[INSPIRATION] Start Where You Are!
[INSPIRATION] Keep Trying. Never Give Up
5 Signs That You May Need to Improve Your Self Care
It’s important for us to know when to slow down, take a break, and give ourselves a chance to recover.
Learning to recognise when it’s time to take our foot off the pedal is really important for not just us, but for the health of the relationships we have with others.
Self-care is not only key to our own well-being, but equally as important for those we lead, work with, and hope to influence, as our care for others will be less effective when we neglect our own health.
Self-care isn’t selfish
Take for example the instructions given by an in flight air hostess who, in the case of an emergency, instructs passengers to put on their own oxygen mask before attending to anyone else.
At first hearing, this could sound inconsiderate or even selfish, but then for one obvious reason it starts to make sense; if you die through lack of oxygen, you’ll be no good to anyone else.
The same applies for us in all areas of life. If we’re not well, we’re less likely to be able to care for the well-being of others. But despite seeing the logic in the importance of caring for ourselves, its not always easy.
Our self-care is as key to our own well-being, as it is to those we lead.
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When dedicated to something — whether in a personal or professional capacity — it’s easy to get so involved that we overlook our own health, stop looking after ourselves, and fail to see the signs that we’re at risk of burnout.
And for those who are driven, goal focused, and who lean towards ‘working hard’, this can be even more difficult, as stopping can feel unnatural, ridden with guilt, and laden with other negative beliefs.
So, if you find yourself burning the candle at both ends, here are five signs that you may need to consider taking your foot off the pedal, having a break, and getting yourself back into working order:
#1. You don’t want to get out of bed
If when your alarm clock goes off, you feel more inclined to curl up under the duvet and hide than face the tasks of the day, you probably need to give thought to your emotional well-being.
#2. You have less patience than normal
Having less patience can often indicate a decrease in emotional capacity. Whenever you start becoming snappy or irritated with those closest to you, or taking things personally, it’s worth looking at how you’re doing.
#3. You’re reverting to unhealthy habits
If you’re aware that you’ve had unhealthy habits or addictions in the past, and are finding yourself reverting back to them, then it may be that you’re using the instant gratification found in those behaviours to meet a deeper emotional need.
#4. You’re caring less about important things
When things get difficult its sometimes easier to bury our heads in the sand than it is to face life. Becoming distracted by activities not linked to our life goals and purpose, are often an indicator that we’re drifting, and in need of rest.
#5. You’re avoiding things you usually like
There will be a number of things that excite you. For example, meeting with friends or exercising. However, if you’re feeling less motivated to do them, or making excuses not to participate, you’ll likely find that you’re emotionally tired.
Some useful questions to ask yourself
In addition to considering the above five signs, some helpful questions to ask yourself if you’re wondering about your emotional well-being could include:
- Am I finding it harder to concentrate than normal?
- Am I feeling physically lethargic, tired, or exhausted?
- Am I feeling more cynical or critical about situations or people?
- Am I often feeling tearful or sad?
- Am I finding it hard to stay motivated?
Answering these questions honestly will help to give you an indication as to whether you need to simply take a break, or seek support for other conditions such as depression.
It’s important that we give thought to our care for self, as making self-care a regular and consistent practice is essential to our own health, and to the effectiveness of what we do both personally and professionally.
And making a start doesn’t have to be that difficult. In fact, you could simply start by taking the following steps:
- Take 10-15 minutes to assess how you really are (e.g. refer to the points and questions above)
- Identify some things that are consuming your emotional energy and apply the four D’s principle,
- Identify some things that bring you real contentment (e.g. exercise, pampering, prayer, walking in nature, listening to music),
- Schedule in time (actually put it in the diary, as you would a meeting) to do one or all of them,
- Keep your promise to yourself!
Practising self-care demonstrates a valuing of life and purpose
The benefits of choosing self-care are countless, including an improvement in our overall sense of well-being, our relationships with others, and our productivity.
In pausing to assess our well-being, and going one step further to implement any necessary changes, we’re also acknowledging our mortality and helpfully reminding ourselves that we can’t do it all.
