Daily Lift by Rabbi Zelig Pliskin

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#340   Remember your Greatness
 

Rabbi Shlomo of Karlin used to say:

"The worst fault a person can have is to forget his intrinsic greatness as a human being."

(Dor Daiah, vol. 1, p.172; Rabbi Pliskin's Gateway to Happiness, p.131)

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#341   Motivate Kindness 
 

Even when you are on the receiving end of someone else's kindness, you can do something to increase kindness in the world. How? Express gratitude for the kindness in a way that this person will build up a greater appreciation for doing even more acts of kindness for others!

(From Rabbi Pliskin's book Kindness)

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#342   Seek To Do Kindness 
 

A person who has a love for money will constantly look for ways to obtain more money. So, too, when you develop a love for doing acts of kindness, you will look for every possible opportunity to do so. Even though someone else might be able to do the kindness instead, you will feel a strong desire to do it yourself. Rather than looking for ways to free yourself from doing acts of kindness, you realize that you personally gain from helping others.

Today, try doing a kindness for someone even when they do not ask for your help. Be motivated because of an inner drive.

(see Rabbi Yechezkail Levenstein - Ohr Yechezkail, Midos, pp.105, 174-5; Rabbi Pliskin's "Consulting the Wise")

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#343   Push Off Laziness Print Version »
 

 

A person is lazy because he wants serenity and quiet. Comfort-seeking is the root of laziness. But realize that although the lazy way might at first appear to give comfort, in the long run, a person who is lazy will lose greatness. Why? His life will be one of mediocrity!

Today, think about what have you been pushing off because of laziness. Then commit to begin one action to counteract this tendency.

(see Vilna Gaon - Proverbs 15:19; Rabbi Pliskin - "Consulting the Wise")

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#344   Take A Break From Stress 
 

You feel relaxed when you take a vacation, because your mind is at rest. The change in external environment makes it easier to put aside the stressful aspects of your daily life.

While we do not always have the ability to go to the mountains or travel to Switzerland whenever we feel excessive stress, we do have the ability to take a MENTAL trip to peaceful and serene locations. Sit in your chair with your eyes closed, and imagine that you are any place in the world where you can feel calm. Don't WISH you were there, but actually FEEL as if you are there. See how calm you start feeling as you mentally picture yourself in a peaceful meadow or forest. Imagine yourself being without any worries or anxieties.

Try it this evening when you get home from work. While this should not be used as an escape from dealing with problems, ten or fifteen minutes can be as relaxing as a short nap. You'll be amazed at how it can ease tension!

(see Gateway to Happiness, pp.89-90)

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#345   Expand Your Consciousness 
 

When you connect with the Creator, you will expand your consciousness of infinity and eternity. You will plug into the source of all serenity. Each time you make a blessing, or pray, or perform a good deed, you will be connecting with your love for your Father, your King, Creator and Sustainer of the universe. You will be able to connect with the love that your Creator has for you. Gaining this awareness will add a spiritual dimension to all aspects of a person's life. Those who have integrated this live an elevated life and make wiser choices.

(From Rabbi Pliskin's book, Serenity, p.93)

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#346   Courageous Progress
 

Choose to focus on the progress you are making. You have infinitely more courage now than you did when you were born. Since each courageous act makes you a more courageous person, by focusing on progress, you will almost always feel that you are increasing your level of courage.

This perspective will give you the encouragement to continue developing this quality. Even if you feel that you are backsliding, you still have made progress from the place where you were when you started your journey in life.

(From Rabbi Pliskin's book, "Courage")

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#347   Appropriate Sadness 
 

While it is theoretically possible to develop an attitude to totally prevent sadness, the Jewish view is there are times when such feelings are appropriate.

For example, we have an obligation to cry over the death of another person. Also, we should care enough about potential suffering to pray that it will not come. And we utilize these situations as reminders to improve ourselves.

(from Chochmah Umussar, vol.2, p.203; Rabbi Pliskin's Gateway to Happiness, p.172)

Edited May 16, 2015 by pkrause

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#348   Radiate Friendliness 
 

I remember walking with my father to his synagogue in East Baltimore on Shabbat. The neighborhood was a tough one. There weren't very many individuals with yarmulkes, and I would feel a bit uncomfortable. But my father kept telling me not to be self-conscious. He radiated self-confidence and friendliness.

