Anyone here believe in Karma?

I know this is a random thread, but I've seem to be having quite a bad week. I'm currently running my parent's business (convinence store in a ghetto area) whilst they are on holidays. The first week has been purely awful. I've had numerous scammers (stopped after being burnt the first time) trying to trick me into providing them with credit/shorchanging and people attempting to steal goods.

 

So far its been a bad experience, yet an eye openning on for what my parents have been through for the past 15 years. I sometimes question myself why do these bad events happen to me, I've always considered myself a decent person who has always contributed to society in the best way (never stolen, contributed to charity, supported friends/family, always respected others), yet I get shot down by these shady people.

 

I've always believed in karma and have reeped returns from my past, but currently its gone whack. Maybe its part of the learning process.

 

Tell us your stories guys.

bad things happen to good people all the time.

I used to believe in it, given how things have been working for me lately, I'm either a really bad person, or it just doesn't exist. Sure you may get rewarded for it later if you prevail, but given how some things are, it seems highly unlikely.

I am a firm believer in Karma and the belief that "what goes around comes around". I live by the belief that you should just do your best and be the best person you can be, and that (even if it doesnt seem like it at some points), things usually fall into place. That constant "light at the end of the tunnel" is what keeps me going during the dark times when I begin to have doubts. Like Topcarbon said, bad things happen to good people all the time. Youll never be able to explain or justify it all.

 

Hang in there.

I am a firm believer in Karma and the belief that "what goes around comes around". I live by the belief that you should just do your best and be the best person you can be, and that (even if it doesnt seem like it at some points), things usually fall into place. That constant "light at the end of the tunnel" is what keeps me going during the dark times when I begin to have doubts. Like Topcarbon said, bad things happen to good people all the time. Youll never be able to explain or justify it all.

 

Hang in there.

if you always do the right thing, your luck will turn. just hang in there. i guarantee you will come back to this thread and post "you guys were right" things have turned around.

if you always do the right thing, your luck will turn. just hang in there. i guarantee you will come back to this thread and post "you guys were right" things have turned around.

I know this is a random thread, but I've seem to be having quite a bad week. I'm currently running my parent's business (convinence store in a ghetto area) whilst they are on holidays. The first week has been purely awful. I've had numerous scammers (stopped after being burnt the first time) trying to trick me into providing them with credit/shorchanging and people attempting to steal goods.

 

 

Maybe its part of the learning process.

 

Not to sound overly harsh, but we also have to take respectability for our own actions, and these bad things sound like inexpensive life lessons. There are shady people everywhere and developing that spidey sense will do you well. You're just learning the ropes of their business, give it a week and it won't seem so bad.

 

I know this is a random thread, but I've seem to be having quite a bad week. I'm currently running my parent's business (convinence store in a ghetto area) whilst they are on holidays. The first week has been purely awful. I've had numerous scammers (stopped after being burnt the first time) trying to trick me into providing them with credit/shorchanging and people attempting to steal goods.

 

So far its been a bad experience, yet an eye openning on for what my parents have been through for the past 15 years. I sometimes question myself why do these bad events happen to me, I've always considered myself a decent person who has always contributed to society in the best way (never stolen, contributed to charity, supported friends/family, always respected others), yet I get shot down by these shady people.

 

I've always believed in karma and have reeped returns from my past, but currently its gone whack. Maybe its part of the learning process.

 

Tell us your stories guys.

 

 

Not to sound overly harsh, but we also have to take respectability for our own actions, and these bad things sound like inexpensive life lessons. There are shady people everywhere and developing that spidey sense will do you well. You're just learning the ropes of their business, give it a week and it won't seem so bad.

 

Also not to be harsh, but it sounds like you got first world problems. I don't know you but I assume (again ASSUME) that your parents are of an immigrant background. I also assume that being such they work(ed) very hard all their lives to achieve the American dream. They own their own store and most likely have raised and educated you and your siblings if you have any.

 

That being said I'm sure you have problems. We all have problems. We just have to deal with them.

 

Karma...well I don't know if I really believe in Karma more than the cyclical nature of things. Things come and go and the rest is left to chance. Sometimes you miss one bus and the next bus you get on breaks down and you are stranded, sometimes the next bus you meet the girl of your dreams.

