Create Your Own Inner Sanctuary Of Peace

If given the chance, the world will consume you with cruelty and leave you believing life is unfair. Everywhere we turn nowadays, bad news is there to remind us of the terrible conditions in the world. We are living in the most opportune period of this century, yet equally the most nihilistic. News events are broadcast into our living rooms 24 hours a day, seven days a week. With the rise of social media, it has become more prevalent to consume news on mobile devices. I avoid reading newspapers or watching the news because of the negativity it broadcasts. Yet, sometimes we cannot escape it. For example, there have been instances when I'm watching a television program and a breaking news bulletin seizes my attention. Immediately, I am subconsciously taken from a peaceful state to a hypervigilant one without knowing why.

Do you ever get that feeling with the news? Whilst I don't intend to criticize the media, we have a choice whether we subscribe to the information or focus on matters of greater importance in our lives. The world has a way of making us cruel because it strips us of our humanity when we focus on ourselves and not the greater good of society. We have become desensitized to human suffering, it is now a common feature in our lives. Video games perpetuate this through senseless acts of violence and young people are oblivious to it.

So what can we do about it? How can we prevent the world from making us cruel because in the long run, it means losing ourselves to the fear and hatred imposed upon us? Obviously, if you're reading this, you value your personal growth and want to become a better person. My impression is that we must focus on what is close to our hearts and make that our centerpiece. For example, if meditation, mindfulness and yoga practices are something you take part in, there are ways to shield yourself from the negativity of the world. It requires creating your own inner sanctuary of peace despite what is taking place outside you. We can still nurture the seeds of equanimity, kindness and compassion within ourselves without forsaking our values.

Our Inner Refuge Of Peace And Harmony

We needn't subscribe to the drama of modern-day life because it is a guise to distract us from what is essential: knowing our true selves. The world out there will do everything in its power to confuse us from connecting with our true selves. This is the message embodied by my mentor and acclaimed international spiritual author Dennis Merritt Jones who writes in Your Redefining Moments: Becoming Who You Were Born to Be: "The world really doesn't want you to remember who you truly are because when you begin to live from the authentic self, the world loses much of its control over you and your behavior. It will do anything in its power to keep you in a dream state wherein the source of your identity is dependent on what's "out there," on the surface of life, rather than what lies within you at your centre."

We are not any of these things because these are disempowering narratives circulated without our consent. Admittedly, we might buy into it every now and again because they have a compelling way of capturing our attention and seizing us in the moment. So when I am distracted by a breaking news event while watching television, I become concerned and entertain thoughts of fear and insecurity. But, leading up to the moment I was peaceful.

How do you find your inner sanctuary amid the chaos of everyday living? What daily practices or rituals do you take part in to ground yourself? The key is to focus on these practices and come home to them often because they are our haven for peaceful living. I don't believe the world is a cruel place since I appreciate the duality and interplay of our earthly existence. It is how we focus our attention which marks our mental landscape. We can choose fear and its accompanying states or draw on our inner refuge of peace and harmony to coalesce the negativity in the world. If there are more people tuning in to the peacefulness within, then fear has no place to live. Ultimately, it is up to us not to allow the world to make us cruel because it will pull us every which way and we won't know how we got there. We mustn't lose ourselves to the cruelty but unite with the undying magnificence of our spiritual self.

By Tony Fahkry

To live a remarkable life, you must take consistent action in spite of your fears and doubts. Download a FREE copy of my motivational eBook, NAVIGATE LIFE and embark upon your journey of greatness today!

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Personal Development with a Purpose 

 There is an old saying that goes, If you don�t know where you�re going, any path will take you there.� The same is true of personal development. Everyone who starts down the path of personal development wants to grow � to evolve into something more than when they began their journey. But figuring out just what path to take when you set ouHowever you do it, don�t allow your legacy to remain just an idea! Your legacy will be much more motivatint is a major challenge in and of itself.

As a holistic health practitioner, I'm a big fan of getting right to the heart of the matter. So the first thing I do when I meet with a new client who is ready to begin their quest for personal development is to ask them if they have a legacy. 

What exactly does that mean? 

Most of us have some sense of the meaning of the term �legacy.� The common use of this word is backward looking. 

Take this question: �What kind of legacy do you want to leave behind?� In this case, a legacy is something like the achievements we�re known for when we�re gone. But this backward looking sense of a legacy is just a small part of what I�m after when I talk to clients about their legacy. After all, we�re not planning for their funeral here! 

