Not really, but our idea of a typical day and lifestyle has evolved to a point where advanced intellectual thought processes are rarely accessed. Unfortunately, most Americans are dumbing themselves down with all of the brainless pastimes available these days. For example, the average American spends 4 hours a day glued to the television. This is mindless activity that will not benefit your overall life.
Do you remember what you watched six weeks ago? Or what you learned from the program? Conversely, what did you gain from the non-fiction book you hopefully read six weeks ago?
And how much did the concepts presented in that book linger in your mind? I am assuming the book had a much more profound effect on your introspection than the TV show.
So stop watching American Idol and pick up a book at night. And listen to audio books or talk radio on your commutes. Change will happen if you open your mind, trust me! A vigorous five-mile walk will do more good for an unhappy but otherwise healthy adult than all the medicine and psychology in the world. Devotion to motion, equals emotion. Your level of physical activity and your overall health will have a huge effect on your well-being.
More importantly, exercise will keep your mind healthy, in turn greatly helping your desired change come to fruition. And since you have already gained a few hours by waking earlier, you have no excuse for not exercising daily. Something perfectly suited for meditative but strategic change planning.
A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty. Optimism is the key to success. Unfortunately I encounter pessimistic viewpoints almost every time I talk with up and coming entrepreneurs.
And the scary thing is, they are usually unaware of their glass-half-empty psychology. Your limiting beliefs are just as powerful, if not more powerful than any other emotion during times of change. Therefore, these pessimistic feelings need to be squashed before they ruin all chances of refining your life. You must realize that striving for change is a bumpy road.
With the emotional roller-coaster that change brings, it will be difficult to stay on track. And it is extremely easy to fall back on your old habits. Luckily, an optimistic point-of-view can metaphorically hold your hand through your change process. It will keep you happy and give you something to look forward to as your days of change go by. Additionally, optimism will keep the good juices flowing while smashing any psychological roadblocks you may encounter.
I have decided to stay in closer contact with family and friends whom I care about deeply. I used to be more self-centered and neglected to stay in touch with my loved ones.
I now take the time to call my Mom more often, write more personal e-mails and letters, and simply be a better friend and family member. This has brought me so much closer to those I cherish.
One thing that I have changed and do much better now is managing my time. I did not realize how much I was wasting in a typical day on frivolous things, be it daydreaming, spending time in a bar, watching boring TV commercials, trolling the internet for useless gossip, etc. I now am more aware of how I spend the most precious commodity all of us have been given, time.
Forgiveness is a big one for me. I can honestly say that I used be bad at forgiving others and myself. I was equally hard on others whom I perceived had wronged me, as well as on myself for all my past mistakes. I spent a lot of time learning to forgive myself and others and this has freed me from so much anger and resentment. Every morning before I meditate, I visualize and picture outcomes and goals that I desire.
I do not just visualize it; I actually try to feel the feeling of actually accomplishing the outcome. I have found this to be extremely powerful. I have to admit that I used to be a coward when it came to visiting the doctor or dentist.
For years, I avoided them like the plague. However, I now have chosen to view going to the doctor and dentist frequently in a more positive light. I schedule visits regularly and my fear has been greatly reduced. I focus on the fact that prevention is better than cure.
In the past, I have been guilty of spending too much time at bars and clubs. I now have cut back on those activities significantly and substituted them with more wholesome activities. I am now more likely to go hiking, visiting a state park, taking up photography, bird watching, going to the beach, joining a yoga class, etc. I learned to not to try and seek the approval of others as I often did before.
This was a big change for me because I definitely tried too hard to please others, even if it meant sacrificing my authenticity. I would get upset if I incurred the disapproval of others. Instead, I now use my conscience as my guide and, while I try to be sensitive to how others feel, I do not allow it to run my life. I know that I cannot please everyone.
Another major change I have made in my life is making time to learn new skills and increasing my knowledge. I am more likely to enroll in a photography class now, or watch a TED talk , or choose a great documentary on Netflix to watch as compared to before. I read books on meditation, exercise, nutrition, etc.
If there was an award for procrastination, I think I would have been in the running in the past. I would procrastinate a lot, especially if the task at hand scared me or seemed daunting.