But most importantly, as we commit to assessing ourselves and decide to practise self-care, we state clearly that we value the life we’ve been given, and are committed to being effective in our God-given purpose.
Over to you
Which of the points most resonate with you, and when was the last time you practised self-care?
[INSPIRATION] Faith Makes a Difference
[INSPIRATION] Choose Love Daily
[INSPIRATION] Use Time Wisely
[QUOTE] We See Things As We Are
[QUOTE] Live in The Light of Eternity
He’s Alive
[QUOTE] We Can’t Do Everything
Why Choosing to Be Busy Isn’t Always a Good Idea
The idea of being busy, if we’re not careful, can become a badge of honour that gives a feeling of importance for some, or a means of gaining sympathy for others.
Do you ever find yourself rushing from one thing to the next? Are you often late? Have you ever reached the end of the day with a wrenching feeling of not having accomplished anything meaningful?
If you answered yes, the chances are you’re too busy.
It was Henry David Thoreau who said, “It is not enough to be busy, so are the ants. The question is: What are we busy about?” From this we can see that busyness isn’t the issue, but rather our ability to be busy doing what’s best.
Taking responsibility for our busyness
Just in these last few days, when asking someone how they were, I was met with the response, “Busy!” This got me thinking.
Why is it that we get caught in the rut of busyness? What causes us to speak about our busyness with resentment? And, who is actually in control of our busyness?
I believe that the answer to these questions lies in our willingness to take responsibility of our lives and being deliberate about the choices we make.
What I mean by this is that when presented with an opportunity or a request of some kind, in most cases it’s down to us and no-one else to make a decision as to whether we accept it or not.
For example, when recently asked to speak to a group of children on behalf of a national charity, I declined. Likewise when invited to get involved in a white collar charity event, I turned the offer down.
Why?
Because I knew that had I said ‘Yes’ to the speaking engagement, the time required for preparation would’ve impacted my other commitments, and had I agreed to participate in the charity event, I’d have had to change my training routine.
Despite both requests being for ‘good’ causes and being ‘good’ opportunities, I had to make a choice about where to give my time, and more importantly, my energy.
It’s that simple. Saying no meant I could avoid the stress of fitting more into my life.
Saying no also spared me the frustration of not being able to give my best, which in the case of the white collar charity event, most likely saved not just my male ego but my teeth!
You see, the myth is that we’re unable to make a choice about what we take on or leave alone. Sadly, this myth leads to a belief that we have to do it all.
The myth is that we’re unable to make a choice about what we take on or leave alone.
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Approaching life this way is more detrimental than we realise, as it impacts our ability to perform at our best in any given task or area of responsibility. This results, ultimately, in mediocrity and frustration, and in the worse cases, poor health.
The cost of saying yes to everything
I know first hand the affect of trying to do everything. It doesn’t pay — quite literally! I’m also aware of just how difficult it is to say no when it involves letting people down and risking not being asked again.
But the cost of saying yes to everything and living a life characterised by busyness, in the long run, is neither good for us or others, because by saying yes to some we’re inadvertently saying no to others anyway.
Sadly, some of the things we say no to are the very things we ought to be giving a resounding yes to. This is where being conscious of our boundaries is essential.
For example, taking a phone-call when your son or daughter is attempting to tell you about their school day, browsing an email while on the phone, or looking at Facebook when you should be writing.
And just so you know, I’ve been guilty of each!
These examples force us to think about how and where we divide ourselves, and though often subconsciously, the unhealthy habits we’ve formed along the way.
Deciding to make a change
So how can you be sure of giving yourself to what you should be giving yourself to and committing to the best things?
I want to suggest you begin by considering — just as I am — these three questions:
- What do I believe to be my purpose in life?
- What am I most passionate about in life?
- What might I need to say ‘No’ to from now on?
There are many other questions you could ask yourself, but these are specifically aimed at getting you to start thinking about where and to what you should prioritise giving your time, energy, and resources.
Choice is a gift – don’t give it away
Except for in extreme circumstances, choice is a gift we’re all fortunate to have.
