Progress. From any level. In any area.
If Brushing your teeth ensures the removal of plaque, which the primary cause for tooth decay and gum disease. It also slows the build-up of plaque formation. So why in the world would a person not brush their teeth?………………………………. Beats me! Here is the thing. There are people who don’t. There many people including you and I that don’t do things that we know we should and are good for us. I really hope brushing your teeth is not one of them. (Ewww) Focus on the goal, not the task. When there task that needs to be done but we would really not do, we focus all our attention on the task. If by some unknown force we manage to do what needs to be done, we negatively motivate ourselves into a mild depression. That is a recipe for doom. Instead FOCUS ON THE GOAL, NOT THE task. Don’t focus on the fact that you need to brush your teeth. Focus on the benefits of brushing your teeth. Instead of focusing on the task of writing reports. Focus on the benefits of the report. Don’t focus on the rock, focus on the gold. Don’t focus on the broom, focus on the clean home and workspace. Don’t focus on brushing your teeth, focus on the fresh breath. Focus on keeping your teeth beautiful. Focus on just keeping your teeth! Okay seriously now, brush your teeth! If you would like to know more about building confidence in whatever area of your life you want. Follow this link to a free resource: https://mailchi.mp/9c337fe13c6c/361mindset-unshakeable-confidence
“One must always be aware, to notice. Even though the cost of noticing is to become responsible.” Thylias Moss Those who know what to look for, win. Those who understand what is important and what is not. Let me put it this way. A new driver is flooded with information that he or she has to process. The driver has not yet learnt to deal with all the information being thrown their way and attend to them in sequence. To prioritise actions. The experienced driver has an advantage. He or she knows what to ignore and in what moment to ignore it. A real estate expert can value property by looking at what is important. Not needing to go into every single room. They know what to take note of and observe and what to ignore. In this century there is no shortage of information. Some of our problems have shifted from not knowing what to do. But rather, what to ignore and in what order to do things. When you learn the skill of observing what is relevant, what is important. You have an advantage over those who have all the information they need, but no idea what to do with it. Find a coach, a mentor. Someone who can teach you to observe what is important and ignore what irrelevant to the goal you are aiming for.
Understand. There is more than one way to skin a cat. (I have never anyone who would want to) Almost everyone has a future state that they would like to see themselves. This can be from a financial, spiritual, physical or in various other ways. What ever the state, there is more then one way to achieve it. It all depends on your personal beliefs, attitude, strengths and weakness. Success is different to everyone. It is even different to you at different times in your life. It is important for you to understand what success means to you. The future state that you would like to see yourself in. More often then not we adopt what other peoples idea of success is to them. It happens far more sub-consiously then we may be aware of, or admit to ourselves. It is near impossible these days to not be influenced by external media. However we have more power than we may realise, to decide who it is we will listen to. We have the power to add significance to what we decide to listen to. We as people need to understand ourselves. Where we are now, where we want to go. How we will get there. Who do we decide to listen to and be lead by more deeply.
