Tag Archive for fulfilling life

5 Ways To Sharpen Your Motivation Skills

April 22, 2024 John Uncategorized No comments

banner to help stir motivation

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/

disclaimer for motivation

4 Key Ways to Regain Control of Your Life

September 18, 2023 John Uncategorized No comments

banner for control

 

These tough times may leave you thinking you’re out of control of your life. GenuLines respectfully disagrees.

And we’re offering some tips on putting you back in the driver’s seat.

4 Key Ways to Regain Control of Your Life
power switch control

There are times when it seems our lives are spiraling out of control. Nothing seems to go right, and you feel like you can’t get a grip on reality and a foothold on stability.

Reasons for this include overwork, stress, trauma, or depression.

There are a lot of ways you can work toward getting control of your life. GenuLines narrows it down to four key steps.

 

 

1) Use the power of no
Part of how we become overworked and overstressed is by agreeing to take on far more than we can handle. You often want to please everyone or you don’t want to let those that are close to you down.

You’re taking on more responsibilities than you could ever handle.

You can’t allow yourself to feel guilty for saying no to something you can’t do. If the person who asked you to do it cares about you, they’ll understand.

Don’t bite off more than you can chew and say no when necessary.

2) Don’t be afraid to break the mold
You can’t let others dictate what you do. Same for the choices you make, or what makes you happy; you have to do things your own way for yourself.

At times what you want to do will line up with something someone else has done in the past. At other times, the path you’re walking will be unconventional.

Don’t be afraid to step into uncharted territory. Take the path less traveled, or make your own path in life; do what makes you happy.

3) Take care of yourself
One of the most important steps to regaining control of your life is taking good care of yourself. Your mental and physical health are more important than anything.

Make sure you give yourself a few days to unwind each week. And what’s most important, make at least one of those days is set aside for yourself.

Use that day to do what makes you happy, relaxes you, and allows you to recharge your battery.

4) Turn this into a learning experience
There are two ways to look at trying times in your life. You can mope and look for pity, or you can learn from your mistakes and turn those times into a learning experience.

You can learn a lot from your errors and failures and with each one, you become more resilient. .You’re optimistic approach helps you power through the hardship. You come out on the other side a better and stronger person.

When you feel like your life is spiraling out of control, your situation can seem hopeless. You can and should work to regain control.

There are many ways in which you can work to better yourself, regain stability, and regain control, but we focused on the top four reasons we find absolutely essential to regaining control of your life.

If you find yourself still struggling or feeling hopeless, seek help. A professional can help guide you through it and offer you support.

JohnK 9-18-2023
chiforyourself.com

stick man hears about controlOverheard: “Only you can control your future”.

~Dr. Seuss
 

 

disclaimer for control

5 Signs You’re Living A Meaningful Life

May 1, 2023 John Uncategorized No comments

Living life is something we all do. But we don’t all live it in a meaningful way.

Life does leave clues, and GenuLines is on the case to show you if you fit the description.. 

5 Signs You’re Living A Meaningful Life

Have you been feeling restless with your place in life? Do you feel as if you’re wasting your life?
 
These are common signs that you’re feeling the need to live a more meaningful life. You may be doing this already but you have no idea that you are.
 
Today, GenuLines explores the five signs that you’re living a meaningful life. Let’s begin.
 
man living meaningfully
 

1) You’re doing what you love

Too many people ignore their passions. Your passion is your passion for a reason.
 
Follow and explore if you MUST do what you’re doing

2) You have your priorities in order

Living with purpose keeps your priorities in order; you know what’s important. You’re living in a meaningful life “sweet spot.”
 
And you’re spending less time doing unhelpful, unproductive, or unimportant things.

3) You know your purpose

This one tends to apply to far fewer people. Many don’t know or at least don’t think they know what their life’s purpose is.

4) You’re focused and driven

People who live meaningful lives and live them with purpose are in this category. They toughed out all the trials and temptations. and they’re living their lives with purpose and in a meaningful way.

5) You aspire to daily goals

This doesn’t cover everyone who lives with purpose. You may have more long-term goals in mind, but it’s a good way to start and a pretty common one at that.
 
Reaching daily goals makes you more driven to push on. Setting daily goals is a good start to training your body and brain.
 
You get used to working towards goals and achieving them.
 
