Why should you let life surprise you?

The struggle with life results from trying to control conditions beyond your capacity. We feel we are in control because it gives us command over our lives. Yet, unseen forces are at work in the background which include: conscious and unconscious thoughts and free will. Struggling is pointless because it doesn’t change outside circumstances, it makes matters worse. You get caught up in negative emotions instead of cooperating with life.

When we look deeply into our fears, we see that, at base, every fear is a fear of not having control

David Richo, Author of The Five Things We Cannot Change: And the Happiness We Find by Embracing Them

Plans are easy—and kind of fun—to make. It’s so tempting to try and control the trajectory of our lives by making as many of them as possible. Where we’ll go to college. When we’ll start looking for a forever love. When to have a kid or two or whichever precise number fits into the equation. Work. House. Travel. Hobbies. Retirement. Exacting detail after exacting detail.

It feels safer this way, creating a plan to ensure we live a happy, structured life. While hanging your expectations on a framework of hope is a comfortable way to keep moving forward, life doesn’t always agree to our terms. It prefers to keep us on our toes. Sure, things might not go exactly how we planned, but the end result can be a beautiful thing.

Life is full of challenges and surprises

Jil Sanders

It’s no secret, life is full of surprises when you least expect it. Some thrive in these conditions, yet others need to maintain control since they cannot cope with what life throws up.

Think back to a time when something unexpected left an indelible mark on your life. Perhaps it was a chance meeting with someone who later became a romantic interest or landing your dream job through a series of unforeseen circumstances.

Whatever the case, as the late John Lennon sang in Beautiful Boy: “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.”

Life will surprise you if are open to possibilities, without knowing how things will unfold. Whilst expectations are good to have, don’t be bound by them since something better could unfold in the background.

Struggle ensues when you expect life to develop in a particular way. Suffering results from your resistance to what “IS” happening. That doesn’t mean you are ambivalent or do not care. Rather you are less attached to outcomes, given your passive state of anticipation.

Here’s something illuminating. No one knows what they’re doing.

We’re all making it up as we go along. There’s no roadmap revealing the future. All we can do is make informed choices based on our level of awareness and hope it lays the foundations for what will unfold.

As long as you are making informed choices, you are guided by universal intelligence and your greater self.

So, you needn’t run from your life and day-to-day living. There are surprises in every moment that will transform your life if you dare to peak behind them.

Wanting life to be other than it is seems to be the most basic form of resistance

Ezra Bayda, Author of The Authentic Life: Zen Wisdom for Living Free from Complacency and Fear

So stop bemoaning your present conditions. The obstacles you fear is leading you to your greatest triumph if you drop your resistance to how life should be.

Untangle yourself from expectations, since this delays what is likely to evolve. Stop judging conditions as good or bad, and simply allow the pieces of the puzzle to emerge.

Be patient above all else.

It is only then you will realise life has been supporting you, though you’ve been pushing her away like a jealous lover.

Be open to what comes your way and use it to lay the foundations for each chapter of your life.

Soon enough, you will appreciate life is one big surprise and you’ve been covering your eyes the entire time, unable to appreciate what has been given to you.

Saying yes to reality — to the things we cannot change — is like choosing to turn around and sit in the saddle in the direction the horse is going

David Richo, Author of The Five Things We Cannot Change: And the Happiness We Find by Embracing Them

The Battle Between Mind and Heart

It is a tough situation when your heart says go for it and your mind says “No” it is wrong. You do accept the things happening in your life and you want to create a new life which is better than what you are living today. 

Sometimes your heart tells you to help someone find their way, but your mind tells you that someone needs to find their path on their own to grow.

Sometimes your heart tells you to love someone who is not on the same page as you, but your mind tells you your differences will end up pulling you both a part.

Sometimes your heart tells you to endure the cheating and abuse with the hope of change, but your mind says you know you deserve better.

Your heart and mind sometimes disagree; your fate will depend on whose advice you follow.

Head vs. Heart: Which is Smarter?

Our head

Is where the analysis, logic, thoughts.

It’s where we think through things, review those “pros and cons” lists.

It’s also where fear, It comes up with all the reasons to stay in our safe comfort zone.

When those fears present themselves, it’s time for your True Self to face them and determine how real they are.  Until we do that, our fears will control us and greatly limit us.

