Who is God? This question would sound awkward to 80% of us. Moreover, this question would infuriate all of this 80%. I though, do not have any intentions to hurt or disrespect their sentiments. As for the residual 20%, some people do not believe in God and the rest would like to believe in God but do not find any reason why to do so. Let’s talk.

Who created this Earth? If we do not try to explain it scientifically, the most obvious answer would be God. Now, since we all are part of this world, it must be accepted that we also were created by God. Now then, who created God? When we were born, we saw our parents worshipping some deities, which they regarded as God. And this system must have gone on for generations that preceded until the generation that saw these Gods as living figures. Now, where from did these living figures occur? Again, without trying to explain it scientifically, they must have been created by some individuals whom they considered as Gods, which will give rise to another identical debate. And if some further Gods did not create them, then we created them because they cannot create themselves on their own.

While gathering substance for this topic, I had talked to three different individuals who belonged to the three different categories mentioned above, viz., those who firmly believe in God, those who don’t believe in God, and those would like to believe in God, but can’t find any compact reason why to do so.

In this attempt, I chose to talk only to trespassers. I did not choose from people I knew from before for this project so that I could not read their emotions and mould their opinions in my favour. In this attempt, I faced three different people and placed the same questions in front of them, which were,
1> Do you believe in God?
2> Who created God?
3> Why do you believe or disbelieve in God?

In the process I first met Irena, an octogenarian lady who has been dwelling in Kolkata for quiet some time now. When faced with the first question, her answer was immediate and direct- “Yes. Of course.” To the next question, she reacted- “Who the hell are you to question the identity of God. What do you know about the greatness of God? What do you know about anything?” and after keeping my nerves to more of such sweet words at the bus stop for about five more minutes, I came out with my third question. “God is almighty. You dare not disbelieve his existence. He shall punish you for your sin. Whenever people have disregarded his rules, he has punished them earthquake, plagues, diseases, droughts, and famines. And say for example, while drowning into sea deep water, won’t you utter “Jesus” even for once? That was Irena for you, satisfying my first category. And during this conversation, I had found the person to fit my second category.

Mr. Sachilal Guha. He too had a clear cut answer to my first question- “No.” To the second question, “this had been an unanswerable question even to me at your age. But now, I think it is an illusion of the common man.” And by his case in explaining why he did not believe in God, I could understand that he had given a sanguine thought into this subject from much before.” I don’t believe in God for various reasons. Firstly, I haven’t seen him. Secondly, there are different stories about the same God, which contradict each other. Thirdly, I haven’t seen any supernormal things happening in front of my eyes, which does not include any trick of science. I firmly believe that God is believed by only the weak and coward people who find it extremely difficult to believe in themselves.” His words sounded Promethean but had enough substance in it.

To fulfill my third category, I had Atul. He was so reluctant to open his shoes while boarding the stairs of a Mandir that he offered his prayers to God from down below. At the first question, his eyes seemed to bubble with doubts, but he somehow answered back- “Yes.” The second question took him all by surprise. After letting him give it a thought, his answer disappointed me. “That is not a matter of concern for me.” Having no proper answer to my third question he said, “Because my parents believe in God.” That was Atul Thande for you.

And now for myself, solemnly I belong to the third category. For the first question, my answer is “No.” For the second question I feel that we created God. For the third I have no proper answer but I liked what Mr. Sachilal Guha had to say. Even then, whenever a difficult situation occurs, I don’t mind praying to God for help. God has been a matter of serious thought and discussion for me since I was a six-year-old kid. And today even after eleven years of thought and discussion, I haven’t been able to draw any conclusion. Have you?

I am turning 18 on 1st Aug,2005.
I also write by the pseudonym- Daffy47.
It is obvious that that I have a passion for writing.
I defy the orthodox way of life.
I live my life to the lees.
After all, no one knows what awaits.
mailto:E-mail–daffy47@rediffmail.com E-mail–daffy47@rediffmail.com

Know When It Is Time To Eliminate Responsibilities

Feeling stressed lately? Too many to-do’s on your to-do list? If you are doing too much for too many people, you must eliminate some of the stress in your life. Start by eliminating the responsibilities that do not directly contribute to the top three goals in your life. Many areas of your life will improve immediately. Lightening your load will benefit you by improving the quality of your health and your relationships. Reevaluate your responsibilities using a time management chart at least twice a year.

