Tag Archive for GenuLines

Is Your Money Mindset Setting You Up for Failure?

February 15, 2021 Uncategorized No comments
You feel you can trust your mindset when you begin a new endeavor. But is there a devil in the details?
 
We’re looking down the road in this GenuLines report on how your money attitude might set you up for a crash. 
 

Is Your Money Mindset Setting You Up for Failure?

dollars for money mindsetYou want to make more money. You see the lavish lifestyles of celebrities and other famous people.
 
You’d like to have some of that for yourself. But, is your drive for money blinding you to the important things in your life?
 
 
 
It’s often said that if you do something you love, the money will follow. That can happen if you approach whatever you love with passion.
 
Then again, if making money is your driving force, how will you do that? You’re likely to chase the dollar from one job to the next or from one opportunity to the next.
 
You’ll get seduced by false offers of riches. Over time, you’ll look back and see how little you accomplished.
 
You may be successful in the short term. You’ll get that extra dollar from a new job or you’ll squeeze a quick buck from your business.
 
But, you’ll keep searching for more money.
 
 
image about money mindset

 

Experience

It’s possible that if you lack the experience at your new job you won’t be able to handle it. In other words, you didn’t give your previous level enough time to develop a foundation.
 
You jumped ahead, and now you’re unclear what to do. It’s a concept known as the Peter Principle, named after the person who came up with the idea, Peter Drucker.
 
Money isn’t as important as a lot of folks believe. For instance, what good is having a high-paying job when you have to work 80-90 hours a week?
 
What kind of life is that?
 
Many people who do this, look back at their lives and wonder why they did it. While they may have a lot of money when they get older, they might end up quite unhappy.
 
Or the workload needed to reach your goal gets you to an early grave. In that case the money they earned is useless.
 
If you are happy with what you are doing, money becomes a secondary priority. People do need money to live, and you shouldn’t settle for working for less than you’re worth.
 
Get to the point where you can balance a decent amount of money with doing something that you enjoy. Then expect to live a more satisfying life.
 
JohnK 2-15-2021
 
Stick figure hears about motneyOverheard: There is a gigantic difference between earning a great deal of money and being rich.
                                ~Marlene Dietrich
 
 
 
 
 
disclaimer for talking about money
 

Find the Source of Your Motivation

February 1, 2021 Uncategorized No comments

Lack of motivation can throw cold water on the best of plans. So let GenuLines help keep you on the path toward realizing exactly what you want in life. 

(Listen to this article by clicking here)

Find the Source of Your Motivation

You get your work assignment. You know what you have to do.
 
You’ve got to get started – but somehow, you lack the motivation to get off square one.
 
Success won’t be had without motivation.

Where’s the source of your motivation?

man thinking about motivationWhere can you turn for the inspiration that will propel you forward? We’re all different and we’re all motivated by different things.
 
You may get motivated by visualizing completion of the task and reaching the goal. There may be a job promotion in it for you and a bigger paycheck.
 
 
Or you want to finish another chapter in the book you’re writing, or you look to lose five pounds by the end of the week. Seeing the goal in your mind could motivate you toward success.

Visualize completion

Never lose sight of your ultimate goal. Know you’re going to get what you deserve and push forward with renewed motivation.
 
You know that success is not only an option but is a real fact. Keep this in mind and motivation comes easier.
 
Preparation 
Motivation without the skills to achieve your goals is not enough. If you know you’re lacking something to move forward motivation is hard to summon.
 
Knowledge fuels motivation, and to a lesser extent, so does persistence.
 
Change your environment
New surroundings often give you a renewed outlook on your life. It can be something simple.
 
Put a new plant in your home or office, hang a new picture or open the curtains and let in the light.
 
This also includes surrounding yourself with positive people. When you’re around positive and successful friends their attitude rubs off on you.
 
You absorb their energy. But you’ll also absorb the energy of negative people or depressing surroundings.
 