Most diets are difficult to complete, then once completed all your achievements turn their back on you. Train! Diets are for the lukewarm. Training is for the determined. Train your body, train your mind. Even train people how to treat you. When you train, you have a definitive goal in your mind. It gives you a more defined reason, a clear “why”. A concrete reason. Training helps you to find ways of getting and staying fit, physically, emotionally and in any other area, you are working on. Remaining fit calls for a lot of consideration and self-reflection to be successful. Now with the longer life expectancy of human beings as compared to the pre-modern age. More mnemonics and acronyms have been developed by dieticians, psychologists, coaches and scientists to aid folks on having a guide to staying healthy. One of these would be the ABC’s of remaining fit, a very easy, yet effective way of adding to the long list of formulas to maintain being healthy. “A” stands for abstinence. Abstinence should be exercised by the individual in passing up the things that would not make him fit. Abstinence on a great level is expected of the individual should he wish to start staying fit and keep up being fit. Abstinence ought to be the basis of any person to serve as a disciplinary concept. Without the discipline to recognize when to say no, it would prove difficult to stay away from things that are bad for you. “B” Is for Be Faithful “B” represents “Be Faithful”. Being faithful is being able to resist temptation and maintain focus on your objective of remaining fit. It does not imply that you totally become a no-nonsense robot who only distinguishes black from white. But rather you know that you can do anything, but you can’t do everything. Decide on a path and give it your all. “C” Is For Care You are more than just your weight or fitness level. You are complete and competent as you are. Take care of yourself and realise that you are not a loser trying to be a winner. You are already a winner for getting in the fight. The fight to get and stay fit. Fitness in mind, body and spirit. The fight to enjoy your body and life much longer than most men. The ABC’s of remaining fit is a very elementary concept for anyone to grasp should they wish to seek a better healthier state or maintain an already good one. It is a personal choice. The extent of its success lies on the amount of effort that the individual puts in each letter of this simple mnemonic.
Something in the water? Because everyone is talking about spirituality and the law of attraction. Spirituality loosely correlates to the term “Universal Law of Attraction”. It is no wonder that the law of attraction is seen by some as the basis of living on this earth. Have you ever thought of something and expected the thing to happen by it? Alternatively, have you ever expected the genie to understand your needs and bring for you the same? It would have been a magical thing or too good a thing if such things happened in life. However, to make such magical things happen in life, you cannot expect others to work for you. To let the magic happen, you have to do the magic yourself. You have to work! Work is not and does not have to be an obligation. Rather it is an honour. The opportunity to work and the absolute blessing of being able to work is something we do not acknowledge enough. For those of us that are lucky to have work. We must understand that we do not have to work. Rather, we have the opportunity to work. Therefore, if you want access to the power of the Universal Law of Attraction, then first you need to be clear of your thoughts and actually work. That is, you have to be specific to your needs. This should not be a vague specification, but a very accurate one. For instance, if your need is a job, then be specific of the kind of job you want, which sector, which position, what salary range and so on. The more specific you are in your needs, the more you are likely to get success with the law of spirituality and hard work toward achieving your goal. After being specific, visualize your wanting and put it into action! Then, after you achieve your wants, it is the time to hold that achievement for long. Therefore, to hold on that achievement, you have to appreciate yourself at least once a day. Finally yet importantly, do not let the negative emotions come to your mind. Thus, you work attaining spirituality with the law of attraction.
Not one person on our blue and green miracle we call home is standing still. Not one. The world and all the celestial bodies are in a state of constant motion. We, like those heavenly bodies, are moving. We are not standing still. Figuratively and in actuality. The world is changing and growing so fast that if you are not moving forward in whatever aspect of your life you believe is important, you are moving backwards. You either grow or you cease to be. Grow or perish. Run forward or slide backwards. There is no still. Look into your life. What areas do you notice where there has been no growth. Do not include those that have grown a little. By inches, millimetres or whatever metric of measurement you use. You will find those areas have actually regressed. Growth is life. However, those areas that have not moved, you will find, have regressed. Nothing stays still. Growth does not have to be staggering. Even the small amounts make a big difference. There should just be a positive or desired change. Even what seems like maintenance is growth. This is true, especially in your relationships. Take the time to spend time with those you hold dear. This seems like maintaining the relationship. The result is growth. Define what is important in your life. Define your vision for it. What do you want to see it become? Create a plan. Then work on it. The best way you can. Make sure it can grow.
We all acquire habits in life. Some consciously and others subconsciously. Some good and others, detrimental. However, there are some habits that fall in the grey area. Their worth is determined by the phase of life you are in. There are habits that once were of great value and help at a point in your life. However, are no longer so. As all things in life. Where there is no growth. There is death. Our habits need to evolve and change as we do. What got you to where you are today is not necessarily what will keep you there or move you forward! If you identify habits in your life that have reached either their expiry date or their evolution date. Then it is time to take the necessary steps for growth. As always consistency is key. Start small. Stary slowly. Just start.
