Tag Archive for Chi For Yourself

Why Communication Is Such An Important Life Skill

July 15, 2024 John Uncategorized No comments

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Why Communication Is Such An Important Life Skill

Communication skills have always been a most important life skill. And there’s no sign of that changing anytime soon.

Communication tower

Excellent communication skills can help take you far in your career. And your personal life.

It’s easy to think that this skill isn’t important due to advancements in technology. But it’s even more important since we use so much tech to communicate and learn.

Speaking in a clear way that’s easy to understand is a valuable tool. You can work at and perfect this like any other skill, but you have to put in the work.

In this article, GenuLines explains why communication is such an important life skill.

 

Good Communication Skills Improve Your Social Life

It should be obvious that being a good communicator would help to improve your social life. It can help you with all sorts of loved ones, from friends to significant others to family members.

When you have good communication skills, you often also have good listening skills. You might find that you’ll have fewer disagreements, dramas, and fights, too.

Effective communication helps you express your feelings in a clear and concise way. People are less likely to take offense at what you say.

You’ll be more able to get to the source of your problems instead of letting them linger or spiral out of control.

Good Communication Skills Improve Your Professional Life

This is a key trait of successful people. It’s a feature of good leaders.

When you lead you’re responsible for getting across what needs to get done.

Good Communication Skills Can Make You a Better Person

You reach conflict resolution in an easier way.

This goes a long way toward improving your friendships and relationships.

More and more electronic communication brings disregard and neglect of our communication skills. There’s a sort of irony in that you need those same skills to succeed in electronic communication.

There are challenges to working on your communication skills. But they’re worth it.

The payoff is that you’ll improve your relationships, your career, and your life on the whole.

JohnK 7-15-2024
chiforyourself.com

stick man hears about communicationOverheard: “The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place”

                                                            ~George Bernard Shaw

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Develop Willpower And Self-Control- Change Your Behavior

June 3, 2024 John Uncategorized No comments

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Develop Willpower And Self-Control- Change Your Behavior

Willpower and self-control are crucial ingredients for success. So, how can you develop each one to change your behavior and thought process for the better?

Stay with GenuLines to find out.

Willpower

Mahatma Gandhi said, “Strength doesn’t come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will [power].”

Yet, what exactly is willpower?

scale shows self-control

Willpower is your ability to turn down and curb inner conflicts. These include short-term temptations to meet long-term goals.

Say you want to supersize your takeout order or smoke a cigarette. But, deep down, you know you shouldn’t.

Or it could come in the reverse. It could be something you know you should do, but keep procrastinating to avoid doing it. like going to the gym or filing your taxes.

When you reach this crossroads, that’s when your willpower kicks in. This instantaneous reaction stems from the prefrontal cortex (PFC).

This front part of the brain regulates behavior and decision-making abilities.

So, the first thing you need to do to develop your willpower is to keep your prefrontal cortex in good shape by:

Getting quality sleep each night

Eating a nutritious, well-balanced diet

Exercising 3–5 times a week

Managing stress

Can We Run Out of Willpower?

Experts say that we have a finite stockpile of willpower. You start your day with only so much and the more you use it, the faster you run out.

Take, for example, trying to control your temper on your way to work, at work, then on your way back home from work. You also use up your willpower when you try to ignore distractions.

Things like helping your kids with their homework. Or working out a compromise with your partner.

Our willpower gets worn out from all that repetitive use. Muck like our actual muscles do.

How to Develop Your Willpower

Check out these tips to increase your reserve of willpower.

Learn breathing techniques

Practice daily affirmations

Meditate each day

Focus on what’s important now by postponing what you shouldn’t do for later

Limit your intake of addictive substances, like alcohol and nicotine

Self-Control

Self-control the “restraint exercised over one’s impulses, emotions, or desires.” It works side-by-side with willpower.

When you practice self-control, you direct your willpower toward the outcome you want.

This means that at times, you’ll have to not do something, like when you want to eat healthy and pass on the supersize meal. It also means that there will be times when you have to put in a conscious effort to do something.

