Just as our present is the result of our past, so our future will be the result of our present. Every minute of every day we are weaving threads that will make the cloth of future.’

  - Anne Spencer Parry

Your future is now. What you think, believe, and do now will determine the outcome of the future. The smart way to shape the future is to do the right things now. Adopt successful habits one by one and build your strengths over time:      

1.      Be healthy now: Be active, follow a balanced diet, and a healthy lifestyle. Avoid bad habits like smoking, watching too much TV, and sitting around all day long. Exercise every day to build energy and develop resilience to face the challenges of the future. Eat more vegetables, fruits and all things natural. Drink water throughout the day. Have enough sleep and be an early riser.

2.      Be a learner now: Skills and knowledge are indispensable for you to survive in this competitive world. Keep leaning to update yourself and keep abreast of technological advancement.  Make changes and move forward to avoid being obsolete.

3.      Be a networker now: Networking is about building long-term relationships. Get connected with positive people. Give and receive support among like-minded individuals. Networking allows you to get ideas, opportunities and be visible. Expanding your contacts is a great way to build your career and for personal growth.  

4.      Be Positive now:  Be confident of what you want in life; obstacles and setbacks are challenges to win over. Build your resilience by going head-on with problems. Choose to be happy when you get up in the morning. 

5.      Take action now: Visualize and write down your goals. Written goals are the lighthouse in your life. It guides the way you have envisaged and do what is important in your life.

Take the first step and the next. You can plan so much but you have to start moving

6.      Build your brand now:  Build a positive character. Be honest, trustworthy, and live with integrity. It takes a long time to establish a reputable brand and with one wrong move, you will destroy your reputation quickly. So watch your words and actions.

7.      Be a master of money now: Do not compare with others but live your own life within your means and avoid getting into debt. Be responsible in money matters to be credit-worthy. Start the habit of savings early to take advantage of compound interest over time. Learn to invest and build your wealth. Money may not be everything in your life but you can live without it.   

“There is no moment more precious than the exact moment they are living. And that exact moment has a lot to do with how future moments play out.”

― Obert Skye, Leven Thumps, and the Gateway to Foo

Your life is about what you do now. You will reap what you sow.

20 Simple Ways to Have a Great Day

A great day is a day when you are happy, full of energy, productive and the world is in your hand. This list will definitely inspire you; uplift your spirits and kick-start a brand new great day for you:  

1.      Be early: You are in control when you start a new day early. There is no rushing about to get things done because you are ahead of others and you can attend to your tasks one thing at a time gracefully. 

2.      Be ready: It means you are organized and prepared for a new day. More likely than not you are armed with a to-do list and set your priority to conquer a new day with confidence.  

3.      Be happy:  Decide to be cheerful when you get up. Happiness will translate into positivity for you to greet a new day delightfully.

4.      Be energetic: Are you an active person? The more active you are the more energetic you will be. Exercise daily to boost your energy and enthusiasm.

5.      Be different: Don’t travel your usual route to work. Go by a new way. Think of a new way to get a job done. Have lunch in another outlet. Color your life and be different.

6.      Be calm: Calmness is about serenity and it brings focus and concentration at work. You are at ease and you are not easily distracted. Here are a dozen ways to help you stay calm.

7.      Be mindful: To live a great day is to live from moment to moment knowing what you are doing at each moment. Your mind is not wondering about but paying full attention to the task at hand. When it is time to relax and unwind you really let your hair down.

8.      Be purposeful: Everything that you do has a purpose.  It is related to your vision, mission, and goals in life. A great day is a day in which you live with purpose and passion for what you do.

9.      Be positive: Positivity sees light at the end of the tunnel and looks at a glass as half full. With a positive mental attitude, a problem is a challenge to take on and win over. 

10.  Be creative: Be resourceful, think of a better way to get a task done more efficiently.

11.  Be inspired: Be motivated by this list and enjoy a great day. This list will improve your well-being and outlook in life. Every new day will bring you more joy than before.

12.  Be active: An active lifestyle promotes energy. Exercise every day like jogging in the great outdoors to embrace nature and be healthy and fit  

13.  Be simple: Avoid small stuff and work on things that are important in your life. Manage your time well and bring the desired results at the end of a day.

14.  Be yourself: Live your life the way you want to be and not what others expect you to be. Be free, be yourself.

15.  Be thankful: Think of what you have and you will know you are living in abundance. Be appreciative of your employer, your family, and your friends. They are supporting you and they are the meaning in your life. 

