Soly Paraiso

Another Brand-New Year!

Posted: 12/30/2007

Here we are again! Facing another brand-new year!  Making another set of New Year's Resolutions!  Now I ask the same questions I asked last year: How many of our resolutions have we followed?  How many lasted more than 48 hours?  Have we realized our goals for the year?  Have we made it the best year of our life? Again, here's an advice from Carl Bard: "Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start and make a brand new ending." I know it's pretty easy to make new year's resolutions and quite as easy to break them.  But by setting our goals and forcing ourselves to adhere to them, maybe we can still realize our dreams.  What are your dreams?  Your goals?  As I said before, whatever your goals-whether it's making more money, getting in shape, owning your own business, harmonious relationships, or improving the quality of your life, the answer is within you! You have the power to make them materialize by focusing on each of your dreams.  As Dr. Norman Vincent Peale advised us: "Visualize, prayerize, actualize!" We are familiar with the saying that "what you focus expands." The more you focus on the things you want, the more they will manifest in your life. And the reverse is also true. If you focus on the things you don't want, you will manifest the same things. As another saying goes, "Be careful for what you want for you might surely get it." My own experiences have taught me that what I think of often, would manifest in my life. So I've been very careful of what I think about. I think good health, happiness and prosperity not only for  the ones I love but for everyone. I think about peace and harmony among people.  I think positive thoughts instead of negative ones.  I visualize a world where everyone respects the rights and beliefs of others whatever religion they profess to belong to. Here are a few of my New Year's resolutions: (1) To eat a balanced diet, eat more fruits and vegetables, avoid fats and too much sweets and salts. (2) To walk every morning as the weather will allow and do my light exercises inside when it''s too cold or too hot outside. (3) To keep a positive mental attitude all the time. (4) To stay cheerful no matter what. (5) To lend a helping hand to those who need help in my capacity to do so. (6) To offer sympathy and compassion to those who are suffering one way or another. (7) To make new friends and keep in touch with my old ones. (8) To strive to be healthy in mind, body and spirit. (9) To visualize a world where love, peace and harmony will reign in everyone's heart. (10) Last, but not least, to write, write, write more articles and books to help encourage people to use the power of their thoughts constructively. So what are yours?          HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR TO ALL!

Christmas

Posted: 12/19/2007

"And so this is Christmas" Remember that song by John Lennon?  Every time I hear it playing on the radio, I cannot help but heave a deep sigh, and wish John Lennon is still around.  His songs tug at yout heart, giving such profound meanings.  Like this one: "So this is Christmas, and what have you done?"  "Another year over, and a new one began, "And so this is Christmas, we hope you have fun, "The near and dear ones, the old and the young. "A very Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year, "Let's hope it's a good one, without any fear. "And so Happy Christmas, for weak and for strong, "The rich and the poor ones, the road is still long. "And so Happy Christmas, for black and for white, "For yellow and red ones, let's stop all the fight." "A very Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year! "Let's hope it's a great one, without any tears." Yes, "it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas." As usual people are busy shopping, at the malls, buying gifts for friends and loved ones, decorating their homes with Christmas lights, Christmas trees with shining ornaments and tinsels, Santa Claus and reindeers in their yards. Year in and year out we do this.  But what is Christmas really all about?  it seems the birth of Jesus Christ, our Savior has been relegated to the background while we do our shopping, decorating, merrymaking.  Turn on the TV and on some channels all you could see are recipes for Christmas cakes, how to decorate the Christmas tree, where to place the wreaths, the mistletoe, what gifts to give to your loved ones.  Christmas carols play on radios day and night.  Seldom do we hear about Jesus Christ and HIs message. Of course in all Christian churches, Christmas is celebrated with pastors, ministers and priests reminding us of the significance of this Holy Day. I wonder if we even think about what's going on around the world. I wonder where is that "peace on earth, goodwill towards men."  After two thousand and seven years since Christ was born, people are still fighting. Wouldn't it be a "Happy Christmas, for the weak and the strong, for the rich and the poor ones, for black and white, if we stop  all the fight" as John Lennon conveyed in his song,"And so this is Christmas?"  Let us not forget the message of Christmas: Peace, Love, Hope, Joy. Christmas is not just for gift-giving, food on the table like ham, turkey and other delicious foods that we prepare for Christmas dinner.  It's not about Santa Claus, about Christmas trees. Now don't get me wrong. Christmas is a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ as God's gift for  us.  I know when Christmas is in the air, it gives us a feeling of great joy: when we see the "Little Lord Jesus lying in a manger" reminding us of the value of humility; when families and friends get together and affirm our love for one another; when we forget all animosities; when we ask forgiveness from those we have hurt and at the same time, we forgive those who have hurt us; when we watch our children excitedly open their gifts, so happy are they that we wish we could capture their joy in their innocence. We need not aspire for expensive gifts especially during these hard times.  And let us give gifts wholeheartedly without expecting any return.  Let us give for the sheer joy of giving. Let us share what we can with our less fortunate fellowmen. Let us pray for our brothers and sisters in distant lands who are still fighting right this very moment.  May they realize that we are all children of one God and as Jesus Christ commanded, " Love one another as I have loved you." "And so this is Christmas, what have you done? Let's stop all the fight"-John Lennon "...although it's been said, many times, many ways,           MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL!"

The Amazing Power Of Thoughts

Posted: 12/06/2007

It has been said that a person has 60,000 thoughts in his mind everyday. His mind never stops working day and night. Whether he is sleeping or awake, man is bombarded by a thousand thoughts, positive or negative. The mind keeps thinking of myriad things. Some people think of their everyday problems:  the car that has to be fixed; the morgage payment at the end of the month; bills, bills and more bills; problems at home with children or parents; problems at work; problems with relationships; problems with health; problems with finances.These are the problems that occupy most people's minds. They do not know what to do. They do not know where to turn to. Are there solutions to these problems? I am sure there are. It starts with the mind. With thoughts. Thoughts are powerful that they can change your life. Let me quote William James, one of the wisest men  America has produced. He said, " the greatest discovery of my generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of mind." And here is Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, the author of the world famous book, "The Power Of Positive Thinking". "As you think, so shall you be. So flush out old, tired and worn-out thoughts. Fill your mind with fresh, new creative thoughts of faith, love and goodness. By this process you can actually remake your life. Change your thoughts and you change your life." I'm not saying that by just thinking, your problems will go away. I'm saying that by thinking positive thoughts instead of negative ones, you will arrive at some solutions to your problems. There is a Universal Law that has not yet been repealed, and that law is  the "Law of Attraction". You attract into your life whatever you think about. If you think positive thoughts, positive things will appear. If you think negative thoughts, those thoughts will also attract negative things. What you think is what you get. As the bible says, "As ye think, so shall ye be." So instead of moping around, blaming somebody else for your problems and dwelling on the negatives, change your mind by positive thinking, and the solutions to your problems will appear consequently. As Dr. Peale further says, "Inflow of new thoughts can remake you." You have the power within you. You can have whatever you want, including the solutions to your problems by practicing creative visualization. By prayer and meditation, you can still realize your dreams and aspirations. God gave us the power to think and dream. God gave us free will, so we have the choice-to think positively or negatively, then relish the fruits of our positive thinking or suffer the consequences of our negative thoughts. It is up to us.