Now, who ever said history is boring?!?

Whoever said History is boring ......

1500s England :
Most people got married in June because they took their yearly bath in May, and they still smelled pretty good by June.....However, since they were starting to smell, Brides carried a bouquet of flowers to hide the body odor. Hence the custom today of carrying a bouquet when getting Married. 😃

Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water. The man of the house had the privilege of the nice clean water, then all the other sons and men, then the women and finally the children. Last of all the babies. By then the water was so dirty you could actually lose someone in it.. Hence the saying, "Don't throw the baby out with the Bath water!"😳

Houses had thatched roofs-thick straw-piled high, with no wood underneath. It was the only place for animals to get warm, so all the cats and other small animals (mice, bugs) lived in the roof. When it rained it became slippery and sometimes the animals would slip and fall off the roof....Hence the saying "It's raining cats and dogs."😉

There was nothing to stop things from falling into the house. This posed a real problem in the bedroom where bugs and other droppings could mess up your nice clean bed. Hence, a bed with big posts and a sheet hung over the top afforded some protection. That's how canopy beds came into existence.☺

The floor was dirt. Only the wealthy had something other than dirt. Hence the saying, "Dirt poor."The wealthy had slate floors that would get slippery in the winter when wet, so they spread thresh (straw) on floor to help keep their footing. As the winter wore on, they added more thresh until, when you opened the door, it would all start slipping outside. A piece of wood was placed in the entrance-way. Hence: a thresh hold.🤔

In those old days, they cooked in the kitchen with a big kettle that always hung over the fire.. Every day they lit the fire and added things to the pot. They ate mostly vegetables and did not get much meat. They would eat the stew for dinner, leaving leftovers in the pot to get cold overnight and then start over the next day. Sometimes stew had food in it that had been there for quite a while. Hence the rhyme: Peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold, peas porridge in the pot nine days old.🤣

Sometimes they could obtain pork, which made them feel quite special. When visitors came over, they would hang up their bacon to show off. It was a sign of wealth that a man could, "bring home the bacon."😁

They would cut off a little to share with guests and would all sit around and chew the fat.Those with money had plates made of pewter. Food with high acid content caused some of the lead to leach onto the food, causing lead poisoning death. This happened most often with tomatoes, so for the next 400 years or so, tomatoes were considered poisonous.🧐

Bread was divided according to status. Workers got the burnt bottom of the loaf, the family got the middle, and guests got the top, or the upper crust.😎

Lead cups were used to drink ale or whisky. The combination would Sometimes knock the imbibers out for a couple of days. Someone walking along the road would take them for dead and prepare them for burial.. They were laid out on the kitchen table for a couple of days and the family would gather around and eat and drink and wait and see if they would wake up. Hence the custom of holding a wake.😜

England is old and small and the local folks started running out of places to bury people. So they would dig up coffins and would take the bones to a bone-house, and reuse the grave. When reopening these coffins, 1 out of 25 coffins were found to have scratch marks on the inside and they realized they had been burying people alive... So they would tie a string on the wrist of the corpse, lead it through the coffin and up through the ground and tie it to a bell. Someone would have to sit out in the graveyard all night (the graveyard shift.) to listen for the bell; thus, someone could be, saved by the bell or was considered a dead ringer.🤪

Now, whoever said History was boring???

( An interesting forward)

Tulsi-The holy Basil...

Tulsi ~ holy basil
 The tulsi leaf has great medicinal value and is used to cure various ailments,including the common cold.
 It symbolises,
 1) Kalyani - Normally poisonous snakes and mosquitos do not come close to it due to some smell that it emits. That explains why it is a must in every house. The leaves as well roots are a cure for several diseases like malaria, cold, fever. The wood of this plant is used for Mala, ie a rosary for worship of Lord Vishnu and when worn in the neck it prevents diseases of the throat.
 2) Visnu Priye - Tulsi has been described as the beloved of Lord Vishnu since he is the creator and Tulsi helps the health of human beings and animals, prevents soil erosion.
 3) Moksha - prada - By keeping the body healthy, it keeps the mind healthy and free of worries enabling us to concentrate on worship of the Ultimate Reality in comfort.

