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Introduction to articles on ... Philosophy of LifeToday, a thirty-four-year-old man hopped on a subway and headed to work, newspaper in one hand and Starbucks in the other. He rushed to his nine-to-five, collected a handsome paycheck, and then energetically explored the city's nightclubs, searching for something - the satisfaction of some inner desire he couldn't even name. Very few people consider what they are looking for in a life partner, so it's no surprise that they are only superficially conscious of their own existence. After all, who has time to reflect on a personal philosophy of life? And what would be the point? Does it actually affect anything of significance? Well, perhaps it affects more than you realize. Sadly, what the majority of people do the majority of every day does not lead to happiness. It leads only to a misperception of happiness: material possessions, titles, well-groomed children, and an ever-improving ability to play "The Game" we all started to learn in grade school. Therein lies the need to question your perception of reality ... your principles ... your very being. Understanding the basis of your beliefs defines the way you act and interact with others. It deepens your appreciation of what "is" and who you are, as well as what you have that is truly important. The quest for a fulfilled life is rooted in the understanding of one's own values. Once you have a firm philosophy of life planted in your mind, it can grow and flourish. In the articles below, you will be challenged to uncover the truth about yourself. And in doing so, perhaps you will also recognize how your perception of reality filters your perception of everything else in your life. By exploring the articles below, you will be provided with numerous opportunities to develop and clarify your own philosophy of life. Each new discovery will lead you to another.
ArticlesWhen you take an inventory of the traits you like most about yourself, is self-respect among them? For you to interact with others on more than a superficial level, you must first respect yourself. Find out why here: You — and every person on this planet — have a unique way of viewing life's events. It is possible to use other people's perceptions to your own advantage. If you are curious to know how, read this shrewd and entertaining article. What causes a person to make a decision that leads to self-destruction? Is it circumstances? Poverty? Fame? Delve into this extraordinary three-part study about lives on the edge and what each of us should do in response.
Failure can often be paralyzing. Unfortunately, refusing to take action can result in lost revenue, a lost relationship, lost customers — failure. How can you move toward success in spite of your fears? Let this article be your guide: When you understand who you are and what you are capable of accomplishing, there is no end to your potential. The one key element to succeeding at whatever it is you attempt can be found in this first of two articles: This second article focuses on what happens when we do not make responsible choices in our lives: There are so many ways that words can be misinterpreted. Using caution is not only recommended, but essential. In this article, find out what can happen when things don't go well. This is a message everyone should read. We are not obliged to give those around us as much control as we do. Find out what you can do to maintain your personal power under all circumstances. Finding meaning in life is perhaps the most important factor in achieving happiness. Having a purpose gives you passion, and passion gives you the strength to overcome obstacles rather than succumb to them. Action is the key to making positive changes in your life. Learn four important reasons why action begets results. More often than not, the nightly news resembles a stand-up comedy routine. There's a big difference between what the media consider to be newsworthy and what really is. The "news" you see on television is not only tainted and twisted, it is often totally devoid of truth. The only good reason to watch it is for its entertainment value. Is the evolution of mankind part of a grand plan ... or the result of a series of random events? Attempting to reconcile the contradiction between free will and predestination brings forth a multitude of questions. There are pros and cons to spontaneity. Find out why the cons almost always outweigh the pros. No matter how smart or successful we are, in the end, life is a series of unanswered questions. And when the question involves a life or death situation, you have to wonder why you survived. Was it Fate? Divine intervention? Or something else? Abortion is, without question, the most divisive issue in our very divided country. And for millions of women, it's become their sole political issue: You’re either for it or you’re against it. And if you're against it, you’re the enemy. End of discussion. More than fifty years ago, the legendary Dale Carnegie wrote one of the biggest-selling motivational books of all time, How to Stop Worrying and Start Living. The book is a bit dated now, both in writing style and content, but many of the points Carnegie made are still applicable. Rules No. 1 and 2 are as basic as you can get. Why? Because unhealthy people tend to perform at a sub-par level, and low-level performance does not lead to success. It all starts with making good choices. As to staying alive, dead people don't perform at all. Prominently displayed in the main hallway of my son's school is a large sign that lists "Life's Rational Rules of the World." There are twelve altogether, and the first rule on the list reads: "The world is not always fair." From the first time I saw that sign, I was impressed with the school. What a great truism to emphasize to children, because throughout their lives, they will continually