16.  Be hopeful: Hope is a form of energy to spur you to carry on living a great life. Always look forward to having more great days ahead of you.

17.  Be flexible: Technology is about changes. Be willing to do things differently and move forward in life.      

18.  Be curious: You will learn when you want to know more. Read books, surf the net and learn something new every day.

19.  Be helpful: Be kind and compassionate. Find out what you can do for others in one way or another. A great day is a day that you can give freely. 

20.  Be friendly: Greet people you meet. Smile at strangers. Say thank you to the cashier who has just served you.

    Every morning, my dad would have me looking in the mirror and repeat, 'Today is going to be a great day; I can, and I will. - Gina Rodriguez

10 Simple Ways to Improve Your Well-Being

Are you feeling comfortable? According to an article, The Five Essential Elements of Wellbeing, a person’s well-being consists of five elements:

• The first element is about how you occupy your time or simply liking what you do every day: Your Career Wellbeing.
• The second element is about having strong relationships and love in your life: Your Social Wellbeing.
• The third element is about effectively managing your economic life: Your Financial Wellbeing.
• The fourth element is about having good health and enough energy to get things done on a daily basis: Your Physical Wellbeing.
• The fifth element is about the sense of engagement you have with the area where you live: Your Community Wellbeing.

Well-being is about feeling good, healthy, and happy. Here are 10 simple ways to boost your well-being:

1.      Exercise: An active lifestyle is a healthy lifestyle. Energy is derived from a healthy body. Energy boosts productivity.

2.      Kindness and forgiveness: To be in a state of serenity and getting peace of mind is to hold no grudges and forgive the wrong doings of others done towards us.  Kindness is the way of personal well-being. Giving promotes happiness to the giver as well as the receiver.

3.      Live within your means: Live your own way of life according to your means. A debt-free life is a carefree life. You sleep soundly every night because you know what you own is all yours.

4.      Hopeful: It is a positive expectation of the future. Life may be harsh and unkindly, you look forward to each new day thinking that it will be a better day.

5.      Be grateful: Think of what you have instead of what you want. Count your blessings and be thankful. Living in abundance is about a decent job, a roof over your head, and a happy family,   

6.      Be connected: Hang out with your friends, go for a movie or chat over a cup of coffee. Life is about getting connected. Express your feelings, tell others about what‘s in your mind. Do it now without regret.

7.      Learn something new: Keep learning to stimulate your mind. Technology is advancing at an accelerated pace, embrace IT and move forward with the changing time.  

8.      Purpose in life: It is about your passion, vision, and goals in life. It is meaningful to you and it brings you happiness.

9.      Live in the present: Live from moment to moment, focus on the task at hand. Immerse in what you do so that you will do the best you can  with mindfulness

10.  Balanced life: Life is not just about work. Your family comes first. Do not spend more time working at the expense of your family. Money cannot buy happiness in family life. It is your present that counts.

  “Live with intention. Walk to the edge. Listen hard. Practice wellness. Play with abandon. Laugh. Choose with no regret. Do what you love. Live as if this is all there is.” —Mary Anne Roadacher-Hershey

   

10 Smart Ways to be Productive at Work

To be productive is to work smart. The most important thing is to identify those important things that you want to accomplish and how you want to get done efficiently and effectively. Here are some smart ways to be productive without being stressed:  

1.      In the morning: The beginning of a new day is always packed with the freshness of the mind and fullness in energy for you to tackle the most important and complex issues of the day. It is assumed that you have had a good night’s sleep. Get it done in the morning and you will be pleased to get other things done like a piece of cake. 

2.      Work with your heart: You do a thorough job when you are interested in what you do. You work with focus and enthusiasm. You take pride in your work and things get done once and for all. 

3.     Take breaks: Taking breaks is to refresh your mind and restore energy for the task ahead of you. Run some errands and walkabout. Productivity diminishes when you work continuously because fatigue sets in; mistakes occur and you will be wasting time to redo it. 

4.      Take your lunch break: It is a wise thing to get out and enjoy your lunch outside of your workplace. It is good to have a change of environment to unwind and regain your balance. 

5.      One task at a time: Do not worry about other things you need to attend to. Focus on the task at hand and work with concentration. It is less stressful and more productive. 

6.      Clutter-free desk: Remove everything else out of the way and work with tools required for the job at hand. Looking for something you need on a messy desk is frustrating.  

