Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Learn to love yourself

It's amazing how quickly the time flies. It seems like only yesterday I began the new topic of the month and it's already high time to make conclusions.So what have I learned this month? I was mostly learning economics at the Univesity and also the main concern for me this month was to take care of my body, to learn to eat right, to learn to get enough sleep, to learn to go for a walk in the mornings. And I feel that I have succeeded in all these endeavours. It is now very easy for me not to eat sweets and chocolate. In fact I haven't had a chocolate in te last two weeks. I still have an open bar of chocolate right here on my desk but I just don't want it. And I feel really inspired to go on, to keep following the new habits.
And the main thing that I have learned out of this daily lessons is the importance of loving yourself. It is when you love yourself and want to live a healthy life that this seemingly difficult process becomes very simple. Yes, it was hard for at the beginning, but what made it easier was knowing that it will improve my life.
So the advice of the day is: learn to love yourself. Love yourself for who you are. Learn to love yourself because you make things happen. And make things happen because you love yourself.

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Learn to seize the opportunity

“Every day you have the opportunity to learn and experience some-thing and some-one new. Seize the opportunity. Learn and experience everything you can, and use it to change the world.”  Rodney Williams

Unfortunately I don't know (and didn't find much infomation) who Rodney Williams is, but this is still a vey smart and inspiring quote. We come across a lot of opportunities every day but most of the time we are (at least I am) scared to seize the opportunity, to take a chance. For example, you could come up and talk to the person you like, you have the opportunity to do that but most of the time you feel scared or shy. And you miss the chance to get to know a new person, a person who might have changed your life. I do feel like that a lot of the time, feel too scared to make the first move, for example. So I want to learn to step into this fear and uncertainty and stop missing the opprtunities.
And this is my advice of the day for you: learn to seize the opportunity, take every chance to become happy and fulfilled. 

Monday, October 29, 2012

Learn to have fun

On Saturday we (my new Univesity friends and myself) decided to celebrate Halloween. And yes I know that it is only on Wednesday, but clubs here in Moscow started to have parties already on Friday. At first I was a bit hesitant if I should or should not go, becasue of all the workout and new eating habits that I am working on right now. But than I thought that the most important thing was that I was feeling good. And I would feel much happier if I went out and had fun than if I stayed at home and ate salad and felt alone. And I am so happy that I did it. I haven't actually been to a club for about 2 yeas, and I forgot how great it feels just to dance and laugh and sing songs out loud. And I also got to know the people I am studying with. And also I feel very inspired and just genuinely happy. I even was singing loudly to my ipod IN THE STREET. And it is huge fo me, because earlier I wanted to do that but felt too shy.
Laughing, singing, dancing, talking to your friends - these are all pretty simple things, but they give you a lot of inspiration. They lift you up and make you feel alive. It is really easy, believe me. Start with laughing for at least a couple of minutes a day. Just laugh for no reason. I do that  while I am walking every morning (well, I do skip Sundays, because that's my sleep-in-late day). It does make you feel better and happier. Try it for yourself and share your results. I'd be happy to hear your thoughts.
So the advice of the day is: learn to have fun and to see fun around you! 

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Learn to dream

The song "I have a dream" by Amanda Seifrid (originally by ABBAof course, but I like the movie version more) is one of my most favourite songs. I watched the movie in 2008, but I discovered the song and especially its lyrics only last year. And since than it has been a great motivation for me. It helps me to reminf myself about the importance of having a dream. When you know what you want, what your goal (and dream) is, you will find the way to get it. But if you agree for anyhting, it is the anything that you will get.

 I have a dream, a song to sing
To help me cope with anything
If you see the wonder of a fairy tale
You can take the future even if you fail
I believe in angels
Something good in everything I see
I believe in angels
When I know the time is right for me
I'll cross the stream - I have a dream


 So the advice of the day is: learn to dream!