Perfection. We all want it in our lives. To feel as though we are sane and feel that we are making a difference. We are all chasing some form of perfection in one or all areas of our lives. If you are foolish enough to chase perfection, you will find yourself on the treadmill of death (which is what treadmills were originally made for!). It is only through progress, not perfection that we achieve our ideals. First and foremost, try and grade yourself. This means assessing your traits and behaviors. Know your weak and strong points. You can even borrow the S.W.O.T. analysis from the business world. This stands for strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats. Jot down these items on a piece of paper and list them down based on your life and how you live it. Remember your past experiences and reactions; let them help you come down with a complete and sincere list. It also helps to ask those closest to you. We can sometime fool ourselves into thinking too much or too little of ourselves. This way, you will know where an improvement is needed. Secondly, accept the results of the assessments. Do not be in denial! If you find that you are easily angered, accept it and start thinking of ways to improve on that. Do not start looking for excuses and scapegoats. I know most of us find it difficult to accept that we are on the wrong. This is perfectly normal for human beings; it is how we are. Nevertheless, the best thing to do is to overcome it. After you accept that, you are on the wrong, build up a positive mentality inside you. There is no wrong in the face of the world that cannot be corrected. All it takes is accepting that you are wrong and showing determination to correct it. Actually, a positive mentality is the key to self-improvement. People tend to give up hope while in the process claiming that they are way past correction. One thing that they never remember is that nobody is perfect. If there was, he or she would have been a superhero. Keep on keeping on, do not give up! However, do not overdo it. This never ends up well. Live your ordinary life but in an improved manner.
It was good pizza. I saved a slice for the cops! We tend to do more of what we are motivated to do. What we do more of, we gain greater competency! Are you competent in your profession? Are you in the top 10 per cent? Do you enjoy what you do? There is a correlation. Do you have the competency to better your daily living and overall human existence, or do you lack this character? To better personal living you have to discover competence to take charge. In life, we have inner coaches, counsellors, etc that help us to accomplish things in life. We likewise have helpful authorities in the world who will take the time to help those who find it hard to self-help. You have a lot of options and resources available to you. Competency is earned. An individual with competence will take what they learn and utilize it to solve different states of affairs in their life. A competent individual always sees the new light at the end of every tunnel. When a man has competence, he feels joyous. A joyous man will consider every incident, experience and so forth in life as something they may learn from. The individual will take the bad; see new light and continuing learning from his or her errors. He will continually grow.
Every year we celebrate another year of life. We make special plans for the day and appreciate knowing that on this one day in the year, our life becomes the focus of the significant people with who we are privileged to share our life. There is a child inside all of us when it comes to the celebration of our birthday, with its sense of fun, of friendship and of celebration of all that is good. Someone once said that it is a shame that we can’t have a birthday every day. How true are those words? We put so much time and energy into preparations for that day. Imagine if every day of our lives was spent with the same feeling of preparation and anticipation. Seize the Day is a saying made popular in movies, but it’s equally applicable in our lives. When was the last time you lived each day as if it was potentially your last day on this earth and packed it full of experiences, celebrations, friendship and fun? We often let days pass without really thinking too much about how we spend them. Weeks pass without us realizing how many wasted opportunities we have let slip past us because we are so focused on surviving the day and all we try to pack into it. Try to refocus your life this week. Take a few minutes at the beginning of the week to put a plan into action that reflects the things and the people that are important to you. Create some short-term goals of things you would like to see accomplished with week and plan a celebration with family and friends for a week from today. As each day ends, look at the goals or the ideas you had for that day and ask yourself if you accomplished them. Reflect on how they affected you and what they added to your life and how good they made you feel. Allow your inner self to be reborn as you reflect with excitement the beautiful butterfly you saw when you went on your walk or the delightful coffee you had with a work colleague you hadn’t seen in a while. As the weekends, call your family and friends around you and celebrate together not just your birthday, but also your week of rebirth days, and make this a life habit.
