When Life Hands You Lemon Use the Seeds to Plant a Whole Orchard

  

 “Oh What a Beautiful Morning, Oh What a Beautiful Day”

I wish that we could all wake up feeling like that song from Oklahoma every day: “I’ve got a beautiful feeling. Everything’s going my way.” But, as we all know, that’s not possible.

Sometimes we wake up on a ‘wrong side of the bed’. We might be blue, anxious, overwhelmed, out of synch or angry. The list of possibilities and ways to describe a feeling that is “out of sorts” is extensive and maybe different for each one of us.

Having posted the last article, I became curious about the person who coined this proverbial phrase and ode to optimism. And I discover it was written in 1915 by Elbert Green Hubbard, an American writer, publisher, artist, and philosopher who met early success as a traveling salesman with the Larkin Soap Company. I’m also fascinated with what other writers and philosophers have added to this thought to make it even more profound. Ron White, a stand-up comedian, added, “I believe when life gives you lemons, you should make lemonade…and try to find someone whose life has given them vodka, and have a party.” But, what really resonates with my life philosophy are the words of Anthon St Maarten, an international psychic medium, destiny coach and author of the bestselling book Divine Living: The Essential Guide To Your True Destiny. He said, “When life gives you lemons, you don’t make lemonade. You use the seeds to plant a whole orchard – an entire franchise! Or you could just stay on the Destiny Bus and drink lemonade someone else has made, from a can.”

The meaning of the superficially simple yet truly deep cliché is easy enough to explain. If something bad comes your way, don’t let it get you down. Instead, turn the “bad” into “good.” Don’t be pessimistic, but optimistic. Don’t let it bog you down, but keep moving forward. If you ever go through something, hold your head up. Because that which has not kill you will make you stronger!

Though the meaning may be simple, just how to create lemonade from lemons is something altogether different and exceedingly more difficult. It isn’t just as simple as adding a spoonful of sugar. Every one of us knows that when we feel as though we are in a depressive unhappy mood, breaking through to the sunshine is tough. Just as there are many different recipes for making lemonade, there are many different recipes for turning the blues into bright and satisfying yellows and reds.

Here are some ideas for you to apply when you’re trying to turn your bad mood around:

Recognize the bad mood for what it is.  As you go about your daily life, you will encounter many lemons. Sour expressions, sour attitudes, sour auras! The good thing is that if you don't want to be a lemon, you don't have to be! Just don't let those lemons rub themselves all over you! Don’t hide from your negative mood and pretend it’s not there. Your bad feelings will come out in another way if you do. When I’m in a bad mood and don’t face the reality, I find myself being intemperate and impatient with others. And, the others don’t know why I’m not my usual more relaxed self. The fact is, you can’t make lemonade without acknowledging that there are lemons.

Think about the positive side of whatever is provoking you. Just as lemons are sour, they add flavour, colour, delicious texture and smell. Likewise, negative situations often have a sweeter side, though it’s not always easy to find that sweetness or, stated another way, the positivity in a negative situation.

Here’s a great day-to-day example. When I was struggling to attained university education, I was upset for many reasons, not only the totalling of the poverty to which I was born, but also I know how to cry myself to bed because there was insufficient resources to accomplish my goals. Many times I was stop from writing exams because of school fees. But, despite those negatives, there were positive aspects. I learned to have faith in God. So, I made bold to say that even the awful situation in right now had some positive ramifications.

Remember everything that is good and beautiful is around you. Even when your life looks like it’s full of lemons, there are bound to be some positives surrounding you as well. Look for the positives. Stand back and gain perspective. Remember, even the bad times are going to pass.

The fact is, life is full of lemons. Some times are more difficult than others. But, by focusing on the good in your life, the love of those around you, and the natural beauty surrounding us, you will find yourself in a far more positive place. 

My Cares! 

When Life Gives You Lemons Make Lemonade.

When life gives you lemons make lemonade is a proverbial phrase used to encourage people optimism and a positive can-do attitude in the face of adversity or misfortune. Lemon suggest sourness or difficulties in life, while lemonade is a sweet drink. 

If life was fair, I’d have everything. This is almost the story of every person. Now imagine if life was actually a bed of roses, every other person would be ruling, no one would know the meaning of fight, and winning without fighting is tasteless. Undoubtedly, ‘Life is not a bed of roses’ but that does not mean we can’t make it a bed of roses. Similar is the meaning of this topic ‘If Life gives you lemons, make lemonade’. This topic depicts a hopeful and optimistic attitude towards life. When dealing with difficulties, every man thinks he is the most unlucky but little he know that every individual has to face problem in some course of life. Every problem contains a solution too, right? And in this case, the only thing that rejuvenates man, makes him courageous and empowers him to face the challenge valiantly is hope.