Our heart

Is where our intuition lies.  It’s the source of that little voice that guides us, if we let it.  Our heart is where our True Self resides, our Higher Self – the one that truly knows what is best for us.

Without practice, it’s harder to hear our heart; the chattering mind speaks so loudly, sending us in different directions without an overall purpose and makes it hard to hear the heart.

When we’re busy being busy, the mind rules.

When we can get quiet, we can finally hear the music in our heart.

The Process of Choice

We make hundreds of choices every day, whether we realize it or not.

Many of these choices are made subconsciously – we don’t even realize we’re doing it.

Then there are bigger choices like whether to get married or divorced, leave or stay at our jobs, have kids, make a big move and pursue our passions.

And other are the ones where we take time to consider all of our options,

Those are the choices where we let our mind take over many times.

Pausing for Values

Do you know what your highest values are?  Most people don’t ever stop to consider this.

What are the three to five most important things to you in life?

Sometimes going with the flow is the easier choice but, if it doesn’t support these values, I need to make a harder choice.

What is the choice you’re about to make?  Have you uncovered all the available options?

Consider your highest values.

Consider how each option supports your highest values.

Don’t be wishy-washy about it.  If you’ve taken the above steps seriously, the choice should make itself evident.  Choose that and move forward.

No second guessing.   No regrets.  Start taking action on your choice.

If, after you start taking action on the choice you made, you do not like the results, simply make a different choice.

Slow down enough each day to hear your inner voice.  Listen to it.  Follow it.  It may lead you to unexpected places but those places will always be the best for you.

The heart and mind always quarrel with each other like your everyday couple. Without their quarrels, life becomes nothing but a vast empty space.

Kick Out The Auto Pilot

As one ages it becomes easier to just allow life to lead you rather than you leading your life. It’s as if ‘auto pilot’ has kicked in. We just wake up and respond to life. We do what we do and ultimately allow the status quo to become our life style.

Or….we can determine as we get older, never to allow age to deter us from setting new goals or dreams which we may have or want.

It is time to – Kick Out The Auto Pilot!

Life is not quantifiable in terms of age, but I suppose in my fifties I am more grounded and more at ease in my own skin than when I was younger. I have a confidence that I didn’t have before from the experiences I’ve had.

Annie Lennox

Ask a small child and he’ll tell you that an old man is his uncle, teacher or neighbor. These people might well be in their 20s or 30s, yet in a child’s mind, they are old. That’s because to a young kid, everyone seems much bigger, plus they don’t really grasp the concept behind this until they grow up.

Ask someone in his 20s or 30s, and they’ll say that having 50 or 60 years means “being old”. That’s most likely because they are afraid of this age.

But then again, ask someone over their 60s, and they’ll tell you that they just started living life and that age does not count. That’s because they went through all the phases, they experienced life, and are in a place where they know what matters.

They know that time is precious and that you should live every day to the fullest, no matter if you are 7 or 70 years old.

Society defines the guidelines on who is considered young when you become “old” when you should start a career, start a family, buy your first house…

Only those who have the experience and truly lived life, know that age is nothing more than a number.

Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.

Mark Twain

You go to school up until a certain age, but you never stop learning.

You get your first job early in life, but you never stop upgrading.

You achieve success at some point, but you never stop growing.

That’s the case with everything in life. It just keeps going, and it never stands still. And neither do you.

It’s silly to let your age define you. After all, there is no “age” that defines when you stop caring about others, when you stop helping others, or when you stop feeling love and appreciation for the people in your life.

So why should there be an “age” that stops you from feeling good about yourself? Or an age that says that you can no longer have fun in your life, and experience new things.

The decision is up to you.

Here are some examples that are proof that dreams can be realised at any age!

Find Your Heart and Soul in Food and Self Love

Julia Child was over 50 years old when she wrote her first cookbook. In the 1950s she began to teach the art of French cuisine to housewives, which branched into a passionate career spanning television programmes, winning awards, and writing cookbooks about her chosen speciality and great love: food.

Hear The World Speak To You in Color

World famous fashion designer Vera Wang was over 40 years old when she began a career in fashion and design. Previously she had been a figure skater and journalist, which just goes to show that you can try many things before really landing on the thing that you shine at.

Write The Book That Has Forever Lived In You

If you have ever felt like you wanted to do something – now is the time. On The Origin of Species was published when Charles Darwin was 50 years old and the book went on to change the natural course of science forever more. Imagine if he had never bothered to pick up the pen? It’s important to make the move toward your passion and worry about how it will be received later – or not at all. Do it simply because you must.