Tulsi, along with all other species of basil, possesses remarkable physical and spiritually healing properties, as author Stephen P. Huyler summarizes, "Aside from its religious merits, Tulsi has been praised in Indian scriptures and lore since the time of the early Vedas as a herb that cures blood and skin diseases.

Ancient treatises extol it as an antidote for poisons, a curative for kidney disease and arthritis, a preventative for mosquito and insect bites, and a purifier of polluted air. Generally prepared in medicinal teas and poultices, Tulsi's widespread contemporary use in India as an aid to internal and external organs suggests these traditions are based upon practical efficacy." One finds descriptions of basil's health benefits in any of the books on herbs and ayurveda readily available today.

Tulsi is also extensively used to maintain ritual purity, to purify if polluted and to ward off evil. A leaf is kept in the mouth of the dying to insure passage to heavenly realms. During an eclipse, leaves are ingested and also placed in cooked food and stored water to ward off psychic pollution. Funeral pyres often contain tulsi wood to protect the spirit of the dead--as Bhutagni, destroyer of demons. tulsi leaves and sprigs are hung in the entryways of homes to keep away troublesome spirits, and the mere presence of the Tulsi shrine is said to keep the entire home pure, peaceful and harmonious.

What Indian advertisements taught me ???

What Indian advertisements taught me ??? Seriously ...

1. Kareena has dandruff problem, Katrina has dry hair problem, Shilpa has hairfall problem.

2. If you've a beautiful wife, make sure your neighbor doesn't use a deodorant in your absence.

3. Your complexion is more important than your qualifications.

4. If there is no salt in your kitchen you can use Toothpaste.

5. Every second oral care brand is No.1 and recommended by every dentist in India!!!

6. If your daughter is not Ready to Get married, take her to a jewelry/textile shop.

7. Only reason why men use deodorant is to get girls.

8. Most colas cure all kinds of phobias. You will be close to a superman, if you drink these regularly!!

9. All superstars are so poor that they prefer to risk life for a cool drink than to purchase it for Rs10!

10. The special effects in shampoo advertisements are greater than special effects in Avatar!

11. Fruit content in shampoo and soap is more than fruit content in 99% of juices.

12. Amul has better satirical cartoonists than people who make better milk products.

13. Most people buy vehicles to travel in bad roads but complain about roads in India.

14. You can't eat Dairy Milk Silk without spreading it all over your face.

15. Nobody uses motorbikes for commuting, its only to pick up girls.

16. All soaps kill 99.9% of germs.

17. People believe that Bacardi makes music CD's and Directors special/Kingfisher make mineral water.

18. The only thing mothers and daughters talk to each other is usually about hair oil.

19. No matter what kind of expert one is, he'll always wear a white laboratory coat.

And, finally this

20.Mutualfundinvestmentsaresubjecttomarketriskspleasereadtheofferdocumentcarefullybeforeinvesting. (To be Read in one breath)

I tell you mmmmm

Childhood memories...mmmmm...

If you have tasted these healthy and easily available goodies in your school days....

Played in the hot sun without worrying about scraped knees and sunburns...

Had hoards of cousins and neighborhood kids to play with...

Had grandmas and aunts to fill you with homemade delicacies...

Feasted on local sweetmeats from little shops who did not know the meaning of sterility and still never fell sick....

Believed that you had a right to raid your neighbors' mango trees...

Never went to summer camps...

Learned swimming in the local village well or stream ....

Never spent lonely weekends before a t.v.screen or a video game....

You have had a rocking childhood.... 

What is maturity?

What is maturity?