This beats setting them and hoping for the best. If you want to see if you’re living a meaningful life, treat this article like a checklist.
 
Check off the things that already apply to you and see how close to living a meaningful life you are.
 
Where might you be able to improve? What new habit could you form to make you feel more confident that you’re living a meaningful life?
 
The intention today was to help you gain some perspective on your purpose and your life’s path. All the best on your journey!
 
JohnK 5-1-2023
chiforyourself.com
 
stick man hears about living meaningfullyOverheard: “If you want to be happy, do not dwell in the past, do not worry about the future, focus on living fully in the present”
                                ~Roy T. Bennett
 
 
 
 
 

disclaimer for living meaningfully

How to Develop Lifelong Excellence

July 18, 2022 John Uncategorized No comments

Targeting excellence in all you do is a wise decision. It’s a target you can reach. 

Keep reading for some GenuLines ideas on how to stay there once you reach it.

How to Develop Lifelong Excellence

Have you ever felt intrigued or even jealous of how some people seem to excel at everything they do? You have to understand that although nobody can be perfect, it is possible to be excellent. 
 
 
A great way to develop excellence is by directing your energy into your projects. As long as you acknowledge that you’re doing your best, you’re excelling. 
 
You can’t sit on the couch and at the same time become an excellent runner. You have to get out there and work on running by putting your best efforts into it. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Mastery
Another way to develop excellence is to learn how to master things. This applies to learning new skills, such as how to run a new software program, for example. 
 
You need to commit if you’re going to excel. Before taking on a project or committing to a goal, prepare to commit and follow through with it. 
 
Life is full of challenges
 
These can be the ones that you set for yourself, or they can be the kind that life throws at you. With any challenge you’re going to make mistakes, and there’s nothing you can do to avoid this.
 
What you can do is to learn from your mistakes.
 
Chin Up
When something goes wrong, don’t put yourself down. Instead think of what happened and learn from it. This way you’ll be more prepared the next time. 
 
Another way to challenge yourself is by setting high standards. Don’t feel satisfied with only doing those things that come easy to you.
 
Do something that takes you out of your comfort zone. 
 
To develop lifelong excellence you want to be open to learning. This may include learning from books or by taking courses.
 
But it also includes learning from life and adapting to things as necessary. Be open to becoming a reader of life! 
Know Thyself
Before you can develop your excellence you must understand what you are all about. Do you know what your strengths and weaknesses are? 
 
Developing a lifelong habit of excellence does not happen overnight. You need to be aware of your journey.
 
Take in your surroundings, as well as the people you surround yourself with. 
 
Be open to new experiences and be willing to learn from your mistakes. This will move you in the direction of fulfillment, happiness, and yes, excellence.
 
JohnK 7-18-2022
 
stick man hears about excellenceOverheard: “Excellence is a continuous process and not an accident”
                             ~ A. P. J. Abdul Kalam
 
 
 
 
 
 
disclaimer for excellence

What is Your Confidence Quotient?

April 25, 2022 John Uncategorized No comments

Is your confidence up to the task? It may be time to take stock of where you are on the confidence scale. 

These questions from GenuLines are intended to help your sweet spot.

What is Your Confidence Quotient?

Yes you want to be confident. But not so confident that you come off as arrogant.
 
man shows confidenceYou want to project the confidence needed to succeed in life and reach the goals that you’ve set for yourself.
 
Read and answer the following questions (all yes or no) and then look back on your answers. You should have a pretty good idea if your confidence quotient is high or low – or in the middle.
 
 
 
This will show you areas you need to work on to raise it.

Do you feel guilty when you say “no?”

Saying “no” can be traumatic for you if you lack confidence in your decisions.
 
You may find yourself making up lies to get out of things rather than saying, “no.”

Do you compare yourself to others?

There’s always going to be someone smarter, richer and better looking than you. Until you become comfortable with yourself you’ll lack confidence to go farther in life.

Do you feel intimidated in most situations?

You’re likely to feel intimidated by others if you compare yourself to others. (see previous question) Don’t think of yourself as inferior to them.
 
Stop comparing yourself and enjoy the moment.

Do you stand up for your values and beliefs?

Let’s say you easily get swayed by others or stay silent in an uncomfortable situation. You could lack confidence.
 
