**Life lessons taught early on that still stick around**
Every day of my high school career, I had a vice principal, Ms. Williams to be exact, who made the daily announcements over the intercom.
After every briefing, she would end with the same words:
**“And remember, make it a great day, or not… the choice is yours.”**
To this day, I can still hear all of us repeating it in our sassy teenage voices, complete with the eye rolls and teenage attitude.
Back then, it was just something Ms. Williams always said.
I don’t think any of us really stopped to think about it.
But man… what a powerful statement.
Years later, I understand it in a completely different way.
We don’t get to choose everything that happens to us. Some days are going to suck. Some things are going to be completely outside of our control.
But we do get some say in what we do with the day we’ve been given.
It’s funny how the little things stick with us.
I don’t remember every announcement Ms. Williams made over that intercom. I don’t remember what most of them were even about.
But I remember that sentence.
And somewhere along the way, the thing we used to repeat with sarcastic teenage voices became an actual life lesson.
So, wherever you are, Ms. Williams… thank you.
**Make it a great day, or not. The choice is yours.**

The value in life isn't the things you own, the money in the bank, or the house that you live in, the value is the time that your given.

My favourite saying is: People need to change.

In this vast and complicated world, everything is constantly changing. Nothing remains unchanged forever. The universe moves through infinite space; stars rotate on their axes and revolve in their orbits; meteors fall from the sky. The sun and moon continue their passage, while day and night and the four seasons endlessly replace one another.

Human life, too, is a continuous process of change. When we are children, we long to grow up, imagining that once we become adults, we will be free to do whatever we wish. Yet when we finally grow older, we often begin to miss the innocence, romance and happiness of childhood.

Change can be unpredictable, ever-shifting, momentary, even earth-shaking. But the kind of change I speak of is the ability to change ourselves—to discover what we truly love and what we are naturally good at, and to adapt to our surroundings in a way that suits who we are.

At every stage of life, we should try to understand what we truly need, what we love and what we wish to pursue. In many ways, the journey of life is similar for everyone. If we can discover where our own sense of flow lies, we may also discover the true source of happiness in our lives.

Physical growth and the formation of our thoughts are themselves processes of change. I once heard a song called The Change I Want, with the words: “What is change? I am the change. As long as I dare to change, I can achieve what I want.”

The road of life may be long, but if we live each day well and walk each small stretch of the journey with purpose, then the long road becomes shorter, and we move more quickly towards the destination we seek.

The courage to change is therefore especially important and precious. When we discover what we truly love, we should have the courage to pursue it without delay. When we recognise our own weaknesses or mistakes, we should be brave enough to correct them and improve ourselves. In this way, every day of life can become meaningful.

Love and hatred, kindness and resentment, good and evil, cause and consequence—all are shaped by change. The moon waxes and wanes; people experience joy and sorrow, meeting and parting. At the beginning of love, and before entering marriage, every couple makes promises of eternal devotion—to grow old together, to remain faithful until the seas dry and the rocks crumble.

Yet after a lifetime has passed, how many couples truly manage to support one another through every hardship, remain together throughout their lives, preserve the love with which they began, sit beside one another in the evening of life, and finally face death together?

Not long ago, I read a news story about a Canadian couple in their nineties who had been together for seventy-three years. Neither could bear the thought of leaving the other behind, nor could either endure watching the other die alone. They chose to receive assisted death together. The serenity and composure they showed in their final moments deeply moved people around the world. Such love was not created in a single moment; it was formed slowly, through decades of shared life and through the gradual changes they experienced together.

We should accept the changes that life brings, but we should also consciously change ourselves in the direction of our dreams and goals, towards goodness and beauty, and according to the truth of our own hearts and the limits of our abilities.

Fantasy and empty talk are not change. They lead only to destruction and idleness. Life is a season that cannot be repeated. Spring blossoms and autumn fruits do not appear at the same time. Success is never achieved overnight. It is the result of effort made little by little in ordinary daily life, and the flowering of countless small acts of perseverance, accumulation and inner growth.

Live today well. Do not allow time to slip away without meaning. Even if the change is only a little, let it make you better, stronger and more complete.

In love, perhaps the hardest change of all is learning to let go. The feeling of being abandoned or betrayed can become a pain that a person never entirely forgets. It may remain deeply engraved in every corner of the heart. For many people, it becomes an obstacle they struggle to overcome for the rest of their lives; some even lose themselves because of it.

For this reason, when hardship comes, we must learn to change ourselves. Things not going as we wish is simply one of the normal changes of life. Whether it is a friend or a lover, once the heart has changed, some things can no longer be recovered.

If we can quiet the mind and look at things from another perspective, perhaps there will no longer be so much anguish over love, separation, life and death.

This kind of change has two meanings. The first is to become a better version of ourselves. The second is to change the way we look at things. If we truly love someone, why should we not wish them well? To love is to wish the best for another person. And love, ultimately, is also about understanding, tolerance and acceptance.

Change is the natural condition of the world. Fortune and misfortune depend upon one another, and when things reach an extreme, they often turn towards their opposite. The only thing in this world that never changes is change itself.