1. Maturity is when you stop trying to change others, ...instead focus on changing yourself.

2. Maturity is when you
 accept people as they are.

3. Maturity is when you
understand everyone is right in their own perspective.

4. Maturity is when you
learn to "let go".

5. Maturity is when you are
 able to drop "expectations" from a relationship and give for the sake of giving.

6. Maturity is when you
understand whatever you do, you do for your own peace.

7. Maturity is when you stop proving to the world, how intelligent you are.

8. Maturity is when you don't seek approval from others.

9. Maturity is when you stop comparing with others.

10. Maturity is when you
are at peace with yourself.

11. Maturity is when you are able to differentiate between "need" and "want" and are able to let go of your wants.

& last but most meaningful !

12. You gain Maturity when you stop attaching "happiness" to material things !!

_Wishing all a happy matured life. 

The legend of Ambalappuzha Paalpayasam...

Legend of the Ambalappuzhaa Paal Paayasam

According to the legend, Lord Krishna once appeared in the form of a sage in the court of the king who ruled the region and challenged him for a game of chess (or Chaturanga). The king being a chess enthusiast himself gladly accepted the invitation. The prize had to be decided before the game and the king asked the sage to choose his prize in case he wins. The sage told the king that he had a very modest claim and being a man of few material needs, all he wished was a few grains of rice. The amount of rice itself shall be determined using the chess-board in the following manner. One grain of rice shall be placed in the first square, two grains in the second square, four in the third square, eight in the fourth square and so on. Every square will have double the number of grains of its predecessor.

Upon hearing the demand, the king was unhappy since the sage requested only a few grains of rice instead of other riches from the kingdom which the king would've been happy to donate. He requested the sage to add other items to his prize but the sage declined.

So the game of chess started and needless to say the king lost the game. It was time to pay the sage his agreed-upon prize. As he started adding grains of rice to the chess board, the king soon realised the true nature of the sage's demands. By the 20th square, the number had reached one-million grains of rice and by the 40th square, it became one-trillion. The royal granary soon ran out of grains of rice.

• The king realised that even if he provides all the rice in his kingdom and his adjacent kingdoms, he will never be able to fulfill the promised reward. The number of grains was increasing as a geometric progression and the total amount of rice required to fill a 64-squared chess board is (2^ (64) - 1 ), which is equal to 18446744073709551615 grains (about 18*10^18, or 18 billion billion grains). This amount of rice would weigh about 460*10^12 kg, 4.6*10^2 Pg (Peta grams), or 460 billion tonnes (1,000 grains of rice weigh about 25g). This amount of rice would also cover the surface of India two meters deep!

Upon seeing the dilemma, the sage appeared to the king in his true-form, that of lord Krishna. He told the king that he doesn't have to pay the debt immediately but can pay him over time. The king shall serve Paalpaayasam (made of rice) in the temple freely to the pilgrims every day until the debt is paid off.

And so it continues to this day.

The story of the real Santa Claus...

Watch this video to know

the story of the real Santa Claus...

Now you know Santa is not

 an imaginary character...

WISHING YOU ALL A MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!-

Wishing you all 

a merry

Christmas!!!

