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Daily Steps To Mindful Living

Personal Growth

The Perfect Handshake: How to Shake Hands Like JFK and Make an Impression

Personal Growth, Spirit

JFK Shaking Hands
image thanks: jfklibrary.org

Did you know that John F. Kennedy commissioned an entire study to determine the most effective handshake? And with good reason! More than just a sign of friendship, your handshake speaks volumes about who you are as a person. A soft hand shake can indicate insecurity. A quick-to-let-go handshake can convey arrogance. Kennedy knew that he would be shaking hands with the world’s most powerful men and women and as such he wanted to get it right. We should endeavor to do the same.

In this post I am going to give you a few tips on how to shake hands like JFK. We all know that first impressions last and it is often your handshake that makes the first impression.

The origins of the handshake?


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As with most human behaviors, the origins of the handshake seems to predate recorded history. We can never know for certain where the handshake originated or why people started doing it. However, there are a few plausible theories.

The most widely accepted theory is that hand shaking originated in medieval Europe where knights would extend their hand to other knights in order to show that they had no weapons hidden or concealed behind their back. This seems to fit quite nicely with the modern version of a handshake – two people using one single gesture to convey friendship, openness and non-harming.

Regardless of its origins, the handshake has become a solid part of modern life and culture. People of all races, shapes, sizes and status use the handshake as a way to greet a person, make an agreement or say goodbye.

Why is our handshake so important?

As I mentioned earlier, the way you shake hands speaks volumes about who you are as a person. For some people a handshake is just a useless formality but to others it is a massive indication of a person’s depth of character, trustworthiness and strength. When you shake hands with a person you are doing much more than saying “hello”. You are saying “this is who I am“.

Imagine a leader like John F. Kennedy who was in power during a time of worldwide nuclear uncertainty. A weak handshake with a Cuban or Soviet dignitary could create great problems for the United States as a whole. A strong handshake, on the other hand, could convey confidence, stability and trustworthiness and open up new dialogues and friendships between leaders that have long been opponents.

If you are a business person your handshake can be the maker or breaker of a big contract or deal. If you are a doctor or health care provider your handshake can fill a patient with confidence and trust. It is extremely important for all people, regardless of your race or way of life, to learn how to shake hands with meaning.

The handshake that lost an election

In 2004 there was a big election in Australia. The current Prime Minster was John Howard and he had lost a lot of public trust after agreeing to follow Bush into Iraq and Afghanistan. Many people thought he was going to lose the election after being in office for years.

His political opponent in the election was a newcomer on the scene called Mark Latham. He had injected a bit of vitality into the opposition party and local political commentators thought he had a good shot at getting into power.

But one handshake ruined it all. [Read more…] about The Perfect Handshake: How to Shake Hands Like JFK and Make an Impression

Originally posted on December 27, 2008 @ 4:26 am

How to Become the Happiest Person You Know

Inspiration, Personal Growth, Spirit


Creative Commons License photo credit: iMorpheus

Have you ever met one of those people that just ooze happiness? They are amazing company and they often command the attention of everybody in the vicinity. Being around them even makes you feel happier – it’s as if their peace of mind is contagious. What a wonderful gift that they have to give!

Well, believe it or not, happiness is not reserved for an elite few. It is the innate potential of every human being. In this post I want to show you how to become the happiest person you know. It’s really not that hard.

Remember how to enjoy life’s simple pleasures


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Cast your mind back to when you were a preschooler. Everything was fascinating. Bugs that crawled along the ground grabbed your attention and made your giggle with glee. The rain that fell from the sky was not a cause for rush or despair – it made you drop what you were doing, throw some gumboots on and rush out to splash in some muddy puddles. And every person that you met was interesting – a new story to connect with, a new friend to be made or a new clubhouse member to battle with.

The happiest people are those that enjoy life’s simple pleasures. They do not long for amazing mansions and fast cars. They do not need a $50 bottle of wine with dinner to feel relaxed. Their happiness’s in life come easy and frequently.

The yogi with no home or money
Take the example of Milarepa, Tibet’s greatest ever yogi. He lived in caves, ate simple foods and wore only a single white cloth. But he was one of the happiest people that ever lived. His thousands of songs are characterized by an amazing love of life and joy for everything that he encounters. He had no money or home but he was happy. He often commented to his students that he didn’t want money or nice things because then he would spend too much time worrying about maintaining and protecting them. Instead he opted for a cave in the mountains, sunshine on his face and wind in his hair.

