Monday 31 January 2011

ETERNAL HOPE

Hope for most people is more than an essential aspect of life, it's something that's intrinsic towards who they are and what they want to get out of life, whatever that is. We may have a multiplicity of thoughts and feelings as to what we need or would make life better, but for some essential elements of life are in short supply so by default they don't have the luxury of waxing lyrical of what could enhance their lives, what they need for themselves is far more basic than that and that's where hope really comes into its own. Hope is that eternal opportunity above the physical to allow our thoughts and feelings transcend the confines of restrictions and see what we could do in order to reach a certain aspect of life that's at present out of our own control or pathway. We all have fleeting hopes that we wish events to be successful or days out to be fine, but if they aren't we cope anyway one way or another, and by and large enjoy the shared moments with others as everyone's feelings are for the good and nothing else. Disappointment  is at times a cloud with a silver lining, had something gone the way we had intended or wished we might have missed out big time on something else that is far better. Life has to be looked at via the bigger picture, not to dwell on the minutiae or past events but allow those ahead to take shape and materialise in which ever way they do for our benefit. The road to getting where we want to go can at times be almost overbearing, but if we give up it will never happen, so if we have that option of self defeat then that's why it's not happened.

How we feel about ourselves plays a significant part in how we react in the world and with society, it plays a significant part too in how we see life and relate to others around us at all levels. It also plays a very significant part in our happiness regime and our future for without a positive attitude no matter how bleak it looks ahead, we will never break the self perceived barriers and the real barriers, nor differentiate between the two. We can break the "gatekeepers" the self appointed detritus that have an opinion that they are of paramount importance in the organisation in which they operate, whereas in reality as they have no overall input into the bigger picture and stifle great opportunities for individuals and companies alike, they are basically failures themselves trying to feel important. However the most important aspect of going forward is that of the 'self', it's not a selfish act it's one of 'you are the only one who can do it for you' based upon what we need to do and whatever is expedient, at whatever level. Hope allows us to formulate possibilities within parameters then extend those parameters at will or contract them at times without losing our goal, it allows us to shift our thought patterns whilst moving forward so that we can visualise a possibility and if that doesn't work substitute it with another and another and another until we eventually reach wherever it is we feel is where we want to go.  Hope allows too our destination to change dramatically based on new evidence, information or opportunities and arrive somewhere that originally we didn't know existed. One of the reasons many fall short in life is that our idea is so small (even if we think it's something grand) in relation to the vast opportunities which really do exist yet we know know thing of them, so we often reject greater potential aiming at the narrowness of our own insularity.

Hope elevates our thoughts it stops us stagnating and going stale, it elevates our inner system giving us an impetus where otherwise we could have felt dowdy and sullen and dull. Hope has that all encompassing feeling that there is vastness in life and if we care to take a step towards it there lies something that's worthy of our efforts, something wholesome and solid, something workable and fun. However, whilst striving towards that better goal in life we need to be grounded and strong as to where we are and how best at any moment we can "up our game" improve what we do, how and for what purpose otherwise our "eternal hope" becomes a daydream which whilst interesting usually goes nowhere fast. Everyone has hope within them but both scepticism and arrogance will topple its strength and we will then become embroiled in a mental situation which is shallow and pointless as the effectiveness of what we are trying to do will always be out of reach and then frustration, disappointment, resentment and failure will become our pre-cursers in everything we try to do. Hope is one of the positive emotions like happiness and joy, they all go hand in hand, they seek out all that's good and possible potential, whereas those that are the opposite see first pitfalls then other degrees of downfall and misery are part and parcel of their delivery, forever not doing anything because they can always draw on an excuse not to, and always reticent about moving forward. Hope is our best friend in our minds, we need to nurture it for if we ever lose hope what have we got left?

For more : http://www.thelifealchemist.org/
FREE "E" Book : http://www.the-alchemy-of-life.com/
©John Rushton / The Life Alchemist 2011


Saturday 29 January 2011

KINDNESS

We all appreciate degrees of kindness, we all like to think that we are kind, but the cold truth is that many who would consider themselves as kind are so far from that reality, it's just a concept in their mind. Kindness like love has no boundaries, no strings, no purpose other than the act of giving freely for the sake of it, usually as a gesture of goodwill and something that radiates from the heart, it doesn't have credentials. The reciprocal side of kindness is gratitude, and even a smile to someone on the way to work even if it's not reciprocated is a gesture from the soul, it's a personal building block that will always elevate you no matter where you go or what circumstances you are in. Being human we place to varying degrees our bench mark on what we deem as good or expedient or acceptable, we can be wrong  but never the less it tends to reflect how we think and feel about certain aspects of life, people, ideologies, circumstances and anything else. There are those who are generally kindly natured, it doesn't mean they are a soft touch nor a pushover but have a benevolent understanding of life and those within it. There are however those who are calculating, always seeing "what's in it for them" or "why should I" or "they don't deserve it" or "I never had that" and so it goes on the endless lists of feeble selfish excuses that they live by. Kindness can be manifested in many ways, it can be financial, but it can also be akin to helping others, sharing some time, listening, giving advice, smiling, just saying hello to someone who looks as if they need someone to say hello to - and surprisingly there are a lot of people in that situation. It can be met of course with "hey who are you smiling at" or "what do you want" or something equally as cold, but such people are to be pitied as being so low and pathetic on the human scale is obviously a reflection of their position in life and the cold way in which they live move and think.