Other methods
Find the source of your motivation and re-evaluate your tasks. Brainstorm and look for new information.
 
You can do this by taking a break. Go for a walk, exercise, work in the yard or relax with an inspirational book.
 
Using your brain in different ways will stimulate it. And stimulation leads to motivation.
 
Do something for others
When we do for others we find motivation within ourselves. Many times the way to achieve your goal is to assist others in reaching theirs.
 
Seek to serve and you’ll become energized and motivated when people rely on you. Disappoint them and you disappoint yourself – and you’re not going to let that happen, are you?
 
Listen
Some find a motivational source by talking or reading aloud to themselves. Keep an inspirational book handy at all times.
 
When you actually hear the positive affirmations they become more effective.
 
Motivation comes from many different sources. Look within and find what works for you.
 
Believe in yourself. Look forward to the good that will come into your life.
 
Do these things and expect motivation to come your way..
 
JohnK 2-1-2021
 
Stick figure hears about motivationOverheard: “You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great”
                                    ~Zig Ziglar
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
disclaimer for talking about motivation
 

Is Staying In Your Comfort Zone Holding You Back?

January 25, 2021 Uncategorized No comments

Your comfort zone has a way of betraying you. I mean, it’s supposed to be a comfortable place, right?

Let GenuLines show you how it might be working against you. 

(Listen to this article by clicking here)

Is Staying In Your Comfort Zone Holding You Back?

We’ve heard a lot about getting out of our comfort zone. But have you ever thought about why you should?
 
After all, it’s a place where we feel safe and in control. 
 
It’s where we can predict what will happen and how we will feel. There won’t be any surprises that we can’t deal with.
 
So why would you feel compelled or even want to get out of your comfort zone? You need to do it because that would be key to your personal growth and happiness.
 

 

 

 

 

The benefits

Stepping out of that zone helps you build up your self-confidence and the way you view yourself.
 
Is being there holding you back from living a fulfilled life and growing in your career? The answer is yes.
 
It can also keep you from realizing and achieving your desires. You avoid challenges and you don’t have to rise to any new levels.
 
Here are 3 ways this is holding you back.
 

1. It’s keeping you from personal growth

When you’re afraid of something, staying in your comfort zone keeps you from facing that fear.
 
Then you suffer from it forever or until you do face it. You sidestep situations that would force you to face the fear as a way of overcoming it.
 
For example, say you have a fear of public speaking. It could keep you from taking a job that requires you to speak in front of others.
 
You hesitate even though it’s a step up on your career ladder.
 

2. Your happiness suffers

You might be prone to struggle with self-confidence and self-esteem issues. These problems can grow unless you begin to address them.
 
Stepping outside your comfort zone helps you build self-confidence. You see yourself in a better light.
 
When you’re confident and have good self-esteem, you’re happier. For example, if you’re not confident in your abilities, you may fear trying something new.
 
This drags down your confidence. You feel less competent and it’s making you unhappy.
 

3. Your comfort zone can make you feel trapped and unhealthy

Often our comfort zone keeps us doing bad habits out of fear. You might want to be more active, run a marathon, feel fewer aches and pains and go on adventures.
 
But to do any of these things means doing something that is outside your comfort zone.
 
For example, you want to run a short marathon. It’s always been a dream of yours, but you procrastinate and make excuses why you can’t.
 
You’re too out of shape. You don’t have time. You’re too old.
 
But the real reason is that you’re afraid to get out of your comfort zone and begin working with a trainer. As a result, you continue to eat unhealthily and you gain weight.
 
You lose muscle tone and put your dream on the back burner. At some point, your health takes a hit.
 
Staying in your comfort zone holds you back from living a life you love, from being happy, and from growing. You end up letting your fears rule.
 
And that’s a recipe for mediocrity.
 