Saturday, October 27, 2012

Learn to live fully

This song represents everything that I am now learning to do: enjoy each day as if it is your last day. I know it is not the best thing to think about, but when you keep this thought in mind it definitely helps you to make better choices. It helps me to not get offended when a freind does something differenly than I had expected. It teaches me to appreciate each day and be greatful for all the wonderful things I have in my life.
The song "Live Like You Were Dying" by Tim McGraw

He said, “I was in my early forties  
With a lot of life before me  
When a moment came that stopped me on a dime”
”I spent most of the next days, looking at the x-rays  
Talking ‘bout the options and talking ‘bout sweet times”
 

I asked him when it sank in  
That this might really be the real end 
”How's it hit 'cha when you get that kind of news?  
Man, what'd ya do?” 
 He said
 

”I went skydiving 
I went rocky mountain climbing 
I went two point seven seconds on a bull named Fu Man Chu  
And I loved deeper  
And I spoke sweeter  
And I gave forgiveness I'd been denyin'”
And he said, “Someday I hope you get the chance  
To live like you were dyin'”
 
He said, “I was finally the husband  

That most the time I wasn't  
And I became a friend, a friend would like to have”
 

”And all of a sudden goin' fishin'  
Wasn't such an imposition  
And I went three times that year I lost my dad  
Well I, I finally read the good book 
And I took a good long hard look 
At what I'd do if I could do it all again And then”
 
”I went skydiving

I went rocky mountain climbing  
I went two point seven seconds on a bull named Fu Man Chu 
And I loved deeper  
And I spoke sweeter 
And I gave forgiveness I'd been denyin'”
And he said, 
“Someday I hope you get the chance  
To live like you were dyin'”

Like tomorrow was a gift  

And ya got eternity to think about what to do with it  
What did you do with it?  
What did I do with it?  
What would I do with it?
 
Skydiving

I went rocky mountain climbing  
I went two point seven seconds on a bull named Fu Man Chu 
And I loved deeper  
And I spoke sweeter
And I watched an eagle as it was flyin'
And he said, 
“Someday I hope you get the chance  
To live like you were dyin'”


So the advice of the day is: live each day to the fullest!!  

 


Friday, October 26, 2012

Learn to trust yourself

These couple of dyas will be song posts. These are the songs that really inspire me and motivate me to keep going.
One of these songs is "Defying gravity" from the musical 'Wicked'. I saw this musical over 4 years ago in Los Angeles and I still remember that excitment with which I went out of the Pantages Theater. The show was amazing and I downloaded all the songs the very next day. This one - "Defying gravity" - is one of my favourite. I love all of it, and especially this part:

Something has changed within me 

Something is not the same  
I'm through with playing by the rules  
Of someone else's game  
Too late for second-guessing  
Too late to go back to sleep 
It's time to trust my instincts  
Close my eyes: and leap!
So the advice of the day is: Learn to trust yourself, trust your instincts and make the leap when you feel that the time has come. Don't wait for someone's approval or advice.Just take the action, just leap!

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Learn to be sad

Today is a wonderful day and I am happy inside and very greatful for everything I have. But at the same time I feel sad and feel like crying. It is quite common for me, every now and than (usually once a month or two) I need to let the tears out. It has been over 2 months since I last shed a tear, so it is that time of the season again:) I smile as I am writing this, though I'm still feeling a bit down. And I think that it's normal. it is human nature to experience all the different kinds of mood. A person cannot be cheerful and smiling and talkative 100% of the time. Everyone needs some time to recharge, to think, to reflect on what he/she is going through. Now I have learned to take this emotions and tears for granted, the tears are a part of my body, letting them out is a part of a natural process.
So the advice of the day is: learn to be sad and to deal with sadness. Do not feel frustrated when you are a bit down. Live the emotion. Let yourself be sad for a few hours or a day and remember: this too shall pass.

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Learn to get enough sleep

As you probably know, I have been waking up pretty early lately. And I have to thank myself for being very consistent with it for over 3 weeks! That's big for me, because there have been plenty of times that I would start doing something - like going for a run - and than in a week, max. 2, I would forget about it. So this time I am doing a very good job. The only thing is that I now need to learn to go to bed a little earlier. Sufficient amount of sleep is super important. I have realized it today. Yesterday I came home after 11 pm because of my University, so I went to sleep after midnight and was up up today at 5:55. So 5 hours of sleep is definitely not enough. I felt so tired and worn-out the whole day today that it has been difficult for me to be useful at work. Also I had to make myself get up in the morning which usually doesn't happen - I get up quite easily. And during the day I didn't feel like talking and socializing. So I did not enjoy feeling that tired. And I also talked with my food coach tonight and she said that sufficient amount of sleep is crucial for the weight-loss process.
So the advice of the day is: learn to get enough sleep. And I am going to bed right now:)