Kindness is an essential part of our lives, those that have good lives are rich in kindness within them because it's the sharing part that both gives pleasure as well as purpose and that gratitude exists as well. Kindness is basically a reciprocal emotion and deed, where it isn't there is a gross deficiency in that person or persons. Those that "keep themselves to themselves" or those that "keep their love awaiting the right person" are mean to the core, as love is forever replenished and kindness never runs out. Kindness usually goes hand in hand with thoughtfulness and there are many people 'out there' who have little thought for anyone else or indeed anything else unless it physically interfaces with them and there is something tangible at the end. Such people tend to be sceptics and see good things that others do as divisive or even silly such is the reflection of their own thoughts about themselves. Humour is in abundance with kind people (not to be confused with comedians who can be mean) because they see the good and funny side to life, life is by its own nature lighter because of it. Kindness builds our inner strength, it makes us stronger and more resilient to the gruff and tempestuous and leaches that hide amongst us, we bounce back when smitten whereas others sit in a wallow in their self created misery, kindness sees unrest and upheaval for what it is, it sees indiscretions and failure as something to brush over and not make an issue of like a cheap publication would do. Kind people are more trustworthy as they have no axe to grind by telling everyone or others their secrets or enter into backbiting as a cheap form of downmarket entertainment or in order to make themselves feel important.

The effect of kindness in both giving or receiving raises our immune system, it promotes healing and stops our minds racing towards avenues that are dark and dank. Kindness makes us more accessible as well as more communicable and opens the possibilities of others communing with us or vice versa without degrees of rejection or untoward action. Kindness is not premeditated other than a distant thought for birthdays, Christmas or some other occasion ahead of time, kindness has a value of its own, it stands its own ground and makes its own statement too, it's forthright and solid, it fears no rejection as those that reject kindness have always something to hide of themselves and it's often deeply rooted within. For the bigger part of our short lives we need kindness to make it wholesome, for without any degree of wholesomeness we will feel both short changed and at the same time always have that desire to grab more just for the sake of it, which leads us into unrest. We gravitate towards people of a similar ilk to ourselves, the good to the good and the not so good to the not so good, and those who are left in between fluctuate to live off the jet stream of whoever they think is the flavour of the month, which ultimately serves them with ill gotten gains. With kindness being an attributable factor within, there's little that can go wrong with the self, only life's external conditions, but then we can cope with those.

For more : http://www.thelifealchemist.org/
FREE "E" Books : http://www.the-alchemy-of-life.com/
©John Rushton / The Life Alchemist 2011

     

Friday 28 January 2011

THE ACT OF OBSERVATION AND UNDERSTANDING

Our degrees of observance varies enormously, it depends upon our level of intelligence, our thought process, our attitude towards life, who we are as a person, what we are looking for - if anything, how we are 'hard wired' mentally, and our feelings towards life itself and those in it. It's not so much our ability to memorise what we have seen and where it is more so what we have made of it, as that deduction there and then does have some relevance in how we assess any situation. Some people are by nature very observant and can pick out the most minute details such is their ability to "see" what is in eye's view, whereas others just "see" objects and don't record such as they deem them insignificant to the purpose of just viewing. Our ability to "see" patterns or detail varies also, those who are numerate can possible look at a "balance sheet" and within seconds see patterns of cash flow and repeated expenditures and such like, whereas to most other people they just stare and see rows upon rows of figures. Those who are fashion conscious can spot an item a mile away so tuned is their mind to style, makes, brands, couturier, and to originality in display which may have the most minute detail or stitching that most would overlook. It's all horses for courses in the detail of aspects of life. Police forensics look at a whole manner of details such is their trained eye at trying to piece together the smallest of clues and form a coherent picture that tells more than its constituent parts. The act of observation includes our ability to "see" beyond the physical, we all have an intuitive side whether we use it or not is something else, most people don't even though subliminally say "I don't feel this is very good" or "I don't like the feel of this" or whatever it may be.

Creative people are usually quite observant in their daily life, sometimes lacking in common sense but never the less observant. Interestingly enough mean and selfish people can be quite observant too, always seeking out what others have and making comparisons, generous people are at times way out at the other end of the spectrum not noticing events of things but never the less always benevolent towards those less well off for whatever reason once informed. Our perceptions of these people and how they think throws us into a spin at times making us feel the mean are clever and the generous are not whilst the opposite is often true. In between these two extremes resides everyone else, all of whom are different in how they think and feel and all of whom have different agendas in life and takes on life and have emotional perspectives that vary from the gross negative to the elated positive. Each of these categories and those in between observe parts of life by default, whether at work, play, home or dashing in between any of them, what we physically notice and what just passes us by as wallpaper can be just so different. Our interests in life at times dictate what we see, and our mental awareness can be 'turned on' by others such as someone saying "I think I'm going to get a new car, a red one this time", then suddenly one notices red cars whereas before it wasn't something of an aspect that one took any notice of at all, cars were just cars. If we are "stressed out" then our mind starts to think in an introverted way, then we miss much of what is around us unless it almost shouts out to us.

