Few Indicators That Your Life needs a Change

You’ve probably been told to just let it go, but letting go of the past is much easier said than done. Regrets are usually tied to events in the past that were emotional, traumatic, or the spark behind a flame of consequence, which means it’s not that easy to just let it go. However, letting things go is important, and it’s what many of us need to learn how to do. After all, the past is the past, and the present is all we have to enjoy.

But how do you know when it’s time to let something go? It’s not always easy to tell. Sometimes past events or experiences will directly affect how you perform in the present, and sometimes things lie dormant, waiting for the right time to emerge. Here are ten signs you need to let go of the past and move forward.

1. You Feel Drained

If the people you’re hanging around with or you environment seems to be draining you of your energy, it’s time to move on. Sometimes people grow faster than their friends, this is just reality, but it’s a reality that needs facing.

2. You’re Questioned

If you feel like your core beliefs, morals, or integrity is in question, it’s time to leave your current situation behind and move on.

3. Things That Used To Excite You, Depress You

If something in your life you used to enjoy is no longer making you happy, you need to leave that something in the past and find something new.

4. You ‘Fake’ Your Happiness

If you’re faking positivity or a friendly disposition, it’s probably time to confront this self-deception and move past it.

5. You Feel Trapped

If you feel like you need more freedom in your life, it’s most likely because you do, so consider changing things up.

6. It Feels ‘Easy’ To Be Sad

If you find it hard to be happy rather than sad, and sometimes you’re overwhelmed by your own sorrow, it’s time for some drastic life changes.

7. You’re Often Bored

If you feel an undeniable sense of boredom with your life, it’s time to find something new to do. Leave what you’re doing in the past and start trying new things.

8. You Feel Stuck

If you feel like you can’t break a cycle or pattern that’s causing you harm, it’s time to self-reflect on why, and actively strive for some major changes.

9. You Feel Alone When Your With People

If you have feelings of isolation, that you’re constantly misunderstood, or you have to try to be accepted, you’re hanging around the wrong people. Although it may be difficult to do, you need to find people to be around who allow you to be who you are.

10. You Neglect Your Personal Relationships

If you realize that you’ve been neglecting personal relationships for the sake of someone else, understand that you’re only hurting them and yourself. Make a positive change.

source and courtesy: dailyvibes.org; http://www.e-buddhism.com/

The Oldest Self-healing Method In The World Takes Only 10 Minutes A Day!

Using these 6 ancient ayurvedic methods you can improve the quality of your daily life, and it takes no more than 10 minutes a day.

Ayurveda is one of the oldest healing methods in the world it’s recognized by the World Health Organisation. It focuses on the importance of the harmonizing of the mind body and soul, using tried and tested methods.

The messsage of ayurveda is that the energy that flows through the universe can be harnessed and if balanced properly, will allow your body to function at its maximum ability.

There are three main elements, Vatta which regulates breathing, kapha maintains the body’s strength and pitta controls the metabolism.

MORNING

Tongue cleaning – 30 seconds

Using a tongue cleaner or a blunt knife after brushing, remove residue from your tongue is order to help the gallbladder and the kidneys. Toxins and sediment build up on the tongue and can disrupt the body’s harmony.

Use sesame oil – 2 minutes

After cleaning your tongue, rinse your mouth with sesame oil, not mouthwash and rinse with warm water. It is rich in linoleic acid and is better for oral hygeine than most cosmetic products available today.

Self massage – 3 minutes

Using raw solf or a soft brush, massage your whole body using 10-20 strokes in this order, neck, back, shoulders hands and fingers using circular motions. Next massage your chest using an upward horizontal movement. Next onto the stomach using left to right movements. Then the thighs, going from the inside to out, then legs and feet.

Massaging the body improves circulation and stimulates and invigorates all the senses and helps the internal organs.

DURING THE DAY

Drink hot water – 30 seconds

Boil half a litre of water for 15 minutes, transfer to a flask and sip in thirds over half an hour. Boiled water eliminates toxins and is better to drink than regular water.

Relax your breathing – 2 minutes

Breathe in deeply through your nose, hold for a few seconds and then release, agin through the nose. Do not think about anything else and control on your breathing. Repeat until you feel a sense of relaxation. Concentrating on your breathing can help you forget the stresses of the day and leads to a general sense of calm.