JohnK 1-25-2021
 
Stick figure hears about comfort zoneOverheard: “Dare to learn, to be different, to set your goals, to move out of your comfort zone, to be persistent.”
                                          ~ Unknown
 
 
 
 
disclaimer for talking about comfort zone
 
 

Time to Develop Your Money and Your Life

January 11, 2021 Uncategorized No comments

We tend to obsess over money, Often at the expense of important parts of our overall life. 

Here’s a GenuLines look at tying it all together to lessen the stress in your life. 
 
 
Time to Develop Your Money and Your Life
Some of the biggest stressors for families are financial challenges. When your financial house is in order, then the rest of your life falls into place with less hassle.
 
For most of us, financial planning was not a part of our high school or college curriculum. Ditto for balancing a checkbook or concentrating on 401k or emergency expenditures.
 
No balance in your financial issues can mean no balance in other life areas, too. Unfortunately, money controls much of our thought patterns, time, and worries.
 

Figure Out Your Spending Habits

money planningLearn about your financial patterns before talking about money with your partner.
You can make improvements in your spending habits.
 
And you can do that whether you’re frugal or a spendthrift.
 

 

The Spendthrift

If you have no knowledge of where money comes from or how to manage it, you’ll find that money will manage you. Spending more than you earn is never a good scenario.
 
Sit down with your finances. Figure out what’s coming in, what’s going out. and keep the difference for yourself as spendable income.
 
It’s really that simple.
 
Living above your means is something that you do not want to do, ever. Living above your means is never a win/win situation.
 

The Frugal Financier

If you hate to part with pennies and dimes you’ll have strained money dealings with most everyone. No one is going to put up with someone who’s being a tightwad, even for fun.
 

Get Together with Your Financial Partner

It’s very important to get together with your financial partner. Put your differences to work for you instead of against you.
 
Let’s say you are frugal and your partner is a spendthrift. Come up with great and innovative ways to meet somewhere in the middle.
 
Compromise is an important part of a relationship. And what better way to incorporate that tool than to use it in your financial life.
 
JohnK 1-11-2021
 
stick man hears about moneyOverheard: “It’s amazing how fast later comes when you buy now”
                                      ~Milton Berle
 
 
 
 
Article image by rupixen.com on Unsplash
 
disclaimer for talking money
 

Are You Setting the Right Goals for Yourself?

January 4, 2021 Uncategorized No comments
The New Year is a great time to set new goals. And GenuLines wants you to make sure those new goals are the right goals. 
 
 

Are You Setting the Right Goals for Yourself?

There is a lot more to goal setting than just picking a goal and moving forward. Yes, this is important.
 
But it’s also important to make sure that you’re setting the right goals at the right time. These questions will help you head in the right direction:
 
Are You Setting Specific and Realistic Goals?
It takes a little research to ensure that a goal is realistic. If you’re not sure if something is actually achievable then you haven’t done enough research.
 
Once you know that the goal is realistic you need to give it a clear description. This will let you work backward to make a schedule of action you’ll need to succeed.
 
Listing goals
 
 
Are Your Goals Multifaceted?
Focusing on only one part of your life is a bad idea. To feel successful people make goals for all areas of their lives.
 
Say you have a wonderful business and career but your personal life suffers. No matter how successful you are, you won’t feel successful.
 
Make sure your goals include something from each aspect of your life.
 
Does Your Scheduling Show Real Need?
For instance, you want to exercise 30 minutes per day. But setting aside only 30 minutes isn’t going to be realistic.
 
You’ll probably need to set aside an hour. This will cover getting ready as well as cooling down or getting cleaned up to go back to work.
 
Are You Learning from Failure?
You might feel like giving up when setting goals and schedules. You put your plan into effect but you notice there are things you’ve forgotten to take into account.
 
Don’t quit. Learn from the failure and change the schedule to be more realistic.
 
You might find that in practice you have to rewrite all your goals and your schedule. This is natural.
 
Failure feels like a negative. But the truth is if you don’t fail sometimes you’re not going to learn much and it’s likely your goals are too easy.
 