Our ability to differentiate and observe can makes us at times at loggerheads with those less observant as it destabilises them in that they feel that others are for some reason going overboard in what they see or hear or understand in their computation of situations and possible extrapolation of potentials, etc. Whereas those that don't see often just plod on with the facts as they know or see them until they are satisfied that they can confidently move on or proceed. Being super observant can at times isolate you from the hum drum of thoughts that those around you have, although most people get used to the way they are and it thus becomes a way of life more than something to get uptight about. Seeing detail around you can place you one jump ahead of others provided you don't constantly jump to conclusions especially in a work based situation as you will have to substantiate it. Elsewhere you will be able to "do as you please" knowing your overall success rate at being intuitive or deductive or even both and thus take the risk or gamble on proceeding with such thoughts, this you may find quite exhilarating and be comfortable with, others not so even though they know you have that ability, for them they need to see proof to command that degree of security in making a next move. Understanding yourself and others is crucial to forming a degree of on going harmony and not isolating yourself by being too vocal about what you see or understand unless it's expedient. At least you 'know' and that should be enough to satisfy your abilities, those who don't know will just go around the block until thy do or give up as it doesn't mean that much to them anyway.

For more : http://www.thelifealchemist.org/
FREE "E" Book : http://www.the-alchemy-of-life.com/
©John Rushton / The Life Alchemist 2011

Thursday 27 January 2011

THE NOW ASPECT OF TOMORROWS TECHNOLOGY

We seem to get bombarded almost daily by new technology designed to make life easier, faster, more secure, more time saving, and more anything else that the designers can drum up. The only draw back is that when it goes wrong it costs an arm and a leg to get it fixed and we feel somewhat deflated at paying an exorbitant cost often way out of proportion to the cost of the appliance or technology that has developed a fault. Every action in life has an opposite action and in reality whilst it sounds good developing gadgets that give us more time in essence it never quite works like that, it makes us not only lazy physically but our mental approach to life and chores change drastically too. In many Western societies people are getting fatter so in theory anyway more exercise is beneficial and less "down time" is needed to generate a less fatter "you" and also exercise your cardio vascular system, keeping you more agile for longer and it also keeps the brain well oiled in the process. There are gadgets that are really very good and do allow us to enjoy aspects of life better like having friends to dinner and our dishwasher does the dirty deed of washing, all when we are well tucked up in bed, also we have less chance of breaking our best crockery too. But outside of these areas Sat Nav is becoming the norm, reading maps is almost an alien ability, where we can track friends, family and others via our mobile phones just about anywhere and should we not get through we can panic and drive ourselves to the dizzy heights of being stressed out, then relaying that feeling to everyone later on, the sadness of being ultra pathetic in an ever increasing 'all about me' syndrome. Where people's confidence wanes as soon as their appliances refuse to work and the thought of manual labour is nearly a thought too far.

Most of us unless we are technophobes don't really realise what technology is available to us and how far advanced it really is. The major stores only stock a limited display of electronic equipment as what they sell is vetted by the gatekeepers, the politburo in purchasing are those who deem what we can and can't have for whatever reason. The days of lavish store selections is far over, unless one goes on line, and then it's all a hit and miss affair after all how do most people find what's technologically advanced, few scout around for it, it's usually a default situation where they've seen, read, etc which has informed them accordingly. As a society we are becoming more gadget orientated and there is a strong market for such, the applications that are available for our PC and mobile phones are just mind blowing, the downside of all this, and there is a downside to everything, is that when it's taken away or doesn't function many are thrown into an inner hysterical fit and feel completely bereft of personal functionality and even suffer from withdrawal symptoms or even impotent in their ability to seek alternative entertainment.. Many a young person, particularly young girls / women who are seemingly welded to their mobile phones and have a habit of checking them every 90 seconds text rather than speak to those around them as an alternative form of communication, and it's often in an abridged language that's only appropriate to mobile texting. Even in our homes should the washing machine, cooker, microwave, vacuum cleaner break down it's almost a priority of high stress value in getting a new one or repairingng it as the functionality of life utilising other or alternative means is almost none existent. If the microwave breaks down you can still cook a microwavable meal using alternative methods, how many people could do that from general knowledge if there aren't any alternative instructions, very few, yet it's incredibly simple.

Some people are technology mad, they have to have the latest in the electronic gadgets,or Apps or software downloads, others not so and some are even frightened to go anywhere near for fear of getting into muddle that they just can't extricate themselves from. Whatever the score the bottom line is that technology is and will be getting smarter and possibly for many more "intuitive" too. Where software memorises not only who we are but our likes, dislikes and funny little habits and tries to think through our pathways and probabilities leading from what it is constantly learning from. It can be just so right but it can also be just so wrong, and if it's wrong the onus on us to put it right can be more than daunting, to say the least. The absence of communication for some is a real test of their inner dexterity it's a real plunge from being able to text and call even vague acquaintances as a form of entertainment about absurd things and get a response, that feeling is a quasi feeling of security and belonging, even though it's usually vastly superficial and mainly habitual more than anything else. Being a "stand alone" person one who can walk and run and think on their feet is far more stable than those that rely of 'air to air' correspondence to gain opinion and a consensus of thought in order to try and formulate a decision for themselves. Whilst technology is of great use to us all, it does for some totally remove their ability to be centred and stable and there lies another story.

