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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CategoriesActionObserve

All Creators And No Consumers

Social media content creation is to the 21st century as radio was to the 20th century. It’s early but rapidly growing. Imagine all creators and no consumers.

Now that creating content for social media channels and platforms is virtually no cost, it is within the grasp of the majority of the people on the planet.

This mass distribution method is not only effective in distributing news and opinion, almost anyone can do it. If nearly anyone can do it, well that is interesting.

What if we get to the point where we simply live, post and share it? There is no time to consume content. If we are all mini media moguls, churning out our perspective on the world, the full continuum of thoughts could be represented. But what if we were so busy creating and posting that we couldn’t read the posts of others?

What an interesting world we could be living in.

All creators and no consumers.

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CategoriesActionFinancialGratitudeTime

Stay Focused On Your Plan

There are two levels to this. We are able to spend our time in a variety of ways. Some good and some less so. Stay focused on your plan to progress your highest priorities.

It can be so easy to get distracted. And it can be easy enough to think there is nothing you can do for a situation. You might even think that you can do something but it might not truly progress your highest priorities. Make sure you play the best game possible and forget about the rest.

Should you spend your time and energy on arguing that someone has done something unjust? Or are you better to simply start making the situation better in any way that you can?

In addition, do you help someone because you can, or no one because none of the others get the benefit of your help? Should you help some children because you are able to? Or should you wait until you can help all children equally?

People tend to have thoughts like these everyday. Some will freeze and do nothing. Others will go off trying to change something in the past. Your highest priority, however, should be to stick to your vision and work towards that alone. Ignore the naysayers. Brush off the trolls and critics.

Stay focused on your plan.

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CategoriesActionGratitudeHealth & FitnessReframe your thoughtsWeightWeight loss

Keeping Fit Is Essential

There are a lot of reasons why you should want to be as fit as possible. From feeling better, moving well, and feeling confident, keeping fit is essential. At least it is for me.

Maybe growing up in a house with a type 1 diabetic, made me more aware of the role of food and exercise in our lives. Maybe my Dad’s high level of physical activity was a great role model for me. Eating healthy was important. Not paying attention to food and exercise and how it affects you was potentially lethal.

Food wasn’t simply an eat all you want, of any kind, until you’re bursting. And exercise was premeditated and planned. Training for the Montreal Marathon in the early 80’s could have been a disaster. However, thankfully it was not.

Keep fit by walking more, with a friend or with a podcast or audio book. Perhaps you could develop a love for running too. Clubhouse is also excellent to listen to, or even participate in, while being active. You could do 200 pushups a day as well.

But even more important than the exercise is your consumption. Learn to observe, investigate and monitor your food intake. Sleep is the other major challenge for many people. Getting enough sleep can be critical.

Keeping fit is essential. Don’t let your one and only body go to waste.

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CategoriesActionObserveReframe your thoughts

The Masses Have Power

This is where we are headed. The internet, when allowed to be used openly, is a great place to build understanding. The masses have power that they are only beginning to realise.

The ability to organise, persuade, speak to and learn from large groups of people has become much easier. Combining the mobile phone, the internet and some curiosity, should create a fascinating mix.

The current mix is in Clubhouse, which I know I have mentioned here before. Anyone not taking complete opportunistic advantage of this simple yet powerful platform is missing out.

It’s new. It’s exciting. And, it’s free to use if you have an iPhone. The power it has given to the regular Joe is quite incredible. Few people have heard of the app and still fewer have jumped on it. He who hesitates is lost, or last in this case.

When you have the power to make groups, solve problems with the greatest minds, cross borders and build a better world, you should move quickly. Few times in life do all the stars align so that you can prosper. So when this happens, you need to strike.

The masses have power. What will they (you!) do with it.

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CategoriesActionObserveProgressReframe your thoughts

Get Into The Groove

Oh I love that feeling when you’re in that state of flow. When everything is clicking and you’re set to go go go. Get into the groove has a real feeling of being at one with something. It is not just a mid-80’s pop song.

Right now things are going very well. Not much sleep, but a lot of fun and getting a lot of interesting new things done. It is so much easier to glide through a day on little sleep when you are really enjoying things.

It is also easier to push through any challenges. Sometimes they don’t even feel like real challenges.

Getting into this state is not always easy. However, like anything else, with a little practice you can start making it happen more frequently. One of the key insights is to not try too hard to make it happen. You need to let it happen, or flow, naturally.

For me, I know that if I try to slow it down or analyse what I am doing, I make it clunky. So if I am walking with a glass of water and then think I need to be more careful, it can backfire. I can get so caught up in trying to make sure all is fine, that I can then spill it. Strange but true.

Get into the groove. And try to spend more time there.

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CategoriesActionGratitudeProgressReframe your thoughtsTime

Keep The Faith

We will all find difficult moments in life. Sometimes the challenges seem too many and last too long. Keep the faith. Work towards a brighter future and as sure as winter turns to spring, things will improve.

Life can be tough. It sure can have its moments. Though sometimes these moments seem to drag on for a long while. On top of that, other elements combine to make it all seem even worse.

But when you are confident that better days are ahead, it fills you with the resilience you need to press on. Face the music and the brutal facts of reality and then imagine your way out and onto a better path.

You can lean on a family member or friend to help you through. And there are organisations out there that are set up for just this sort of thing. Make use of them. They were set up because the founder had probably been through life’s challenges too.

Focus on the positive. Reach out to family, friends or organisations. Know that time helps everything get better. Read books that are positive and useful. Set up your environment to win. Know that it will get better, especially if you work at improving your mind, body and soul.

Keep the faith. Sometimes it is all we have.

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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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CategoriesActionObserveReframe your thoughtsTime

Firm But Fair

This is one of my favourite sayings. It is a great way to ensure you do your best to treat people the same way as you treat others. Firm but fair means that there is a firmness with which you are ok with because it is based on being fair. I believe it is easier to stand your ground on issues when you know you are being fair.

Sometimes the item to be done is a non negotiable. It really must be sorted out. This is where you need to apply some firmness. This may mean that you appear tougher on your staff or your children.

When you are being fair, it helps to know what is being discussed. Some understanding of how things have progressed to this point can be useful before weighing in on the situation. If one parent has said ok to something, demanding it be otherwise sends a confusing message.

One example of putting this point into practice is when the children are playing video games. It is often easier to extend their time and pretend that it is all fine.

Though the best thing to do is to be firm on the agreed playing time and assist them in transitioning to another activity. If you had agreed up front how things were going to be, you need to be firm in the face of challenge and opposition.

Firm but fair. Stay resolute.

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