 

Growing up I had great luck. Things happened to fall in place. I actually felt like I lived a charmed life. Retrospectively I know it was because my parents worked hard to make my life that way. They took care of a lot of things so I could do more things I wanted. When I was in my early 30's it fell apart for a while. I was in a bad place. Things just went to shit. I felt pathetic and sorry for myself. Where had my luck gone? Well, I kept on keeping on. Finally my luck came back. I wasn't as naive as I was when I was young.

 

I think the key is not to get bogged down on the present but look to the future. If you are in a rut look at getting out of it or you never will.

Agreed with everyone else. Don't let a couple of experiences change you as a person. If you keep doing your best, and put the best out there, it will all fall into place. Guaranteed that one day you will run into a person who remembers all the good you have done. I've never been a "good" person for the sake of thinking that I'll be rewarded for it, that's just how I roll. I'll take my chances.

 

The world isn't sunshine and rainbows, kid. I just came of the worst 2 years of my life, stuck it up, better than ever. I know that rocky youtube video circulates, let me find it...a lot of truth to it....

 

 

 

Sorry for the indirect response to your question, but Karma has to be defined, different meaning to different people. In the western sense, no, I don't believe in it.

I tell my kids all of the time: " Life is like a ferris wheel, sometimes you're on the top and sometimes you're on the bottom, be careful when you're on the top"

This is not a literal belief but I think the universe tends to balance itself. I guess some would call that karma.

I tell my kids all of the time: " Life is like a ferris wheel, sometimes you're on the top and sometimes you're on the bottom, be careful when you're on the top"

 

 

But it also has random speeds?

 

 

 

 

Karma makes absolutely no sense if you think of those who suffer/die without doing much of anything at all.

 

But there is something very healthy and relaxing about being a person who doesn't have to remember all his lies because he continuously speaks the truth, uses the golden rule, and does the right thing. Even if it is in periods.

But there is something very healthy and relaxing about being a person who doesn't have to remember all his lies because he continuously speaks the truth, uses the golden rule, and does the right thing. Even if it is in periods.

 

 

BOOM!

 

This reminds me of a funny line a buddy of mine told me "if you're going to be good at anything, become good at lying, then you're good at everything."

 

Something like that at least!

 

I don't believe in practicing the "what goes around comes around" concept of what is known as Karma. I don't believe that you should conduct your life in a "good" way because you want the "good" to come back around and are afraid of the consequences if you don't. To me this is inheritely selfish and fear based and opposes the concept of doing "good". I believe you should act in a way that you are proud of and in a way that makes you feel good without regard for what else is going on around you. If you stop worrying about the outside world (something that you cannot control) and focus on your inner world (something you can defitely control) you'll find you will be a happier person who will attract good things and make the people around you happier as well. Also those bad things that happen wont seem like such personal attacks. Sh*t happens and if your not finding a way to blame all of those things on yourself then the world looks like a much friendlier (but chaotic) place.

 

As for your situation of working in your parents store, well you put yourself in a rough area and rough things happen. This isn't your fault and what is happening isn't personal. You go into the store each day and work there and bad people come in and mess with you. There's no hidden force at work here. It was your choice (and a nice thing to do for your parents).

I am a firm believer in Karma and the belief that "what goes around comes around". I live by the belief that you should just do your best and be the best person you can be, and that (even if it doesnt seem like it at some points), things usually fall into place. That constant "light at the end of the tunnel" is what keeps me going during the dark times when I begin to have doubts. Like Topcarbon said, bad things happen to good people all the time. Youll never be able to explain or justify it all.

 

Hang in there.

 

 

I tell my kids all of the time: " Life is like a ferris wheel, sometimes you're on the top and sometimes you're on the bottom, be careful when you're on the top"

No. There is no cosmic judge handing out punishments and rewards. If you really believe it I have a pallet of snake oil I'll sell to you, today only, for a great price.

 

But your own thoughts can influence your mental state. The whole "if you think it you can do it" is true.