For more : http://www.thelifealchemist.org/
FREE "E" Book : http://www.the-alchemy-of-life.com/
©John Rushton / The Life Alchemist 2011


Tuesday 25 January 2011

MORE ON LONELINESS

Loneliness is a creeping condition in that for many they just find that they feel all of a sudden isolated, lonely and at times very fragile for seemingly no reason at all. There are those who are in firmed, live alone miles away from others and those who are housebound that have valid excuses even if it all shouldn't be so to be alone, but for others who are seemingly within a good relationship and have no great problems with health, finance, family, etc, they feel that part of the jigsaw of life is missing and just don't know what to do to find those pieces. And then there are those who are genuinely selfish, mean, thoughtless, precious, self obsessed and down right judgmental that ostracize themselves from just about everyone they come into contact with and still can't understand why they are not liked or not bothered with or asked out or indeed anything else other than being overlooked. The serious side of loneliness in general is that it's affecting a sizeable part of the population in many countries, where it  appears that the degree to which people are realizing that they are not communing well with fellow man is making a significant impact upon their mental health and ability to live a life which is full and fun. The excuse which many throw around is that " I can't find friends like you can" or "there aren't any people around here that I like" or whatever feeble story they throw up is a reflection of themselves and their own inadequacies and staid narrowness and smug attitude that they have. For many loneliness is an ongoing thing, not just a temporary blimp due to changeable circumstances, it's been a simmering aspect of their lives for many years, in fact it could have been evident all through their lives from early onwards.

The new loneliness is however more alarming and that's a degree of loneliness that affects those who are not alone physically and have people who love and care for them and similarly they reciprocate that emotion too. It's a void that exists in the pit of the stomach an ache that needs to be quenched and the void needs to be filled with something that's not only wholesome but contains something that's going to holistically interact with the whole body, mentally, physically and spiritually for without that holistic element a full return to "normality" (whatever that is) will not happen. The feeling is not only disturbing it affects one's continual thought process and views on life, it takes away the sparkle, it nullifies creativity, and it allows despondency and indifference to rule what once was a degree of vibrancy and phlegm. To feel as if one is cocooned in a bubble that separates the self from life the interaction is as such its all a one way event makes life hard to bear and something that others can neither understand nor get to grips with and at times get annoyed by. Yet the feeling of being isolated and not knowing what to do is an almost constant mind set, it permeates everything that dwells in the mind and this in turn takes away potential in every aspect of life, and it's this feeling which also generates depressive thoughts as there isn't a glimmer at times of light in the future, life almost feels robotic.But all is not lost, the answers lie closer to home than one thinks, although answers are not locked away in some saged book written by 'unknown authors' of past repute, the answer is next to that inner feeling that one is currently experiencing.

Frustration is at the best of times exasperating as it's the thought of not being able to forge ahead because of some forward blockage, whether that's real or illusory it matters not, it's still the fact that something is thwarting the road to happiness and fullness and when either are curtailed the mind reacts accordingly. Our minds are both clever and fickle, the bottom line is we are in control of our minds even if at times it appears we are losing our cool and panic almost sets in, we are not losing anything, it's a matter of us not allowing ourselves to get carried away and then reacting to that feeling. Solutions and compromises and basic facts of self reality rarely change, if we were good at something one day we still are even if parameters have changed somewhat, our artistic abilities often get better and our understanding of life gets better too, its just putting all together to find a coherent picture that we can feel comfortable with. Dwelling on problems too much throws us scenarios that can loom large and out of proportion, hence it's always wise to treat life from a lighter perspective that way we can see it all from above and not engrossed in the depths of it seeing in reality very little. It's often the case that one small element in our lives changes or alters and all of a sudden the mist and fog and dread suddenly as if by magic lift, and we feel exuberant and full of fun and vim and vigour. It's this aspect of loneliness that's just so fine that we hold on to that separates us from enjoying life to enduring life, it's that fine. Perspectives are always key points in how we think and view life, and if our perspective is glum then we emotionally act glum, if it's great then we emotionally act accordingly with gusto and vibrancy.


For more : http://www.thelifealchemist.org/
FREE "E" Book : http://www.the-alchemy-of-life.com/
©John Rushton / The Life Alchemist 2011
   

Sunday 23 January 2011

FINDING THE JOY

Happiness is one thing in life, love is another, both together are essential for if we lose either for any length of time we start to become unsettled and our thoughts and feelings go awry, and soon we lose our mental cool. The state of our Mental Health is one of the biggest problems affecting the population today, and the vast majority of it is self created, it's not a clinical condition at all, it's us feeding our minds rubbish then expecting tablets or shrinks to unravel it all, because they won't or can't, we have to feed ourselves a better quality life. Even worse we console ourselves by over eating, drinking or partake of recreational drugs which is the food of idiots. Self depression, being misunderstood, isolated, feelings that things are happening around you but you're not part of it all, that feeling in the pit of your stomach that life isn't being quenched with happiness, not sure quite what to do or where to go, walking on a treadmill, just that fuzzy feeling in the mind that things aren't what they should be, and so it all goes on. All these and other similar feelings are related to the very self same thing, YOU, it's not anyone else, it's not life itself (as that doesn't give a damn about you), it's not others, it's not your job or lack of one, it's not your health or financial circumstances, it's you, and nothing but you. How you think and feel is what you are, forget the past hurt, forget yesterday, forget all what's gone on before, you can't change it, today is the start of tomorrow and that's where you are going to go whether you like it or not. If you want to take sadness as a companion with you wherever you go that's fine, but don't expect anyone else  to join in with you, and if you are one of those who "suffers in silence" then you are a fool to yourself, what's the point it leads nowhere but to self created misery. Only you can change your mind set, how you change it is up to you, but the more you regurgitate the past the more you'll bring it back to life in the present and then it will partner you to the future, always making subliminal references to it.