How to live a full and happy life...An 80 year old's advice

*ADVICE FROM AN 80 YEAR OLD MAN! IT IS A TRUE PRICELESS MASTER PIECE!*


*1.* Have a firm handshake.
*2.* Look people in the eye.
*3.* Sing in the shower.
*4.* Own a great stereo system. Music is life.
*5.* If in a fight, hit first and hit hard.
*6.* Don't expect life to be fair.
*7.* Never give up on anybody. Miracles happen everyday.
*8.* Always accept an outstretched hand.
*9.* Be brave. Even if you're not, pretend to be. No one can tell the difference.
*10.* Whistle.
*11.* Avoid sarcastic remarks.
*12.* Choose your life's mate carefully. From this one decision will come 90 per cent of all your happiness or misery ABSOLUTELY!.
*13.* Make it a habit to do nice things for people who will never find out.
*14.* Lend only those books you never care to see again.
*15.* Never deprive someone of hope; it might be all that he has.
*16.* When playing games with children, let them win.
*17.* Give people a second chance, but NOT a third.
*18.* Be romantic.
*19.* Become the most positive and enthusiastic person you know.
*20.* Loosen up. Relax. Except for rare life-and-death matters, nothing is as important as it first seems.
*21.* Don't allow the phone to interrupt important moments. It's there for our convenience, not the caller's.
*22.* Be a good loser.
*23.* Be a good winner.
*24.* Think twice before burdening a friend with a secret.
*25.* When someone hugs you, let him be the first to let go.
*26.* Be modest. A lot was accomplished before you were born.
*27.* Keep it simple at everytime.
*28.* Beware of the person who has nothing to lose.
*29.* Don't burn bridges. You'll be surprised how many times you have to cross the same river.
*30.* Live your life so that your epitaph could read, NO REGRETS.
*31.* Be bold and courageous. When you look back on life, you'll regret the things you didn't do more than the ones you did.
*32.* Never waste an opportunity to tell people you love them.
*33.* Remember no one makes it alone. Have a grateful heart and be quick to acknowledge those who helped and loved you.
*34.* Take charge of your attitude. Don't let someone else choose it for you.
*35.* Visit friends and relatives when they are in hospital; you need only stay a few minutes.
*36.* Begin each day with some of your favourite prayer
*37.* Once in a while, take the scenic route.
*38.* Send a lot of greeting cards. Sign them, 'Someone who thinks you're terrific.'
*39.* Answer the phone with enthusiasm and energy in your voice.
*40.* Keep a note pad and pencil on your bed-side table. Million-dollar ideas sometimes strike at 3 a.m.
*41.* Show respect for everyone who works for a living, regardless of how trivial their job.
*42.* Send your loved ones flowers. Think of a reason later.
*43.* Make someone's day by paying the toll for the person in the car behind you.
*44.* Become someone's hero.
*45.* Marry only for love, it is key to your happiness if every other thing fails.
*46.* Count your blessings.
*47.* Compliment the meal when you're a guest in someone's home.
*48.* Wave at the children on a school bus/house/street/
*49.* Remember that 80 per cent of the success in any job is based on your ability to deal with PEOPLE. That is emotional intelligence.
*50.* Share this to help your friends.         
*51.* Make sure someone says  THANK-YOU to you every day....

How To Live & Die...Says Khushwant Singh

Very nice article by Late  Khushwant Singh. Preserve this .....

How To Live & Die

I’ve often thought about what it is that makes people happy—what one has to do in order to achieve happiness.

1- First and foremost is good health. If you do not enjoy good health, you can never be happy. Any ailment, however trivial, will deduct something from your happiness.

2- Second, a healthy bank balance. It need not run into crores, but it should be enough to provide for comforts, and there should be something to spare for recreation—eating out, going to the movies, travel and holidays in the hills or by the sea. Shortage of money can be demoralising. Living on credit or borrowing is demeaning and lowers one in one’s own eyes.

3- Third, your own home. Rented places can never give you the comfort or security of a home that is yours for keeps. If it has garden space, all the better. Plant your own trees and flowers, see them grow and blossom, and cultivate a sense of kinship with them.

4- Fourth, an understanding companion, be it your spouse or a girlfriend or a best friend. If you have too many misunderstandings, it robs you of your peace of mind. It is better to accept the differences than to be quarrelling all the time.

5- Fifth, stop envying those who have done better than you in life—risen higher, made more money, or earned more fame. Envy can be corroding; avoid comparing yourself with others.

6- Sixth, do not allow people to descend on you for gossip. By the time you get rid of them, you will feel exhausted and poisoned by their gossip-mongering.

7- Seventh, cultivate a hobby or two that will fulfill you—gardening, reading, writing, painting, playing or listening to music. Going to clubs or parties to get free drinks, or to meet celebrities, is a criminal waste of time. It’s important to concentrate on something that keeps you occupied meaningfully.

8- Eighth, every morning and evening devote 20 minutes to meditation or introspection. In the mornings, 10 minutes should be spent in keeping the mind absolutely still, and five listing the things you have to do that day. In the evenings, five minutes should be set aside to keep the mind still and 10 to go over the tasks you had intended to do.

