Don’t Throw In The Towel
It’s the fourth round and you’re not losing, but you’re not winning either. In you’re training for the fight (your dream), you thought it would be easier and you would score a knockout by now. Those are the thoughts that lead to throwing in the towel. Harder only means that victory will be sweeter.
“Everything great is just as difficult to realize as it is rare to find”. – Last line from Ethics of Spinoza
“The secret of success is to start from scratch and keep on scratching”. – unattributed
part of the Eye Of The Tiger series
You Don’t Always Get What You Want
Just like holding on to pain caused by another, we hold ourselves back due to pain caused by events of our past. Re-framing our thoughts to recognize that we may not have wanted to go through what we went through, but needed to, can be liberating. Sing along with me “You can’t always get what you want” Rolling Stones
“In a desert, there is always sunshine, but for growth you need rain, and for creativity you need thunderstorms” – unattributed
Part of If You Are Always Looking Back, Then Your Future Will Look Like Your Past series
A Quick Thought That Deserves Lots of Thought
“Among your acquaintances there are some who criticize you and others who praise you. You should love the former, who may stimulate your character growth, and avoid the latter, whose flattery can result in character deterioration”. – Avos D’Rav Nosson
Anchors Aweigh!!
We often hold ourselves back by holding on to elements of the past. One way to let go of that anchor is to reframe our thinking to recognize that what we went through may not have been what we wanted , but was, what we needed (not to be confused with deserved) to get where we are meant and need to go.
We all have people in our past or present that have hurt us (intentionally or not). This reframing allows us to forgive, although not necessarily forget (we’ll save that for another time). Anchors Aweigh!!
“When you forgive, you in no way change the past — but you sure do change the future”, – Bernard Meltzer
“Forgiveness is the key to action and freedom”. – Hannah Arendt
Part of If You Are Always Looking Back, Then Your Future Will Look like Your Past series
A World Of Suffering
With all of the recent events in Japan and the Middle East, we mourn the loss of life and suffering. We are also reminded of the unpredictability of our lives and circumstances seemingly beyond our control. Here’s some perspective that can uplift us
“Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it”. – Helen Keller
“Whether it’s the best of times or the worst of times, it’s the only time we’ve got”. – Art Buchwald
part of Don’t Predict Your Future, Just Be Prepared For It series
A Story Quick to Read But Remembered Longer
A Rabbi (a real Rabbi) showed his students a picture of two people on a ladder, with one above the other. He asked his students which one was higher? After a short silence, he told them “that in order to know the answer we have to know if one was going up and if one was going down”.
To reach our full and unlimited potential means always climbing our ladder of life. We are always higher when we constantly reach and aim higher.
“Every single blade of grass has its own angel that whispers to it grow, grow, grow”. – Talmud
“What grows never grows old”. – Noah Benshea
Do Good Just Because It’s Good
Doing the good and right thing is always the good and right thing to do. Too often though, we give in order to receive. That sets us up for disappointment. Disappointment sets us up for withdrawing or withholding.
If we train ourselves to do the good simply because it’s good, we will become more enthusiastic about solely (souly) doing good. Rather than random acts let’s make them constant and consistent until it becomes automatic.
“The greatest reward for doing is the opportunity to do more”. – Dr. Jonas Salk
The “good man” has been superseded by the “nice guy.” — Rabbi Shraga Silverstein
The Spinning Rabbi - Heart & Soul 