7.      Attend to things immediately: In the midst of doing your work you get interrupted by a phone call or a message,  act on it immediately if it takes only a few minutes. Write it down if you need to attend to it later.

8.      Established a routine: A daily routine is like a good habit. Over time you have found out the best sequence of getting various things are done in a day. Just stick to it. As an example, it is good to do some serious work in the morning, after lunch you can do tasks that are not so demanding and in the evening you review what you have done for the day and plan ahead to work   more productively in another new day.   

9.      Start work early: Go to work ahead of others so that you can work with peace and without disturbance. While others have just arrived for work you can have a cup of coffee to celebrate getting done an important assignment.  

10.  To-do list: In the evening the day before or in the early morning you prepare a list. When you do it you are actually thinking and planning ahead. You give priority to important tasks. This list mentally prepared you positively for the day ahead of you. It is a relief for you when each task is done and you cross it out.   

“Nothing is less productive than to make more efficient what should not be done at all.” 
― PETER DRUCKER

10 Benefits of a Life Insurance Policy

A life policy is a valuable document. It is more than an instrument to compensate for the loss of life of the insured or earning power because of an accident or illness. You can wisely consider the following benefits:

1.      A form of savings and investment: You develop a regular saving habit. Wealth building starts with savings accumulated over time.   

2.      Tax deductible: A life insurance premium is usually a tax-deductible item. In Malaysia there is a personal tax relief of RM6000; however, this amount is inclusive of your share of contributions to the Employees provident fund.  

3.      A source of cash: As time passes by, your policy builds up a reserve of funds and you can withdraw its cash value in case there is an urgent need for cash.

4.      A pledge for a loan: You can also pledge your policy and apply for a loan. As it is a loan you will have to pay interest for the loan amount.   

5.      A source of funds for the next-of-kin: Perhaps it is your aim to create wealth for your immediate family. A life policy is usually for this purpose.

6.      Funeral expenses: Upon the maturity of the policy or the untimely demise of the insured, part of the policy proceeds will pay for the deceased’s funeral expenses.  It is a wise move to avoid your immediate family shouldering such cash outflow. 

7.      Settlement of outstanding debt such as a mortgage or personal loan: Upon the premature death of the insured, the proceeds of the policy can be used to settle the deceased’s credit card and personal debt. An MRTA policy will be conveniently used to settle outstanding housing loans in the name of the insured.  

8.      Children’s education: It is yet another wise move to purchase a policy and save for your children‘s future education. The maturity date will coincide when your child enters university.     

9.      Retirement fund: An insurance policy is also a good source of retirement fund. You can time the maturity date of the policy to match the commencement of your retirement. 

10.  Financial support of your family: To avoid financial strain to your immediate family an insurance policy will be a source of funds when you are the only breadwinner upon your untimely departure as a result of an accident or terminal illnesses.   

There are many types of life policies:

Term life Insurance: When the policy expires it has no cash value, but it offers maximum protection with minimum cost for a stated period. A death benefit will be paid when the insured dies or suffers total and permanent disability while the policy is still active.  This type of policy is to replace your earning power and create a source of fund for yourself or your immediate family    

Whole Life Policy: This form of policy is to create wealth for your next-of-kin because you are paying a premium for your whole life until you pass away or are permanently disabled.

Endowment policy: The policy offers protection as well as savings for a specific period and for a specific purpose. The fund may be needed for your marriage or a down payment for your house.

Investment-linked insurance: It offers protection and a chance to invest by participating in units in a fund managed by the life insurance company. The value of your fund goes up or down subject to market forces.

Child education policy: As the name implies it is a policy to cater to your child’s education.  

Medical and health: It has no cash value, but it is an essential expense item.  Medical and health insurance is designed to cover the cost of private medical treatment, which can be very costly, especially with hospitalization and surgery. MHI also ensures that you won't have to worry about the cost of seeking treatment during emergencies. In addition, MHI also provides you with an income stream while you undergo treatment.

Retirement Annuity: It is to ensure that you can depend upon a steady source of income during your retirement. Bear in mind that the income payments you receive will depend on the amount you pay to purchase the annuity, your age when you purchase the annuity, and your gender.

Mortgage reducing term assurance: It is a policy to cover the repayment of an outstanding property loan to the financial institution in the event of untimely death, disability, or critical illness of the borrower.

Conclusion:

You will consider and purchase suitable policies to suit your requirements.  

Source:http://www.creditcardlighthouse.blogspot.com/2014/07/10-benefits-of-life-insurance-policy.html