I have greatly improved this tendency and now jump into things without letting fear get the better of me. I have learned that the small act of starting a task makes all the difference because it builds momentum and confidence and motivates me to continue.
One thing that I do much more now as compared to before is challenging myself to do things that I consider difficult. In the past, I would shy away from difficult endeavors because I was scared and did not believe in myself sufficiently.
I realize now that many of these fears were unwarranted. I also know now that challenging yourself is the only way to grow and improve. I now view the discomfort in a different light. Last and not least, I do my best to love myself now. I do not take myself as seriously and try to practice unconditional self-love. I make a conscious effort to practice simple but positive affirmations throughout the day that emphasize self-love and worth. I have incorporated these changes gradually over time and have found that each of them supports the other.
I am far from perfect and still have many faults. In fact, I fail often. However, two things have happened:. I fail less often than I did before, probably because, like anything else, things get easier the more you practice. When I do fail, I do not let it discourage me like it would have before.
I simply learn from my mistakes, make changes and move on. I can sincerely say that these changes have made me a happier, more successful and more equanimous person.
I could not have even imagined the life I have right now, and I am still learning every day. If I can do it, I know you can, too. I blog about these and other experiences regularly because I want to share my experiences and help others.
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Click here to learn more about Online Therapy. David, you are certainly very inspirational and motivational. I have incorporated a lot of the same practices and habits that you spoke of including meditation, exercise, wholesome activities, and cooking.
My life has changed a lot in the last couple of years, and it sounds like it has for you also! Thank you very much, Norman. I appreciate your kind words. I am very glad that you are on this journey with me! It motivates me to start changing my life starting today. Thank you a lot. Have a good day.
Hi nice to meet you. My name is Danny. I am in a very low place at the moment in my life, at 26 years. I work for snows Toyota as a sales executive, but this is not what I want to do. I do not know what I want to do, but I know I feel I can achieve so much more, I am fed up of worrying all the time especially about money problems.
I feel lost and need some guidance. Can you help me? David, thanks for sharing such a valuable points about life, how to live life. I appreciate your work and thinking about life counseling. Dania, thank you very much for the kind words! I really appreciate your comments. I hope you also enjoyed reading my blog. I could relate to so many of the ways in which I need to change my life. Think of small things that will make life easier, lighten your mood and give your outlook a boost.
Is your home office too cluttered? Have you been putting off organizing? Judging types especially may feel better when they meet small goals, because it gives them a sense of control and accomplishment. For Perceivers, different goals are always emerging. Alphabetizing your new bookshelf can give you an attitude lift!
And the steps I took, while small, have given me a feeling of consistency, peace, and accomplishment when I otherwise might have felt out of my comfort zone, with little control over my day-to-day. What changes can I make? But you can, and will, get through difficult life events. Perceiving types may find more comfort in not planning, but even they can grow tired of feeling out of control. There is always something you can control, and always a way to make life brighter during the tough times.
Changing your attitude is learning a new habit. One way to commit to an attitude change is to remind yourself daily. Voice your intentions, or affirmations, before you get your day started. When you repeat something to yourself long enough, it has a lasting effect on your mood, like a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Whenever a situation has you down, acknowledging your past accomplishments gives you a chance to reflect. Take time to cheer yourself on and remember situations will eventually change.
This can be as easy as singing along to a song you love, listening to a podcast that inspires you, practicing a self-care routine, cooking a favorite dish, or watching a film. This year has been anything but predictable, and that can cause even the most unflappable person to feel out of kilter.
Once you realize perfect doesn't exist, you can ease up on yourself. There's no harm in being wrong or making mistakes, as long as you're willing to make corrections. Just be yourself, flaws and all, and let people see the real you. Each of us is an imperfect human being, aware that we can't push away our failures and our flaws.
Remember, winners aren't people who never fail but people who never quit. It's important to never let success get to your head or failure to your heart. The secret to getting ahead is to acknowledge your failures and have the wisdom to apply them to new opportunities. Accept that you won't always make the right decisions.
You'll screw up, sometimes badly. But your mistakes doesn't mean you've failed, only that you're trying and learning in life. If you are not making mistakes it means you are not trying hard enough.
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