Reena Raj - Clock Versus Compass: Art of Positive Balance

Find a quiet space, relax and enjoy the clever juxtapositions, insightful comparisons and piercing reflections that all come together in this collection of nuggets of perennial wisdom.

Mike George, author, Being Beyond Belief

A witty, accessible and charming book. If you are looking to savor your life, one bite at a time, this just may be the book for you!

Tal Ben-Sharar, author, Happier; Positive Psychology lecturer at Harvard University

First published by O-Books, 2019

O-Books is an imprint of John Hunt Publishing Ltd., 3 East St., Alresford, Hampshire SO24 9EE, UK

www.johnhuntpublishing.com

For distributor details and how to order please visit the Ordering section on our website.

Text copyright: Reena Raj 2018

ISBN: 978 1 78535 828 9

978 1 78535 829 6 (ebook)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2017956153

All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations in critical articles or reviews, no part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without prior written permission from the publishers.

The rights of Reena Raj as author have been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

Printed and bound by CPI Group (UK) Ltd, Croydon, CR0 4YY, UK

US: Printed and bound by Edwards Brothers Malloy 15200 NBN Way #B, Blue Ridge Summit, PA 17214, USA

We operate a distinctive and ethical publishing philosophy in all areas of our business, from our global network of authors to production and worldwide distribution.

This book presents a unique list of easy to understand bite-sized concepts amalgamated from the fields of applied positive psychology, coaching and spirituality.

It looks at everyday concepts with a view to explore positive balance of real priorities in life.

Balance does not get much airplay, as perhaps it does not sound as dynamic or exciting as passion, resilience, transformation, grit, optimism and amidst these powerful and dynamic notions the appeal of balance is somewhat lost.

Yet, perhaps the real secret to a happy life often lies in the fine balance of things.

Too much passion can turn into obsession, too much resilience can become resistance, too much compassion can turn into gullibility, grit into inflexibility, optimism into blind faith, zest into hyperactivity

Positive balance doesnt just mean not having too much or too less of something. Positive balance means knowing what is important and when. It means having clarity on lifes priorities.

Right balance creates peace and harmony in our lives.

This book goes through some interesting comparisons that are thought-provoking and might help in generating clarity on real priorities in life.

Note: At times it might appear the differences between comparisons are just that of semantics but it is important to look beyond that. It is also important to engage with the suggested activities and exercises in order to promote inner reflection and learning

Last, there is no particular order and it is perfectly OK to flick through and read any random page.

Head is the driver and the Heart is the passenger.

Heart needs to give good clear instructions to the driver where to go.

When there is no strong indication from the passenger, the driver drives aimlessly.

After giving clear instructions the passenger should trust the driver to figure out the best route to the destination.

Heart neednt worry about which route to take as long as it knows what the destination is

Too much worry about the route will stop the Heart from enjoying the journey.

The Head should just focus on driving carefully and vigilantly, It should stop worrying about what the destination will look like and what will happen when it gets there.

Let the Head drive and let the Heart decide the destination and enjoy the journey.

Wherever you go, go with all your heart.
Confucius

Think about: A past decision where you used your gut feeling instead of reasoning. What went well in relation to that particular decision?

Too much importance is placed on first acquiring the resources in order to achieve what you want to achieve. Perhaps it is better to develop your resourcefulness first.

When you become resourceful you will know how and where to find the resources that you need for achieving your goals.

When we dont cultivate resourcefulness then even if resources appear in front of us we have no ability to recognize them for what they are.

When there is true resourcefulness it can create and recognize all the resources that are around already.

Think about: Something you achieved recently and then list all the inner qualities you think helped you to achieve that goal.

Whenever you find yourself ruminating and going in a downward spiral with why why why swap your Microscope with the Telescope.

Dont spend too much time looking through the Microscope. Use the Telescope more.

Telescope shows the big picture of what really matters.

Love looks through a telescope; envy, through a microscope.
Josh Billings

Do: Make a list of situations where it is good to use a Telescope.

Example: When I am thinking about a past hurt, perhaps it is better for me to see the bigger picture