Choice is a gift we’re all fortunate to have.
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With it we’re empowered to take actions that are aligned with our values and beliefs, and through the choices we make we’re able to move towards doing the things that we believe fit our life purpose.
So next time someone asks you how you are and you’re tempted to tell them how busy you are, stop and think about which of your choices are the cause of your busyness.
And then before answering, give some thought to where it’s within your control to make a change.
What do you think about busyness? Add your thoughts in the comments below.
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3 Personal Affirmations That Will Help You to Make a Difference
There’s not one person who goes to bed thinking of how they can take steps towards achieving nothing. Truth is, we all dream of leaving a positive legacy in life.
Regardless of how apathetic, unmotivated someone may appear, everyone wants to make a difference and contribute towards something great.
So if this is true, what’s stops many people from becoming or doing who or what they desire to become or dream of accomplishing?
I think it boils down to two things. One, the belief that they’re incapable, and two, the fear of making mistakes that will reinforce those beliefs.
Though there are other factors that hinder people — some within their control and some not — I think these two are the main obstacles to people making their desire to impact others a reality.
I’m going to confess that I’ve long struggled with both of the obstacles just mentioned, so know how crippling they can be.
For years I’ve lived with a desire to inspire others through relationship, writing and speaking, a longing that despite these barriers I’ve not been able to reject.
In his book Let Your Life Speak, Parker J. Palmer puts it like this,
“Vocation at its deepest level is, ‘This is something I can’t not do, for reasons I’m unable to explain to anyone else and don’t fully understand myself but that are nonetheless compelling.”
Call it vocation, calling, destiny, purpose, or whatever, for everyone, there’s just something we can’t shake off, and for me, it’s steadily grown over the years.
The trouble is, when plagued with doubts about my ability, and fears about getting it wrong, it can be hard to take the steps necessary to realise these aspirations.
I have a few, but here are just three affirming statements I use to help me overcome these two obstacles that you too might find helpful.
#1. “You’ve got more capacity than you think.”
Yes, we’re capable of accomplishing more than we think, but that’s not to be confused with being able to accomplish whatever we want, which I personally think is a lie that leads to heartache.
But though we’re not all going to be the next Nelson Mandela, Malala Yousafzai, or Bill Gates, we’re all capable of growth — of becoming better today than we were yesterday and tomorrow than we are today.
What matters is that we don’t limit ourselves, but instead commit to the daily development of character and competency, from which we grow towards being the very best version of ourselves.
#2. “Making mistakes is key to your learning.”
There’s no such thing as success without failure. Michael Jordon once said,
“I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 time I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”
A growth mindset trumps a fixed mindset every time and being prepared to treat our efforts as a learning experiment frees us from the tyranny of a belief that says mistakes are bad.
A growth mindset trumps a fixed mindset every time.
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To accomplish our best, we need to face the fear of what it’ll look like to be wrong, to make mistakes, and to fail at reaching the mark, yet go for it anyway.
#3. “Embrace the struggles — they’re good for you.”
Without some degree of resistance we can’t grow, as for genuine growth to happen there needs to be some resistance.
Best Buy founder, Richard Schulze, said of struggle,
“With every episode of struggle there is a learning opportunity.”
In understanding that things happen for us and not to us — a healthy perspective to have when facing challenges — we learn to accept each struggle as being one to embrace for our development.
Bring your talents to the table
Not only do we all want to make a difference, we each have a responsibility to use our talents for the good of others. If we don’t, someone somewhere will miss out, and we wouldn’t want that!
When doubt and fear prevent us from stepping out and offering our contribution to those around us, using these personal affirmations can go a long way in giving us courage.
What, if anything, holds you back from making your unique contribution? Add your thoughts in the comments below.
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THINK Before You Speak: Kind Words Go a Long Way
We all know the saying, sticks and stones can break my bones, but names can never hurt me — and from a young age we were led to believe its true too.
Yet those of us who’ve been on the receiving end of names and spiteful words will testify to that maxim being untrue.
