Category: parenting

On happiness, gratitude, and perspective

Your worst day is NOT that bad. Keep that in mind whenever you feel down.

Tomorrow is a new day, a new beginning. It’s a new opportunity to do what you were supposed to do, to act how you want to act, to say what you need to say.

You have been blessed with so much in this life. Do not take it for granted. After you take a few deep breaths, reflect on what you are grateful for. Pray, if that’s what you’re into. Or meditate if you prefer. Regardless, the better you are able to frame your life/keep things in the proper perspective, the happier you’ll be.

Four items where it’s worth it to pay more…

Things to not cheap out on:

1. A bed – you spend ~8 hours per night on this (1/3rd of your life)

2. A work chair/standing desk – you spend ~8 hours per day on/around this (1/3rd of your life)

3. Your shoes – you’re probably in these ~10+ hours per day (at work, when you’re working out, going to the store, etc)…these should provide comfort and support for your feet. If they look good and feel good, you’ll probably feel good too

4. Toilet paper – because cheap toilet paper is the worst…

If you buy single ply toilet paper I will think less of you
Why does single ply toilet paper even still exist?

Don’t sweat the small stuff

Learning to ignore things is one of the great paths to inner peace.
“Learning to ignore things is one of the great paths to inner peace.” — Robert J. Sawyer

Admit it, sometimes you get worked up over things that actually don’t matter. You get mad at the driver who was texting instead of paying attention that the light turned green a full TWO seconds ago! Or that someone performed a task that was not up to your standards. Or that maybe you didn’t live up to to someone else’s standards…

Regardless of the scenario, I think we tend to make things out to be bigger than they actually are. That’s society today. Even the news, which people used to turn to for “unbiased” facts have become opinion shows that catastrophize every little story to make it more exciting or to make it seem like the sky is falling. That’s how they get more views, better ratings, and more advertisement dollars, after all.

But what if we decided to take a different approach. Instead of paying attention to the trivial stuff – the stuff that doesn’t matter – what if we just left it alone? If we learn to either ignore those things altogether OR we reframe them and see them for what they actually are (non-important events that won’t affect our lives), we will find much more inner peace.

Follow this simple rule…if you won’t remember this specific event in five years, don’t waste five minutes of your time thinking about it. In the grand scheme of life, we need to focus on what is essential to us. What brings us the most joy? Who matters most in our lives? Spend time doing those things and being with those people. Don’t waste your time getting into social media arguments. Let the little things go.

Random thoughts

A few simple tips to live by…

Be kind, but don’t be a pushover.

Be content, but never stop striving to be better.

Be humble in winning, but gracious in losing.

Be confident, but not arrogant.

Be a good listener, but don’t be afraid to speak up.

Forgive, but don’t forget.

Find a way to positively contribute to others every single day.

Lastly, don’t pay attention to how others think or feel about you. That’s their issue. This is not to confuse being mean or rude to others. Do what you believe to be right, which includes treating others with respect and being nice. But don’t change who you are or how you act because you think people will respond better to it. Most people will like you more for being genuine, which means you’ll make mistakes sometimes, but at least you’re not a robot. At least you’ll be real. And if you do make a mistake or realize you’ve wronged someone, own up to it. Apologize.

Finding Success

How do you find success? Figure out what it is that most people know they should be doing, then do it.

For example, how do you get a six pack or get into the best shape of your life? You eat well and exercise regularly. But in order to really stand out from everyone else, you have to do what very few people are willing to do. The same can be said for anything in business as well. That which is difficult often does not have many people do it. Or people are willing to do it for a short period of time but don’t stick with it.

Hard work performed with focus, integrity, and perseverance will take you a long way. The more specific you are, the better results you will see. Focus completely on mastering one or two things first before trying to do everything. Otherwise you are more likely to be mediocre at everything you’re trying.