Let The Passion Guide You

Anna Mary Robertson Moses, otherwise known as ‘Grandma Moses’, was a twentieth-century artist who began her painting career at the age of 78. Until Moses turned to painting she had worked as a seamstress for her whole life. A piece of her work sold posthumously in 2006 for $1.2 million, and her work has been displayed in galleries around the world. Moses was also mother to ten children and her work was lovingly distributed on the well-known Hallmark cards.

Be A Winner As The Underdog – Literally

Carol Gardner was freshly divorced, feeling depressed, with little prospects and a lot of debt at the age of 52. Her lawyer told her to ‘get a therapist, or get a dog’. She chose the dog – an English bulldog she called Zelda. She entered Zelda into a Christmas card competition – and won. After sending the image of her and her pooch to family on Christmas cards, Gardner decided to start her own unique company designing greeting cards, clothing, jewellery, books and gifts. Her original spin is the hilarious wit she adds. She encourages one to laugh with life – and Hallmark seemed to like it! Her company, Zelda Wisdom, is now valued at approximately $50 million.

There is no such thing as ‘too late’ to reach a goal or to achieve a dream. If you believe in yourself and you work hard, if you define your own personal idea of success, there is no reason you shouldn’t have the things you want for your life.

The Secret of Happiness is Less Expectations

How many times in your life have you experienced hurt, disappointment, anger, or stress, from the difference between your imagination and reality? We’re very creative creatures. And when we set out to do things, we always expect that everything will turn out exactly the way we want. Does this sound familiar?

  • “I’m going to finish my degree. And then all the companies will line up for me. I’ll pick the one with the best compensation. And I’ll be rich.”
  • “I really like her. We’ll date for a few months. Move in together. Get married. She’ll want four kids. We settle for two. Get a holiday home at the beach. Boom. Happy life.”
  • “My business idea is awesome. I’ll raise some cash. Hire a few people to build the product. We’ll roll it out. The media will write about it. I’ll get on TV. And then I’ll sell the company.”
  • “I’ll make a few videos. Put them on YouTube or Insta. People will share them. One of my videos will go viral. And I’m in. Show me the money.”

Chances of those scenarios coming true? I don’t know exactly. But I guess it’s somewhere close to ZERO. On top of that, unexpected events can put an end to all our plans. Right now, we’re dealing with the war after dealing with the coronavirus, and after that, we probably have to deal with a recession.

It’s not the end of the world. We’ve been through challenging times before. And I’m not trying to bash your dreams here. It’s not practical to have high expectations because they hardly come true. So why have them in the first place?

They do more harm than good.

  • When you have high expectations and the outcome is worse: You’ll be frustrated.
  • When you have low expectations and the outcome is better: You’ll be grateful.

Barry Schwartz, a psychologist, and author of The Paradox of Choice, put it best: “The secret to happiness is low expectations.”

Now, this is not new information. Most of us know that high expectations are not helpful. Why do we still have them?

We still desire more, more, more. And when you want more, you expect more.

You see? You can’t fix your expectations without fixing your desires.

When you desire more, you also have more options.

“What should I do? Work more? Earn more money? Help more people? Spend more time with my family?”

In general, having more options is a bad thing. More means confusion. And confusion often results in anxiety and regret. Do you know this feeling: “What if I made the wrong decision?”

And more importantly: Don’t expect so much from others. You don’t control them anyway. Plus, no one’s perfect. People will disappoint you sometimes. And vice versa. Accept that it’s not the end of the world.

When you live your life free of expectations, you see things for what they are.

And let’s be real for a second: Being alive is the best thing in the world—no matter what the external situations are. We don’t need anything to be happy.

Tough Times Don’t Last

We all go through difficulties in life. Failure, losing your job, bankruptcy, the death of a loved one and countless other scenarios. Going through these situations is never easy. Sometimes, we just want to give up and throw our hands up in silent resignation. It’s easy to see why. These are all painful situations that hit right at our very core as human beings.

But often, when you look back, you realize that those tough times didn’t last. And they also didn’t break you. In fact, they did more for you than success or good times ever could do. There’s a reason why they say that tough times don’t last, but tough people do. It’s because, when you don’t give up and you don’t relent, you come away a stronger and more resilient person.