Words can hurt.
What people say can harm us.
And worse still, what others say can have lasting impact on our lives.
The little girl in the superstore
The potential damage that words can cause came into stark reality during a recent trip to a local superstore.
Having collected most of the items we needed – cereal, milk, fruit and vegetables – I skillfully maneuvered my way through the isles before getting to the checkout.
As I approached the checkout, stood in line, and began to unload the contents of the trolley onto the conveyor belt, I heard a woman shout at the top of her voice, “You’re so stupid!”
With the other fifty or so shoppers queuing and paying for items, this grabbed my attention. And as I looked across the isle I saw that she was shouting at a spirited little girl, no older than 6 years old.
“You’re a stupid little girl!” she bellowed again. And with this, the girl visibly shrunk within herself, clearly humiliated by the woman’s outcry.
In that moment, I was angry and felt a deep sense of compassion for the girl.
My anger soon turned to a compulsion to address the woman — to express empathy by acknowledging the challenges of parenting — but to also make a plea for her to consider the impact of her words.
So I did. In the privacy of the car park I politely beckoned to her and requested to say a few words. I was pleased that she gave a few seconds of her time.
Yet, although I sensed a reluctance to acknowledge her actions, I hoped — for the sake of her children — that she’d consider the power of her words.
Stop to consider your words
Our words are powerful — having the potential for irreparable destruction or great comfort. Knowing this, its important that we learn to THINK before we speak.
In other words we need to consider whether what we’re about to say is:
- Truthful – is it evidenced based?
- Helpful – will it be useful in moving the other person towards becoming a better version of themselves
- Inspiring – will it lift the other persons spirit?
- Necessary – does it actually need to be said?
- Kind – is it motivated by a desire to do the other person good?
I don’t know about you, but I know first hand the damage words can have, for as a child, I too experienced being called stupid.
What we say to others matters.
Our words have the potential to shape lives.
And that’s why we each need to THINK before we speak.
How are you using your words and what impact do you think they’re having?
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How to Remember 90% of What You Learn
We don’t all have photographic memories and the ability to remember everything we learn, but there is a way to better recall what we learn.
Though I struggle with the discipline of reading, over recent years I’ve grown to see its value and developed it into an enjoyable habit.
With help from apps like Audible I’m able to read more books than ever before. I listen while doing housework or DIY, traveling, but mostly while in the gym exercising.
The books I enjoy reading most are on leadership, entrepreneurship and personal development. I’m inspired by the lives of others, the challenges they’ve overcome, and the valuable lessons they’ve learned.
Just as interesting to me are approaches to building and developing teams, systems and processes, and the implementation of ideas. It might sound weird, but I find it all fascinating.
But I sometimes feel frustrated by an inability to retain what I’m learning and find myself asking questions like:
- Where am I applying what I’m learning?
- Where is there evidence of what I’m learning?
- What can I do to best retain what I’m learning?
So as someone who values personal development, it was as a bit of a light-bulb moment when I came across a helpful concept called the Learning Pyramid.
The Learning Pyramid
The development of the Learning Pyramid in the 1960’s — widely attributed to the NTL Institute — outlines how we learn.
A summary of their findings was that learners retain approximately:
- 5% of what they learn when they’ve learned from a lecture
- 10% of what they learn when they’ve learned from reading
- 20% of what they learn from audio-visual
- 30% of what they learn when they see a demonstration
- 50% of what they learn when engaged in group discussion
- 75% of what they learn when they practice what they learned
- 90% of what they learn when they teach someone else/use immediately
Practice, teach and implement
These findings got me thinking. In order to retain what I learn I need to teach others or use what I learn immediately — I need to practice, teach and implement.
For many, including myself, this is the scary part, as it goes beyond head knowledge to action. And we all know that with action will inevitably come mistakes, and with mistakes, exposure — eeek!
But the reality is that without practise and implementation we won’t make mistakes. And without mistakes we can’t retain what we learn.
Mistakes help us to learn
When faced with mistakes we become more focused, seek to problem solve, and attempt to make corrections. This is the process that helps to consolidate our learning.
