Quotes

Learn how to be happy with what you have while you pursue all that you want.
Jim Rohn

Make sure the outside of you is a good reflection of the inside of you.
Jim Rohn

It is not work that kills men; it is worry. Work is healthy; you can hardly put more upon a man that he can bear. Worry is rust upon a upon the blade. It is not the revolution that destroys the machinery, but the friction. Fear secretes acids; but love and trust are sweet juices.
Henry Ward Beecher

Good friends are good for your health.
Irwin

Laughter is the most healthful exertion.
Christopher Wilhelm Hufeland

Personal development is your springboard to personal excellence. On going, continuous, non-stop personal development literally assures you that there is no limit to what you can accomplish.
Brian Tracy

Make education a continuing, never-ending process.
Nido Qubein

Life is a do-it-for-others, do-it-to-myself project.
Dennis Waitley

My philosophy is that not only are you responsible for your life, but doing the best at this moment puts you in the best place for the next moment.
Oprah Winfrey

A character is a completely fashioned will.
Novalis

Quote:

The first step in the acquisition of wisdom is silence, the second: listening, the third: memory, the fourth: practice, the fifth: teaching others.

Solomon Ibn Gabriol

Quotes

MOTIVATION/INSPIRATION

"Spiritual values transcend the material artifacts that we can touch and see. They take us into the realm of beauty, inspiration and love." -- Nido Qubein

"The greatest composer does not sit down to work because he is inspired, but becomes inspired because he is working." -- Ernest Newman


OPPORTUNITIES

"The secret of success in life is for a man to be ready for his opportunity when it comes." -- Benjamin Disraeli

"Out of clutter, find Simplicity. From discord, find Harmony. In the middle of difficulty lies Opportunity." -- Albert Einstein

Story Time - Ducks Quack, Eagles Soar.

No one can make you serve customers well. That's because great service is a choice. Harvey Mackay, tells a wonderful story about a cab driver that proved this point.

He was waiting in line for a ride at the airport. When a cab pulled up, the first thing Harvey noticed was that the taxi was polished to a bright shine. Smartly dressed in a white shirt, black tie, and freshly pressed black slacks, the cab driver jumped out and rounded the car to open the back passenger door for Harvey .

He handed my friend a laminated card and said, "I'm Wally, your driver. While I'm loading your bags in the trunk I'd like you to read my mission statement." Taken aback, Harvey read the card. It said: Wally's Mission Statement: To get my customers to their destination in the quickest, safest and cheapest way possible in a friendly environment. This blew Harvey away. Especially when he noticed that the inside of the cab matched the outside. Spotlessly clean!

As he slid behind the wheel, Wally said, "Would you like a cup of coffee? I have a Thermos of regular and one of decaf." My friend said jokingly, "No, I'd prefer a soft drink." Wally smiled and said, "No problem. I have a cooler up front with regular and Diet Coke, water and orange juice." Almost stuttering, Harvey said, "I'll take a Diet Coke."

Handing him his drink, Wally said, "If you'd like something to read, I have The Wall Street Journal, Time, Sports Illustrated and USA Today." As they were pulling away, Wally handed my friend another laminated card. "These are the stations I get and the music they play, if you'd like to listen to the radio." And as if that weren't enough, Wally told Harvey that he had the air-conditioning on and asked if the temperature was comfortable for him.

Then he advised Harvey of the best route to his destination for that time of day. He also let him know that he'd be happy to chat and tell him about some of the sights or, if Harvey preferred, to leave him with his own thoughts."

Tell me, Wally," my amazed friend asked the driver, "have you always served customers like this?" Wally smiled into the rear view mirror. "No, not always. In fact, it's only been in the last two years. My first five years driving, I spent most of my time complaining like all the rest of the cabbies do.

Then I heard the personal growth guru, Wayne Dyer, on the radio one day. He had just written a book called You'll See It When You Believe It. Dyer said that if you get up in the morning expecting to have a bad day, you'll rarely disappoint yourself. He said, 'Stop complaining! Differentiate yourself from your competition. Don't be a duck. Be an eagle. Ducks quack and complain. Eagles soar above the crowd.'

That hit me right between the eyes," said Wally. "Dyer was really talking about me. I was always quacking and complaining, so I decided to change my attitude and become an eagle. I looked around at the other cabs and their drivers. The cabs were dirty, the drivers were unfriendly, and the customers were unhappy. So I decided to make some changes. I put in a few at a time. When my customers responded well, I did more."

"I take it that has paid off for you," Harvey said." It sure has," Wally replied. "My first year as an eagle, I doubled my income from the previous year. This year I'll probably quadruple it. You were lucky to get me today. I don't sit at cabstands any more. My customers call me for appointments on my cell phone or leave a message on my answering machine. If I can't pick them up myself, I get a reliable cabbie friend to do it and I take a piece of the action."

Wally was phenomenal. He was running a limo service out of a Yellow Cab. I've probably told that story to more than fifty cab drivers over the years, and only two took the idea and ran with it. Whenever I go to their cities, I give them a call.

The rest of the drivers quacked like ducks and told me all the reasons they couldn't do any of what I was suggesting. Wally the Cab Driver made a different choice. He decided to stop quacking like ducks and start soaring like eagles.

How about us? Smile, and the whole world smiles with you... The ball is in our hands!

Story Time -- The Professional

I've found a wonderful story to share with you today. It's called the Professional and I hope you enjoy it. Wishing you lots of love and happiness!

The Story Begins....

A woman was at work when she received a phone call that her small daughter was very sick with a fever. She left her work and stopped by the pharmacy to get some medication. She got back to her car and found that she had locked her keys in the car. She didn't know what to do, so she called home and told the baby sitter what had happened.

The baby sitter told her that the fever was getting worse. She said, "You might find a coat hanger and use that to open the door. " The woman looked around and found an old rusty coat hanger that had been left on the ground, possibly by someone else who at some time had locked their keys in their car. She looked at the hanger and said, "I don't know how to use this." She bowed her head and asked God to send her help.

Within five minutes a beat up old motorcycle pulled up, with a dirty, greasy, bearded man who was wearing an old biker skull rag on his head. The woman thought, "This is what you sent to help me?" But, she was desperate, so.... She was also very thankful. The man got off of his cycle and asked if he could help. She said, "Yes, my daughter is very sick. I stopped to get her some medication and I locked my keys in my car. I must get home to her. Please, can you use this hanger to unlock my car?"

He said, "Sure." He walked over to the car, and in less than a minute the car was opened. She hugged the man and through her tears she said, "Thank you so much! You are a very nice man." The man replied, "Lady, I am not a nice man. I just got out of prison today. I was in prison for car theft and have only been out for about an hour." The woman hugged the man again and with sobbing tears cried out loud,"Oh, Thank you God! You even sent me a professional!"

-author unknown

Cultural Creatives

I love travelling and meeting people from all over the world. I consider myself a citizen of the world and I have always been fascinated with different cultures. Deep interest in this area led me to a Masters Degree in 1996 from the US in International Studies and Intercultural Communication.

