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Inspiration Prompt – The Measure Of A Man

Monday, March 16th, 2009

The measure of a man The measure of a man is something illusive, yet we always try to capture it.

We mostly measure ourselves. With severity. We also measure the people we care about, our family and friends. We tend to measure the people we work with – our colleagues and our rivals. Sometimes we measure the person standing before us in the line or crossing the road…

There are so many things that are easy to measure with strict measurement criterions, like length, density, capacity. We pull out the tape measure or the scale or the particle accelerator (the latter would be pulled out by my father at his lab…) and come up with a simple and mostly accurate answer.

That isn’t the case when trying to measure a character.

So what is the measure of a man?

Here is an inspiring quote by Kahlil Gibran explaining how a man should NOT be measured:

To measure you by your smallest deed
is to reckon the ocean by the frailty of its foam.
To judge you by your failures
is to cast blame upon the seasons
for their inconsistencies.

Share –

What is the measure of a man? Leave a comment.

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Inspiration Prompt – Your Eyes Behold The World

Monday, February 9th, 2009

Your Eyes Behold The World
[Photo by: John Steven Fernandez]

“My heart is so small
it’s almost invisible.
How can You place such big sorrows in it?”
“Look,” He answered,
“your eyes are even smaller,
yet they behold the world.”

By: Jalal ad-Din Rumi

This week I feel a little bit under the weather… It might be all the boxes that finally arrived from Ireland, or it might be the uncustomary rainy days in the Bay area in California or it might be just a virus I caught… Either way, I didn’t want to leave your Monday without an inspiration prompt, so I am sharing a stunning picture I spot on Flickr and an inspiring quote of the Persian philosopher, Jalal ad-Din Rumi.

Have a great week!

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Inspiration Prompt – You Are Special

Monday, February 2nd, 2009
Unique
[Photo by: bobinson]

You are special. There is no one like you. You are unique.

Even someone subject to genetic manipulation is unique, as he absorbs the environment and the experiences he has been through. He is influenced by the sights he has seen. The scents he has smelled. The flavors he has tasted. The textures he has touched and the sounds he has heard throughout his life. He is affected by his friendships and his love affairs. He is inspired by his teachers. This person is as different as one can be from his genes’ donor.

Think about it. If a person who has been genetically reproduced [for the sake of conversation, lets assume it is possible and has been done] is unique, then you are unique as well. Life has carved a person – to whom there is no match!

Live the life of the unique person you are! Do not try to resemble others and respect your authenticity.

Lets get inspired by Dale Carnegie’s words:

You are something new in this world. Never before, since the beginning of time, has there ever been anybody exactly like you; and never again throughout all the ages to come will there ever be anybody exactly like you again.

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Share your thoughts and leave a comment to this post!

I would love to hear your ideas and thoughts about uniqueness.

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Inspiration Prompt – Do The Impossible

Monday, January 26th, 2009

“The only way to discover the limits of the possible is to go beyond them into the impossible”
© Arthur C. Clarke

Impossible
[Photo by: Till Krech]

Back in law school I remember how we were all excited to get back our first paper in Criminal Law. One of the toughest classes. We were all shocked and highly disappointed to find out the highest grade was a ‘D’. How could that have happened? How could we ALL have gotten it wrong? We were pretty angry (as lawyers to be can get… Oy vay.)

The week after, there was a commotion in class. We were ready with the latest laws and court rulings to prove ourselves right. The professor came in, gave one look at the mountain of papers we had accumulated and said: “Do you know what is your mistake? You were all following the law. This is not the way the law can evolve and change. This is the way to keep the law stagnant. If you want a change – you should think farther. You should use your minds and imagination and take a step forward – where no one has stepped before”.

I loved her speech and it made getting a ‘D’ ok, because I had learned a valuable lesson – much more important than the basic potential defenses an accused has and definitely more important than a grade.

This lesson goes far beyond being a good lawyer – it is a lesson for every person who seeks a change.

This week’s inspiration prompt is to make a change by going farther and find a way to do the impossible.

Share –

Do you stop at the possible or go for the impossible?

Leave a comment and share your thoughts!

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Inspiration Prompt #33 – The Value Of Optimism

Monday, January 5th, 2009

“No pessimists ever discovered the secret of the stars,
or sailed to an uncharted land,
or opened a new heaven to the human spirit. “
–Hellen Keller

The Glass Is Half Full
[Photo by: Akash Kataruka]

Is the glass half full or half empty? This is a matter of our state of mind. Nevertheless, this disposition is crucial to our day-to-day life.

As Hellen Keller had stated so beautifully, optimism is an enabler.

Optimism empowers us and sparks us with the spirit of free living. Optimism shuts down our self critic and urging us to go farther and farther with no worries and no self doubt.

Optimism is asking what can go fantastically right all the time. Optimism is smiling even if a reason for a smile is yet to present itself. Optimism is sipping the intoxicating life around us in big, excited gulps. Optimism is knowing that we can and we will and nothing is going to stop us.

For this week’s inspiration prompt I am inviting you to the fantastic land of the optimists.

Share –

How is your tour in the land of the optimists going? Share your experiences and adventures and leave a comment to this post.

Do you see yourself as an “half-full” kind of person or a “half-empty” one?

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Inspiration Prompt #31 – The Power Of Light

Monday, December 22nd, 2008

Hanukkah Menorah [Photo by: Allison Jennings]

Jewish people all over the world are now celebrating Hanukkah, which is also known as: “The Festival Of Lights”. There is a traditional holiday song which demonstrates the power of light, by the way even the smallest flame can take away the darkness.