The reason why I use the word �legacy� is that it focuses our attention on the whole picture and purpose of our lives. It�s fantastic to have career goals, financial goals or relationship goals, but often times we tend to ignore the other aspects of our lives in favor of pursuing those particular achievements. This imbalance inevitably slows down our growth and frequently results in all sorts of health problems.

True personal development requires a holistic approach, one in which you�ve set out the ideal picture of your life and developed a goal structure that supports that the achievement of that total life goal. Because a legacy just is your complete life�s goal, having one is a crucial step in taking a holistic approach to personal development.

So one fantastic benefit to having a legacy is that it can help you to create and organize goals. It provides you with the ideal towards which all your efforts in life are directed. But having a well thought-out legacy offers so much more. As with any other project, there will always be distractions while you are working on yourself. We have habits to overcome, patterns of procrastination, people who need our time and energy, and so forth. The power of a legacy is that it can provide a very powerful tool to conquer those habits, steer clear of the procrastination, and to meet the needs of those around us with out getting diverted. 

In fact, the reason why these diversions can have such a pull on us is because we don�t have any particular force guiding us in a direction that we truly want to go. But when your day is built around your legacy, those distractions become impotent. The short term pleasures that procrastinating offers pale in comparison to the potential of your legacy and as long as you stick to your goals, you�re always one day closer to realizing that dream.

Of course, the extent to which your legacy will help you to create and organize your goals, and boost your motivation is going to depend upon how much detail you give to the picture of your ideal life. This picture of your legacy often develops over a long period of time, but you can get a decent handle on it by thinking about the following lifestyle components:

1) People � what kind of people do you value, feel comfortable with, get excited about spending time with?

2) Passion � what is it about life that enlivens you and fills you with energy?

3) Purpose � what is it that brings meaning to your life or gives you a sense of fulfillment?

4) Responsibilities � what kinds of responsibilities are you comfortable handling in your life, whether they be personal, professional or spiritual?

5) Career � what manifestation of your abilities, purpose and passion would best fulfill your career needs?

6) Values � your values are your needs and desires, ranging from your most basic physical needs to those that dictate your relationships with your friends, loved ones, co-workers and the environment at large. What are your values?

This list here certainly isn�t exhaustive, but it�s a good start. Not only will it help you to fill out the picture of your career, but the relationships you develop with your self and your loved ones. At the C.H.E.K Institute and in my PPS Success Mastery Program we get into much greater detail as we help our clients find and create their legacies on a daily basis.

Because this picture you�re developing is your life�s goal, I recommend, just as with any goal, that you write it down. Or, if you are artistically driven, you can draw it, paint it, sculpt it, or make it physical in whatever way works best for you. However you do it, don�t allow your legacy to remain just an idea! Your legacy will be much more motivating when you can look it in the face each and every day.

Knowing that you have a purpose and that you are living your purpose every day is a wonderful thing. It makes me spring out of bed each morning, energized and excited! How many people do you know that look forward to their day, every day, in that way? So take the time to map out your legacy today. You�ll be giving yourself a path to personal development with a purpose and that�s a path to success!

by Paul Chek

Paul Chek is an internationally renowned and highly sought after holistic health practitioner, consultant to elite athletes and business professionals, and founder of PPS Success and the C.H.E.K Institute. His workshops and teleseminars have helped thousands of people from all walks of life to reach their fullest potential.

Paul has produced more than 50 videos and authored 7 books, including his new ebook The Last 4 Doctors You'll Ever Need � How to Get Healthy Now!  You can download a free chapter at www.thelast4doctors.com to start taking your wellbeing and personal development to new levels with this groundbreaking multimedia experience!

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A Few Inspirational Quotes

Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.

Be happy for this moment. This moment is your life.

Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.

Life is full of beauty. Notice it. Notice the bumble bee, the small child, and the smiling faces. Smell the rain, and feel the wind. Live your life to the fullest potential, and fight for your dreams.


Very little is needed to make a happy life; it is all within yourself, in your way of thinking.

The past cannot be changed. The future is yet in your power.

It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.

Your talent is God's gift to you. What you do with it is your gift back to God.

The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential... these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence.

What you do today can improve all your tomorrows.

We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.

Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience.

The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.

Quotes source;https://www.brainyquote.com

When You Must Make A Choice, Always Choose The One That Cultivates Your Personal Growth

Become Someone Of Character

When you're faced with a choice in life, always choose the one that will promote your personal growth instead of taking the easy way.