Like building good habits or getting started on those taxes.

Ego Depletion

And, as with willpower, it’s also finite. So each time you use self-control, your power to make sound decisions diminishes a little.

This goes on until you start again the following morning. This is what experts refer to as ‘ego depletion’.

It happens because you spend most of your time trying your best to focus on making decisions and exerting your willpower.

So, it’s no surprise that by the end of the day, you feel depleted and exhausted. And your thinking becomes incoherent.

You’re less able to make choices you won’t regret in the morning.

How to Develop Self-Control

You can improve your levels of self-control and reduce the impact of ego depletion. Many of these ways rely on the same techniques used to boost your willpower. like getting good sleep and managing stress.

Others are a bit different. Take a look:

Learn how to regulate your emotions.

Practice self-compassion.

Become aware of your wants and needs to direct energy toward self-improvement.

Be efficient in managing your time and energy more.

Create short and long-term goals to stay motivated.

JohnK 6-3-2024

chiforyourself.com

stick man hears about self-controlOverheard: “Self-reverence, self-knowledge, self-control; these three alone lead life to sovereign power”

                                                   ~Alfred Lord Tennyson

Article image by Ketut Subiyanto: https://www.pexels.com/photo/crop-kid-weighing-on-scale-4474052/

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Are You Changing Your Mind Too Much?

May 20, 2024 John Uncategorized No comments

 

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Are You Changing Your Mind Too Much?

If you could be more of one thing, what would it be? Do you wish you were more decisive?

Man changing mind repeatedlyDo you feel like changing your mind too often is a nasty habit?

There are times when a change of mind is appropriate, but… do you do it too much? There might be something in that.

Generally, the decision-making process is to review the information at hand. This makes sure you’re prepared and informed.

And it allows you to make the right decision, right?

That’s the idea.

Not all decisions are quite as cut and dry as that. When you make a decision, you may find yourself doubting your decision.

You second guess yourself. You feel like an unprepared flake.

And you worry that people see you as undependable. We all go through periods of indecisiveness.

It’s something that we all do in degrees. As in, you may cancel plans because you changed your mind about meeting someone.

You could change your mind about your chosen career. Then, you beat yourself up about the change of heart.

You did so much work and then went off in the opposite direction. There’s no shame in changing your mind.

The habit of second-guessing yourself is the real problem. So it’s less about indecisiveness and more about inability to trust your decisions.

If you have the ability to reassess a situation and change your decision, that’s a positive. There’s a major difference between being flexible and being indecisive.

Most of us fall somewhere in the middle of flexibility and indecisiveness.

The Differences

You may look at your habit of changing your mind a lot as frustrating. But it may show that you’re curious and more aware than others.

You aren’t afraid to admit that you made a poor decision and change course.

What you can’t do is control your impulse to change your mind. It might be a relationship, your career or a course at college.

Sticking with it… might be wasting your time and leaving you discontented with life. The ability to admit you were wrong suggests that your character is one of strength.

It might lead you to a place of contentment.

You may go back and forth, but aren’t you making more progress than if you were to have stayed standing still? One of the biggest reasons we change our minds too often is we worry about what other people think.

For example, your parents may have an expectation for your life. You might feel as though you’re on the wrong track, but you keep at it because you don’t want to disappoint them.

Sure, it may disappoint them if you stop your progress and change directions. That will only be temporary, though. At their core, they want you to be happy.

You may worry about letting others down if you chase your dream or skip out on a job. Your happiness is your own, though.

So, don’t concern yourself with what everyone else thinks about your decisions.

Few people have it all worked out and that’s okay. And people don’t think as much about your decisions as you’ve convinced yourself they do.

Don’t ignore your gut

If you have a nagging feeling about a decision, it’s not too late to make a change even if you’ve already made the decision.

Don’t be afraid to change your mind, Even if you believe you do it too often.

Changing your mind is a strength of your character, not a weakness.

