It Pays To Be Polite

one family

one world

a smile

I often wonder - why is there so much rudeness in the world? Why are we so eager to insult others? The world seems to be flooded with hate.

I think this is a real shame. It is a shame because good manners cost nothing. They are free for the taking anytime we want. Unlike most things in this world, politeness is a gift that even the poorest person can take advantage of. Why deny yourself such a beautiful gift? Embrace it and make it your own.

Not only is politeness free, but it also offers many benefits to the daily practitioner. One of the most important is the respect and admiration of others. It is the law of reflection: what you send out to others will be returned to you. If you send out hate, you will receive hate. If you send out love, you will receive love. And so it is with all the other emotions.

If you want to master yourself and find happiness, you must begin with yourself. Conquer negativity by thinking positively. Then send out your positivity to others with kindness and politeness. You will soon notice the law of reflection at work: others will reciprocate your feelings and send you kindness as well.

Let us make this world a better place by removing the hate that infests this world. Try your best every day to be polite to everyone you meet - both on and off the internet. You will soon notice it truly does pay to be polite.

A Donkey's Tale

There once lived a donkey. He was a grouchy fellow that liked to stroll in the meadow and complain about everything he saw or did. If he stepped on daises, he would complain; if he looked at the sun, he would complain; if another animal greeted him, he would complain. It was always the same: his ears and tail would droop, and he would raise his head and bray like a bawling child. Whenever the other animals heard his braying, they would flee the field as fast as their feet could carry them. And so he moaned from dawn to dusk.

braying donkey

a little child

in the candy store

The War Of Words

screaming

in the house

molten lava

Words are a mighty weapon. They can inspire others and create works of literature. They can bond people together with the power of prayer. They can bring peace to troubled nations and people. Words can do all of this if used in a positive way.

But words can also hurt. Words are like a dagger thrust into your heart - the chill of the blade leaves you haunted and hopeless. It can scar you for life - a casualty in the war of words. 

As people, we must do our best to respect the dignity of others. Instead of being rude and hurling insults whenever we please, we should step back and ask ourselves: how would we feel if someone hurled lava at us? Would not the sting of it leave us battered and bruised with emotional wounds?

Kindness is not difficult. All it takes is a little sympathy and compassion. Use both of these traits whenever you deal with others. And above all, watch your words. For it is a bomb that can destroy friends and family. Use your words with care, and not only will you be loved and admired, but you will be the victor in the war of words.

Loving To Learn

Ann was on her way to the university library when she ran into Bobby.

"Hey, baby." Bobby grinned.

Ann's stomach gurgled. She felt like she was going to barf up her breakfast of pancakes and coffee. She rolled her eyes and sighed.

"You again?" she said.

"Yeah, it's me. Was hoping to catch you."

"What for?" Ann looked at him, a slight frown on her face.

"Well, there's this big frat party at the Alpha Kappa's. I want you to come with me. It's the whole talk of the campus - loads of music, and partying, and fun - you'll love it!" He grinned again, flashing his yellow stained teeth.

Ann shook her head. "A big party on a weekday? You know it's Thursday, right?"

Bobby shrugged. "The Alpha Kappa's don't care. They party whenever they want. Say - are you comin' or what?"

" No Bobby, I need to study. Good grades are important to me. I hope you understand that."

"Aww, c'mon Ann! All you ever do is study. Don't you want a life?"

Ann's eyes flashed and she gnashed her teeth. Her shoulders shook and she stamped her foot.

"I have a life, thank you very much! And I don't need some drunken frat boy telling me what to do. Get lost!" she glared at him.

"Huh? You get all pissed just because I invite you to a party? Wow, just wow..." he walked off, muttering to himself.

Ann watched him go. She never could understand Bobby. Sure, he was good looking in a rough kind of way, but all he ever did was guzzle down beers and eat pepperoni pizza. She couldn't even remember a time he ever studied. How he got into University was a mystery to her. She sighed and entered the library.

Here was her world - books and all the knowledge she could learn from - so many things to read about and discover. It excited her. She ran up the stairs to the second floor.

And there she saw her friends: Dani, Robin, and Rick. She flashed a smile and waved at them as she ran to their table. Setting her backpack on the floor, she pulled up a chair alongside them. Here were her friends, her family. 

flies

around a light bulb

students

The Power Of Problem Solving

math problems

on a test

lightbulb

In life, there is one fundamental truth: as long as we are alive, there will always be problems - it is unavoidable. Instead of getting stressed out and angry whenever something unexpected pops up in your life, look at it as simply another problem to solve. Getting emotional and throwing tantrums will only make things worse. Instead, stay calm and think rationally. This simple three-step process will help you solve the problems that plague your life.

Here they are:

1. Identify the problem.
2. Develop a plan.
3. Modify it until it is solved.

The first step is to identify the problem. Whatever happens in your life is always based on cause and effect. The problems are the effects of something - the reaction of an action. Your goal is to work backward: identify the effect and then search out possible causes. Keep doing this until you discover the cause that leads to the effect (problem). With practice, you will quickly internalize this simple system into your life. Practice it as often as you can, as repeated practice will help you master the tools needed to solve any problem.

Do not let the fear of problems deter you from living your life. Problems will always occur, and you must be ready for them. Use this system, and you will never have to be afraid of problems overwhelming you. Embrace the power of problem-solving.

