Thomas Carlyle said, “He who has health has hope, and he who has hope, has everything.” This is true, but sometimes it’s hard to keep ourselves healthy and in good shape, not just physically but mentally. That’s why, in this article I’ll share ways you can implement and practice to have a better perspective and more balance in your life. Follow on for Personal Development: 3 Tips to Effective Growth!
1. One Step at a Time, Focus on the Process not the Goal
Sometimes the only thing we care about is the outcome, to lift the trophy, to reach the weight target…but then what?
“…so, and that stuck with me man, at 21 years old, it stuck with me, and I realized like, man, I have to enjoy the process, and it’s really never rubbed off from me.”
When we only care about the outcome, we lose sight of the most important thing, the growth, the progress. Progress can be understood as everything that you did to become a new and better person, when we do not care about this, we become superficial, we want more, and nothing is ever enough.
When you focus and learn from your growth and progress, every single day is a chance to be 1% better than yesterday, you are motivated to get out of your bed and try your best, and even on those bad days when you lose, you will still learn from that experience. And what‘s more, once you achieve your goal, you will feel fulfilled, and you will be able to enjoy your achievements.
2. Take Care of Yourself as if You Were Taking Care of Someone You Love
This is a reference to the rule “treat yourself like someone you are responsible for helping” from the book “12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos” by Jordan B. Peterson
“Why the hell should you take care of something as sorry and wretched as you are?”
This rule refers to the double standard (he is not the only one talking about this), when you make a mistake, your first thought is “I am an idiot” but when one of your friends make a mistake, you say “listen, mistakes happen, everything will be fine, don’t worry about it.” So, why is that? Do you think that’s a growth mindset?
The reason behind this might be because we know about our limitations, we are self-conscious, we know our weaknesses, so we understand the fact that people can suffer, but at the same time we know ourselves better than anyone else, so we have a lack of sympathy for ourselves compared to others.
So, the next time you end up in these situations, I encourage you to try the following:
- Start taking care of yourself! Eat and sleep properly.
- When you are feeling down, reach out to your friends, talk to them.
- When you feel sick, get enough rest, you’re not superman (yet).
- When you achieve something, reward yourself for the effort and your growth.
- When you make a mistake, do not say “I am useless” shut that voice down, instead, say “I gave my best and it did not work, I will learn from this, and I will try again.” Remember, we all deserve to be loved.
3. Always be Honest, to People and to Yourself
There is something called “cognitive dissonance” which basically means having inconsistent thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors, it‘s not just “white lies” it‘s more complex than that.
“The more in tune that you are with your body and your mind and your thoughts the easier it will be to spot discomfort.”
These can lead to some consequences, for example: feeling uneasy, uncomfortable, tension, anxiety, and if you keep going down this road, things will get worse. I am not going to say that resolving this inner conflict is easy, but a few ways to reduce it to start living a better life include:
- Opening your eyes and looking at the consequences of your actions.
- Listen to what you say and then look at what you do.
- Be willing to debate, this will make you learn more and defend your point of view, and the reason this works is because “you cannot defend the indefensible.”
- Mindfulness and meditation will help you reconnect your mind and your body, making discomfort and toxic thoughts easier to spot.
- Writing will help you to put your thoughts to paper and give them more structure and logic.
Once you start telling the truth and face the consequences of your reality, you’ll feel as if the weight of the world is lifted from your shoulders. These are 3 simple tips to a better life, and we can talk about them.all night! But the only way to know if they work is if you put them to work!
Remember, “You are the only one who can make it happen for you. Others can support and encourage you, but you have to find the energy within in order to step into the center of your own life and take charge”. – Lynda Field.
Which tip from the above list for 3 resonates with you the most? Let us know in the comments below and join in the conversation on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram!