Here’s the truth. Life and the series of events that make up our lives, are highly subjective. Meaning, it’s easy to look at things in comparison to whatever we experienced in the past. But it’s also important to understand that for this very reason you should know that everything is subjective. We’re the ones who associate meaning to them. No one else.

What To Do When You’re Going Through Tough Times

When you’re going through tough times, it truly is heart-wrenching. You feel isolated. Alone. In the dark. And there’s often no one to turn to. Maybe you’re struggling to raise kids as a single parent or you’re in financial desperation. Whatever that struggle might be, it’s tough to go through those situations in life. Who do you talk to? Where do you turn? Often, it feels like we’re teetering on the brink of disaster.

But understand this. God will get you through it. Whether you believe in God, Allah, Buddha or the spiritual oneness that binds us all, there is a force out there and it is undeniable. That doesn’t mean you can just sit idle and hope for things to get better. Prayer mixed with massive action will bring God’s love and beauty into your life. No matter what you think or say or believe, your problems might seem big, but your God is much bigger.

At the end of the day, it truly does boil down to belief. No. Not just your belief in a higher power. Also your belief in yourself. The conversations that are running through your mind in any given moment have a huge impact on the state and quality of your life. It will send you in one direction or another.

How To Make Sure You Outlast The Tough Times In Life

I remember sitting there on Marine Drive, looking out over a breathtaking sunset. The shimmering Arabian Sea that stretched far out towards the west. And a sprawling city that lay behind me with millions of people going about their lives. None of whom knew exactly what had just happened.

I had just decided to leave the Jesuits and my life along with it. The one dream that I grew up with now over, shattered and broken. Not only was it a tough time. I felt it was surely the end of the road. I had nothing. In a state of true desperation. You would have never known it looking at me. I kept a straight face, trying to pretend to have it all together. But I was a mess. A wreck. I was in a state of true emotional and physical duress.

Sitting there, I cringed. There was this crushing weight pushing down on me from above. I ignored my problems for so long that it finally bubbled up to the brim. The serenity of that moment and that view with the sun just kissing the horizon but my life in shambles was so ironic. At that point I knew things had to change. I didn’t know how. I couldn’t even think back then. But I had to do something and do something fast.

1. Breathe & Let Go

One thing I had a hard time with was letting go of things. Not just letting go of anger and animosity. But also giving up control of what was to come. You can’t always be in the driver’s seat. Sometimes you have to have faith and trust in what’s to come. That doesn’t mean you should sit idly by and watch your life fall apart. It just means that so much of our sanity is wrapped up in having a tight grip on the outcome of our lives that it’s unhealthy.

Learn to breathe. Download a breathing app on your phone. When you’re completely stressed out and anxious, just breath. Breathe in through your nose, hold it, then let it out. And as you let that breath out of your lungs, picture all of your problems going out with it. You might think that sounds silly, but I promise you that your reality is directly tied to your thoughts and your interpretation of reality.

Sounds crazy. I know. But it’s not. I assure you this is real. Sometimes, letting go is actually the best thing that you can do. And you can do this by practicing your breathing exercises. It works. Really and truly, it does work. Try it. Breathe in for 4 seconds. Hold that breath for 7 seconds. Then exhale for 8 seconds. As you breathe out, envision your problems floating away inside hot air balloons. Do this repeatedly for 5 minutes and watch as the tension melts away.

2. Do Not Sit Idle. Take Consistent Action Now.

It’s easy to sit idle as things collapse all around you. Like a sheet of glass shattering all around you into a million little pieces, you’re petrified to step in any direction. The shards of glass threaten to cut you. But I promise you that if you sit idly, it will do you absolutely no good. Get up. Right now. And take action. Massive action. Make a plan and go do that thing you need to do. Sometimes, tough times are the best thing that can happen to us.

When you go through tough times, it truly shows you your real character. It reveals what you’re made of. Because, you really do have two choices. You can set some real goals and make a plan, then take massive action. Or you can just sit around and watch things continue to crumble. When you have no choice, you kick into survival mode. But remember this. Human beings weren’t just made to survive. We were made to thrive.

In fact, we’ve been thriving for tens of thousands of years. Human civilization and technology is flourishing. In fact, we’re reaching an inflection point in time where things are changing so rapidly that it’s overwhelming. Remember to take your problems with a grain of salt. Then go out there and do what it takes to overcome any issues you might be having in your life or your business.