9- Ninth, don’t lose your temper. Try not to be short-tempered, or vengeful. Even when a friend has been rude, just move on.

10- Above all, when the time comes to go, one should go like a Person without any regret or grievance against anyone.

Happy Diwali... The real spirit of the festival of lights

 May the Goddess of wealth... Lakshmi...be a permanent resident in your home and your heart...

 Let there be light...  Joy.... Love.... Prosperity.....peace.... Abundance..... Tranquility.....Good health.... Tolerance....Trust and Kindness towards every living soul....

Beautiful birds of Singapore-Jurong bird park .....A short video

Here is a short video from 

My YouTube channel 

A spectacular conglomeration 

of pretty feathery friends....The residents of 

JURONG BIRD PARK of Singapore...

It is indeed a treat to view these 

beautiful creations of God....

The secret of peace...

There were two houses standing next to each other. In one of them resided a very unhappy family. The spouses yelled at each other, they fought and quarreled all the time. The other was a place of happiness and calm.

During one of the fights a wife asked her husband:

“Did you ever hear them quarrel or yell over at that house? No!

So, go there and see what they do to avoid it!”

The husband stood at the window of his neighbors and watched. There they were busy doing their own thing. The wife was in the kitchen cooking, and the man sat at the table writing. The phone rang, and the man jumped up and headed to the hallway to get it.

On his way he bumped into a vase, it fell and broke. He got down to his knees and started picking up the pieces. The wife ran into the room from the kitchen. She also kneeled down and started helping her husband to pick them up.

The man said to his wife:

“I am so sorry. I rushed to get the phone and bumped into the vase. It fell and got broken.”

The wife replied:

“No, honey, it is my fault. I put it there on the way. That’s why you bumped into it.”
They kissed, and that was over. Both got back to what they were doing.

The man who watched them returned to his wife. She wanted to know what the secret of their happiness was.

What he said was fantastic:

“I know it now. In their family they both are guilty and in our family both of us are always right!”

That’s the secret of family happiness!

Food for thought.

The "trick" isn't in not wanting to take responsibility, but rather in not claiming right.

There are times you need to forfeit your right to win your peace: depends on which you cherish most.

This recipe is applicable, not only in the home, but also at work and in all relationships.

A guru and a teacher- The differences...

Difference between a Guru and a Teacher!!!!!!!

1. A teacher takes responsibility for your growth.
A Guru makes you responsible for your growth.

2.A teacher gives you things you do not have and require.
A Guru takes away things you have and do not require.

3. A teacher answers your questions.
A Guru questions your answers.

4. A teacher requires obedience and discipline from the pupil.
A Guru requires trust and humility from the pupil.

5. A teacher clothes you and prepares you for the outer journey.
A Guru strips you naked and prepares you for the inner journey.

6. A teacher is a guide on the path.
A Guru is a pointer to the way.

7. A teacher sends you on the road to success.
A Guru sends you on the road to freedom.

8. A teacher explains the world and its nature to you.
A Guru explains yourself and your nature to you.

9. A teacher gives you knowledge and boosts your ego.
A Guru takes away your knowledge and punctures your ego.

10. A teacher instructs you.
A Guru constructs you.

11. A teacher sharpens your mind.
A Guru opens your mind.

12. A teacher reaches your mind.
A Guru touches your spirit.

13. A teacher instructs you on how to solve problems.
A Guru shows you how to resolve issues.

14. A teacher is a systematic thinker.
A Guru is a lateral thinker.

15. One can always find a teacher.
But a Guru has to find and accept you.

16. A teacher leads you by the hand.
A Guru leads you by example.

17.When a teacher finishes with you, you celebrate

When a Guru finishes with you, life celebrates

HOW TO INCREASE POSITIVE ENERGY IN OUR HOUSE

HOW TO INCREASE POSITIVE ENERGY IN OUR HOUSE....

1) Open all windows in the house and allow fresh air and sunshine to enter the house. Free flowing air and sun are negative energy removers

2. Dispose of all the old unwanted things lying in the house. Clutter is a negativity magnet. It attracts and accumulates negative energy in the house.