My most recent work with an international NGO was as an Intercultural Specialist and Educator. I am always looking forward to my next international assignment either as an educator, trainer, consultant or presenter/ active participant for conferences related to social development or social change in the context of education.

I recently found an article posted on the website of "Alliance for a New Humanity", about a new sub-culture called the "Cultural Creatives." I found it quite interesting and could relate to it very well. I realized there are new dimensions to the definition of culture and this particular definition is developing very interestingly. I will list the characteristics below, and see if you can relate to it also.

Cultural Creatives

A new study by Ray and Anderson proving that millions of people worldwide are "Being the Change."

Here is a list of those characteristics; if you have 10 or more of them, you're probably a cultural creative -- and you will be in good company, although you may not know it yet!

• Love nature and are deeply concerned about its destruction
• Strongly aware of the problems of the planet and want to take action to curb them
• Would pay more taxes or higher prices if the money would go to clean up the environment and stop global warming
• Give a lot of importance to developing and maintaining relationships
• Place great importance on helping others
• Volunteer for one or more good causes
• Care intensely about psychological or spiritual development
• Want more equality for women at work and want more women leaders in business and politics
• Concerned about violence and the abuse of women and children
• Want politics and government to emphasize children's education and well being, the rebuiliding of neighbourhoods and communities, and creation of an ecologically sustainable future
• Tend to be optimistic about the future and distrust the cynical and pessimistic view offered by the media
• Want to be involved in creating a new and a better way of life
• Are concerned what big corporations are doing in the name of profit: exploiting poor countries, harming the environment, downsizing
• Have finances and spending under control and are not concerned with overspending
• Dislike the modern emphasis on success, wealth and luxury goods
• Enjoy experiencing and learning about other ways of life

Story Time -- A Glass of Milk

One day, a poor boy who was selling goods from door to door to pay his way through school, found he had only one dime left, and he was hungry. He decided he would ask for a meal at the next house.

However, he lost his nerve when a lovely young woman opened the door. Instead of a meal, he asked for a drink of water! She thought he looked hungry, so she brought him a large glass of milk. He drank it slowly, and then asked, "How much do I owe you?" "You don't owe me anything" she replied. "Mother has taught us never to accept pay for a kindness." He said ... "Then I thank you from my heart."

As Howard Kelly left that house, he not only felt stronger physically, but his faith in God and man was strong also. He had been ready to give up and quit. Many year's later ... that same young woman became critically ill. The local doctors were baffled. They finally sent her to the big city, where they called in the specialist, Dr. Howard, for consultation to study her rare disease. When he heard the name of the town she came from, a strange light filled his eyes.

Immediately he rose and went down the hall of the hospital to her room. Dressed in his doctor's gown, he went in to see her. He recognized her at once.He went back to the consultation room determined to do his best to save her life. From that dayon, he gave special attention to her case. After a long struggle, the battle was won.

Dr. Kelly requested the business office to pass the final bill to him for approval. He looked at it, then wrote something on the edge, and the billwas sent to her room. She feared to open it, for she was sure it would take the rest of her life to pay for it all. Finally she looked, and something caught her attention on the side of the bill. She read these words ..."Paid in full with one glass of milk"(Signed) Dr. Howard Kelly. Tears of joy flooded her eyes as her happy heart prayed: 'Thank You, God,that Your love has spread broad through human hearts and hands."

The good deed you do today, may benefit you or someone you love, at the least expected time. If you never see the deed again, at least you will have made the world a better place - And, after all, isn't that what life is all about?

A Universe in Harmony

You know how much I love quotes, and I was lucky to be inspired last night to come up this one:

The creation of a peaceful world within oneself, and the connection to all on earth with pure love, is our spiritual destiny for a totally harmonious universe.

-- Shareen Iqbal

Loving Yourself

The World's Most Unusual Therapistby
Dr. Joe Vitale
www.mrfire.com

Two years ago, I heard about a therapist in Hawaii who cured a complete wardof criminally insane patients--without ever seeing any of them. The psychologist would study an inmate's chart and then look within himself to see how he created that person's illness. As he improved himself, the patient improved.

When I first heard this story, I thought it was an urban legend. How could anyone heal anyone else by healing himself? How could even the best self-improvement master cure the criminally insane? It didn't make any sense. It wasn't logical, so I dismissed the story.However, I heard it again a year later. I heard that the therapist had used a Hawaiian healing process called ho 'oponopono. I had never heard of it, yet I couldn't let it leave my mind. If the story was at all true, I had to know more.

I had always understood "total responsibility" to mean that I am responsiblefor what I think and do. Beyond that, it's out of my hands. I think that most people think of total responsibility that way. We're responsible for what we do, not what anyone else does. The Hawaiian therapist who healed those mentally ill people would teach me an advanced new perspective about total responsibility.His name is Dr. Ihaleakala Hew Len. We probably spent an hour talking on our first phone call. I asked him to tell me the complete story of his work as a therapist.

He explained that he worked at Hawaii State Hospital for four years. That ward where they kept the criminally insane was dangerous. Psychologists quit on a monthly basis. The staff called in sick a lot or simply quit. People would walk through that ward with their backs against the wall, afraid of being attacked by patients. It was not a pleasant place to live, work, or visit.

Dr. Len told me that he never saw patients. He agreed to have an office and to review their files. While he looked at those files, he would work on himself. As he worked on himself, patients began to heal."After a few months, patients that had to be shackled were being allowed to walk freely," he told me. "Others who had to be heavily medicated were getting off their medications. And those who had no chance of ever being released were being freed.

"I was in awe."Not only that," he went on, "but the staff began to enjoy coming to work. Absenteeism and turnover disappeared. We ended up with more staff than we needed because patients were being released, and all the staff was showingup to work. Today, that ward is closed."This is where I had to ask the million dollar question: "What were you doing within yourself that caused those people to change?""I was simply healing the part of me that created them," he said. I didn't understand.

Dr. Len explained that total responsibility for your life means that everything in your life - simply because it is in your life--is your responsibility. In a literal sense the entire world is your creation.Whew. This is tough to swallow. Being responsible for what I say or do is one thing. Being responsible for what everyone in my life says or does is quite another.

Yet, the truth is this: if you take complete responsibilityfor your life, then everything you see, hear, taste, touch, or in any way experience is your responsibility because it is in your life.This means that terrorist activity, the president, the economy--anything you experience and don't like--is up for you to heal. They don't exist, in a manner of speaking, except as projections from inside you. The problem isn't with them, it's with you, and to change them, you have to change you.

I know this is tough to grasp, let alone accept or actually live. Blame is far easier than total responsibility, but as I spoke with Dr. Len, I began to realize that healing for him and in ho 'oponopono means loving yourself. If you want to improve your life, you have to heal your life. If you want to cure anyone--even a mentally ill criminal--you do it by healing you.