3. The Magic Is In The Follow-up – Never Take No For An Answer

Too many people just give up because someone told them no. Or maybe multiple people told them no. Maybe they failed a handful of times. Maybe more. But here’s the thing. When you’re going through those tough times in life, that’s when you need to double down and put in an exponential amount of effort. You can’t just lay down your arms and accept what you think fate has in store for you. No way.

The magic is in the follow-up. What do I mean? Whether we’re talking about failure or sales or anything else, the follow-up is the key. Think about this for a moment. The most famous and successful people failed the most times. Yes. Seriously. I’m not talking about just a handful of failures. I’m talking about hundreds, even thousands of failures and difficulties to get things right.

When you think about things that way, you’ll push through. You’ll persist and persevere. You won’t give up and throw in that towel. You’ll keep going and going and going. In the iconic book, Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill recants a powerful tale. It’s the story of a man who headed west during the Gold Rush. When he arrived, he purchased a mine. At first, the mine produced gold and the man was ecstatic.

However, soon after that, the gold dried up. The vein of gold ore had disappeared. They mined and mined for months on end. And nothing. Zero. Zilch. Nada. So he gave up. Threw in the towel. And sold the mine to a junk trader. That junk trader hired an engineer who surveyed the land and discovered something very fascinating.

Three feet from gold…

The engineer, who was very familiar with the topography of the land and gold ore veins, predicted that Darbys were just three feet from gold where they had stopped drilling. And that’s exactly where they were. Three feet from gold! What’s my point? When they say that tough times don’t last, but tough people do, it means that those who are tenacious win. Those who don’t expect success, give up at the first sign of disappointment.

The magic is in the followup. This is true back then as much as it is now. Everything happens in the follow-up sequence. It doesn’t happen off the bat. Don’t expect to build your app in one go or do whatever right away. Be tenacious. Follow up. Keep hammering away and eventually you will sort things out. If you have to wade through some mud and dirt along the way, do it. And do it happily.

It’s the worst times in life that create our character. Those are the defining moments. Like nature’s chisel, it chips away at us until we reach a state of perfection. You might feel down and out today, but just know and understand that this is priming you for something bigger and greater. But only if you don’t relent. Only if you don’t give up.

Tough times don’t last, but tough people do.”

Robert H. Schuller

Microhabits to Change your Life

Is it really possible to change one’s life in such a short timeframe?

Well, yes. Just don’t expect a complete overhaul of your life in 30 days or you’ll be terribly disappointed! You can, however, change your life to a certain degree in 30 days. Remember, 1% positive change in a month is still change. Realistic professional athletes aim for less than 1% change in a month and they’re satisfied with it.

So the first step is to define what change(s) are you looking to have in your life. Ask yourself the following questions:

  • What do you want to change in your life?
  • Why do you want to change it?
  • What do you need to do to change it?
  • How can you track your progress?
  • Who can help you change it?
  • What are you willing to risk to change it?
  • When can you start to change it?
  • Why not now?

That will bring you clarity on what it means for you to change your life.

Breakthroughs don’t change your life. Microhabits do.

Benjamin Hardy compares this concept to compounding interest, and how, given the choice, most people would take $1,000,000 in their bank account right now as opposed to a penny that doubles in value over the course of the month.

What most people don’t realize is that those who take the big payout end up with significantly less money than those who opt for the cent per day. He explains: “The doubling penny actually ends up being $10.7 million dollars. Yet, the majority of the growth happens at the very end, and most people aren’t patient enough for the big return. The “live for the moment” culture of today stops people from investing.”

The point is that if you want to have a completely different life in a year or two, you need to start now, and you need to start small. 

The micro-habits below cover most aspects of health, wealth, love and happiness.

When reading the list below, always keep in mind what you want to change. Note the micro-habits you think can help you and do them every day for the next 30 days and beyond. Of course there are some that can’t be done every day or you may miss a day or two. That is completely okay! Get back on track and continue.

Reading uplifting content before going to bed
Don’t let yourself go to bed in a bad mood, or by filling your brain with “crap”. I understand that you need to decompress before going to bed. I completely get that. But what you do before bed affects how you wake up, and the state of mind you’re going to be in for the first part of the day.

Listen to uplifting music, podcasts, and people
My most productive days seem to be when I’m dancing to music on my chair. Great music puts me in flow state. I feel like I can do anything!

