JUST GIVE IT A THOUGHT…

I always admire eastern family system where people are bound together whether it’s any celebration or any trouble on any of the family member whole family stand as one to face the problem together but unfortunately with time we are loosing our traditions and cultural values on which we should be proud at. Its true changes are required with time but still one should have ability and sense to differentiate between good and bad changes before adopting anything in life.

Life is too fast these days hardly people can spare time for each other. Career and individual success is more important then anything else in life. Feelings, family, relationships, everything comes after money and career. By this I did not mean that everyone is same but to compete and survive in such scenario whether anyone want or not but they have to be like this not completely may be but to an extent at least.

If we look into deeply the consequences of this then we’ll get to know that the rising rate of depression, loneliness, tensions, and many other psychological n mental problems is somewhere this way of life style too. We have lost true happiness from our life infect today hardly people know the true meaning of happiness n success. Everyone is running after meaningless & for a time being success that bring them smiles just for few moments but if these so called successful people look into deep in their hearts n life they’ll get to know that how empty they are from inside, how alone they are that they don’t have any true, pure relationship in their life to celebrate or cry with them… I wish we understand this before its too late and true relationships n happiness totally vanish from this world...

Loads of prayers n love for everyone..

Best Regards,

Samrina

BUILD YOUR OWN HAPPINESS

‏

Dr. Mart‏in Seligman, father of the positive psychology movement and author of more than a dozen books (including Learned Optimism: How to Change Your Mind and Your Life), says that "happiness-building exercises" can increase contentment because they can change a person's memory and perception of the past. To boost your own happiness factor, consider these three thanks-giving techniques:

Exercise One

THE THREE BLESSINGS

Try this every night, either in written form or as a mental exercise. Ask yourself what three things happened in your day for which you feel blessed, thankful and grateful. Then (this part is crucial) ask yourself what you did to make each good thing happen. Do this faithfully, and you’ll discover a shift in the way you go through your day, as well as the things that you choose to notice and amplify. When lying in bed at night if unfinished business pulls at your thoughts, ask yourself, “When was I at my best today?” or "What three things went right today and what did I do to make those good things happen?"

Results: Often people are unaware of their own role in good fortune. For example, someone cannot make a beautiful sunset, but they can choose to take it in (or not). This exercise is so simple it may feel a bit silly to many. However, what we find is that when people do the exercise, they are LESS depressed and much happier one month later, three months later and six months later. Dr. Seligman adds, "I now find myself during the day looking for things I can think about before I go to sleep. So I go around processing the day for things that will be fun to call up to mind at 11 p.m. It seems to change memory, attention and the way you go through the day."

Exercise Two

SAVOR A BEAUTIFUL DAY

Set aside a block of time-an hour, a half-day or a full day, to indulge in your favorite activities. Block that time on your calendar and do not let anything interfere. Next, carry out the activities just as you had planned. Savor each activity by deliberately concentrating on each moment and being thankful for it, by taking mental pictures or collecting physical souvenirs, by focusing on sharpening your perceptions and by attaining complete absorption in the activity, then sharing those moments later with others.

Results: This exercise is a pleasure/mindfulness experience that can help people who have acclimated to success and good fortune and no longer feel as happy as their life circumstances would seem to merit. It is also a useful balance for those work-driven individuals who move quickly from success to success without stopping to notice or absorb their lives. Dr. Seligman explains, "Savoring refers to our awareness of pleasure and our deliberate attempt to make it last and to make it more intense. This exercise is about taking time out to appreciate and indulge yourself in the things in life which give you pleasure. This is a fun and important step to achieving happiness."

Exercise Three

MEANING & POSITIVE SERVICE

Pass along the happiness ... think about the various aspects of life beyond yourself that would be thankful or benefit from the gift of your time and talents. Develop a plan for intentionally using one or more of your strengths in the service of this institution, group of people or idea.

Results: Meaning is defined as 'being attached to something that you believe is larger than yourself' ... like groups of underprivileged people, or ideals that you believe are worth fighting for. While it might be powerful to analyze service which you are already engaged in, the point of this exercise is to go beyond that to the intentional creation and execution of a new plan of strengths-based service.

