Staying positive in the midst of a raging storm?

I love the lotus flower, it blooms beautifully above the muddy water and remained unsoiled!

My dear friend suggested to me “Why don’t you share your principles of staying so positive despite the ordeal? I am sure it will serve as a motivation for others!”

I guess being positive in the midst of adversity or extreme challenge is never easy. But I have to thank my family for the great upbringing and my inborn ability to appreciate the nature of life and impermanence!  

   

Most often, we experience envy, anger and even become violent because have a false perception of permanence, and permanence is an illusion! Accept the fact that none of us will be getting out of here alive! Ha..ha…so, start to smell the roses now…there is certainly not much time left! Appreciate and be mindful of everything in the present moment, that’s my principle of life!

Understanding the concept of impermanence will bring about a degree of wisdom in our character and thus, being able to let go all things material aka detachment!

These are a few tips I learnt from some great motivational gurus:

• When you are in the midst of negativity, you have 3 options

·         Sulk, cry and complain & complain about life being unfair

·         Sulk, cry and move on

·         Accept, understand the options and move on

I have learnt to follow option 3 each time, save my tears for now.

• The ability to filter out negativity

·         Understand that nobody can influence how you feel and you have a choice to choose your responses – easier said than done, but I am trying very hard

·        Filter out negative statements and toxic friends, students and colleagues – we spent so much time in the workplace than at home, imagine having to deal with unscrupulous people all the time just to make a decent living – so I chose to filter them out from my brain cells completely! These people are supposed to be insignificant and just make sure the sounds and images of them are located at the tiniest corner spot. Instead, try enlarging images and volumes of people whom you love and matter most! 

• The ability to let go

·         resources in the workplace – which explains the situation I have been and am facing as an academic – not a good example for aspiring scientists though!

·        status and position – your academic work defines you not your position or title!

• Being grateful and contented

·         I will and always try my best in whatever I do both at work and at home

·         My benchmark is always myself and nobody else (please stop comparing how good you are to me; I will always be worse off!)