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As I began to love myself

Voiceover Harald Lepisk

Videoclips and montage by Armin Mitt

Text attributed to Charlie Chaplin

 

As I began to love myself I found that anguish and emotional suffering are only warning signs that I was living against my own truth.

Today, I know, this is AUTHENTICITY.

As I began to love myself I understood how much it can offend somebody as I try to force my desires on this person, even though I knew the time was not right and the person was not ready for it, and even though this person was me.

Today I call it RESPECT.

As I began to love myself I stopped craving for a different life, and I could see that everything that surrounded me was inviting me to grow.

Today I call it MATURITY.

As I began to love myself I understood that at any circumstance, I am in the right place at the right time, and everything happens at the exactly right moment, so I could be calm.

Today I call it SELF-CONFIDENCE.

As I began to love myself I quit steeling my own time, and I stopped designing huge projects for the future. Today, I only do what brings me joy and happiness, things I love to do and that make my heart cheer, and I do them in my own way and in my own rhythm.

Today I call it SIMPLICITY.

As I began to love myself I freed myself of anything that is no good for my health – food, people, things, situations, and everything the drew me down and away from myself. At first I called this attitude a healthy egoism.

Today I know it is LOVE OF ONESELF.

As I began to love myself I quit trying to always be right, and ever since I was wrong less of the time.

Today I discovered that is MODESTY.

As I began to love myself I refused to go on living in the past and worry about the future. Now, I only live for the moment, where EVERYTHING is happening.

Today I live each day, day by day, and I call it FULFILLMENT.

As I began to love myself I recognized that my mind can disturb me and it can make me sick. But As I connected it to my heart, my mind became a valuable ally.

Today I call this connection WISDOM OF THE HEART.

We no longer need to fear arguments, confrontations or any kind of problems with ourselves or others. Even stars collide, and out of their crashing new worlds are born.

Today I know THAT IS LIFE!

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Interview with Don Bales – travelling around the world

I met Don through my online course “Creating Inspiration” in 2009 – he was very keen of learning and travelling. But I never expected that he would actually embark on a journey around the world.

In 2012 I met Don in Germany at JCI European Conference. At that time he had been travelling for 5,5 months and had 8 months ahead. He had travelled to Antarctica, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Equador, Bolivia, Peru, Columbia, Panama, Costa-Rica, Belize, Mexico, Orlando, Miami, New York, Austin, Montreal and so forth.

What are the highlights of travelling around the world?

The main reason why people go travel is for seeing the world. Don pointed out that one of the interesting highlights was the impact his travel photos had to his friends at Facebook – they got inspired by what he was doing. It became not only travelling for himself, but also travelling for his friends.

But the main highlight of travelling are the people you meet in particular moments and places.

Turning a dream into a reality

Many dream of travelling, few actually do it.

Don had 3 key factors that enabled him to start the journey:

  1. He got year off from work (he will get his job back when he returns)
  2. He had some savings (chose travelling instead of downpayment for a house)
  3. He is single (no commitments)
It´s time to travel 🙂

“I´d love to go and travel, but…”

Don´t be afraid to follow your dreams. Get rid of all the excuses. If you really want it bad enough, you´ll do it.

Don actually had dreamed and imagined about places he wants to go. When he had made the decision to take action, the other necessary preconditions (as mentioned before) fell into place. The law of attraction.

If money is an issue – work while travelling.

If loneliness is an issue – you´ll meet new friends. As a matter of fact – travelling forces you to meet new people (otherwise you might stay in your comfort zone as you might do in your hometown).

If uncertainty is an issue – the key to reducing stress while travelling is turning your fear into fascination.

If job is an issue – there will be a new one.

Go travel to learn about yourself

Dreams do come true. If you really want it bad enough, you´ll be creative about it. Just follow your heart. If you´re really passionate about it, nothing is impossible.

Don has discovered his inner charisma through travelling and meeting new people, although he had always considered himself as an introvert. Despite being an analytic person in his professional life, Don now makes more and more decisions by using his gut-feeling and having an adventurous spirit. Taking a leap of faith.

So it appears that travelling is a form of experience that opens up something you already have inside of you.

Will there be life after the world travels?

Don agrees that travelling around the world is a life changing trip. He promises that when returning back to his “normal life” he will do extraordinary things.

You can life an extraordinary life even in your own city on ordinary days.

What to pack when travelling around the world?

Tips for packing your bag

Main rule: pack as light as you can. Send unnecessary things back to home or give them away. Scan your business cards.

Use phone cache memory to store map images in Google Maps application. Ask for a local map at your hostel.

Bag limit: 23 kg, recommended goal: 11-13 kg.

Don´t bring white clothes (getting mixed in laundry). Use generic shirts (you can reuse them without anyone knowing that you are wearing the same shirt again)

List of items to pack:

  • Hiking shoes (comfortable, with Gore-tex)
  • Black shoes for formal events
  • Flip-flops
  • Compact jacket with thermal layer
  • Silk travel liner
  • Toiletry stuff
  • Electronic stuff (chargers, flashlight)
  • Security wire and locks for securing the bag
  • Wire for drying clothes
  • Personal journal
  • Clothes (thermals, fleece, wind-breaker, jacket, raincoat, cap, jeans, jogging pants, shorts, swimming shorts, t-shirts)
  • Microfiber towel
  • Special travel shirt for patches.