Best Regards,
Samrina

Be Yourself

Why would you want to be someone else
When you could be better by being yourself
Why pretend to be someone you are not
When you have something they haven't got

Cheating yourself of the life you have to live
Deprives others of that only which you can give
You have much more to offer by being just you
Than walking around in someone else's shoes

Trying to live the life of another is a mistake
It is a masquerade; no more than a fake
Be yourself and let your qualities show through
Others will love you more for being just you

Remember that God loves just as you are
To Him you are already a bright shining star
Family and friends will love you more too
If you spent time practicing just being you

(Author: Ellen Bailey)

BE PATIENT

This is a true story which happened in the States. A man came out of his home to admire his new truck. To his puzzlement, his three-year-old son was happily hammering dents into the shiny paint of the truck. The man ran to his son, knocked him away, hammered the little boy's hands into pulp as punishment. When the father calmed down, he rushed his son to the hospital.

Although the doctor tried desperately to save the crushed bones, he finally had to amputate the fingers from both the boy's hands. When the boy woke up from the surgery & saw his bandaged stubs, he innocently said, 'Daddy, I'm sorry about your truck.' Then he asked, 'but when are my fingers going to grow back?' The father went home & committed suicide.

Think about this story the next time someone steps on your feet or you wish to take revenge. Think first before you lose your patience with someone you love. Trucks can be repaired.. Broken bones & hurt feelings often can't. Too often we fail to recognize the difference between the person and the performance. We forget that forgiveness is greater than revenge.

People make mistakes. We are allowed to make mistakes. But the actions we take while in a rage will haunt us forever.

Best Regards,
Samrina

Beautiful Pakistan!!

Shangrila Valley


Kalash Children in local costumes


Lake Saif-ul-Maluk


Gilgit River


Gilgit Hunza Valley

Derawar Fort

When we share laughter,
There's twice the fun;
When we share success,
We've surpassed what we've done.

When we share problems,
There's half the pain;
When we share tears,
A rainbow follows rain.

When we share dreams,
They become more real;
When we share secrets,
It's our hearts we reveal.

If we share a smile,
That's when our love shows;
If we share a hug,
That's when our love grows.

And what draws us closer
And makes us all care,
Is not what we have,
But the things we share

Author: Unknown

World beyond you...

We human beings are so self-centered and mean at times. Whenever we have to face any problem or any tension in life we feel like that we are the only one in this whole world who is in that much pain n trouble and we start thinking negatively and complaining God, forgetting about all His help and whatever He have gifted us already. But if we just look around and see others in trouble we’ll realize that we are in much better condition and we’ll be thankful to God rather then complaining Him.

I was quite depressed and down since last few days but yesterday I was talking to one of my friend and while discussing something she told me about her another friend who got married 2 years back and now a mother of a few months baby boy but unfortunately a month back doctors have diagnosed about her cancer which is in last stages now. That was a love marriage and this news totally broke and put both husband and wife in a big depression but now accepting the cruel reality that girl is insisting her husband to get married to any other girl before she died so that she can take care of him and their child. After listening all this from my friend I truly forgot about everything happening in my life and all my problems and start thanking God as I am in much better condition in comparison of many others around.

I pray deeply from my heart for the suffering couple and for all people globally facing any problem or tension in their life. May Allah bless all.

Always be thankful to God and just see around whenever you are down and tired of your problems..

Best Regards,

Samrina

Happy Woman's Day!!

You can feel her innocence in form a Daughter,
You can feel her care in form of a Sister,
You can feel her warmth in form of a Friend,
You can feel her passion in form of a Beloved,
You can feel her dedication in a form of a Wife,
You can feel her Divinity in form of a Mother,
You can feel her Blessing in form of a Grandmother.

Yet she is Tough too…
Her heart is so Tender…
So Naughty…
So Charming…
So Sharing…
So Melodious…
She is WOMAN
And she is LIFE!!!

To all wonderful women globally, I hope you all have a great Woman’s Day and hope you won’t forget how special you are!!