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Learn to love the world

Today is rather a short post, I will let Jon bon Jovi speak instead of me:




I have run from the truth
Since the days of my misspent youth
I was hungry for kindness
I was lost in life's blindness

When you're born without wings
All you dream of, all you want
Is that feeling of flying
Of rising and climbing

Halle, halle,
We're one breath away
Halle, halle,
From our judgement day
You leave it all on the table
If you lose or you win
You've got to learn to love the world you're living in

Always thought I'd die young
In these hands I held the gun
But it's too late for dying
Now there's nothing worth hiding

I've lost love, lived with shame
I was humbled by my fall from grace
On the steps of decision
It's revenge or forgiveness

Halle, halle,
We're one breath away
Halle, halle,
From our judgement day
Leave it all on the table
If you lose or you win
You got to learn to love the world you're living in

Halle, halle (2x)

Halle, halle,
We're one breath away
Halle, halle,
From our judgement day
Leave it all on the table
If you lose all you win
You've got to learn to love the world you're living in

Halle, halle, and that's how it is
You've got to learn to love the world you're living in

Halle, halle

So the advice of the day is: learn to love the world you are living in!

Monday, October 22, 2012

Learn to ask for more

Today's post is inspired by the Coca Cola commercials, and to be more exact their "And" series. I loved how such a small word can actually mean so much. Saying the "and" means that you want more, that you know that you are worthy of something more, that you value yourself. And when you know what you truely want, than you will definitely get it. And it is also good not only to ask other people for more, but to ask yourself - and what could you do? how else could you help? what else do you want to achieve?
Also 'and' makes you think. You do not find just one solution for example, by saying 'and' you'll have to think of something more. This will broaden your thinking and your mind. After this commercials, I think that 'and' is such a powerful word, I would definitely use it more often.
So the advice of the day is: learn to ask for more.
happythankyoumoreplease

Sunday, October 21, 2012

Learn to read

Well, I am sure you can read - but how often do you read? What was the last book that you have read? When did you finish it?
This is actually a reminder for myself - because for the last 4 months, I guess, I haven't read a single book. I was reading some blogs, I read a few magazines, I am reading a lot of the University books - but these are not actual books. I used to love reading and when I was a schoolgirl library was my favourite place. Last year I read many self-development books and I had a special system on how I worked with them. At first I would just read the book from cover to cover. If it appealed to me I would read it again and underline the parts and words that were the most important to me. And the third step would be to go through the book again (now mainly through the underlined parts) and wite down a short summary of it in my special notebook.
I miss reading. Reading not only self-development books, but some classic literature.I should make it my habit again. So the davice of the day is: learn to read!

Saturday, October 20, 2012

Learn to take care of your body

Take care of your body. It's the only place you have to live.
– Jim Rohn

It's been almost three weeks now that I have started my diet and I feel amazing. In the beginning of September I also decided to reduce my coffee drinking. And even though my eating coach has allowed my to drink a cup of coffee a day, I don't reaaly want the coffee anymore. During the last 4 weeks I only had 1.5 cups and it feels great. And the early wake-ups make me feel upbeat for the enitre day. I usually do not feel sleep during the day even though I get up at 6 am. And eating at on and the same time almost every day helps me eat less. I love taking care of my body and noticing how it responds. I haven't had a headache during this month - but usually my head starts aching if I oversleep. Even a little over 8 hours is too much for me. And usually coffee used to help or I had to take a medicine. Now when I wake up early, I automatically do not oversleep, which greatly contributes to the entire mood of the day.
So the advice of the day is: learn to take care of your body!

Friday, October 19, 2012

Learn to find time for your friends

It has been 7 months yesterday since I left St. Petersburg. It feels like a lot because I have visited St. Pete only once during these 7 months, but at the same time it feels as if I just started my new job a week ago. And today I finally skyped with my friend from St. Pete, with whom I haven't talked for more than 3 months. I feel so upbeat and happy after our talk. She is always so positive and funny and makes me laugh. And after we finished talking I thought to myself: "Why don't we do this more often?" Well, yeas of course we both might be busy and have a lot of things to do, but it doesn't have to be an hour and a half all the time. You can (well, I can) always find 10-15 minutes to catch up with a dear friend. They do give us a lot of inspiration and motivation. Next week my oldest friend is coming to town (I don't mean that she is old, I mean that I have been friends with her the longest - it's been 10 years this September). And then in 2 weeks I will have another guest. Can't wait to see them all!
So the advice of the day is: learn to find time for your friends!

