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This article describes how your life is what you make of it. If you are willing to work hard to reach your ambitions and goals, there is no reason why should not attain them. In my opinion far too many people try to take short cuts or are too willing to expect free hand outs from other people or have the credit card attitude of buy now, pay later. I hope you enjoy the read.

One of my best friends whose name is Chris turned seventeen around a month before I did. For his birthday his father bought him a very nice and sporty looking car. Chris was very pleased and showed his new present to all his mates including myself. He was unable to take us out for a spin as he had yet to learn to drive. I thought what a great gift it had been and returned home to tell my parents.

I now had it in my head, that I also wanted a car for my birthday. Chris only lived a few doors away from my house and my parents looked out of the window to view his new car. I stated to them that I would love a car for my seventeenth and my parents started to laugh and replied with, I bet you would.

Despite this negative comment, I really believed they were only joking and was convinced that they would not let me down. My birthday arrived and I opened all of their gifts. The main present they had bought me was a pair of trainers. I have to admit they were a quality pair of trainers, however I wondered where they had hidden the car. The car was not hidden, it had not been bought.

An ungrateful young man went to bed, not best pleased. I then started to take driving lessons and on the second attempt managed to pass the driving test. I came home to inform my parents of the good news. My dad congratulated me and seemed proud of my achievement. I stated that I was also very happy, however in reality, what was the point if I had no car to drive. My father did not reply to this comment.

A couple of months later my eighteenth birthday was now approaching. My father told me that because this was quite a big birthday, he was planning to spend a bit more money on my presents this year. He asked me if I had any idea of what I would like. For the second year in a row, I replied that I would love a car. Yet again he laughed and stated that he had said a bit more, not hundreds.

I really believed that because it was in his words, a big birthday, and because I was now legally able to drive, that he would buy me a car. Guess what, he didn’t. Yet again I was not impressed.

I waited a couple of months and then tried the head on approach. I spoke to my parents and told them that I needed a car, they agreed. My dad stated that if I wanted a car, I should go and buy one. I replied that I had no money, and he stated that I should start to save up then.

I started to save and had to sacrifice many things. Eventually I bought a car. It was not exactly sporty but it was my pride and joy. I washed the car every weekend and am sure that I loved it ten times more than Chris loved his car, because I had earned it.

Whenever I want to achieve something in life, I am aware that I have to work very hard and am very grateful to the lesson my parents taught me, even though at the time it seemed harsh and cruel.

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Written shortly after Princess Di’s death and published October 1997 in The Other Press.

Princess Di, England’s Rose, is really a rose to many people. The phenomena we saw in the media, on the streets, at British Consulates, all over the world, show just how precious she was. People need to remember this day, this lady, and the vulnerable love and compassion that she displayed in her life and that many of her admirers felt as they came together to mourn her death.

She had qualities that we admired and connected with. She lived her life openly, showed us her human frailties, and hugged lovingly those whose hearts were in need. The pictures televised around the world showed that many of us had taken this opportunity to allow ourselves the freedom to be human, to cry. One television reporter even commented on the openness among the many people who had taken to the streets; people opened up to each other, were more willing to speak up and take time to talk to strangers.

A tragic event should not, although it has, be a catalyst to give us permission to be human and let our true selves free. Is there a new possibility for us all? Can we take the legacy left by Princess Diana and continue to display our compassionate nature, become more forgiving, and live more peaceably? I think we can, if we open our eyes and see what was evident during the ten days or so following her death. As individuals we all have a personal responsibility to do good works and be kind, no matter how small. The lesson to be learned, as hard as it may seem, is to trust our hearts, break down our barriers, and realize the power of human compassion.

Many of us are witnesses to tragedy every day: the homeless, poverty, unemployment, genocide, and war. We feel sympathy towards those that suffer and yet we feel powerless. Some of us even forget to display within our own homes the love and compassion we believe in. That is understandable: We are human and we let our difficult lives get in the way of our true nature, suffocating our ability to display acts of kindness. When we do show acts of kindness to others we feel peaceful, rewarded and happy. This is what society needs on a whole.

We are a society, a world society, with many diverse and fractured sub-cultures, groups and societies, but we are still human first. To that end we can work together, as compassionate human beings, in non-violent ways, with love in our hearts, and bring changes to the world. If you wonder how, look again at the way Princess Diana led her life and touched millions of lives. She gave freely of herself to children, victims of war, and brought people together and crusaded for a better world.