JohnK 5-20-2024
chiforyourself.com

stick man hears about changing your mindOverheard: “Progress is impossible without change; and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything”

                                                 George Bernard Shaw

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4 Good Reasons To Embrace Criticism

May 6, 2024 John Uncategorized No comments

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4 Good Reasons To Embrace Criticism

Criticism never feels good. It has the sting of judgement.

As though you’re not good enough no matter how hard you try. Most people’s reaction to criticism is to get defensive, make excuses, or blame someone else.

None of those options are especially constructive.

Criticism at the office

 

It’s up to you how you choose to react to criticism. You can see it as a personal attack, or you can appreciate it, get the positives out of it, and move on.

You may feel skeptical about criticism having any benefits. So GenuLines offers you some excellent reasons to pay attention to it.

 
 
 
 

Use Criticism for Personal Growth

Often, criticism has more than a grain of truth in, even if it’s delivery is a bit harsh. That’s partly why it makes you uncomfortable—deep down it rings true, even if you don’t want to admit it.

Think of criticism as another element in your personal development toolbox. One that offers insight you might otherwise miss.

If nothing else, observing your reaction to criticism can pinpoint your problem areas. Things like triggers, your unconscious reactions, and assumptions.

Develop Emotional Resilience

Criticism usually comes laden with emotions. You feel shamed, upset, and attacked.

Learning to embrace criticism can strengthen your emotional resilience. You sit with your uncomfortable emotions instead of choose a knee-jerk reaction.

Practicing detachment takes you to a mental place. One where you can use your problem-solving skills.

You can listen, assess, analyze, and work out what lessons to take away from the experience.

You’ll be less likely to need other people’s approval to feel good about yourself. Once you see that criticism can be helpful feedback, it stops being a judgment of you as a person.

Improve Relationships

Once you stop reacting (or overreacting) to feedback, you allow more space for openness. You’re more honest, and you’re a better communicator.

People can talk to you about problems without feeling they have to walk on eggshells.

Embracing criticism makes for much better relationships. There are fewer barriers or ‘no go’ areas.

You don’t want to come off as too sensitive, difficult, or defensive. Nor do you want to have your self-worth depend on other people’s good opinion of you.

Boost Self-Confidence

Embracing criticism will free you from the curse of perfectionism. You can accept that making mistakes is human.

You’ll see that it’s actually okay, even helpful. Accept that criticism is part of everyday life and you’ll be more confident, happier, and freed up to be your best you.

JohnK 5-6-2024
chiforyourself.com

stick figure hears about criticismOverheard:  “The final proof of greatness lies in being able to endure criticism without resentment”

~Elbert Hubbard
 

Article photo by Antoni Shkraba: https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-man-and-woman-working-together-5816285/

 

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5 Ways To Sharpen Your Motivation Skills

April 22, 2024 John Uncategorized No comments

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5 Ways To Sharpen Your Motivation Skills

Motivation is a very useful tool . And GenuLines will help you produce it on your own by using physical and mental techniques.

It can come from a thought process that encourages positive energy.

You can do this in many different ways. But motivation can be a difficult thing to muster up if your physical body and mind are not in the right place.

picture inspiring motivation

We’ll start by looking at ways to sharpen motivational skills.

Get Your Mind In The Right Place

Your mind has a lot to do with how you feel about any situation. And you can think your way into a motivational mindset. So here are a few tips for getting your mind on the right path::

Write down your negative thoughts and the things that you need to improve

If you experience depression or anxiety, get it under control by seeking help

Feed your mind on a daily basis by reading or listening to positive content

Take Action!

You’ve got to take action if you expect to feel motivated to do anything.

Why, you ask?

In your body dopamine triggers feelings of motivation to do something. When you feel pleasurable sensations it kicks up your energy.

This means that when you do things, you feel a certain way about them. And you have this release of dopamine that contributes to your actions.

This can cause problems from motivation and energy to addiction to a feeling.

Know What You Really Want

Sometimes you feel as though you have to do something. But things change when your focus is on what you feel you must do.