A Rainbow Of Riches

thunderstorm

a rainbow

of riches

In life, you are faced with many fears. These problems can take you by surprise and throw your life into disorder. If unchecked, these fears will disable you, and destroy your confidence. They will leave you hurt and vulnerable to even worse influences. What can you do to conquer your fears?

The first step is to believe in yourself. Realizing and valuing your self-worth are the most important things you can do as a person. It is more valuable than gold. When you believe in yourself, you empower your life with energy and positivity. Everything is not all doom and gloom, but rather, a rainbow that shines high in the sky. It is this positivity, this rainbow, that chases away the storms of your fears. Always believe in yourself, and you will see your life brighten.

The next step to conquering your fears is to take action. Do not sit and brood and think all is lost. There is always a way around everything. With a little planning, you can begin the first step towards achieving your goals. To do this, you need to write down your thoughts on a piece of paper. This will serve as a reminder of what you plan to do. The first step is always the hardest and scariest, but it will get easier as you stay determined on your course.

There you have it. To conquer your fears, you must believe in yourself and take action. These two things will help you in your life. Behind every storm is a rainbow - a rainbow of success.

Unlock Your Potential!

sunrise

a field

of barley

In each of us, lies the potential to do great things. We all have dreams, and the desire to see them come true. But there is a door that stands in our way. We must unlock this door with a key to reach our full potential.

But how do we find this key? We find the key by discovering our strengths. We all have things we love to do, certain passions that make the hours fly by. These hobbies are often a good indicator of things we might excel at.

The other way of finding our hidden strengths is through experimentation. We should not be afraid to try new things, for in our discoveries we may unlock a hidden talent that long slumbered within us. This search for strength is an exciting journey within itself, and will provide many years of enjoyable activities. In the searching, we will discover ourselves and our role in life.

Let every day be a sunrise to you. Wake up every morning with the desire to try something new. Learn and grow from these experiences. Walk in fields of barley. 

Stormy Sea

Gather round my friends, for I have a tale to tell you. It is about a sailor on his maiden voyage, a young man of eighteen sailing the seas for the first time. It is his adventure and what he learned from the experience. Listen closely, for his words will bring much wisdom.

I wander lonely through the weary world,

Lost on a stormy sea. The waves descend

To crash against my little boat, to climb

Once again like a huge hand, and rend

My world to pieces. Is this the crime

Of sailing? I shudder to see the end.

But no! The clouds above disperse and flee;

Sunlight greets me upon a silent sea.

Stunning Simplicity

One fall day in September, Ally visited her garden. The air was cool and crisp, and the colored leaves crunched under her feet. She took a deep breath, letting the air flow freely through her lungs. Her body burned, but not from any fever. It burned with the zeal of love - her little garden was a jewel in her eyes. Here, among the plants, she was a mother tending to her carrots, cabbages, and potatoes, - her little children. Her eyes sparkled and shone as she sang to them every morning: her sweet, clear voice rung like a golden bell - the voice of an angel. Smiling, she finished her song and looked at her plants. This was her world, and it was enough.

carrots

and cabbages

little children

Master Your Mind!

planting seeds

reading an old book

at midnight

There is a famous saying: I think, therefore I am. This is certainly the truth. Our minds are the hard drives of our bodies. Here is the accumulated knowledge and experience that we have learned from ourselves and others. It is a library of thought, our thoughts. Truly, the mind is a wonderful thing.

But how do we master our minds? We do this by following these steps:

1. Read instructive books and talk to people to solve problems or learn new things.
2. Do mind exercises to strengthen your mind.

If we want to expand our knowledge, it is essential to read good books, preferably nonfiction and self-help books. Any book that teaches something is worth checking out. But you do not have to rely entirely on books. Talking to people about various subjects can be incredibly rewarding. With a question and answer format, you can get immediate feedback on your problem. You can ask questions that a book could not answer.  Do not be afraid to use this to your advantage. Knowledge is always worth pursuing.

The next step is to do daily mind strengthening exercises. The goal here is to stretch your mind to new avenues of creativity. Find an enjoyable activity that stimulates your mind. Chess, crossword puzzles, math problems, and writing are a few of the many options open to you. Explore them all and find one that you enjoy doing. Do this activity for at least thirty minutes every day.

Being a mastermind is not as hard as it sounds. By following these steps, you can grow your mind to new levels of knowledge and creativity. The power is within you and waiting to be unleashed. So, what are you waiting for? Master your mind!

Stop Being A Volcano!

lava

from a volcano

abusive words

There are many times in our lives when we feel angry and upset. We are like pent up volcanoes, ready to explode at any moment. The lava that comes out of our mouths is destructive, destroying everything we hold dear, and turning our relations with others into a barren wasteland.

But it does not have to be this way. We do not have to explode and use abusive language against others. This is not the way to win people's affection and trust. You must release this rising tension within you in a less destructive way. Instead of exploding, and hurling insults like bombs against other people, close your eyes and take a deep breath. This will calm your body and soothe your nerves. With calmness comes peace, with peace, love and affection to all. This is the way to win the love and trust of others. Not by being a volcano, but a pond of cool, clear water. 

Whenever you feel the anger rising within you, remember to step back and calm yourself. Relax your body and your mind. Let the feelings of anger and hate leave your body and embrace peace and calmness. Abusive words are a reaction, a reaction of hate. Compassion and understanding are reactions of peace and love. Aim for these emotions in your life, and you will never have to worry about volcanoes destroying the land of your happiness.