People of all races would ask him for his blessings and prayers. His good nature enabled him to view everyone as a friend -- and people reciprocated.

(From Rabbi Pliskin's book, "Courage")

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#349   Bring It Home 
 

The mitzvah to develop our character is the mitzvah to "walk in the ways of our Creator." Viewing events and situations in this light will elevate the mundane, for in the ultimate view of life nothing is mundane. Every moment presents its unique, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

By acting and reacting in ways that are kind, compassionate, understanding, and sensitive, you emulate the Creator and bring the Shechinah (Divine presence) into your home. No accomplishment could be greater.

(From Rabbi Pliskin''s book entitled "Marriage" - ArtScroll Publications, 1998, Introduction, p.11)

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#350   Pray To Overcome Sadness 
 

 

Use prayer to help overcome sadness. Talk to the Almighty in your own language. Tell Him how awful you feel. Ask Him for the strength to cope with your present difficulties, and to grow from them.

(Rabbi Pliskin's Gateway to Happiness, p.180)

 

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#351   Learn From Chess 
 

We should be careful of our actions in life, just as a person playing chess thinks carefully before making any move. Always weigh what you are planning, to see if you might later regret your move.

In a game of chess, which has no major ramifications in a person's life whether he wins or loses, each player takes much time to think of every alternative and weigh its consequences. All the more so in daily behavior, always think before speaking or taking action. We have much more to gain or lose and should at least be as patient as when playing chess.

(Rabbi Bunim of Pashischo - Siach Sarfai Kodesh, vol.5, p.58; Rabbi Pliskin's Gateway to Happiness, p.259)

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#352   Courage Creates Greatness 
 

Courage is the quality of great people. More accurately it is a quality that creates greatness. It is the quality of Abraham who recognized the Creator and was willing to give his life for this awareness.

It is the quality of Moses who approached Pharaoh and told him, "Let my people go." It is the quality of Mordechai who refused to bow to the wicked Haman; and of Esther who approached King Achashverosh on behalf of her people even though she was risking her life.

Courage is the quality of people throughout the ages who were willing to sacrifice everything to live a Torah life. It is the quality that will elevate and empower you throughout your life.

(from Rabbi Pliskin's book, "Courage")

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#353   Asking For Forgiveness 
 

For some people, the most difficult thing in the world is to ask for forgiveness.

If you find it difficult to ask for forgiveness, visualize yourself asking for forgiveness. Mentally see yourself approaching someone and saying, "I am sorry that I caused you pain. Please forgive me." Rerun this picture in your mind over and over again. Feel a sense of strength and release at being able to do this.

Each time you ask for forgiveness and find it difficult, you are building up your inner resource of courage.

(From Rabbi Pliskin's book, "Courage")

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#354   Understand The Sources Of Anger 
 

Have compassion on people who become angry easily. The person may have negative feelings about himself. By understanding the source of his anger, you will be able to deal with him more effectively.

As regards yourself, if you have chronic feelings of guilt or inadequacy, you are apt to lose your temper easily. For this reason many perfectionists have bad tempers. Since they make almost impossible demands of themselves, they feel tense and strained, which often leads to anger.

While always trying to improve, accept yourself. This will lead to the most healthy growth.

(Rabbi Pliskin's Gateway to Happiness, p.196)

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#355   Seeing The Other Side Of The Story 
 

Seeing things from the other person's point of view has a profound effect on our emotional health, since the totality of how we relate to others is dependent on this concept. When you master the ability to view others as they see themselves, you will gain the love of everyone.

Today, think of someone you find it difficult to get along with. See this person as he views himself and patiently talk to him from his perspective.

(see Rabbi Eliyahu Eliezer Dessler - Michtav MaiEliyahu, vol.4, p.244)

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#356   To Err Is Human 
 

 

A student of Rabbi Nochum Zev Ziv once erred in the pronunciation of a word when publicly repeating the Amidah prayer. Someone pointed out the correct pronunciation, and the student repeated the word accurately. However, the student became confused and nervous and made many more errors.