Now we do not need to sell our homes and retreat into the woods to be as happy as Milarepa. But we do need to start enjoying the simple things in life. It is extremely important to realize that you don’t NEED anything to be happy other than a roof over your head, a meal to eat and a place to sleep. The rest is a bonus. If you want to be the happiest person you know start getting back to life’s simple pleasures.

Get simple, once a week
One way you can do this is allot a few hours of the week to doing something simple. Go for a walk in the forest or hike up a hill just to see the view. Find some natural ways to marvel at the many things in life that are causes for being happy. In the words of my fourth grade art teacher – keep it simple stupid. Here are some ideas:

  • walk along the beach with your feet in the water
  • go for a bike ride down a hill
  • play some sport with a friend or relative
  • read a classic book or poem
  • meditate on compassion
  • cook a simple meal and enjoy it outdoors
  • take your dog out to meet some other dogs
  • find a clean natural lake to swim in
  • build your spouse a gift from hand

Get truly interested in other people’s happiness


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One of the first things you will notice about happy people is that they are more interested in your your happiness than they are in their own. They truly want you to be happy and they are truly upset when they are not. Let me tell you a story about this.

A story of the Dalai Lama
Many years ago in India I heard a story about someone who had asked a Buddhist master how to tell if someone was a realized person or not. The person was told that a real master is only concerned with other people’s welfare. And he gave the example of the Dalai Lama. He said that if you watched the Dalai Lama carefully when he traveled around the world you would notice that he looked at every person that came into his line of sight. He never ignored anyone. He would meet with all people – high or low, rich or poor, sick or healthy – and be truly interested in how they were. And he never put his own needs before others, even when he was unwell. Finally the master remarked that this was one of the 21 signs of a truly enlightened person – a Buddha.

Proof
The world’s happiest people are truly concerned with the happiness of others. They understand that, in order to be happy yourself, you have to want other people to be happy. It is not enough to seek one’s own happiness, you have to help others. If you want proof of this fact take a look at the next happy person that you meet. Watch how they interact with others. Watch the way they listen to other people’s complaints without needing to share their own. Watch the way they ask genuine questions about the person’s life or health. They spend very little time talking about themselves. Mostly because they aren’t interested.

We should all try to emulate the examples of the Dalai Lama given above. When you meet people in the street smile at them, notice them. When you are introduced to a person at a party try to be interested in their story instead of just wanting to share your own. When you start really becoming interested in the happiness of others you will find that you yourself become a happier person. This is the type of happiness that is infectious.

Don’t let life’s worries blow you around


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I truly believe that you learn the most about a person when the chips are down. Everyone is nice and happy and charming when the sun is shining and the birds are chirping. But when the chips are down you see a person’s true character come out. And happy people do extremely well when the chips are down.

Most people get really blown around by life’s worries. Money, mortgages, work, family… it all takes a big toll on them. The stress builds up and up and up until they cannot take anymore. They snap at their family members, get angry with their work colleagues and live their life in an extremely moody and unsettled way. IT is very sad.

Happiness amongst stress
Happy people, on the other hand, do not let life’s worries get them down. They still have the same worries as you and me but they do not allow them to affect their happiness too much. This is a fantastic skill to have in life – the realization that one can still be happy amongst life’s crap.

Think about that for a second: you can be happy amongst life’s stress, sickness and heartache. You can live a very stressful life and still be happy.

The reason this is possible is because happiness comes from within. It does not come from without. I recently gave the example of someone who is having an extremely bad day; even though they might be doing something fun like going to the movies or eating with friends they perceive everything as negative because they are in a bad mood. On the other hand, someone who is happy could be in a bad situation like a traffic jam and feel completely at ease. This shows us that happiness comes from the mind, from within.

How to do it
The key to being happy amongst life stresses is to simply become aware of it. Awareness is the key here. If you become aware of the fact that your mind is getting agitated you will be able to catch it before the emotions become too powerful.

For example, if you are in a traffic jam and you are late for work you might start to notice your mind getting angry at the car in front of you. As you become aware of these thoughts you can apply an antidote like this:

“Getting angry isn’t going to help me move any faster. All it will do is make this situation worse for me. So I am not going to get angry. There is no point.”

