 Yesterday I was dropping my 17 year old daughter at the airport; she was getting ready to embark on a 3 week adventure. Before saying our goodbyes she made a comment: “I am afraid, but excited”
Wow, what a great statement! If you read between the lines you would understand what she is really saying: “I am intimidated, but eager and very enthusiastic!” This statement should be my proclamation for life:
So today and everyday, do something that moves you; bend the rules, and always feel exhilarated about trying something new. “Life is short, break the rules. Forgive quickly, kiss slowly, love truly, laugh uncontrollably and never regret anything that makes you smile.” - Mark Twain
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 This week all of you are leaving to different summer programs. These are great and unique opportunities that you all have. So enjoy it, learn, and always remember that we love you all!
Now, here are some thoughts for you to take with you on your adventures:
Keep in mind: you will be the happiest when you know you can trust your own thoughts and decisions!  A negative thought is just a thought.
A thought is just an idea or an opinion produced by your mind. An idea is just a concept and a concept is abstract. Abstract is something that does not have a physical or concrete existence. A negative thought is abstract and does not have any physical power. So here is the question: How can a negative thought possess any power over you? The only power that it can hold is the one that you allow it to have!  Often negative thoughts just slip into our mind.
So, what we can do about it? First, always stay alert and aware, so that immediately you will recognize when your mindset is going wrong. Then, every time you catch yourself going critical, replace your thoughts with a positive one. If you catch yourself contemplating failure, visualize success instead. If you find yourself using negative words in your conversation, switch to positive words; “I like it,” “good job,” “yes, I can!” Keep in mind: A positive attitude, a positive thought is what you need in your life. Trust yourself and expect the best. A “yes, I can” affirmation will take you a long way!  Today’s is my son's, Gabriel, 16th birthday; he is a young man who is stuck in the middle of 2 sisters, each one a year apart from him.
Yesterday we decided to have an early celebration. As we were driving to the restaurant I could hear his sisters, like always, harassing him: “Jibril, his nickname, please put the ugly face for the picture.” “Jibril, do me a favor, stop laughing.” “Jibril, stop mumbling” “Jibril, I like your ugly hairstyle.” “Jibril, you are always lost…” Yes, Gabriel constantly gets harassed by his sisters, but every time he reacts with a smile, with a laugh, with a funny come back and thinking “you silly girls.” Nothing irritates him, he is a good-natured young man. So here is my thought for you and your beautiful sisters: Gabriel, having the right attitude makes the difference between success and failure. It doesn't matter if you're dealing with family, friends, coworkers or just random people; the right attitude counts. Happiness is contagious and one of the best ways to find it is to find those who know how to nurture and create their own happiness, and share it freely. You three have a great connection, you share laughter and spend time having fun. Watching how you react to your sister’s funny situations, and how you get pulled into the good humor, is great and I love it! It is refreshing and always, my spirit gets lifted. Gabriel keep in mind, you are young man with a great attitude and people will always want to spend time with you. Individuals consciously surround themselves with people who can create goodness for themselves, and those around them. Gabriel, never forget the advice YOU gave me a few years ago: “If you cannot find one thing to smile about every day, it is time to make a change!” My friend, you are a good man! Never change! We will always love you.  People do not follow you for who you are or what you do…
People follow you for why you do it, for what you believe. People follow you for what you are passionate about. People follow you because you inspire them! “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou |
Who I am today as a person is largely due to my failures! Archives
January 2024
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