I asked Dr. Len how he went about healing himself. What was he doing,exactly, when he looked at those patients' files?"I just kept saying, 'I'm sorry' and 'I love you' over and over again," he explained. That's it? That's it. Turns out that loving yourself is the greatest way to improve yourself, and as you improve yourself, your improve your world.

Let me give you a quick example of how this works: one day, someone sent me an email that upset me. In the past I would have handled it by working on my emotional hot buttons or by trying to reason with the person who sent the nasty message. This time, I decided to try Dr. Len's method. I kept silently saying, "I'm sorry"and "I love you," I didn't say it to anyone in particular. I was simply evoking the spirit of love to heal within me what was creating the outer circumstance.Within an hour I got an e-mail from the same person. He apologized for his previous message. Keep in mind that I didn't take any outward action to get that apology. I didn't even write him back. Yet, by saying "I love you," I somehow healed within me what was creating him.

I later attended a ho 'oponopono workshop run by Dr. Len. He's now 70 yearsold, considered a grandfatherly shaman, and is somewhat reclusive. He praised my book, The Attractor Factor. He told me that as I improve myself, my book's vibration will raise, and everyone will feel it when they read it. In short, as I improve, my readers will improve."What about the books that are already sold and out there?" I asked."They aren't out there," he explained, once again blowing my mind with hismystic wisdom. "They are still in you."In short, there is no out there.

It would take a whole book to explain this advanced technique with the depth it deserves. Suffice it to say that whenever you want to improve anything inyour life, there's only one place to look: inside you."When you look, do it with love."

This article is from the forthcoming book "Zero Limits" by Dr. Joe Vitale and Dr. Len

Discovering the Real You

As I continue on my journey of self-discovery of becoming my true being, I would like to share with you some of my findings. I've got this lovely book by Beverly Engel titled "Healing Your Emotional Self" and in it she deals with a lot of issues in reference to parenting/caretakers impact on the development of self. However, I choose to focus on the topic "Discovering the Real You" from a personal development perspective.

Engel says that in order for you to raise your self-esteem and feel better about yourself, you need to find out who you are -- not who you were told you are, not the persona you took on in order to please your parents, but the real you.

• No one can tell you who you are.
• You are the only one who is capable of determining who your true self is.
• You will need to discover and create your true self.
• You will need to look deep inside to begin to find your true reflection.

Engel states that one of the most effective ways of discovering who you are is to pay attention to your emotions. In fact, some define self-awareness as being conscious of our moods, and our thoughts about our moods.

Daniel Goleman defines "Self awareness -- recognizing a feeling as it happens -- is the keystone of emotional intelligence.... the ability to monitor feelings from moment to moment is crucial psychological insight and understanding.... People with greater certainty about their feelings are better pilots of their lives, having a surer sense of how they really feel about personal decisions."

Engel goes on to say that we can learn about ourselves through the emotions we experience and by being mindful about it. Once you are aware of your emotions, it can help you to change them.

Another aspect of self-discovery described by Engel is the experience of who you are, that is not a result of your history and conditioning and is not affected by your beliefs or opinions. This aspect of you is referred to as your true nature, your being or your essence, because it is the ultimate nature of who you are. Essence also refers to the part of you that is the most permanent and unchanging -- the part of you that is central in defining who you are.

I love this concept of discovering your essence because I believe it is actually our true definition of who we really are. It is the core of who we are. I would also like to call it as a discovery process of re-connecting to the spirituality that is within all of us.

Engel only talks about discovering your essence very briefly in her book, as her main focus is on how to heal the damage to your self-image and self-esteem caused by negative parental messages and offers treatment to help you lead a happier and healthier life. Since I'm a huge fan of happpiness, I'll read anything that helps to heal this world.


Quotes to ponder upon for today:

When the mind soars in pursuit of the things conceived in space, it pursues emptiness. But when the man dives deep within himself, he experinces the fullness of existence.
-- Meher Baba

We must never allow other people's limited perception to define us.
-- Virginia Satir

Self-nurturing means, above all, making a commitment to self-compassion.
-- Jennifer Louden.

The Path to Love

Deepak Chopra wrote a book titled "The Path To Love -- Spiritual lessons for creating the love you need." There are many great quotes and powerful words in that book, of which I will share a few of them with you now.

* You know that you have fully experienced love when you turn into love -- that is the spiritual goal of life.

* All of us must discover for ourselves that love is a force as real as gravity, and that being upheld in love every day, every hour, every minute is not a fantasy -- it is intended as our natural state.

* Love is meant to heal

* Love is meant to bring peace

* Love is meant to inspire us with its power

" I want my love to be powerful. I want to use all my own power with love. I want to express love when I feel it and not give in lower emotions like fear and anger."

* Love is intelligent and aware; it knows you better than you know yourself.

* Life is love and love is life

* When love and spirit are brought together, their power can accomplish anything. Then, love, power and spirit are one.

Friendship

I love quotes the one below is one of my all time favourites. And it's because of you.... Thank You!

"Friendship is a strong and habitual inclination in two persons to promote the good and happiness of one another." By Eustace Budgell.

You are Phenomenal

Hi..... Hope you're having a wonderful Earth Day celebration! I'm busy with Earth Day celebrations and awareness campaign at a local school at the moment. But I wanted to share with you these two wonderful "movies" made by two beautiful souls with a vision for a peaceful world. According to them ....... your love, energy and commitment to a better world is very powerful and phenomenal. And I believe them! Enjoy the movie...... just click on the link below.


The Gentle Art of Blessing:
http://www.joy-tothe-world.com/Gentle_Art_of_Blessing_Movi.html

The second movie is:At the Heart of Peacehttp:// www.rekindering.com/peace/attheheartofpeace.html

I thank you for your support and belief in this movement for a peaceful and loving world.

My Thoughts Create My World

I have realized that I can choose to be creative, and that it can be expressed in many ways and in any form. It is so liberating to know that you have complete freedom to creatively express yourself and allowing that freedom to create your vision into reality. Do it with Love, in the name of Love, and for Love. That is where I got my liberation from. I love the world that I am imagining, and it is so much fun creating it into reality!

I Am

I am creative,
Therefore my world is a creative one.

I am happy,
Therefore my world is a happy one.

I am respectful,
Therefore my world is a respectful one.

I am thankful,
Therefore my world is a thankful one.

I am joyful,
Therefore my world is a joyous one.

I am peaceful,
Therefore my world is a peaceful one.

I am loving,
Therefore my world is a loving one.

Happily created by Shareen Iqbal on 11 April 2008.

I Choose, I Create, I am.

I have been contemplating on all of my new learnings and I realized yesterday, if I had to summarize it all into one sentence, it would be: I Choose, I Create, I Am. After reading all the books, talking to people, philosophizing, thinking, pondering...... that was it.

I Choose, I Create, I Am.

I choose love,
I create a loving life,
I am living in a loving world.

I choose peace,
I create a peaceful way of life,
I am living in a peaceful world.

By Shareen Iqbal (11 April 2008).



LOVE PEACE.