Mental antidotes like this use logic to overcome useless emotions. It is a great way to develop happiness because, most of the time, it is illogical not to be happy!

Become an independent soul


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The last thing I want to mention is the fact that most happy people are extremely independent individuals. Sure, they love other people and want them to be happy but they do not rely on anyone else to make them happy.

Being alone but not lonely
A few weeks ago I wrote a post called Loneliness vs Aloneness: Lessons from a solitary mountain retreat which talked about how to be alone but not lonely. The post seemed to hit a chord with a few readers – many of them saying that “alone time” was extremely important to them. I think we can take it one step further and say that “alone time” is extremely important for your happiness in general.

The reason for this is simple: when you are left alone you are also left alone with your neurosis. You are forced to deal with all the crap in your head and, after a while, if your are lucky, you come out of that alone time knowing yourself a lot better. You learn how to deal with all the voices in your head and you are no longer afraid to be alone with yourself.

Happy people are not afraid to be alone. In fact, they like it. Happy people are independent people because they do not rely out outsiders to make them feel good. They very rarely need to be entertained or reassured by their friends. Sure, they enjoy themselves when they do go out but they would be just as happy at home with a book.

Standing up for yourself
The other thing you notice about happy people is that they do not often compromise on who they are and what they believe in. If their friends are doing something they don’t agree with they have enough strength to walk away.

This ability to stand up for yourself is a massive part of being independent and it is a massive part of being an adult. When your family or in-laws or workmates are trying to impose their “crap” on your life you are strong enough to stand up for them. It is quite rare to see a truly happy person in a situation they don’t want to be in. But, if they do get into a negative situation they handle themselves honorably and deal with people patiently and with compassion.

Conclusion

Happiness is not something that happens overnight. It is not something that will happen by the end of the month or maybe even the end of the year. It takes work. It takes mental training and discipline. But, if you follow these simple steps and try to be kinder, more friendly and more tolerant you will start to notice happiness creeping in to your life.

Originally posted on December 15, 2008 @ 8:13 am

5 Habits That Help Cultivate Greatness

Inspiration, Personal Growth, Spirit

Muhummad Ali

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit.” – Aristotle

Do your daily habits affect how successful you are in life? You bet they do. Can you change your habits and point you life in the direction of greatness? Absolutely. Here are 5 habits that will help you cultivate greatness.

Habit 1: Wake up early

I can not think of a single great person in the course of history who did not rise early to work on their art. Waking up early is one of the hardest habits you will ever attempt to develop but if you are successful you will reap tremendous benefits.


Creative Commons License photo credit: -RejiK

Some successful people throughout history who have woken up early include:

  • the Dalai Lama
  • Gandhi
  • Aristotle
  • Sir Isaac Newton
  • Buddha
  • Barack Obama

Waking up early and links to a clear mind
What you will notice about the majority of the people on this list is that they are pioneers in critical thinking and inventiveness. One of the main benefits of rising early is that you have an increased clarity of mind. Your faculties are sharper and you will be much more productive. Add this with the fact that by waking up early you will have more time to work on your goals and you have a pretty successful formula.

How to wake up early
So how do you wake up early? I have written entire posts on waking up early and some tips for waking up fresh but I will give you a basic overview. The main points to remember are:

  • Go to bed at the same time
    It is not so important to go to bed early. What you really need to focus on is going to bed at the same time each night. Remember, waking up early is a habit and we create habits by repetition. Let your body settle into the routine and go to bed at the same time each night.
  • Wake up at the same time
    For all the reasons above, you need to wake up at the same time. Waking up at the same time is even more important than going to bed at the same time as this is the part of the habit that you are affecting the most. Even if you cannot get to bed at your proper bed time try to still get up at the same time.
  • Make a strong vow
    If you only have some vague idea that you are going to get up early you never will. You need to sit down and figure out exactly why you are getting up early and take a personal vow to stick to that time. Only with a strong motivation will you be successful.
  • Avoid coffee, wine and chocolate at night
    These three foods are said to be the worst thing you can have before bed. Why? Because they are all stomach irritants that cause you to have a restless sleep. If your sleep is restless you will be less likely to wake up in the morning because you are way too tired.
  • Exercise in the morning or at night
    Fitter people are more able to get out of bed at the crack of dawn. And what’s more, if you exercise before bed you go to sleep quite relaxed and full of endorphins. This will send you straight into a deep sleep and you will wake feeling refreshed and alive.
  • Get out of bed as soon as you’re aware
    As soon as your awareness comes back to your mind it is really important to jump up and get out of bed straight away. If you take too long your awareness will shift towards how beautifully comfortable you are under those sheets and blankets and you will have missed your chance!
  • Recognize the opportunity
    I am a big fan of using logical arguments to improve your lifestyle. For me, waking up early is a gift not to be squandered. We only get a few short years on this planet. I for one do not want to waste them sleeping in. I just don’t see the point.

