Pump up your self talk. Be more confident. You’re better than you think you are!
0
Tag: Better
In Search Of Better
I find myself thinking this way quite often. I tend to think of what could be better or how I could make something better. Has this always been my way? I am not sure. But I think it has, at least for somethings.
At school I wanted to get better grades, so I worked at that. In sports I strived to be better than I was, either in skill, stamina or execution. So I trained more, paid closer attention and made refinements.
It has probably become part of my regular thought process. It is exciting to make improvements, either your own, or in ways to help others. In our property business, we look out for houses that could be improved and provide a better home for people.
We also need to remember to celebrate these successes and improvements. Be grateful for them. Be careful you don’t become someone who is never satisfied. But also, don’t stop improving, especially if you are capable of more. Go forward in search of better.
0
Things Will Get Better Tomorrow
Sometimes our day doesn’t go how we want it to. It could be something we did or didn’t do. Or, it could be something that others have done or not done. It can even just be down to nature or circumstance. There are countless reasons why your day may not have gone as well as you would have liked.
Regardless of why it didn’t go well, things will get better tomorrow. The immediate impact can feel uncomfortable or even devastating. But hang in there. Time is an incredible thing that allows us to heal. Training the mind to have hope and look forward to brighter days is also very powerful.
Don’t dismay. You are stronger than you think you are. Recognise the hurt or the pain. But also know that pushing through will be the best thing you could ever do. You will be stronger and more experienced. You will rebuild and things will go amazingly well. Have faith. Have hope. Rest for a moment, or a day, and then get back on your path to a better life.
I’m cheering for you!
0
Become Your Ideal Person
You know attributes that you like in others. When you notice something you’re not fond of in others, check if you ever do it too. If so, remember to shift a little. It’s rarely easy, but you have the choice to become your ideal person. Good luck!
0
We’re Heading Somewhere
We all are. We are going collectively and individually. Sometimes we know the people on our path and sometimes not. We’re heading somewhere and it is a good idea to figure out where that is.
It can be a bit unnerving to look into the future, especially if you tend to the pessimistic, dramatic or fearful side of things. If you are more of an optimist, it won‘t feel so challenging. You’ll assume that most of the data is going in the right direction. Also, given we are moving away from a difficult past and moving toward a more ideal future, things will inevitably get better over time.
We’re heading toward a better future for those that want to be there. However, if you are prone to the negative, complain-laden or critical, you won’t see how good you have it. Nor will you notice how incredible things are becoming.
Look at basic education becoming available to more and more people everyday. Access to the internet continues to grow at an incredible speed. This is important because that is where all the world’s knowledge and connections are found. Podcasts are booming. Personal development is booming. Thoughtful discussion and rapid problem solving is also developing quickly.
The World is improving and progressing quicker than at any other time in history.
We’re heading somewhere.
0
Going Faster
Life seems to be going faster. Expectations and everyday things seem to change more quickly than before. Going faster can be great though it is good to slow it down occasionally too.
With most things, there is a finite limit for speed. Even light seems to reach a maximum speed. Other things like cars, rockets and airplanes have been pushing their limits further for decades. Though there is a point where it is not safe or technically possible to go faster.
Perhaps people reach that point too. Getting all those things done in one day might not be possible. Nor should we try to do it. Speeding around in a car isn’t good. Rushing through work may reduce the quality we bring to the table. Rushed conversations are rarely productive, especially if they have some differing views or involve a delicate subject.
When do we assess we are going fast enough? Is it when we have an incident or accident or health scare? Clearly going slow has its own challenges, which we won’t get into here. However, as individuals, we do need to double check that all that ’faster’ actually translates into better somehow. If it doesn’t, we should consider adjusting some things in our life.
Going faster is fun and desirable, but is it the best option?
0
Don’t Wish It Away
Sure things could be different. Maybe they could be better too. Though maybe this is better than the alternative. Don’t wish it away in any case.