Joy can be found in the simplest of things and places, it's that feeling of elation for very little, it's that feeling of inner greatness when all seems or appears quite the opposite, joy is an accompaniment to hope and hope is the accompaniment to love and love is the one and only force we ever need in life, for without love life just collapses into a nothingness that we may find it hard to ever get out of. Joy is not in self help books or what others perceive, there are no technical formula's to love or joy, it's an intrinsic element that is fixed within us, but like everything emotional or mentally subjective in our body, it's a choice as to whether we utilise it or prefer to outsource our problems to others believing that their take on it or psycho babble will eradicate it all, it won't our minds are our domain and always will be so it's a choice as to make the best of it even if at times the best isn't really that good.  Joy is about seeing beauty and kindness, joy is appreciation, it's humility and not arrogance, joy is stability, joy is knowing better and seeing the 'bigger picture', joy is a love based thought and feeling that's interacting with every part of your body 24/7, it's that good. Joy is not present in mean and selfish and divisive people as it's overruled by the desire for the self above all else, joy once overruled sits back and then the avaricious nature of man plows forward. Evil religions and dictatorships eradicate joy as man made darkness ensues and after that instability and regression are par for the course as is repression. One can't experience joy to it's full extent when one is forever wanting to control people or events for the sake of religions that are devil linked or have motives that hold back people. Joy is bright and free and harmonious and desires that mankind be as one understanding a common love for betterment, not a version dictated by a few, but an understanding by the many.

Inner joy varies from person to person even though the same effect is a commonality at the end of the line, we as people are all different but sharing that commonality of joy within us gives us an immediate sense of belonging, it gives us a bond with those we don't know or at times even don't understand, joy is a solid building block within our being, it's graceful and yet sturdy, it's harmonious yet stands no messing around, it's that emotion that know best, and takes on board how we see life and how others see life and it takes on board too the life we are living where we are living. All creative people whether technical or artistic have a joy element as it fuels a passion even if at times they get a bit derailed in life, never the less they enjoy what plebs and stupid people deliberately put aside as all they want to do is see what they can gain for themselves then complain when it either doesn't happen or materialise. Joy holds no barriers nor does it take prisoners, joy is a voluntary aspect we can call upon and this automatically separates those that care and those that don't, joy transcends every aspect of life and if we allow it to partner with us we have one of the best friends in existence as it will never ever let us down even if all else collapses. With joy loneliness vanishes, with joy stability is strong, with joy we can cope with the disasters that loom large and hit us from out of the blue. With joy we can laugh and enjoy our friends no matter where they may be, with joy we have a warm yet discerning heart that allows us to push through and seek a life that's brimming full of good things. Those that see life a something of a dark venture are usually religiously stagnant and rancid and those that are mean and pathetic or arrogant, all these things turn off the joy ability, but it is a choice and it can be just as easily turned on in nanoseconds. Everything in life you do it's a choice. Your choice.

For More : http://www.thelifealchemist.com/
Free "E" Book : http://www.the-alchemy-of-life.com/
©John Rushton / The Life Alchemist 2011

Friday 21 January 2011

WHEN IT ALL GOES SO VERY WRONG

Life's funny really when you think about it, we are on planet Earth for a stretch of time, we don't know for how long nor do we know the quality of our existence during that stretch, but we get through it like it or not. Some seem to be cocooned in a positive aura of plenty whilst others haven't got a bean to their name, but that's how life is. The advent of "politicall correctness" drummed up by the mentally insane, lost, bewildered, lonely and dictat from local government offices only makes matters worse by stifling free thought and gross realities which such morons try to cover up or not speak about thus holding back progress. There is no such thing as "one size fits all" nor is there any such thing as people being equal either, we are all different. Fairness is something that man has created because 'man' is a love based creature that needs to care for ityself and fellow humans, fortunately most of us already do that although there are those who only see life for what they can get out of it. The dross ranges from bankers who worship greed at all cost (and many corporate entities) and those at the end of the food chain in the developed modern world, where morals, manners, compassion, and all the rest are but words and have no value. In the middle of all this there lies the vast majority of the population, all with different minds, feelings, likes, dislikes, levels of understanding, different desires, ambitions and different takes on what life should and shouldn't be like. We are born into a world where it's a free for all, where there are literally no guarantees and no fall back positons, even if some are priveledged they are not immune from life's knock backs or jolts which just come flying out of the blue, health for instance makes no boudaries nor exceptions.

