Daily Lift by Rabbi Zelig Pliskin

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Evaluate Situations Positively

Think of three situations where you had a negative emotional reaction - even though objectively it would have been possible to be positive.

Think of three situations where you had a positive emotional reaction simply because you evaluated the situation as positive - even though others might have evaluated it as negative.

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Ask What You Need to Know

If a person lacks money to support himself, he should be willing to do work that would normally be considered beneath his dignity. This is preferable to acting as if he has plenty of money, when actually he is in want of bread.

Similarly, when it comes to Torah and wisdom. A person should admit that he does not know, and be willing to ask others. Don't be embarrassed. Don't pretend you know what you do not really know. It will only cause you to remain ignorant.

Today, think of a question you would like to have answered, but have refrained from asking out of fear of embarrassment. Muster your courage and ask someone the question!

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Practice What You Know

If you visit the best doctor in the world and the doctor cures you, you will become ill again if you do not follow the doctor's instructions. Can anyone blame the doctor? It is your own fault for not following the doctor's suggestions.

Similarly with wisdom, the ideas will only be able to help you if you constantly put them into practice.

Today, ask yourself: What ideas that I already know would make a major difference in my life if I applied them?

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Life can be a Constant Party

The Torah says the life of someone who has a positive attitude about all that occurs is likened to a life of constant parties. (see Proverbs 15:15) His entire life is full of happiness and joy. Such a person does not need special situations to supply him with happiness. Whatever he does and wherever he is, he finds things to be happy about. He grows constantly from each experience and from each person with whom he comes into contact.

Mastering this attitude requires time and effort, but is a very worthwhile investment. If you want your life to be a constant party…

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Be Grateful For Past Benefits From Schools and Jobs

When a person leaves a school or a job for another school or job, he should keep in mind what he is grateful for. Even if he feels he is benefiting more from his new school or new job, he should remember what he gained in the past from the previous places.

There are many reasons why a person might have been dissatisfied at a previous place where he was. Nevertheless, he still gained and benefited from the people of that place. It's easy for many people to remember the negative aspects of previous places, especially if a person left on not such friendly terms. They might want to throw verbal stones at the prior school or job. Our debt of gratitude tells us not only not to speak against that place, but to say or do things that are an expression of gratitude.

Look at the previous place with a good eye. When you speak about it, begin your sentences with, "I am grateful to them for…" When you do so, you are expressing your own positive character.

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Appreciate Life To Its Fullest

I heard a number of times from Rabbi Chaim Shmuelevitz, the late head of Mirrer Yeshiva in Jerusalem: "When we learn to appreciate life to its fullest, we will be oblivious to many of its painful aspects. We will definitely try to deal with them effectively, but will not feel emotional suffering, since the joy of being alive will outweigh anything negative that might occur.

"Imagine a person who just now won a large sum of money in a lottery. He will feel such joy that if he accidentally broke a glass cup, he would feel no suffering whatsoever because of that loss.

"The joy of being alive can be much greater than the joy of winning millions of dollars. A person able to master this attitude, which takes time and effort, will not have psychosomatic difficulties, since he will not view anything that happens to him as negative."

Even before someone totally masters this, it helps greatly to reflect on what it would be like integrating this.

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Staying Focused in Prayer

Prayer has tremendous potential for spiritual elevation and intense pleasure. How tragic that such a great opportunity is sometimes regarded as a boring chore!

On one extreme, some people think that the object of prayer is to just rattle off words. On the other extreme, some people try so hard to pray properly that they become very tense and nervous.

The way to have an elevating prayer experience is to calmly recite the words, while keeping in mind that you are speaking to the Omniscient Creator of the Universe. Whenever an external thought comes into your mind, gently return your focus to what you were saying in your prayers. You need not fight other thoughts - just ignore them, and once again concentrate on the words of the prayers you are reciting. If the thoughts that come up concern a practical problem that must be dealt with, set a time later in the day when you will address that matter.

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Have A Compassionate Eye

When you watch other people, what you see depends on what is important to you at the time. A barber will notice styles and quality of haircuts. A tailor will notice clothing. A salesman will notice potential customers. A critical person will notice what is wrong. And a compassionate person will notice opportunities to be compassionate.

Be compassionate. This elevates you greatly.

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Hear the Underlying Factors

If you get insulted, ask yourself, "What underlying factors are motivating this person to insult me?" Regardless of the words the person is using, the underlying message is that he is frustrated or discouraged. Try to react towards him in the context of his underlying problems and not his actual words.

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The Power Of Joy

The Kotzker Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel, said:

"With joy, we are able to extricate ourselves from all types of suffering."

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Wake Up With Joy

What are your first thoughts when you wake up in the morning? Regardless of the past, from here on choose thoughts of gratitude. The more joy you experience in your life, the more gratitude you will have and the easier this will be for you.

When you first wake up in the morning, express your profound gratitude for the gift of life. Getting off to a good start sets the tone for the rest of the day. This is the power of saying the Modeh Ani prayer the first moment you are awake: "I express my gratitude to You, the King Who is alive and always exists, for returning my soul to me, with compassion. Great is your trustworthiness."