IN THE EVENING

Stimulate your digestion- 2 minutes

Warm a small amount of sesame oil and use to massage into your stomach using circular motions. Soak a towel in hot water and apply to the stomach until it goes cold. This process helps aid digestion and will help you achieve a more restful sleep.

Source: http://www.e-buddhism.com/

All about GST - answered By Awdhesh Singh

How is the GST going to impact the Indian economy and consumer experience?

Awdhesh Singh, former IRS (C&CE) Commissioner with 25 years experience at Government of India (1991-2016)

Answered 8m ago

It is important to understand that GST is not a tax concession scheme where the government has reduced the tax rates and hence all the goods and services would become cheaper once GST is implemented.

Government was attempting to fix a single Revenue Neutral Rate (RNR) on the goods and services so that the total tax revenue of the State and the Central Government remain the same. However, due to practical considerations and keeping in view the social conditions of India, four GST slabs have been set at 5%, 12%, 18% and 28% for different items or services. There is also a special rate for precious metals. The rate of 18% would however be applicable for most goods and services.

Government is trying to see that the new GST rates remain more or less similar to the effective tax rates of excise, service tax and VAT in the present time. Hence, the prices of most commodities would remain the same. However, the immediate impact of GST would be as following.

All the services would become more expensive immediately since the present Service Tax rate is only 15% which is now raised to 18% in GST.

Some goods would become cheaper due to lower rates levied on such items

Most goods would become more expensive since the GST rate of 18% or 24% is much more than the present VAT rates which is around 12-15 %. The dealers and retailers are NOT likely to pass on this extra rate immediately to the consumer and they would profit from the increase Input Credit Tax (ICT). However, soon the consumer would reap the benefit and the prices would come down.

Real Benefits of GST

The real benefits of GST to the consumer and businesses are long term and can be stated as following:-

1: Merger of Taxes

At present, there are a large number of taxes at central and state level. They shall all be merged and become one GST as shown in figure.

2: One Law One Country

At present, you have multiple central laws and state laws for taxations. If you are trading your goods at all India level, you must know and follow all the different laws of India. It is due to this reason that many people avoid trading goods in different states. Once GST is implemented, India would become one market and you can trade anywhere in India hassel-free.

3: Increased Input Credit

At present, input credit is not available for inter-state sales of goods. This would now be available under GST regime. Thus the next tax liability to businesses would come down.

4: More Export Incentive

An exporter presently gets the refund/drawback on mostly the central taxes. Now they shall be able to get the refund/drawback of State taxes as well. This will boost export.

5: GST Network

Since all registration and return filing shall be done online, the scope of evasion shall be reduced considerably. This will boost the tax revenue and cause more development of the country.

Source: http://www.cbec.gov.in/resources...

How would GST affect the life of a regular tax defaulter in India?

Awdhesh Singh, former IRS (C&CE) Commissioner with 25 years experience at Government of India (1991-2016)

Answered 13h ago

It would be extremely difficult to evade taxes under the GST regime due to integration of the entire India as one market and the extensive use of information technology in the GST regime.

Let us understand some important features of the GST regime

1: Electronic Filing of Returns

• All taxpayers must file separate electronic returns only
• Returns must provide invoice level details
• Input tax credit shall be allowed only after matching
• If the service provider don’t file return and don’t pay taxes, the recipient would lose credit

Department shall know the details of each person who has received goods or services and hence immediately catch the defaulters, if they fail to deposit taxes

2: Mode of Payment of Taxes

• System of electronic cash ledger and electronic ITC ledger
• Tax can be deposited by internet banking, NEFT / RTGS, debit/credit card and Over The Counter
• Date of credit to the Govt. account in the authorized bank is the date of payment for credit in electronic cash ledger
• Payment of Tax is made by way of the debit in the electronic cash or credit ledger

3: Common portal of GST Network

GSTN to develop back end modules for 27 States (MODEL –II) and rest of the states would have their own backend system.

GST Portal to function as a Common Pass-through portal for taxpayers to

• submit registration application
• file returns
• make tax payments

GSTN experts would also do data mining and they would intimate the tax officials in case a person fail to pay the GST in time.