The British media commented on renewed national unity being shown as never before in Britain for Princess Diana’s funeral. Even Ireland mourned her death and felt the loss; a country with a rich history of despising the British and the monarchy. My only wish and hope is that her influence helps us create a stronger global unity. This should be our endeavour, the unity of all humankind.

Each of us has tremendous influence in some aspect, whether it is within the family unit, the community, city, government, school, and so on. We all have minor roles and some of us have larger roles of influence. The power of the individual, unified with others of like minds and hearts has tremendous influence over the direction our futures will take. Not just our futures in our own countries, but those of others who are more in need in other parts of the world. This is how Princess Diana conducted her life, by exercising her influence.

You may ask “what can I do about it?” It really is simple. Take personal responsibility for the conduct of your own life and the relationships you have. Most of us already do take personal responsibility and set a good example within our families and social groups. That itself will do much, but you may also take on more if you look a little further. How can you improve your neighborhood? Who else is interested and supportive of change? Together we stand a better chance of making change, if we aren’t afraid to speak out and get involved.

How should we conduct our lives? Let us look to the Queen of Hearts’ life and examples for that answer. Let us look into our hearts for the desire: Forgiveness, love, compassion, understanding, concern, caring, and recognition of our own human weaknesses lest we leap to judge others’ errors too harshly. We can end suffering for many people and raise healthy and supportive children who will lead future generations with acts of kindness; simple acts of kindness. Do you think evil can remain evil forever if we always forgive and continue in kindness? Is it not possible that your examples will contribute to the positive growth of others? Of course it will. Evil only begets more evil, but goodness begets goodness. If we stand up for something we believe in with courage, don’t you think we will give courage to someone else to come forward and lend their support? Absolutely!

Lee Down is a professionally trained Spiritual Life Coach committed to the development of the human spirit. His vocation and business, One Man Can Human Capital Development has evolved from human resources, to career and life coaching until the inspired writing, also available on his site, paved a new path into the realms of Spirit. Discover power, passion, and purpose. Enjoy abundance, love and fulfillment.

As an ex-Catholic, I’ve had to practice giving up guilt around
the conscious pursuit of pleasure in my life. I tend to agree with
Napoleon Hill in Think & Grow Rich: “Ask life for great gifts and you
encourage life to deliver them to you.” I made up the following list for
both a speech I gave and a column I wrote. I’m not elaborating much
on any of my 11 principles here, because I hope you will put your
own imagination to active use in seeing how they apply personally.

My 11 guidelines include:

1) Grab your pleasure when and where it shows up. Don’t
have a set idea of how it must look. If you have your schedule set to
accomplish 17 things today, and you get a free ticket to a concert
you’d love to attend, drop those last 13 things if you must, and exult
in your good luck. Do know and honor your & others’ boundaries and
values in the process.

2) When you see something you want, ask for it. Do it as
easily as you’d place your order with the waiter. Assume if you want
it, you’re meant to have it. Ask Life to be your waiter from now on.
It’s easier to get a “no” than to wonder for the next three months
whether you might have gotten your desire if you had asked.

3) Go for what you can have when you can’t have it all.
The sunny part of the rainy day; the friendship if not the lover; the
soup when the entree is too expensive.

4) Get out of your serious adult and into your playful child
every chance you get. How would that look for you? Who would you
invite along? How can you make playfulness a regular fun habit? I
hired the Bubble Man to do a bubble show in my back yard for my
59th birthday party; the five kids and 30 adults oohed and ahhed over
his tricks and the tools he entertained us with. I mark in my annual
calendar in April to find out which day Ben & Jerry’s is giving away
their free ice cream cones. Once a friend in a green foam sombrero
and I in my rainbow colored wig gave away free tickets (”to nothing”)
at a local street festival. It was great fun for us and also for the
receivers of the unusable tickets. What sounds playful to you?

5) Take pride in what does work for you instead of putting
yourself down for your limitations. When I was in Siena, Italy, and
geographically challenged, I feared I’d never find my travel partner
Dee again when I went off looking for lodging. I retraced my route
the long way, but found her. How can you reframe a criticism of
yourself into an approval/ acceptance of you just as you are?

6) Plan for, and insist on, breaks or rests to make the
demanding times less stressful. That goes for at work, on a hike, and
meeting a deadline. What kind of breaks work for you? It could be a
cup of tea, a three block walk, a trip to the store, five minutes of
stretching, or even a nap.