Alexander Pop has rightly said ‘Hope springs eternally in human breast’. It is human nature to always find opportunity in adversity. I’m playing a game and fail to pass the level, the only thing that does not let me become pessimist is hope that I have many chances left and this hope continues till the last chance. So is with man’s life. He tries to bring golden opportunities out of life even in face of misfortunes until the upheaval is gone. 

Human history is full of such adventures in which physical, mental and geographical hindrance failed to impede the ways of courageous and dedicated people on the path of success. Such individuals laughed in the face of adversities and defeated the demons of negativity, failure, and stagnation for they knew if there are obstructions in life so are the panacea to overcome these obstructions. Socio-Economic, political, scientific and technological development emphatically praises man’s abilities in turning lemons into lemonades. This proverb asks you to find positive in everything even when life is not going your way and we have examples of so many optimistic people to follow in this matter.

Life without limits is an autobiography of Nick Vujicic, a young man born without limbs. For being different, people made fun of him, taunted him and he grew up fighting with his disorder all life. But he actually made lemonades out of lemon even in so many adversities. Instead of leading a depressed and low-spirited life, he preferred a meaningful life that could not only bring delight to his life but in others too. He started his non-profit organization ‘Life without limbs‘ and became a public speaker who gives everyone a message today that no matter what happens, there is always a hope and meaning in life. This example shows that one way to make lemonade out of lemons is by remaining grateful, calm and most of all hopeful.

Stephen Hawking is the most celebrated physicist, cosmologist, author and Director of Research at the Centre for Theoretical Cosmology within the University of Cambridge. He is the symbol of courage for so many people who think life is not fair. Mr. Hawking is suffering from motor neuron disease. He is paralyzed and communicates through a “Speech Synthesizer” yet he has achieved such remarkable success which is dreamt by many. Stephen Hawking’s own words brighten the world of opportunity as following

I’m not afraid of death, but I’m in no hurry to die. I have so much I want to do first.

There is no doubt to the fact that we all have a spark in ourselves. This spark is powerful enough to brighten our lives, to pave our ways to success, to achieve the unachievable, and to be role models for the generations to come. The necessary ingredients which make this spark a torch, that illuminates the gloomy path and shun the darkness, are determination, fortitude, courage, and persistence. If you think you are devastated, all hope has turned into ashes for you and you are the most unfortunate person, look at the life struggles of the people stated above. We have ample to learn from these people. Their achievements speak substantially for the potential possessed by the human beings. It is never too late to start again, just have faith and confidence in your abilities.

Each of us has the potential to laugh in the face of adversities, to find the blessing in disguise and this potential, my fellows, is the prerequisite to turn the lemons into lemonades.

I Leave You With This: When life gives you lemons, don’t just make lemonade, make life take the lemons back, Get Mad!

A Day With A Wise Man

A Day with a Wise Man Is Better than Ten Years of Formal Education.

Jack Ma is apparently the wealthiest man in China today, he founded Alibaba, a Chinese e-commerce website that, according to Boss Hunting, "handles more traffic than Ebay and Amazon combined". Not too long ago, his company raised the largest Initial Public Offering on the New York Stock Exchange, with the company valued at $200 Billion, and making his net worth $20+ Billion. 

Jack Ma was literally rejected from Harvard ten times. 

Ma spoke with Charlie Rose at the Davos World Economic Forum about his path, and there were some key takeaway points when it comes to perseverance in life and career.

 

1. Don't Give Up. Ever.

In addition to being rejected from Harvard ten times, Ma failed his university entrance exams three times, and applied to thirty jobs and was rejected from every single one (did I mention that one of those job apps was for KFC?).

It goes without saying that this man has faced the stinging blows of rejection, but what sets him apart is how he reacted to the negative feedback. Instead of going inward and dwelling in defeat, he went outward and turned the negative energy into positive action. He persevered.  

When Ma was asked about his failed attempts in getting into Harvard, he replied, “Someday I should go teach there maybe”. 

2. Take initiative and make your dreams happen. Take action.

How did Ma come up with the idea for his business? Well, the first word he searched on the internet in the 90s was 'beer'. When he saw all the types of beer sprawling across the web, he then proceeded to search for 'China' and it produced no results. From there, he got the sweet idea for his first internet business called China Pages. He took his vision and turned it into a reality. 

"We can never win the world by talking."