Ship is safe in harbour, but it´s not what ships are made for. (W. A. Shedd)

Go for your dream!

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Thank you for today – breathtaking gratitude video

I see trees of green, red roses too
I see them bloom for me and you
And I think to myself what a wonderful world.

I see skies of blue and clouds of white
The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night
And I think to myself what a wonderful world.

The colors of the rainbow so pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces of people going by
I see friends shaking hands saying how do you do
They’re really saying I love you.

I hear babies crying, I watch them grow
They’ll learn much more than I’ll never know
And I think to myself what a wonderful world
Yes I think to myself what a wonderful world.

(Louis Armstrong)

Do you think this is just another day in your life?
It’s not just another day.
It’s the one day that is given to you today.
It’s given to you – it’s a gift.
It’s the only gift you have right now,
And the only appropriate response is gratefulness.

If you do nothing else but to cultivate that response,
Through the great gift that this unique day is,
If you learn to respond as if it were the first day in your life,
And the very last day.
Then you will have spent this day very well.

Begin by opening your eyes, and be surprised that you have eyes you can open.
That incredible array of colours that is constantly offered to us for pure enjoyment.
Look at the sky. We so rarely look at the sky.
We so rarely note how different it is from moment to moment with clouds coming and going.
We just think of the weather and if even of the weather,
We never think of all the many nuances of the weather.
We just think of good weather and bad weather.
This day, right now has its unique weather,
Maybe a kind that will never exactly in that form come again.
The formation of clouds in the sky will never be the same that it is right now.
Open your eyes—look at that.

Look at the faces of people whom you meet.
Each one has an incredible story behind their face;
A story that you could never fully fathom—
Not only their own story, but the story of their ancestors.
We all go back so far, and in this present moment on this day,
All the people you meet—all that life from generations and from so many places all over the world
Flows together and meets you here like life-giving water,
If only you open your heart and drink.

Open your heart to the incredible gifts that civilization gives to us.
You flip a switch and there is electric light.
You turn a faucet and there warm water and cold water,
And drinkable water.
It’s a gift that millions and millions in the world will never experience.

These are just a few of an enormous number of gifts to which we can open our hearts.
And so I wish you that you will open your heart to all these blessings.
And let them flow through you,
That everyone whom you will meet on this day will be blessed by you—
Just by your eyes, by your smile, by your touch—just by your presence.
Let the gratefulness overflow into blessing all around you,

And then it will really be a good day

(Brother David Steindl-Rast)

 

This overwhelming joy and gratitude fills you up and reminds you – life is awesome, love it, live it.

Sometimes the thing you are looking finds you. Thank you for the inspiration.

It´s an amazing yourney. Enjoy.

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Personal development experiment: journalling

I did an experiment: journalling every day by writing at least 3 inisights I gained from the day. A year has past and more than 1000 insights gained. I just worked through all those insights and there is only one thing I can say: wow, this really works.

Journalling has been like a mentor for me – me mentoring myself to find out what every day has taught me about myself, training, my dreams.

You become your own mentor and develop clarity in who you really are and what you really want.

So what should I write in my journal?

Things I am grateful for:

  • Which moments bring me joy?
  • In which fields am I doing well currently?
  • In which ways have I lived at least piece of my dream today?

What do I want to experience in the future?

  • What is my ideal day like? How does it start and that takes place?
  • What do I want to be happy about when looking back after a year  from now?

What did I learn about myself today?

  • What was interesting about today´s events? What kind of new ideas I gained?
  • What did I learn about myself and my personality? What kind of person am I and how does this discovery help me forward?
  • What can I do differently or better (next time) to succeed?

 

When journalling, keep it spontaneous, honest and positive. This helps you to keep it as a ritual, not routine 🙂

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Video: What inspires you to take action?

We made our Estonian version of 50 people 1 question – in full HD and with English subtitles (press “play” and then button “cc” on the Youtube player to enable subtitles).

 

We received many answers and left many people pondering. What would be your answer to the question “What inspires you to take action?”

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Wisdom for life

An awesome composition of wisdom to start the day. Here´s some of my favorite concepts:

Give to receive

“It is more blessed to give than to receive, because in giving, although it doesn´t seem so, you receive.”

Desmond Tutu

Stay young

“You don´t stop doing things because you get old. You get old because you stop doing things.”

Rosamude Pilcher

You know who you are

“Nobody can teach me who I am. Who can describe perhaps of me. But who I am and what I need. These are things I have to find out myself.”

Chinua Achebe

You create your own success

“If I give you a recipe and I will give 5 people the same recipe, I will have 5 different dish on the table.”

Jacques Pepin

Keep learning

“One of the reasons I haven´t slipped into some sort of retirement, is that I always feel like I´m learning something new all the time. “

Clint Eastwood

Be willing to offer your life for it

“You don´t have to be rich and you don´t have to be an army. If you find yourself in a situation that needs to be changed, if you´re willing to offer your life for it, you might actually get something done.”

Bernice Johnson Reagon

I´ll take both, thanks

“Life is not perfect, it never will be. You just have to make the very best of it. You have to open your heart for what the world can show you. Sometimes it´s terrifying, sometimes it´s incredibly beautiful. And I`ll take both, thanks.”

Graham Nash

Which ones were the most insightful for you?