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We are formed and molded by our thoughts. Those whose minds are shaped by selfless thoughts give joy when they speak or act. Joy follows them like a shadow that never leaves them.
- Buddha (563 BC-483 BC) Founder of Buddhism.



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As I write this article, thoughts are surfing my mind as ocean weaves surf sandy beaches. Life has evolved as an incredible journey of moments turning into days and years of memoir.

I arrived in this great nation, the United States of America, seventeen years ago. It was a day I still remember filled with a booze of emotions. It was the first time I have had courage to leave my home where I grew up.

When I reflect upon these years that have gone, I realize that I’ve performed on the life stage, akin to an actor, dealing with ken of emotions - anger, exasperation, happiness, sorrow, despair to name a few. I’ve become matured, more humble and certainly grateful for the journey that has taught me lessons that are worth sharing with you.

Thought # 1: I’m a reflection of my own perception:

My life is nothing more or less than the thoughts I choose to have. I’d heard that I wouldn’t be able to make it as I was feeble, I lacked aggressiveness to succeed, and I had never proven my worth before. In reality, these negative comments built my desire to succeed no matter what surprise dared to show its ugly head. My inner voice got stronger as I heard the outer outcry of my feebleness to start and succeed in life on my own.

When weather gets rough, when wind blows hard, when the storm is inevitable, we seek shelter in our own cozy home. Inside, we do not know the harshness that exists outside. We control the warmth of the room, and we certainly control the perception of the reality in our own mind regardless of how it exists outside. I’m happy that I did not allow the storm to damage my courage, I did not allow wind to blow my dreams. I can change my life by changing my own perception.

Thought # 2: Life is simple:

When I flew years ago from the east to the west, I was excited to begin a new life and achieve abundance of material wealth. I was determined to silence those comments of my lack of aggressiveness to succeed. I’m happy that I’ve silenced those voices of opposition. However, I had to deal with another voice of opposition. It was my own voice from within. As I cumulated material abundance, I succeeded in transmuting my desire to elevate my esteem for those who wondered if I can ever achieve anything meaningful in life. Life is more about inner growth than the growth of material possessions. I now realize that growing my spiritual being is as vital as growing wealth. I do not need wealth to be possessed by the possessions that create fake happiness, I need wealth to grow my spiritual being and to make difference in this world. I do not need but basic necessities to live life of abundance with simplicity to feel eternal happiness. I need wealth to have freedom to act on causes of humanity and to make this world a better place to live.

We are what we think. All that we are arises With our thoughts. With our thoughts, We make our world.
- Buddha (563 BC-483 BC) Founder of Buddhism.

Thought # 3: I’m one of a kind:

For most of my life, I’ve had fallen into a hapless trap of an identity crisis. I always wanted to be someone else. An effort to find myself in someone else’s identity took me to the lowest altitude of self worth. I’m born to be who I am, a unique individual with a unique life. By investing my faith in who I am, my thoughts started hovering on a higher altitude. I started seeing life from a higher elevation. I realized that I’m not born to be competitive, I’m born to be creative. Life offers abundance to those who clear weeds of competition and harvest seeds of creativity. Self esteem and self love are intertwined. By loving myself, I’m becoming compassionate towards others who seek my time and support. Only I can be myself as no one ever has and no one ever will be qualified for the job.

Thought # 4: I can’t control the wind, but I can adjust the sails:

I’ve had my share of failures. In the past when I failed, I banished courage to learn and improve. I had allowed fear of failure to hijack my ideas to the point that I became victim of my own self-pity. One day I met with a guy born with physical disability to have courage and dream to become a wrestler. He spoke at length about his dream. That one conversation changed my life. I started focusing more on the positive experience from everything that I do than on the negative outcome to judge my success. I have learned to adjust the sails when wind blows hard rather than to complain about the wind that I can’t control. Life has given me new meaning ever since.

Thought # 5: Thoughts are things:

This is incredibly powerful revelation. When I was young, I seldom thought about the words I spoke, I seldom thought about the thoughts I harbored. It was a life of ignorance. I’m a sum total of words that I speak and actions I take daily. If I speak words of animosity, anger and hatred, I become a bee hive of those emotional bees. I now have learned to appreciate pleasures of simple things - to wake up with a smile, to watch birds fly, to sense the beauty of the nature. By doing so, I look forward to a new dawn awaiting for a life of abundance.

For me life is not a mystery - it is a simple riddle, a beautiful journey, a marvelous song. Is it for you?

What we are today comes from our thoughts of yesterday, and our present thoughts build our life of tomorrow: Our life is the creation of our mind.
- Buddha (563 BC-483 BC) Founder of Buddhism.

Elsewhere - Tejvan has a thought provokig article on the goodness that exists within us. A must read.

Photo courtesy of mode


To Your Success,