24 Qualities That Helped Me Improve My Life
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Namaste! The gesture Namaste represents the belief that there is a Divine spark within each human being that is located in the heart chakra. This gesture is an acknowledgment of the soul in one by the soul in another. The word Nama means bow, as means I, and te means you. Therefore, namaste literally means "bow me you" or "I bow to you." For me this is a reminder that we all originated from greatness and when our earthly containers expire, we will all return to the same greatness that we came from. It is with this belief that I share this little book with you. Because we are what we came from, we all have the opportunity to tap into the divine essence of our beginning and find that greatness within us and be all that we are. The following little essays are part of an ongoing observation that I have been watching over the years on how my life has been lived up until this point, and the things that I have learned over the past five and a half decades through the relationships that I have had with my family, friends, coworkers, people in my community and society as a whole. One of the most rewarding things that can happen to us as progressive human beings is to actually become better with age and experience- and find the grace to know it, or at least believe it. I’m not speaking of any ego here, rather an honest understanding and acceptance of the progress made as an individual on this planet. The flip side to this, however, is recognizing where we may have fallen short for the many years that we have lived, and how we have treated not only our own life, but also the lives of others that were part of our circle. Take heart, if you’ve fallen short- you’re human. If you’ve made mistakes- you’re human. If you’ve lost friendships- you’re human. But don’t despair, change is a part of life and every day that we awake gives us another opportunity to change. In fact, the only constant there is- is change! This guidebook is not meant to be a reminder of where we’ve fallen short, or the mistakes that we’ve made, but rather a reminder of the things that most of us have been taught and most of us know instinctively by nature, nurture and community. The following lessons were taught to us over the span of our lives, but it never hurts to learn a little bit more about ourselves with each passing day. Think of these short lessons as a “refresher course” in the basics of human interaction that we learned as children and as young adults. Perhaps they will bring to mind a few time-honored truths that can only edify us when put into our daily routine. At the end of each essay you have an opportunity to put into practice each of these lessons, whether it be in meditation or in action. Either way, by reintegrating these truths into our lives on a daily basis can only affect us for the good. Many philosophies teach that we originated from a single source of perfection, full of wisdom, integrity and light. Remember, we are what we came from. All we need to do is to act that way every day and bring the light of love and perfection back to the world, one person at a time, one deed at a time, and one day at a time. Although this book can be read in one sitting, the lessons here are not meant to be rushed through, but rather read one day at a time and meditate on each one and putting that one daily lesson into practice, if possible. One of the most difficult things to do as humans is to admit that we have faults and flaws in our life. It must stem from our basic need for self-preservation and looking out for number one first. However, the only way to properly fix and rectify something that’s not functioning correctly is to clearly identify the cause, and then devise a solution or a work-around for the problem. I have learned that as we age, we become more tolerant to things that used to set us off or irritate us when we were younger. It’s all part of the “mellowing” process. I’ve also noticed in my own life that when I was younger, I put a greater emphasis on working on the outside of who I was. I had to look my best, nice hair, nice clothes, nice car and so on. But as I have aged and grown a little wiser, I have made a gradual shift to place more energy on the inside traits and characteristics, like the qualities that follow in these short essays. These lessons have become part of my journey to help me be the best version of myself that I can while I have the gift of breath and life. May these words also inspire you and uplift you to be the best version of yourself. Namaste!
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About the Book
The verses in this book are short, simple, and to the point. Highlighted are 24 qualities that people on their life's journey may choose to embody--that is, those who are searching for an honest and compassionate life from the cradle to the grave. With all of life’s ups and downs, each one of us learns through experience how to navigate that path and make choices about how to proceed after setbacks. The format is to begin reading one verse each day. The pattern is a short overview of each quality, a personal story from the author's life, and a meditation practice for how to integrate the lessons found in each of the verses. Though many of us have probably developed and incorporated these positive traits into our own lives, this is meant as a refresher course to help us for when we have fallen short of being the best that we can be in every situation that we encounter. Sometimes we all need a little reminder that our actions and our attitudes affect those with whom we come into contact. Because we are mortal, we are bound to fail and most assuredly, make mistakes, but this book offers us a way out of those negative patterns we sometimes find ourselves in, and offers us opportunities for change and growth. This book is meant to be a daily meditation practice, where one verse a day for 24 days will help guide and offer encouragement as you put into your daily practice the wisdom each verse offers. Before you begin, find a quiet time to read each devotional verse, come into a comfortable seated position, relax and center yourself, and allow for inspiration as you begin to see the changes that will help you become the person you want to be.
About the Author
With almost six decades of experience, Dan has learned a lot about life as a limo driver, car salesman, composer, songwriter, recording engineer, inspirational teacher, artist, painter, carpenter, magazine publisher, designer, husband, brother and a friend. Through his experiences, both positive and negative, he has learned to adapt and become flexible with every situation he has found himself in and always tries to find the best in each of those moments. His writings are honest and light-hearted, yet powerfully poignant. You almost feel as if he’s in the room with you, laughing, sharing stories and personal experiences, and accepting that life is short, and that we need to treasure each moment. In this little book of daily verses, he encourages his reader to take to heart each one and to make them a part of your daily routines. Dan’s writing style has you feel as if he is sitting down with you sharing a conversation with old friends. It’s apparent that through his heartaches and his life struggles, he has softened with a compassionate grace towards all living things--and it’s evident in each of his personal life stories how he’s found inner peace with where he is in his life’s journey. He sees himself as his brother’s keeper and takes seriously the welfare of those with whom he comes into contact. His hope is that these short writings can help people live a more God-realized life, bringing them the peace, joy, and happiness that each of us deserves. If just one person achieves that, then his life has been successful.