 

Bad things happen to good people. And good things happen to bad people all the time. What's important is YOU. Are you happy with your own actions? Do you feel like you are being fair to yourself (and others)?

 

Commit random acts of kindness - you just never know who you're dealing with or if it will come around (but don't expect it to). Maybe that person who is having a bad day just watched their loved one die. Maybe doing something nice for a stranger is all it takes to lift that person out of absolute depression and give them hope - that the whole world isn't filled with a bunch of assholes.

No. There is no cosmic judge handing out punishments and rewards. If you really believe it I have a pallet of snake oil I'll sell to you, today only, for a great price.

 

But your own thoughts can influence your mental state. The whole "if you think it you can do it" is true.

 

 

 

Plenty of BILLIONAIRE child molesters/rapists/sociopaths out there, no question about it. And they are enjoying every penny.

 

Life isn't fair, the world isn't fair, and there are thousands of children under the age of 10 with inoperable cancers eating away at them to prove it.

 

However, how you handle yourself over the course of your life is ultimately what defines your character and determines your worth to both yourself and to those you love, and that seems more fulfilling a pursuit to me than hoping for the magic justice of karma to come down and exact justice on those who have hurt or wronged us.

 

I call it Karma but look at it a bit differently now that Ive seen lots of things happen to lots of people. In my world I will always do the right thing or at least what I think is right in any situation. Does this mean I should have some great experiences coming in the future..... nope absolutely not. It means that im going to conduct myself better then the next guy most of the time, after all we are all humans and we screw things up all the time.

 

Bad people who cheat, lie, steal and take the easy way out usually will get dealt with and its not by karma, its the rule of odds. At some point your misdoings will put you in a less then favorable position and someone will punch your ticket. Conversely, if you always try to take the high road, practice honesty in your personal life and in business, do right by people the rule of odds will swing in your direction and favorable opportunity's will present themselves in some way, thats what I think people have labeled as karma.

 

Here is a few extreme examples,

 

Look at the Vandersloott kid, hes an idiot murderer that skirted through his first murder charge and got nailed again on the 2nd. Look at OJ, he skirted past his first murder charge to get locked up for some other bs which stems from his standard pattern of misdoings. Its the rule of odds at work and im good with it.

 

We have to make so many decisions each day each month and every year. If you find yourself making bad ones over and over you are going to get called out at some point which could pave the road for a real depressing existence.

 

Life is far to long to shoot from the hip.

 

It only took me 30 years to figure this one out!

Bad people who cheat, lie, steal and take the easy way out usually will get dealt with and its not by karma, its the rule of odds.[

 

Agree, but like everything else in life there are examples both ways.

 

Plenty of outright evil individuals, far beyond simple cheating or lying, are only exposed/receive retribution in their final days...if ever. For every "Vandersloot", there are 3-4 others that get away scott free according to the FBI's latest statistics on crime and punishment.

 

It is what it is, but I like your thought in general.

I always felt that Karma happens...soley because you define it, sort of like failure. If you do something unethical it will always run as a "background task" in your mind and alter various events that take place, causing you to contribute to your own demise (should that make any sense).

there is no right or wrong belief. if you always work hard, do the right thing, and are honest, than your belief is working for you

I know this is a random thread, but I've seem to be having quite a bad week. I'm currently running my parent's business (convinence store in a ghetto area) whilst they are on holidays. The first week has been purely awful. I've had numerous scammers (stopped after being burnt the first time) trying to trick me into providing them with credit/shorchanging and people attempting to steal goods.

 

So far its been a bad experience, yet an eye openning on for what my parents have been through for the past 15 years. I sometimes question myself why do these bad events happen to me, I've always considered myself a decent person who has always contributed to society in the best way (never stolen, contributed to charity, supported friends/family, always respected others), yet I get shot down by these shady people.

 

I've always believed in karma and have reeped returns from my past, but currently its gone whack. Maybe its part of the learning process.

 

Tell us your stories guys.

 

Good people think good things about others, it is then a shock when you learn how nasty a lot of the population can be.

It's not karma just a reality check.

This happens to me from time to time but I would rather be a good person than sink to the bottom of the pile.