This is the thinking that can power your life with more energy.

It’s crucial for motivation. You’ll motivate yourself and those around you.

Take Care Of Your Body

Without a healthy body, you’ll find it very difficult to have a healthy mind. Your actions and energy will determine whether your motivational habits will be sustainable.

A healthy diet and enough exercise are very important. Body and mind health work together to promote general health.

Find Someone Who Has The Same Goals

You can feed off of the energy of others. And it works both ways.

You can provide them with the tools to motivate themselves.

Are You Ready To Get Motivated?

Take action today. Be in control of your motivation.

Remember “perfect practice makes perfect.”

You won’t always feel motivated. But habits are the deciding factor in whether you can get things done even when you’re not motivated.

Motivation is something that we learn to develop over time. And over time you’ll see the benefits of sharpening your motivational skills.

JohnK 4-22-2024
chiforyourself.com

stick man hears about motivationOverheard:  If you must have motivation, think of your paycheck on Friday.

                                                   ~Noel Coward

Article photo by Ihsan Adityawarman: https://www.pexels.com/photo/multicolored-bontainer-2045600/

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What’s Wrong With Staying In Your Comfort Zone?

April 8, 2024 John Uncategorized No comments

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What’s Wrong With Staying In Your Comfort Zone?

Why do you stay in your comfort zone? Let’s see.

It’s stress-free. You’re not really challenged.

It’s familiar.

It’s also the place where you’re likely the most dissatisfied with your life. When we stay in our comfort zone, we’re forcing ourselves to stay stagnant.

We’re afraid to change for fear of what could happen. Through habit our brains keep us safe so we stay in our comfort zone instead of facing the unknown.

baby in comfort zone

Staying in our comfort zone though can cause problems as well.  GenuLines brings you 8 reasons to question staying in your comfort zone.

Not reaching your goals

If you stay in your comfort zone, you’re less likely to follow through on reaching your goals. You’re procrastinating,

You’re making excuses that keep you from taking action toward your goal.

Lack of growth

Staying in your comfort zone will probably keep you from growing into more than you are right now. You’ll always be stuck, never going forward and never growing and changing.

You might end up not achieving your goals because you’re stuck. You’re doing things the same way you’ve always done them, even when you’re not seeing any results.

You don’t step out of your comfort zone to explore what you’re capable of doing or what you can do.

No or lost passion

Staying in your comfort zone makes it harder for you to discover your path. Expect to find your path outside your comfort zone.

Feeling left behind

Your colleagues and others you relate to seem to race ahead of you. They might have been behind you as far as your life or career.

But because they stepped out of their comfort zones, they’ve passed you by.

Settling for less

By continuing to live in your comfort zone you push yourself to settle for less than you desire. You put your passions or things you love aside.

Your self-confidence lags

While you’re stuck in your comfort zone, you don’t build the confidence you need to grow and take on new challenges.

Your health suffers

Sometimes when you’re not getting out of your comfort zone you aren’t taking care of your health either. It can be from fear of going to the doctor, or not wanting to change your routines.

Do you avoid going to the gym for some reason such as appearing or trying something different?

You’ll be unprepared for changes

You’re inflexible and set in your ways when you stick to your comfort zone. Life can be difficult, throwing all kinds of things at you.

Things can happen that will pull you out of your comfort zone even if you don’t want to. Staying in your comfort zone keeps you from being open to new possibilities.

The reasons we stay in our comfort zone are the same ones that we should be using to step out of our comfort zone. Staying in your zone may feel comfortable.

But don’t limit yourself to settling for mediocrity.

JohnK 4-8-2024
chiforyourself.com

stick figure hears about comfort zoneOverheard: “By leaving your comfort zone behind and taking a leap of faith into something new, you find out who you are truly capable of becoming.”

                                                                  ~Unknown

 

Article image  by Foden Nguyen: https://www.pexels.com/photo/baby-sleeping-wrapped-in-green-blanket-17873700/

 

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Identify What Is Causing Your Stress

March 11, 2024 John Uncategorized No comments

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Identify What Is Causing Your Stress

All the stress-reduction techniques in the world are of little value if you don’t find the cause of your stress. You could exercise until you pass out.