Do Your Goals Represent Your Needs and Wants?
A lot of people set goals that represent what someone else wants instead of what they want. This can cause a lot of bad feelings and resentment.
 
And it can derail the best-laid plans.
 
As you set your goals for your life, ask yourself if they’re what you want for yourself or what someone else wants for you. Ask yourself if you’re okay with any goal you make being for someone else before you embark on your journey.
 
Are You Checking in Often to Stay on Track?
To-do lists pale in comparison to a well laid out calendar of tasks and activities that get you from point “A” to point “B”. Make sure that you look at your schedule often.
 
Make note of when you succeed in sticking to your schedule and when you don’t. Noticing a pattern of activity can help in improving your schedule.
 
And it can help you stay realistic about whether you’re sticking to the plan.
 
Do Your Goals Have Positive Focus?
Try writing down a goal and then changing the words to sound more positive to see if it isn’t more motivating. For instance, “losing weight” seems like a good target.
 
But for some people, it might signify deprivation. Instead, frame the goal as “improving my BMI by 10 points” or “improving my cholesterol by 10 percent.”
 
Do You Have Too Many Goals Set at One Time?
Just as setting too few goals can be a problem, so can setting too many. Instead, pick one personal goal, and one other type of goal to focus on until you reach them.
 
Later you can add more as time goes on. You don’t need to do everything today.
 
Slow and steady wins the race is a good motto to hang on to.
 
Setting the right goals for yourself takes some thought and consideration. Don’t try to set them all in one day.
 
It’s better to set some goals in different stages and in different areas of your life. And give a lot of thought to why you’re setting the goals in the first place.
 
JohnK 1-4-2021
 
stick man hears about goalsOverheard: “What the mind can conceive and believe, and the heart desire, you can achieve”
                                ~Norman Vincent Peale
 
 

 

 
 
 
disclaimer for setting goals

How Meditation Can Benefit Your Motivation

November 16, 2020 Uncategorized No comments
 
Meditation might not be your first thought when your motivation is on the wane. But GenuLines knows that it can be a go-to tool for those times when you lose your spark, 
 
How Meditation Can Benefit Your Motivation

meditation momentThe downward spiral of low motivation can seem like an impossible cycle to break. During those times productivity and accomplishment can seem like unattainable goals. 

 
 
 
 
There is one simple tool you may not have considered before that can get you back on track, and that’s meditation. It’s an exercise that goes well beyond providing relaxation.

Focus and Concentration

Focus and concentration are by-products of meditation. But don’t force the issue.
 
This could have a negative effect on your motivation.

Increased Happiness

More and more of us are being diagnosed with depression. It’s no surprise that happy people tend to have more energy and higher self-confidence.
 
And motivation raises happiness by helping release the brain’s “happiness hormones.” When you’re feeling more positive, you’re likely to have more desire to get things done.

Less Stress

Meditation leads to a more relaxed state. This is due to the way it allows the brain to slow down as it receives sensory input.
 
This relaxation and improved processing leads to reduced feelings of stress and overwhelm. With less stress comes a feeling of more control, which then fuels your motivation.

Positive Thinking

One of the biggest killers of motivation is negative thinking. A pessimistic view can come from many sources.
 
Think depression, poor habits, or general life difficulties.
 
The beauty of meditation is that it “rewires” brain patterns. This process encourages more positive thought patterns.
 
The result is a reset that helps you become more motivated.

Clarified Goals and Purpose

Taking time each day for meditation can give you a great deal of insight. This helps with reassessing what’s most important in your life.
 
When you have a better picture of your priorities, your goals and life’s purpose become clearer. Knowing where you want to go kicks your motivation into high gear.
 
And you’ll feel a greater urgency to take the necessary steps on the path to your dreams.
The benefits of meditation for increased motivation are many. There are various types of meditation.
 
You can begin to research on your own or find a teacher who can help you develop a practice that works for you. What’s most important is that you get started.
 