Mistakes are good because they cause us to think about the actions that led to them in order to change them for the next time we face a similar situation or problem.
Truth is, if we don’t teach or implement what we learn, we can’t make mistakes, and if we don’t make mistakes, we retain less of what we learn.
I’m going to give thought to how I can more intentionally practice, teach, and implement what I learn. Maybe I’ve already started by writing this blog post, eh!
What about you, how good are you at retaining what you learn? Add your comments below.
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Stop Brain Overload and Increase Effectiveness With These 4 Tips
In overloading our brain we limit our ability to perform at our best. This is why finding ways to manage the use of our brain is important to our effectiveness.
Each day we’re faced with making thousands of decisions. Some decisions are mundane, like what cereal to have. Others are more serious, like whether to sell our home or not.
The thing is, decision making is taxing on our working memory — the part of the brain responsible for reasoning, comprehension, learning and processing, and working with new information.
So what can we do?
The mental demands of responsibility
I occasionally feel overwhelmed with the number of thoughts going through my mind, let alone the decisions I need to make. And in the past I’ve suffered with tension headaches as a result of the load.
When this first started happening I began to see that just like the muscles I train in the gym, my mind could only take so much before it felt like it was going to fail.
So I started to consider how to look after my mind and ease the stressful load, and soon realised that a simple solution was to begin occupying less space in my mind.
This was good to know because it meant I could start having more control over my mental well-being and have more mental capacity to function at my best.
Here are 4 things I practice that have worked for me.
#1. Avoid unimportant decision making
Though it might sound strange, the first is to remove the need to make decisions altogether. One example of this for me is having a simple wardrobe consisting of mainly black t-shirts and jeans.
Also by taking a few minutes to put out the clothes I need for the morning — gym, work, or DIY — the night before, I don’t have to decide what to wear when I wake up, so can give my mind to more important things.
#2. Use routines to remove distractions
There are loads of distractions throughout the day. Text messages, phone-calls, and countless app notifications can pull our minds from giving our best to our most important work.
So though some may not like or understand it, I remove these distractions by turning off notifications and regulating calls and emails.
Remove distractions by turning off notifications and regulating calls and emails.
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For example, by limiting when I check email, I reduce the amount of decisions I’d have needed to make had I read them on an impromptu basis throughout the day.
#3. Store ideas on an external (brain) hard drive
Some things are stored on my internal mental hard drive. For example, significant memories and dates. But I keep other things on an external mental hard drive that I can refer to when needed.
For this I use Evernote, of which I’ve been a fan for some years now. Evernote is a brilliant app that allows me to organise my thoughts and ideas into a single digital work space that I can access at anytime.
Using Evernote helps to keep my internal hard drive free, as I can dictate, write, or even store photographs for later reference whilst on the go.
#4. Share thoughts and feelings with others
I’m by nature a secret introvert.
What that means is that I can be quite intense in my thinking and have a constantly running inner dialogue that can take it’s toll on my mental energy.
Though it has its benefits, my continuous thinking can lead to an overuse of my working memory and become a distraction preventing me from giving proper focus to other important tasks.
In sharing, either by writing in my digital journal or speaking to someone, I free up the space in my mind that those thoughts and feelings would otherwise keep occupied.
Wrapping it up
Our brains can only manage so much and our capacity to make good decisions depletes throughout the day.
So with needing to make decisions each day, it’s key to our effectiveness that we limit as many non-critical decisions as possible in order to reduce the likelihood of decision fatigue.
Keeping space free in our brain for high level decisions, reflection, and idea creation, is key to performing at our best.
What do you do to keep space free in your mind in order to perform at your best? Share in the comments below.
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Are You in Danger of Playing the Victim?
We’ve all experienced being let down. We’ve all been failed. We’ve all been disappointed. But when living in a world of imperfect people, that happens. It’s called life.
But not everyone sees it like that.
I didn’t either.
I’d play the victim.
I’d want a pound of flesh from those I believed caused me pain.
I’d not let it go.
