It just happens at different times and under different circumstances. Some pain you can prevent. Others are out of your control. But know which is which so you can adjust accordingly.
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Category: Think About It
Keep Your Mind Active
If you have to ask why, it’s already too late.
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Rest
Sometimes you simply need a little rest. You may not always know why, but your mind and body will know.
Some of the more common reasons you’ll need a rest are: reduced sleep over the last 1-5 days, recent physical exertion, minor cold or flu coming on, minor infection somewhere, exhaustion (from long hours working (mental or physical), relief (from stress or after pushing your limits for awhile), ageing and occasionally it comes down to simple dehydration.
Whatever the reason, listen to your body. Have a rest. If the need for rest persists for several days and you can’t attribute it to anything specific, check in with your doctor. You could be low in iron or have something more challenging that needs medical attention.
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Constraints
You can be paid more per hour but you’ll work fewer hours. Or the company will need to reduce staff altogether and you may be one of those affected.
Employees will make more if wages go up, so margins will reduce and shareholders will be affected by reductions in dividends and/or share prices.
There always seems to be easy answers. However, that is rarely the case. Tough decisions need to be made after careful assessment and an understanding of how best to balance the various constraints and options.
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You Never Know
Never? Really? You probably know. You might not want to admit it though.
Face the brutal facts of reality. Assess them. Make a plan. Execute. (The plan…)
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What Was I Thinking!?
This can be so difficult to identify. Have you ever tried to untangle your thoughts and feelings about even a simple sentence said by someone else?
Each word spoken can have different meanings or perspectives and be bound by different time constraints by the speaker or listener. Take the following sentence, for example: “He was so demanding of his children, it seemed cruel at times.”
There are so many ways to look at these words and I will mention a few here. What does “was” mean really? Could it be he was that way once, when the speaker saw it? Perhaps he was like that occasionally, often or always?
The word “demanding” can be used with different context. Demanding can mean high standards and in a good way. I would want the head of engineering at an airline, or my neurosurgeon, to be demanding of their team and tools.
Although, demanding at the other extreme could indicate harshness, cruelty, and unnecessary rigour.
How old or capable are his children? It can make a big difference if they are 3 or 38 years old or have some mental or physical limitations versus someone without those extra challenges.
Whose definition of cruel was being used? Was it challenging in the short term but would be more helpful in the longer term?
So much interpretation can go into one sentence. A person can misunderstand or misinterpret it with relative ease. It would be wise to guard against that. Ask more questions with less judgement or leading commentary.
Trying to understand what someone was thinking is quite different to trying to attribute a thought or sentiment to someone just because it’s what you want to hear and believe, through your biased lens, that that is what they meant.
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Use Your Imagination
When was the last time you used your imagination? Was it for a creative writing exercise? Or perhaps you were finding shapes in the clouds? Have you used it to imagine your life being different or better in some way?
Using your imagination can unleash powerful forces. It may be easiest to demonstrate its power if you think of monsters under your bed or terrible things that could happen with your finances or relationships. Sometimes your imagination can go into overdrive and paralyse you with fear.
Yet it can work for you going the other way too, in a positive direction. You can imagine passing an exam, creating a career you might love, excelling at a sport or decorating your dream home.
Use this super power for good and positive things and you’ll begin to see exciting changes in your life.
To find out more about using your imagination to achieve anything, pick up a copy of my book Achieve Anything. We explore it further in Step 1: Think, and give you some exercises to help you power up. Available on Amazon and other online stores. Head to www.Scottsbook.com for more details.
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Savour What You Have Overcome
We all have to overcome something at some point. We’re actually overcoming many hurdles every day. But do we appreciate what we have achieved or accomplished? Do you recognise the significance of the moment?
Think back to some of the huge hurdles in your life and how you overcame them. Consider what a huge turning point each of those victories became. Savour your victories.
Write out three major things that you have overcome in your life. Read them out two or three times. Savour your victories.
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What Are You Grateful For?
Can you write out a list of 20 things you are grateful for in under five minutes? Try it. Right now.
I am grateful for….
Here are a few ideas to get you started. I am grateful for my good health, all of my formal, school-curriculum education, my spouse and children, my warm house, our comfy furniture and the peaceful country I live in.
The more items you note on the list, the more calm and relaxed you are likely to be. You will realise how great your life is. This isn’t compared to the wealthiest 1% today but rather against the difficult circumstances of living in 621. A life back then was quite different.
So what are you grateful for?…..
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What If You Ruled The World?
Would you be a benign dictator? What demands would you have on others? How would you change things, if at all?
We all like to think we would be just and fair. But often people think they would rule on everything too. Though you wouldn’t have time to gather all the facts of every situation of all 8 billion people.
The world is fairly self-correcting. It isn’t perfect but it is pretty good. You may not get things your way all the time but perhaps that is a good thing.
What one thing, rule, law, situation, etc would you change, enforce or improve?
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