Five Ways to Get Your Spark BACK

We all feel low sometimes, right? Grouchy, fed-up and bored are all the words you could use to describe what it's like when you're feeling in a rut or like you've lost that spark that you use to have. Times like those are all part of the deal with being human (sorry to break it to you), but you'll run the risk of losing an important piece of yourself forever if those grouchy days and off-times merge together and last weeks, months or maybe even years.

Here are five ways to get you out of the rut and probably get your spark back.

1. SHAKE THINGS UP

If you've established systems and routines for getting things done, it certainly makes life easier. Of course, the flipside is that if you have everything tightly coordinated and run according to that routine, and everything you do every single day becomes the norm. You end up running on auto-pilot or cruise control, and it becomes your whole world.

So start to shake things up a bit. Make one or two simple changes to your day - whether it's your breakfast routine, your radio station, workout sked, route to work, lunch routine, etc, etc. It doesn't matter what the changes are or whether they're right or wrong, just make a couple of simple choices that will add some variety to your day.

Doing things differently and changing parts of your routine instantly takes you out of the norm and allows you to shake off the thing that make you feel confined. Stepping out of your routine puts you in a position when you're able to make different choices, see things differently and get a different result. It's the starting point for having a different kind of experience.

2. REMEMBER WHO YOU REALLY ARE.
If it feels like your sparks gone then i'm willing to bet that you've forgotten who you really are. way down deep. Your values are the building blocks, foundations and cornerstones for who you are, they're the things that are ten thousand feet down inside you that make you. A value is something in yourself, in others or out there in the world thats most important to you, and you could include things like trust, capability, love, family, nature, innovation, fun and a million other things.

Those times in your life when you've felt alive, buzzing or at the top of your game are times when one or more of your values are being honored, and it feels great because you're simply expressing and living in line with who you really are.

The times when you feel upset, angry or frustrated are times when one or more of your values are being denied, suppressed or repressed, it feels horrible because you're not living in line with who you really are.

Getting your spark back means connecting with your values that mean more to you and by using them every single day.

3. GET SOME NOURISHMENT.

Picture this... you are walking home from the market with a couple of bags of groceries, but the bags have holes in them . So, there you are, happily walking along, leaving a trail of your things behind you. When you get home you unpack what's left and ask, "didn't i have more than this?"

Nourishment is about plugging those holes in your life and making sure you have things that keep you feeling nourished... nourished in your head, nourished in your heart and nourished in your stomach. Remember, you can't give away what you don't have and can't spend energy you've already spent.

It doesn't have top be the big things in life that nourish you and its often the simplest little thing that strikes a chord, makes you feel like yourself again or makes you smile from ear to ear; calling a friend, taking a walk in the park or simply listening to your favorite song. Think about what keeps you balanced, the things that relax you or make you feel peaceful. Think about the things that make you feel like you again.

Yes, life is busy, but you need to prioritize your own nourishment or you will be running on empty. The fact is that you are important enough to spend time taking care of and because you are the only one of you there is, its you're responsibility to make sure you are okay.

4. CREATE YOUR PERFECT DAY.

This idea came to me a few years ago when a good friend suddenly asked me, "What would be your perfect day?" I'd never been asked that question before and I found myself spontaneously making up a story; telling my friend about my "perfect day" from the moment my eyes flickered open at the start of the day to the moment i hit the sack at the end of the day.

I went through each part of the day telling my friend what I was doing, who was I with, where we were, how it felt and what happened next. Bit by bit and without even thinking about it, i'd put together a rich, colorful exciting and comforting day which still holds true as my perfect day.

Just thinking about different parts of it makes me smile, makes me remember what's important to me and makes me feel human, my "perfect day" has now become like a good friend of mine, a friend that i can call on whatever I want to. So whats your "perfect day" like? Just shoot straight and see what comes out naturally for you. Write down words, ideas, themes or whole narratives, even draw pictures if you want to. have fun with it, play with it... its your "perfect day".

5. PACK IN MORE OF THE THREE "F's'.

FUN, FULFILLMENT and FREEDOM. The three "F's"... embody a whole lot of what people are looking for in life. Here are some quick definitions:

FUN, n. - a source of enjoyment or pleasure; playful activity.

FULFILLMENT, n. - To bring into actuality; to complete a feeling of satisfaction at having achieved your desires.

FREEDOM, n. - The capacity to exercise choice, free will, frankness or boldness; the absence of constraint in choice or action.

These 3 things have a massive influence on your experience of life, so think about it, where you are you on a scale of 1-10 against each of the 3 "F's"? How much fun are you having right now? How fulfilled are you? How free do you feel?

What would happen if you climbed a point or two on the Fun scale? What if you could add a point to your level of fulfillment or freedom? Chances are it would feel pretty darn good, so what is the one thing that you can do right now to help you climb up the 3 "F's" scale?

