“I would rather be ashes than dust! I would rather that my spark should burn out in a brilliant blaze than it should be stifled by dry rot. I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet. The proper function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them. I shall use my time.” ~ Jack London
We are each living a life. Some choose a simple life, some choose a busy life, some choose a life lived for others while some choose a life lived just for themselves. While we each have our own way of living this beautiful life, how many of us are truly LIVING?
For me personally, its not the quantity of how I live that matters. I’d much rather live a short FULL life than a long uninspiring one.
I try everyday to LIVE, really live.
Here are a few things I do everyday to make sure my day and in compilation my life is LIVED:
9 ways to Shine a brilliant blaze and really LIVE
1}Develop a morning ritual:
I love getting up early before everyone in my home and taking in the sounds of the birds and trees. I use this affirmation after my prayers every morning – “Today is a gift and I will not waste it.” When you can start your day with a positive affirmation and really believe in it, you will LIVE the rest of the day with that much positivity and that much love too.
2}Fall in Love everyday:
This is one of the most important and brilliant ways to make sure you are not only Living but truly alive too. Fall in love simply everyday. I happily say I have many soul-mates and many loves, because I often can’t contain my love inside of me. I fall in love with the trees, with the birds, with the squirrel that runs up and down my window every morning, with the neighbors little girl who loves to knock my door just to say ‘hi’, with the aunty who lives in the other apartment building because her wise stories make me a better person, with my husband for being a better man everyday, with my little girl’s new sentences and mannerisms…..oh the list is endless. Love in every moment of everyday…watch then how your love can truly light the way.
3}Bid adieu to the TV:
Although I love my tv shows, I can’t be hooked on to them on a daily basis. I make an effort to not watch any TV during my entire day. Other than a half hour after dinner, I hardly watch any tv. How many hours a day can we spend in front of the box? How much artificial entertainment do we really need? Calculate the hours a day and think how much more you can LIVE during that time. If there is a show or movie you love, get the dvd and watch it…but not everyday. There is so much more LIFE *out there* than there is *in* the ‘box’. Dont you think so too?
4}Get outside:
The ride to work and outside chores “dont” count in the Get outside advice. Be brave and walk in the rain or go to garden or beach for a stroll. Take time to be in nature. This practice everyday instills not only calm but also opens your heart and mind to new ideas. While out in the world the heart feels for the world and will then DO for it. You can be a catalyst of good change by getting out of your comfort zone and walking in nature. The birds, the trees, the winds and the air have stories to tell should you choose to listen. My walks full of solitude give me immense insight everyday.
5}Scratch out the unimportant:
We each have a mental to-do list. There is stuff on that list that just sits there day after day not doing nor letting us do anything further. Scratch that out. If you haven’t attended to something on your daily to-do list the day you wrote it…it ain’t that important. Don’t let it sit in that list and get to you. Move on to more important things on your list. Keeping your priorities on track on a daily basis keeps you productive and helps you achieve great things.
6}Learning is living:
Never ever stop learning. I might think I know a lot, but because I keep an open heart and mind I learn so much more everyday. I believe we must keep learning till we die, cause knowledge is what helps us to make our dreams a reality. We are the products of what we know. Every line we read becomes a part of our living. Learn a few lines of a new language, read that part of the newspaper you normally avoid, start a new book.
7}Listen more than you talk:
We often spend our day not giving a second thought to how much we talk or listen. More often than we like we will find ourselves talking more than we listen. Think about your day and calculate the percentage. The more we listen and the less we talk, the more we will learn and understand life. We live not by talking way too much, but we LIVE by lending a listening ear to someone who truly needs it. Perhaps in all your talking you missed how upset your colleague/friend was. Listen so that you may LIVE more fully. In every conversation I have in everyday, I make it a point to ask “How are YOU? Is there something I can do for you?”. Ask, and then listen.
8}Be Positive:
Easier said than done…is that what you’re thinking? My whole life is based on positive thinking, but it all starts with every thought of everyday. I make an effort to identify my negative thoughts and remind myself that they are part of my own self doubt. I replace each of these negative thoughts with positive ones and LIVE a completely content life. I find my own solutions and dont allow others to affect my positive frame of mind. If I can do it, so can you!
9}Experience the simple pleasures:
I often find people complaining about how they ‘dont’ have something, which is why they feel they are unhappy. The truth of the matter is, they don’t appreciate what they ‘do’ have! All the best things in life are free and we all have access to them. What is more precious than seeing your loved one smile? What is more rewarding than uninterrupted time spend with your partner? What is more satisfying than watching the sunrise or sunset? And best of all, they are all free! Simply noticing them everyday, can make you truly come alive.
I agree that none of us are given a handbook on how to LIVE. We all do the best we can considering our circumstances. But wouldn’t it be amazing if we could make every situation, every circumstance and every moment shine with our positive attitude and really seize the moment?