After the prayers, Rabbi Nochum Zev approached him and said, "How is it possible to be so arrogant? Do you think you are so perfect that you cannot possibly make any mistakes?"

When I told the above story to someone, they asked, "Won't the student feel even worse and more upset by the fact that his teacher told him he was arrogant?"

It depends on how such a message comes across. If said with understanding and concern, the message is, "I care about you. Why do you have to make yourself so upset over a minor error? Of course, you are fallible and make mistakes. Expect to make mistakes and keep trying to improve, but do not feel devastated when you err."

(Imrai Daas, p.218; Gateway to Happiness, pp.130-1)

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#357   Life-Tests and Trust 
 

When a person has mastered the trait of trust in G-d, ("bitachon"), he will look forward to difficult life-tests in order to show his love for the Almighty. His devotion to the Almighty in difficult situations is a manifestation of his high spiritual level and he actually welcomes these tests.

(see Rabbi Yosef Hurwitz of Nevardok - Madraigos Haadam; Rabbi Pliskin's "Consulting the Wise")

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#358   Avoid Using Guilt To Justify Inaction 
 

Feeling guilty is the lazy way of reacting. A guilty person resigns himself to keeping his faults and does not try to take actions to improve.

Don't use guilt feelings to justify laziness and procrastination. If a person tends to think in terms of guilt, when he hears an idea he will say to himself, "How awful it is that I'm not following that idea."

It is more productive to keep focus on what you can do to implement the principle or concept.

(Rabbi Pliskin's Gateway to Happiness, p.222)

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#359   Be Prepared To Admit Mistakes 
 

Not a single person in the world has ever been totally free of making mistakes. There is no shame in a person's saying, "I made a mistake." But to stubbornly refuse to admit you made a mistake is shameful.

(Pele Yoaitz: taos; Rabbi Pliskin's Gateway to Happiness, p.220)

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#360   See the Good in Your Past 
 

When you look at your past, focus on the things you have to be thankful for.

(see Rabbi Eliezer Zev Luft; Tnuas Hamussar, vol.5, p.302; Gateway to Happiness, p.37)

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#361   Do Your Best 
 

Our goal should be to keep improving ourselves, rather than "being the best."

Someone who feels the need to be "the best" should ask himself, "Why do I really have to be better than others? What is so awful if someone else is better than me in any given area?"

People who feel the need to be "the best" often suffer much anxiety. They frequently tell themselves, "If I am not the best, then I am a failure. I am nothing."

There is no basis for this. In ultimate terms, no human can really say who is best. Comparing yourself to anyone else is arbitrary -- so why cause yourself misery by doing so?

(Gateway to Happiness, p.130)

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#362   Prepare For The Best 

The best time to mentally prepare yourself for times of adversity is when things are going well and you are in a resourceful state. Adversity is a challenge that enables you to develop attributes that wouldn't be developed in easier times. Keep building up the inner resources that will enable you to cope well with difficulties. If you are in the middle of a difficulty right now, then right now is the best time to build up those resources. You won't have to wait and see if the inner resources you need are becoming a part of you, you will see results right away.

Develop courage and confidence. Develop persistence and resilience. Develop optimism and hope. How can you develop these qualities? Visualize yourself mastering them. See, hear, and feel yourself being confident and courageous. See, hear, and feel yourself persisting and bouncing back. Right now feel an inner sense of optimism that you will cope well with difficulties. And if a difficulty arises that you don't cope with as well as you wished, learn from the experience to cope better next time.

(From Rabbi Pliskin's "Happiness",p.196-7)

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#363   Re-View Your Past 

Think about past experiences that you didn't exactly enjoy. Look back at those experiences and view them as part of your lifetime growth seminar. Keep learning new lessons and gain new strengths.

(From Rabbi Pliskin's "Happiness",p.118)

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#364   Make A Top Ten List 

Make A Top Ten List

When you feel that problems are weighing you down, make a list of 10 reasons why you can still be happy.

If the reasons come from an external source, you might brush them off. But if you develop a list yourself, you will always be able to find at least 10 reasons that are "real" to you.

(Rabbi Pliskin's Gateway to Happiness, p.180)