Have you ever noticed how the euphoria of the New Year never seems to last very long. Was it only the day before yesterday that people across the world were staying up late to party and welcome in a new year? Then today I wake up to the news that 2011 is not looking like being a very good year. The media are now into full swing letting us know about all the awful things that we’ve got to look forward to in 2011 – job loses, VAT increases, high petrol prices, continuing recession, public sector cutbacks and ……. Then, because I think that he may be worried that there was too much doom and gloom he tried to soften the blow by saying, “Don’t worry, we’ve got two royal weddings to look forward to.”
Each year has its ups and downs, that’s what life is like. It’s how we cope with those ups and downs that is so important. I’ve always been ‘a glass half full’ sort of person. What we need to do is look to 2011 as the year that brought us all sorts of opportunities and exciting challenges, not disasters and problems. Unfortunately many people live over busy lives, where they often don’t have time to think and certainly don’t allow themselves time to reflect. Instead, during their busy lives, they allow snatched readings of the news or half listened to stories on the radio and TV convince them that things are getting worse. We have an unfortunate trait of working towards the most dominant thoughts in our minds, if we think that things are going to get worse – then the chances are we will, subconsciously, make sure that they do.
I’m currently re-reading a great book called ‘Re-Think – How To Think Differently’ by Nigel May Barlow. One of many quotes from the book that I’ve enjoyed is, “The creative mind is so often trapped by dull routine and the sheer exhaustion of the workaday week that we need to stage a revolt against the unholy trinity of doing, hurrying and achieving.”
He also talks about ‘Wonder Fatigue’ – where he suggests that we are so busy we do not see the wonder around us or take time to consider, discuss or just contemplate some of the amazing things that make up our life. Have a look at this list – allow yourself some time and space to reflect on any of the items that stretch your mind. Go for a walk & just let the idea play on your mind or discuss what it means with a friend or on this blog:
- There are 100 billion stars in our galaxy. Is there life out there?
- There are over 200 billion galaxies (in the observable universe)
- The solid matter we see is completely insubstantial; we are 99.5% space.
- You now have in your body more than a million of the atoms that were once in the body of Jesus Christ, Gandhi or Mother Teresa.
- Of all the atoms in your body, 98% are replaced within a year = new body!
- We share 96% of our DNA with a chimpanzee and half the banana genome is also found in the human genome.
Random Thoughts 