'Most people spend their entire life indefinitely preparing to live.' Paul Tournier
Small Daily Decisions Over a Lifetime Add Up
Who doesn't want to love their life? So what stops us from jumping in with both feet to fully engage in the life we want NOW? What we decide to do on a daily basis--those small daily decisions--adds up to the life we live.
As Swiss Psychologist Paul Tournier said most of us spend our entire life indefinitely preparing to live. If you don't want to be one of those people who fails to jump-start your life, learn to change how you think. Choose to create life-changing habits that blast your life wide open NOW. Here are 5 simple habits to guide you.
'What you are is what you have been; what you will be is what you do now.' The Buddha
Habit # 1: Start with the End in Mind
'If you can imagine it, you can achieve it. If you can dream it, you can become it.'
Without being morbid, estimate how long you'll live--then use the total years left to help you focus. You are never too old or too young to focus your thinking in this way!
Me? Based on my age, life satisfaction, and family genes I'm guessing I have 35 more years to pack a lot of living into!
Unscientific Chart for your use
Age
|
Years Left
|
20
|
67
|
30
|
57
|
40
|
47
|
50
|
37
|
65
|
22
|
70
|
20
|
80
|
10
|
Keep a dream journal and at least once a year revisit 3 questions to use as measuring sticks to guide your journey.
- When you get to the end of your life and look back what do you want your life to be about?
- When you look 20 years down the road, what do you want your life to look like?
- Where would you like to be in 5 years? What have you achieved? What have you built?
Habit #2: Start each day asking 'What problem am I trying to solve today?'
Our brains like to solve problems and I've found it useful to think of life as a series of problems or puzzles to solve.
Every morning I wake and let my mind freely scan my inner and outer world until something captures my interest and I begin the free-flowing experience of discovering and naming what problem I'm trying to solve.
Approaching your days by determining the puzzles you want to solve can help you zero in on and act on the things that add meaning and impact to your life. This helps you see yourself as a problem solver who has the ability to handle whatever life throws at you.
Solving daily life puzzles lets you see yourself as a problem solver who has the ability to handle whatever life throws at you.
Habit # 3: Do Weekly Wellness Checks
Only a mediocre person is always at his best.W. Somerset Maugham
Be growth oriented and strive to be the best you can be. Get in the habit of doing weekly non-judgmental wellness check ins.
To stay on a healthy growth track, ask yourself 3 questions each week:
- What went well?
- What could I do better?
- What's the most important thing I think I could do this week to improve my life or move closer to my desired lifestyle?
Habit # 4: Practice Changing Your Thoughts through Taking Action
There are two good things in life - freedom of thought and freedom of action. W. Somerset Maugham
For example, if you sit in the thought 'I can't get a job' it can lead to a self fulfilling prophecy. But cut off thinking and take actions you know can lead to getting a job despite your 'non-belief'--networking, distributing resumes, volunteering to gain skills, upgrading your resume--you see yourself taking actions that can lead to a job. Taking action changes your thoughts and increases your chances of success.
Or if you sit in the thought 'I can't find a partner' it can lead to a self fulfilling prophecy.
When you cut off this thinking and instead focus on engaging in actions that increase the probability you'll meet people your mindset will alter.
Give yourself the opportunity to create a positive belief about your ability to create a great life by taking positive steps without concern for the outcome. Keep taking steps in the direction of the life you want NOW.
Habit #5: Set Aside Money for Retirement
You rarely feel like you have enough money to put some away for retirement when you're young. Do it anyway.
Before you fritter your money away on impulse purchases, commit to putting money into your future.
Feeling safe financially will give you a solid foundation for fully exploring life on your terms. When you create financial freedom by paying yourself 1st, you'll give yourself a gift that grows over time. Don't put off contributing to a retirement fund. Strive to contribute to your retirement with money from each pay check.
If you work for a company that matches your retirement contribution, find a way to contribute the maximum amount to get the maximum matching. If you don't know much about investing seek out someone you trust to help you.
Feeling safe financially will provide you a solid foundation for fully exploring life on your terms. Small daily decisions over a lifetime add up--decide to save for your future.
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For more than 35 years, Susan Meyerott has been helping people lighten up and step over invisible barriers to change one step at a time. She speaks to your heart, puts you at ease, and makes changing easier than ever before.
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