LESSON OF THE DAY 492

Ayahs of the Day:
Ungrateful for what We have given them. Then enjoy yourselves for now; for you will come to know. And they assign part of what We have provided them to what they do not know; by God, you'll surely be questioned about what you invented. [16: 55,56]

Hadith of the Day:
The first to be summoned to Paradise on the Day of Resurrection will be those who praise God in (both) prosperity and adversity. [Tirmidhi]

Wise Quote of the Day:
He who busies himself in Lord's Work, finds the Lord busy in his work. [Abu Bakr radi Allah anhu]

Guidance of the Day:
Cut yourself some slack. Each of the strategies in this book are geared toward helping you become more relaxed, peaceful, and loving. One of the most important pieces of this puzzle, however, is to remember that your goal is to stay relaxed, to not get too worked up or concerned about how you are doing. Practice the strategies, keep them in mind, yet don't worry about being perfect. Cut yourself some slack! There will be many times when you lose it, when you revert to being uptight, frustrated, stressed, and reactive--get used to it. When you do, it's okay. Life is a process--just one thing after another. When you lose it, just start again.

One of the common mistakes I see when people are attempting to become more inwardly peaceful is that they become frustrated by little setbacks. An alternative is to see your growth and perspective. Say to yourself, "Woops, I lost it again. Oh well, next time I'll handle it differently." Over time, you'll notice drastic changes in your responses to life, but won't happen all at once. No one is going to bat 100 percent, or even close to it. All that's important is that, generally speaking, you are doing your best and that you are moving in the right direction. When you learn to keep your perspective and stay loving toward yourself, even when you prove you are human, you'll be well on your way to a happier life. [Don't Sweat The Small Stuff]

Food for Thought:
Habits are changed by practicing new behavior, and this is true for mental habits as well. What distinguishes what's alive from what is dead is growth, be it in plants or in you.