And maintain consistency in your meditation practice to get the most effective results. Soon you’ll be tackling your to-do list and pursuing the life goals that matter with renewed vigor.
 
JohnK 11-16-2020
 
stick figure man hears about meditationOverheard: “When you own your breath, nobody can steal your peace”
                                               ~Unknown
 
 
 
 
 
disclaimer for meditation

Boost Your Motivation With a Bit of Science

November 9, 2020 Uncategorized No comments
 
Motivation is a key component of success. Sure, talent, intelligence, and money can play a part.
 
But there’s a science involved as well, and GenuLines wants you to put it to work in your path to success.

Boost Your Motivation With a Bit of Science

suggestion to motivationWe all have lists of things we
“hope” we’ll do. But how do we
put these things into the “done”
column?
 
 
 
 
 
Let’s take a look at the science of motivation and the ways to harness it to your advantage.

An Improved Approach to Motivation

Dan Pink wrote a best-selling book, “Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us.” He says that there are three components of motivation that push us to get things done.
 
And he scraps the old carrot and stick types of reward systems.
 
Instead, Pink argues that a scientific approach gives us a better view of the subject. This, he says, helps us come up with strategies to power up motivation.
 
Three Elements of Motivation
Pink says research shows that autonomy, value, and competence drive motivation. Autonomy refers to the amount of control or independence we feel over a task or action.
 
He says studies point to a connection between input on a task and better follow through.
 
The second component of motivation is value. This is the amount of personal significance or importance you place on a matter.
 
In other words, if something matters to you on a personal level, you’ll feel more motivated to take it on.
 
Competence comes from a feeling of mastery as it relates to practice and hard work. This doesn’t mean you have to have natural abilities.
 
Spending time developing competence seems to increase chances of reaching the goal.
 

Strategies to Increase Motivation

Now you have an understanding of what matters most with regard to what motivates us. So let’s look at some strategies to increase motivation.
 
With autonomy as a guide, let’s consider ways to add a sense of control or involvement in activities. One way to do this is to take ownership of a chore or add some aspect of self-direction to it.
 
Let’s say you’re having difficulty starting a project such as submitting a paper. It may help to think of all the ways doing this will set you apart as an expert in your field.
 
You’ll see that turning in the paper is a necessary part of sharing your unique views with your colleagues.
 
To add value to your task, you want to make it meaningful or personal. Find a way to add purpose to that item on your to-do list.
 
This involves changing your perspective or the way you look at that item.
 
Doing your taxes is a chore you might dread. Add purpose to it by focusing on the work you’ve done that’s represented by the numbers on the page.
 
Or the contribution you’ve made to your job and community through your efforts. Paying taxes is a symbol of good citizenry.
 
Finally, there’s competence. Feeling mastery over an act requires practice.
 
Try to look at the job at hand as one in which you are working toward an end goal of skillfulness.
 
For instance, you’ll soon see the treadmill as less of an adversary the more workout sessions you endure. As you get fitter you’ll see exercise as a little easier.
 
And, you’ll get a feeling of accomplishment.
 
Motivation is not always easy to come by. But with a little knowledge of science you can be more effective in moving toward your dreams.
 
In time you’ll be mastering your goals. And that will fuel your motivation in the future.
 
JohnK 11-9-2020
 
Stick figure hears about motivatonOverheard: “It always seems impossible until it’s done.”
                                   ~Nelson Mandela
 
 
 
 
 
disclaimer for motivation
 

What Kind of Mindset Do You Have?

October 19, 2020 Uncategorized No comments

Your mindset can take you to great heights. Or, it can keep you mired in the depths. 

Today GenuLines steers you around the negative mindsets and on the path to genuine living. 

(You can listen to this article by clicking on here)

What Kind of Mindset Do You Have?

Thinker mindsetYour mindset is what compels you to take a certain action or leads you back off from acting on something. It influences how you see yourself and those around you.
 