Be more responsive
If someone sends a text, answer it when you see it. As often as you are able, respond to important emails as they come in. This will ensure that you aren’t left with a backlog of work that needs to be tended to.

Be less reactive
When you see or hear something that immediately enrages you or upsets you (even if it’s just a negative thought that crops up in your head) before reacting to it and pouring your energy into it, question it. Figure out where it came from, and ask yourself whom your reaction to it would serve. Learning to take that micro-pause between a stimulus and your response will change the way you look at everything.

Keep inspiring quotes near you
Quotes are powerful. One thing I had realized early on when I started writing was that things people highlighted most in my stories were the quotes I put in them. And I get it. People far smarter than me have said far smarter things I have.

Reading at least one good quote a day puts you in the right mood. Keep it on your fridge/desk. Let it be in your face as frequently as possible.

Scroll less
Whereas sifting through TV channels was once the mindless past time of years past, now it’s scrolling through news feeds. Train yourself to limit your “scroll” time each day. You don’t have to delete apps entirely, but you should be mindful that you’re not spending multiple hours a day effectively doing nothing.

Practice saying “no“
Your energy is limited each day. Make sure it is only going toward that you truly care about. You should not feel bad about saying “no” to some things. It is ultimately a means of self-preservation.

Work out, even if just a little
The best months of my life was when I was doing physical activity. I was feeling great in my body. When I’m exercising and seeing even small gains in my weight-loss journey, I feel incredible. Whatever your goals are health-wise, be active, measure every little gain, and keep going.

Keep or make good habits, drop the bad ones
This is the starting point, and most likely the most important one. Habits are strong. We’re creatures of habits. Good or bad. Keep the good ones. Drop the negative or ineffective ones. Make new, better ones.

The hard part is consistency, consistency is key! If you can’t be consistent, add accountability.

Eat one less unhealthy snack.
Don’t worry about trying to completely overhaul your diet and perfect every single thing that crosses your lips. Focus only on foregoing one single unhealthy choice that you’d make on any given day. Just one.

Have monthly goals and track them
How many of us have truly stuck to our New Year resolutions? They’re near-impossible to achieve.

Monthly goals, on the other hand, are excellent. Committing to goals for a month is doable, and leads to building great habits. It’s great to experiment and see what works for you, and what doesn’t.

Make a clear task list
I’ve been disorganized and lost many times. I had a really hard time tracking my progress on the various projects. Not anymore. It doesn’t matter the tool you use as long as your list is clear.

Aim freaking high
Always make your lists bigger than you can chew. We, as humans, like comfort. If we allow ourselves to be comfortable, we end up doing close to nothing. Make your lists big. But make sure the tasks are small and achievable. I have about 15–20 things to do every day. Most are 10 minute-tasks.

If I aim to accomplish 10 tasks. I will. And I will be “satisfied”. Now if I aim to accomplish 20 tasks and complete 15–18 of them, I’ll be pumped. I won’t see time go by and the dopamine rush I’ll get rush for accomplishing so much will strongly contribute to building that momentum up.

Prepare your next day the night before
What I’m proposing you here is to simply make a list of things you want to accomplish for the next day a few hours before bed, and then review it shortly before “calling it a night”. Don’t make it too complex. Just a simple list. It shouldn’t take more than 5 minutes. I usually come up with a list of anywhere between 10–20 things to do.

Here’s what happens when you prepare your next day the night before:

While you sleep, your subconscious is “working on” things you “fed it” before going to bed. When you feed it with things you want to accomplish for the next day, it will “prepare” you for them.

Write for yourself
Writing has been a powerful medium for me to express myself. I never knew I had so much to say. I did it for myself, really.

Yet putting all my thoughts in writing has been a phenomenal way to free my mind and think clearly, ultimately leading to some momentum.

Delegate to people you trust
This is WAY underrated! I thought people who delegated were lazy. There are so many things I am doing that could easily be done by someone either more qualified or with more time doing simpler things.

Don’t stop when it hurts

How do you build muscles? You continue when it starts hurting!

And you know what? That’s how you grow in anything in life. No pain no gain.

If you stop when it’s hard, you just wasted valuable energy. Recognize when you’re in a dip, and then get out of it!

Surround yourself with motivated people
Here’s one of my favourite quote of all times:

You are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with

Jim Rohn

This is so true.

I seek mentors. I seek positive people. I seek people who get stuff done.