Start By Writing Down Your Goals

Before you can begin to eliminate responsibilities, you need to decide what your top three goals are. They do not need to be in order of importance. Mine are: 1) Nurture myself, 2) Spend quality time with my family, and 3) Grow my businesses.

Create Your Time Management Chart

Your chart will consist of three columns: a list of all your current responsibilities, the approximate number of hours each responsibility takes during a given month (estimate), and which of the three goals the responsibility is helping you to accomplish (if any!). You will find that many of your current responsibilities are not helping you to accomplish one of the three goals. These are the easiest to eliminate or to delegate. Learning how to delegate is important because it allows you additional time you need to focus on your three goals. You can delegate a lot: my youngest daughter folds the dish- and face-cloths in our house while her two older sisters handle the rest of the laundry. Here is a partial example of my time management chart. (Note: You can create a table with the correct number of rows and three columns in Microsoft Word under the “table” drop-down menu. Mine appears in a listing format below.)

Column One –> Responsibility

PTA Board
Running my local women’s group
Taking my children to and from soccer practices and games
Spend 1 hour each day exercising
Spend 6 to 8 hours, Monday thru Friday, working my businesses
Cleaning the house/laundry and grocery shopping.

Column Two –> Number of Hours per Month (Respectively)

5
5 – 10
20
30
128 – 160
20 – 30

Column Three –> Goal That I Am Accomplishing, If Any (Respectively)

Not helping me accomplish one of my 3 goals
Not helping me accomplish one of my 3 goals
Not helping me accomplish one of my 3 goals
#1 – Nurture myself
#3 – Grow my businesses
Not helping me accomplish one of my three goals.

The Elimination Process

After reviewing my complete chart, I decided to step down from my local women’s group responsibilities and from my children’s PTA Board. I decided to delegate more household responsibilities. Completing this chart every six months allows you to assign tasks based on the new skill levels of the family. Children develop quickly and can take on more chores as they grow. Doing everything for your children doesn’t help them–if anything it hinders them in adulthood. Delegating household chores to them is a win-win for everyone. I also sat down with the other adult in my life (my husband) and convinced him to take on more responsibility. Not an easy task! I know my chart (the complete version) made it much easier for him to see where he could easily pitch in. He chose grocery shopping and driving the children to and from their events. Create your own time management chart and “take back” at least 10-15 hours of your life each month. You will be less stressed and happier. I know I was!

Want To Use This Article In Your Ezine or Website? You have my permission, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Sheri McConnell is the President of the National Association of Women Writers ( NAWW.org www.NAWW.org). She helps women writers and entrepreneurs discover, create, and profit from their intellectual knowledge! Free reports for writers available with subscription to NAWW Weekly. Sheri lives in San Antonio, Texas with her husband Seth and their four children. Contact her at mailto:naww@onebox.com naww@onebox.com or her toll free number at 866-821-5829.

Is the gathering area (a.k.a. family room, living room, den, great room) in your home chaotic and cluttered? If so, try the following prescription to create a calm, comfortable and orderly space you’ll love to relax in and entertain family and friends.

Pin down the purpose(s) of your room. Is it your intention to use the family room as a place to watch a movie, curl up and read, play with the kids, take a short nap and gather with friends? Whether you have the foregoing functions in mind or something different, move objects unrelated to the purpose of your room (shoes, clothing and the ironing board) to other more appropriate quarters of your home.

Specify the major categories of items to be kept in your family room. For example:

Reading – books, magazines and newspapers
Media – TV, VCR, DVD, stereo, videos, CD’s, DVD’s and remotes
Toys – dolls, action figures and vehicles
Games – board games, puzzles and cards
Collections – photos, baseball paraphernalia, etc.

Sort everything in your family room into piles that represent the major categories identified in step #2. Begin with all surface items, and then move to objects stored in baskets, drawers, and cabinets. Smart tip: If you haven’t edited your belongings for a number of years, you will find it easier to sort large quantities of things by using a large box to hold the contents of each major category; the boxes will ensure your piles don’t spill over and get mixed up.