Different types of mindsets can mean different things to each of us. And they can say a lot about how and why you think like you do.
 
Each has benefits and drawbacks.
 

 

A numbers game

The number of mindsets that exist is dependent on how much you generalize them. Finding your type is key to understanding how you operate in every area of your life.
 
There are two main types of mindsets, Fixed and Growth. Each has benefits and downsides.
 
If you have a fixed mindset, you tend to believe your skills or qualities are set and you resist changing them. These include your intelligence level, and your personality or character.
 
This can cause you to limit yourself and focus on proving yourself to others.
 
Some of the sub-mindsets of a fixed mindset include these tendencies:
 
· Fear 
 
· Laziness 
 
· Envy 
 
· Greed 
 
· Short-term thinking
 
· Anger
 
· Tendency to follow
 

Characteristics include:

 
1. Blaming others for things that are wrong
 
2. Lazy habits
 
3. Relying on addictions
 
4. Insatiable and always want more
 
5. Self-absorbed, with little thought of others
 
6. Limited initiative to achieve
 
7. Obsessed with what others are, do or say
 
8. Waste time
 
9. Come across in a negative way
 
With a growth mindset, you tend to believe in a basic set of qualities. You feel you can cultivate and develop them through effort, strategy, and help from others.

 

Some of the sub-mindsets of a growth mindset include:

 
· Social 
 
· Business 
 
· Dreamer 
 
· Gratitude 
 
· Confident 
 
· Creative 
 

Characteristics include:

 
· Willing to help others
 
· Solve problems
 
· Think big and know what you want
 
· Feel gratitude for what you have
 
· Eager to learn
 
· Dedication to achieve and grow
 
· Able to change and develop skills
 
· Embrace challenges
 
· Learn from failures
 
What type of mindset is the basis of your thoughts and actions? Do you believe that this is how you are and can’t change?
 
Do you believe you can change, and things can be different for you? The good news is you can change your mindset to one of growth and abundance.
 
JohnK 10-19-2020
 
Stick figure hears about mindsetOverheard: “Great works are performed not by strength but by perseverance”
                           ~Samuel Johnson
 
 

 

 

disclaimer for mindset

5 Simple Ways to Avoid Daily Distractions

October 12, 2020 Uncategorized No comments
No matter how focused you are, some days, it’s hard not to get distracted. And, in a time of societal upheaval, those distractions can get out of hand.
 
Let GenuLines help you with this list of points to bring back your focus.
 
(You can listen to this article by clicking here)
 

5 Simple Ways to Avoid Daily Distractions

 
 
Life can sometimes get in the way of meeting your goals, but it doesn’t have to derail you.man endangered by distractions
 
Here are some expert tips on how to stay on track, no matter what else is happening around you.
 

 

 

 

1. Get Organized

 
It’s easier to focus if you’re not distracted by the small, daily tasks. Commit to a nightly practice of preparing for the next day.
 
Decide what to wear, what to have for lunch and the other necessary things that are part of your routine. Have your gym bag ready and packed so you can just pick it up and go.
 
It can help to get organized for your week on a Sunday evening. For example, have all your work clothes clean and pressed and ready to wear.
 
You might even consider a minimalist work wardrobe of similar garments to mix and match. You can also bulk cook and freeze meals so that you don’t even think about dinner during the week.
 

2. Do the Tough Things First

 
You can free up a lot of mental energy by putting the difficult tasks and decisions at the top of your to-do list. Do the hardest tasks when your brain is still fresh first thing in the morning.
 
This way you can get on with your day without a nagging dread at the back of your mind.
 

3. Keep Your Energy High

 
It might surprise you to hear that fatigue can be a distraction. If your energy is low, you won’t be performing at your best, so make sure you take regular breaks.
 
Get out of the office and get some fresh air. Eat your lunch in the park and give your eyes a break from looking at a screen.
 