3. Trust your instinct.

When the idea came to Ma to start Alibaba, he gathered 17 of his friends in his apartment and pitched the idea for hours. Only one friend thought it was a good idea. And the next day? He decided to officially start his company. Knowing that those 16 people couldn't fully see his vision (yet), he trusted in himself that what he'd thought of was a solid idea, and he just went for it. 

4. Don't have enemies.

Let's get real. There will always be people out there who we don't click with and who do not like us. Yet, when it comes to business and dealing with competitors, Ma has a strong philosophy that they shouldn't be viewed as enemies, but as people to learn from in life. 

“A real businessman or entrepreneur has no enemies. Once he understands this, then sky’s the limit”.

5. Say no to fear.

When he launched China Pages, he and his wife borrowed $2,000 to set up the business. When he was asked about his decision to pursue the company full throttle, he stated “I knew nothing about personal computers or e-mails. I had never touched a keyboard before that. That’s why I call myself a blind man riding on the back of a blind tiger“. He knew it was a risk, and I can imagine had an inkling of fear, yet he didn't let it overcome him. He was able to rise above the obstacle of fear, and push forward. 

6. Have ownership over your decisions and take responsibility. 

The story goes that Jack Ma needed a license from the Chinese government in order to begin an e-commerce website that had a payment system. Having learned that receiving a license would not be an easy process, he knew he had to pursue it -- otherwise proceeding with the business without one would be illegal. Upon discussion with a leadership panel, he told his staff, “Do it, now, immediately. If something’s wrong and the government isn’t happy about that (Alibaba), if one body has to go to prison, Jack Ma goes to prison”. 

Winston Churchill once famously exhorted an audience to “never give in”. There is another saying attributed to him about perseverance: “Success is the ability to move from one failure to another without loss of enthusiasm”. If those words are applicable to any being, it must be Jack Ma the Chairperson of Alibaba.

 

Is Jack Ma an inspirational compass? You Answer…….

The Underdogs Who Went On To Influence The World (ii)

“Failure should be our teacher, not our undertaker. Failure is delay, not defeat. It is a temporary detour, not a dead end. Failure is something we can avoid only by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing.” - Denis Waitley.

When Sidney Poitier first auditioned for the American Negro Theatre, he flubbed his lines and spoke in a heavy Caribbean accent, which made the director angrily tell him to stop wasting his time. Poitier worked on his craft and eventually became a hugely successful Hollywood star. He won an Academy Award for Best Actor and helped break down the colour barrier in the America film industry.  

As a child, Albert Einstein had some difficulty communicating and learning in a traditional manner. Of course, Einstein's communication and behavioral problems were not indicative of a lack of intelligence. He won the Noble Prize in physics for the discovery of the photoelectric effect, and his special theory of relativity theory corrected the deficiencies of Newtonian physics.

 

J.K. Rowling was a single mom living off welfare when she began writing the first "Harry Potter" novel. Rowling is now internationally renowned for her seven-book Harry Potter series and, in U.S. currency, became the first billionaire author in 2004”, I mean the first billionaire author in 2004.

Vincent Van Gogh sold only one painting, "The Red Vineyard," in his life, and the sale was just months before his death. If he had given up his artistic career after it proved to strain his financial and emotional well-being the art world would be missing hundreds of paintings from a true master.

Nelson Mandela a.k.a Rolihlahla Mandelato - “During my lifetime I have dedicated myself to this struggle of the African people. I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.” 

Those words made Aparteid South Africa government to sentenced Nelson Mandela to 27 years imprisonment. On April 27, 1994, South Africa held its first democratic elections. Nelson Mandela was inaugurated as the country's first black president on May 10, 1994, at the age of 77, with de Klerk as his first deputy.

Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, had his first book rejected by 27 different publishers. Dr. Seuss became a legendary children's author known around the world for classics like "The Cat in the Hat” and "Green Eggs and Ham." His books have sold over 600 million copies.  

Lucille Ball appeared in so many second-tier films at the start of her career that she became known as

"The Queen of B Movies." Then she got her big break when CBS picked up her and her husband Desi Arnaz's vaudeville act and turned it into the highly influential sitcom "I Love Lucy."

A young Henry Ford ruined his reputation with a couple of failed automobile businesses. However, after conducting a search, he was finally able to find a partner who had faith in him. Ford proved he had learned from his mistakes. When Ford Motor Company forever changed the automotive industry and culture with his assembly line mode of production. 

While developing his vacuum, Sir James Dyson went through 5,126 failed prototypes and his savings over 15 years. But the 5,127^th prototype worked and the Dyson brand became the best-selling bagless vacuum brand in the United States. He is now worth an estimated $4.5 billion, according to reports.

