Happy New Year everyone!!
Welcome to 2020, the start of another new year and a new decade. I hope that 2020 has brought more peace and happiness into your lives so far. However, for those of you currently feeling less hopeful, here is a reminder to remain open and aware of opportunities that will be coming your way, which may present themselves in the forms of various situations, both positive and otherwise.
Following Christmas and New Year celebrations, it is reasonable to feel despondent and slightly sad as the festive decorations have been taken down at the end of Advent and even seem to take away those bright memories of Christmas too. January 6th, known as Epiphany, is the time when many remember the Three Wise men who visited Jesus and the traditional date for Christmas decorations to be taken down and put away for another 365 days...
The bright lights, which adorned trees inside and out, street lights, walls, doors and every possible area or space, seem to have existed in a distant dream where promise of warm mince-pies and custard/Christmas cake/any other festive treat beckoned after every cold and wintry outdoor adventure... or perhaps just as an indulgent afternoon snack! A fun fact states that you should eat each mince pie in silence and make a wish with each one - definitely a different way to consume Christmas baking, but a good reminder of the enjoyment to be had with every baking surprise...
As we move further and further on from this time of Christmas joy bringing us into the New Year, all is not lost. We now have the chance to continue our emotions of good cheer and resolve to do our best as we welcome January. We are all unique human beings experiencing the world in different ways and so, this time of year is important for being forgiving and accepting the diversity of who we are, just as the following quote epitomises "Don't criticise what you can't understand".
Seeing the world through an open mind means that you are admitting that you don't necessarily know everything and that there are potential possibilities which you may not have considered. We can't read the minds of others and therefore must be patient and magnanimous on behalf of all mankind. Indeed a Microsoft survey has found that those with high usage of technology may be less focused than goldfish: extensive gadget use has caused a decline in attention spans; from an average of 12 seconds in 2000 to around 8 seconds in 2015 [goldfish clock in at 9 nine seconds]. Let us change this downwards trend and practise patience and forbearance with ourselves and everyone around us. As we have seen, a change in inner thoughts is enough to change the world.
Wise words by Albert Einstein...
How often do we ever initiate genuine change?
As we return back to accustomed everyday life following the festive holidays, take the time to remember the quiet behind everything on Christmas Day as the Earth is allowed one day in the year to slow done a little. Of course, there is much respect for those working on the 25th December, whether in the emergency departments, helping out at Crisis or an equivalent homelessness programme or any other charity or organisation of personal choice. Behind all the physical work, there is a sense of remembrance for what life truly means beyond the materialistic hamster wheel of daily life. Recall the steady energy found on Christmas Day and direct it now into a part of your life which you would like to work upon, just as the artist Demi Lovato says "Every day is a new opportunity to change your life and be who you want to be".
You might have already thought about your life in this detail. Or perhaps not. It seems to require even greater restraint and composure to dedicate some time for yourself to be alone with your ideas and contemplate in such a way, as the world makes ever larger demands and pressures on time. What is more, we may not like what we initially find within ourselves. This is where a reaction of being open-minded and compassionate towards yourself will strengthen your determination to accept internal realisations and work with them, rather than against them.
The ability to change your mind is a superpower...
One may initially disagree with the statement above, thinking that a lack of clear decisions and opinions may show us to be weak or faltering. This could not be further from the truth. Opening up your mind to new ideas allows you the opportunity to change how you think, how you view yourself, others around you and ultimately, the world. Be that as it may, this doesn't mean you necessarily will change your beliefs, but you have the option, when you think with an open mind. Change isn't always necessary but the ability to adapt will allow you to accommodate the fast-paced movements of life. This notion is reflected below by the words of Martha Stewart:
"Without an open-minded mind, you can never be a great success"
Let us take a current example, Steve Jobs. Having passed away in 2011 with the epitaph as "one of the greatest inventors of the last century", his ability to tweak and modify devices and technologies already invented in order to simplify their use led to massive success within Apple. On 2nd August 2018, this company made history by becoming the world's first $1 trillion company. He clearly focused attention and time on his ideas and was persistent in his ability of innovation to achieve his dreams. This is undoubtedly a remarkable example but one which shows how the ability of metamorphosis and mutation can lead to wondrous results.
The rate at which we learn and progress in this world depends on how willing we are to weigh up the quality of new ideas, even if we don't instinctively approve of them. And perhaps especially if we don't like them. Think about the range of technology and the rate at which it is developing in our modern world, continuing in the legacy of Steve Jobs. There are many advantages and disadvantages of the creation of such technology but without an open mind, we would not be aware of both perspectives. There are benefits and drawbacks in many situations. Extend this way of open-minded thinking into your own personal lives. I am not advocating pure self-criticism but another perspective through which we can view aspects of our own behaviour and lives in a more measured and reasoned way, allowing us to receive positives and negatives together. #stepoutofyourcomfortzone
Making mistakes...
This may be another reason holding you back from fully embracing a sense of being open-minded but NOW is the best time. Allowing yourself to see things from other perspectives will allow yourself to recognise errors you have made and to be comfortable to make new mistakes. Situations within which you can learn and grow. The start of something new.
A new second.
A new minute.
A new hour.
A new day.
A new month.
A new year.
A new decade.
A new You.
A mind open to alternative perceptions is a mind aligned with love...
As we have discovered, having an open mind may lead you to a stronger sense of self. You are not confined by your own beliefs or opinions, nor are you confined by the beliefs or opinions of others. You have accepted that you aren't all-knowing, just as Socrates said in his famous words "The only true wisdom is knowing that you know nothing". Therefore, an open mind will allow you to view the world with much more honesty, humility and honour. We are not the only individuals existing on this planet and sometimes, it might help us to ask those nearest and dearest for their advice. Or it might be looking within and asking ourselves whether we really are being true to ourselves by acting in such a way. A new decade brings new promise, even more so, since this manmade division of time encourages us to consider where we were 10 years ago, what has happened over the last 10 years and where we might strive for in the next 10 years. Past, Present and Future unite usefully in this timeframe. Take advantage and be open-minded about it all...
And sometimes, just celebrate the fact that you are alive in this world! Simply rejoice and smile :)
Being open-minded means being humble, accepting that you can go wrong, sometime, somewhere...
Remember that everyone deals with change and unfamiliar situations in varied ways and the beginning of a new year gives us the opportunity to reflect back on the past year [or perhaps nine years] to consider how we can continue to move forwards and be our very best. Paired with this discovery understandably may be revealed some harsh inner realities which are hard to accept at first for us all. Stay kind to yourself and to others. Being patient and acting as a quiet listener may be the best companion for those who take longer to figure out where their next step in life may be, and don't forget to utilise the same approach within yourself too. Grasp this new start with both hands and embrace the uncertainty. Surround yourself with those whom you love and never forget to tell them how much you love them. Life takes unexpected and surprising turns so stay as open as you can to everyone and everything around you.
I wish you a wonderful January and leave you with valuable words by Dale Carnegie:
"Any fool can criticise, condemn and complain but it takes character and self-control to be understanding and forgiving"
Lots of love,
Sitara xxx
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