Waking up early is the first habit you should try to develop. It is one daily habit that will directly impact the quality of your life and how much you are able to achieve. If greatness is your goal – be it in sport, business, spirituality, etc. – then rising early should become your new secret weapon. [Read more…] about 5 Habits That Help Cultivate Greatness

Originally posted on December 8, 2008 @ 2:39 pm

Why Your Education Must Not End When School Does

Personal Growth, Spirit


Creative Commons License photo credit: Mickey_P

Education is the best provision for the journey to old age. – Aristotle.

Most of us go to primary school, high school and then college. After that we dive in to a job where we maybe spend a few years getting educated on the ins and outs of the business. But the latter half of this education is very limited. It is centered around one or two topics. And I think that is very sad. And what is even sadder is the fact that most of us stop studying after a certain point in life.

In this post I want to show you a few reasons why I think your education must not begin and end with school. I truly believe that education should continue well into the last years of your life and it should be based around a wide and vast array of topics and theories.

Warning: this post contains a lot of opinionated ranting.

The basic education and its limitations

In the majority of western countries we are lucky enough to get a pretty good education. In most nations it is a legal obligation to send your children to school and as such we get a good level of rudimentary learning. And then, as I mentioned, most of us go to college. We study an area that we are interested in and then we move on to a job in that area.

And then the study stops.

Ask yourself this question: when was the last time you read a book because you were interested in it or because it had some practical application to your life? I am not talking about fiction novels here, I am talking about going to the library and finding a book on a topic that you find fascinating and reading it just because you want to learn more?

I am guessing it has been a long time.

99% of people are only educated in the basics like history, maths and English. We have a little bit of knowledge in science and then maybe we have touched on drama, art, economics, business or philosophy. But we do not know these topics very well. In fact, our knowledge only covers the bare essentials and does not go deep enough to allow us to have new insights or helpful understandings. All we have are the basics.

And now for the major limitation of a basic western education: it is rote learned. I remember sitting my exams in college – I got excellent grades because, for some reason, my mind was able to rote learn many different things. I could memorize almost whole texts by just reading them a few times. But I rarely understood the concepts. If someone asked me to recite a certain definition I could do it easily. But if someone asked me to explain how a certain concept applied to their situation I would get a blank look on my face and just stare at them.

I think this comes from a mixture of a few factors. Firstly, I never found school particularly challenging or interesting and as such I just learned the basics to get passed. Secondly, I never had truly remarkable teachers that motivated and pushed me. They signed on at 9 and clocked out at 5. That was it. Finally, I found that the methods of grading in western schools (tests and exams) were usually based around rote learning rather than penetrating insight. And so I stuck to it.

What a shame. [Read more…] about Why Your Education Must Not End When School Does

Originally posted on November 21, 2008 @ 9:08 am

Think for Yourself: Why Being a Conformist in Life is Dangerous

Inspiration, Personal Growth, Spirit

“Humanity’s most valuable assets have been the non-conformists. Were it not for the non-conformists, he who refuses to be satisfied to go along with the continuance of things as they are, and insists upon attempting to find new ways of bettering things, the world would have known little progress, indeed.” – John Kenneth Galbraith

Are you a Republican because everyone else in your family is? Did you go to college because all your friends were going to college? What about your job? Did you become an accountant or lawyer because that was what was expected of you? What about religion? That’s a tricky one. Are you a Christian or a Muslim or a Hindu just because your parents were? Are you happy with those decisions?

Well I’d like to put it to you that sheep-like beliefs are dangerous. Conformity is dangerous. It is dangerous for our society and it is dangerous for your happiness. In this post I am going to talk about why you need to learn to think for yourself if you want to be truly happy.

What is conformity?

Conformity is a process by which a person’s attitudes and beliefs become influenced by other people. It can be something that happens quite openly like peer pressure or it can be a more subtle influence that takes place over a number of years. The result is that you end up behaving like everybody else. That is why it is called being a sheep.