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Do Mitzvahs with Joy

Every mitzvah should be performed with joy. One aspect of "mitzvah joy" is to do the good deed with all your energy and ability.

For example: Rather than offer a needy person a morsel of food, serve him a hearty meal!

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Do It With Joy

There are many tasks, jobs, and chores that we will end up doing whether we really enjoy doing them or not. Many hours of our lives are spent this way. The late Rabbi Chaim Friedlander, of Ponevehz Yeshivah, used to say, "If you are going to do it anyway, do it with joy."

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Do Your Mission With Joy

The Baal Shem Tov, founder of the Chassidic movement, said, "The Almighty has sent you into this world on an appointed errand. It is His will that you accomplish your errand in a state of joy."

Today, view yourself as on a special mission from G-d. Think of the way you are unique and special. Experience the joy that is beginning to permeate your entire being as you reflect on this

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True Joy

A person who has mastered the quality of serenity (menuchah) and has true peace of mind, will feel inner peace and intense joy when going through any life-test. He does not even label the situation 'a test.' Rather, he calls it 'living.'

He utilizes all of his strength and power in any difficult situation. His trust in the Almighty is manifest on a practical level, and this is the goal of his life.

Even though the life-test might persist for a long time (or new ones may arise), he still does not perceive the situation as a burden or misfortune. On the contrary, in such situations his spirit of life becomes aroused because he derives pleasure from being able to rise above his instincts. He does not allow himself to be defeated by anger or despair, and there is no greater pleasure in life than this.

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All's Well That Ends Well

In his later years, Rabbi Yechezkel Levenstein wrote that those situations which initially caused him suffering were ultimately the cause of good fortune.

We can never really be certain that any event will actually be bad for us. Why assess an event as definitely negative, when it can turn out in a way that you will clearly see is for your benefit?

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Unexpected Opportunities for Kindness

Wherever you are, you are there for a reason. There are times when the reason is patently evident. Other times you will need to be patient to understand why.

Having a "kindness consciousness" will enable you to better understand seemingly puzzling occurrences. The less you want to be in a certain place, the more you should be on the lookout for opportunities to make a difference in someone's life.

[D. Allan]

Quote:

"The joy of being alive can be much greater than the joy of winning millions of dollars. A person able to master this attitude, which takes time and effort, will not have psychosomatic difficulties, since he will not view anything that happens to him as negative."

Very well said. This is a wonderful thread!

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People Are Opportunities For Kindness

View each encounter with a fellow human being as an opportunity to give and help.

When you meet someone, let your first thought be, "What can I do for this person?"

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Very well said. This is a wonderful thread!

Thanks DAllan

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How Do I Know If This Is Good For Me?

When events occur in your life, at least leave the situation as a question mark in your mind, "How do I know this will really turn out bad for me?"

The answer is that you never know with absolute certainty that it will. Many things that you now perceive as strongly negative are questionable if they will really turn out bad. Why make yourself irritated in a doubtful situation by taking for granted that this is really so negative?

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Melting Under Analysis

There are many illusory fears that will melt under analysis. When you find something difficult for you to do, ask yourself, "What exactly am I afraid of?" Often you will find that your fears have no basis in reality. In other instances, there might be a slight loss, but it is actually quite minor and trivial.

A similar question to ask is, "What is the worst that could happen if I say or do this?" Often, your answer will be, "Nothing much."

Another question is, "How probable is it that I will actually suffer if I say or do this?" When you ask someone for some information or even to buy something, the worst that will happen is that the person will refuse to give you the information, or he will refuse to buy what you are selling. If you wouldn't have asked, you are guaranteed not to get the information or the sale.

So when you ask, the worst-case scenario is exactly the same as if you wouldn't ask. Asking has the potential for improving the situation and you have nothing to lose.

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Serenity Of Shabbos

When one observes Shabbos with a total sense of serenity, every time one thinks of Shabbos, one will feel more peaceful.

Some Shabbos observers focus on all the work they need to do for Shabbos and feel tense about this. Mentally go beyond the work you need to do. Remember that on Shabbos you will celebrate all that you have, all that exists on our planet, and all that exists in the entire cosmos. This is mind-boggling. Let the joy and serenity of Shabbos permeate your being during your entire stay in this world.

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Fame and Happiness

Many people mistakenly think that being famous will automatically make them happy.

But happiness depends on what goes on in your mind and not what happens "out there." Hence if you are thinking negative thoughts, you will be sad even if everyone else in the world is speaking about how great you are. Conversely, if you think positive thoughts, you will feel good even if no one gives you honor.

Happiness is dependent on your thoughts and not on what other people say about you, unless you tell yourself you cannot be happy without the approval and honor of others. But when such is the case, the main problem is not that others do not give you honor, but that you tell yourself it is awful that other people do not give you the honor you arbitrarily demand.

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Steer Clear Of Past Problems

Avoid asking irrelevant questions about the past that will be annoying to others. If someone keeps complaining to you about the past, ask him, "What can presently be done about it? If nothing, isn't it better to focus on other things?" If the other person persists on talking about the past, weigh the situation. At times you might be doing someone an act of kindness by listening to him. In other circumstances you are better off ignoring statements about the past and thus teaching the other person it is not worthwhile to discuss with you something which is over and done with.