Ten Things from the Heart

1.  Your loss of any kind, illness, pain, or other worries of today
Will be covered by a blanket of healed emotions along the way...

2.  The words you utter can be forgiven, but never undone
So, think before you speak, as this is how goodwill is won

3.  Choices are always made with limited knowledge of facts
Success doesn't depend on choices, but very much on acts
 
4.  Culture and habit are strong but limiting guides in most everything we do
Think critically on your actions: they may lead you to something new

5. Trust is subtle and fragile. It can easily be broken
Being trusted feels good, so let your behavior be your token

6. If you're powerful or affluent you can make life a manupilation feast
But be mindful of your conscience. It bugs you when you expect it least

7.  Happiness is an inner-feeling that mainly depends on your outlook
Don't allow others to have too much to say in your life's storybook

8.  Keep yourself ready for change: it is always lurking around the bend
The less you cling to things, the less time on frustration you'll spend

9.  Rough situations come and go in life: they're not for holding on
The sooner you start releasing them, the sooner they are gone

10.  Smiles and silence are powerful allies in your life
A smile solves many problems. Silence helps omit strife

The gift of keeping quiet

We live in a society where assertiveness is praised as a trait of the strong. If you don't speak up, you may not count. Statements like, "the squeaky wheel gets the grease" paint a clear picture of what it's all about: the bigger a talker you are, the more people will consider your opinion. That being said, it is rather disheartening to see what this mindset has brought about. Some people cannot seem to keep quiet. We have all encountered these characters in meetings, in classes, at parties, and in clubs: people who always run their mouth, whether it is appropriate or not. It is as if they are afraid of silence, or as if they need to convince themselves of what they say.

Sometimes, when I hear people talk for a long time, I wonder if they don't get tired of the sound of their own voice, and if they really think they entice their audience so much that they can go on and on the way they do. It is known that the attention span of an average listener is about 8 minutes. After that timespan the mind of even the most devoted audience member starts to wander. Speakers with some degree of emotional intelligence should consider this and keep their message as short and sweet as possible.

Unfortunately, some people are so self-indulged, that they love to hear themselves. They may be burdened by an oversized ego, and have not yet figured out how to reduce it. Yet, when we talk all the time, we don't learn others' perspectives, and more importantly, we are not as well-liked as we may think. People get tired of listening all the time and they may start avoiding those who talk too much. They quickly figure out who speaks effectively, and who is just full of empty words. Personally, I feel that there is no need to say anything if it is not meaningful. And if you don't have anything meaningful to say, the best gift to give yourself and those around you is to simply keep quiet.