Best Regards,
Samrina

• Be strong enough to face the world each day.
• Be weak enough to know you cannot do everything alone.
• Be generous to those who need your help.
• Be frugal with that you need yourself.
• Be wise enough to know that you do not know everything.
• Be foolish enough to believe in miracles.
• Be willing to share your joys.
• Be willing to share the sorrows of others.
• Be a leader when you see a path others have missed.
• Be a follower when you are shrouded by the mists of uncertainty.
• Be first to congratulate an opponent who succeeds.
• Be last to criticize a colleague who fails.
• Be sure where your next step will fall, so that you will not tumble.
• Be sure of your final destination, in case you are going the wrong way.
• Be happy no matter what.
• Be helpful to everyone but never expect anything in return.
  
• Be loving to those who love you..
• Be loving to those who do not love you; they may change.
• Above all, be yourself and always have faith in God.

Best Regards,
Samrina

~Happy Birthday~

Well it’s quite late today to publish this post as it should be published on 28th of February exactly but anyhow it’s just to share my happiness with all you around as I have shared at times here my depressions and confusions too. Through my several posts earlier I have already shared that it’s in our own hands that how we carry our life. Yeah both happiness & sorrows are equally part of life but still to an extend it’s on us own that how better we manage and how positively we take things in life. Personally I believe that rather then waiting for big reasons one should grab and start celebrating even small events in life to make it more colorful and happy for not for our own self but also for people around.

Well I might sound childish but this is true that I am quite sensitive about my birthday as for me it’s a day which is purely associated with me and reminds me that how good it to be a part of this world and a family that I own. It’s a day to feel special and realize that how much important I am for people around and how much I am blessed with their love & care.

Today I like to thank to God to help me end up this one more successful, happy, healthy year of my life and I am truly grateful to God for bringing me such sweet and kind people around. I wanna express my gratitude for all my family, friends and everyone around for being a part of my life and for all their love and care which is so meaningful to me.

Loads of love & prayers,

Samrina

Confidence, Trust and Hope

Confidence, Trust and Hope are the 3 things that can make anyone's life more positive and easier. Many authors have defined these three in different ways and many books have been written on these topics just to highlight their importance in life but if we just observe and see keenly our daily life and practices we can have many examples which are easy to understand. I am sharing here such three examples that help me to understand these three and do hope it gonna help you all too..

~Confidence~

Once, all the people in the city decided to pray of the rain. On the day the prayer all people gathered and a young boy came with an Umbrella, that's Confidence.

~Trust~

Trust should be like the feeling of a baby when you through him in the air, he laughs... because he knows you'll catch him; thats Trust.

~Hope~

Every night we go to bed, we have no assurance to get up alive in the next morning but still we have plans for the up coming day; that's Hope.

Best Regards,
Samrina

Art prize Award

Well I am truly grateful to Noushy for this 'Art Award' though I don't think that my blog is that artistic & good to be rewarded but I' consider myself lucky enough to have such sweet & sincere blog friends around who understand & like to read me and always motivate and raise my morale with their encouraging words here...
Samrina.. inspiring blog that always boost my spirit and confident.Presented in a very compact but so meaningful... your words boost my morale & confident dear :) .... Thanks a lot Noushy!!

Art Prize and Award

"This prize has arisen from the daily visits that I dedicate to many blogs which nourish me and enrich me with creativity. In them I see dedication, creativity, care, comradeship, but mainly, ART, much art. I want to share this prize with all those bloggers that entertain me day to day and to share this prize with those who enrich me every day. Doubtlessly, there are many and it will be hard to pick just a few, the people I will name today deserve this prize, as do the very long serious list of bloggers I also enjoy to read, but I will name the first 10 and will leave the rest of the work to all the bloggers that visit other's blogs and are nourished by them."

The rules of passing on this award are as follows:

1. post award in your own blog
2. indicate its origin and a link to the site: Arte Y Pico from Uruguay.
3. give it to 5 blogs that you enjoy.

Well it's a difficult task for me to select any 5 blogs that i like to pass on this award further as all the blogs in my list I love to read but anyhow as per the rules I am passing this award to the following 5 bloggers :

1. Margie... such a unique and simple poetess that I alway s love to read..

2. Rajji.... I love her writings & topic that she select to write on, always close to life & reality..

3. Tim.... such an impressive painter and a men with great sense of humor.

4. Andrew.... such a brilliant author who express very precisely in deep words his views & thoughts with world...

5. Eric.... its not been long that I discovered his supreme blog where he shares his life experiences and great knowledge that he owns...