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Learn to live without limits

A few days ago I accidently bumped into this video on a beatuiful song called "Something more".


I was so impressed by this guy, Nick Vujicic. I head tears in my eyes when I was watching this. But then I thought "why do I cry". He is doing so great. He is inspiring so many people. He is enjoying life to the fullest going skating and swimming and travelling the world. He is not limited by his body. I'm sure he has a happy life and he has learned how to be happy without arms and legs.  His life is a great example of how there are no limitations for you to be happy. Happiness is not how you look, not how you dress. Happiness is how you feel. How you make others feel.
So the advice of the day is: Learn to live without limits!

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Learn to use your brain

Remember how I wrote recently about my studies at the University and how I understood that it is important  to be authentic? Well today I want to continue a bit about that. I had 2 more tasks to do for this subject. And as I had promised I did them all by myself. And I was so proud to get 'A's and to be able to say that these marks are well deserved. And now at the Microeconomics lessons we are doing different sums and I can literally feel my brain working. And it is a wonderful feeling to realize that you actually start to think. That you use your brain according to its intended purpose. And the brain responds. I thought I had forgotten Mathematics completely. I haven't been using it for about 10 years now. But I was mistaken. The brain actually remembers it. It just needs a small reminder sometimes, but it has it all in there. It was such an amazing discovery for me. I love to discover all these possibilities of my mind, my brain and my body. Try it yourself, try to solve some task from school. You will see that it is not as hard as it seems to be. Discover the awesomeness of your own mind.
So the advice of the day is: learn to use your brain!

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Learn to take cold showers


This month there are a lot of new things that I am beginning to learn and implement. First of all there is the actually learning as in reading books, doing homework, preparing for seminars and writing essays. Then there are the new eating habits, the habit of getting up early, the habit of taking 1- hour walks in the morning. And now there is the habit of taking cold showers. Well to be precise it is a usual shower that ends with a bucket of cold water being poured all over you - I'm sure there is a certain word for that in English, I just don't know it yet. Actually this is the first habit of all the listed above - tomorrow will be 3 weeks that I have started doing so. My mom used to take such showers when I was 11-11 years old. In winter she would also go out in the evenings to walk barefoot on snow and she would take us with her. And I remember that we were always healthy. There was only one time when I had a fever at school and I was 9 years old at that time. And so for the rest 6 years at school I didn't get sick. So I hope that this new habit will strengthen my immune system and also will help me heel my knee, which is still aching when I bent it. Because they say that water heels everything. 
So the advice of the day is: learn to take cold showers!

Monday, October 15, 2012

Learn to fight for your rights

I have this colleague at work, who I have become very close with. We started at about the same time and work very closely with each other. She is a great professional in her field and besides that she has a wonderful personality. What I love most - she is not afraid to speak up for herself. She always ahs an opinion and is not afraid to say it out loud even if differs from everyone else's. And she also can stand up for her rights and doesn't matter who she is talking with - be it a receptionist, or a CEO. If she knows that she is right, she will fight for it. And she is also a doer. Yes she can procrastinate some times (like most of us), but when the work needs to be done, she doesn't look for someone else who is responsible for the project, she just sits down and starts working on it. I admire that and I am happy and thankful to be working around such great people. When I think about what would she do, I myself start doing things. I am less afraid of the new responsibilities. I am getting better every single day. I hope that you also have someone who inspires you to go beyond the limitations of your mind. Someone who inspires you to stop being scared and start fighting for yourself.
So the advice of the day is: learn to fight for yourself.

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Learn to be imperfect (sometimes:)

Just yesterday I wrote that I have been waking up at 6 am every day and today I didn't. I did hear my alarm ringing, I stopped it and wanted to get up in a couple of minutes, but instead slept all the way till 9 o'clock. And I don't actually feel bad about that. I realize that it is ok to sometimes not be 100% perfect and ideal. We are all people and we cannot be programmed to do things the exact same way day after day. So I let myself sleep. And then had breakfast. And then went for a walk in the park and played table tennis. And even though early walks make me feel great, being imperfect today and sleeping late let me rest. And I feel even better and more inspired to get up early morning tomorrow.
So the advice od the day is: learn to be imperfect.