Divine Love

I know that one of the purpose of my life is to spread the message, "The Answer is Love". The love that I know and understand is very different from the definition of what we commonly know as love or human love. The best description I have found is to describe it as Pure Love, Unconditional Love and now.... Divine Love.

I have been on a journey of self-discovery, personal development and spiritual growth which has been quite exciting. I continue to enjoy my journey of revelations, enlightenment and the continuous learning that occurs. It is through this blog, that I share some of my experiences with you and what I am learning. Thank you so much for your support and encouraging words. I am grateful and thankful for the beautiful soul that you are.

LOVE - Divine Bliss and Joy

Our world is oneness and unity consciousness where there is only energy and it is Pure Love. This energy always and only expresses LOVE.

You may ask then, why do some of us feel afraid and depressed? It is because it has become a habit. Understand, we are the ones who choose our perceptions of life. If we have negative experiences, it is because we lock ourselves into patterns of interpretation and perception that lead us to conceive it as a negative experience. Imagine now, that you are in a world filled with love and joy. Make it your new reality and begin to choose that all your experiences and interepretations from now onwards will be through this new loving energy. It's just a matter of changing your expectations and perceptions.

Be Yourself

A dear friend sent me this wonderful e-mail and I have a wish for you today. As you read this, just remember that I'm sending you sunshine kisses and rainbow wishes!

The "Be" Attitudes

Be understanding to your enemies.
Be loyal to your friends.

Be strong enough to face the world each day.
Be weak enough to know you cannot do everything alone.

Be generous to those who need your help.
Be frugal with what you need yourself.

Be wise enough to know that you do not know everything.
Be foolish enough to believe in miracles.

Be willing to share your joys.
Be willing to share the sorrows of others.

Be a leader when you see a path others have missed.
Be a follower when you are shrouded by the mists of uncertainty.

Be sure where your next step will fall, so that you will not tumble.
Be sure of your final destination, in case you are going the wrong way.

Be loving to those who love you.
Be loving to those who do not love you; they may change.

Above all, be yourself.

-- Author Unknown

Give Love and Do Good

According to Wayne Dyer, the eight points long attributed by many to Mother Teresa of Calcutta are actually a version of "The Paradoxical Commandments" written by Kent M. Keith while he was a sophomore at Harvard University in the 1960s. Dyer talks about this commandments in his amazing book, "There's a Spiritual Solution to Every Problem" and adds on his personal comments to it, of which I will share with you my brief interpretation of it. You must read the whole book to truly appreciate the beauty of it. If you have not read this book, please get it! I highly recommend this book and it is an absolute must have.

The Eight-Point Plan

1. People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centred. Forgive them anyway.

Dyer: When you forgive them, you choose to not be impacted in a negative manner.


2. If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.

Dyer: Be kind because it is you, not because of the reactions you want from others.


3. If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies. Succeed anyway.

Dyer: Focus on what you know to be your divine purpose, and by doing so, the universe will
support and sustain you with what is labeled success. Others will be offended, but if
you persist in ignoring their reactions, you will not allow the presence of false friends
or true enemies to be a factor in your life.


4. If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you. Be honest and frank anyway.

Dyer: Those who attempt to cheat you, will respect and honour your position when you
stay true to your spiritual values. Behave toward others from your highest self and
you will eventually be free of the fear of being cheated. Ironnically, when that fear
disappears, the problem of being cheated also dispappears.


5.What you spend years building, someone may destroy overnight. Build anyway.

Dyer: Do not build anything only for the purpose of having it completed. Build because it is
your way of expressing your purpose. Building something is a means of expressing
yourself.


6. If you find serenity and happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway.

Dyer: Happiness is the way. If you seek the reactions of others as the basis of your way of
being, then you have turned the source of your happiness over to those whose
reactions you covet. Happiness is an inside job. You don't get it from anyone or
anything; you bring it to everyone and every event of your life.


7. The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow. Do good anyway.

Dyer: Stop looking for the approval and gratitude of others as your reasons to do good.
Even if no one ever says thank you, do for others as your heart dictates from spirit,
which is rooted in the faster energy of love, kindness and connectedness to all.
Remind yourself to give love and do good because that is who you are, and for no
other reason at all.

8. Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough. Give the world the best
you've got anyway.

Dyer: The best implies your highest, most sacred self. People may attempt to be more
demanding of you, or by critizing you repeatedly, or even by ignoring your efforts.
When you return to your highest self, you are independent of those opinions almost
instantly, and problems of feeling unappreciated are nonexistent. Give the world your
spirit, and detach from the outcome of your efforts.

As written in Dyer's book, these eight suggestions that Mother Teresa adopted as a plan for life concludes with the truly profound essence of this offering: "You see, the in the final analysis, it is all between you and God; it was never between you and them anyway."

Quotes on Spirituality

As some of you may already know, I am a huge fan of Oprah and obviously I subscribe to her website. I do hope to meet her one day. But in the meantime, I'll just share some of the quotes posted by her team on one my favourite topics.... Spirituality!

Our friends make us feel understood. And strengthened. And loved. Most of all, they make us feel connected.


"It is not by meticulous care in avoiding all contaminations that we can keep our [spiritual body] clean and give it grace, but by urging it to give vigorous expression to its inner life in the very midst of all the dust and heat and hurts."
-- Rabindranath Tagore

"The divine is not something high above us. It is in heaven, it is in earth, it is inside us..."
-- Morihei Ueshiba

"No matter what your spiritual condition is, no matter where you find yourself in the universe, your choice is always the same: to expand your awareness or contract it."
-- Thaddeus Golas

"Without loving and caring for others, most of us stand little chance of communing with God, no matter how many years we may spend in silent prayer."
-- Bo Lozoff

"True spirituality is a mental attitude you can practice at any time."
-- Dalai Lama

"I'm fulfilled in what I do...I never thought that a lot of money or fine clothes--the finer things in life--would make you happy. My happiness is to be filled in a spiritual sense."
-- Coretta Scott King

"I cannot hold up any book and say, 'Here. This is what I believe.' I do not know of any church where I would feel at home. But I do believe that what people call God refers to something real... I would even go so far as to say that this God of mine makes demands. To learn, to teach, to engage. To be aware of and respect the world around me. To acknowledge that there are things greater then myself and to be humble in theirpresence."
-- Dan Jackson

"The belief that becomes truth for me... is that which allows me the best use of my strength, the best means of putting my virtues into action." -- Andre Gide

Creative Ethical Living

"The goal to be sought is a world where well-being extends to all in the fullest, richest way possible... brought about by a mode of creative ethical living that includes all of us as moral equals, inspiring and uplifting us all, nourished by the creative energy we experience as spirituality..." -- Martin Prozesky

Think Love

I received this e-mail from a dear friend who firmly believes in Pure Love as I do. I am so happy to be able to share this with you ......


We can feel love from everything around us. Love is energy. We can feel love from our family, from our friends, from pets and plants, from our cars, our house, wind passing through us, bright sun and everything around us. When we love things around us, the energy bounces back to us in multifold. We again pass this energy around.

