365 Days of Wisdom: Daily Messages To Inspire You Through The Year

DAY 1

VALUE: FAITH

Trust in others wins co-operation from them.

Contemplation

To have faith in others also means reinforcing other people’s faith in themselves. This naturally increases their self-confidence and creates enthusiasm. Then they become better able to respond to positive feelings and access their full potential.

APPLICATION

If I notice that someone I work with is not co-operating with me, I need to check my own faith in that person. When I am able to appreciate them for their unique qualities, my faith in that person will grow. As my faith develops, so will their attitude toward me. Gradually, we become closer and are able to work together more easily.

DAY 2

VALUE: HUMILITY

The more humble you are, the more successful you will be.

CONTEMPLATION

Humility provides us with the wings to fly. It gives us an enthusiasm based on inner truth and allows us to move forward easily. When there is no humility, we find ourselves being pulled back again and again by difficult situations we’ve created for ourselves.

APPLICATION

When I do something, I need to make sure that I am enjoying it and take the time to remind myself of the joy it gives me. This frees me from the desire for recognition or praise. Then I will find myself succeeding in any task I undertake, and others will appreciate my efforts.

DAY 3

VALUE: LOVE

Only when you love yourself can you forgive yourself.

CONTEMPLATION

Love gives us the power to forgive. Just as it is easy to forgive a person we love, when we truly love ourselves, we will also be able to forgive ourselves. Only then will we find ourselves learning and progressing rather than holding on to past mistakes.

APPLICATION

When I notice myself making a mistake, I will remind myself that to progress in life I have to be able to forgive myself. I need to learn from my mistakes so that I do not repeat them.

DAY 4

VALUE: USING TIME WELL

To be wise is to use the treasure of time well.

CONTEMPLATION

We are well aware of the physical resources we have and usually make good use of them. But we are often careless about the resource of time. We tend to believe that using time well means planning the day and working according to that plan – and we manage to do that most of the time. But all of us find that a large amount of time goes to waste.

APPLICATION

Using time well means being aware of where I am investing it. When I invest time in creating positive thoughts, words and actions, then I save lots of time. And I am sure to get the best out of this investment, too – I find myself gaining good returns from everything that I do.

DAY 5

VALUE: TRUTH

Truth brings simplicity.

CONTEMPLATION

When we understand the power of truth, life becomes simple. Falsehood only leads to artificiality and complications. If we have the power of truth within us and live with it, then we will never want to show off, nor become dependent on the compliments of others. Then life becomes easy.

APPLICATION

If I ever find myself having negative thoughts because of my expectations of others, I should ask myself what I expect from them that I do not have within myself. The more I learn the art of connecting to my own innate truth, the easier it will be to keep my life free from complications.

DAY 6

VALUE: GIVING

To recognize others’ needs and to give unconditionally is to be truly happy.

CONTEMPLATION

We expect a great deal from others and often forget what we have to offer them in return. We find it difficult to give of ourselves unconditionally, and instead tend to think about what we are going to get out of giving. By focusing on what we hope to gain, we lose the joy of giving, and when we don’t get what we expected experience negative feelings.

APPLICATION

There is true joy in giving. When I realize I am able to help someone, I will give them what they need without expecting anything in return. I will learn the pleasure of giving unconditionally, using my gifts to benefit others. This will put me get in touch with my inner self and help me experience true happiness.

DAY 7

VALUE: CO-OPERATION

Every task is easy for the one who is able to co-operate.

CONTEMPLATION

Often, we prefer to do everything alone. We feel that it is easier not to involve too many people in order to avoid conflict with different personalities. The responsibility of co-operating may even feel like a burden weighing us down.

APPLICATION

Working together is the best way to achieve success. I need to recognize that everyone has his or her individual talents, and when I am able to connect with them, we can work together to complete the task. Even the biggest project becomes easy when everyone co-operates. My positive feelings combined with the good wishes of everyone involved will help us succeed.

DAY 8

VALUE: RESPECT

To respect other people is to understand and appreciate their unique qualities.

CONTEMPLATION

We expect others to change to fit in with our own expectations and values. Yet often we find that nothing changes in the way we want it to. This creates irritation and discontentment.

APPLICATION

I need to understand that every person around me is different; everyone is unique and has amazing qualities and talents. When I look at others in this way I no longer expect them to change according to my wishes, but instead find that I respect them for who they are.

DAY 9

VALUE: SELF-CONTROL

Control over oneself is the only real control.

CONTEMPLATION

Normally we understand control as something we need to have over others or situations. So when things go wrong, our first thought is to exert control. But since neither the situations nor the people can ever be in our hands, we are unable to succeed in controlling them.

APPLICATION

Instead of trying to control things that are out of my hands, I need to learn how to control myself. By being aware of my own actions and reactions, I can learn self-control. This will affect how I behave when things go wrong, allowing me to approach events and people in a more positive, constructive way.

