What kind of fruit are you offering to the world?

We are like trees. Every tree is good but a tree is perceived by the fruit it provides. Our surroundings work on quite simple basics. Either we offer the things people need or we don't.

If a person is always late, constantly complains, makes excuses and spreads bad mood all around.. well, those are bad fruits. Who wants that? Simple fundamentals will work in any field of life whether you do art, work in a bank or heal people. To put it bluntly: be on time, do what you are asked to do, accept good feedback and learn from negative without an attitude. We're supposed to do our best, that's it.

But it is crucial to remember this at the same time - do not let the things you offer define what you are to yourself. If you do that, the mind becomes attached to goals. This will result in arrogance and fear of failure. Value yourself for what you are within and don't let the peace of mind get tied on scoreboards. That's the way to lose it.

We are all fantastic, lovable people inside. You see, difficulties will arise throughout life and those moments will test our strength but the better you know what you are within, the smaller the trouble. Nobody wants to share a journey with a person who turns into a little child every time a small bump comes along the way. You can laugh your heart out with both friends and enemies but when trouble arises, greatest companions are the ones who do not drag you down.

The world wants the best that you can offer. It simply wants you to dare to be the best you that you can be. The more you provide your surroundings with this, the more positive things will accumulate for everyone, including you. It's in our nature to do so for each other. So, what kind of fruit are you offering?

Hello,

Here's an article that I've enjoyed very much in the past. It's kinda rough but ultimately it has a very strong and positive angle towards improving ourselves and the lives of people around you. I hope you enjoy it.

"6 Harsh Truths That Will Make You a Better Person"

By David Wong

Valuing yourself and others

When feelings of either arrogance or worthlessness appear, how do we react?

Sometimes arrogant persons just push our buttons, we get irritated, frustrated and angry. We lose our peace of mind, sense of self-worth and start talking bad things about them.

But why lose yourself in those negative emotions? Remember that an arrogant person is in fact feeling unwell. In reality he is not like that inside. When a person is acting that way, he is in fact in dissonance and suffering. Brush it off of your shoulders, connect to your own compassion and forgive, don't let that person's behavior disturb your peace of mind. Reactions only feed the arrogance, so stop wasting your energy on reacting and forgive yourself for feeling negative emotions towards him.

Let's look into arrogance. What is it made of, why does it create so much suffering? There is two things. Arrogance usually indicates that the person is clinging on to achievements, past events or to something that is yet to happen. He becomes disconnected from this moment. The other obvious thing is that the person values himself apart from others and this will result in disconnection with everyone around him. This brings only a sense of loneliness, even if he'd be in a middle of a crowd. An arrogant person has lifted himself above the others and is in fact in constant fear of falling down. It's a struggle and a burden.

Now see that if a person is feeling worthless the results are actually the same. It is equally bad. The person values himself differently, becomes disconnected from the surroundings and the same anxiety arises. He ends up feeling desolated comparing himself to others. Living in the fear of becoming ashamed or feeling ashamed, it's all the same because the mind ends up revolving around shame.

Both of these sensations are illusions. If you ever find yourself experiencing them, don't jump from one extreme to the other in panic, just come back calmly to the center. Remember that achievements and failures come and go. You are already complete with or without those goals and medals, they do not define your value. You are much more, don't be afraid of it. Connect to your surroundings and the people around you without barriers and these feelings of inequality disappear.

Stress

Stress.

Why lose yourself in stressful feelings? Does it help you to complete your tasks? When you've obliged yourself to do certain things, you are bound to do them anyway. You have school, exams, work, projects… hitting one deadline after another, we all deal with this. But you see, when you have a deadline, you are bound to finish the job whether you stress about it or not. Your deadline does not care about your stress, your paperwork can't give you sympathy. They're just goals. So what are you really stressed about?

Those stressful feelings only separate you from the connection with others, it only pushes your loved ones away. Concentrate on your breathing and acknowledge that the duties that feel overwhelming are in fact a series of single, tiny tasks. Accept that you are on a path and the destination is reached by taking one step at a time, you can not leap to the goal. No one is born ready.

The thing is, most of the time we're not actually even stressing about the tasks but we are just simply afraid of other peoples judgement if we fail. Why concentrate on failure, fear and speculating on how others see you? Those things won't help you to complete your tasks. They just blur and distract your mind. Stop comparing yourself to others, there's no reward at the end of that road. Breathe deep and slow, come back to this moment and concentrate on to what is important.

Remember that you are in fact loved by others, take it for granted. I repeat, you are loved by others, take it for granted. When you acknowledge this, you take a step towards inner peace. That love is there, always has been and always will be. There's no reason to waste time questioning it. Be at ease, don't worry and carry on.

Happiness

Happiness.

We sometimes recognize it as only being in a joyous state of mind, laughing and having fun. Those signs are obvious results of that positive energy but there is much more to it. One key part of happiness is in fact the readiness to overcome the inevitable obstacles in life. You can only be truly happy when you embrace this uncertainty of the future without fear. If this fear controls your life, the laughter will sound hollow and nervous.

Troubles and problems in life are a part of its richness. Of course there will be sadness and pain involved when bad things happen but remember that it's only temporary. When you hit your finger with a hammer, it hurts for a while but it passes.

Misfortunes are a part of our everyday life just as much as the good things. When you face uneasy things in your life, do not hide. Be brave and be honest. Don't lose yourself in the negative passion and despair. Understand that those emotions come simply from fear. Why waste a lifetime living in such an unhappy state? Stop playing games, stop comparing pain and scars. Get out from that turmoil and accept that your past has happened and the future cannot be predicted.

When the negative things are at hand, passion will only suffocate your compassion and lead you back to hatred and fear. Leave your passion behind. The thing is, only through compassion will you find true strength to overcome your misfortunes. When you do this, you will achieve peace, happiness and connection with others.

Trouble, misfortune and obstacles are here to elevate you, don't be afraid of the challenge. You can do it, there is no question about it.

Who are you?

What you are, who you are... it is shortsighted to define those things by words. Behavior and feelings adjust to every situation every moment, every day. It's futile to say "I am shy, I am loud, I am outgoing, I am complex". Defining your personality will only bring you anxiety because it is in constant motion, it evolves. What you are today may not apply tomorrow. Don't define yourself to others or to yourself. Nobody can define you or set limits to what you are. Let go of your past.

At the same time, there is something solid, deep within you. Something that never changes. You see, without that very core you would not be able to percieve the change of yourself through the times. Call it soul or whatever. That part of you is the fundamental foundation that cannot be characterized by shallow words.

Like the sea, the surface is in constant motion with all it's waves and storms but when you go deeper within, down to the bottom, it gradually moves less and less, and becomes very peaceful and silent.

When you go deep within, you will find compassion and love. That is what you are, that is what you've been made of, that is you.