The Serenity Prayer in Action

Make the key distinction between that which you can control and that you cannot. 

Ignore what you cannot change (like things that happened in the past). No amount or intensity of getting upset will change it. In fact, that just makes your life more negatively dramatic. 

Instead, focus on what you can control.

Inputs = your life experience

Your brain is floating in fluid in the dark, sequestered in your skull. It has two cameras and two microphones.

What you put in front of those cameras and into those microphones is most of the information your brain has to create your life experience.

 You are in control of most of it. Be selective and choose what goes in very carefully. 

Your Happiness

You are not responsible for others’ happiness. You are responsible for your own.

The purpose of life is to be happy. Being the best version of you is a sure way to get there.

Are you being the best YOU?

Amor Fati

When we resist what happens, and say it shouldn’t happen to us, and it doesn’t match our own uninformed expectations, we suffer. 

Instead, love what happens; love your fate.  Make friends with what is.

Amor fati.

Your story runs your show

It’s not what happens that is the problem, but people’s thoughts about what happens. – Epictitus

OK, it happened.  It wasn’t ideal. It’s not what I wanted.  It was embarrassing/humiliating/disappointing/broke my heart.

This stuff happens to all of us.  But it happened once.  Yet, how many times will we relive it?  Will we give it permission to define us?  Will we play small because of it? 

Or will it be our fuel to get better?  Will we learn.  Will we say “I know how to do it different/better/ smarter now?

It happened – it’s your choice what to do with it.

Unpreparedness = fear

You have a presentation to do for a group. You don’t really know your stuff and you aren’t prepared. You are nervous and worried. It’s time…and you have to summon courage to get up there.

You line up at a race. You have never done this before. You aren’t really sure what to do or how it will go. You must be brave.

We know that preparation breeds confidence. When we are not prepared, we are afraid and worried.

But what if you were so competent, that bravery was not an issue?

Is Genius Self-Bestowed?

“Mediocrity is self-inflicted. Genius is self-bestowed.” – Glenn Clark, from “The man who tapped the secrets of the universe”

We can develop genius in one or more areas with passion, focused concentration and practice to tap into the universal intelligence that is within us.

We can also inflict mediocrity on ourselves with low expectations and poor habits.

We choose, and live with the consequences.

How we do anything, is how we do everything

“If anything is worth doing, do it with all your heart.” – Buddha

Bring love and excellence to all you do.

“A menial task which must be mine, that shall I glorify and make an art of it.” – Walter Russell

How old would you be if…

How old would you be if you did not know how old you were?

Teaching thrift and savings

When our kids get $10, do we send them to the store, or the bank?

Teaching and modeling good habits and attitudes around money will make a big difference in their lives – and ours!