Posts tagged Important Things
Ability to Irritate
Jan 13th
Talent is a natural gift that can be improved and further developed through hard work and constant practice. Everyone has talents of different types and levels. Hence, not all are greatly talented. There are people who only have talent on an average or a mediocre level. There is no problem regarding this fact because it is our reality – it is what it is. However, problems arise when people who have little talent think and act like they have a lot. One may think that this is only a superficial issue but the truth is; it hinders excellence. Instead of focusing on more important things, people nowadays have a tendency to glorify and reward mediocrity. Although one can conveniently blame the mediocre ones for this mess, it is not entirely their fault.
In reality, parents of untalented people have a lot to do with this problem. Parents naturally love their children but if we really love our kids, we should not glorify every move they make especially if we notice mediocrity in it. We should give them constructive criticisms so they’ll improve on their craft. I’m not saying that parents should discourage or be harsh on their children. Criticisms could be suggested and given in a nice way. There’s no wrong in praising the kids on their work and performance but after the applause and praise, a little constructive advice would benefit them not only at that particular moment but for a long time as well.
However, granting that your parents spoiled you with undeserved praises when you were young, you should know better especially if you’re at least 16 years of age. When someone reaches the age of 16, he/she is almost an adult. And this people should be now in touch with reality and able to handle the truth and criticisms. If having a mediocre talent and skill still enable you to earn a living out of it, that’s perfectly okay. But posting it on the net for everyone to see and hoping for admiration from millions of people is totally insane. And to aggravate the situation, there are actually people who will patronize this type of mediocrity and insanity.
We the advancements in technology, we now live in a world where everyone has a stage to showcase anything and hope for his/her 15 minutes to come sooner or later. There’s nothing wrong with having dreams and aspirations as long as we identify our true talents early and work as hard as possible to improve and develop these.
Believe me. A little reality check would not hurt.
Making Gratitude Work for You
Dec 1st
It only takes minutes of watching the local news to realize that I should be extremely grateful. It was only days ago in a local Canadian City that a young couple, out on a date, were hit by a car while waiting for a bus. Both people were killed, leaving behind three young girls. It’s these moments in life that make me pause and realize how grateful I should be – I grew up with both parents in my life and my children still have them to enjoy as part of their lives. It’s at those moments that my heart goes out to those children who will suddenly face the reality of losing something they were so grateful for, as they are faced with a sudden tragedy.
News like this occurs every day, all over the world. But, aside for feeling strong emotions of pain, empathy and sadness, we should also be reminded of why we should be grateful for the lives we are living. Life is short. It’s important to notice they things in your life that make you smile. It’s very easy to take things for granted like food, water, shelter, friends and family. Sadly, it seems we are only grateful for these things when we are struck by disasters.
It’s easy to be grateful when you get a raise, buy a new car or win on a scratch ticket, but we often forget that those aren’t the most important things in our lives. What about the people around us? I have a friend that says everyday she is grateful for her coworkers. Why? Because they have patience and she doesn’t, so they are able to calm her down and get her back on track when things get too hectic.
For me, I am always grateful of my family. I recognize that my wife and son survived a car accident they shouldn’t have. So each day, I wake up happy to see them again. I’m also grateful that I have a daughter who cares and makes pillows for people in need of comfort. And that when her teacher passed away from cancer, she was told of the impact she had made with her presents. I am also grateful that each day I can wake up, go to work and make a difference in someone’s life that needs it.
It’s not only these gifts that I cherish. I am grateful that I have the gift of laughter, and that each day I try my hardest to enjoy the things I have, always keeping a positive outlook on the situations I am faced with.
People are grateful for different things, for different reasons. Appreciation, gratitude and love are positive and uplifting expressions. So it stands to reason that the more you avail yourself to these things the more optimistic and confident you will be. Start small by being thankful for one thing each day – even if it’s the simplicity of coming home to an adventuring two year old that erases all of your stress at the end of a long work day.
It’s a simple practice we should all participate in – gratitude. On that note, I’ll leave you with a great quote from Oprah Winfrey: “Be thankful for what you have and you will end up having more. But if you concentrate on what you don’t have, you’ll never, ever have enough.”
