Self - Confidence.

We deny our own beauty because others can't or won't recognise it. Instead of accepting ourselves as we are, we try to imitate what we see around us.
We try to be what other people think of as 'pretty' and, little by little, our soul fades, our will weakens, and all the potential we had to make the world a more beautiful place withers away.
We forget that the world is what we imagine it to be.
We stop being the moonlight and become, instead, the pool of water reflecting it. Tomorrow, the water will evaporate in the sun. And all because, one day, someone said: 'You are ugly.' Or: 'She is pretty.' With those three simple words, they stole away all our self-confidence.
And we become ugly and embittered.
Manuscript found in Accra

I downloaded this book but I am yet to find the wherewithal and energy to get lost in it. I know a few people who have read and liked it. When I finally get round to it, I shall keep y’all updated.

The Alchemist…FINALLY!

 I finally got round to reading Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist. I am proud of myself considering the fact it has taken me almost three years since I said I would? The first time I failed because it was an audio book which didn’t work for me. There is no question mark against Morgan Freeman’s voice. I am simply a paperback girl. I decided to wait until I could get my hands on either a soft copy that is Ebook or paperback.

I downloaded the Ebook version, sat on it for months and remembered it after all the fluff reading I had done. I have to say it is a very good book. It reminds us of what we already know, think and teaches us more. I don’t know if any of you believe in omens but I do. I believe in a cock’s crow, the black and white lizard and the odd bird poop on your person. It never crossed my mind that butterflies and crickets are good omens. In fact, I thought otherwise. The book talks so much of believing and following omens such as butterflies etc implying they are good omens and how you must always look out for them to guide you on to the right path in your quest to achieving your dreams.

Essentially, it is about dreams -the beauty of following them and believing in your heart and yourself. We were all created with an intention and a purpose. He talks about Santiago’s journey as a Shepherd from the mountains of Spain to the pyramids of Egypt in search of his treasure. The struggles he faced, lessons he learnt just to achieve his dream, how he finally becomes The Alchemist and also later finds his treasure in the one place he left in the beginning.

I found it quite relative and reflective of human nature. We all have dreams, the strong are the ones who follow their hearts and fulfil their dreams whilst the weak are the ones who sit on them or give up once they encounter obstacles as it says, ‘Before a dream is realised, The Soul of the World tests everything that was learned along the way. It does this not because it is evil, but so we can learn, in addition to realizing our dreams, master the lessons we have learned as we’ve moved toward that dream. That’s the point at which most people give up.’ and at the end of it all blame the world for all our failures. I can’t say it had a huge impact on me, it was more like an affirmation of what I already know and then some.

The book has so many quotable quotes and profound texts but for me it has to be, ‘Be aware of the place where you are brought to tears…’ Reading this reminded me of the conversation I had with my sister and the post I did about dreams here. I cried during that text session like no man’s business. And the quote brought back the same emotions and a little tear to my eyes. Dreams are everything, they are the driving force behind who we are and without them, we are nothing.You can decide to be like the Arab crystal seller whose dream is to go to Mecca- he’d rather dream about the possibility, work towards it and not see it through because he doesn’t want to find another dream or be like Santiago and go after what you want.

I do recommend the book if you have not had the pleasure of reading it. What next as regards my reading list? I guess Don Quixote. It sounds English which I love. I think English (British) writers are the best!! My aunt recommended it. On to the business of looking for it.

10 Lessons From Einstein

 
I came across these lessons from Einstein while visiting Paulo Coehlo’s blog and thought I should share. I visit his blog time to time when I can because of his short stories. They always have a wealth of meaning and inspiration.

1. Follow Your Curiosity “I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious.”
2. Perseverance is Priceless “It’s not that I’m so smart; it’s just that I stay with problems longer.”
3. Focus on the Present “Any man who can drive safely while kissing a pretty girl is simply not giving the kiss the attention it deserves.”
4. The Imagination is Powerful “Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life’s coming attractions. Imagination is more important than knowledge.”
5. Make Mistakes “A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.”
6. Live in the Moment “I never think of the future – it comes soon enough.”
7. Create Value “Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value.”
8. Don’t be repetitive “Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”
9. Knowledge Comes From Experience “Information is not knowledge. The only source of knowledge is experience.”
10. Learn the Rules and Then Play Better “You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else.”
Source: Dumb little man