But if you still can’t make your mortgage payment, the problem still doesn’t go away. When you find the cause, you can take steps to help yourself reduce the stress.

Example of stress

Taking the example of not paying your mortgage, you want to find a quick solution. But, you don’t want to use a shady looking online loan service, for instance.

They charge very high rates with interest calculated on a daily basis.

Taking advantage of one of these services will increase your stress. And you’ll be stuck with a higher payment.

Work Problem?

Your stress may have something to do with a coworker. Let’s say they’re lagging behind in their work, and it’s bringing your whole team down.

One solution is to help the lagging member with his or her work. But, try to show them ways to get work done faster, so it doesn’t happen again in the future.

It could be that your procrastination on something important is a stressor. You need to reverse that right away.

The situation is likely to get worse. For instance, you’re letting a slow leak in your home keep building.

This is going to make it tougher to handle when it becomes a large leak. If you’re not capable of fixing the leak yourself, hire a professional.

In the above cases you would have dealt with the actual cause of the stress points. You could try meditating or getting involved in extreme sports.

Those will help reduce your stress to some degree. But, they wouldn’t do much to remedy the situation.

Dig Deeper

Find what’s causing the stress. Take actions based on that.

Now, stress reduction techniques not related to the cause can still help. They can help you relax, which can get you to think about solutions to the problem.

The techniques can also help to lower your blood pressure and heart rate. When you’re calmer, you’ll find solutions much quicker.

In most cases, you’ll be able to determine what is stressing you out. There are situations where you become anxious, and you are not sure why.

Do what you can to make that a temporary condition. Should it become more long-term, consider getting help before it gets out of control.

JohnK 3-11-2024
chiforyourself.com

Stick figure hears about stressOverheard: “Adopting the right attitude can convert a negative stress into a positive one”

– Hans Selye

 

 

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Do You Believe You Deserve Success?

February 26, 2024 John Uncategorized No comments

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Do You Believe You Deserve Success?

Many people in this world have a very low opinion of themselves. Often they have low opinions and beliefs about the rest of humanity.

man questions success

 
They’re trapped in self-destructive, self-limiting views. And like a disease these views can affect people the holder encounters.

So, what can we do about this? As far as a large-scale approach, there’s not much we can do for the rest of the world.

But as individuals there are a lot of of things we can do.

Today GenuLines looks at the possibilities.
 
 

Know Thyself

The fundamental approach that we have to take is to know ourselves at the deepest possible level. What does this mean?

This doesn’t mean knowing the kind of person that we are, or knowing the things we like and the things we don’t like.

Rather it’s understanding the aspects of our lives. Like our capabilities, our strengths, and our weaknesses. And it means our capacity to improve.

The question is whether you believe you deserve success or not. Take the time to go deep into yourself.

You’re here, and you have something to bring to us. But it can be tough to self-reflect.

If you work through the hesitation you’ll be off to a good start.

So, my final question to you is this:

Do You Want To Believe That You Deserve Success?

If you said no, then there’s no sense reading the rest of this post. If your answer is yes, we can move on to today’s key point.

UNLIMIT YOURSELF!

How do you do that? Careful and continuous self-exploration and honest, sincere, and dedicated hard work.

Couple that with effort in the application of self-awareness and self-discovery.

A path of “breadcrumbs” is in front of you. All you have to do is pick them up and follow the trail.

JohnK 2-26-2024

chiforyourself.com

stick man hears about successOverheard: “Success is focusing the full power of all you are on what you have a burning desire to achieve”

                                         – Wilfred Peterson

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How to Stay Organized When the Going Gets Tough

February 12, 2024 John Uncategorized No comments

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How to Stay Organized When the Going Gets Tough

You’re an organized person for the most part. You have plans and schedules but sometimes life happens. Then your well planned life seems to crumble around you.