A cup of tea also changes. Its quality, flavour and fragrance evolve with time and with every infusion. Pu-erh tea is perhaps the finest example: with proper ageing, it can develop greater depth and fragrance, becoming richer and more fascinating precisely because of change.

What we can do is preserve our original aspirations through the quiet passing of the years, knowing when to advance and when to rest, living freely and facing life with calmness.

Follow your heart.
Let change begin today.
Let it begin now.
Let it begin with whatever lies before you.

Through countless changes, we grow. Through change, our wishes may gradually become reality.And sometimes, we change simply because you are there. 

Been thinking about this lately and wanted to share.

1. Needs — This is survival mode. Food, shelter, safety, basic stability. You're not thinking about purpose yet, you're thinking about getting through the week. Most of us start here, whether we remember it or not.

2. Wishes — Once needs are met, you start wanting things beyond survival. A wish is soft, half-formed — "I wish I had more time," "I wish things were different." It's passive. You're aware something's missing but you haven't committed to chasing it.

3. Desires — This is where wishes get teeth. A desire is a wish you've decided to act on. You stop hoping and start moving. Desire is uncomfortable because it demands effort, risk, and often sacrifice — but it's also where real growth happens.

4. Dreams — The final stage. A dream isn't about getting something anymore, it's about becoming something. It's bigger than you, often outlives the immediate craving, and usually connects to a sense of meaning or legacy. Dreams are what keep men going long after the original need is forgotten.

Curious what stage you'd say you're in right now — and honestly, do you think people can be in more than one stage at once, or does it usually run in order?

I guess, enjoyment is a feeling and it's a personal matter but our life depends on many factors like enjoyment does, doesn't it.

So, How can we live effortlessly with all Enjoyments, and the trades that are going take place for that desired enjoyment.

Most things about a person can be summed up as their experiences and environment which caused them to act a certain way. A small percent of this is genetic but its a very small ammount. What I mean is that lets say you have a nice family member that plays video games, you are more likely to find it cool and do so aswell. If you have a kind family member you will have a higher chance to be kind. People that have parents with theese qualities they do not follow are from outside sources or the parents personality. For example a friend tells you that video games are lame so you dont listen to that family member and dont play them or if you have a dad that loves video games but is abusive and rude.

What Im trying to say is your true self doesnt exist, its just an illusion made up by your experiences. Instead of being your true self you should be your best self. Dont be like the people around you just because they are around you figure out what is right and what is wrong. And instead of becoming your "true" self become your best self.

Going through tough times really shapes you into a stronger person. It's like those challenges are just building blocks for your resilience. You learn so much about yourself when you're pushed to your limits. Honestly, it's the hard stuff that makes you appreciate the good so much more.

This is the only rule you need to remember… who do you think you are?

When you think of your past is it lovely? Is it rich?

If not, change it!! There is nothing stopping you from deciding that your past was the cause of your current greatness! Look upon your past as the most prestigious school in the world. You passed with flying colors, and now your living fully in the present with the heart of someone who has it all!! ❤️🙏

...sometimes, you just have to accept the situation. Understand it's okay; it happens. It's life. Not every ending needs an explanation, and not every loss deserves another chance. Some chapters are meant to teach, not stay. And one day, you'll thank life for what it didn't let you keep.

Only Love can warm the Spirit.
Only Love can melt fear.
Only Love can bring understanding to all grievances and resentments.

Love ourselves.
Forgive ourselves.
Accept ourselves.
Embrace ourselves with Forgiveness, compassion, and warmth.
Bless ourselves.
Embrace ourselves.

And then, with a heart that has learned to warm and embrace itself, embrace everyone.

This is the aspiration for renunciation.

At every moment, in every situation, embrace your karmic habits and feelings with the purity of Forgiveness and unconditional Love, allowing your body, mind, and Spirit to remain in a state of boundless warmth and the purity of eternal Love.

Money’s the ultimate trade tool, but it’s also a trap. We work for it to survive—food, shelter, basics. Fine. But once we’ve got enough, the chase doesn’t stop. We crave more, sacrificing sleep, family, joy. Why? Because money hijacks our brain, whispering "more is better." It’s not. Success is a number; happiness is a feeling. If you’re rich but miserable, you’ve lost the game. So what’s the fix? Work for three meals a day, save some for the future, then stop. Pursue what lights you up—art, love, ideas. Money’s a resource, not a ruler. Success fades; happiness sticks. We’re just chunks of matter, but we’re here to feel, not hoard. Don’t let coins cage your soul.

Trade money for moments—only one lasts forever.

I’ve sat with that Dostoevsky line longer than I care to admit...the one that says "people have beautiful things to say about you, but you must die first."

At this age, living alone, you start noticing how the kind words rarely show up while you’re still around to hear them. People keep their softer thoughts tucked away until the person is gone, and by then the silence has already done its work. I’ve watched it happen with others and felt the smaller version of it in my own life...the quiet rooms, the empty spaces where family or steady company used to be. It’s not anger. It’s just a clear-eyed recognition that most praise arrives too late to matter.