4: Severe Punishment to tax defaulter

GST law is very strict to the tax defaulters. There is provision for arrest and prosecution for the tax defaulters in addition to severe penalty and fine.

Source: http://www.cbec.gov.in/resources...

Does the GST dent the revenue of states with a higher share of manufacturing? If yes, how do such states compensate for the loss?

Awdhesh Singh, former IRS (C&CE) Commissioner with 25 years experience at Government of India (1991-2016)

Answered 13h ago

The manufacturing states are liable to lose the revenue of CST (Central Sales Tax) levied @ 2% between the inter-state sales of goods. Some states would also lose the revenue due to octorai and local taxes.

However, the states shall be able to tax the services which they were earlier taxed only by the Central Government. Hence, most of their losses shall be duly compensated due to it.

The central government has also approved the Compensation Law that will legally provide for the Centre making up for any loss of revenue to states in the first five years of the rollout of the GST regime.

States need not worry for any loss of revenue in GST regime as Central government is duty bound to compensate their losses.

What are the benefits of GST for an ordinary Indian citizen?

Awdhesh Singh, former IRS (C&CE) Commissioner with 25 years experience at Government of India (1991-2016)

Answered 14h ago

GST is said to be the greatest economic reform in the independent India. It is likely to provide immense benefit to the people due to simplification of the taxes on goods and services.

The benefits shall accrue to Indian citizens in the following manner.

• Reduction of prices due to elimination of cascading effect/ double taxation
• More efficient neutralization of taxes in case of exports and inter-state sales
• Development of common national market
• Simpler tax regime due to ONE TAX LAW for all India level
• Fewer rates and exemptions to lower the tax rates
• Transparency in taxation system due to GSTN
• Reduced tax litigation due to simplification of law
• Increase in employment opportunities due to growth of the GDP in the tune of 1-2%

Essential Leadership Skills to Be the Person Everyone Wants to Follow

What are the leadership skills that make someone a person everyone wants to follow?

History is full of strong personalities who led countries and civilizations. People followed the rules established by them, carried their orders out, and even died for them.

However, it wasn’t about leadership. Fear of punishment and desire to stay afloat—that’s what made crowds follow those headmen. Sure enough, these levers work—if you want to have your fortress or tomb. But they’re futile if your goal is to assemble a team to make your dreams come true together.

To attract talented and creative people, you have to be not only very diligent and passionate about your business but to believe in their success as much as in yours.

To make them want to follow you, you have to acquire dozens of leadership skills. Let’s begin with the essential ones.

1. Confidence

There is the only reliable way to reach a goal—to see it clearly and realize where you want to be in the end. The main word here is clearly. And it concerns both—the final destination and the route to get there. You should have structured plan and, naturally, plan B, and C. You have to be absolutely certain it is possible to implement your intentions.

Being confident about the direction you head is one of the most important leadership skills. Your followers should find their work meaningful and keep willing to move further with you, side by side.

2. Responsibility

They say we are responsible both—for our deeds and thoughts. As far as the leadership is our thoughts and suggestions that eventually turned into someone’s deeds, we’re responsible for its consequences.

One of the basic leadership skills is being mature enough to carry responsibility. True leaders never look for the guilty when something goes wrong. They find the reasons, analyze them, change the perspective if needed, and keep working. Their task doesn’t involve reprehension. Their mission is to help others to not lose the faith.

3. Positive Attitude

Effective leaders are always optimistic. It doesn’t mean they don’t see problems or don’t notice obstacles. They do. In fact, they are more familiar with them than anyone else. Yet, they stay positive.

Even when they fail badly at something, they get up and take another try. They know there are no easy ways, but there are many reasons to keep trying. When the life’s testing them, they show their strength. True leaders know the life will reward them for the fortitude. Just as they reward their teams.

4. Be an Example

Parents will agree, it is impossible to explain to children what is right and what is wrong. The only way to make them do what you want—show by own example. This approach works for adults, too. Why? Because there are no adults.

You have to admit it—we are all aged children. Bold, fatigued but experienced boys and girls. So, rise a mentor within yourself. Behave the way you expect your followers to behave. You want them to work hard? Work hard. You want them to be responsible? Carry responsibility. Remember: Like attracts like.

