Daily OM - Learning from the Big Picture

Shpongled · Feb 11, 2009

February 11, 2009
Learning From The Big Picture
Cycle Of Life

As we walk through the world, the people we encounter appear so different from one another. We see babies, old men, pregnant women, and teenaged boys. We know couples on the verge of marriage and lonely widows. We interact with toddlers and the terminally ill. As different as each person seems, they are all living the human experience. They are just at different places in the cycle that begins with birth and ends with death. Every phase of the cycle of life has its gifts and its challenges. Each stage is temporary and ultimately gives way to a new phase. This ephemeral quality makes each phase precious, because it will never last.

One of the wonderful qualities possessed by babies and young children is that they are unaware that a cycle of life even exists. They simply are present to wherever they happen to be right now, and they don’t give much thought to the past or future. Being around them reminds us of the joy that comes from living fully in the moment. On the opposite end of life’s cycle are our elderly role models. They are a reminder that each phase of life should be treasured. Time does pass, and we all change and grow older.

Being aware of the cycle of life and our place in it makes us wiser. As we develop a true appreciation for the phase we are in, we can savor it more. A new mother going through a difficult time with her infant can more easily embrace her challenges because she knows that her child will grow up, and she will long for this time again. Difficult and challenging periods are inevitable, but – like everything that is a part of the cycle of life – they are temporary. When we are fully engaged with life, we get to savor and grow from each phase, and we are ready for the next one when it arrives. Fully embracing wherever you are in the cycle of life is the very essence to happiness.

WhiteBeastofWotan · Feb 11, 2009

TL;DR

Shpongled · Feb 11, 2009

yer loss buddy

Undefined · Feb 11, 2009

WhiteBeastofWotan said:
TL;DR

terrific length, did read?

Liverslapper · Feb 11, 2009

I'm eating chili.

Anvil · Feb 12, 2009

I like to think that I live my life by that exact kind of mentality, and have so for the past 2 years. It's a beautiful thing to sit back and enjoy your current phase in life, knowing what you have to look forward to, knowing what has past, and knowing that even if you're sitting in front of your computer doing nothing, you're experiencing something life has to offer.

I feel great, I love life, and although it has it's ups and downs, even it's severe downs, you can always just step back, look at the big picture, and realize that things will eventually get better, even if it's a little hard to fathom at the time.

It's not to say I don't envy some people who do certain things I wish I could do. I know that a lot of it is because of different aspects... jobs, money, even just sheer laziness. It's just who I am to procrastinate. But I still enjoy what I do nonetheless.

Shpongled · Feb 12, 2009

This is the one from yesterday that actually inspired me to post these here.

February 10, 2009
Sweetening A Sour Apple
When A Bad Apple Spoils the Bunch

Because life requires that we interact with different personalities, it is not uncommon for us to encounter a situation where there is one person whose behavior may negatively impact the experiences of others. Someone who is loud and crass can interrupt the serenity of those who come together to practice peace. A disruptive worker can cause rules to be imposed that affect their colleagues’ professional lives. A team member who is pessimistic or highly critical may destroy the morale of their fellow members. And one “bad apple” in your personal life can be a potent distraction that makes it difficult to focus on the blessings you’ve been given and the people who love you.

There may always be people in your life who take it upon themselves to create disruption, foster chaos, stamp out hope, and act as if they are above reproach – even when, in doing so, they put a blight on their own experiences. But you don’t need to allow their negativity and callousness to sour your good mood. Often, our first impulse upon coming head-to-head with a bad apple is to express our anger and frustration in no uncertain terms. However, bad apples only have the power to turn our lives sour if we let them.

If you can exercise patience and choose not to respond to their words or actions, you will significantly limit the effect they are able to have on you and your environment. You can also attempt to encourage a bad apple to change their behavior by letting your good behavior stand as an example. If your bad apple is simply hoping to attract notice, they may come to realize that receiving positive attention is much more satisfying than making a negative impression. While you may be tempted to simply disassociate yourself entirely from a bad apple, consider why they might be inclined to cause disturbances. Understanding their motivation can help you see that bad apples are not necessarily bad people. Though bad apples are a fact of life, minimizing the impact you allow them to have upon you is empowering because you are not letting anyone else affect the quality of your experiences. You may discover that buried at the very heart of a bad apple is a seed of goodness.

Super Mahrio · Feb 12, 2009

hmmm...thats actually very interesting

Liverslapper · Feb 12, 2009

Like my cock!!!!

Morganna · Feb 12, 2009

Shpongled said:
This is the one from yesterday that actually inspired me to post these here.

February 10, 2009
Sweetening A Sour Apple
When A Bad Apple Spoils the Bunch

Because life requires that we interact with different personalities, it is not uncommon for us to encounter a situation where there is one person whose behavior may negatively impact the experiences of others. Someone who is loud and crass can interrupt the serenity of those who come together to practice peace. A disruptive worker can cause rules to be imposed that affect their colleagues professional lives. A team member who is pessimistic or highly critical may destroy the morale of their fellow members. And one bad apple in your personal life can be a potent distraction that makes it difficult to focus on the blessings youve been given and the people who love you.

There may always be people in your life who take it upon themselves to create disruption, foster chaos, stamp out hope, and act as if they are above reproach even when, in doing so, they put a blight on their own experiences. But you dont need to allow their negativity and callousness to sour your good mood. Often, our first impulse upon coming head-to-head with a bad apple is to express our anger and frustration in no uncertain terms. However, bad apples only have the power to turn our lives sour if we let them.

If you can exercise patience and choose not to respond to their words or actions, you will significantly limit the effect they are able to have on you and your environment. You can also attempt to encourage a bad apple to change their behavior by letting your good behavior stand as an example. If your bad apple is simply hoping to attract notice, they may come to realize that receiving positive attention is much more satisfying than making a negative impression. While you may be tempted to simply disassociate yourself entirely from a bad apple, consider why they might be inclined to cause disturbances. Understanding their motivation can help you see that bad apples are not necessarily bad people. Though bad apples are a fact of life, minimizing the impact you allow them to have upon you is empowering because you are not letting anyone else affect the quality of your experiences. You may discover that buried at the very heart of a bad apple is a seed of goodness.

This was the most interesting one yet. It's funny seeing this because I've been trying to make this my new years resolution. Yeah, I kind of have a few of these people in my life. My goal as of the 1st was to just ignore them with all of my might! So far, I have been mostly successful, but there have been times, where I lost the battle.

Phoenix5 · Feb 12, 2009

what does tl;dr mean?

why am i so out of the loop with this internet language stuff?

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Daily OM - Learning from the Big Picture

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