3). Walking barefoot in the house helps all your negative energy to be absorbed by the earth.
Grounding is important to keep the energy balance in our body.

4) In the olden days, footwears were kept out of the house. People used to enter the house only after washing feet with water. This action ensures that all the negativity remains outside or are grounded by earth and does not enter the house. Now it has become difficult to keep the footwear outside. So preferably remove them near the entrance door.

5) Go out in the open air. Take walks in the garden or open ground. Being amongst nature re-energizes or charges you fully.

6) Sweeping the floor also ensures that the negative energies are shaken and moved out with the dirt.

7) Rock salt is another negativity remover. Wash or mop your floor with a fistful rock salt in a bucket of water. This ensures that every nook and corner of the house is rid of negative energy.

8) Potted plants or trees around your house or society also ensures more positive energy in the house and area.

9) Bathing or Soaking your legs and hands in rock salt water once in a while removes the negativity attached to your body and cleanse your aura.

11) Repetition of Prayers, increases the positive vibrations in the house. 100%

11) Keep your thoughts, action and speech Positive. Negative thoughts will bring in negative vibes. So avoid all negative thoughts, speech and actions.

12) Keep your house well lit and illuminated. Light removes negativity.

13) Keep faith in God and in yourself.
You are the Creator of your own destiny by the Choices you make.

50 ways to be more healthy,happy and stress free in life

1. Take A 10-30 Minutes Walk Every Day.
And While You Walk, Smile.
2. Sit In Silence For At Least 10 Minutes
Each Day.
3. Sleep For 7 Hours.
4. Live With The 3 E's -- Energy,
Enthusiasm, And Empathy.
5. Play More Games.
6. Read More Books .
7. Make Time To Practice Meditation, Yoga,
And Prayer. They Provide Us With
Daily Fuel For Our Busy Lives.
8. Spend Time With People Over The Age Of
70 & Under The Age Of 6.
9. Dream More While You Are Awake.
10. Eat More Foods That Grow On Trees And
Plants And Eat Less Food That Is
Manufactured In Plants.
11. Drink Plenty Of Water.
12. Try To Make At Least Three People
Smile Each Day.
13. Don't Waste Your Precious Energy On
Gossip.
14. Forget Issues Of The Past. Don't
Remind Your Partner of His/her
Mistakes Of The Past. That Will Ruin Your
Present Happiness.
15. Don't Have Negative Thoughts Or
Things You Cannot Control. Instead
Invest Your Energy In The Positive Present
Moment.
16. Realize That Life Is A School And You
Are Here To Learn. Problems Are
Simply Part Of The Curriculum That Appear
And Fade Away Like Algebra Class
But The Lessons You Learn Will Last A
Lifetime.
17. Eat Breakfast Like A King, Lunch Like A
Prince And Dinner Like A Beggar.
18. Smile And Laugh More.
19. Life Is Too Short To Waste Time Hating
Anyone. Don't Hate Others.
20. Don't Take Yourself So Seriously. No
One Else Does.
21. You Don't Have To Win Every Argument.
Agree To Disagree.
22. Make Peace With Your Past So It Won't
Spoil The Present.
23. Don't Compare Your Life To Others'.
You Have No Idea What Their Journey
Is All About. Don't Compare Your Partner
With Others.
24. No One Is In Charge Of Your Happiness
Except You.
25. Forgive Everyone For Everything.
26.. What Other People Think Of You Is
None Of Your Business.
27. GOD and time  Heals Everything.
28. However Good Or Bad A Situation Is, It
Will Change.
29. Your Job Won't Take Care Of You When
You Are Sick. Your Friends Will.
Stay In Touch.
30. Get Rid Of Anything That Isn't Useful,
Beautiful Or Joyful.
31. Envy Is A Waste Of Time. You Already
Have All You Need.
32. The Best Is Yet To Come.
33. No Matter How You Feel, Get Up, Dress
Up And Show Up.
34. Do The Right Thing!
35. Call Your Family Often.
36. Your Inner Most Is Always Happy. So
Be Happy.
37. Each Day Give Something Good To
Others.
38. Don't Over Do. Keep Your Limits.
39. When You Awake Alive In The Morning,remind
yourself a that this day is a special gift for you from God.
40.Do not do something to live up to the Joneses.
41.Do not always be hooked to your gadgets.
42.Get some time off for yourself,however busy you may be.
43.Have a helping of fresh fruits every day.
44.Stash off a small amount for the rainy day every week.
You will be surprised how big it grows in a few years.
45.Keep in touch with  your old friends and associates.
46.Check your vital parameters once every month even if you feel fine.
47.Undergo a complete medical check up once in 2 years.
48.Sometimes,things may go wrong even if you are 100 % careful.
Take it easy.That is life.
49.Take off some time for your aged parents.They are not eternal.
50.Think positve.Surround yourself with positive people.