How sheep-like are you?

As you sit there reading this post you might think that you are pretty free, independent and that you don’t let other people’s beliefs influence you. You might be right. However, conformity can be extremely subtle and you might not notice how influenced you have become. Here are some ways in which you might conform without realizing:

  • the way you eat food
  • your manners
  • the way you drive your car
  • the type of music you like
  • the news channel you watch
  • the religion you practice
  • the political party you vote for
  • the job you have

What do you think? Are you a conformist in any way? I am betting that everyone here drives on the correct side of the road! And that is a good thing. You should continue to drive on the correct side of the road. That is a good type of conformity. Not all conformity is dangerous. But it does prove that you have, in some ways, become a conformist. Perhaps now you are open to the possibility that you conform in other more dangerous ways.

Why being a conformist is dangerous

Go on. Admit it. There are some things you do in life only because everyone else is doing it. Human beings are pack animals. They like to be in a group and they like to be like other people in that group. Being different is not seen as a good thing because it is threatening. And so we conform. We try to be like everyone else.

And here is why that is dangerous: because critical thinking goes out the window. Logic goes out the window. We don’t stop and think about what we are doing because everyone else is doing it. We forget to question whether it is right or wrong and we just follow the other sheep.

Take the example of religious extremists. These people have conformed to a particular ideal out of fear and they accept their cause based on blind faith. They do not analyze or use critical thought to come to a logical conclusion. This is extremely dangerous for society because these people are so open to negative influence. They will follow instructions without question and carry out horrible acts in the name of conformity.

Much religious sectarianism, racism, political hatred, violence and even war would be avoided if people would only think for themselves. I truly believe this.

Why being a conformist makes you unhappy


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Now let’s take a look at something a little closer to home. I believe that one reason many people are unhappy in their day to day lives is because they have spent so many years conforming to an ideal that they don’t particularly agree with.

The classic example is a young kid who wants to be an artist or novelist but, at the instruction of his parents, goes to college instead to get a Degree in Law or Business. The kid has taken the so-called “right track” but has never really pursued anything that he is really interested in. He is conforming to his parent’s wishes.

We do this all the time. We conform to things because other people want us to. We are afraid to think for ourselves and we are afraid to be different. It is very sad. Instead of setting up our own business we get a 9 to 5. Instead of traveling the world after high school we go straight to college. We seem to live our whole lives in the gray area – the area that is neither here nor there but feels good because everyone else is doing it.

Why we need to think for ourselves

One of the most important things the Buddha ever said was this:

“As the wise test gold by burning, cutting and rubbing it, So, students, should you accept my words – after testing them, and not merely out of respect.” – the Buddha

He is introducing critical thinking into his religion. Here the Buddha is saying that it is not enough just to have faith in something because a priest or great person said so. You must use your own intelligence and critical analysis to decide for yourself if this great person is speaking something factual. It is a more scientific approach to life.

If we want to be happy in this world, and if we want to create a more peaceful place for our children, we need to start thinking for ourselves. We need to question, ponder and analyze the world around us. Do not accept things because your family or priest or political leader told you to. Do not accept things because your friends do it. And, perhaps most importantly, don’t accept things because the media says it is the truth. You need to question in order to find the truth. And when you find the truth suffering and hatred dissipates.

Do it before it is too late

There is a great song by John Mayer called No Such Thing and in that song he sings about how he is so happy that he just realized there is no such thing as “the real world”. He is so happy that he has just realized that he doesn’t have to take the “so-called right track” and he is free to blaze his own trail. There is one line in that song that always hits me hard. He says:

“And all of our parents
They’re getting older
I wonder if they’ve wished for anything better
While in their memories
Tiny tragedies

They love to tell you
Stay inside the lines
But something’s better
On the other side.”

– John Mayer, No Such Thing.

Start thinking for yourself today. Don’t wait till you are old and frail to realize that you have spent your entire life doing what everyone else wanted you to do. It is time to follow your passions. It is time to get out and make a difference in your life and in the lives of others. Question the world around you. Question your own life. And question why you do what you do.

Conforming never brought about anything but mediocrity and dangerous blind people.