It's strange how people think, seeing others go through hell and thinking 'it's all right for them they can cope, but for me it's different', and of course the answer is, it's not alright for them and if it happened to you you'd have to cope so don't be so pathetic and smug and place yourself on a pedastle as if you are a special case, you're not, unless being pathetic is a special case. It's just so easy to see others wading through whatever it is they are going through and thinking that they have the ability and surroundings to cope far better than if you were in their shoes, but with that attitude you are already one of life's losers. Hurt hurts and regardless of circumstances or the enormity of whatever the situation is inner feelings resonate exactly the same. Granted some cultures are more winging based and make  more out of everything such is the outmoded cultural aspects of their past and upbringing, but that's all cosmetic and doesn't deny the real truth of what's what. When it all goes wrong all of our resources come under scrutiny, our mental anguish heightens plus the vulnerability of panic and fear and loss more than anything else. Those that "believe" in God have a head start in stability and positivity which is essential in going forward, those that don't are basically on their own mentally as there is a void which is the pit one doesn't need to go too near for fear of never coming out of it. Out attitude and stability is a vital part of coming out of the doldums smelling of roses, and it can and does happen, positive people get far more help and assistace than negative people no matter where you are.

When all goes wrong or our plans are curtailed by circumstances out of our control or life just doesn't shape up the way we planned, it's time to reconsider what options we have and what our positive strengths are. Nothing highly technical or "deep n' meaningful" either, just ponder about where you are and what's what, there's NO time for feeling upset, feeling disgruntled, feeling low, feeling put out, nor anything else, and ladies there's no time for phoning all your friends telling them of your plight as you will only enhance and exaserbate the situation making it an ongoing cause as oppopsed to a temporary blimp. (Men generally tend to harbour such feelings). But all these are your choices, and your choices will make what's to come fit well or be disjointed no matter what you are going through or is about to happen, you still have a future, and that future includes your efforts to realise it. A seachange can happen at any time from unforseen incidents that literally stop us in our tracks and force us to change tack immediately, it's at these times that we need to be positive othewise we throw away any respect for ourselves and when we do that others can't and indeed don't respect us either. It's your call what you do in life - always.

For more : http://www.thelifealchemist.org/
FREE"E" Book : http://www.the-alchemy-of-life.com/
©John Rushton / The Life Alchemist 2011

Wednesday 19 January 2011

ASKING THE QUESTIONS

Intelligence is not a precursor to success, neither is ignorance, you can be a world class brain box and have no common sense whatsoever or be full of insecurities and fears and phobias and all the other stuff that one can harbour. Intelligence does not equate to business acumen either, and whilst it's imperative in some fields to be numerate and savvy with regards the 'feel' of markets and trends etc, outside of those areas one can have the charisma of a lump of concrete. Many a person has become wealthy and successful from a very lowly educated base but just developed an idea, a name, a system and "bingo" it's taken off, and from there onwards much of the mainstay of running the company is done by board members seconded or outsourced to handle what the originator sees as an alien concept and probably dull too. What's exciting to some or dull to some is the opposite to what others see as exciting or perhaps show a total disinterest in. We can if not careful equate what we see or feel to situations which hold no ground truths, in fact we can be so wrong and then get disillusioned by our inaccurate assumptions that it leaves us perplexed as to how some get on in life at all,  whereas others that seemingly have loads to give come to nought. However those assumptions are the base of our ignorance and should not form any comparisons with mind sets or pre-conceived ideas as it will render our potential as useless and defunct. We need to be the leaders in our own life, walking our own walk even though we may at times need help and assistance from others.

The inquisitive always get by, those that dwell in ignorance live in ignorance and those that are purely nosey never really make anything of themselves as they are too preoccupied with what others do as opposed to directing their own show. Of course there are those that seek only what they look for and by default miss the pieces of the jigsaw that complete the whole picture, such people see failure as a stumbling block yet it's their own insufficient resolve that keeps them from reaching the goal posts. Asking questions isn't a form of weakness it's a strength from which one can grow and overcome seemingly insurmountable boulders that can if not dealt with correctly impede growth and thwart all chances of moving forward. We need to be knowledgeable about life, which doesn't mean becoming addicted to watching or listening to the news every day as most of that is hyped up and fabricated via the newsroom drones to distort facts and blow them out of all proportion, something which they not only deny but can't actually see so cocooned are they in staring at their own rectum and hoping to see light. We need to keep our own resolve no matter how alien that may be to the mainstream thought, it's a precocious possession of how we think and it may not be privy to others who are not on that level of thought but even see it as pathetic, such is the nature of ignorance and self smug attitudes of those that always live lowly in their own down trodden world.

If we don't ask the questions, if we don't tell our tale, if we don't amplify what we think then no one will ever know what it is we are doing or trying to do. Of course it's imperative to have the right audience and that's a feat in itself but never the less the quest to finding that audience even if it's met by "gatekeepers" is a step to success as the journey unravels much about who we are and what the end product could contain. Nothing is of no use even if we discard en-route aspects that are of no value to us, that knowledge of knowing that is grist to the mill, it's really only those that see goals and nothing in the middle that forever get waylaid by trivia or idle gossip and then destabilised and then lose their composure as to the end resolve. Humans like to help humans, it gives them a feeling of purpose and satisfaction, and although there are the grumpy ones who don't want to do anything for anyone we ignore them as is their want and enjoy those who are pleased to help us and in turn others help them. The "help" scenario is not of an equal ratio, it could be that we help someone immeasurably in many ways and when we need help it's only fleeting. But it's the quality of help, just one name and phone number can transform a life or a job or make your business become highly profitable, we need to keep that all in mind and not start to equate this n' that otherwise the magic of help will leave and go elsewhere.