5. Listen

True leaders never lock in their offices. They spend time with the colleagues, talk to them, ask questions, and listen. The only way to stay on top is to catch the thoughts and spirits appearing in your followers’ heads at their inception, and get involved.

Encourage your followers to come to you and share their suggestions. Even if you don’t agree, be impersonal and show your concern. Never suppress someone’s innovation at the beginning. Explore, be open-minded. You never succeed if you will surround yourself with the same people. Appreciate the variety—let the magic happen.

6. Be Emotional

Arguments, strategy, and planning are not the main tools to make the impression of an organized and experienced leader. Absolutely, success requires discipline, but people are not robots. They feel.

Find the unique connection with everyone in your team. Try to get to know each of them. Become a part of their life—not just professional but personal. The emotional connection is an important part of healthy relations in the collective.

Do not show a false face, though. Be honest and sincere.

7. Say YES

No doubt, mostly it is necessary to stand your ground. But sometimes such conduct could be rather harmful. If you lose the connection with your follower, or you disagree with them, instead of pushing facts and data try to find a new approach.

Show your openness. Everyone makes mistakes. It doesn’t mean we are stupid or unprofessional. Just find the way to say yes instead of no. Consider second chance. Always.

8. Change the Perspective

Yes, you’re creative, intelligent, and hard-working. You attract gifted people. But leadership isn’t about you. It’s about those who follow.

Trust your followers. There were strong reasons why you decided to invite them to your team, and why they decided to join you. Refresh it in mind every time you want to jump to conclusions. Create the conditions where they can feel their importance and significance. You couldn’t make it without them. Admit it and make sure they know your opinion.

9. Level Up. No Matter What

You reached one of your goals—you have mastered your leadership skills and have become a leader. You worked hard, you deserved it. Great job! Celebrate it, and keep developing.

Do you expect your followers to grow? Sure. So why did you stop? Even if you’re a super professional in your area, there are always areas you are amateur in. Improve your writing skills, read modern literature, take karate lessons. Grow—emotionally, physically, mentally—together with your team.

10. Equality

Dividing yourself and your followers by professional status or other characteristics must be the most terrible mistake a leader could make. You’re in one boat, everyone has a paddle in their hand—the smoothness of your trip depends on each of you.

Young and old, men and women, managers and executors. You’re equal. With no exceptions.

Leadership is a choice: leader’s—to lead, followers’—to follow. You don’t exist without each other. Here is the catch.

Source: https://www.lifeadvancer.com/leadership-skills

WAYS TO RELAX YOUR MIND AND SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE

Our present day lifestyles cry out loud for simplification. Most of us live in over-complicated, stress-laden daily routines in which we keep on trying to fit in even more activities, commitments and tasks up to a point where it’s totally insane.

We consume more of everything, constantly try to do more and always end up blaming the clock for not giving us more time by the end of the day or week. It’s pretty obvious that we need to turn around our lives and relearn how to live simpler – or in other words think, plan and do things simpler.

1. Start Freeing up Space:

De-cluttering is an essential part of simplifying life since leaving your outer and inner spaces clutter-free allows more clarity, less noise and obstruction and hence more harmony overall.

2. Filter the Essential from the non-Essential:

This is a very important point I emphasize a lot in my course on Simple Living because it is the basis of a simple, hassle free life or oppositely the cause of an entangled, chaotic one. In short, simplifying life means learning what is essential to your life purpose and discarding all that isn’t.

 3. Write your most important tasks first:

Every morning write the three most important tasks that are directly related to your life mission or that in some way support it (could be less or more than three tasks). These are the tasks you should focus more on and the important thing is to start straight away with them if possible and try your best to complete them within the day. This habit will channel you in a focused, distraction-free life in line with your purpose.

4. Learn to Say No:

When you try to make everybody happy, you very often create more stress and complications for yourself.

Being helpful is important but you need to do this without sacrificing simplicity. The trick is to learn to say no when necessary in a firm and nice way.

 5. Learn to use more help:

Life can be so much easier – and simpler – when we get rid of pride or shyness and try to reach out for others’ help. Sometimes all you have to do is ask!