Constantly learn new things
That’s probably contributed the most to the changes in my life.

The future belongs to those who learn more skills and combine them in creative ways

Robert Greene

Everything I’m doing today — my “successes”, my “failures” — it’s all because I had decided I wanted to consciously and continuously learn new skills.

Take a well-deserved vacation
It’s hard to brake when your pedal is all the way back. But you know what, sometimes that’s exactly when you need to brake.

You can’t function at peak state when you’re constantly under pressure.

Do good, be grateful
Doing good is so rewarding and gives you such a high. And when someone does good to you, be grateful. Gratefulness is almost as powerful as doing good yourself.

Celebrate The Small Wins
Every time a small event happens where it could be considered a “win”, acknowledge it. Take note of it. Have a “success” journal.

Begin each day asking yourself: “How can I change my life today?”
Get out of the mindset that you have to “get through” the day and get into the mindset that the coming hours are filled with open-ended potential for you to take action that will change your life forever. The only difference is your willingness to see things differently, and your effort in trying to make them better.

Changing your life for the better can seem daunting, but it’s important to remember that you can make a difference by taking small, manageable steps.

By implementing some of these micro habits into your daily routine, you’ll be on your way to a happier and healthier life. So get started today and see how much of a difference these small steps can make.

You’re already one step closer to changing your life.

How Easter’s Date is Determined

Without a doubt one of the most important celebrations in the Christian calendar, Easter is a holiday that celebrates the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. After his crucifixion, death, and burial, three days later, He rose from the grave. By this, He conquered death and redeemed us from sin.

Easter is a “lunar feast” or a “movable feast” that is always held on a Sunday between March 22 and April 25.

Easter this year happens just one day after April’s full Moon (Saturday, April 16), which is the first full Moon to occur after the spring equinox (March 20, 2022) and is therefore known in the Christian calendar as the “Paschal Full Moon.” To make a long story short, Easter always occurs on the first Sunday after the Paschal Full Moon.

Let’s break it down: In 2022, the spring equinox happens on Sunday, March 20. The first full Moon to occur after that date rises on Saturday, April 16. Therefore, Easter will be observed on the subsequent Sunday, which is Sunday, April 17. 

Many Eastern Orthodox churches follow the Julian calendar rather than the Gregorian. In this case, the observance of Easter can occur between April 4 and May 8.

The name “Easter” was derived from “Eostre,” “originally a Saxon word (Eostre), denoting a goddess of the Saxons, in honor of whom sacrifices were offered about the time of the Passover.”

Another probability is the Norse eostur, eastur, or ostara, which meant “the season of the growing sun” or “the season of new birth.” The word east comes from the same roots. In this case, easter would be linked to the changing of the season.

Holy Saturday

Holy Saturday is the day in the Christian liturgical calendar that celebrates the 40-hour-long vigil that the followers of Jesus Christ held after his death and burial on Good Friday and before his resurrection on Easter Sunday. Holy Saturday is the last day of Lent and of Holy Week, and the third day of the Easter Triduum.

In the second century, people kept an absolute fast for the entire 40-hour period between nightfall on Good Friday recollecting the time Christ was removed from the cross and buried in the tomb and dawn on Easter Sunday when Christ was resurrected.

In the early church, Christians gathered on the afternoon of Holy Saturday to pray and to confer the Sacrament of Baptism on catechumens—converts to Christianity who had spent Lent preparing to be received into the Church. As the Catholic Encyclopedia notes, in the early Church, “Holy Saturday and the vigil of Pentecost were the only days on which baptism was administered.” This vigil lasted through the night until dawn on Easter Sunday, when the Alleluia was sung for the first time since the beginning of Lent, and the faithful—including the newly baptized—broke their 40-hour fast by receiving Communion.

With the reform of the liturgies for Holy Week in 1956, those ceremonies were returned to the Easter Vigil itself, that is, to the Mass celebrated after sundown on Holy Saturday, and thus the original character of Holy Saturday was restored.

Until the revision of the rules for fasting and abstinence in 1969, strict fasting and abstinence continued to be practiced on the morning of Holy Saturday, thus reminding the faithful of the sorrowful nature of the day and preparing them for the joy of Easter feast. While fasting and abstinence are no longer required on Holy Saturday morning, practicing these Lenten disciplines is still a good way to observe this sacred day.