Cut out the clutter and organize what remains. Working with one category at a time, evaluate each item using the following rules: don’t keep anything you don’t love or use; reduce multiples of any single item; recycle all but the current issue of magazines and newspapers; dispose of broken and unwanted items by pitching them, giving them to someone else, selling, or donating them. Then put the remainder of items in order. For example, eliminate: duplicate pictures, out-of-focus pictures, and unflattering pictures. Then arrange the pictures you want to keep by date or theme, such as home, family, school, vacations, etc. Smart tip: As you’re weeding out clutter from each major category, let go of 20% more stuff than you have room for, that way new acquisitions will have a ready made home.

Arrange your room for comfort and functionality. When you have one space that serves multiple functions, consider setting up your room in zones – each to accommodate a different activity. For instance:

Reading and gaming. Place a game table and chairs where you have a good light source, it makes a great spot for perusing the paper and playing board games. The same table top can also double as a place to set out snacks when you have friends over. Mount shelving or spot a bookcase on an adjacent wall to house books and gaming materials.
Watching TV. Pick a good place to locate your TV and hide electronic gear in cabinetry if you don’t want to see it. Coordinate the arrangement of key seating pieces so you can readily see the screen (and take advantage of the view, if applicable). Position a magazine rack nearby and toss a throw over a plush armchair so you can cover up and catch a cat-nap when it’s chilly.
Playing. Tuck toys into baskets or storage ottomans that blend with the aforementioned zones. These types of containers offer an ideal way to store distracting clutter and make the family room a welcoming adult space after the kids have drifted off to dreamland.

If needed, use containers you have around your home to accessorize and containerize items that are easy to access. Family rooms are a magnet for books, papers, magazines, and supplies that get piled on the floor and table tops. However, you can organize these items with budget friendly solutions you likely have around your home.

Shoe boxes of the same size and color can be used to corral photos, letters, CD’s and more. Using multiple containers with the same color and symmetry will elevate the ordinary into an appealing collection.
Fruit crates, baskets, and sturdy totes can be used to hold books, magazines and newspapers.
Pottery, glass jars, and mugs are good holders for pens, clips, rubber bands, and push pins.
Ice cube trays, muffin tins, box lids, and cutlery trays make great drawer organizers.
Vintage luggage and picnic baskets stacked on top of each other work well as side tables and make for durable, attractive storage.

Slip items you want to confine into their new vessel and place them where they’ll be pretty and practical. That’s it! You now have a family room that’s organized, easy to clean, and makes smart use of your space.

Stay tuned—the next addition of the Decluttering Blueprint will be released soon.

Pam N. Woods is co-author of a bestselling book, Create the Business Breakthrough You Want: Secrets and Strategies from the World’s Greatest Mentors; endorsed by Ken Blanchard & Dr. Stephen Covey. She is a respected authority on personal effectiveness who has mentored hundreds of executives, managers and professionals over the last three decades. Now, through her business, Smart WorkLife Solutions, she is helping individuals at home and at work to declutter their space, their schedules and their lives.

Pam’s website is a resource with information and services to help a diverse population of individuals organize their office, home and life. If you want to save time, boost productivity and reduce stress visit the Smart WorkLife Solutions website today.

See worklifecoach.com worklifecoach.com or these specific pages:

I want to focus our thoughts on each of these four elements of success. While these were originally written for a business audience, the principles can be easily translated to cover yourself or any group or organization you belong to.

Knowledge.

Before one begins down the road of success, they need knowledge. Today, even jobs that once required little working knowledge or intelligence now see the need for training as those jobs become more dependant on technology. We will cover the importance of knowledge and ways to get more for yourself and the others in your business or organization.

Opportunity.

One element that you see over and over again in our country is that we are indeed the “land of opportunity.” It is great to be able to live in a country where people can pursue their dreams, and where it is possible to reach them. But some people have a hard time seeing opportunity. We will focus on ways to find and take advantage of opportunities.

Risk.