Best Regards,

Samrina

'Open Book'

OK, I have been tagged by Eric for this Meme, titled to be ‘Open Book’. So here are the instructions below:

1. Pick up the nearest book.
2. Open it at page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence/ phrase.
4. Blog the next four sentences/ phrases together with these instructions.
5. Don't you dare dig your shelves for that very special or intellectual book.
6. Pass it forward to six friends

Well like you Eric even I don’t have much reading habit and I hardly read very few recommended books by my friends around and those are mostly related to poetry, psychology, life, emotions, feelings, and topics like that.. Anyhow I have been gifted this book that I am going to talk about here which is titled to be ‘Treasury of Joy & Enthusiasm’ written by one of my all time favorite and very inspirational writer Norman Vincent Peale. I have read his few other books as well that I really liked and would love to recommend everyone around like ‘Power of Positive thinking’, ‘The new art of living’, ‘The amazing results of positive thinking’, and so on… these books are truly gems and make anyone’s life easier and happier then ever before..

Anyhow coming back to the tag here are the sentences 16-19 on page no. 123:

Naturally I wanted to know the secret, so later I asked him.
“There is no secret,” he said. “All I did was to start using that idea of taking God as your partner. Now, every day of my life I read the New Testament; it is filled to over flowing with life.”

Now lastly as per the rules I would like to pass on this tag to my following blog fellows:

• Noushy
• Exseno
• Rajji
• Cergie
• Magiceye
• Andrew

Best Regards,

Samrina

Be of Value

God gifted everyone in this world something special in him/her but unfortunately very few of us realize it and utilize it as it should be. Life bring us all chances to proof our self and enjoy success. There are many around who are spoiling their life and passing their time in depression and frustration just because of their own negative thinking.

It’s a fact that when you're worried about what you can get out of the deal, you won't get very much. Yet when you focus on what you can give, a whole universe of positive possibilities will open up to you. There is always work that needs to be done. There is always a way to make a positive contribution. There are countless ways to be of service, to be of value. And to be of value is the very best way to create value, in your own life and in the world around you.

You don't need anyone else's permission to make a positive contribution to life. All you need to do is open your eyes. It's just look around you, with a genuine sense of caring for the needs of others. In every direction, you'll see countless opportunities for making a positive difference. If you seek real confidence, richness and fulfillment, then step up, take the initiative, and be of real value. It will bring true, lasting and meaningful success.

Best Regards,

Samrina

Feelings...

We all human beings have different ways to express our feelings, our thoughts & point of views. Some express through paintings, some through writing articles, stories or poetries, some through music, hence there are many ways of expressions… so I write poetries & short articles here at my blog to express myself, my thoughts, my views, my feelings and my beliefs…

Personally I m not that good in expressing my feelings or concern for anyone verbally and because of this people around me mostly have complains and misunderstands me and at times this thing truly hurts me & irritates me a lot… I always use to think why words are that important? Why expression is required? Why for people artificial expressions are more important then true feelings? Why cant people look into heart? Why they need a proof??

Anyhow few years back I wrote poetry that was basically in urdu on a topic ‘Feelings’ and that was actually based on my belief that true feelings don’t need any help of words or other materialistic or artificial sources to be conveyed to the other party. Gifts, words all are meaningless if your heart is empty and you are poor in your actions.. but yeah on the other hand I do accept the fact that gifts, verbal expression make life beautiful and a relationship more stronger.. but again main thing is one’s true feelings without which everything is meaningless… I wish people can understand this and at least to our close relationships we don’t need to give a proof all the time..

Best Regards,

Samrina

Food for Soul..

• Don't underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear,
  an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring,
  all of which have the potential to turn a life around....

• Life ends when you stop Dreaming, Hope ends when you stop Believing,
  Love ends when you stop Caring, Friendship ends when you stop Sharing...

• Every moment, every situation, every issue and every concern
  has a positive side. Find it and bring it to life....