Whilst I concede the easier choice can be less complicated than enduring pain and suffering, it might not be the best decision.

Don't leave your personal growth to chance, otherwise you will regret not abiding by your values.

Choices aligned with your personal growth are seldom easy, yet are worth it because of the investment in yourself. Every choice draws you closer to the person you intend to be or further away.

Choices are your barometer for navigating life, so avoid making ones that are easy now but difficult later.

Author Charlie Harary explains in Unlocking Greatness: The Unexpected Journey from the Life You Have to the Life You Want that your choices have a long lasting effect in your life: "It's your choice how to respond to challenges, how to live in the moment, and whether you will fight for excellence in everything you do."

Become someone of character, even when others don't notice. Character relates to the relationship you have with yourself foremost and others.

Sometimes you won't know how resilient you are until it counts. It is during these times your inner resolve will be known, hence the purpose of your growth.

Consider personal growth as insurance you draw on, but something that is stockpiled the more you engage it.

For example, Navy SEALs train for years and may be called upon for active duty in rare situations. However, they hone their mental and physical training knowing nothing can be left to chance.

You should apply the same discipline and dedication to your personal growth. Be meticulous in choosing growth over the easy path.

Choose The Path Of Betterment And Excellence

You are always making choices, even when you can't decide that is still a choice. Consider the following questions when you find yourself conflicted between two choices and unable to decide:

· Will I regret this decision later on?

· Am I upholding my values and integrity?

· What will I gain by making this decision?

· What will I lose by making this decision?

Sometimes, it will mean stepping out of your comfort zone.

Sometimes, it will mean being uncomfortable or embarrassed before your peers, family and friends.

Sometimes, it will mean making choices that offer no return or appease someone to bring peace to a situation. In these instances, you are choosing your personal growth and reinforcing your strength of character.

Sometimes you are required to take risks which may conflict with your self-esteem and personal character. However, it is unwise to trade in your values since that is the one true measure you cannot rebuild.

Motivational guru Brendon Burchard writes in The Motivation Manifesto of the need to build our character because of how we relate to the world: "If we are to measure and monitor and improve anything, let it be our story, our character, and our conduct-a mindfulness of who we are and how we are experiencing and relating to the world."

Recently, the Australian cricket team has made the news for the wrong reasons, regarding the ball tampering debacle. Three players, including the team captain and vice-captain have brought the team and country into disrepute because of their actions.

We've seen this widespread across many sports including cycling, where disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong was stripped of his seven Tour de France victories.

Whilst their actions will be long forgotten and forgiven in time, they will always be remembered as less than sporting heroes for their actions.

Not all of us will be faced with making such choices, though it shows how our actions have a ripple effect in our lives and the lives of others.

For that reason, choose the path of betterment and excellence because it is lined with moral character. If you deviate from this path, it may be impossible to navigate your way back.

Pursue Character And Integrity

Many people experience problems in their lives because they choose the easy path. Everyone is looking for shortcuts, whether it be in: business, health, finance or relationships. The craving for success without committing oneself to the task is an attractive undertaking many go in search of.

As you know, what comes quickly may not be long-lasting.

For example, if you want to be in an intimate relationship, you may need to put the other person's interests before yours. You will need to be a good listener and give your time to nurture the relationship.

In this example, choosing personal growth means investing in others before your needs are met, which reinforces your character.

If you walk away with one key point from this piece that is: Always choose actions that pull you closer to the person you want to become, even if it means walking away from something you aim to profit from.

Good character and values are scarce nowadays, since many are unwilling to invest in themselves. We have become a throwaway society with less than optimal values and character. It's rare to meet a person with strong values because most people are lured by the notion of: "What's in it for me?"

What's in it for you may not be what's in it for others. Personal growth will require you to put other people before you, so it matters in the long run.

It's what the late Stephen Covey talked about in The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People with Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood.

Decide what's important to you and follow the principles as best you can. Pursue character and integrity as your highest moral code if that is who you intend to be.

"Greatness is a choice. You have to choose to unlock the greatness within. Sometimes all it takes is turning a simple key. Sometimes it takes a hatchet. Sometimes it takes a mound of TNT. And sometimes it just takes the persistence of being there, knocking again and again until that door finally opens," affirms Charlie Harary.

Choosing the path of good moral character can be a lonely road because not all people walk the path, so you will be required to walk it alone.

Do so anyway.

The one key principle is the relationship you have with yourself which cannot be taken from you, so guard it fiercely so you evolve into someone you are proud to be.

By Tony Fahkry

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