Motivation: 21 Words That Can Change Your Life and 3 That Will Surprise You Motivation is life changing.  Your life is changing every day.  It is either changing for the better or it is slowly changing for the worse.  Motivation is derived from the verb “motivate,” which means “move.”  Motivation is the burning desire that compels you to take action.  It is a so deeply intertwined with what you believe to be true and right in life that it moves you from a simple desire to a moment of decision.  Have you ever watched a working dog?  There only motivation is  you. What is your motivation? In 2006 I wrote, “Change happens in an instant.  It happens the moment you decide to change.” You are going to be different tomorrow.  Stop feeling stuck.  When you decide to be different you will find motivation seeping into to thoughts and into your actions.  Motivation causes you to take action, it becomes an inner drive  fueling you forward. We all believe something.  When was the last time you asked yourself, “What do I believe?”  What role does faith play in my life?  Why was I placed on this earth?  What is my purpose in life?” Remembering that motivation is a verb meaning to “move” or take “action”.  Family, friends, co-workers and the people all around us are key motivators for how we act.  Surround yourself with great people and you will surround yourself with great motivation. Goals. It should be no surprise that goals motivate us and inspire us.  The most powerful goals are self-directed goals.  Self-directed internal goals.  They include understanding your priorities and purpose in life, knowing what you believe to be most important and using those goals as a daily guide for how you will choose to live your life. New. Choosing to learn something new every day will give you a reason to grown and change.  This could be something as simple as driving to work via a different route or signing up for guitar lessons. Challenge. Challenges are frequently seen as some sort of contest like the final four during March Madness.  Challenges draw out the best in us.  A simple challenge might be to decide to go to bed fifteen minutes earlier for thirty days to see if it improved your daily productivity. Truth. Truth does not waver.  Something either is true or it is not.  Truth provides a firm foundation to stand on.  Truth strengthens, encourages, and will guide you correctly. Determination. You’ve met them.  Those rare individuals who are determined to continue regardless of how difficult the circumstances.  Determination literally means you are willing to put a “stake” in the ground.  It is not a casual choice.  There are very few things humans will determine to mark as permanent placeholders for their beliefs. Laughter. Laughter heals the soul.  Why is it that children laugh hundreds of times a day and adults laugh only _____ times.   Laughter occurs when something unexpected happens that causes your brain to emit a signal to your lungs to expel short burst of air causing you to make audible noises that are a signal of joy all across the world. Perseverance. Perseverance reminds me of a road or a bridge – a specific course or path we all walk down.  When you feel hopeless and lost, that is when perseverance counts the most.  Perseverance is consciously choosing to stay on your path even in the midst of incredible difficulties. Freedom. Having a sense of control or autonomy over your time and your actions is a powerful motivator.  Freedom liberates you to dream and imagine and create.  Freedom of stress is one of the most sought after psychological goals. Tenacity. Tenacity is a word originating with the meaning of adhesiveness.  There are frequent times you will find you need to “stick together”.  Tenacity never gives up.  It never lets go. Willpower lives in the core of your being.  Willpower moves you, motivates you and causes you to take action for good or for bad. This inner drive is the control center for many of the decisions you will choose to make moment to moment. Faithful. Faithfulness is a rare quality in today’s world.  It is choosing to remain reliable, trusted and constant.  It carries a sense of attachment and devotion to people, causes, organizations and beliefs.  Faithfulness is a foundational motivator. Endurance. This word literally means to have the ability to endure suffering over long periods of time.  Grit is stone broken down, but it is still stone.  It speaks to the indomitable toughness it can take to push through life’s most difficult trials.  