Panel discussion your future prospects and expectations from life as you see them

1. The key words and ideas:

Hope

Anticipation

Beliefs

Plans

Interests

Views on success, happiness, power, fate, luck, education, experience, society, laws, rules, code, time, surprises, etc.

2. The talking points:

1. real (adult) life

2. gaining experience

3. the main priorities

4. your values

5. a course of action

6. stage or think of some authentic situations

7. your idea of success

8. public image

9. risk-takers

10. the ‘together’ people

11. a sophisticated man

12. “achievement”-oriented people

13. streetwise knowledge

14. self-pity

3. Your commentaries on some sayings and pieces of advice:

1. There are 3 golden rules for life: good manners, consideration for others, unselfish behaviour.

2. Life is a question and we spend our whole life trying to find the answer to it.

3. You have to do what you have to do.

4. Luck is a complicated series of circumstances that just happen to have a happy effect.

5. Don’t ever be afraid of failing. It’s stopped many people achieving their goals.

6. Confidence is an absolute must. If you appear confident to others they will take you at your own valuation.

7. Never let anyone see your fear or your nervousness or your uncertainty. Be always in control.

8. You mustn’t push yourself beyond your natural endurance too fast. Always stay within your limit, do what comes easily and then, step by step, increase that level of “performance”.

9. Always turn any disadvantage into advantage.

10. Try to handle the daily problems with skills.

11. Suggest something of your own.

4. Express your view on life and respond to the following questions:

1. Would you like to own your own life?

2. Is it possible to control and determine your destiny? How?

3. Your self-esteem. What is it?

4. Illusions and reality. Is it possible to convert your illusions to reality? Can illusion become a reality? If “yes”, can you trust your illusions?

5. How to make a new world open up for you?

6. How to become a “polished” man?

7. Can you enjoy challenges life has prepared for you?

8. What is luck?

9. To be a gambler. Is it good or bad?

10. Your attitude towards self-pity.

11. What things can stimulate you?

12. What can you say about compromise? Are there any benefits?

13. Suggest your own questions for discussion.

Two Moves You Can't Leave to Chance

What does it mean to be lucky? It commonly means someone who gets something valuable without really trying, someone who is in the right place at the right time. The person who discovers a lost painting by a famous painter, or who buys a winning lottery ticket - these are lucky people. They meet up with unexpectedly fortunate events. Since we have no control over the "when" and the "where" of such events, we can't make them happen to us. The only way to make a difference in our luck is to control ourselves.

Variety can increase your luck.

The first rule is to look for variety, new experiences. More variety will result in a richer life with more opportunities. The more varied life is, the more likely that unexpected combinations of events will occur, giving us the chance to improve our situation. Researchers say that being able to change is the best way to survive in changing, unpredictable times. Individuals who can change are more adaptable. When we are searching for something, like a lost pair of eyeglasses, it isn't a good idea to always follow the same pattern of search. If we always start looking in the basement and systematically work our way through the house, we're probably wasting time. Instead we can learn from the past. Whenever we misplace our glasses, we should start our search at the place where we last found them in order to make use of our past successes. Searching for happiness is like that as well. Be flexible. Learn from your mistakes. Try lots of different possibilities.

Variety is necessary for happiness. No matter how rich our lives may seem, if they consist only of expected events and repetition, boredom steps in.

We find pleasure in the unexpected and the surprising. Birthday presents that we expect make us happy, but we can be strangely affected by unexpected small signs of generosity or affection. Chance makes the difference.

Saying yes to our luck.

Sometimes it seems easier, however, to use our strength to build walls to try to protect ourselves from uncertainty. We buy life insurance. We work hard and put money aside. But all this planning can't guarantee safety. We need to find the courage to welcome uncertainty.

Taking the first step is crucial. Each of us should find one action that will increase variety: subscribe to a new magazine, take a different route to work, sign up for a night-school course. Then focus on its positive results. This positive reinforcement, together with the pleasure of sensing the power in doing what we want to, should give us the courage for the next act.

Saying yes to yourself.

Accepting ourselves exactly as we are at this present moment provides the courage to move forward, believing that all our choices in the past were the best we could have made at the time frees us from regret and reinforces our belief that we are as good as we can be at this moment. The best preparation for the future is self-acceptance in the present. Self-acceptance and trust in people are the foundations of confidence and courage.

Self-acceptance, courage, and action don't guarantee good luck, but they do guarantee a richer and fuller life. They lead to more opportunities for unexpected events that can enrich our lives.

(by Catharine Lilly, Ph. D. and Daniel Martin, Ph. D.)

Be happy. Life is too short for misery!

Подписано в печать: 30.08.2011 г.

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