DAY 10

VALUE: TRUTH

Truth never needs to be proved.

CONTEMPLATION

Truth is always revealed in the right place, at the right moment. We don’t need to be concerned about proving it. We need only be concerned with being it and living it. Trying to prove truth reveals stubbornness, and is often counterproductive.

APPLICATION

When someone does not believe what I say, I need to ask myself whether I truly believe in it. If I am sure it is true, then I need not be concerned about proving it to others. Only when I doubt something will I wish to prove it to everyone.

DAY 11

VALUE: LOVE

The one who is full of love is always happy.

CONTEMPLATION

When we are full of love for everyone, there is no space for negativity. This unselfish love means that we have only positive thoughts and experience constant happiness.

APPLICATION

Today, I’ll start the day by thinking of all the people I will come into contact with. Then I will think about having love for all of them. This thought will help me throughout the day. I will find myself accepting others as they are and extending good wishes to them.

DAY 12

VALUE: FAITH

To think ‘I can win’ is to ensure victory.

CONTEMPLATION

We tend to attribute success to the resources available or the help of those around us. But in spite of our best efforts, we sometimes find ourselves failing. We might blame this on bad luck or a negative event.

APPLICATION

Today I will notice how my successes are not so much based on what I have as on what I do with what I have. When I believe that I can win, I will win.

DAY 13

VALUE: POSITIVITY

To see things as they are is to be free from negativity.

CONTEMPLATION

We don’t usually see things as they are, but as we are. We tend to color what we see according to our past experiences and our attitudes and beliefs. When our experiences of the past are negative, we tend to become negative too. This is why some situations tend to bring about sorrow and unhappy feelings.

APPLICATION

Every situation contains something bright and beautiful. When I make an attempt to see things for what they are, I am able to see this positive aspect. Then I am able to let go of the negativity associated with past experiences and appreciate what exists in the present.

DAY 14

VALUE: TRUTH

If you are always truthful, you will have nothing to fear.

CONTEMPLATION

True courage comes when we acknowledge the power of truth within. If we are constantly truthful, we will have nothing to fear. The power of truth will give us the courage to meet the challenges we face every day.

APPLICATION

I must make sure that my actions are based on truth. Then if things go wrong, I will be able to maintain courage. If I keep reminding myself that I have the power of truth within me, I will be able to overcome whatever challenges come my way.

DAY 15

VALUE: FOCUS

The one whose keeps their destination in focus will be successful.

CONTEMPLATION

As we travel toward our destination, it’s easy to get distracted. We sometimes become so busy thinking about the little things that affect our lives that we lose focus and stop moving forward.

APPLICATION

First, I need to clarify my goal, then think about how I’m going to work toward it. When situations arise to distract me I need to remind myself that they are only sideshows; they are not important. Instead, to find success, I need to keep my energies focused on my destination.

DAY 16

VALUE: POSITIVITY

To remain cheerful is to simplify all problems.

CONTEMPLATION

When faced with problems it seems difficult to maintain inner cheer – the mind is caught up with more and more negativity, fear and worry. This, makes problems seem bigger than they are and stops us finding solutions and working constructively to solve issues.

APPLICATION

When I recognize a problem, the first thing I need to do is to smile. When I am happy within myself and understand that every situation has something to teach me, I will find solutions more quickly and easily.

DAY 17

VALUE: DISCERNMENT

To see things as they are is to be free from the influence of weaknesses.

CONTEMPLATION

Sometimes we react to small situations. Our feelings are dependent on the situations we face. If we experience negative feelings, we often try to change them. But this can be difficult, either because of our personality, the personality trait we are working with at the time, or a particularly challenging event.

APPLICATION

To change my reactions to the different situations that face me, I need to change the way I see things. I need to understand the situation as it is and not let it be colored by my personality traits. When I see things as they are, I can control how I act in situations instead of simply reacting.

DAY 18

VALUE: SIMPLICITY

To be simple is to become an example.

CONTEMPLATION

Simplicity is often mistaken as ordinariness. It is sometimes associated with lack of color and variety. So we rarely focus on simplicity in our words and actions. Instead, we tend to add as much color as we can in order to seem more attractive or impressive. In the process we move ourselves away from our original nature.

APPLICATION

To be simple is to think of myself as like a seed, which is complete, yet simple. True simplicity means discovering and using the qualities within me. It means becoming closer to my true nature and being. Once I allow these qualities to flow out from my inner self, others are able to take inspiration from me. With my own simplicity I will become an example for others.

DAY 19

VALUE: TRUTH

Where there is truth there is victory.

CONTEMPLATION

There is a saying that goes, The boat of truth may rock, but it will never sink. When we are truthful we might experience some setbacks or dissatisfaction, but will ultimately attain victory.

APPLICATION

When I am going through difficult times, I must remind myself that the truth within me will eventually lead to victory. This