Saturday, October 13, 2012

Learn to wake up early

As you know I have started to implement a new, more healthy daily routine. It has been an old dream of mine to get up early. And I am actually doing it. I get up at 6 a.m. on week days, and on weekends it is a little later - on Saturday I have to go to the University so I should get up somewhere between 6:30 and 7:00, and on Sundays I try to make it 7:00 - 7:30. And today I woke up at 6:30 and was thinking "Oh, I don't have to get up this early, I can sleep till 7". But my body did not want to. I closed my eyes but could not fall asleep. So I got up and went for the walk. It feels so great to get up early, to know that I can do it, to realize that I have the will power to stick to this routine. I have a big goal - I want to lose a little over 20 kg, and with every morning walk I am a bit closer to the goal. And knowing this helps me get up so early.
So the advice of the day is: learn to get up early and get energized! 

Friday, October 12, 2012

Learn lessons

I have fallen in love with poetry lately. It is fascinating how in so few words there is so much wisodm. Here is another poem I have found.What do you think of it?

Lessons

© Brenda
What are the lessons that we so deeply need to learn? Are they lessons of making things better and bright? Are they lessons of change making things right?

Are they lessons that teach us today? Lessons of hope, are they honest and true? These lessons are what make me and you!

These lessons we learn are they happy or sad? Do we love and forgive or do we stay mad? The lessons in life are future events.

Lessons not handled make empty a plan, a lesson in life is like two birds in the hand. One lesson to love one lesson to hate. Which one to choose? Which one to make.

Lessons not easy so hard to discern, no better answer than the lesson well learned. Learn the lessons the people say. Lessons well learned are easy to replay.

When the lesson is learned you don’t make the same plan. You know the one that was messed up, that bad deal of a hand.

Lessons in life are awesome at best because of the change that it makes in our hearts. They are lessons in life that never depart. Learn the lessons with all your heart.




So the advice of the day is: learn your lessons.

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Learn the art of...

I have come across this beautiful poem by Sri Chinmoy, who was a was a Bengali and American spiritual teacher, poet, artist and athlete. And the poem syncs a lot with this month's topic. I especially like the last verse: "I wish to be the father of my silver dreams". Here is the poem itself: 

I AM LEARNING  
 
I am learning the art of listening.    
I wish to be an eternal student.

I am learning the art of believing.
I wish to be an eternal believer.

I am learning the art of serving.
I wish to be an eternal servant.

I am learning the art of becoming.
I wish to be    
The father of my silver dreams.
I wish to be    
The son of my golden realities.

Excerpt from The Dance Of Life, Part 2
by Sri Chinmoy


So the advice of the day is: learn the art of living.

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Learn to inspire yourself

I was talking with my trainer today and began to cry. I felt offended that I have done so much to change my daily routine, but our talk did not start with praise as I was expecting. She started our talk with saying that I should walk more and get up earlier. I felt as if none of endeavors have been appreciated. And I began to find excuses for myself that it was not possible for this or that reason. Our talk has been quite harsh. And I even started crying and I still have tears in my eyes as I write this. But I think I am just pitying myself, I want to feel sorry for myself. My body (or probably it is my mind?) is fighting against this whole transformation. Because it is not used to it. It is new, it is unknow, it is out of the comfort zone. Far out. And it is scared. What if I fail again. What if I do not have enough strength to go all the way through? What should I do then? Will I be able to ever try this again?
So I am learning to inspire myself by thinking positively, by using positive affirmations, by thinking of why I began this whole process in the first place. I need the inspiration to go on. To keep moving. I will concentrate on one thing at a time. On chocolate:) I am allowed to eat a tiny piece of chocolate in the morning. So tomorrow after I get up, walk for an hour and come to work I can have the chocolate. Yahoo! Now I feel inspired to get up tomorrow morning:)
 So the lesson  of the day is: learn to inspire yourself!

