The Feeds in our lives
Quotes
Change your thoughts and you change your world. – Norman Vincent Peale
We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves. – Buddha
The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts: therefore, guard accordingly, and take care that you entertain no notions unsuitable to virtue and reasonable nature. – Marcus Aurelius
If you realized just how powerful your thoughts are, you would never think a negative thought. – Anonymous
You only have control over three things in your life, the thoughts you think, the images you visualize, and the actions you take. – Jack Canfield
You’ve done it before and you can do it now. See the positive possibilities. Redirect the substantial energy of your frustration and turn it into positive, effective, unstoppable determination. – Ralph Marston
You cannot have a positive life and a negative mind. – Joyce Meyer
Courtesy
Abstract
What are our key daily inputs as they determine our outputs in life. You have heard of the adage ‘Garbage in, garbage out’ in computing terms. All things in life are not equal that is what we should always have in the forethought of our minds.
Our current situation is always a reflection of our past actions and thoughts. We are tied unconsciously to our habits and we don’t realize that bad and wrong patterns and programs finish us off in the long run.
This applies to individuals, communities, businesses and countries. Good habits elevate us in the long run and bad habits finish us off in the long run.
Lake Victoria
Nature always has something to teach us. When we study lakes and their feed tributaries we can apply this directly to our lives.
I live in Uganda, East Africa close to one of the largest lakes in the world, Lake Victoria. This lake is a vital fresh water feed to the countries downstream. The countries include South Sudan, North Sudan and Egypt. River Nile one of the most famous rivers in the world begins its journey from this lake.
Lake Victoria is one of the African Great Lakes. With a surface area of approximately 59,947 km2 (23,146 sq mi), Lake Victoria is Africa’s largest lake by area, the world’s largest tropical lake, and the world’s second-largest fresh water lake by surface area after Lake Superior in North America.
Lake Victoria receives 80 percent of its water from direct rainfall. Average evaporation on the lake is between 2.0 and 2.2 metres (6.6 and 7.2 ft) per year, almost double the precipitation of riparian areas.
Lake Victoria receives its water additionally from rivers, and thousands of small streams. The Kagera River is the largest river flowing into this lake, with its mouth on the lake’s western shore.
Lake Victoria is drained solely by the Nile River near Jinja, Uganda, on the lake’s northern shore. In the Kenya sector, the main influent rivers are the Sio, Nzoia, Yala, Nyando, Sondu Miriu, Mogusi, and Migori.
Source Lake Victoria – Wikipedia
This Lake is a critical source of freshwater for millions of individuals in over six countries. The Lake’s water use is strictly regulated by all countries. All upstream activities in the feeder countries have a direct impact on the countries in the lower basin area.
The Aral Sea
We have an inverse analogy when we study the Aral Sea. This sea is located in Central Asia. It’s found in the countries of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
This was once the 4th largest inland water body in the world . The size of this sea has reduced from a 1960 measure of 68,000 Km2 to 14,820 Km2 recorded in the year 2010. These two countries were part of the former Soviet Union.
The key change was brought about by the diversion of it’s key tributaries upstream to be used in inland irrigation schemes and this ultimately affected this sea.
Other major lakes that are drying are Lake Chad in Africa from an original size of 22,000 Km2 recorded in the year 1966 to a mere 300Km2 recorded in the year 2006.
Source
6 Lakes That Are Drying Up: Stories & History | Britannica | Britannica
Pollution
Apart from been a key means of navigation, one of the most critical roles of rivers, lakes and seas, are as a key support life line and source of food and water to the communities that reside next to them.
The earliest human settlements have always been found along rivers and lakes. The communities were always assured of a constant supply of food in form of fish and water to sustain themselves.
Pollution of rivers and lakes has reached critical mass in most countries worldwide. The pollution and diversion of tributaries is a dangerous development that has damaged the health and livelihood of millions of individuals in the world.
Protection and monitoring of tributaries is a critical task that is ongoing. Pollution renders fresh water bodies unusable and destroys critical ecosystems that have negative consequences for all. In the next paragraph I illustrate how this example applies to our lives.
Direct application to our lives
Our Role models
We have major areas in our lives that we should not leave to arbitrary feeds. These include our spiritual, health and financial spheres of our lives. We need to role model those that are successful in these key areas.
Study their actions, their key inputs and what they are doing well. Copy and improve what they are doing. Once you have mastered one area keep on tweaking and improving that area. We were born with creative minds and vision.
We have to ensure we monitor what these models do and their actions. If they change and become toxic feeds drop them accordingly. We are agents of our lives once we realize that we should also apply critical thought to what we do and allow in our lives.
Our time: Social Media and Feeds
We need to be very critical on what we allow to pass the gateway of our minds. Social media is a sea of distraction and a constant barrage of never-ending gossip. Decide how much time you will allocate to social media vis a vis your true goals.
I talked about pollution of rivers and lakes in the preceding paragraphs. We need to be careful of what we allow in from the different sources and feeds of information we get. Apply critical discernment on the purveyors of this information. What are their hidden goals and agendas?
The feeds into your mind should be refreshing and leave you energized. This is why the truly great say NO to distraction and delegate as much as they can. They understand the need to protect their time and the feeds into their minds and lives.
Summary
Be very careful of the people, news and thoughts you entertain in your life on a daily basis. Study past results and the actions of individuals. We only judge by the fruits of actions. Be wary of words that are not backed with action.
Thoughts lead to action, and action determines our destiny. Aristotle the great philosopher knew the importance of guarding our thoughts and feeds into our minds.