As on Good Friday, the modern church offers no Mass for Holy Saturday. The Easter Vigil Mass, which takes place after sundown on Holy Saturday, properly belongs to Easter Sunday. The modern Easter Vigil Mass often begins outside of the church near a charcoal brazier, representing the first vigil. The priest then leads the faithful into the church where the paschal candle is lit and the mass is held. 

What’s So Good about Good Friday?

What is Good Friday and why do we call Good Friday “good” when it is such a dark and bleak event commemorating a day of suffering and death for Jesus?

Good Friday, the Friday before Easter, is the Christian holy day to commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus and His death at Calvary. It is also known as Holy Friday, Great Friday, Great and Holy Friday, and Black Friday.

For Christians, Good Friday is a crucial day of the year because it celebrates what we believe to be the most momentous weekend in the history of the world. Ever since Jesus died and was raised, Christians have proclaimed the cross and resurrection of Jesus to be the decisive turning point for all creation. 

What is the Meaning of Calling it “Good” Friday?

Still, why call the day of Jesus’ death “Good Friday” instead of “Bad Friday” or something similar? Some Christian traditions do take this approach: in German, for example, the day is called Karfreitag, or “Sorrowful Friday.” In English, in fact, the origin of the term “Good” is debated: some believe it developed from an older name, “God’s Friday.” Regardless of the origin, the name Good Friday is entirely appropriate because the suffering and death of Jesus, as terrible as it was, marked the dramatic culmination of God’s plan to save his people from their sins.

In order for the good news of the gospel to have meaning for us, we first have to understand the bad news of our condition as sinful people under condemnation. The good news of deliverance only makes sense once we see how we are enslaved.

In the same way, Good Friday is “good” because as terrible as that day was, it had to happen for us to receive the joy of Easter. The wrath of God against sin had to be poured out on Jesus, the perfect sacrificial substitute, in order for forgiveness and salvation to be poured out to the nations. Without that awful day of suffering, sorrow, and shed blood at the cross, God could not be both “just and the justifier” of those who trust in Jesus (Romans 3:26). Paradoxically, the day that seemed to be the greatest triumph of evil was actually the death blow in God’s gloriously good plan to redeem the world from bondage.

Good Friday marks the day when wrath and mercy met at the cross. That’s why Good Friday is so dark and so Good.

Here are my two favorite hymns for Good Friday

Five things to know about Maundy Thursday

Christians today observe Maundy Thursday, which commemorates the Last Supper and Jesus washing the feet of his disciples. It is possibly one of the most important, complex, and profound days of celebration in the Catholic Church. Maundy Thursday celebrates the institution of the Eucharist as the true body and blood of Jesus Christ and the institution of the sacrament of the priesthood.

Here are five important things to know about Maundy Thursday:

What does Maundy mean?
The Thursday before Easter is known as either Maundy Thursday, or Holy Thursday. Maundy is derived from the Latin word for “command,” and refers to Jesus’ commandment to the disciples to “Love one another as I have loved you.”

What does it commemorate?
Maundy Thursday commemorates the Last Supper, which Christians consider the institution of Holy Eucharist, also known as the Lord’s supper or communion. It is described in the Gospel of Luke, chapter 22. At the Last Supper with his disciples, Jesus breaks bread, saying, “This is my body,” and pours wine, saying, “This is my blood.” He then asks the disciples to “Do this in remembrance of me.”

What holiday was Jesus observing?
The Last Supper is derived from Jesus’ Jewish heritage and his observance of a Jewish holiday. The Last Supper was a Passover Seder, the feast of unleavened bread. Jesus and the disciples are eating unleavened bread. Passover is the Jewish festival commemorating the exodus of the Jews from Egypt, when they left so quickly there was no time for the bread to rise.

Why foot-washing?
Maundy Thursday is also associated with foot-washing. Jesus washed the feet of the disciples, an act described in the Gospel of John, chapter 13, as Jesus teaching them to be servants. It’s the ultimate act of “servant leadership.” Jesus instructs his followers to love and to serve. Most Catholic churches will have a Mass tonight, with a Eucharistic celebration that includes the washing of feet..

Maundy Thursday has a dark side
Jesus foretells his death, saying he will eat no more until the kingdom of God is fulfilled. It also marks an act of betrayal. “One of you will betray me,” Jesus says. Judas Iscariot, one of Jesus’ 12 disciples, is pointed out by Jesus as the one who will betray him.