Who knows what tomorrow brings. The grass is always greener. So don’t throw away today to gamble on tomorrow being better for you in the way that you want. It might happen. But what are the odds? How many of the last 7,000 or 14,000 days have turned out precisely as you had hoped and dreamed?
Together, all of those days make up the great tapestry of your life. Ups and downs, triumphs and tribulations, challenges and celebrations. Sing when you’re winning. But don’t pout when you‘re down and out.
”Don’t wish it away, Don’t look at it like it’s forever”
Elton John
One of my favourite songs is this Elton John classic. I’ve enjoyed it throughout my life. Those first two lines are so catchy and are appropriate at so many times. It can slap you awake and out of complacency. Those words remind me that life is short. You’ve got to, “live every second, without hesitation”.
You learn in the tough times. Don’t miss the lessons that are there for the taking.
Sometimes you have to live like there’s no tomorrow. Because one day there won’t be one.
Don’t wish it away.
0
Making The World Better
It is quite simple but often made more complex than it needs to be. There are two big challenges to making the world better. First, you need to pinpoint what better means. Secondly, you need to define the scope of the world.
The easy answer to those challenges, for many people, is to make things better from their own perspective and do it everywhere they are aware of. Awareness usually radiates out from their family, friends and relatives to work colleagues and people they interact with daily. Though, when pressed, they may think in terms of their city, country or continent and then all the people of the world, including fishermen on remote pacific islands.
This is where it can become more complex. When people try to make things better for people who are an afterthought or they know very little about. What would better mean? Could it be better health or lifestyle? Would more time with their family be better?
There are a lot of people who try to improve everyone and everywhere else. What if the answer was staring them in the mirror? Perhaps it is as simple as improving our own lives, within the context of making the world better.
If we used less resources and we were kinder, more understanding and accepting of diverse or dissimilar viewpoints, could the world become better through unintended consequences and the ripple effect?
0
CategoriesThink About It
Babies And Bathwater
Just get rid of everything! That is one way to do things. Although, it doesn’t seem like the right thing to do. With babies and bathwater, one should be discerning with regards to what stays and what goes.
“Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater”, is an idiomatic expression that struck me this morning. In general, it means don’t make the error of eliminating something good while trying to remove something bad.
In addition, it has been interpreted in a more extreme way whereby you should not throw out the essential (the baby) and keep the bathwater due to excessive zeal.
This idiom can be seen in action today with how different people perceive the US President Donald Trump. Some say that it is not just his tone and language (the bathwater) that they dislike on their preferred media channels. They would like to see him go too, despite the many good things he has done for the USA.
Now, anyone can level criticism at him and his policies because nothing is perfect. A person can always find a negative angle for things and people they don’t like or wish to contrast with some idea of perfection. You can even find harsh critics of Mother Theresa.
Throughout life you will have choices. Make them calmly after you consider your bias. And always remember babies and bathwater.
1+
Leave Everything A Little Better
Wherever you go you are likely to find little things that aren’t perfect. Leave everything a little better when you pass through.
Some simple things can make a nice difference. For example, I’ll pick up pieces of litter if there are one or two items on a trail, in a park or on the street. I prefer not to see it there in the first place. But now that I have, I’ll remove it. Then, the people coming after me can have the natural experience I would have wanted.
If you borrow something, like a friends car, fill the tank or get a car wash before returning it. It’s a nice thing to do for them. This is especially true if the tank is low or you can write or draw in the dirt.
If a tree branch has fallen on a path, move it completely out of the way. Most people who pass by after will appreciate it. Some people might have preferred the adventure in scrambling over, through or around it. Though, many hikers like to simply hike and not play tree-branch Twister.
Sometimes it is just a simple thing like adjusting a pillow, shifting something, or returning a tool a little cleaner or sharper. Every little act of improvement will have a knock on effect and bring greater joy. Whether that joy is experienced by people you know or not is fine.
How nice it would be if all people could pay it forward and leave everything a little better than we found it.
3+