KidPieces

If a child lives with criticism
He learns to condemn

If a child lives with hostility
He learns how to fight

If a child lives with ridicule
He learns to be shy

If a child lives with shame
He learns to feel guilty

If a child lives with tolerance
He learns to be patient

If a child lives with encouragement
He learns to be confident

If a child lives with praise
He learns to appreciate

If a child lives with fairness
He learns justice

If a child lives with security
He learns to have faith

If a child lives with approval
He learns to like himself

If a child lives with honesty
He learns to be truthful

If a child lives with lies and deceit
He too learns how to lie and deceive

If a child lives with acceptance and friendship
He learns to find love in the world.

-Poem by Maria-Anne Pike

As you get older, it is all too easy to get in a rut - with fixed viewpoints, stuck emotions, ways of being that others can see clearly but you just think are ‘right’. A life full of safe solutions. But if you start to shut out new experiences, or if you take less interest in new things, so your capacity for enjoying life diminishes. You stay in your comfort zone, and as you get older, your comfort zone gets smaller and smaller. This is harmful because you not only stop doing things that scare you, but you also stop doing things that give you pleasure.

Feeling good is not just a luxury, it is a vital necessity for good health and long life. There is scientific research that supports this. In 1973, Dr Ronald Grossarth-Maticek undertook an experiment on more than 3000 elderly Germans. He measured how often they felt pleasure. In 1994 he followed up and found that those with the highest scores were 30 times more likely to be alive and well than those with low scores.

How satisfied are you? Score how happy you are…

Which of the following statements best sums up your life?

(a) It has its ups and downs but is mostly fulfilling
(b) There must be more to it than this
(c) I spend most of my time wishing it would change

How often does your job, family or social life force you to do things you don’t really believe in?

(a) Very rarely
(b) Sometimes
(c) All the time

How do you feel about your body?

(a) I’m in good shape and satisfied with my appearance
(b) It’s not bad but I would like to feel better
(c) I hate the way I am and want to change

Which best describes your social life?

(a) I have plenty of friends and try to get out as much as possible
(b) I would love to have a wider social circle and go out more often
(c) I hardly see any of my friends any more and never seem to have time to socialise

Is your life mentally stimulating?

(a) Yes
(b) Sometimes, but I would like to be stretched more intellectually
(c) I feel as if I’m vegetating. Everything is so unchallenging

How did you score?

Mostly (a) - You manage your life pretty well. You know life can be better still because you know from past experience that what you get out of life depends on what you put into it - there are no limits.

Mostly (b) - As you’re fairly satisfied with your life, you may be inclined to put off change. But unless you take some risks, you’ll never realise your true ambitions. Consider your answers and think about new ventures and things you can do to make a difference.

Mostly (c) - You’re not happy with your life - it needs a complete shake-up. It’s time to sit down, take a deep breath and plan some big changes.

To laugh is to risk appearing a fool
To weep is to risk appearing sentimental
To reach out for another is to risk involvement
To expose feelings is to risk rejection
To place your dreams before a crowd is to risk ridicule
To love is to risk not being loved in return
To go forward in the face of overwhelming odds is to risk failure

But risks must be taken because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing. The person who risks nothing does nothing, has nothing, is nothing. He may avoid suffering and sorrows, but he cannot learn, feel, change, grow, or love. Chained by his certitudes, he is a slave - he has forfeited his freedom.

Only a person who takes risks is FREE

More info: Mind Stuff