Compromising your belief system can be a confidence killer.

Do you try hard to impress others?

When you’re confident, you don’t have to strive to impress. You’ll impress others with your mere presence.
 
Confidence exudes an image that means you don’t have to try to impress – it will become natural

Are you money sound?

Financial well-being can add to your confidence quotient. If you have trouble budgeting and spending you may need help from a pro.
 
A financial planner can give you more confidence in your financial future.

Do you hesitate to take the initiative on projects or ideas?

Building confidence helps you feel good about taking on challenges and new ideas. It’s okay to take a back seat to someone who knows more and whom you can learn from.
 
But put yourself out there by sometimes taking the initiative.

Do you feel confident about your future?

It’s important that you feel comfortable about the choices you’re making. This will go a long way toward impacting your future.
 
That future encompasses your health, family and job decisions that you’re making now. Be sure they’re based on facts.
 
Assess your confidence quotient and determine what you need to do to raise it.
 
Check your progress
 
Take action on your weak points. Later, when you feel you’ve made progress in the areas you needed to work on, answer the questions again.
 
And see how far you’ve progressed.
 
JohnK 4-25-2022
 
Stick figure hears about confidenceOverheard: “It is best to act with confidence, no matter how little right you have to it.”
                                   ­­-Lillian Hellman
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
disclaimer for confidence

Why Self-Confidence Matters

March 28, 2022 John Uncategorized No comments

You know that self-confidence is important. You just don’t think about it much.

Today you’re invited to sample some food for thought from GenuLines. 

Why Self-Confidence Matters

It often seems that confidence is elusive, like a smoky mirage.
Sometimes, it feels magical and wonderful; other times it can be frustrating.
 
But you can build up your self-confidence without having to resort to mystical means.
 
‘How?’ you ask. It’s simple.
 
Superman shows confidence
 
 
Start by recognizing that confidence is a skill you can learn. You set a goal and take small steps each day to work towards it.
 
Keep reading to find out more about self-confidence and why it matters.
 

 

 

 

What Is Self-Confidence?

Self-confidence isn’t tangible. You can’t touch it and say, “This is confidence.”
 
It’s something we get a feeling for when we, or others, have it.
 
Likewise, we can recognize when someone lacks it. Even when they try to attempt to compensate for it, we sense it and feel bad for them.
 
The good news is that self-confidence is a soft skill. Which means you can learn it and apply it to your daily life.
 
It’s not fixed, like your height for example.
 
It’s based for the most part on your mindset and the actions you do to follow through. You can boost your confidence and self-esteem by trusting your abilities.
 
Seeing yourself succeed in your mind is the first step in making better decisions.
Then, when your decisions make your life better, your confidence gets a nice little boost. And round and round it goes.
 

Confidence is Infectious

Even though we can’t see it, we still sense other people’s confidence levels in the way they behave and speak.
 
When you’re confident, you exude excitement and energy. You’re motivated to work hard and feel that same energy.
 
The downside is it goes both ways.
When one person lacks confidence, it can deflate everyone around them. They get the sense that there’s no point in trying.
 
Why Does Self-Confidence Matter?
 
There are different reasons why being confident can improve your life. Below, you’ll find a few examples of how it can make you a happier, more fulfilled individual.
 

Allows You to Take Positive Risks

Confidence can your life bring balance and a sense of direction. Making a conscious decision to develop your confidence does several things.
 
It allows you to take positive risks. It gets you out of your comfort zone.
 
And puts you on the path to success. The trick is understanding your own strength.
 
You have to believe that you can master whatever skill you’re working on.
 
Yes, it’ll be weird and difficult in the beginning. Yes, you’ll make mistakes along the way.
So what?
 
That’s what life is about. This is what boosts your self-esteem and makes you better at everything you do.
 

Empowers You to Embrace Your Failures

We all make mistakes. We all fail and meet obstacles in our lives.
 
The key is to understand that failures are a necessary part of progress. Read that again and let it sink in.
 
You may think that when you fail, it’s the end of the journey. But that couldn’t be farther from the truth. To embrace your failures, you have to think of them as detours.
 
When you’re forced to change lanes or take a detour that doesn’t mean the entire journey is over. It means you’re taking a different path.
 
You’ll get there when the time is right.
 