• Be Genuinely Interested in People. If you try, you can like everybody,
  and Everybody will like you.....

• When you find a Dream inside your heart don't ever let it go, Dreams are the tiny seeds from which Beautiful Tomorrows Grow..

• Learn to understand first and to be understood second.

• Be Alert to give Service..... What we do for others counts most in life...

• If you see someone without a smile, give them one of yours!

Loads of love & best wishes for all..

Samrina

Negative Words..

There are many words in the dictionary that are been considered negative and whenever we use or heard them a negative impression comes in our mind… but if we think deeply we’ll get to know that how positively they are impacting our life..

Peril, catastrophe and disaster are words that can make anyone easily scared and consider to be most discouraging words… but I would define them as our friends, allies and mentors.

Appearing as enemies on the surface, these seeming threats are our most helpful teachers on our Earth adventure. These apparent foes repeatedly demonstrate how we humans have awesome power over our fate and circumstances in life.

have nice times..

Best Regards,

Samrina

Colors of Pakistan

Fairy Meadows

Dudipatsar Lake

Beautiful Shimshal Lake

the picture from Phandee Village in Chitral,Pakistan

Village halmet located in Neelum Valley Pakistan

Neelum Valley in Azad jammu and Kashmir

VISION…

If you keep the vision in mind, you will move forward in the mission, accomplishing enthusiastically step by step that which is necessary to bring the vision in to reality. You will have developed a sense of excitement, importance and urgency which will keep the fires of inspiration burning in your heart and moving you ever onward and upward...

..wishing you all nice of times

Samrina

Great way to live

The Secret

Well I have received this thought provoking short story through a forward mail and I found it truly worth sharing so here it is for all my readers, hope you all gonna understand and follow this in your life and have a happy, peaceful life..

One day, one friend asked another, "How is it that you are always so happy? You have so much energy, and you never seem to get down." With her eyes smiling, she said, "I know the Secret!"... "What secret is that?" to which she replied, "I'll tell you all about it, but you have to promise to share the Secret with others." "The Secret is this: I have learned there is little I can do in my life that will make me truly happy. I must depend on God to make me happy and to meet my needs. When a need arises in my life, I have to trust God to supply according to HIS riches. I have learned most of the time I don't need half of what I think I do. He has never let me down. Since I learned that 'Secret,' I am happy." The questioner's first thought was, "That's too simple!" But upon reflecting over her own life she recalled how she thought a bigger house would make her happy, but it didn't! She thought a better paying job would make her happy, but it hadn't. When did she realize her greatest happiness? Sitting on the floor with her grandchildren, playing games, eating pizza or reading a story, a simple gift from God. Now you know it too! We can't depend on people to make us happy. Only GOD in His infinite wisdom can do that. So trust God!

Best Regards,

Samrina

~~ Everything Happens for a reason ~~

Everything happens for a reason. Nothing happens by chance or by means of luck. Its just that if we start thinking positively we’ll see that whether it’s Illness, love, lost moments of true greatness and sheer stupidity all occur to test limits of our soul and bringing us something positive in the end. If we think practically then we’ll admit the fact that without being ill we never realize the importance of good health in life, similarly unless we face failures we cannot have a real taste of success, and after being hurt, hated or cheated by others we understands the true meaning & value of love in life…

Without these small tests, life would be like a smoothly paved, straight, flat road to nowhere safe and comfortable but dull and utterly pointless.

Sometimes things happen to you at the time that may seem horrible, painful and unfair, but in reflection you realize that without overcoming those obstacles you would never realize your potential, strength, will power or heart. These problems are sometimes to test us by God because in return He wanted us to be rewarded something much better.

