Then suddenly, we’re left standing in a field – not knowing which way to go. Many of us have never really taken the
time to think about what YOU want. What is it that would make YOU happy? Many people just shrug and resort to somehow passing the time until they die.

How do you be yourself, for yourself? Most people have no idea. You’ve been so busy building your life around
what others think and need, and trying to keep them happy that you’ve been lost in life’s shuffle. Instead of focusing on the way of life you’re lost, focus on what doors that opens up for you. What can you do
that you always wanted to do.

What is happiness? When I say that I am feeling happy, it may mean that I just got something that I love. That makes me happy. Have you ever seen at the photographs of people who have won a big lottery? They look so happy. Meet them after few years, when they have already spent all their money, and you will find the same person very unhappy. A married couple looks happy while getting married. Meet them after few years in the Divorce court and you will know that happiness was not their nature, but only a reaction to circumstances.

Can we remain happy at all times? It is difficult, but one can surely try. Decide to smile and feel happy at all the times. Even if you learn that you have suffered a big loss, be happy. Sounds foolish? But this can be done. And no amount of unhappiness will ever get you the money back. But happiness under all conditions will give you the confidence and strength to fight against all the odds and come out as a winner.

Challenge assumptions, for example, until it becomes habit. Looking for ways to get customers into your store? Stop and say, “Do I really need more customers?” The question suggests other creative solutions, like finding ways to make more money off existing customers, or ways to cut expenses. These may lead to more profitable ideas. Challenge assumptions to increase the creativity of your solutions.

As you drive to work, randomly choose anything around you and ask how it may be connected to whatever problem you are working on. A helicopter overhead might make you think about a way to track where the car goes when you loan it to your kids. A palm tree may lead to a new design for patio umbrellas.

The above techniques are called “Assumption Challenging” and “Random Presentation,” and are two classic creative problem solving techniques. There are dozens more. Train your brain to habitually use these, and provide it with a little encouragement, and you really can increase your creativity.

Although the normal resolutions are good and healthy for you, they make you focus on negative aspects of your life, essentially, what you should not be doing…smoking, eating badly, being lazy etc. The problem I see with these resolutions is that it makes people think negatively and feel guilty, especially when February rolls around and they realize that they were not able to keep up with their resolutions. By thinking negatively, we set ourselves up for failure.

I want to suggest something different to you. Let us not dwell on new year resolutions that go down the drain by February, let’s focus on something a little different. Positive thinking brings results. Results make us happy and content. When we are content and focused on positive things we will find that many negative aspects of our lives fall away on their own. It is as if the body says, “I don’t need these negative things in my life anymore” and voila, they drop away without effort.

My suggestion to you is that this year we dwell on positive things. Instead of dwelling on what we want to rid ourselves of this year, let us dwell on what positive things we want to see in our lives. Let us focus on our dreams and make them a reality in our lives.

Many people don’t give much time thinking about making their dreams come true. They are caught up in the rat race of life and a worldly way of thinking. My suggestion is that we focus on a more spiritual way of thinking. Let us take the time to think about what we really want in life and then focus on setting goals that will bring us closer to our dreams.

Yes, even when following your dreams, one must set goals or we will never accomplish that which we dream of. Don’t get caught up in wishful thinking but put some action behind your thoughts. The secret to realizing your dreams is to break your objective into small steps. Ask yourself, “What do I need to do in order to accomplish this goal?” then break it down into bite size pieces.

This week we drove from Hamburg to Munich because we had to check out our new apartment and see about my new job out there. It is a very long drive and if you drive fast and push your limits (which most people want to do) you can make the journey in 8 hours. BUT, if you don’t want to stress yourself out, you have to make sure you take time for breaks and stretching so it ends up taking between 10-12 hours, depending on traffic etc. Then you end up at the end of the journey relaxed. Tired still, but relaxed

To talk about forgiveness is easy, and to forgive is difficult. Many a times it becomes impossible for some of us. For example if I am a mother. A criminal kidnaps my child and then slowly kills my child in my presence to derive sadistic pleasure, how will I feel? What about the cries of pain of my dying child? Will my mind forget them? What of the helplessness that I felt? What about the expectation with which my child looked at me and felt sure that mother would do something to save him/her? What of the helplessness I felt? What about the memories of bringing up my child? What about the dreams that I had? What about the pain and torture my child underwent while dying?

My nightmares will haunt me forever. Anything that belonged to my child will bring the memories of death back like a wave. My sadness will overwhelm me forever and my silent fury against my own weakness will kill me. Can I ever forgive that man? Can I ever forget that act after pardoning him? Will you?

This is the most difficult part of forgiveness. It becomes impossible to forgive. The scars go so deep that even after the man is sentenced for the crime, the mother will never feel complete. No amount of punishment given to that man will ever bring the child back. No clock will ever turn back. The pain that the child underwent cannot be taken away at all. I am doomed to live in misery forever unless I forgive. But I cannot forgive. I know that many people will come and ask me to forgive.