How are you going to shine in this day/moment and really LIVE? Share your amazing ways/thoughts in the comments below… I’d love to know how you really LIVE in every day. If you’re reading this in your inbox please click here to add your comment.
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With Immense Love & Gratitude,
~Zeenat~
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Great tips Zeenat, My favorite are falling in love every day which I need to work on, and enjoying simple pleasures, which I do often like the photographing and hiking that I did today! 🙂 blessings, brad
Dearest Zeenat, loved, loved, loved this. So much of what you say speaks to me.
Hi Zeenat! What a superb description of living a meaningful life!
I think I have been shining in the ways you have described so convincingly! You have just mentioned the time we waste in watching TV but I have seen people indulging in mindless gossip in the so called kitty parties…and then complaining about the lack of time! I would rather read a nice book, go out to watch nature, hear the sounds of birds, as they refresh and enrich our mind.
I believe that the handbook to live lies in our mind… often we keep procrastinating to read it. As you say, positive outlook is a bit hard to develop, it comes with constant reminders and positive environment. our surroundings and people around us too play a significant role in the way we live or shine.
This post can prove an eye opener to many, if they are receptive. The will to shine is also essential. Thanks for defining such a concrete way to live a positive life!
Zeenat, a post full of positives. Every point that you made here is significant. I have done some of these and I should say that the amount of difference it makes is very experiential and everyone should try to put these into practice. Some of us may consider this as ‘Easier said than done’ – Actually it is not so. Whatever limits is basically us and nothing else.
To simply put, I loved this post. Keep invoking the positive vibrations in all. Have a great day!
As much as I would love to have a morning ritual, I doubt that it will ever happen. With my husband being on the second shift at work, most mornings are noisy at my house. No, closing a door will not do it in my case. Contrary to what others may be able to do, I haven’t got a way to make my husband more sensitive to others needs, and this includes mine. It just isn’t going to happen.
However, because of my husband work schedule, I do have an evening ritual. I don’t do will with affirmations or with discipled meditation, but I do spend time glazing out the window letting the troubles of the day tumble off my shoulders.
Such wisdom and positive inspiration! I especially identified with being grateful for all that I have in the here and now. Developing a gratitude attitude, thanking God for all His great gifts, and drinking it in through the wonders of His created world, have defined my positive outlook on life, no matter what the obstacles which may loom darkly and largely day to day. It’s taken time and practice and prayer, but I am slowly and surely learning how to turn all my burdens over to the Lord in pray and live each day with joy and thankfulness.
As always, Zeenat, a beautiful post!
Blessings!
Zeenat,
I would like to say that I have one or two favorites, but I can’t because they are all so good! All anyone really needs to do is take this list and do it every day, and they would find their life to be instantly better! Thank you for sharing your insight and wisdom. I really enjoyed this post. 🙂
Hi dear Zeenat – All of them resonate with me but the two top ones – being in nature and listen more than you talk. If everyone learned to listen – it should be taught in elementary school – how different the world would be. Thanks for a great post. xxoo-Fran
Yes, I agree…they all are good!
Numbers 3 and 7 seem to stand out for me.
I believe I mentioned before on your site that I have not had network TV for…I think 5 years now? When TV converted to digital I opt out and decided to do without.
There are several good reasons to listen intently. When doing so if you retain the information that is being given there may come a day when the (talker’s)…”words”…may be trying to persuade you in making a very important decision by the ploy of ‘fear’ with his or her “words”. If you have been a *good listener* then you will be able to decipher what holds water and what is merely diarrhea of the mouth…
Thanks Z!
hmm?
Lets see if I am number 9 when I post this comment…
Love this Zeenat, yes to the morning ritual sets my day up amd love scratch out the unimportant and yes to being positivemakes the world shine
all my love xx
hey Zeenat – you are truly blazing a trail and living life to the maximum each day.
By doing the things you talk about, you’re ensuring that you’re not taking each day for granted. I’ve given up tv too and it has created a lot more time and space in my life but it’s been replaced by the internet. I do need to reduce my non-productive time online! Often I will do more of my writing by paper to keep more focused and productive. Also, I love to learn each day. Not simply knowledge for work and professional necessity but lessons for living and character.
Thank you everyone for sharing your beautiful thoughts here! I am out of station for a few days, hence haven’t replied to each of your comments here.
I will get back to normal blog/online activity next monday(18th Nov). See you all then.
I love you all sooooo much and loved reading your wise and insightful comments here.
Till next week then.
Much Love & Gratitude~
Dear Zeenat,
I ma thankful to God for so much, but on this day, i needed to sat to you that i am grateful for your beautiful heart. Much love and greetings from Kenya. Shine bright, shine true!