But I soon realised that playing the victim wasn’t endearing.
Neither was it mature.
It was childish and it hurt.
And to be honest, it irritated me.
I irritated me.
Why?
Because deep down I wanted to be free.
Free from the weight that came with being a victim.
Free from the lies that reinforced my negative script.
Free from the isolation caused by my unwillingness to change.
There had to be a shift.
I needed a different perspective.
And looking at life through a different lens was the solution.
Yes, I’d been failed.
But I’d also failed.
I’d failed to make my concerns known.
I’d failed to acknowledge my needs.
I’d failed to ask for help.
Yes, I’d been failed.
But I’d also failed.
So taking responsibility for my failings was liberating.
Why?
Because I was free to escape the baggage that comes with being a victim.
I was free from the thoughts that shaped my behaviour.
And I was free from the isolation caused by my distrust of others.
From where came the shift?
It came from accepting responsibility.
By taking back the power I’d given away.
Because that’s what happens when we play the victim.
We give away our power.
We sit silently, waiting for others to take the lead.
And yet despite our discontent, we remain quiet.
There lies the pain — its in the indecision.
Our failure to choose whether to stay or to go.
To remain silent or speak out.
To trust or to mistrust.
To assume the best or to question every motive.
From where comes the shift?
It comes from a realisation that passivity and resolution cannot co-exist.
It comes from seeing that openness is the key to mutual understanding.
It comes from looking for the good in every situation.
And that’s where victims get it wrong.
That’s where I was once stuck.
I failed to see the good.
And instead focused on what I perceived to be the bad.
Because that’s what victims do.
They see the problems, but not the opportunities.
They see the lack, but not the abundance.
They give away their power and live in self-pity.
— and there lies the pain.
Where might you be playing the victim?
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[INSPIRATION] Use Time Wisely
Know How to Respond to People Who Press Your Emotional Buttons
As a leader its important that you’re emotions don’t get the better of you. If they do, you could make mistakes or say things you’ll later regret.
When working with people, its inevitable that our buttons will be pressed. This is why giving thought to how to respond to different scenarios is a helpful practice to develop.
Just as a professional athlete prepares for every eventuality, when leading or working with others, its good to give thought to how you’ll respond when faced with a difficult or tense situation.
Save time and energy — prepare for the bad days
We all have good and bad days, don’t we? And if truth be told, if left to our emotional instinct, on the bad days our responses would most likely prove unhelpful, unproductive, and leave us having to restore damaged relationships.
And though relationships are key, the sad thing here is that the more time we spend on addressing relational issues, the less we get to focus our energies on the bigger picture goals that’ll make a difference in the world.
I can think of times where I’ve responded to someone from a place of negative emotion — out of frustration, pain, or anger — and on reflection felt I could’ve handled the situation better. Can you relate?
On those occasions I needed to spend time on correcting a wrong (on my part) in order to then move forward. Though productive in the long run, those times spent in conversation could’ve been better used.
This is why knowing how to respond beforehand is a discipline worth developing, and giving thought to what to do in both best and worse case scenarios is a helpful way of avoiding unproductive outcomes.
The reason its so helpful is because if we’ve already decided how we’ll respond to those who rub us up the wrong way, we’re better able to avoid the obstacles that our instinctive emotional responses may otherwise cause.
Control what you can and assume the best
The key thing here is taking responsibility for our own responses, as they’re the only thing you can have control of.
When working with others, they’re sometimes unaware of the fact that their words and actions have the potential to trigger negative emotions is us, and that’s something we’re unable to do anything about.
But note I said sometimes. Which I say because there are those who have other agendas, and who for whatever reason, will attempt to put obstacles in your way.
In my opinion, if you suspect someone is like this, get them out of your team, and do it quickly!
But be careful though.
I learnt from a leader I respect hugely that in these situations its important to always try to assume the best in people; figuring that any button pressing is unintentional.
Always try to assume the best in people — “They’re unaware of it.”
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It’s good to give people the benefit of the doubt and work for a finite amount of time to seek resolution before making any final decisions.