I have seen many around who over react, got worried or hyper whenever they have to face any problem in life. Similarly people who are lucky enough to achieve their goals in life think of themselves someone extra ordinary, superior then of others and they become proud but forget that nothing is permanent in this world and unfortunately when that thing is been taken away from them they start blaming or become frustrated or extremely depressed and loose all their interest in rest other things in the world... so what I think is that its just a matter of thinking.... we should think and understand deeply the outcome of each n everything in life very positively because everything happens for a reason, what if something bad happen to us or anything precious is being taken away from us then in return for sure our God who loves us more then anyone in the world do bring us something better... we all do mistakes in life but mistakes are to teach us lessons and after learning our lesson which is off course a positive outcome we should move further we new ambitions in life rather then regretting & loosing hope.. whatever whether positive or negative we experience in life teaches us something or bring us something positive in the end.. so rather then looking into the drawbacks or losses we should find out what we are achieving besides loosing anything... all its a game of faith in God and positive thinking...

May God help us all to start thinking and taking things positively in life (Ameen)

Best Regards,

Samrina

I wish you Health...
So you may enjoy each day in comfort.

I wish you the Love of friends and family...
And Peace within your heart.

I wish you the Beauty of nature...
That you may enjoy the work of God.

I wish you Wisdom to choose priorities...
For those things that really matter in life.

I wish you Generousity so you may share...
All good things that come to you.

I wish you Happiness and Joy...
And Blessings for the New Year.

I wish you the best of everything...
That you so well deserve.

HAPPY NEW YEAR FRIENDS!

~ Author Unknown to me ~

Best Regards,

Samrina

Though I never got any interest in politics or in politicians as it always make me depressed and confused as I can never make it out that who is right or wrong but being a part of the nation and being a Pakistani whatever happen around in my country and people around always effects me and hurts me whenever I see any trouble or sufferings around...

Its been long now that whole Pakistani nation is facing this endless, long period of turmoil and uncertainty, and worst civil war. Dozens of innocent people are been killed without any reason, lots of losses in businesses, strikes.... just for the sake of nothing...

It's truly so painful to write all this but I believe one should have courage to face the cruel realities of life... I don't know exactly why I am writing all this may be just to share my depression or to prove myself as a Pakistani who is strong enough to digest these bitter, cruel realities scattered around or just to clarify world that all are not same, all Pakistanis are not bad or terrorists as been labeled, we also have heart, we do feel pain, but yeah I do accept that few of us are doing wrong and just because of them all Pakistanis all around the world are been seen with the eyes of doubts, been given disrespect and just because these few wicked people whole nation is suffering...

I hope you all are aware with the most recent & terrible incident happened here at the part of world I belong to and i.e. one more miserable bomb blast that not only killed former Pakistan prime minister Benazir Bhutto but also 20 other poor people along... on December 27, 2007 it was not the end of the story unfortunately its been three days now that whole Pakistani nation is suffering just because of the stupid, emotional people around who burnt hundreds of vehicles, shops, factories and killed about 15-20 more people all over the country.... I don't know what's the purpose behind? whats the use? why they are killing innocent people? why creating problems for poor people? why asking others who did nothing wrong to suffer? what they will get from doing all this?? why don't they think just because of their stupid actions whole nation have to suffer??

I just hope & pray for the betterment & peace around and need your all prayers too for my people & my country...

May God bless all..

BestRegards,

Samrina

Visit to Multan (Part 2)

Well in first part of the post I have already provide you with a brief introduction about the city I visited i.e. Multan and now in this last part I would like to share my colorful thoughts and eperiences regarding the main reason for which I basically visited there i.e. to attend a wedding of few of our family friends settled there.You must be thinking now that being living in Pakistan there shouldn’t be anything new & surprising for me at least to be that excited & to write about but honestly speaking that was all new for me too. Things and traditions that I just use to listen from my elders so far I have seen & experienced at my own for the very first time in my life. Bhangra (traditional dance), a group of musical band in uniform along with barat, groom riding on a horse, and lots more small traditional things….

Luckily I gotta chance to visit a village in my trip and truly loved the beauty of nature there, I can’t forget the innocence & simplicity, hospitality & love of people there is memorable. Without any relationship and without any mean reason everyone want us to visit their place may be just for a minute. Small gifts that they gifted were so precious like anything. Peace & purity there was unforgettable…

Well it was just an attempt to portrait and write in words whatever i have seen and experienced there. This is first time actually that I tried to write anything like that and I don't know to what extend I am successful i it but anyhow I hope you guys have enjoyed pictures at least that I have posted here :)

Best Regards,

Samrina