6. Give up the ‘Maybes’:

We spend a lot of time and energy on ‘maybes’ – indefinite things on our agenda or things we are not sure of whether they are important or not. My advice is – it’s better to drop the maybes than carry them around because the probability is that they are not important for the long term goals of your life.

7. Use your intuition more:

Thinking and analysis requires a lot of energy and mental contortions. Intuition is simple and energy-saving since it bypasses all logic and analysis and points you straight to the solution.

My advice is – spend less time in your head and open up more to listen to your heart’s intuitions.

8. Keep a simple digital life:

Keeping a simple digital life makes a whole lot of a difference considering we spend so many hours a day in our digital space. In fact the paradox is that digital life has complicated our lives in as much as it has made it efficient. A simple digital life involves keeping a clean email inbox, a tidy file and folder system (where it’s easy to find what you’re looking for) and using tools and apps that simplify your tasks and work loads.

9. Be nifty with information: 

The bottom line is to use information as long as it helps you make your life better. The rest is superfluous and a distraction which can only contribute to overcomplicating things. Use information more wisely and life will get much easier – not to mention you will free up more time.

10. Consume less of everything: 

A general rule in simple living is to stand back from excesses and consume only what nourishes you and supports you. This doesn’t mean you need to impoverish your life. Quite the contrary, abundance does not mean an oversupply of things but rather an always available supply of those things that support your most authentic needs. Think about it.

11. Spend more time alone:

In our hectic lifestyles, we spend little time with ourselves. Some will actually feel lost by themselves which would show there are things that need to be worked on.

In any case spending more time alone encourages you to stand back and review certain things in your life such as what is working for you and what is holding you back.

This can also be a good time to contemplate on how to simplify your life and make it better.

12. Be clear in your words:

Not being clear in our speech often reflects the fact that we are not very clear in our thinking. However sometimes we are clear about our thoughts but fail to communicate them clearly which can create confusion, misunderstanding, lack of clear guidance and ultimately more issues and complications. The way to a simpler social life is being more clear in speech and if you are not clear, then it’s better to say less until you are.

13. Declutter on the go: 

For those of you who like me are not really decluttering freaks, I have found that decluttering on the go really works for me.

This means that you can clear up and pack up things while you are doing stuff like cooking, using a room or moving from one room to the next.

I find it much easier to do something while I am already on the go rather than having to do it as a chore by itself.

14. Make away with useless routines:

Whether you like it or not, chances are that you have some routines that are useless at best if not downright counterproductive or making your life harder than it should. Routines should be there to simplify life but we often implement routines out of habit, compulsion or merely without any clear intent whatsoever. Be mindful about which of your routines are helping you and which are making other things in your life more difficult.

15. Honor your free time:

Time is as important as space in the philosophy of simple living. Having more free time is important since it helps in decompressing your mind from worries, stress and other things lingering on in your mind. This decompression time is quite essential for re-booting and refreshing yourself and ultimately keeping your life simpler.

16. Consume less media:

We live in a world constantly bombarded by media. Yet our consumption of media is not just passive.

To make things more complicated, we also actively search and consume more information on different media channels – most notably social media nowadays.

It’s easy to get stuck and waste hours of our day hooked up on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, consuming information that is ultimately irrelevant to our life goals.

17. Prioritize your work load:

It goes without saying that prioritizing is an important word in time management and managing your time is at the same time an important key to simplifying life. In the working life, most of the stress comes from pressure due to restricted time frames, urgency, conflicting deadlines and unclear priorities. Having a clear strategy for prioritizing tasks and projects is not only effective at work and business but a good attitude to adopt in life in general.

18. The KISS mantra – Keep It Seriously Simple:

The overall attitude to a simpler life is to always keep things as simple as possible. It has to become a mantra or a constant reminder present in mind.  Whatever you do, be always conscious that simple will work out best in the long run. This should permeate all aspects of your life whether it is work, business, relationships and health. Keep it simple and you will see how it will always work magic.

source and courtesy: Spirit Science; http://www.e-buddhism.com/

These Things You Should Always Keep Secret About Your Relationship

In the age of social media, our lives are becoming more and more public. We post about where we work, what kind of car we drive, where we’re out to eat and who we’re dating. While it’s fun to post pictures and statuses, Facebook, Instagram and other social media sites are often responsible for ending relationships. In order to keep your relationship healthy and intimate, there are some things you just shouldn’t be sharing with the world.