Love you life, enjoy it and celebrate it. Thank and be grateful for everything that comes to your life for they come to you for a reason, for you to learn from them and make your life better. Understand people who trouble you or does you harm for these troubles will make you understand yourself better.

Appreciate everything that comes to your life for what you will be is because of them. Have fun with life. Learn to calm your mind. Our mind, due to various influences in our lives, tends to move and jump around.

Focus your mind on love to calm it. Meditate. This will help you to strengthen and focus your thought on what you want. When our thoughts are focused, we create our dreams and wants faster. What you will be is what you are and think now.Think Love. Pass the energy around. Love is God.

Who I Am Makes a Difference

I subscribe to a website about Making A Difference. They have a great story below that you should read about, just click on the link below. I think it's also a great project idea that all of us could do.

TOGETHER we can make a world of difference ...

Today I wanted to let you know that our connection with you "does" make a huge difference to us. So often we think appreciative thoughts about our family, friends and business associates, but then we let these wonderful, life-affirming sentiments float away without sharing them.

There is nothing more wonderful, or as healing for the human spirit, than acknowledgment. It is our intention that this movie positively re-energize your life today - and possibly the life of someone you know - please take a few minutes to watch our newest movie:

www.BlueRibbonMovie.com

This is a true story brought to you by Helice "Sparky" Bridges, author of "Who I Am Makes A Difference."

Thank you for being you!...from our hearts to your heart,Mary & Craig & Helice.

I also thank you for being you.... With Loving Wishes, Shareen.

Quotes to Ponder Upon

How far you go in life depends on you being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak and the strong. Because someday in life you will have been all of these.
-- George Washington Carver

Few things in the world are more powerful than a positive push -- a smile, a word of optimism and hope, and a "you can do it!' when things are tough.
-- Richard De Vos

Life isn't a matter of milestones, but of moments.
-- Rose Kennedy

I've learned that making a "living" is not the same thing as "making" a life.
-- Maya Angelou

But love .... is more than three words mumbled before bedtime. Love is sustained by action, a pattern of devotion in the things we do for each other everyday.
-- Nicholas Sparks

Earth Hour 2008

Hello Dear Friends,

Last Saturday was Earth Hour from 8pm-9pm on 29 March 2008. I hope you participated and it was a good experience for you. I had some wonderful people over in my home and we made a fun event out of it. First, all of us had a simple dinner of spaghetti and pizza at 7pm. I explained to the kids present about the Earth Hour and what we were going to do next. Just before 8pm, we started switching off most of the electrical appliances and the lights in my home. Then, we lit up some candles and all of us sat in a circle in my living hall. We ended up talking and playing some really fun games for an hour, creating some great memories along the way.

Earth Hour began as a stand to create awareness of the impact of global warming and what we can do, to begin the healing process of our beloved planet Earth. This movement began in Sydney last year and this year it became a global event. Do check out their website for more info and do participate in next year's event.

http://www.earthhour.org/

http://www.youtube.com/user/WWF

Wonderful Story -- The Five Lessons

I received this e-mail from a wonderful friend and would like to share it with you today. Wishing you a good day and a great week ahead.


Five (5) Lessons to Make You Think About the Way We Treat People.


1 - First Important Lesson - Cleaning Lady.

During my second month of college, our professor gave us a pop quiz. I was a conscientious student and had breezed through the questions until I read the last one: 'What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?' Surely this was some kind of joke. I had seen the cleaning woman several times. She was tall, dark-haired and in her 50s, but how would I know her name? I handed in my paper, leaving the last question blank.

Just before class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward our quiz grade. 'Absolutely,' said the professor. 'In your careers, you will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say 'hello.' I've never forgotten that lesson. I also learned her name was Dorothy.

2. - Second Important Lesson - Pickup in the Rain.

One night, at 11:30 p.m., an elderly African-American woman was standing on the side of an Alabama highway trying to endure a lashing rainstorm. Her car had broken down and she desperately needed a ride. Soaking wet, she decided to flag down the next car.

A young white man stopped to help her, generally unheard of in those conflict-filled 60s.. The man took her to safety, helped her get assistance and put her into a taxicab. She seemed to be in a big hurry, but wrote down his address and thanked him.

Seven days went by and a knock came on the man's door. To his surprise, a giant console color TV was delivered to his home. A special note was attached.. It read: 'Thank you so much for assisting me on the highway the other night.. The rain drenched not only my clothes, but also my spirits. Then you came along. Because of you, I was able to make i t to my dying husband's bedside just before he passed away... God bless you for helping me and unselfishly serving others.' Sincerely, Mrs. Nat King Cole.


3 - Third Important Lesson - Always remember those who serve.

In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10-year-old boy entered a hotel coffee shop and sat at a table. A waitress put a glass of water in front of him. 'How much is an ice cream sundae?' he asked. 'Fifty cents,' replied the waitress.

The little boy pulled is hand out of his pocket and studied the coins in it. 'Well, how much is a plain dish of ice cream?' he inquired. By now more people were waiting for a table and the waitress was growing impatient. 'Thi rty-five cents,' she brusquely replied. The little boy again counted his coins. 'I'll have the plain ice cream,' he said. The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on the table and walked away.

The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and left. When the waitress came back, she began to cry as she wiped down the table. There, placed neatly beside the empty dish, were two nickels and five pennies.. You see, he couldn't have the sundae, because he had to have enough left to leave her a tip.

4 - Fourth Im portant Lesson. - The obstacle in Our Path.

In ancient times, a King had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king's wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by a nd simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the King for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything about getting the stone out of the way.

Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. Upon approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded.

After the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the King indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway. The peasant lea r ned what many of us never understand! Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve our condition.

5 - Fifth Important Lesson - Giving When it Counts...

Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liz who was suffering from a rare & serious disease. Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her 5-year old brother, who had miraculously survived the same disease and had developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness.

The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and asked the little boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister. I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, 'Yes I'll do it if it will save her.' As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did, seeing the color returning to her c he ek.

Then his face grew pale and his smile faded. He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, 'Will I start to die right away'. Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his sister all of his blood in order to save her.


'Work like you don't need the money, love like you've never been hurt, and dance like you do when nobody's watching.'

In the cookies of life, the chocolate chips are my friends

Great Book -- Leaving Microsoft to Change the World

I really enjoyed reading this book by John Wood about "Leaving Microsoft to Change the World". It was so re-assuring for me to read his experience, thoughts and feelings because I could relate to it. The name of his organization is "Room to Read" and it has a successful strategy for addressing the lack of educational opportunities for children that includes:

* Partnering with villages to build schools

* Establishing libraries and filling them with donated English books and local-language books

* Providing computer and language labs to improve employment skills

* Providing scholarships for under-priviliged young girls who cannot afford fees that are
required of all students, even those attending public schools.

To increase the likelihood for success and long-term sustainability, Room to Read enlists community involvement and co-investment.