By themselves, each of the 3 "F's" are a powerful thing and can really help to enjoy where you are and feel alive. But when the 3 "F's" come together... well, just hold on to your hat because that's one hell of a ride.

caught in the act!

i am so mad and at the same time so disappointed with my eldest child. i caught him lying, and really caught in the act and lying to his teeth! and i gave him a good spanking for that. wish i didn't have to do the spanking part because it made me feel so bad afterwards. i promised myself that i would never spank my kids unless for a very serious reason or wrongdoing. guess i broke that promise...

there are a whole lot of things that i hate and the most that i detest is lying (who isn't?) in fact, told my children time and again to never, ever lie. wish i knew where they'd learn to do that... i never lied to them before, even in things that are sometimes beyond their comprehension. i earnestly and honestly try to answer their questions, whatever it is, to the best of my knowledge and in such a manner where the answer will be simple enough for an 11, 9 and 6 year old child to understand. somehow i reckon that i will have to be firm with them when it comes to discipline otherwise they may become somebody that i wouldn't want them to be when they grow up. this early, my eldest is showing signs of a rebellious attitude like making faces and banging on something when he doesn't get his way and like when her mom scolds him. when this happens, i just talk and explain to him that his actions are unnecessary and so disrespectful, then i try putting him on the opposite end of the situation and see how he reacts if those things were done to him. he seems to understand what i'm saying and apologizes afterwards. hiiiiiiiiiiiirap magpalaki ng anak! so now! who says that raising kids is an easy task?

How to Stay Young!

While leafing through tons of old paper yesterday, was trying to locate something of importance, i got hold of an old letter from a dear friend and am sharing it here for the simple reason that for people like my age may find significant...

10 Tips on How To Stay Young!

1. Throw out non-essential numbers. This includes age, wealth and height. Let the doctor worry about them. That is why you are paying him/her.
2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down.
3. Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening and whatever. Never let the brain idle. An idle mind is the devil’s workshop, and the devil’s name is ALZHEIMER’S.
4. Enjoy the simple things.
5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.
6. The tears happen. Endure, grieve and move on. The only person who is with us our entire life is ourselves. Be alive while you are alive.
7. Surround yourself with what you love, whether it’s family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants and hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge.
8. Cherish your health: if it is good, preserve it; if it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.
9. Don’t take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, to the next province, to a foreign country, but NOT to where the guilt is.
10. Tell the people you love that you love them at every opportunity.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER: Life is not measured by the number of breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away! STAY YOUNG!

Only Hope for the Philippines

i got this email from a pastor friend of mine and speaks of probably the only way that can bring our beloved country out of its present state. it was written by the Jesuit priest, Fr. James Reuter, SJ. i am sharing this to all of you and please feel free to copy this and pass it around to our fellow Pinoys out here in the blogosphere:

THE ONLY HOPE FOR THE PHILIPPINES

by Father James Reuter, S.J.

By her own admission, GMA (Gloria Macapagal Arroyo) rightfully assessed that over the last decades our republic has become one of the weakest, steadily left behind by its more progressive neighbors. Forty years ago, we were only second to Japan in economic stature, and way ahead of Singapore , Hong Kong , Malaysia, and Thailand . Today, at our present growth rate, it will take us 30 years toget to where Thailand is. Our national debt was US$28B when Marcos fled and is US$53B today. We will be competing, not against Thailand or even Vietnam , but against Bangladesh; and we will be the most corrupt nation in Asia , if not in the world (we're already ranked 11th most corrupt nation by Transparency International). The signs are clear. Our nation is headed towards an irreversible path of economic decline and moral decadence. It is not for lack of effort. We've seen many men and women of integrity in and out of government, NGOs, churchgroups & people's organization devote themselves to the task of nation-building, often times against insurmountable odds. But not even two people's revolutions, bloodless as they may be, have made a dent in reversing this trend. At best, we have moved one step forward, but three steps backward. We need a force far greater than our collective efforts, as a people, can ever hope to muster. It is time to move the battle to the spiritual realm. It's time to claim GOD's promise of healing of the land for His people. It's time to gather GOD's people on its knees to pray for the economic recovery and moral reformation of our nation. Is prayer really the answer? Before you dismiss this as just another rambling of a religious fanatic, I'd like you to consider some lessons we can glean from history. England 's ascendancy to world power was preceded by the Reformation, a spiritual revival fueled by intense prayers. The early American settlers built the foundation that would make it the most powerful nation today- a strong faith in GOD and a disciplined prayer life. Throughout its history, and especially at its major turning points, waves of revival and prayer movement swept across the land. In recent times, we see Korea as a nation experiencing revival and in the process producing the largest Christian church in the world today, led by Rev. Paul Yongi Cho. No wonder it has emerged as a strong nation when other economies around it are faltering. Even from a purely secular viewpoint, it makes a lot of sense. For here there is genuine humbling & seeking of GOD through prayer, moral reformation necessarily follows. And this, in turn,will lead to general prosperity. YES, we believe prayer can make a difference. It's our only hope. Today, we launch this email brigade, to inform Filipinos from all over the world to pray, as a people, for the economic recovery and moral reformation ofour nation. We do not ask for much. We only ask for 5 minutes of your time in a day, to fwd this message to your close friends and relatives. This is the kind of unity which can make a big difference. Of course, if you feel strongly, as I do,about the power of prayer, you can be more involved by starting your own prayer group or prayer center. We have tried people power twice; in both cases, it fell short. Maybe it's time to try prayer power. GOD never fails. Is there hope? YES! We can rely on God's promise, but we have to do our part. If we humble ourselves and pray as a people, GOD will heal our land. By GOD's grace, we may yet see a better future for our children. "If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from Heaven, and will forgive their sins, and will heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14.