For more : http://www.thelifealchemist.org/
FREE "E" Book : http://www.the-alchemy-of-life.com/
©John Rushton / The Life Alchemist 2011

Tuesday 18 January 2011

HAPPINESS EVERYDAY

So you've read the title and you've already thought to yourself impossible, how can you be happy everyday without even giving that thought a chance to set its stall out and state its case. When asking people what makes them happy there is almost an automatic assumption that they don't posses anything that makes them happy now or gives them happiness, so they search for other aspects such as more money, better car, holiday, whatever it may be. Very few say without thinking my wife, husband, partner, children, girlfriend / boyfriend, my great health, etc, makes me happy, and then work down the list to say whatever else would be should the opportunity be available for other areas of life to be enhanced to add to that happiness. The opposite of happiness is sadness, so are you sad every day, or even somewhere in between 'noneplusssed', just getting by unemotionally detached but full of judgment and grasping the two best sellers you've been writing for years, "Life's Excuse Book" and "What a Failure Am I".

How we punctuate our conversations speaks volumes, it's nothing to do with "up and down"aspects of life it's our attitudes or how we wish to present ourselves either selfishly with dull and grumpy overtones wanting compassion or pity, or just monotones because you can't be bothered to make an effort to be civil to others so wrapped up in your selfish self centred world that it elevates itself over all else, and then you have the audacity to wonder why life isn't as you'd expect. Being happy doesn't take energy or hard work, being sad does.Everything we do and react to regardless of circumstances is generated from within, whether it's ill health, bereavement, loss, etc, our reactions come from us, nowhere else, ever. And whilst mitigating circumstances can cause distress at times over seemingly imponderable situations, time, further thought, logic and selfless understanding of the bigger picture gives rise to life itself and the great potential of love and understanding.

Love in life is the single most crucial aspect of value, with love greatness ensues, it understands, heals, it doesn't corrupt, it sees no evil, it doesn't cheat, it doesn't kill, it doesn't harm or murder, it's not full of religious diatribe that's evil and divisive, it's Pure God, it attracts goodness itself and purveys a harmony from all around. Love is indestructible it's strong and has no selfish motives, it doesn't have shadows where evil lurks, it's true from the word go, it's not subject to pathetic interpretation from evil priests, imams, rabbis and other self appointed messengers of whatever God they purport to worship. Happiness is self controlled, the diversity of those that are happy and those that aren't is wide. But our choices are ours and happiness can be whatever we want it to be, even if for many their God is a financially based aspect of greed. How we live our lives is down to us, both attitude and thought pave the way for us to being happy or eternally sad, identical people can have such opposite views and feelings the only difference being self thought. Love has nothing to prove as it's Omnipotent, evil is racked with excuses and answers that sound smart but like television rhetoric is shallow, hollow and empty like a balloon, fragile and ready to pop at any moment.

As humans we have to endure life at times, we can feel isolated and alone and circumstances can weigh heavily upon us, it's nothing new, it's happening every day to people all over the globe. Those with the love walk ahead of them bounce back and walk towards tomorrow where life is awaiting us, whilst the rest drag the past with them as if something to prove, an almost self celebration of  selfishness that they can't admonish and thus permanently compare and use at times as an adjunct to their conversations in an almost arrogant fashion of giving up, "I've tried this or that", but the idiots don't realise that was then, not now, and it's the "now" that holds the energy for tomorrow not the residue of a past life existence. Happiness lies here and now, it's present in what will be our future, our happiness and what is rightfully ours, it's a part of us, it's intrinsic to who we are, only self will will deny it to surface and thus sadness will reign. Our love for both ourselves and others is paramount, we don't need excuses nor anything else, love for Love's sake is all that is needed to bolster who we are, cause a smile, a sparkle in the eye, a kind thought, a kind deed, compassion, understanding, help, wanting and being wanted, it stems from the self. If you're too selective then it will never ever be able to fuel it's own cause and life will then be forever dowdy and seemingly without happiness. Happiness is literally what you make it, find an excuse that that isn't so, and you'll always be unhappy, but it's your choice, and if so it possibly reflects who you really are!

For more : http://www.thelifealchemist.org/
FREE "E" Book : http://www.the-alchemy-of-life.com/
©John Rushton / The Life Alchemist 2011
  

Monday 17 January 2011

MAKING IT HAPPEN

We all want to see enterprise in our lives even the most dull and boring person of which there are quite a few around wants to have some degree of success in a wish or though somewhere down the line. We are full of discrete hopes too, hoping it will be fine next Saturday for the bar-b-q or wedding, hoping that the holiday will have good weather, lots of subliminal thoughts that we would like to make our idea of happiness come true or enjoyment heightened. Much of these subliminal hopes are linked to situations that are out of our control, and even if we could control some aspects of them it's highly unlikely that we would ever contemplate making any change as it would be too much trouble for the reward or end result, such is human nature. Of course it depends upon your attitude to life as well, some people are predominantly lazy and in compensation to this are always full of judgmental excuses as to why they absolve themselves from doing anything, they are usually easily depressed, negative and easily upset when things go wrong, which also highlights a selfish streak within themselves, although they would be the last to admit that, literally thinking that they are generous - but sadly only in their minds. The rest get on with life looking down at such people because as such they hold no positive aspects of furtherance in others lives.