This book has given me great ideas of how to further support the informal refugee community schools and others who have dire educational needs. To learn more, do visit their website and support them at: www.roomtoread.org

Is Your Life Scheduled for Headaches or Happiness?

A dear friend sent me an e-mail about a story titled "I Ate Ice-Cream". I thought it was really good, especially in reference to how we seem to schedule and prioritize our life for "headaches" as opposed to happiness. Last night, I scheduled myself for happiness and saw Harry Connick Jr perform live at the Philharmonic Hall in Kuala Lumpur. He looked fantastic and his voice was amazing! I never thought I'd ever see Harry Connick Jr in person, but now I have. So, what did I learn? Always have dreams, never give up and schedule your life for happiness!

I Ate Ice-Cream

Too many people put off something that brings them joy just because they haven't thought about it, don't have it on their schedule, didn't know it was coming or are too rigid to depart from their routine. I got to thinking one day about all those women on the Titanic who passed up dessert at dinner that fateful night in an effort to cut back.

From then on, I've tried to be a little more flexible. How many women out there will eat at home because their husband didn't suggest going out to dinner until after something had been thawed? Does the word "refrigeration" mean nothing to you? How often have your kids dropped in to talk and sat in silence while you watched ' Jeopardy' on television?

I cannot count the times I called my sister and said, "How about going to lunch in a half hour?" She would gasp and stammer, "I can't. I have clothes on the line. My hair is dirty. I wish I had known yesterday, I had a late breakfast, It looks like rain." And my personal favorite: "It's Monday." She died a few years ago. We never did have lunch together.

Because we cram so much into our lives, we tend to schedule our headaches. We live on a sparse diet of promises we make to ourselves when all the conditions are perfect! We'll go back and visit the grandparents when we get Steve toilet-trained. We'll entertain when we replace the living-room carpet. We'll go on a second honeymoon when we get two more kids out of college.

Life has a way of accelerating as we get older. The days get shorter, and the list of promises to ourselves gets longer. One morning, we awaken, and all we have to show for our lives is a litany of "I'm going to," "I plan on," and "Someday, when things are settled down a bit."

When anyone calls my 'seize the moment' friend, she is open to adventure and available for trips. She keeps an open mind on new ideas. Her enthusiasm for life is contagious. You talk with her for five minutes, and you're ready to trade your bad feet for a pair of rollerblades and skip an elevator for a bungee cord.

My lips have not touched ice cream in 10 years. I love ice cream. It's just that I might as well apply it directly to my stomach with a spatula and eliminate the digestive process. The other day , I stopped the car and bought a triple-decker. If my car had hit an iceberg on the way home, I would have died happy.

Now...go on and have a nice day. Do so mething you WANT to......not something on your SHOULD DO list. If you were going to die soon and had only one phone call you could make, who would you call and what would you say? And why are you waiting?

Have you ever watched kids playing on a merry go round or listened to the rain lapping on the ground? Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight or gazed at the sun into the fading night? Do you run through each day on the fly? When you ask "How are you?" Do you hear the reply? When the day is done, do you lie in your bed with the next hundred chores running through your head?

Ever told your child, "We'll do it tomorrow." And in your haste, not see his sorrow? Ever lost touch? Let a good friendship die? Just call to say "Hi?" When you worry and hurry through your day, it is like an unopened gift....Thrown away. ... Life is not a race. Take it slower. Hear the music before the song is over. I cherish our friendship and appreciate all you do. "Life may not be the party we hoped for... but while we are here, we might as well dance!"

The Story About Needing a Wash

Some of you wanted to know the story about the wash in reference to the letter that I wrote to my friend. So, here it is for you.

NEED WASHING??

A little girl had been shopping with her Mom in Target. She must have been 6 years old, this beautiful red haired, freckle faced image of innocence. It was pouring outside. The kind of rain that gushes over the top of rain gutters, so much in a hurry to hit the earth it has no time to flow down the spout. We all stood there under the awning and just inside the door of the Target.

We waited, some patiently, others irritated because nature messed up their hurried day. I am always mesmerized by rainfall. I got lost in the sound and sight of the heavens washing away the dirt and dust of the world. Memories of running, splashing so carefree as a child came pouring in as a welcome reprieve from the worries of my day.

The little voice was so sweet as it broke the hypnotic trance we were all caught in "Mom let's run through the rain," she said. "What?" Mom asked. "Lets run through the rain!" She repeated. "No, honey. We'll wait until it slows down a bit," Mom replied. This young child waited about another minute and repeated: "Mom, let's run through the rain,". "We'll get soaked if we do," Mom said. "No, we won't, Mom. That's not what you said this morning," the young girl said as she tugged at her Mom's arm.

This morning? When did I say we could run through the rain and not get wet? "Don't you remember? When you were talking to Daddy about his cancer, you said, 'If God can get us through this, he can get us through anything!" The entire crowd stopped dead silent. I swear you couldn't hear anything but the rain. We all stood silently. No one came or left in the next few minutes. Mom paused and thought for a moment about what she would say.

Now some would laugh it off and scold her for being silly. Some might even ignore what was said. But this was a moment of affirmation in a young child's life. A time when innocent trust can be nurtured so that it will bloom into faith. "Honey, you are absolutely right. Let's run through the rain. If GOD let's us get wet, well maybe we just needed washing," Mom said.

Then off they ran. We all stood watching, smiling and laughing as they darted past the cars and yes, through the puddles. They held their shopping bags over their heads just in case. They got soaked. But they were followed by a few who screamed and laughed like children all the way to their cars. And yes, I did. I ran. I got wet. I needed washing.

Circumstances or people can take away your material possessions, they can take away your money, and they can take away your health. But no one can ever take away your precious memories...So, don't forget to make time and take the opportunities to make memories everyday. To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven. I HOPE YOU STILL TAKE THE TIME TO RUN THROUGH THE RAIN.

A Letter to My Friend

I wrote this letter to my friend about a year ago, and I thought it would be good to share it with you on my blog today. I have been on a journey of self-discovery for over the past two years and among one of the many turning points happened in July 2007. I discovered the true connection of the Soul, Divinity and Nature. I realized the impact of letting go of emotional past pains; and the power of choosing positive thoughts and feelings every single second of your life. There is still so much to learn, and just like how I found this old letter, it reminded me to remain steadfast to my new knowledge of how to live a life worth living.

My Dearest Friend,

Thanks for the story about needing a wash. I've read it before and it's nice to read it again. It's a good story about perspectives. You are the one who decides whether the moments in your life are good or bad, with the choices you make. Believe it or not, you have a choice every single minute whether you want to be happy or not. I choose to be happy, therefore I am happy.

I do not allow anything negative to enter my life, or to bother me anymore. But most of all, I do not allow any negative emotions to reside in me. There is absolutely no benefit and it's of no use! Let go of all negative emotions and pain you ever had. Let it go.... you don't need it. Forgive the people who caused all that pain because they simply didn't know better. Forgive them 100% and you must forgive yourself 100% also. And then, begin to love yourself 100%!!!! From now onwards, focus on good things only and what keeps you happy all the time....