Originally posted on November 11, 2008 @ 6:00 am

The Art of Forgiveness: How to Learn to Forgive Yourself and Others

Healing, Personal Growth, Spirit


Creative Commons License photo credit: Magagggie

Last night I curled up on the couch with a blanket and a coffee and watched a movie called Kite Runner. This film is set in Afghanistan and is about two best friends who end up parting ways due to the war and a terrible incident that occurs between them. Many years go by and finally one of the friends is presented with an opportunity to redeem himself and win his childhood companion’s forgiveness. The story that ensues is one of the most heartbreaking, honest and beautiful stories that I have ever had the pleasure of watching. I am not ashamed to admit that I cried my eyes out at the end of this one.

One of the main themes in Kite Runner is forgiveness. Forgiving others for what what they have done to you and forgiving yourself for mistakes you have made. Inspired by this touching story I decided to write a few thoughts about how you can learn the art of forgiveness.

NOTE – this is not a religious post. Forgiveness, like ethics in general, is not something that should be limited to those who go to church. This post has practical and meaningful applications for every one of us.

Giving forgiveness a chance

Forgiveness is a tricky subject that is hard for many people to approach. I know that one of my family members is completely shut off to the idea of forgiveness, especially when the recipient is my father. Sometimes pain and hatred get in the way of more helpful solutions like forgiving and moving on.

If you feel like you might be one of those people who don’t “believe” in forgiveness I ask that you read on and see if any of these points hit home for you. I used to be like you. I found it extremely hard to forgive people who had hurt me. But my attitudes changed when I saw some concrete evidence that showed me that I would be happier if I gave forgiveness a chance.

I ask that you give it a chance too.

How forgiving are you really?

Many of you might think that you are already pretty forgiving people. I know a lot of my readers are extremely loving people who are excited about self-development and helping others. But are you that forgiving? Let’s see.

Here is a list of a few people you might have forgiven, and a few you might not have. Some of them have made some small mistakes, others have caused terrible harm. How many (if any) have you forgiven:

  • Your father
  • Your mother
  • A teacher that embarrassed you in school
  • Your political leaders
  • Osama Bin Laden
  • The guy who cut you off in traffic
  • A guy you got in a fight with
  • Yourself

This might seem silly but sometimes it is easier to forgive someone for a big thing like killing your friend in a car accident than it is the guy who deliberately cut you off in traffic. Why? Because you can see the former person’s remorse. You want to forgive them. You don’t want to forgive the person who doesn’t care a less whether you are happy or sad. You really don’t like that person.

Other people might find it easier to forgive the guy who cut you off in traffic than the guy who crashed in to the twin towers in New York. After all, those people killed thousands of innocent human beings. Why the f%&k should we forgive them.

You might be right. Maybe we shouldn’t. All I am asking is for you to take a look inside and ask, “how forgiving am I really? Do I always forgive, or only some of the time?”

Why we should learn the art of forgiveness


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So why should we learn to forgive those who have done us wrong? Why should we give them a second chance? There are many philosophical answers to this question but I want to tell you one practical reason that you might not have thought of: it is ruining your life.

A few years ago when I was in India listening to one of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s teachings he started talking about forgiveness. Now the Buddhist concept of forgiveness is very different to the Christian one. In Buddhism there is no God to pray to for forgiveness. There is just you and your mind and your relationship with other sentient beings. His Holiness started talking about how he thought it was kind of stupid to not forgive someone. My ears pricked up knowing that he would have something interesting to say about forgiveness after what had happened to his country.

The analogy he gave was very illuminating. He talked about how you might be angry at one of your enemies for something they did to you. You carry the anger around with you every day. You think of how horrible that person is and how you would love to get back at them for what they did. But while you are busy hating them hey have long forgotten about you and your issues. They are off enjoying life. They are moving on. But you are stuck. Stuck in a moment that happened long ago. And the only way for you to move on is to forgive them.

I think this is one of the best approaches to take if you do not like the idea of forgiving someone. Do it for yourself. If you don’t forgive that person it is going to be you that suffers. They don’t care. They have moved on. But you will be stuck in an angry place for a long time to come. This is the main reason why we should learn the art of forgiveness; to give ourselves a second chance at happiness.

How to forgive yourself and others

Now I want to give you a few strategies to help you learn how to forgive yourself and others. Not everything here is going to work for you. That’s fine. Just take what you think might work and apply it to your situation. [Read more…] about The Art of Forgiveness: How to Learn to Forgive Yourself and Others

Originally posted on October 20, 2008 @ 2:47 pm