I am very inspired by this notion and I would like to inspire you as well. As Francis Bacon’s had said:

In order for the light to shine so brightly, the darkness must be present.

The light is powerful, but its power can be measured only in times of complete darkness, and so do us!

For this week’s inspiration prompt I encourage you to derive inspiration from the power of light.

You certainly do not have to be Jewish in order to appreciate the power of light against darkness. Think about the glittering lights that embellish your house for Christmas or about the mesmerizing fairy lights that are wrapped around your Christmas tree. How jolly and merry they make everyone feel. This is also a token of the power of light.

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Leave a message to this post and share your thoughts. What do you think about the power of light? How does the light inspire you?

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Inspiration Prompt #29 – Cherish The Passing Time

Monday, December 8th, 2008

Passing time

“Right now a moment of time is passing by…
we must become that moment.“
Paul Cézanne

I am trying to constantly keep the value of the everyday in my mind. To cherish my everyday, I break it down to each passing moment and get the most of it. Time passing will not return and lost moments will not be found again.

Share –

How do you cherish the passing time? Share your thoughts and leave a comment!

Have a great week!

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Inspiration Prompt #28 – The Art Of Receiving

Monday, December 1st, 2008

For every beauty there is an eye somewhere to see it.
For every truth there is an ear somewhere to hear it.
For every love there is a heart somewhere to receive it.
by Ivan Panin

The Art Of Receiving The art of receiving is a skill I have not yet mastered.

Many times I struggle with the notion of accepting a gift – be it a material gift or a gift of a kind word – I don’t seem to think I deserve it, therefore I often cannot let myself enjoy it.

But I am working on it…

I want to open my heart and receive the love. I want to give myself permission to be worthy of the gifts I receive along the way. I want to acknowledge my merits. I want to allow people to give by becoming more competent in accepting their gifts.

I invite you to join me on this journey of mastering the art of receiving and ask you to give yourself permission to accept gifts.

Share your thoughts and experiences with me and leave a comment to this post or contact me.

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Inspiration Prompt #23 – The Elements Of Life

Monday, October 27th, 2008
Cát tuyến và ... tiếp tuyến
Image by ThinhHoang via Flickr

Who can identify what are the most important elements of life more adequately than someone who had formed wondrous worlds, full of character and flair, knights and princesses?

No one can, right? Than let us soak up the words of Hans Christian Andersen:

“Just living is not enough. One must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower.”

Living in Ireland, which can be rainy and gray, I do appreciate the warm rays of the sun, caressing my skin softly and brightening up my day. But a sun can also be a hug from a loved one, a warm word of encouragement, an unexpected compliment from a stranger and a wide and honest smile.

Freedom is indeed a key element in life, as without it we are nothing but marionettes, hand held puppets. Freedom gives us both the reason and the means to live.

When we are free and feel the sunshine above us (whether the weather is good or it is only the atmosphere around us), all we need for going on at full steam is a flower to bloom right in front of us and embellish our day, show us how beautiful life is – remind us that we are free and that the sun is shining.

Share –

What are your elements of life? Do you agree with Hans Christian Andersen’s list? Leave a comment and share your opinion.

Giveaway Update –

A while back I had hosted a giveaway on my blog. The prize offered was a copy of the brilliant book: Visual Chronicles by: Linda Woods and Karen Dinino.

On October 15th I randomly picked up a winner, yet the prize has remained unclaimed, albeit an e-mail sent to the previous winner.

Therefore, I have randomly picked another winner, which is: Mary Doak.

Her comment was:

Celebrating with family. and goals for the new year will be to declutter our home. I have packed too many things in this little house. Thanks for sharing your time and gifts with all of us.
I am from the State of Maine

Congratulations Mary, please e-mail me your address, and I’ll send you a copy of the book 🙂

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Inspiration Prompt #22 – A Different Outlook On Failure

Monday, October 20th, 2008
Description unavailable
Image by Daniele Butera via Flickr

Failure is tough. It is frustrating and discouraging, yet dealing with failure is an inherent part of our lives.

Saying that, I know that most people (myself included) think they must always get everything right on the first try. We do not leave much room for failure and for second and third trials (etc). Many times this perfectionism point of view gets us so discouraged that we stop trying.

This is not the way to go about it. Failure is a natural thing and a learning tool. It only means you should give it another try. Analyze it and see what you can improve and learn from your past mistakes or just do whatever you need to do, over and over again – until you get it right. Just like a child learning to ride his bikes. At first, he falls once or twice but then he gets the hang of it and finds his balance and ride like he’s been doing that from the day he was born.

We should do the same. (Today is my birthday, which is a good opportunity for adopting new and more positive outlooks)

Prof. Randy Pausch,of blessed memory (Sadly, this incredible person has passed away in July), had put it very nicely:

“The brick walls are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. Because the brick walls are there to stop the people who don’t want it badly enough. They’re there to stop the other people.”

Many best selling authors had been rejected time and again. Many renowned artists have suffered a great deal of dismissal and criticism before making their first masterpiece (some became famous only postmortem). Moreover, even those masterpieces and best selling books were not created in one continuous brush stroke or in one writing session. They are based on numerous drafts and sketches, additions and subtractions – they are a result of a long and sometimes tedious process.

Today I am calling you to change the way you look at failure. I am calling you to look past the brick wall and use them as building blocks.

Share your thoughts with me and leave a comment. I’d love to hear what you have to say about this idea.

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