Once a person sees opportunity, it is up to them to step through the open door and go for it. Yet many stop at the edge, unwilling to take a risk. Many times, often actually, taking advantage of opportunities requires risk. We will cover the importance of taking risks and to understand the difference between taking risks and being “risky.”

Excellence.

Businesses, organizations, and people who succeed are the ones who operate from a base of excellence. Think of Nordstrom’s as a perfect example. We’ll cover the importance of excellence and ways to raise your excellence quotient.

Knowledge

The starting point in the elements of success is Knowledge. This is becoming increasingly so as we continue deeper into the information and technology age. There simply is no turning back now. Even jobs that used to take very little knowledge require some because of automation etc. So here are some thoughts on ways to increase your knowledge and become more successful.

Become a self-learner. I have met very few successful people who were not also self-learners. They love learning. Are you a reader? Reading is one of the most enjoyable ways to learn more. Or you can join what Zig Ziglar calls “Automobile University.” All you do is go to the local library and check out some tapes on a topic of your choice and start going to school on your way to work. As you grow personally you will begin to rise above others who simply are not in the process of learning.

Job-specific training. I think everybody, regardless of his or her level in the organization, should be continually trained in their job. Someone once said that it is more expensive to not train employees and let them stay on the job than to train them. How true. What kind of ongoing job-training are you taking. If you aren’t the boss, then go to your boss and ask him what kind of training he or she would like you to have and then tell them that you would be glad to go get it. If you are the boss, then what kind of training should you give to each of your employees? Maybe it is time to revisit the budget for employee training. Chances are, your competitor is.

Advanced education. Many of the local schools, both undergraduate and graduate, are increasingly tailoring programs for those who are working full-time jobs. Maybe it is time to go back to school. They have programs that are one night a week or one week every four to six months. They even have programs where you go to the campus for six weeks a year. Maybe one of these is appropriate for you right now.

Is this possible or even reasonable? It sure is. I know many people who are actively involved in all three of the above.
Increasing you knowledge will not only help you perform better on the job, it will help you become a better person.

Opportunity

In the summer of 1996 I was able to tour a country that is not democratic. While I loved the people and the cultures, I was struck again by a deep appreciation for the fact that we are free here in the U.S. We are indeed the “Land of Opportunity.” And that is the second element of success. Not so much having opportunity, as that is rather inherent to our American system, but that we see opportunity, and then take advantage of opportunity.

The successful people who I have met and worked with are people who have an eye for opportunity. Is that something they are born with? Absolutely not!

If anything, being able to see opportunity is an attitude. Yes, wisdom is an important part, but if you believe there is nothing good under the sun, that there is no opportunity, then you won’t achieve much.

Instead, it is an attitude that does not see any circumstance as a problem, but sees it as, you guessed it, an opportunity. A great achiever said, “There is never a money problem, only an idea problem.” He saw opportunity, not a lack of funds, and he simply needed to find the way to take advantage of the opportunity!

So where do you begin? Right where you are. Take inventory of who you are, as an individual, a business, or an organization. Then ask the following questions. When you get the answers, it is simply a matter of follow through. That comes next when we talk about risk.

What opportunities do we have to get better? This is the growth question. When you look for how you can grow, and then pursue it, you’re on your way!

What strengths do you have? What skills, talents, or personalities are your strong points? How can those be seen as an opportunity to grow? When you operate out of your strengths, you have a much better chance of seizing opportunity and being successful.

What does your market need? This is a perfect question to ask. If you can answer this, you will have enough opportunity to last for the rest of your life! Can you, with your strengths, meet any of the needs of the population you are trying to reach or serve? Their needs are your opportunities!

What is currently working? This is the “ride the wave” point. Take advantage of momentum. Don’t settle for the good that you are experiencing. Ask if you can stretch further. Don’t look at what ought to be successful, but go further with what is successful!

Risk

“A naval aviator told me that many pilots have died because they stayed with disabled aircraft. They preferred the familiarity of the cockpit to the unfamiliarity of the parachute, even though the cockpit was a deathtrap. Many people have seen their careers crash because they preferred the familiar but deadly old ways to the risky but rewarding new ways.” So says Nido Qubein in Stairway to Success.