Eat lots of fresh foods and stay hydrated by keeping a water pitcher on your desk.

4. Manage Your Priorities

 
Chances are, many of the requests you get during the day don’t deserve to be your top priority. Instead of responding straight away, decide on how urgent the request is.
 
Do you really need to answer that email now? Learn to focus on requests and respond as you see fit.

 

5. Keep Your Eye on the Prize

 There are so many distractions in modern life that it can be easy to lose sight of what you want to achieve. Have a visual reminder of what you’re working toward.

 
This could be a mission statement or a post-it note on your computer. Check-in every day to see how you’re tracking and make sure you keep a line of sight on your big goal.
 
JohnK 10-12-2020
 
stick man hears about distractionsOverheard: “Creation is in part merely the business of forgoing the great and small distractions”
                                        ~E. B. White
 
 
 
Article Image by by Cristofer Jeschke on Unsplash
 
disclaimer for distractions
 

Hard Times And Their Important Lessons

September 14, 2020 Uncategorized No comments

Hard times are a breeding ground for hopelessness. You can slip into a feeling that you can’t win.

But today’s GenuLines message asks some important questions to help you prevail.

(You can listen to this article by clicking on HERE)

 

Hard Times And Their Important Lessons

symbol of hard timesThese days hopelessness is a common feeling. There’s bad news in the media every day.

On top of that, our lives can bring personal challenges and negativity.

 

 

 

 

Everyone faces these situations in a different way, though. Some find comfort in religion and spirituality; others turn to meditation or therapy.

Unfortunately, others adopt unhealthy coping mechanisms,. Things like drinking to manage their grief, anguish, and sadness.

But if you look at hard times in a different light you can come up with more positive coping mechanisms.

One good way to reinterpret hardships is to find meaning in them.

And how can you do this?

When you’re facing a negative event, pause, and ask yourself how you can make the event meaningful.

For example, let’s say you get fired from your job. It’s a distressing situation that can leave you feeling afraid, angry, and ashamed.

Especially if you have a family, debt, or you don’t like your chances of finding a new job.

For example, ask yourself questions such as:

• Did I really like that job? Often, we’re stuck in a job that no longer makes us fulfilled, but we’re too scared to quit.

• Is this situation freeing my time for better opportunities? A job you no longer enjoyed could have been a roadblock in your professional development.

• What did I learn from that experience? The skills you learned at that job can be a launching point toward better opportunities.

• What went wrong? In this case, be honest with yourself — why were you fired? Look at the causes and don’t be judgemental.

• Are there any areas for growth? Regardless of what caused the negative situation, think of how you can use the experience to grow.

When you ask yourself these questions you give meaning to a negative situation. And you also take back control of it.

You re-frame the negative as an opportunity to grow and thrive in unexplored areas.

Look at it this way. A lost job is a chance for new growth. A new business, a trip, time off for family and friends, continued education, and more.

It’s healthy to feel down when you have a bad day. But it’s also important to take complete responsibility and be proactive.

Only then, can we find meaning in our lives and reduce uncertainty.

Luckily, this isn’t the only way to find meaning in difficult times.
When hardships come, it’s easy to over-think the situation.

But, dedicating at least some time to others helps put life into perspective.

When you give away your time and energy to help others, you create a connection with them. Life is no longer something that happens to you.

Instead, it becomes a network that you can influence in a positive way.

Finally, difficulties are part of life. Trying to avoid them keeps you from focusing your energy in purposeful, selfless directions.

So face tough times with patience and compassion toward yourself and others.

Every situation leaves its mark. That means you’re growing,

You’re building your own path of self-acceptance and compassion. You have the power to take control of your life by reflecting without judgment.

Accept each situation as an opportunity, and work with and for others.

JohnK 9-14-2020
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stick figure man hears about hard timesOverheard: “Fall seven times, stand up eight”
                             ~Japanese proverb

 

 

 

 

disclaimer for hard times

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