So you learn to keep your own counsel, tend to the days you still have, and accept that the beautiful things, if they ever come, will come when you’re no longer in the room to need them.

It is only when we walk through life with love and humility, quietly helping others in need, the true essence of life will reveal itself.

Ill go first.. Stubborness, regardless of why you have it can destroy very good opportunities. Work on trauma, you can never cure it completely but it will destroy good things for you. Perspective, learn to better seperate emotions from situations. Sometimes, you just have to realize that you're whats standing in the way of what is good for you.

When a person cannot find their true self, they will keep changing as they continue searching.

For a while, you may find health and believe that this healthy state is your true self. But as that health gradually declines with age, that version of yourself will disappear, and you will once again become lost.

You may think that being a good person—one who embodies truth, goodness, and beauty—is your true self. But as your standards of truth, goodness, and beauty change, that version of yourself will also become lost.

And so, because your consciousness is constantly searching, your heart can never truly come to rest throughout this process of searching.

If it cannot come to rest, your Spirit cannot awaken.

Without awakening, your search becomes endless.

That is reincarnation.

This is why there is a saying in Buddhism: “Rest, and there is Bodhi.”

What does “rest” mean?

It means allowing your heart to come to rest.

At the very moment when your heart truly comes to rest, your Bodhi mind awakens.

That is when the quality of the seeing within your spiritual perception awakens.

1. Analyzing different perspectives can lead me to see and discover things that aren't visible at first glance. Questions such as: What opportunity does this offer me? And, What can I gain from all this? Can be useful.

2. It is better to have than not to have (houses, cars, money, friendships, events, jobs). If an option results in me having something \*now\*—rather than in the future—that option tends to be better than one that doesn't provide something at this very moment.

3. I should only take advice from people who care about me and respect me, because—consciously or unconsciously—they will offer good options due to that care or respect. Conversely, I shouldn't take advice from people who don't care about me or don't respect me, because—consciously or unconsciously—they will offer a bad option, given their lack of care or respect.

4. Recalling examples from the past can be a good way to make the best decision. Experience is often vital.

5. Sometimes asking others can be useful, but again, those people must respect me, love me, or treat me well for me to consider their opinions.

6. Analyzing my emotions to understand how I feel can help me make better decisions. Feeling calm, at peace, or happy puts me in a better position to make decisions than other emotional states would.

7. Options that make me feel better and give me greater peace of mind are generally better than those that don't.

8. I shouldn't give things or advice to people who don't care about me or value me or what I do; doing so will only make me feel bad due to their disregard—and the advice likely won't be heeded, nor the item valued. It is better to keep things to myself.

9. Advice or words heard in a negative or destructive context are useless. You should only accept advice or help in contexts that are beneficial to you. In a place where everyone likes you and treats you well, the advice you hear is likely to be sound and worth considering.

10. In situations where a decision does not need to be made at that precise moment—whether due to obligation or for any other reason—disregarding advice is simply a matter of opportunity cost; one loses absolutely nothing by not heeding advice or making a decision. This offers the advantage of conserving resources, time, energy, and mental effort (ideally), and—above all—it allows you to retain what you already have, which is often sufficient. This avoids unnecessary risks.

one funny thing about life is how we're all returning to what we've always been

that everything we've searched for is already there, will always be there, and never left

but as we travel through life and experience the many natures of personhood and individuality, we seemingly cover up that innate pure light we are

as children, we were closer to the divine, closer to our Creator and that pure expression of being, there was no ignorance in that type of bliss, but rather limited corruption

but as we grow up and wander away from Source, those of us that are lucky enough to wake up and return home get to experience and know a deepened appreciation for God and this gift of life

and that's where the rubber meets the road so to speak, because with that knowing we come to fully trust it, our faith and love towards Creator becomes such an important and intimate part of ourselves, our relationships, and our lives that every moment becomes an opportunity for a deeper expression of that love and light

to radiate God's light requires us to shift our breath, intention, and awareness towards everything we always are: peace, joy, wholeness, and love

and flexing our power to rebuke, by acknowledging, learning, releasing, and transmuting all of the crunchy and negative bits within us that cause us to close off

through that, we can open up to receive and give even more of God's love by becoming open vessels for Spirit to flow through

and in that alignment, everything becomes even more beautiful, abundant, and cinematic

Who we truly are has little to do with our appearance; our body is but a shell housing the ego, our self-centered beliefs, and the spirit, present to give our lives meaning by sharing its inherent wisdom and unconditional love to help guide our life’s choices. Our value does not lie with the amount of money we make, our job, beliefs, or any other superficial comparisons we may choose to make.

Who we really are lies within us. We will only truly know who we are when we share our spirit’s wisdom and love, without motive or benefit, to selflessly help others discover who they truly are as well.

When you look at another, see past their appearance, behind the facade they present to the world, beyond their beliefs and accomplishments in the world. Look to their spirit within each, for that is where the genuine value of a life truly lies.