We feel, therefore we are. Everything that we dream of is based on a desired feeling. Our desired feelings are the basis of our goals and strategic planning.
“Dreams come true. Without that possibility, nature would not incite us to have them “ - John Updike
So does it mean that if we focus on our inner state first, the outer reality has a better prospect of lining up with our ideals? According to me, YES!
I use my feelings as a guide as it is the most direct indicator of whether I am happy or sad. To me, my feelings are a foolproof guidance system, letting me know if I am experiencing excitement or boredom, adored or ignored, comfortable or restless etc.
I try to maintain a high self-esteem and the feeling of happiness, self-empowerment, and contentment in work, good relationships, constant growth and a sense of achievement, all contribute to it.
It is a calm, comfortable feeling of total acceptance and love for yourself. I respect and see myself as a valuable human being by honestly evaluating my good and not-so-good qualities, and look after myself so that I can become all that I am capable of being.
I take due care of my physical, emotional, mental as well as spiritual well being. I try to maintain a balance between extremes of thought, feeling and behavior. I learn from mistakes and say, “I made a mistake, I’m sorry.”
I realize the importance of taking responsibility for my own life and not turning power over to another to make decisions for me, and then feeling victimized if the results are not what I expected. I take responsibility for my own perceptions and reactions. With time I have been able to develop the ability to listen to my wise inner self (intuition), and to act on this guidance.
I know what my strengths and weaknesses are and am open to taking positive risks. But I make it a point to stay away from self-blame, and self-criticism. What works best for me is never interpreting the hurtful words or actions of others as a sign of my disrespect.
I believe that self-esteem should be the very basis of our lives. If there are some parts of our life that need to be changed, we only have the power and the responsibility to restructure them.
I too, have done the best that I could, under various circumstance that have shaped my life so far.
And I strongly believe that with further self-awareness nurturing, and self-acceptance, I’ll continue to grow! Amen...
Ever wondered how sometimes life changes radically without experiencing something new, impressive, or special? Well, I can guarantee that as it has for me, it must have for you as well.
I’ll share some of my experiences that I believe have been the “moments of truth” at different stages in my life so far.
Here goes the first one. It would not be wrong to say that I was an average student all through my academic years. Since I studied because I had to study, I never felt motivated enough to “study hard” and make it to the top ranks. Things went on like this until I got admitted to a new school that offered one of the new courses that “I” wanted to pursue.
On the very first day, the entire bunch of new students was addressed by our new class teacher. I don’t remember a single word from the 20 minute long speech except for a few words. That day, I wasn’t aware then that these words were about to define my journey to a new life altogether.
Because all of us had come from different schools to study a new stream, almost all of us were new to each other. So this new class teacher of ours, very rightly said “You are all new here and hardly know each other. Take this as an opportunity to let go of the past and start things anew. If there are habits you wish to chuck, or a reputation you desire to change, this is your chance. Nobody knows how good or bad have you been as a person, student, friend, or a classmate. You’ve got the chance to become a new you, create a new impression and live the kind of life you always wanted to, by replacing everything that is undesirable with what is pleasant and satisfying. ”
This idea gelled so well with my psyche that without giving it a second thought, I made it my slogan in life. I went on to make new friends, followed brighter students in my class, discovered my potential and with a good amount of effort, I gradually became a well accepted student with exceptionally good grades and a knack for learning new things.
Even today, when I find myself stuck in a certain lifestyle, unable to move out of a droning situation, I look for an opportunity in life to start once again. It gives me a new perspective to become what I have always wanted to be. It has worked wonders for my self-esteem, confidence, personal and professional growth and you know what, I’m very happy.
Did you notice how many times have I used the word”new” in this write up? Assuming that you did notice it, let me conclude by saying that, in life; always be on a lookout for anything new that happens, no matter how small it may seem; Always and All ways. Good Luck!
We feel, therefore we are. Everything that we dream of is based on a desired feeling. Our desired feelings are the basis of our goals and strategic planning. 