Here are six things to always keep secret about your relationship:

1. Your Partner’s Flaws

When you share your partner’s annoying habits or flaws with others, all you’re doing is degrading them. You’re going behind their back and talking about all of the parts of them you don’t particularly like. It might seem harmless to share their odd morning routine with a friend, but think about what would happen if they found out. They would feel hurt, betrayed and unwanted.

2. Arguments

This may be one of the most shared details about relationships today on social media. When one partner is mad at the other, they take out their frustration and anger by positing about it online in hopes of getting friends to agree with their side of things. In order to protect your relationship, never post about fights or heated arguments on social media. Your arguments should be between the two of you to work out and solve. Getting other people involved will only make things worse.

3. Anything Related To Sex

Sharing details about your sex life is one of the biggest ways you can invade your partner’s privacy. Telling someone else about your sexual experiences completely robs your relationship of its intimacy. Even if you think you’re sharing minor details with a small group of friends, any kind of talk about your sex life is a betrayal against your partner.

4. Money Troubles

Many couples experience money troubles at some point in their relationship. This is an issue that should be discussed and worked out between the two of you. Talking to friends or family members about your partner’s spending habits or your money issues will only make things worse. If you need help, seek help in a financial adviser instead.

5. Every Little Detail

Part of what makes your relationship special is that it’s just the two of you. The two of you share movie nights, date nights, last-minute adventures, unexpected gifts, silly moments and inside jokes. As tempting as it might be to share every little detail of your relationship with your friends or family members – whether things are going good or bad – letting someone else in completely takes away something special that the two of you share – intimacy, privacy and trust.

6. Anything Said In Confidence

Open communication is a part of any healthy relationship. If your partner is having a bad day because of a fight with a family member, they feel comfortable talking to you about it. If something big is happening at work but it’s a little hush-hush, you are there to confide in. Sharing your partner’s problems, feelings or even their achievements without their permission can betray their trust – something that is often very difficult to get back.

source and courtesy: David Wolfei ; http://www.e-buddhism.com/

5 Ways to Find Peace

5 Ways to Find Peace: Life Lessons from an 8th Grade Teacher

“Life is a succession of lessons which must be lived to be understood.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Good Morning, and welcome to 8th grade History with Mr. Bacchus. The first thing I need everyone to do is to take out your class schedule and make sure that it says Mr. Bacchus for this period. Is there anyone who doesn’t have my name on their schedule?

No? We sure? Great!!

Now I need each one of you to take a moment and thank whoever you believe in, the powers that be, or even the magic genie that granted you this wish, because you’re one of the few lucky enough to be in my history class this year.

Why lucky?

Because there is going to be a day when you don’t feel like getting out of the bed, but you will remember that you have Mr. Bacchus today and you will be up before the alarm goes off.

One day, your boyfriend or girlfriend will break up with you in the middle of the hallway, and the news will quickly spread via social networking. But when your friend asks you if you’re okay, you’ll simply smile and say,

“I have Mr. Bacchus today.”

I couldn’t make this up if I tried. A student fell in gym class and broke his leg one year. It was an awful injury, and he was seriously hurt but refused to go to the hospital. He said it wasn’t that bad. He had Mr. Bacchus next period.

This has become my first-day-of-school opening monologue as an 8th grade teacher. It’s a nice way to break the ice. I say these words with a sense of confidence. A sense of purpose and joy comes over me the second I begin this inaugural address to my students.

And it lasts throughout the school year.

My class has often felt like a beautiful symphony (and I was the highly acclaimed maestro), but in the midst of my father falling back into addiction and my ex-girlfriend moving across the country with her new fiancé, it seemed as if I couldn’t play chopsticks in my personal life.

My father has always struggled with addiction, but this was the first time I had to face it as an adult. This time around I knew exactly why he wasn’t answering my calls, why he was asking to borrow money, and why he was nowhere to be found for weeks at a time.

Likewise, it wasn’t the first time my ex and I had called it quits either. But somehow the news of her impending move across the country with her new boyfriend—two months after our most recent breakup—had a sense of finality to it. The curtain was officially closed once I got word of their engagement.