It seems like a little thing. Until it is a big enormous monster out of your control. Anxiety. This is a really big problem for a lot of people out there. It does not have to be like that. You can go on the offence. The first step is honesty. Be honest to yourself about what has been happening to you. The best way is to take offence the moment you start to feel anxious. Anxiety presents itself in many various forms. From excessive sweating to heart palpitations. Take time to learn how your body responds to anxiety. Learn how to recognise it the moment it begins. Anxiety is associated with depression and can have disastrous effects on those affected. Unfortunately the more you ignore it, the greater the effects. If you are in a place where you feel it is completely out of control. Seek professional help. Get the help you need and reclaim your life. If it is still the milder kind. The kind that is not consistently present but presents itself when you do something you don’t particularly want to do, but r need to do. You can go on the offence. There are various strategies across the internet about steps one can take. From meditation to yoga to how you relate to people, to the way you sleep and even your environment. Find what works for you. You can win this fight. The first step is honesty with yourself.
“One must always be aware, to notice. Even though the cost of noticing is to become responsible.” Thylias Moss Those who know what to look for, win. Those who understand what is important and not. Let me put it this way. A new driver is flooded with information that he or she has to process. The driver has not yet learnt to deal with all the information being thrown their way and attend to them in sequence. To prioritise actions. The experienced driver has an advantage. He or she knows what to ignore and in what moment to ignore it. A real estate expert can value a property by looking at what is important. Not needing to go into every single room. They know what to take note of and observe and what to ignore. In this century there is no shortage of information. Some of our problems have shifted from not knowing what to do. But rather, what to ignore and in what order to do things. When you learn the skill of observing what is relevant, what is important. You have an advantage over those who have all the information they need, but no idea what to do with it. Find a coach, a mentor. Someone who can teach you to observe what is important and ignore what irrelevant to the goal you are aiming for.
What is self-image? Philosophers and later psychologists have been discussing without a clear unified answer. Apparently the simple answer of “It is how we see ourselves” lacks. For me, it is enough. What is of far greater significance to me is what is the self-image we have of ourselves. Many people have a negative self-image of themselves. It is one of life’s great tragedies. But it does not always start off like that. As children, we naturally have a positive or at the very least, a neutral self-image of ourselves. Unfortunately, something or somethings happen that change that. It leads us down the erroneous path that we are less than what we initially thought. It is erroneous because as we grow we try things and fail. Not realising that failure is a process, Never the result. It is never the result unless you stop trying. Do yourself a favour and look at any successful person. Living or dead. They do not have to be recently dead. From any century in any society. Success is almost always preceded by failure. Failure is part of the process. Never the result, unless we stop trying.
Mastery of self will help you achieve all that you want to accomplish. It is that simple and uncomplicated. One of the great virtues in life is confidence. Confidence is everywhere we look. Right now, you are confident that the sun will rise tomorrow. Confident that there will be electricity, water and food to eat. Even at work. You are confident that you will get paid at the end of the month. We need to have that same confidence in ourselves. The same confidence that we put in the government and our employer. We can place that same confidence in ourselves. I am Christian and have my faith firmly in the Lord. That has allowed me to show confidence in most areas of my life. We are all blessed with different gifts. Even those blessed with the same gift, express it their unique way. Now for the good stuff. I promise you. One of the best things you can do for yourself is to foster an indomitable spirit. I spirit that does not give up. That’s it. Winners in life are not the tallest, strongest or even fastest. They are the guys that do not give up. Build your confidence in your decision to not give up. Ever. This does not require talent, skill or practice. Make a commitment to yourself to never give up on your goals. You can have the life you have always wanted.