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Learn to eat healthy

Eating healthy foods is one of the new things that I am learning these days. I have decided to turn for assistance to a food trainer and it has been a real helper. Because now when I want to eat a piece of a cake or sweets, I think: "What will I tell to my trainer? How will I explain this cookie in my daily report? Was it really necessary? Do I really want it? Can I live without it?" And it has been quite of a helper. This week I only had 20 gramms of dark chocolate (which is totally allowed 1-2 times per week). And I also made healthy oatmeal cookies with absolutely no sugar (only honey) and no flour.
And there is also one more reason why I feel more inspired to stick to the new eating routine - this trainer, of course, does not work for free. So any time I want to eat something unhealthy, I think that my money than will be wasted and I definitely do not want that.
So these two things - the need to explain myself and the spent money - keep me supermotivated to keep holding on. It has only been a week, and my trainer says that it takes 3 months to form new eating habits. I have a long road ahead of me and I know that I can walk all the way to my goal.
So the advice of the day is: learn to eat healthy.

Monday, October 8, 2012

Learn to walk

There are several new things that I am learning to do these weeks and one of them is waking up early and going for a walk. I have wanted to get up at 6 a.m. for over a year, but now I am actually doing it. It has only been a week, but I got up even on the weekends - well, on Sunday I got up at 7:30, but this counts as 6 on a Sunday morning. And the first thing I do is I get dressed, drink a cup of water and go for a walk. There is a nice little park really close to my house, so I walk there for 30-50 minutes in the very-very morning. And it feels so nice and awesome to breathe in the fresh air of an early morning. And on Saturday when I had a little more time for the walk, I felt extremely inspired by first walking in the dark and then noticing how it gets lighter and lighter (I wish it hadn't been so cloudy and I could see the sun rise). While I walk I think about the plans for the new day, I do face stretching (like Garret from Radical Undoing in this video), I laugh, I even close my eyes for a bit and try to meditate. And I have noticed that even though my mind sometimes in the morning starts telling me to stay in bed and do the walking tomorrow, my body actually speaks louder. I think it is because of all the positive energy I am getting from these walks. And it is not at all tiring, so I don't feel exhausted and I don't have any negative associations with this workout.
So my advice of the day is: learn to walk. Get up and go wwalking! A lot of people say that walking is the best exercise and I agree with them.

Sunday, October 7, 2012

Learn to savour the food

I am a great chocoholic. I love everything chocoalte. My favourite kind of ice-cream is choclae ice cream with chocolate chunks with chocolate glazing. And I love-love tripple chocolate brownies. But starting from this week I began to make some changes in my food routine and I haven't had chocolate the entire week. Until today. Today for breakfast I had 2 pieces of dark chocolate, oh it was so amazing. I really felt the taste of the chocolate, I savoured it for as long as I could and I really appreciated the whole breakfast. And so after I began thinking and I realized that lately I haven't been getting as much pleasure out of chocolate as I had used to. I was just eating it out of habit. But I wasn't enjoying it. And it happens a lot not only with chocolate but with other foods too. And for that matter not only with food, but with everything else as well. We got so used to all the comfort around us that at some moment we stop to appreciate it. And I want you to take a moment and to think what things and foods that bring you comfort, pleasure, moments of happiness are you grateful for. Enjoy and savour them today.
So the advice of the day is: learn to savour the food (and everything else around you)

Saturday, October 6, 2012

Learn to be authentic

As you know I have begun my studies at the University. We had a hometask to do which was a bit difficult for me. So I have decided to take the easiest way and found the same task on the Internet. I did read it  through, made corrections in each of the exercises, some of them were 100% my work - but you know basically that was still not me, not my project. I sent it to the teacher, at first she said "The work is accepted with an A". But then an hour later came a second letter: "The work is 100% identical to the one I had recieved before. It is still accepted, but you do not get any mark for that". At first I wanted to write to her that it could not be 100% identical to anything because I HAVE corrected it to how I see and understand it, but then I decided not to, because it would not be 100% true. Because the given answers influenced me a lot and I did not use my own brain fully. It was not me who was doing the thinking, to be honest. I know that if I say that I did it all by myself, I will be telling a lie. So I decided just to learn my lesson and to make  everything my own. Than you will feel proud, not ashamed. You will feel brave to stand up for what you have done. It is your life, it is your work, it is how you see and understand the tasks you get - this is what important. Be yourself, be authentic and you will be respected for that.
So the advice of the day is: learn to be authentic.