So I began going to counseling in hopes of finding my way, and one day my counselor asked me if I could “live like I teach.” Could I take some of the things that allow me to be at peace while teaching and apply them to my life?

This is what I came up with.

1. Be yourself.

As a new teacher, you’re told not to crack a smile and to be extremely strict at the beginning of the school year. This will help you “set the tone” for the school year and show your students who is “the boss.”

The problem is that I smile all the time!

So as I tried to fight my smile with the students, they often fought against me. Whether it was Ashley throwing pencils at me or Shailia composing an essay titled “Mr. Bacchus, the Worst Teacher Ever,” my students weren’t responding well to the person I was trying to be.

Once I finally gave up that lousy advice and started smiling, joking, and being myself from the beginning, my relationships with my students began to improve.

It was a light bulb moment. Improving my relationship with my students made me realize that I have to be my genuine self in real life too. I can’t be who I think I’m supposed to be—I have to just be me.

2. Don’t hold too tightly to plans.

The projector isn’t working.

The video won’t load!

The copier is down!!

FIRE!!!!

These things can happen at any given moment, and the best laid lesson plans need to be adjusted. I plan every week but know that it’s just a blueprint of how I would like things to go.

Once you arrive to school and realize the wifi isn’t working, you have two choices: You could continue forward with your lesson hoping the wifi genie magically shows up and the website you were going to use will somehow work, or you can change your plans.

Learning to be fluid with my plans allows my classroom to flow with a certain ease. If I want that same ease in my personal life, then I have to understand that the Universe has a way of turning our plans upside down too. I need to be able to adapt and adjust just like I do when little Johnny throws up in the middle of the classroom during third period.

3. Don’t get stuck on the negative.

I planned what I believed would be an awesome lesson incorporating a Nas rap song into our coverage of Ancient African Empires.

As I could barely contain my excitement, one of my students couldn’t seem to care less. He made unrelated comments, disturbed others, and left me feeling like the lesson was a complete failure.

Later that afternoon, a group of students were leaving the school singing the song I used in the lesson. I inquired about the song choice, and they said how much they enjoyed it and thought it was cool how I tied it in.

Here I was basing my perspective on one person while ignoring the reactions of the other thirty students in my classroom. How often in life do we only focus on the negative aspect and fail to notice the good all around us?

We can always find the bad in our life experiences, or we can choose to find the good. I try and find the good every day. The entries in my daily gratitude log help me to focus on the daily good, like the students that remembered the song, not the one who didn’t.

4. Each day is new.

My first two years of teaching inundated my life with stories about something one of my students did, said, etc. I couldn’t wait to run and tell family and friends about my adventures as a teacher.

As time passed, those stories became less and less unique, and I found myself looking at the days and the students as the same old blur. I had seen it all. The students, lessons, and days were starting to become a haze of gray.

My friends and family would ask for new stories, and I had nothing. “It’s going” became my simple response to the question “How is teaching?”

The reality is that each year I get different students, who will do different things, during each day of the year, every period of the day.

I have to be aware of how much beauty and joy lies in that variety and appreciate the newness of it all, or else I will become like so many teachers who have lost their excitement for what they do.

I try my best to see the newness of each student and each class every day because I don’t want to lose my passion for teaching.

I also don’t want to lose my passion for life. I’m now starting to see that I have to find the newness of each moment in each day so that “it’s going” doesn’t become my answer to “How’s life?”

5. It’s okay to laugh.

Theodore Roosevelt set up the National Park System so that he could conserve the National Booty of America. Yeah, you read that right. I said National Booty instead of National Beauty. The kids laughed hysterically and I cracked up laughing too.

The truth is, school is funny.

There are too many moments that deserve a good laugh during the course of a school day. I can deny it or I can let out one of the few things guaranteed to increase my mood. I have chosen to increase my health and vitality by laughing in school.

And also in life. Because just like the classroom, there are so many funny things to laugh at in this world! To deny laughter would be to deny one of the basic parts of pleasures in life.

Three years ago I was blessed to receive the “Teacher as a Hero” award from the National Liberty Museum. I would have never thought the things that made me a “Teacher as a Hero” award winner would also help me to emerge from one of the toughest times in my life a better person.

All I had to do was start living like I teach.

source and courtesy: Tiny Buddha