Your guide to a healthier perspective of life
It’s not that life is short; it isn’t. It’s that we waste so much time doing things that we don’t want to be doing.
How can you maximize your enjoyment (play) while also meeting your need to achieve personal goals, contributing to the well-being of others, and not feeling the stresses of modern life?
Take the time to fill out this diagram. As you can see, not everything will overlap. It may be very difficult to find your purpose, but if you do, your life will be like a dream come true.
Knock down/remove as many barriers as possible to achieve success. But make sure you’re the one removing the obstacles and not just letting someone do the hard work for you.
The more barriers you have, the less likely you are to reach your goal. For example, say you want to lose 50 lbs. If you don’t have workout attire, you’re less likely to go…
If you live far away from the gym you chose to be a member…
If you don’t have a support system/someone to hold you accountable…
If you are surrounded by junk food (you have it in your house, you go down the aisle in the store with it, etc.)…
REMOVE BARRIERS.
Enjoy your time in the present. You can’t change the past and if you dwell too much on it, you can fill your head with regret (from negative memories) or longing (from nostalgic memories). But regardless of what you’re thinking about, if you spend too much time on it, you’re not making new memories. Be present so you can strengthen your current relationships and create new, meaningful memories.
Just as you can’t change the past, you also cannot control the future. There are so many variables outside of what you can influence. Focusing too much on outside factors or on things that might happen can cause you to feel a lot of anxiety.
Once again, the key is to return to the present. You can only control the thoughts you tell yourself and actions you take today. And no matter how smart we think we are, nobody knows what tomorrow will bring. Not only that, but we are not guaranteed to be here tomorrow. That’s why you have to balance your actions to maximize living your best life – setting up your future self to succeed, but also enjoying your life today.
Be present. Put things in perspective. It’s important to enjoy life today, to spend time with loved ones, to have regular conversations with friends, and to play a little each day. Life is good as long as you don’t let it overwhelm you.
Below is a list of attributes I want for myself and to instill in my children:
Perseverance, optimistic, not easily discouraged/embarrassed, not afraid of failing, mentally and physically tough, setting a goal and working towards it, ok with asking questions, hungry to learn, love competition, focused on the most important next action steps, forward thinking, not procrastinating, curious, willing and able to give effort every day, love and enthusiasm for life, understand big picture concepts, think outside the box, grateful, happy, kind to others
And this is a list I want to avoid:
Complainer, negative, judgmental, rude, entitled, lazy, can’t think for yourself, not willing to try/learn new things
I’m sure there are more items I can add to both lists, but this is the general gist of what I strive for everyday. The other key is to surround yourself with people who share similar values. You become the average of the people you hang out with most. Don’t let it be someone who only brings negative drama to your life.
Whether you feel happy, sad, neutral, or mad with the election results of the 2020 Presidential race, remember one thing. What happens in your house is more important than what happens in the White House.
The President, no matter which party he/she is affiliated with, will not save you, nor will he/she ruin you. You control your own fate. The decisions you make will have the greatest influence on how your life turns out. Why would you give that power to anyone else? Take ownership of what happens for you – good or bad.
If you like the results you’re getting, then continue doing what you’ve been doing. If you don’t like the results you’ve seen so far, change what you’re doing. And if you’re really unhappy? Just know that you’re going to have to work your tail off to get to where you want to go. Nothing matters as much as determination, grit, perseverance, and having a positive attitude. All of those things won’t always be easy, but if they were, everyone would do it.