I love the way I live my life now. Everyday is exciting and I know the next day will be too. Because that is what I choose to believe in and look for thebeauty and miracles that are happening around me all the time. You life just becomes one magical journey and nature shows the miracles it can do. It's really wonderful living, enjoying every moment and experiencing life with the full range of emotions focusing only on the good things about life. Anything potentially negative is viewed as a lesson of how not to go there again and what was the lesson to be learnt. Then, continue life constantly challenging yourself to see only the love and peace that you want. As you can see, I am a different person now and I have a lot to say.

Yes... I need to write a book and have begun to write away. I just wish my hands could keep up with the speed of my brain. But because my brain is so activated, I have so many new ideas and solutions to do so many things all the time, that it's hard to keep up sometimes. Since my life is dedicated to the good things only and how to get people to enjoy this journey too, I have so much to do and time is only filled up with good things only. I am able to say no gracefully to things that do not match with my purpose of life because I love myself and value myself that much. My life is too important and I have a destiny to befulfilled. Yes, I know what's the purpose of my life and I'm going after it. Even though I don't know HOW I'm going to get there, it's my job to just stay focused in the vision I see and trust that my new flow and energy of life will get me there.

Well, I hope this makes sense to you and helps you in some way. So, my dearest friend.... let the love flow into your life with open arms and a big wide open heart. Fall in love with yourself truly and deeply. Absolutely cherish and respect the beautiful soul that is inside of you, for it was made perfectly for you. Choose to be true to your soul 100% by honoring it and treating it with the utmost respect it deserves.

Love Always, Shareen.

Quotes on Basics of Life

ATTITUDE

• "Watch your manner of speech if you wish to develop a peaceful state of mind. Start each day by affirming peaceful, contented and happy attitudes and your days will tend to be pleasant and successful." -- Norman Vincent Peale

• "Your attitude determines your altitude!" -- Denis Waitley"

• A great attitude does much more than turn on the light in our worlds; it seems to magically connect us to all sorts of serendipitous opportunities that were somehow absent before we changed." -- Earl Nightingale

• "If you envy successful people, you create a negative force field of attraction that repels you from ever doing the things that you need to do to be successful. If you admire successful people, you create a positive force field of attraction that draws you toward becoming more and more like the kinds of people that you want to be." -- Brian Tracy

BALANCE

• "Life is part positive and part negative. Suppose you went to hear a symphony orchestra and all they played were the little, happy, high notes? Would you leave soon? Let me hear the rumble of the bass, the crash of the cymbals, and the minor keys." -- Jim Rohn

• "I will love the light for it shows me the way, yet I will endure the darkness for it shows me the stars." -- Og Mandino

• The seasons do not push one another; neither do clouds race the wind across the sky. All things happen in their own good time." -- Dan Millman

BASICS/FUNDAMENTALS

• Show me a man who cannot bother to do little things and I'll show you a man who cannot be trusted to do big things." -- Lawrence Bell

• "Morale and attitude are the fundamental ingredients to success." -- Bud Wilkinson

• "The spirit of truth and the spirit of freedom - they are the pillars of society." -- Henrik Ibsen

Being The Best

• "Striving for perfection is the greatest stopper there is…It’s your excuse to yourself for not doing anything. Instead, strive for excellence, doing your best." -- Sir Laurence Olivier

• "Our deepest fear is NOT that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God: your playing small doesn't serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you." -- Nelson Mandela

• "Things don't go wrong and break your heart so you can become bitter and give up. They happen to break you down and build you up so you can be all that you were intended to be." -- Charlie "Tremendous" Jones"

• The greater the danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark." -- Michelangelo Buonarroti

• "Be not afraid of life. Believe that life is worth living and your belief will help create the fact." -- William James"

• Within you right now is the power to do things you never dreamed possible. This power becomes available to you just as soon as you can change your beliefs." -- Dr. Maxwell Maltz"

• Believe and act as if it were impossible to fail." -- Charles F. Kettering"

• If you believe in what you are doing, then let nothing hold you up in your work. Much of the best work of the world has been done against seeming impossibilities. The thing is to get the work done." -- Dale Carnegie

• 
  "Everything you need for your better future and success has already been written. And guess what? It's all available." -- Jim Rohn

• "Read something positive every night and listen to something helpful every morning." -- Tom Hopkins"

• "There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate's loot on Treasure Island... and best of all; you can enjoy these riches every day of your life." -- Walt Disney

Choose to be Happy!

• Life is too short not to enjoy it and too long to live miserable. Choose to be happy! Be proud of who you are, and where you are. You are important, you are Love, You are who you are meant to be.
• Love is the only thing that is real. All emotions lead back to Love. All other emotions begin with Love. So, Love was the beginning and is the end.
• Love is the true nature of being.
• Our thoughts and feelings create our reality and we are responsible for our creations and how they affect the whole.

Be A Voice of Love

You are of Love; as you speak of Love, from Love, as Love. The journey of life is to keep choosing Love. Speak the language of Pure Love, where there is no judgment. Only Love. It is time for all of us to begin our new journey of Love, creating a vision of reality based on Love. Choose Love and you will see our beautiful world so full of glorious life! Our planet Earth is constantly expressing its amazing beauty of this Infinite Love. We need only to open our minds and hearts to it. It has always been there and will always be there.

Unconditional Love

My dear friend talks about Unconditional Love and I'm sharing it with you here:

Most of us think of love as a one-to-one relationship, which is all it can be on the physical level. But there is no limit to our capacity to love. We can never be satisfied by loving just one person here and another there. Our need is to love completely, universally, without any reservation - in other words, to become love itself. This is unconditional love.

Surrender in Love

A dear friend of mine e-mailed this to me, and I thought of sharing this on my blog.

Still your mind in me, still yourself in me,
And without doubt you shall be united With me, Lord of Love, dwelling in your heart.
But if you cannot still your mind in me, Learn to do so through the practice of meditation.
If you lack the will for such self - discipline, Engage yourself in selfless service of all around you, For selfless service can lead you at last to me.
If you are unable to do even this, Surrender yourself to me in love,
Receiving success and failure with equal calmness As granted by me.
Better indeed is knowledge than mechanical practice.
Better than knowledge is meditation.
But better still is surrender in love, Because there follows immediate peace.
That one I love who is incapable of ill will And returns love for hatred.
Living beyond the reach of I and mine, and of pleasure and pain; full of mercy, contented, self controlled, firm in faith,
With all their heart and all their mind given to me-With such as these I am in love.

Communicate Love

Hope you're having a good day. As some of you might already know, I am really big into the topic of Pure Love, otherwise known as Unconditional Love. I am also really into happiness and peace, and it is my wish to publish at least one book on these topics. An American lady (sorry, I forgot her name) captured some of my thoughts and feelings very well below. Thought I'd share that with you today.