Friday, October 5, 2012

Learn from life

There is a great song by Alanis Morissette called "You Learn". The song is over 15 years old already, but you know like everything that has wisdom in it, it will always be up-to-date. Here is the lyrics:

I, recommend getting your heart trampled on to anyone, yeah
I, recommend walking around naked in your living room, yeah

Swallow it down (what a jagged little pill)
It feels so good (swimming in your stomach)
Wait until the dust settles

You live you learn, you love you learn
You cry you learn, you lose you learn
You bleed you learn, you scream you learn

I, recommend biting off more than you can chew to anyone
I certainly do
I, recommend sticking your foot in your mouth at any time
Feel free

Throw it down (the caution blocks you from the wind)
Hold it up (to the rays)
You wait and see when the smoke clears

Wear it out (the way a three-year-old would do)
Melt it down (you're gonna have to eventually, anyway)
The fire trucks are coming up around the bend

You grieve you learn, you choke you learn
You laugh you learn, you choose you learn
You pray you learn, you ask you learn
You live you learn







 So the advice of the day is: learn life lessons!

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Learn to escape limitations

It is in fact a part of the function of education to help us escape, not from our own time -- for we are bound by that -- but from the intellectual and emotional limitations of our time.
T.S. Eliot


I am so  loving my University, well not the university itself as a building but the fact that I am studying. I began to use my brains, to think actively. Although I do still try to find easy solutions or to google the answers, but I am learning to use my own head more and more often. It does help me escape from limitations, as T.S. Eliot puts it, but I would these are in my case limitations of my mind. And it is actually not only at the university that I learn to do that, but at my wonderful job as well. I have noticed that I began to take more responsibilities, and this is also a part of freeing myself from limitations.  

So the advice of the day is (I will use T.S. Eliot's words because they really resonate with me): Learn to escape limitations

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Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Learn to love all seasons

I live in Moscow, Russia and we have 4 very clear seasons with cold winters, blooming springs, hot summers and rainy autumns. I used to be very dependent on the weather outside the window. I used to get depressed in late autumn because of all the rains and dark skies. And February, for example, used to be the worst month of the year - Iwould get so tired of the winter and the lack of the sun and as a result I would spend the greater part of the month feeling sad. And today I realised that I don't have that anymore. I actually enjoyed the rain. I think it is a part of this transformation that I am going through, transformation of thinking - when my mood is defined by what is going inside rather then outside. I mean we cannot change the weather, but we can change our attitude, we can change the meaning that we give to the weather, For example, autumn used to mean greyness, darkness, wetness. But now it means more coziness, meet-up with friends in a coffeeshop rather than outside, hot tea with a cupcake. And when you have these pictures in your mind - there is no reason for you to be depressed.

So the advice of the day is: learn to love all the seasons.



Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Learn to build relationship with your parents


have just come back from a week long vacation which I spent with my mom. Now me and my mom have a wonderful relationship when we live in different cities, but after three days of being together 24/7 it became obvious that we have a problem understanding each other. I seemed to find faults in almost all of her words or actions. I have been thinking a lot about why I behaved that way and I have tried what I call it the 'why-technique'. That is when you talk to yourself preferably in front of a mirror: you say your problem and then ask the question why. I answer that question and then again ask why. For example:
- I have a problem with my mother, I find faults with everything she does
- Why do you find fault with your mother?
- because I want to prove myself right.
- Why do you want to prove yourself right?
- Because I don't want to feel as a child who doesn't know what is right.
- Why don't you want to feel as a child?
- Because as a child I felt that my mom loved me less than my sister. 
So here, I have the answer to my question. That was why I felt rebellious. And now that I knew the answer, I knew how to deal with it. Of course this behaviour didn't stop in an ink of the moment, but now I was aware of my feelings and every time I felt bitter I would tell myself that even if that was true in my childhood, it was not true now. My mom did a great in bringing up my sister and me and the way she expressed her love was the best way she knew how to do it. She has done a lot for me and has always been great support. I love you, mom and I am willing to work on letting you know how I feel. 
So the advice of the day is: learn to build relationship with your parents!

Monday, October 1, 2012

October: learn

I have already mentioned that I have decided to continue my education, and now I am a student of a master's programme in economics. The studies began in September, and when today I was thinking of the theme for October's posts, "learn" seemed to be just perfect. I am studying and learning a lot now, so there will be a lot to share.
The advice of the day is simple: learn. Be open to learning new staff. As a buddhist proverb says "When the student is ready, the master appears."