CategoriesActionGratitudeObserveThink About It

Put That Can Back

The environment is an important topic for many. Yet often people will be discussing ways to reduce emissions while drinking. Put that can back! And that bottle of whatever.

People forget that the main cause of pollution and emissions is people consuming things. So look at what you are consuming and reflect on how things could be different.

I’m an advocate of being sensible and practical and reducing all unnecessary consumption. Every time we consume something, it creates a chain of events of disruption, pollutions and emissions. The can or bottle you are holding in your hand while at your own home is likely to be unnecessary.

When I am at home or in an office, I try to drink water from the tap. As much as I would like to have a different drink, I try to use the one that is contributing the least to greenhouse gases. This is often plain tap water.

No kettle required. No heat needed to boil water for a hot drink. It’s very simple. No machines created to dig up metals and minerals. Those materials then aren’t required to become cans or bottles. If they do, they are then filled, shipped and distributed locally. It feels like an awful lot of effort to get some flavoured water in you.

If you actually want to help reduce emissions, put that can back!

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CategoriesActionFinancialHealth & FitnessObserveThink About ItTime

Gen X Will Be skipped

Reading an article yesterday struck a chord. It noted that because Baby Boomers have held onto their jobs so long, that Gen X will be skipped in the career process.

I used to think that all those Baby Boomers would be retired by 60 or 65. They were wiser, better with their money and more aware. Consequently, my overriding thought was that there would be incredible opportunities. Many senior level leadership roles would open up as the ageing work force meant declining numbers available to work.

30 years later it may be that the opposite is true. People are healthier now. They feel they have to work longer as they know they will live longer. They will require more money. Some want to work longer as they enjoy their career and enjoy the experience.

Whatever the reason, Baby Boomers are not retiring as early or as quickly as I had anticipated. This seems to be adding a strange overhang in the market. Without the OG’s retiring or moving on, the Gen X’ers are stuck on the second or third rung with little upward mobility.

There are worse places to be in this world. If they have a nice job and are waiting for the other person to die or at least be sidelined, they may be disappointed. But we will all carry on. Soon roles will open up a plenty. Though it may be the Gen Z’ers that fill them.

Gen X will be skipped.

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CategoriesActionFinancialGratitudeObserveThink About ItTime

When Do You Take The Hit?

Are you a pain now or pain later person? I know it can be a constant debate in my head. The question always remains, ‘When do you take the hit?’.

Should you cut back on your lifestyle for a few years now to live gloriously the rest of your life? Or should you keep it up and find that 60 comes and goes and you keep chugging along until 70 or 80 years old. It’s your choice. Which will you choose?

It is hard to tell which to do. And it often depends on your mood and the situation. I don’t believe anyone likes to give up the excitement of the now for the potential good later. But if we do not do that, we can find ourselves perpetually working. And that doesn’t sound brilliant either.

I believe sometimes you need to take the hit early on so you can thrive later. The conundrum is that if you get the timing off, there is little you can do about it.

So take it on faith and dial back the lifestyle for a few years while you build your wealth. You will be so glad you did. You may even discover how amazing your life is without all the extras in your life.

When do you take the hit?

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CategoriesActionObserveThink About It

Discovery Is Quite Exciting

Think of all of the things that have been discovered. Imagine what else could be discovered! Discovery is quite exciting when you stop to actually think about it.

At one point in our not so distant history, it was common to believe that the world was flat. The acceptable view was that the Sun rotated around the Earth.

It is a funny thing discovery. It is always so exciting for the person discovering. They usually feel like they were the first in the world to discover the thing. When touring a flower garden children and adults alike may quickly move from one item to another to be ‘the first’ to discover an item or the notes next to it.

What is crazy is that almost everything has already been discovered. So, very few things are an actual real find for the very first time. At least in everyday life. Under a microscope, things may be a little different.

So there is discovering what and then also discovering how. For example, when jumping off a small ledge, we may discover gravity acting upon us. So the what is the gravity. How gravity works is a much more involved and detailed exercise.

It doesn’t matter if you were first or the most recent finder. Nor does it matter if it is new to you or new to everyone.

Regardless, discovery is quite exciting.

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CategoriesActionGratitudeObserveThink About It

Shifting Your Focus

It can seem odd, natural or fantastic. When you are trying something new, it can be a little uncomfortable. Shifting your focus from one space to another can leave most people wanting a way out.

People make big shifts all the time. It just might not seem like it. We all made a significant shift when we left secondary school. Whether you left in year 7 or after A levels, your next move would have felt like a big one. You may have gone to work, or out as an apprentice or maybe even off to university.

Regardless of where you went, the focus shifted. The standards changed. Your perception of yourself and the perceptions others had of you changed. You might have been considered a school leaver or thought of as university bound. It can be hard to reconcile your new description or tag. Sometimes in life, we won‘t like the description we have been given.

It does not matter though. You need to move on faster, both mentally and in the physical realm. The sooner you can adjust your lenses, the easier you may find it comfortable.

I have been shifting in many ways over the years. From banking, to a corporate role, to a property investor, to a full time Dad, to an author, blogger and now content creator on YouTube. All of these new skills and opportunities.