There are those who are naturally active and entrepreneurial in life and just seek out whatever it is they need to move forward, they find, call, write, phone, text, email, whatever it is until they have an overall view about whatever it is they need to do within whatever industry or service that are hoping to offer, then make their move, failure is purely something that happens on the road to success. That's the basic litmus test, where failure doesn't bother you, it's an intrinsic learning experience, it separates those that make an issue out of it and get upset, so they never make it forever feeling thwarted, leaving those that get on with life to enjoy the rich rewards and all the trappings that come with it, no matter how long it takes. Success has no time limit, it can be overnight for some or a lifetime for others, but it's the attitude aspect that forever keeps the light aglow. Making it happen is for some a hard process, for others it appears relatively straight forward, but what one must never do is make comparisons nor find excuses why you find it difficult and others seemingly don't, as that degree of inherent ignorance covers up what others have kept to themselves and overcome whilst the moaners still make an issue out of everything as if it's a life cause to complain.

Making it happen is a personal call, yes it involves others but only those that have a direct input into the process and not a talking point with all and sundry seeking advice from those that haven't a clue. That personal desire to succeed yet to see the way forward as a set of blanks makes the difference between personal incentive and a lowness that percolates a dream that one keeps awaking from with negative thoughts. Those that "Make it" keep it real and to themselves, they are not a public information service seeking approval or "compassion" from others, they don't need it, they are self sufficient in the "going for it process" even if it gets a bit rough and bumpy. All those that succeed see above and beyond the doubters around them, the dross that purely live for themselves and the only advice they give is laced with their own doubts ineptitude and insecurities. It's the dross that sees the painful process at times of others that baffles them, yet in reality their lives shriek of gross nothingness and narrow minded imbalance which they feel immune to, they are but part of the bulk of drones that just live and die in an existence called life.

For more : http://www.thelifealchemist.org/
FREE "E" Books : http://www.the-alchemy-of-life.com/
©John Rushton / The Life Alchemist 2011

Thursday 6 January 2011

POSTPONING HAPPINESS - YET AGAIN !!!

It's amazing when one talks about happiness people seem to be almost animated in their gestures as if it's something alien and that they don't get enough of it around them. But if you ask them if they are unhappy the answer is usually no, so what's all the palaver about? Happiness for many is a perception, in reality it's not, but mentally it is, there is a dichotomy of inner thought that separates what is fact and what is perceived and unfortunately more often than not neither meet in the middle. If we think we are disadvantaged even if we are not, then we will forever act as though we are disadvantaged, it's not rocket science, we are what we think we are even if it's not true. The power of the mind is amazing yet it's so often abused and misunderstood by allowing selfish and at times childish thoughts to percolate within it, the result of which is we start to feel less than we should feel, and then it's like a cascade, we go further and further down hill and still wonder why or where it all went wrong where if the truth be known it's predominantly self inflicted. It's also all too easy to get into a mode of postponing happiness and admonishing responsibilities and engaging "blame culture" that all seems to get in the way of being happy. Happiness is something that is self generated and has nothing to do with the "temporal" happiness that people get with say winning the Lottery or getting a nice surprise, etc. It's not much use winning £15m if you have three months to live even if you have the short term pleasure of buying your children a house or something similar.

For everyday happiness we must be in charge of reality for that denotes that we can be both happy, stable and see a future for ourselves, even if at times for some it seems or appears daunting, it is there. Postponing happiness is becoming a common phenomenon in that we rate happiness as a movable object and it ranks differently as life's daily challenges either get placed higher or lower on the ever ending sliding happiness scale. Happiness shouldn't be such a fickle area of our lives, for happiness can literally cause us to be either healthy or become unhealthy both mentally and physically. We are humans and as such we are subject to variances in our lives, financial, health, family, our home, outside conditions which often take temporary precedence, but it should be only temporary for permanent precedence is the onset of depression, and depression of the none clinical type is on the increase. Talking yourself into a situation of negativity is neither smart nor respectful of everything that you are and of where you are and those who interact with you. Even the off the cuff remarks such as "as soon as this gets done then" etc, the "then" bit shouldn't come into the equation because life is full of new elements that will replace 'then' for another 'then' and one will in effect be permanently in the doldrums. Happiness shouldn't be the end of the line for our thoughts, it should be part of the journey it should be part of us and if it is part of us then life will by default be so much sweeter.

By postponing happiness or making it a subject or highlight of a distant pleasure often leads to a shortfall in expectation in that it takes an age to arrive then quickly goes leaving a lowness or a void despite any degree of enjoyment attained. Also a future potential can change its characteristics in that planning for a future event may never be realised because of circumstances such as health or finance or world climatic conditions etc. So in effect if that ever happens the route to looking forward to the "happiness" experience has all but been negated and the expectation has been null and void. Whereas if we decide that we are going to look on the bright side of everything and take life as it comes, then our ability to enjoy, laugh, commune is heightened and our health bar is also raised too. Happy people 'see' benefits and positive aspects in just about everything, whereas those that don't enjoy a happiness disposition always see pitfalls and thus are part of the lowness factor that surrounds them. Happiness is a choice regardless of what one may think, sadness is a choice too over and above the odd event that may cause a temporary event. How you live your life is a choice, you are the only one to think of what you do and how you do it.

For more : http://www.thelifealchemist.org/
FREE"E" Book : http://www.the-alchemy-of-life.com/
©John Rushton / The Life Alchemist 2011