“Plans are nothing. Planning is everything” D.D. Eisenhower We all have a plan. If you have not taken the time to create a plan, then your plan is to fail. Yep. Sorry. If you have created plans in the past that did not work out, does not excuse you from making further plans. In fact, you are in a better position because the old plan has more information that you can use you to create a better one. If that one fails, create another. Then another. Then another. You get the idea. Then eventually……..success. Cliché but true. If you fail to plan, then you plan to fail. The Eisenhower quote above is deeper then what it may appear. Plans often don’t survive reality. However, the planning itself reveals more than one way to achieve a goal. So even if the initial plan where to be obsolete. The action of planning has revealed alternatives that would otherwise not been discovered. More often than not, the mere task of planning will reveal better, easier and more efficient ways. Those who are committed to a goal and work hard at it without a plan. Find themselves tired. After working for months but only a few days result to show for it. Do not be a hamster on a fast wheel to nowhere. Plan and live.
Nice and slowly. Why the rush? Does the speed with which we do things actually affect the result. Well, the answer is yes. The rate at which things are done does vastly affect the outcome. Cook one egg at a high temp and another at a low temperature. The result is that both eggs are cooked but taste differently. The difference is the speed, the rate the eggs were cooked at. The temperature. The speed. We live our lives at an incredibly fast rate. Far faster than previous generations. We can see the result of this in modern society. We see it in sickness, anxiety, depression, quick temper etc. Slow down! Those who live life in a sustainable way often achieve more than those who try and rush through it. By sustainable I mean healthy. The rate at which they live their life does not harm them or those around them. I have often seen and you may have as well. It seems the slower something happens the longer it lasts. Losing weight, building confidence, building a career. You can have a life where you achieve your goals. A live where those goals will be a foundation to bigger ones, not yet in your field of vision. This can be done. In the time you want. Make a plan, stick to it. Enjoy the process.
The difference between a plan and a dream is a date. Heard that one before? …….Well, it's still true. Goal setting has been simplified to just wishful thinking. There is a way to do it and a way to fool yourself into thinking that you are doing it. First and foremost you need to put your plan down on paper. It does not have to be physical paper, digital works. But some form of physical works so much better. A note that you place in your hands daily serves as a daily reminder. It keeps you focused. A note that lists the goal of your plan and nothing else. A phone is far to multi-purpose and can distract you. You could write it down there and never see it again. Your goal and nothing else but your goal on that paper carries far more weight. Literally. You can write the plan for your goal on other mediums. But the goal must be on paper. Paper, you carry daily. Understand this” No plan survives first contact with the enemy” That is a military quote. To bring it home to the everyday world. No plan survives reality. It will change. The goal must not. However the tactic can change depending on the near-infinite randomness of reality. Your plan needs to be broken down into daily tasks. Something you do daily. No matter what. You must do something in relation to your goal on a daily basis. Even if it is of a nature that things must be done by an external party. You can visualize the outcome on a daily basis. Your goals must be tied down to more than just think. You must believe in it. A focused mind is not a focused mind. If you find confusion in your plan. Go back to it and work it again.
The benefits of meditations are staggering and well documented. This is not another rant about the benefits and techniques of meditation. This is from a different point of view. How we all meditate. We just don’t realise it. Whether you close your eyes, assume a mantra. Place your body in a particular position or the likes. The effects can be felt. Among the many techniques of meditation, I have always found a theme that is present, without fault. Pause. You need, to pause. Regardless of the length. You need to pause. Take a breath and direct your thoughts. Pause. If you have the inclination, you will find what I have said to be true among the various forms of meditation with some research. However pausing, taking a deep breath and focusing on whatever you wish is not new. We step outside and get fresh air all the time. We pause to reflect before making a decision. We meditate without calling it meditation. We should now, just do more of it.
Why more sleep allows you to get more done, in less time. It is not a guilty pleasure.
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