A Value-Added Life (3) (The end)

"...removing wasteful thoughts..." 

I went to a "Positive Thinking" course recently and was introduced to the concept of "wasteful thought". Natalie, the speaker, spoke about four different types of thoughts we would daily engage in. These are, ordinary, positive, negative and wasteful thoughts. Example of wasteful thought include spending too much time of one's look in front of the mirror. Personally, I find positive and negative thinking are our responses to outcomes in life. Wasteful thoughts are instances where we are in a situation where we "over-indulged" unnecessarily. One other example will be spending too long on the bed, or some may say, waking up slowly (Obviously, we should not take life that seriously, but let's admit it, we overdo it sometimes).

The classification of these thoughts made it interesting and also easier for one to discuss its impact further. There are ways to deal with negative thoughts, as was discussed in the session. However, little was said about wasteful thoughts. I asked Natalie how should we go about reducing wasteful thoughts. She said it should be all down to our observation, which I totally agree. It looks like the central idea about observation could achieve a few things at the same time. This includes not only converting negative thoughts into positive, but also reduce the impact of wasteful thoughts.

Putting aside positive and negative thoughts, wasteful thoughts are less obvious and talked about. The perception of what is wasteful and why and how this should be removed was also not obvious. The fact that when a thought become "wasteful" give enough rationale and motivation for one to want to remove it. This certainly has an effect of "adding value"..However, coming to the conclusion about "something" being "wasteful" needs some efforts. It can only be achieved if we practise constant "observation" and being awareness as much as possible in our daily life.

How much do we waste? what have we wasted and still wasting? are we doing something about this? Does this affect us to considerable extent?Big questions, but address appropriately should "add values" to one's life. Enough on this topics, I should end this here, with those questions as food for thoughts to the readers to think about later.


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A Value-Added life (2)

What is the difference between "value" and "value-added" life?
Well, "value" is like a stock concept. It is a belief. It can be as simple as bargain hunting or going IT craze and become addicted to latest technology. The older generation may believe in how their parents brought them up is the right way to bring up kids and hence practise that on their own kids and so impose "value" on their kids the way they were being imposed. "value-added" is marginal. It is still about sticking to what one believes, but this has an additional edge to it, in that it "adds value", rather than impose or enforce it. When "value" is added, it normally serve a purpose like making things better and hence reinforced one's belief.

Can "value" be "too much of a good thing"
It certainly can. Bargain hunting can go the wrong way. IT techie addicts could find themselves ending up getting stuff they won't want it or getting tired too soon or finding problem they hadn't realised. I just had some bad experience while bargain hunting the other day, and ending up, unfortunately, finding myself to be overlying "careful" and missing out on "good bargain deal". We want our "value" to work for us, but in the end, it works against us and not "adding value". There is, of course, things to take away from the failure experience. Looking forward, there is obviously no time to waste, and so must learn the lesson and ensuring the next time not to repeat the same mistakes while bargains hunting.

Will "value" bias the way we see things? if so, how best to reduce the bias?
Values that were imposed/enforced on us made us believe the "values" are important and "workable", without making us further experiment or explore the likelihood that it would work. Our parenting style may be referenced from how we were brought up by our parents, for example. Bargain hunting tendency, like the way I did it, may prevent me from seeing the possibility of pursuing a "better quality" lifestyle that I could in fact, afford to do so. I may, however, argue that I enjoy a simple lifestyle and content with the simplest things, making it all the worthwhile to go for bargain. Still, this does not mean the "value"doesn't bias me.

If the bias (arising from having "value") cannot be minimised, what then is the rationale of having "value"?
I guess there is no one value that will "rule the world" simply because we are not perfect. We only do the best we can after all. What's importance is to develop a sense of awareness and observation, to the extent that only if we are clear about why and how a certain value is beneficial, then we pursue it. Value has to come from within and then strengthened and reinforced after testified by challenges, like the failure of bargain hunting that I had experienced. Hopefully, upon reflection, it will help to make it better the next time round. Then, the more we practised, the more this will "add value" to our life. That is how "value" will contribute to a "value-added" life though both concepts are different, in my opinion, as explained above.

A Value-Added life (1)

".... This could be a bargain-hunting activity...."

There are so many examples surrounding us are about value-added. This blog if going to be left "empty", with no updates will not be value-added anymore. I like to think the blog is an "outcome" of the state of life I am in. It does not mean how often I wrote (though I was quite "active" in the earlier period of writing the blog), it is what I wrote that "add value". Value-adding can be contributing to seeing new perspective on certain issues that I missed out in the past. Such continued search for "value" ensure I am always on the "look out" for new "experience" and "encounter".

"value" can also be taken to mean "belief". For example, western value, eastern value, etc. If certain thing add "values", this implies that I reinforced the belief and obviously, I feel good about it. So what is a good example of "value-added" activity? Bargain Hunting is one, I am sure, at least for me. It is hard to understand the rationale why this is so. But the thrill of "saving" makes one feel is a "big deal". This ranges from a few pence to a few pounds. Yes, it is a "belief" so it is a "value", it reinforced what you believed and you are simply "practising what you believing in".

We can always create new "value" based on our "belief". This should be, for example, about hobbies we choose to do, book we choose to read, music we choose to listen. Yes, you made a conscious effort to feel, sense and internalising them and you made a choice. I recently found I am a fan of Mozart piano, simply because it relaxed my mind to large extent. It felt as if my mind was being massaged by the rhyme of the piano music. It felt like I am being gentle touched, if I consciously (and relaxingly) following the piano keys from one to another, indulging myself totally in the world of Mozart. I just loved it.

At the end of the day, it is about "reaching out" and "discovery". Whether this involves people or not, it does not matter. It could be a very personal experience as simple as reading a good book, which is enough to take you a ride into an adventurous world that is waiting for you patiently out there. There are many things your mind and your senses can do to create wonder for you.You just have to discover them! :D