It is true that many people who have knowledge and the opportunity to see success, never do, simply because they are unwilling to take risks. As young people we are usually long on risk-taking but short on knowledge and opportunity. This is probably why you don’t see many successful teens driving their own BMW’s.

But by the time we are able to do something with our knowledge and opportunity, most of us are in relatively comfortable situations and decide that to pursue our dreams would be to simply risk too much. So we put off what lies in our hearts.
Yet most successful people achieve what they do because somewhere along the line they stepped out in faith and took a risk. Yes, many fail at this point, but at least they attempted greatness. And while many fail, many succeed tremendously and receive the reward, often helping many others as well.

Here are some thoughts to help you take risks and see great achievement in your life.

Count the cost of not risking. Most of us think of what we might lose if we risk, but what will we lose if we don’t risk?
Realistically understand the worst case scenario. It usually isn’t nearly as bad as we might assume, making it all the more worthwhile to risk. Most risks don’t end up at the worst.

Calculate your risk. Since the risk isn’t as much as we usually think it is, it helps to lie out the strategy beforehand. Then you know what you’re up against and have a plan of action.
Prepare fully. What most often keeps us from risk is fear. One of the best ways to fight fear is to be fully prepared. This helps our minds to be rooted in fact rather than swayed by emotion.
Follow your dreams. They did a study and asked elderly people what their biggest regrets were. One of the top ones? That they didn’t take more risks to follow their dreams. Go for it now!

Richard Bach says this in A Gift of Wings: “Remember the high board at the swimming pool? After days of looking up at it, you finally climbed the wet steps to the platform. From there it was higher than ever. There were only two ways down: the steps to defeat or the dive to victory. You stood on the edge, shivering in the hot sun, deathly afraid. At last you leaned too far forward, it was too late for retreat, and you dived. The high board was conquered, and you spent the rest of the day diving. Climbing a thousand high boards, we demolish fear, and turn into human beings.”

Excellence

Most people, if they have the drive and know where to look, can get knowledge. Everyone can take advantage of opportunity. A select few, relatively speaking, will take the risk needed to launch out to succeed. But what really sets the successful apart from the unsuccessful, or even just the average, is excellence.

In his book Raving Fans, Ken Blanchard says that many businesses have a false sense of security, thinking that they are successful, when in reality their customers don’t view them as excellent, but rather as merely “no worse than the rest.”

I would agree. Many of us settle for average, while a few choose excellence, in all areas, and go on to succeed far more that the rest of the crowd.

So what are some ideas to have excellence be you shining mark? Here are a few:

First, cultivate an attitude of excellence. Excellence must be your stated goal. Everyone in your business, school, or organization should know that excellence is the benchmark. You should desire it.

Second, define excellence. What does excellence look like for you or your group? This then, is the goal.

Here are some areas to begin looking at:

My personal life. Do I strive for excellence in my personal life? Do I know what areas I can improve upon, and do I try to achieve excellence in those areas? What about these specific areas: Financial, spiritual, physical, emotional, intellectual?

Customer service. Excellence is defined here not in how we think we are doing, but in how the customer thinks we are doing. Have you asked lately how you are doing in this area? Ask for suggestions on how to excel. Then you can work on achieving it.

Employee satisfaction. You will more likely achieve excellence if you have deeply satisfied employees.
How can you make it an excellent place to work?

Product. Is your product excellent? Is your whole line? Perhaps you may want to sell fewer, but much better, items. It’s great to be associated with excellent products.

Atmosphere. What does your home, store or office look, sound, and smell like? Is it a help or hindrance?

I encourage you to think about these things, and even brainstorm with your family or staff. The results could be excellence!

About The Author:

Chris Widener is a popular speaker and writer as well as the President of
Made for Success, a company helping individuals and organizations turn
their potential into performance, succeed in every area of their lives and
achieve their dreams.

To see Chris “live” at the upcoming Jim Rohn Weekend Event as he speaks on
the subject of Secrets of Influence go to
Chris-Widener.InspiresYOU.com/ Chris-Widener.InspiresYOU.com/ or call 800-929-0434.