Endurance when accepted can build character, patience, wisdom, empathy and compassion. Novel. Novelty is also one of the most unexpected motivators.  When you experience something for the very first time or you see something you have never seen before you may find yourself swept away with emotion.  The birth of a child.  An unexpected gift.  A surprise ending to a difficult moment in life. Tragedy. Life is full of heartache and indescribable pain.  War, illness, death, divorce, financial problems, and injustice.  Tragedy regardless of the pain is full of opportunities to learn and grow and find renewal and hope.  Tragedy shows you are never alone. Learning. Any gap in understanding will motivate you to want to fill that knowledge gap.  If you want to know more about leadership – read books by great leaders.  To learn how to train a dog – hire a dog trainer and take lessons.  The incremental acquirement of new knowledge becomes a self-motivating driver. Anticipation. The act of looking forward to something important happening in your life.   When you are just given a glimpse of a future success or opportunity the anticipation releases an incredibly powerful chemical called dopamine into your system.  Everything you have ever wanted in your life you were first motivated to strive for attaining it because you anticipated the feeling of importance it would mean to you.  Dopamine is the brain chemical of anticipation. Courage. Lt. Col. (retired) Dave Grossman shared a single quote of where the bravery of being an Army Ranger came from for him.  He said, “Courage is just being willing to take one more step.” Sometimes the only motivation you need is to take just one more step. Hope. When used as a noun hope only a feeling, but when used as a verb hope becomes the focal point of your motivation.  Sometimes in life all you have is hope.  And, in those moments hope will be more than enough. Time. Time is not merely a framework for how the minutes, hours and days pass by – each day is like having a blank canvas sitting in an art room filled with unlimited options.  Improving your motivation through improving your time management will require you to reduce the number of choices you have to let into your life.  You will find simplicity and peace in narrowing your focus and increasing your energy and attention only on accomplishing the tasks that bring motivation and meaning in your life. Love. The foundation of life is love..  There is no way to create a life of meaning without love.  There is no motivation, no reason to move or change or engage in life without love.  The foundation of motivation is love. And, Three That Might Surprise You Brain. The prefrontal cortex is the thinking part of the brain. This is where life happens! In this space just behind your forehead, ideas are created, thoughts are pondered, imagination grows (or dies), judgments are made. This part of the brain is highly specialized in humans; this is where you define meaning, plan for the future, and imagine. Your values, priorities, purpose, goals, drive, learning, love, and hope all live here.  Motivation is a decision. Attention. You experience the depths of motivation when your attention focused so intently on completing a task or a project or a hobby that challenges you to such a point that time stands still.  When you are in that moment – swept away from stress and worry – concentrating with full attention – you don’t need motivation – you are experiencing motivitation.  At that moment you are motivated.  You are in the process of taking action.  And, in those amazing moments you realize the life-changing power of motivation.  You understand the difference between existing and thriving.  And, in that moment – life oozes out of you.  And, motivation is contagious. Time Management. Your personal time management skills affect the levels of motivation you experience in life.  Dr. JoAnn Dahlkoetter is a sports psychology expert and coach to Olympic athletes, as well as being a world-class athlete in her own right. She says, “It starts with a dream; motivation comes from within.  It has to be an inner desire, an inner fire, a willingness to achieve something you are passionate about.” Far too many people only focus on the hard parts of life that motivation can guide us through.  By improving your time management you can create daily blocks of time to focus your time and attention on the part’s of life that motivate you