Meet the challenges of life

       A man approached Norman Vincent Peale and poured out his troubles to him.  His life was full of problems and he could not take it anymore.  He added, "I have so many problems.  I will give you five thousand Dollars.  Please, tell me a place where I can go and where I will not have to face any problem at all."

       Norman Vincent Peale assured the worried man, "Yes, I do know of such a where there are ten thousand people who do not have any problem at all."  He directed the man to the cemetery.

       Problems are thrown at us so that we can grow, so that we can evolve.  Here are five practical hints that you can follow to face the challenges of life.
 

USEFUL FIVE PRACTICAL HINTS

       FIRST, grow in the constant awareness of God's presence.  If you grow in the constant awareness of God's presence, no problem will be able to lay you low.  There is no problem that God cannot handle.  We are all children of God.  This constant awareness of God is your birth right.  Claim it, "I am not alone.  God is with me."  Remind yourself of this truth every hour.

       SECOND, upon getting up in the morning before leaving the bed, repeat it ten times.  And again before going to bed, repeat it ten times.  It is during these times that the subconscious is ready to take our orders.  In the beginning this practice will be mechanical, but pretty soon it will come from the depths of your being.

       THIRD, never miss out on your daily appointment with God.  We live in a noisy world.  You must withdraw from the world, preferably at the same time, same place every day.  Be in silence, contemplate, and meditate.  Start with 15 minutes.  Increase to 30 minutes.  This daily sadhana of silence is an appointment with your own self, your true-self.

       Keep on repeating, "I need Thee, God, and Thee alone."
 

       Ramakrishna Paramahansa used to say, "Long for God as a lover longs for his beloved, a miser for gold, a child for its mother."  Then God will reveal Himself.  

       FOURTH, adopt a correct attitude.  Adopt a constructive, positive and friendly attitude.  It is our attitude that moulds our character.  And it is our character that moulds our entire life.  A Sufi Saint was bitten by a crocodile while crossing a river.  He expressed his gratitude:  "I fell in the mouth of the crocodile, but not sin."  That is the right attitude.

       What is impossible for man is possible for God: There is nothing that is impossible for God.  Are you passing through a dark night, nowhere to to go, bankruptcy problem, personal problem, relationship problem?

       Simply handover the problem to God with childlike trust and you will get the answer; at the right time.  However, there is a condition.  Once you handover the problem to God, you must not think about it.

       FIFTH, develop a healthy sense of humour:  If you want to face the challenges of life, develop a healthy sense of humour. Learn to laugh.  Laugh with others, not at others.  Laughter is an all-round tonic - physical tonic, mental tonic, spiritual tonic.

       A miser was approached for a donation.  He readily gave a cheque for Ten Lakhs Rupees, but did not sign it.  When asked, he replied full of humility, "I want my donation to remain anonymous."

       A sense of humour lends you poise; it gives you balance and helps you to bend without breaking.

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Source: An article by Dada J.P.Vaswani.

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