Shifting your focus can bring lots of excitement into your life.

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CategoriesActionGratitudeProgressThink About It

Working Together Is Great

Working on your own is ok. Sometimes it can be good, fun and challenging. However, working together is great! Especially when you enjoy their company, work ethic and standard.

I’ve been working with Alex Cooper and Roxane Brazeau quite a bit recently. It’s been a lot more work in the last week, especially on the YouTube #shorts I have been putting out. Jaime Nyland and Chris Kasgorgis have also been offering support, useful data and great observations.

Who you work with can shift depending on the project and people’s availability. Try to surround yourself with helpful people. Especially those that are slightly obsessive about the topic. It helps to raise everybody’s game, which is helpful in itself.

Think about where you can find the high level players in your field. They don’t need to be the most famous either. Sometimes people with a small following know as much or more than the ones with large followings. It really depends on who is more focused on gathering the information from a variety of sources. And also, who can assess it quickly and effectively too.

When you find a good group of people to bounce ideas off of and raise your game, make sure to keep in touch frequently. Sometimes the next project comes along and the team disperses. Enjoy it while you can.

Working together is great.

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CategoriesActionGratitudeObserveReframe your thoughtsThink About It

Help Your Friends

If everyone did a little bit to help people they knew, everyone would be getting some help. Help your friends when you can. You may not be able to assist all the people in town, but you can make a difference to some.

It could be a simple phone call or sending them something you found online. Other times you may need to lend them your car or make room in your house when they visit. Towards the more extreme, you may hire them or let someone sleep on your sofa for a few weeks or months.

We don’t always know which bit of help will be of most use. But it is quite probable that most of it will be.

Life’s challenges can pile up on people. They don’t always know how to ask for things, especially help. Try your best to notice the signs and signals of growing distress. A little intervention at the beginning can be most useful.

Often a few choice words at the right time, with the right intent, is enough. Usually people know what the problem is. More frequently, they know the solution to that problem too. Regardless, any help at the right time can be invaluable.

Be observant, empathetic and kind. And help your friends.

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CategoriesActionGoals, Results & New ThinkingGratitudeHealth & FitnessObserveProgressReframe your thoughtsThink About ItTime

Embrace Your Future Self

It is hard to be an adventurer, exploring new realms, when your feet won’t leave the comfortable shoreline. Embrace your future self and ride headlong into the exciting world you are seeing for yourself.

There seems to be three main aspects involved in changing your life. The first one is simply recognising where you would like to be. The second one is deciding you are going to get there from where you are. Finally, you need to see yourself at the finish line and truly be that person.

One of the most difficult parts about change is truly being that person at the finish line. We can be hesitant, uncertain and uncomfortable. This may be for several reasons or just one. However, the quicker you can mentally and emotionally become that future person, the sooner you will be there physically too.

It makes sense too. If you would like to be driving a red Porsche, you will need to start thinking of it. The more you can clearly see yourself sitting behind the wheel, the more likely it is to happen. Your mind will shift nicely from ‘not’ to ’fully bought’. In doing this journey, even if only in our head, the easier it is for the mind to accept it as true.

Once something is true, it will be.

Embrace your future self.

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CategoriesActionObserveThink About ItTime

A Crazy Busy Week

Ever had one of those? I am sure you have. Trying to jam in so many things. Some were booked, some were not. Regardless, a crazy busy week was had.

Many people will start out with a good plan. Well paced workloads will have a certain set of expectations around them. We might even add in some contingency time for unexpected items that pop up onto our radar. Despite all that good planning, sometimes things go south. Or great opportunities arise.

Either way, we can find ourselves up against the clock and burning the candle at both ends. Not the best situation but sometimes you just have to make hay while the sun shines. (I couldn’t resist an old farming reference).

How do you deal with a week like that? Do you re-book meetings, delegate workloads, drop things or recalibrate the priority list? Perhaps you do something completely different. Let me know in the comments below as I am genuinely interested in hearing the myriad ways that different people navigate a busy week.

I think I did a combination of all of the above. In addition, some things were simply forgotten in the mad rush. It is not ideal but sometimes life is just like that.

Hopefully next week is not such a crazy busy week.

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CategoriesActionProgressReframe your thoughtsThink About It

Shine On!

Life is full of ups and downs. So when you are on the way up, enjoy every minute of it. Enjoy the excitement and exhilaration. Shine on!

The compound, or snowball effect, works both ways. If things are getting worse, it can continue getting worse at an accelerating pace. However, if things are going well, life can explode in an upward trajectory.

Tuesday was one of those days. There was a mix of things happening. Though, I did have some great things happen and it seems to be snowballing upward so far. Long may that continue!

It is easier to maintain higher energy and an upbeat vibe when things are going well. This in turn will also attract other positive things and people toward you. People like to be around someone who is winning. It is a fun and wonderful thing to be a part of.

So throw on a smile and walk with your shoulders back. Get a little swagger going too. Feel like you are having the best day of your life. Breathe it in. Hold on to that feeling.

If you can keep your thoughts positive and your body strong, you will win the day. Try it.

Shine on!

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