I don't believe in any type of meta-physical coordination but it does make sense that people will react better to those who follow the golden rule. That's just common courtesy at work

Thanks for everyone's input (feeling much better as I tend to keep these experiences to myself - not that anyone cares). Never really expected this many replies.

 

The thing that upsets me the most was the fact that all my life I had been working hard and being the best I could be, yet incidents occur out of the blue. A lot of sacrifices were made during my late-teen years such giving my parents a lumpsum gift (there goes my cool car) to help purchase a home in a better neighbourhood, self funding my own education and contributing my own time to helping others. I've always held back on enjoying life/luxuries until the time is right.

 

Yet I see some people who have poor manners and the mentality that the world owes the something, still get by lucky for no apparent reason. I sometimes wonder if being greedy and abusing power is the right way to lead a happy life.

 

I don't live life in a karmic way in which I expect back what I give, its justs my nature of being the nice guy.

 

BTW I'M LOCATED IN AUSTRALIA.

Thanks for everyone's input (feeling much better as I tend to keep these experiences to myself - not that anyone cares). Never really expected this many replies.

 

The thing that upsets me the most was the fact that all my life I had been working hard and being the best I could be, yet incidents occur out of the blue. A lot of sacrifices were made during my late-teen years such giving my parents a lumpsum gift (there goes my cool car) to help purchase a home in a better neighbourhood, self funding my own education and contributing my own time to helping others. I've always held back on enjoying life/luxuries until the time is right.

 

Yet I see some people who have poor manners and the mentality that the world owes the something, still get by lucky for no apparent reason. I sometimes wonder if being greedy and abusing power is the right way to lead a happy life.

 

I don't live life in a karmic way in which I expect back what I give, its justs my nature of being the nice guy.

 

BTW I'M LOCATED IN AUSTRALIA.

 

 

I'm similar to you in that sense, probably more so than it seems, but I had the same thought process as you. Things would start getting good, and something would occur out of the blue that just made no sense. I spent all the energy I had working hard and doing the best I could, and it seemed like it just wasn't working. I did the same thing as you, I helped my parents out in my mid-late teens while in high school (business, house, car etc etc) and still do. I also held back on the luxuries and enjoying it to focus on getting ahead.

 

It's been about 8 - 9 years since, and I'm thinking that perhaps I was wrong in the sense that working smart, hard and being focused on the goal was wrong...as you said, I see others who've managed to make it through in a way I was taught was wrong. For this reason, I stopped being a nice guy for a few years, just to see what would happen...and it was weird...everything changed. People seemed to be better around me, liked me more, I seemed to be better all around (my school marks actually went up, this one I couldn't explain). It seemed like I had to be an asshole just to succeed. Makes no sense, right? Except, it does. When you perceive yourself as being Awesome and act as if you are, then people have no choice to believe that you are and thus follow you on it. You become interesting.

 

Here's the thing, despite that, when you suddenly realize what's going on around you, you realize it's all fake. The people stuck around with you because they felt you had more to offer, so I'd be more prone to getting used (having it happened earlier in life, I was able to stop that), many people weren't there true selves around you, and overall, even though I appeared to have it all...really it was pretty dry and empty. It was fun for a little while, but seemed like it was a giant waste in the end. So I reverted back.

 

My point is those people you see who got ahead, can enjoy the money and whatnot, I'm willing to say that it might be All they have if they got it through using people, lying, cheating or however they did it. It's probably all they have, and it's ONLY on the surface. Sometimes it'll catch up to them, sometimes it doesn't, it depends on the person, but as they get older and are usually alone or in a place where they aren't happy, they'll realize it. Everything they tend to have is PURELY on the surface.

 

It's not Karma, it's just the effects of the life they chose and how they chose to live it. We're in a situation where we may spend our entire lives being nice to everyone and giving till we're pretty much dead, and we may never feel the good returned, because we need to return it to ourselves. The entire thing is really about balance in the end. A proper balance is the key, in my opinion, to being successful in all aspects. Too little too late and you're bound to fail as well as too much too soon. It works like this for everything, health, relationships, business, and personal growth. (Proper balance for someone will be different than it is for another).

 

That's just the way I see it.