But there are things you can do to prevent that from happening. And GenuLines is here to help you stay in control.

Be Prepared

This is most important. By planning ahead you will know what to do when you’re snowed under. Like those everyday challenges from work and the family.

Get as much ready as you can for the next day before you go to bed. That includes clothes, work and school bags, your to do list and, if possible, breakfast and lunch.

Plan for the week ahead on a Sunday so that you know what the schedule is and have a meal plan in place.

Plan Your Meals

Meal planning may sound boring but it’ll save you time, stress and money. Plan meals in advance and do as much prep work as possible.

You’ll be less likely to head for the take out eateries.

Keep a selection of pre-prepared meals in your freezer. Freezer meals don’t have to be a chore. There are plenty of make it ahead dishes that can pop into a slow cooker.

Turn Off Technology

This includes the television, internet, Facebook, email or any other messaging service. You can chat with friends or catch your favorite show when you finish the work.

Prioritize

Don’t run yourself ragged trying to be a superhero and getting it all done. Instead take a look at your to do list and prioritize each item.

Cross off or move to another day anything that isn’t essential. Check off anything that you’ve already completed.

Delegate whatever tasks you can. Only do the things that need to be done and you’ll find you’ll feel more in control.

Remember: if it’s not important, ignore it.

Declutter

Clutter happens. Don’t let it become a problem.

Instead take a few minutes each day to put things away and toss the junk. Put the dishes into the dishwasher instead of leaving them on the counter.

Deal with the mail right away instead of letting it piling up.

Get Up Earlier

While getting up early may seem pointless it can provide a focused way to start your day. You’ll get going feeling both energized and organized.

Finish essential tasks to make sure that you and your family are ready for the day ahead.

Take Care of Yourself

Your good mental, physical, and emotional health will pay off when things don’t go as planned. And don’t forget to get enough sleep.

No matter how organized and well planned you are, you might worry that you won’t get everything done. Following these tips will help you to stay organized and in control.

JohnK 2-12-2024

chiforyourself.com

man gets organizedOverheard: “Organize your life around your dreams, and watch them come true”

~Unknown
 

 

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Doing Anything is Easy (To Excel At It Is Something Else)

January 29, 2024 John Uncategorized No comments

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Doing Anything is Easy (Being Good At It Is Something Else)

Many of us have big dreams that we try not to think about. Some people want to be astronauts. some people want to be rock stars.

Yet few people will admit it at a social gathering.
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Problem is, it seems a bit silly to admit to our ambitious dreams and hopes. We figure they have a small chance of becoming real.

We let a fear of failure prevent us from speaking them. What’s worse,, they prevent us from acknowledging them!

Anything Goes?

So can you achieve anything you want to? And can you be whatever you want to be – like the teachers told you at school?

Read on as GenuLines looks at how and why this can be the case.

How to be a Rock Musician
If you want to be a rock musician, what do you do? The first step is to start playing rock.

What you could do next though is to start recording that playing. Then upload it to YouTube.

Do this enough and in time you’ll get a following as people start to add you and subscribe.

Over the course of a few years, you could end up with a list of subscribers. One that’s long enough to make you something of a minor celebrity…

Want to be a novelist?

Then you can write a book and publish it on a self publishing site to be able to say you’re a ‘published author’.

The point is that in some ways it’s easy to become the thing you want to be. Getting to the level where you’re professional is harder,but you don’t need to make your job the thing that defines you.

So in other words, if you want to say you’re a ‘writer’ all you have to do is to ‘write’.

When you look at your goals and dreams like this, it allows you to forget the idea of failure. Failure is no longer an issue and so you can attack your goals with vigor.

You can’t fail when you ‘write regularly’.

You’ll enjoy the things you’re passionate about. And you won’t think you have to lie or downplay your hopes and objectives.

Take your shot at being what you want to be. But remember that getting to the highest levels will take time!

JohnK 1-29-2024
chiforyourself.com

stick man hears about living easyOverheard: “Ability is active power”

~ Noah Webster
 

 

 

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