The benefit of knowing your response
Knowing how to respond in different emotive situations will enable you to maintain a focus on being purposeful and proactive towards your end goal, rather than getting sidetracked by emotion or manipulated by those with other agendas.
But there will be occasions when you’re unprepared and caught off guard — it happens! So on those days, its good to have an idea about how you remain calm so as not be reactive in any given moment.
For some it means taking deep breaths, thinking happy thoughts, repeating a mantra or quote of some kind, or praying.
What matters most is being as clear as you can on how you’ll respond in instances where your emotional buttons are being pressed. And if you’re not yet clear, having at the very least an idea of a method for keeping calm that works for you.
Your response, your choice
No-one is free from having to manage negative emotions in tense moments of discomfort or challenge — it happens to us all.
But we all have the opportunity to determine beforehand how we’ll respond to the situations we find ourselves in.
We either choose to respond in ways that prove helpful in the long run, or to react in ways that are counterproductive and that’ll require more time and energy to be resolved going forward.
How you choose will determine the outcomes you get. So assuming you want to see positive outcomes, choose to plan ahead of time to respond maturely to your negative emotions.
Over to you
In what future situations might it be helpful to know your response beforehand? Share in the comments below.
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Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Looking forward to Christmas and already making plans for the New Year? Well, I just want to say thanks!
As we’re approaching the festive season and the end of another year, I wanted to wish you a Merry Christmas and say thanks for reading the Ever Growing Optimists blog.
For those on my mailing list, you’ll receive a little something extra from me, where I’ll share some of the things I’ve been grateful for this year and what I want to achieve in 2016.
If you’re not receiving regular updates direct to your inbox, please complete one of the sign up forms on the site and I’ll also send you a free Productivity eBook.
Anyway, have a watch of my first ever video, like and share.
Thanks!
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Don’t Just Dream, Get Things Done!
Are you a dreamer? Would you describe yourself as being a visionary? If so, what are you doing with the dreams and visions you have?
With the approaching New Year, comes a timely opportunity to consider what you’re going to do with your ideas, your hopes, your visions, and your dreams.
I recently read an article by Steve Tobak that challenged me to the core! In it he spoke with clarity about the difference between those who dream about success and those who experience success.
The difference being that one group dreams about things, while the other gets things done.
We live in a remarkable time where information is more accessible, opinions more widely broadcast, and where ideas are spread in the click of a tweet. But with this shift comes a number of risks.
There’s the risk of no longer thinking deeply. The risk of information overload. The risk of lacking focus. The risk of simply dreaming and not doing.
As I read Tobak’s post I was forced to question the personal contribution I make and was challenged to consider whether I’ve leaned more towards the consumer rather than producer end of the spectrum in the use of my time.
To be totally honest, I came unstuck.
You see, I can often get lost in thought and be guilty of thinking more than doing. For as an introvert I’m comfortable in my own company and can easily spend time consuming content from some of my favourite authors, bloggers, and podcasts.
Saturation of success stories and the insights of those who’ve achieved the goal of leaving a dent in the world can preoccupy me. Yet there’s a risk that while I’m being inspired, I’m not taking the steps to make my own dent in the world.
I wonder, can you relate?
The challenge for us all
We need to find the balance, right? To be inspired and informed on the one hand, and then to use what we’ve received to give back.
For we know that historic figures like Martin Luther King Jr. didn’t just have dreams, they took action and got things done. They went beyond having a dream to making a lasting difference.
What we do, not what we dream, is what will count.
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And though dreaming has its place, as following our dreams is the starting point of new ideas, we need to move beyond that, don’t we?
Because it’s not our dreams that makes a difference. It’s not our dreams that give life. It’s not our dreams that impact others, or bring hope and lead to change. It’s what we create, what we give, and what we do.
For in the end, it’ll be our actions, not our dreams, that’ll be remembered.
Question: Where do you need to stop dreaming and start doing?
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Further reading:
- Stop Dreaming and Start Doing by Steve Tobak
- I Have a Dream Speech by Martin Luther King. Jr.