Balanced diet

I am eating way too much junk food. And once again I am going to write about balance, which is something that I really need more in many aspects of my life, especially when it comes to my diet. Now, speaking of fast food let’s jump right in and take a look at a speech I found from the head of Coke. This text was delivered quite a while back but its message is timeless. It is all about the gifts that God has given us and about how balance in life is key.

Here is the speech in its entirety. It was delivered as a university commencement address several years ago by the then CEO of Coca-Cola. He spoke of the relation of work to one's other commitments: Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling some five balls in the air. You name them - work, family, health, friends and spirit and you're keeping all of these in the air. You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. But the other four balls - family, health, friends and spirit are made of glass. If you drop one of these, they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked, damaged or even shattered. They will never be the same. You must understand that and strive for balance in your life. How? Don't undermine your worth by comparing yourself with others. It is because we are different that each of us is special. Don't set your goals by what other people deem important. Only you know what is best for you. Don't take for granted the things closest to your heart. Cling to them as you would your life, for without them, life is meaningless. Don't let your life slip through your fingers by living in the past or for the future. By living your life one day at a time, you live ALL the days of your life. Don't give up when you still have something to give. Nothing is really over until the moment you stop trying. Don't be afraid to admit that you are less than perfect. It is this fragile thread that binds us to each other. Don't be afraid to encounter risks. It is by taking chances that we learn how to be brave. Don't shut love out of your life by saying it's impossible to find. The quickest way to receive love is to give; the fastest way to lose love is to hold it too tightly; and the best way to keep love is to give it wings. Don't run through life so fast that you forget not only where you've been, but also where you are going. Don't forget that a person's greatest emotional need is to feel appreciated. Don't be afraid to learn. Knowledge is weightless, a treasure you can always carry easily. Don't use time or words carelessly. Neither can be retrieved. Life is not a race, but a journey to be savored each step of the way. Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery and today is a gift. That's why we call it “The Present”.

In this speech above there are a few lines I want to focus on, “Don't undermine your worth by comparing yourself with others. It is because we are different that each of us is special. Don't set your goals by what other people deem important.” This speech is full of wisdom and we could spend the next year exploring each of its riches. But the words I have highlighted here are most dear to me at this point in my life. They describe the biggest challenge that each of has to face. I am talking about the big question: why are we here? We are all put on this earth for a reason – we all have a purpose. Finding one’s purpose is the single biggest challenge that each of us have to deal with in our lives. True fulfillment comes for discovering one’s God given potential. Real inspiration comes from following your dreams. Untold riches comes from realizing what makes you unique and by acting on your individualism. Every one of us has the power to change things in our lives. It starts with faith. Stephen Covey once wrote, “Be yourself. Believe in yourself.” Why then do so many people chase the mediocre mainstream? Don’t be afraid to follow what it is in your heart – it is the heart after all that speaks in truths – the head is what confuses us.

You don’t have to buy into the culture of our age. Just because everyone buys it, whatever it is, does not make it right or good for that matter. Learn to swim against the stream. When you read don’t just consider what the author thinks – consider what you think. You must strive to find your own voice. And the longer you wait to being the less likely you are to find it at all. Thoreau once said, “Most men lead lives of quiet desperation.” Don’t be resigned to that. Don’t be afraid to strike out and find new ground. Oops, there I go paraphrasing from one of my favourite movies again.

Stand up for what you believe in. Listen to your heart and fight for what you know to be true. And as our man from Coca-Cola points out - don’t forget to balance out your life when pursuing your dreams. When you make those big decisions think about the things close to your heart. And follow those dreams. Don’t fall into the trap known as the comparison game. Don’t focus on beating your competitors – especially considering so many of them are mediocre. If you are better than the mediocrity then it does not really mean anything. You have to be the best you can be to really succeed. Focus on beating yourself. And remember, if you don’t stand for something you will fall for anything.

Wow, there were a lot of clichés in this text here today, but they are all true! That is why we love them so much.

Posted by Ronnie Apteker