7) Don’t limit yourself by another’s belief on what is
enough. Go back for Life’s seconds. Stop when you have had enough.
Only your own self-judgment keeps you from going for what you
want. In Conversations with God, God says “I don’t care what (work)
you do; all I care is that you fully express all of who you are.” Does
that mean being active in six major projects? Going out to concerts
and dinner and meetings four nights a week? You get to decide.

Don’t make snap judgments about people or places.
There is good and not so good in everything. Give it a chance to
shine. When a man I met through the personals sent an inappropriate
email card, I didn’t ditch him, because I knew he had a good heart.
Some people take time to open up.

9) Tune in to the little things. Look and listen for what
soothes your spirit and quiets your busynessstar or cloud gazing,
daydreaming, birds flying, lilacs, a water fountain, the variety in a
garden center, or classical music.

10) Do whatever it takes to figure out what fulfills you.
Then give yourself over to it. Examples that inspire or fulfill might
include the artist Gaudi in Spain; Journaling; Barbara Sher’s books;
Tony Robbins, B. Kipfer’s 14,000 Things.to be Happy About and The
Wish List.

11) When you experience bliss, wherever you are, embrace
it. Don’t put conditions on it. Let it come; let it go. When I was in
Europe a couple years ago, I had only three days to spend in the Swiss
Alps. I would have loved extra time. But I got total delight out of
those three days. Preferences are fine, but delight in the day.

Moreah Vestan
Communication Trainer, Life Coach, Columnist
http://communicationcoaching.net
Author: Pleasures and Ponderings: From Nun to Nudist to Now
http://www.pleasuresandponderings.com

206-938-8385

We Need Dreams

Dreams are important. Not the dreams you have when sleeping. I’m
talking about the dreams you have for your future — the dreams that keep you
going — the dreams that make each day worth living.

Dreams Aren’t Enough

As important as dreams are, they arent enough. Why? Dreams don’t take
you where you want to go. A dream needs wings — to become a tangible
vision — a passion that will take you where you REALLY want to be.

Bethany Hamilton lives in Hawaii — her passion is surfing — her dream
is to become a professional surfer. She spends every available minute
in the water, even home-schooling so she can have more time to pursue
her vision. At 8 years of age she entered her first major competition
taking the division championships that year. Bethany’s dream had become
her passion — a tangible vision.

When Your Vision Is Attacked

Bethany’s vision was viciously attacked on Halloween morning, 2003,
when she was 13 years old. Bethany was lying on her board — left arm
dangling in the cool water.

She remembers a flash of gray, pressure, and a couple fast tugs. She
also remembers watching the jaws of a 15-foot tiger shark cover the top
of her board and her left arm.

The shark was gone as fast as it appeared. So was her arm.

What It Takes To Keep Your Vision Alive

Fast thinking friends and surgery saved Bethany’s life. Everyone —
including Bethany — believed her surfing days were over. But within a
week her vision returned — she rejected the fear and thoughts of defeat.

Less than 30 days after the attack Bethany was back in the water. Her
family and friends were there to cheer her on.

Her first attempts were failures. She struggled to push herself up with
one arm and keep her balance. Her fear was that her dream would die in
the water that day — the shark victorious after all. Bethany pushed
down her fears, gritted her teeth, and kept trying. And then it happened.

Tears rolled down her face — the crowd cheered — she caught her first
wave and rode it in.

The Dream Takes Wing

Only months after the vicious attack, Bethany amazed thousands by
achieving the unimaginable — taking 5th at the 2004 National Scholastic
Surfing Association Nationals Championships. In September she struck
again, winning the Open Women’s Division of the NSSA’s Hawaiian conference
season opener. Having placed in the finals of the National Surfing
Championships Bethany has secured a spot on USA’s National Surfing Team. She
has truly conquered her fears!

Five Ways To Put Wings On Your Dreams Bethany’s story shows how to put
wings on your dreams:

1) Your dream must become your passion — a tangible vision.

2) Everything you do needs to fuel your vision.

3) When your dream is attacked, face the adversity squarely and choose
to overcome it with whatever it takes — face your fears and do it
anyway!

4) Make necessary adjustments — regain your balance — and keep your
eyes on your goal.

5) Accept help when it comes — with grace and gratitude — let it fuel
your vision.

From Dream to Vision to Reality

Bethany’s vision overcomes her fear of sharks and her continued
nightmares. Her story teaches how to create dreams with wings that push you
toward your life-goals. Follow her example and your dreams will become
reality, too.

Author Ginny Dye shares actual life stories of people refusing to relinquish their dreams. Receive inspiration and personal empowerment by subscribing today at www.DailySecretsForSuccess.com