be confronted by injustice, by the fact that life is not fair. "When's the karma going to kick in for Charles Rangel, Barney Frank, the Clintons, and all of the other guys who seem to be able to escape the consequences of their actions?" To that I would answer, be patient and watch as their lives unfold in the coming years. Remember, it hasn't been that long ago that we were asking the same question about O.J. If you're really serious about the proposition that time is money, you need to come to grips with the reality that the key ingredient for converting time into money is self-discipline. Will Durant listed what he believed to be the most important developments of man's "climb from savage to scientist," which I would refer to as "macro progress." Take a look... Gerry Spence, whose ideology makes my hair stand on end (Not an easy trick, even for him!), also happens to be, in my opinion, one of the most brilliant writers of our time. In fact, he's the only writer I've ever known who can totally captivate me while writing something with which I totally disagree. His phraseology is that of a master craftsman. In his book Seven Simple Steps to Personal Freedom, Spence alludes to political correctness as follows: ... Regardless of your age, you've probably seen what is arguably the best and most successful cult film of all time, The Graduate. Today, with oversexed, deranged female teachers playing out the role of Mrs. Robinson with increasing frequency, it can't help but bring back memories of the film that launched Dustin Hoffman's career back in 1967. If you don't have a computer backup system in place, heed what I have to say. If I've learned anything at all about life, it's that disasters really do occur. I've always been amazed at how most people live their lives on the assumption that worst-case scenarios haven't yet been invented. I've come to the conclusion that children, job, lack of time, and other frazzling issues that most of us have to deal with are not the underlying causes of stress. Rather, I am convinced that stress is a self-imposed mental state. Compound interest, however, can accrue on things other than money. When I was a very young man, I observed that I almost always ended up paying considerably more for a "wrong" action than what I had hoped to gain from it. When all is said and done, no one can say with certainty whether or not an abstract phenomenon such as karma is at work in our universe. But why tempt fate and run the risk of finding out the hard way that it is? I've come to the conclusion that children, job, lack of time, and other frazzling issues that most of us have to deal with are not the underlying causes of stress. Rather, I am convinced that stress is a self-imposed mental state. The real key to conquering stress is self-examination — continual, honest self-examination regarding the harmony and disharmony in your life. If you excessively dwell on bad things that might happen in your life — medical or otherwise — you only succeed in increasing the chances of their actually happening — through the power of the mind. Learn to take life one wave at a time. Focusing on the Natural Law of Balance will bring an abundance of peace and tranquility into your life. It is not events that shape your world, it is your thought processes. When you learn to control your thoughts, you establish the boundaries of negative influences upon your life. Most of the things people worry about never even come to pass. Or, if they do, they end up being not nearly as bad as envisioned. Even better, some of the most ominous circumstances often turn out to be nothing more than disguises for great opportunities. So, don't worry. I use the term "active visualization" to describe the conscious attempt to influence the outcome of events by vividly picturing those outcomes in advance. This is a very powerful concept that can produce truly amazing results for the person who is willing to concentrate with intensity. I guess if an individual chooses not to believe that there is a Universal Intelligence ("God," "Conscious Universal Power Source," "the Universe," "Supreme Being," etc.), there's nothing wrong with that — provided he doesn't try to interfere with the rights of others to connect in their own way. There is an interesting twist to oppression. It's a cloud with a silver lining. In virtually all cases, the oppressed eventually escape or overthrow their oppressors and, quite often, begin life anew on a higher plane than before their oppression began. A loser is somebody who quits. If you never quit, you never lose. Just be sure to keep in mind Robert Kiyosaki's warning that people who avoid failure also avoid success. And, above all, remember that there's a lot more to success than just bean counting. If you have love and good health, you're already successful. If you haven't yet seen Valkyrie, the Tom Cruise film about the best-known of the fifteen or so plots to kill Adolf Hitler, it's worth the general discomfort of a trip to your nearby overpriced popcorn and candy store (a.k.a. "theater"). Better yet, you can wait a few weeks, get it on DVD, and make your own popcorn. On a personal level — i.e., government and politics aside — the Valkyrie story is yet another reminder that it's much more important to be loyal to your principles than to be popular. Truth and popularity, in fact, are all too often at odds with one another. It was just another reminder of one of life's harshest realities: No one, no matter how rich or famous, escapes the tragedies inherent in human existence. The only thing different about tragedy in the life of a high-profile person is that it feels close to home to the rest of us. That's because, in a vicarious way, we feel like we know that individual on a personal level. Go to top of "Philosophy of Life" Copyright © 2010 Tortoise Press, Inc. All Rights Reserved. • Privacy Policy • White Listing |
