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Saturday, December 29, 2012

5 STEPS TO RECHARGE YOUR SPARK.


By Silvia Uribe



We all have a spark, the spark of life, and joy within us. Just by the simple fact of living, we own that little spark: This is the spark that brightens our eyes when we are happy, that pulls upward the corners of our lips when we see or hear something that pleases us; the tiny little spark of hope, that gets us going in difficult times, and makes us remember that tomorrow will be another day.

We all know someone who’s spark is so bright, it brightens us, and bring us back to life even when we are tired, or just simply bored.  These are the people whose energy is contagious; those who can manage to infuse us with an injection of excitement out of the blue. These are people that produce an attraction on others, and good, positive events around them. We call them lucky. Bun in reality, they are responsible for creating this cosmic synergy, with their spark; one that others don’t want to miss. 

However, when life gets tough, our little spark deems. It deems so much that it almost becomes imperceptible, even to ourselves. But, it is then, when we need our spark more than ever. So the question here is: How to re-charge our spark?

1 – Do not just complain about your problem. Take action. – Continuously thinking about a problem without making any decisions, and taking any actions is a recipe for disaster: the problem won’t get solved, and you’ll be overwhelmed. Don’t stay in the analyzing stage forever. Start making decisions, and take the appropriate actions. Now, you’re on your way to solve your problem.

2 – Do not create a snowball – If you happen to have more than one problem at the same time, try to separate them, and deal with both, but one independent from the other. Snowballs are hard to stop once they get rolling. You may have a couple of problems in your life, but your whole life is not a problem, unless you allow for this to happen.

3 – Cry if you will, but limit your suffering time – Do not allow yourself to become a victim of your circumstances. Realize that although your problem might be big, and it causes you a lot of stress, there are other aspects of your life that are actually enjoyable.

4 – Every day, do one thing that brings you peace– Whether it is exercise, meditation, prayer, therapy, or a good conversation with a friend, we need to decompress. Maybe it is a peaceful walk on the beach, or a cup of hot chocolate and a good read. Do this for only 30 minutes if your time is limited, but do something to reestablish your inner balance, and the intensity of your sparkle. 

5 –Do not allow your sparkle to be extinct – When life gets tough we feel that our sparkle is the last thing we want to think about, but we must. Without a conscious effort to find the affable side of life, we have the risk to fall into depression, and once we’ve fallen, it is quite difficult to recover.

And, remember that having a bright spark, could help you tremendously this time of the year.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Friday, December 28, 2012

AMERICA HOSTAGE OF ITS OWN CONGRESS?



By Silvia Uribe
           
In the midst of celebrating the Holidays, it seems that we, the people, are oblivious to the financial/political reality that we face as a country. We hear about the financial troubles, we are sort of aware of the risks to come, but for now, we don’t want to think about the possibility of our country falling into a second recession. However, the possibility seems inevitable, especially if we consider that as of now, we are already being strangled with a 2% increase in our taxes. Why? Because Washington didn’t come to a rational agreement on time. Whose fault is this?

As a country, we’ve been fighting the fight, a big one, all over the world, against terrorists and terrorism. We have spent trillions of dollars in such a quest. But, how is it that Congress is holding us hostage to their political interests, their lack of vision, and of their ineptitude altogether?

Our representatives’ tantrums are tiring, insulting, and dangerous for our county. Most of the time, they behave like capricious infants - when they don’t like the game that’s being played, they want to take the ball go home -. As citizens of this country we should hold these career politicians accountable for their actions. We are only a few days from another financial debacle, and they don't do their job. Meanwhile the whole country nail-biting, and waiting on them!

The President is doing what he can to avoid serious financial consequences for 99% of Americans, while the Speaker of the House shows his party servitude to interests that are not the majority’s. Among the people, there is an overwhelming feeling of lack of control, and hopelessness. 

Congress'  careless attitude makes us wonder why, if we are going after terrorists all over the world, we let our government terrorize us with their indolence toward the majority, and their less than stellar performance while doing their job?

In the meantime, those inept representatives are indulging in their libation of power – as intoxicating as the strongest drug – and trusting that for them, not facing the average Joe’s problems, next year will be a good one. What about us? They should realize that  they’re stretching us too thin.

The people of this country are hard working individuals. We do our part. We are not a mass of 300 million people living in the United States. Each one of us is a human being with dreams and hopes for a better future for our families. Our country is strong due to the individual effort of each one of us. We deserve from the people we elect to represent us to be responsive to us. Our representatives are not there to rule, but to make sure that the needs and wants of the people are met. 


Through our world history, we know that indolent governments and financially oppressed societies make a very dangerous combination. Our country has always striven on giving its people the chance to do well during their productive years, so that they can enjoy life in their retirement. All of us, citizens of this country, expect to savor the fruit of our hard work. It is only fair that we are granted the chance to do it.