Stephen King grew so frustrated over his attempt to write the novel "Carrie" that he threw away the entire early draft. King's wife Tabitha found the manuscript in the trash and took it out “Carrie” became a hit and launched his career. His novels have since sold over 350 million copies.  

Winston Churchill once famously exhorted an audience to “never give in”. There is another saying attributed to him about perseverance. Here is another versions: ''Success is the ability to move from one failure to another without loss of enthusiasm.'' 

While you ponder on this, the next edition to share some key takeaway points from Jack Ma interview with Charlie Rose at the Davos World Economic Forum.

Till Then Have My Care

The Underdogs Who Went On To Influence The World (i)

The Underdogs Who Went On To Influence The World (i)

Rejection and failure can feel devastating, but you shouldn't let it crush you. Some of the world's most successful people have failed — sometimes more than once, twice, thrice and even ninety nine times. 

These highly successful people, abound from movie stars to scientists, who experienced massive failure before they found fame and fortune.

Weaker people or mediocre might have given up. Instead, these folks remained focused on their goals. I phrase them ‘The Underdogs Who Went On To Influence The World’’.

In addition to being rejected from Harvard ten times, Jack Ma failed his university entrance exams three times, and applied to thirty jobs and was rejected from every single one. Today Jack Ma is apparently the wealthiest man in China who founded Alibaba, a Chinese e-commerce website that, according to Boss Hunting, "handles more traffic than Ebay and Amazon combined". Only last year, his company raised the largest Initial Public Offering on the New York Stock Exchange, with the company valued at $200 Billion, and making his net worth $20+ Billion. 

Winston Churchill was estranged from his political party over ideological disagreements during the "wilderness years" of 1929 to 1939.

At the outbreak of World War II on Sep. 3, 1939, Churchill was appointed to the British Admiralty, thus ending his "exile." The next year, he was elected prime minister at the age of 62.  

Thomas Edison's teachers told him he was "too stupid to learn anything."

Edison went on to hold more than 1,000 patents and invented some world-changing devices, like the phonograph, practical electrical lamp, and a movie camera.

Oprah Winfrey was fired from her first television job as an anchor in Baltimore, where she said she faced sexism and harassment.

But Winfrey rebounded and became the undisputed queen of television talk shows before amassing a media empire. Today she is worth an estimated $ 2.9 billion, according to Forbes.

Enoch Adeboye General Overseer of Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), was born in the village of Ifewara, Osun State, Nigeria. His parents were very poor that they could not afford to pay the school fees. His father eventually gave in and sold his goat in order to pay for his son’s school fees. 

In 2009 the “Let Somebody Sought Hallelujah’’ crooner was named one of ‘The World’s Fifty Most Powerful People’ by Newsweek Magazine (USA).

Walt Disney was fired by a newspaper editor because he "lacked imagination and had no good ideas." Several more of his businesses failed before the premiere of his movie "Snow White." Today, most childhoods wouldn't be the same without his ideas.

 

Soichiro Honda's unique vision got him ostracized by the Japanese business community. Honda was a mechanical genius who idolized Edison and rebelled against the norm. his passion for aggressive individualism was more fit for the United States, and thus alienated him from Japanese businessmen, who valued teamwork above all else. Honda then boldly challenged the American automotive industry in the 1970s and led a Japanese automotive revolution.

Colonel Harland David Sanders was fired from dozens of jobs before founding a successful restaurant. He traveled across the U.S. looking for someone to sell his fried chicken, and after finally getting a business deal in Utah, Kentucky Fried Chicken was born. KFC is now one of the most recognizable franchises in the world, with over 18,000 locations.  

Sir Isaac Newton's mother pulled him out of school as a boy so that he could run the family farm. He failed miserably. Realising her son was not meant to till the land, she let Newton finish his basic education and was eventually persuaded to allow him to enroll in Cambridge University. Newton went on to become one of the greatest scientists of all time, revolutionizing physics and mathematics. He died at the age of 92 as a virgin.
 

Vera Wang failed to make the U.S. Olympic figure-skating team. Then she became an editor at Vogue and was passed over for the editor-in-chief position. She began designing wedding gowns at age 40 and today is one the premier designers in the fashion industry, with a business worth over $1 billion.

Part ii comes just next weekend but before then, Work hard for what you want because it won’t come to you without a fight. You have to be strong and courageous and know that you can do anything you put your mind to. If somebody puts you down or criticise you, just keep on believing in yourself and turn it into something positive. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.