“Death is as real as it gets”

Some people need some real reasons to change their behavior.

“Death is as real as it gets” – Steve Aoki

There’s one.

Will you change your diet?

Will you get in shape?

Will you stop smoking (anything)?

Will you wear the helmet and the seat belt?

Will you not drink and drive?

The problem is that we discount what will happen in the future and prioritize feeling good/it being easy now.

But when death comes or approaches, you can’t go back.

Think ahead.  Act now.

Spend less on useless junk

We all buy stuff.  And some stuff is good stuff that we need and love and makes our life better.

But much stuff is bought on impulse.  Looks neat in the store or on the screen and we buy it.

Look around your house.  I bet there is a lot of stuff you would trade to have your money back.

Here’s your challenge – consider if you really need the thing before you buy it.  

Sleep on it,  you’ll probably be over it in the morning.

Stuff clutters our space.  Life with less stuff can be a good life.

When you blame you give your power away.

You can either take responsibility for your situation or you can blame other people or circumstances for it.

When you blame you give your power away.  You say someone else is responsible for my life and not me, and therefore have no power to change it.  You give away your freedom.  You become a victim.

When you take responsibility, you claim your power over the situation and your ability to change it.

Have you been blaming? 

Or have you been saying “It’s on me, and I can/will fix/change it?”

Expiring Information vs. Permanent Information

We are awash in information.  Included is news, gossip, social media, current events, and what’s for dinner.  Then there are books, timeless ideas, principles that work, natural law, and the psychology of humans.  

Top people focus most on “permanent information”, while others pay most attention to “expiring information”.

Expiring information has no value in the long run, and maybe not even tomorrow.

Permanent information can be used and built on for long periods of time – even forever.

What kind of information do you predominantly pay attention to?

Self-respect fuels courage

To keep the peace, I could let my values cave.  But then who am I?  I create inner conflict.

When you honor your values and stay true to what you believe in, bravery follows naturally.

Character is built in choice.

Character is built in choice.

How you choose to respond to challenge defines who you become.

How are you choosing right now?

Learn by doing.

You don’t learn life from theory – you learn by living it.

Get out there.

Live it.

Enough

Arriving is not “I can have anything I want”. 

It is, “I already have everything I need.”

Be kind

Every person is fighting a quiet battle inside.

Everyone.

Everyone has a mountain.

Everyone is hurting about something.

Have compassion. 

Be kind.

It’s not ALL for you.

I took comfort in these words from Brianna Wiest recently – 

“Growing up is realizing it’s not all for you.  Not every trend, not every moment, not every person, not every opportunity, not every idea.  

It’s not all going to fit, it’s not all going to flow, it’s not all going to apply.

But it’s also learning to not see this as negative.  It’s learning to become the best version of yourself, not somebody else.”