Words to contemplate upon from a beautiful American soul:

Learn to communicate with nature, with animals and with other human beings. Start to observe your life, your actions, your thoughts, moment to moment. When we acknowledge the aliveness of all that surrounds us, and we understand the part we play in creating the whole, we will finally begin to experience the peace, joy and love we are searching for in our lives. Communicate, connect, learn and love more life into the world. When you love, the universe smiles and all life rejoices your love.

Personal Sovereignty

I believe the foundation for a great life begins by loving and respecting yourself. It begins with beliefs that support your self-esteem. It is your birthright to uphold your personal sovereignity!

Say and believe.....

I have a right to exist.
I am of high value to myself.
I have a right to honor my needs and wants, to treat them as important.
I am not here on earth to live up to someone else's expectations; my life belongs to me.
I deserve to be treated courteously and with respect by everyone.
If people treat me discourteously or disrespectfully, it is a reflection on them, not on me. It is only a reflection on me if I accept their treatment of me as right.
If someone I like does not return my feeling, it may be disappointing or even painful, but it is not a reflection on my personal worth.
I am better served by knowing what is true than by making myself "right" at the expense of facts.
No other individual or group has the power to determine how I will think and feel about myself.

I believe we all have issues and can relate to how we must see ourselves from a healthy perspective. I am still learning and need to constantly remind myself of the statement I wrote above. Tell me, how can we find true happiness and live in a loving world, if we do not respect ourselves, just like a sovereign nation with full and complete rights? Wishing you love always.

Think About It

The solution to the problem of the day is the awakening of the consciouness of humanity to the divinity.
Hazrat Inayat Khan

The world is not in need of a new religion, nor is the world in need of a new philosophy: What the world needs is healing and regeneration. The world needs people who, through devotion to God, are so filled with spirit that they can be instruments through which healing takes place, because healing is important to everybody.
Joel S. Goldsmith (The Art of Spiritual Healing)

Compare the serene and simple splendor of a rose in bloom with the tensions and restlessness of your life. The rose has a gift that you lack; It is perfectly content to be itself. It has not been programmed from birth, as you have been, to be dissatisfied with itself, so it has not the slightest urge to be anything other than it is. That is why it possesses the artless grace and absence of inner conflict that among humans is only found in children and mystics.
Anthony DeMello (The Way to Love)

Celebrate Love

Hope you're happy and doing well. I just wanted to share with you about my thoughts on Valentine's Day. On this day, some will view it as a time for romantic celebration. And so be it, if it makes you happy and you believe in it. But I have always viewed it as a day to celebrate love in all forms such as friendship, family, nature, etc. And on a day like this, it would also be good to celebrate it with people who are often forgotten. I have previously done projects where kids make special packages for people living in Old Folks Home, Women's Shelter and Orphanages. Everybody feels good after that. I like this because instead of hoping that somebody will give you something or feeling a little blue, you have just created loving energy amongst strangers who would truly appreciate it and you're guaranteed to feel happy also. I believe that love should be celebrated everyday and the answer to everything is LOVE! So, I'm sending you all my loving energies right now. Know that you are loved at all times!

Social Change Through Education

My friends and I are currently working on peace and values-based education for social change/development in educational instituitions around the world. We are currently working with a few international partners to create and establish these type of programs internationally. If you have any information of other schools that might be interested, organizations that would support us or if you're aware of educators and peace-themed conference, please e-mail me. We are always on the look out to update our skills, to meet more like-minded people and to learn of amazing projects that supports our dream of a peaceful and loving world.

Quotes

I love quotes and will share some with you now.....

"Go within everyday and find the inner strength so that the world will not blow your candle out."
Katherine Dunham

" Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius power and magic in it." Goethe

"It's true, life really is generous to those who pursue their destiny." By Paulo Coelho

What is a Rainbow Movement?

Project: The Rainbow Movement – A Global Alliancefor a Happier World

Mission: To support, motivate and inspire each other to achieve our dreams.

Goal: To create a happier world through the sharing of our hearts.

Founded by Shareen Iqbal from Malaysia on 9 June 2006.

E-mail: shareeniqbal@yahoo.com

I believe that if all of us are linked together to support, motivate and inspire each other, we can all make this world we live in a happier place. But some of us are afraid to even talk about our dreams, wishes and hopes; let alone to ask for support or help. We might think we are the only one who feel this way and nobody would be interested in us. Some of us might also feel people will look down on us if we ask for support or it is wrong to ask for help. I think some of us even feel our dreams might be stupid.

But I would like to challenge that idea and hope that you will join me in proving that your wishes and dreams really can come true! But we need to share our dreams, hopes and aspirations with other people. Talk about it, tell peopleabout it and most importantly, write it down, so that it can become a useful guide for you and others, as you chart the journey towards achieving that dream.

I believe that we actually love being to able to have a positive impact on another person's life and taking them to greater heights. I also believe the person that offers the help or support, benefits the most. Therefore, the privilege is ours in being able to lift someone's spirits to greater heights. So, let’s encourage each other to give a voice to our dreams, wishes and hopes.

I have named this project The Rainbow Movement, and the link of our friendship as the Rainbow Connection, to reflect the diversity of the people who are involved in this project. At this point, basically it’s you -- all my personal friends from all over theworld who come from different countries, faiths, culture, ethnicity and beliefs.

The project name also reflects the nature of the rainbow, which only appears when the sun and the rain are together. For me, this reflects the nature of life. We all have our ups and downs, bad times & good times. But the beautiful splendor of the rainbow reminds me of the miracles of life, the unimaginable potential of it all. And what happens next, after the rainbow appears? Usually, the sun comes out!

When I first "launched" this movement, it was to help a beautiful soul by the name of Ivana from Croatia. I described my rainbow wish for her to my friends (which is you), knowing her extremely challenging situation she was facing with her life at that time. I am very proud and honored to report that you, my friends, rose to the occasion and made a positive contribution to her well being.

My hope and wish is that we would become a link of people connected by love to represent the human rainbow in making this world we live in a happier place, in anyway we are able to contribute positively to the people who need it and to our environment. Imagine being able to create rainbows in people’s lives! We could literally be creating miracles by simply writing an encouraging note to someone. I know of a few stories where inspirational quotes/messages have actually changed some people’s lives to a very positive outcome. That’s why I think everybody should have a rainbow connection! Wouldn't you want one? What are your dreams, wishes and hopes? Tell me or a friend about it. You are most welcome to share your stories and thoughts here.

I love you and I thank you for being a part of my life.

L0ve always, Shareen.

The Answer is Love!

Peace and Love

Peace is the Journey and Love is the Destination. Wishing you Peace, Love and Happiness Always!

Social Change for a Happier World

Hi... I love making people happy and love working on projects that make people feel better about themselves and the world. That is why I have created the Rainbow Movement and I would love for you to join in this movement. It's free and anyone can join in to make a difference. Let's co-create happiness for all! Wishing you lots of love and happiness, Shareen.