Now, why do some people succeed after failing and others don’t? Those who manage to do that learn from their mistakes.
 
They go over what went wrong and find a way to fix it. In other words, they use their failures to their advantage.
 
They use them to prop themselves up and give them the push they need to keep going on their path.
 

Let’s Pause

Think about Thomas Edison and Michael Jordan. What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of these two names?
 
Success? Fame? Glory? All of the above?
 
What about failure?”
 
These are two of the most familiar names you can think of. You say they haven’t failed.
 
Well, in truth they have—many times, in fact.
 
Yet, they’re smart enough to use their failures as stepping stones to aim higher and work harder.
Imagine the contributions we would never know if these two men had given up every time they failed! One of Edison’s quotes about refining the light bulb is, “I haven’t failed.
I’ve found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”
 

Enables You To Trust Yourself

Many times, we can be our own worst enemies. We critique every move, every word, and every thought over and over again.
 
In moderation, it can be a great incentive to do better. Although, this only works if we treat ourselves with the same kindness and empathy, we show others.
Sad to say, it doesn’t happen very often. The best way to break out of that negative self-talk is to have faith in yourself.
 
Have faith in your decisions Even if you made mistakes in the past, that doesn’t ensure future failures. Own up to your bad decision, embrace it, and move on.
 
That’s now part of your DNA; it’s helping shape a stronger, more resilient person. Imagine it being part of your arsenal or a superpower.
 
Now, you’ve turned your mistake into something that can make you more resilient and less anxious.
 

A Final Note

Self-confidence is an integral part of who you are. Knowing why it matters may be the difference between being happy and being miserable.
 
Having that self-assurance can help boost your relationships and career. You’ll also be able to inspire others to become happier and more fulfilled.
 
JohnK 3-28-2022
 
stick figure hears about confidenceOverheard: “With confidence, you have won before you have started”
                              ~Marcus Garvey
 
 
 
 
 
 
disclaimer for confidence
 

Personal Growth: Find Things You Need To Work On

February 7, 2022 John Uncategorized No comments

Life’s ups and downs move you through a process known as personal growth. There’s a lot to keep track of while you make this journey.

This “road map” from GenuLines can help make your sailing a little smoother. 

Personal Growth: Find Things You Need To Work On

Personal growth is the process of developing and bettering yourself. You can work on this throughout your life.
 
How does a person figure out what parts of their life they need to work on? Everyone has some part of like they need or want to improve.
 
It’s one thing to want to improve some part of life. It’s another thing to actually do it.
 
How do you go about making a change in your life? Especially if you’ve spent most of your life up to this point living day-to-day?
 
Thinking of personal growth
 
 
Do you ever think about the things in your life that you’re sure you’d like to change? Finding things, you need to work on is not as complicated as we make it.
 
Start where you are.
Project You
An important skill for life success is self-development. But self-mastery and general competence in daily life are only the beginning.
 
Tap into your own motivation and drive to find the path to elevate yourself beyond the status quo. You are your own self-development project.
 
You are the boss, the architect, and the quality control team.
 
Start With A-List
Make a list of what YOU think you need to work on. Then pick one and create a plan of tasks to take on one at a time.
 
Do this once a month.
 
Some of your goals will change. Others won’t matter anymore.
 
Some new items will pop up. There is nothing more satisfying than marking off a goal you have accomplished.
Treat Yourself
Making progress is motivating. Reaching milestones lights the fire to keep going.
 
Reward yourself for progress along the way. Rewards don’t have to be extravagant.
 
They could be as simple as watching a favorite movie or treating yourself to a favorite take-out meal. A small treat after hard work, and reaching a goal is a great way to motivate yourself to stay on track and keep going.
 
Celebrate that progress.
 
Network
Share your goals and vision with like-minded individuals. This can be friends, supportive family, or even social media groups.
 
You don’t have to all be in the same physical location to support each other. You’re not alone in your desire for change.
 
Revise, Regroup, And Reframe
 
If it’s broke, fix it. Don’t be inflexible about your methods.
 
When you are working on personal growth you have to be open-minded and a little flexible. Sometimes the best plans fail.
 
It’s ok.
 
Nothing has to be perfect. You have a lifetime to work on improving yourself and reaching goals.
 
If a plan needs adjusting make the change. Then get started again right away.
 
Expand Your Mind
Personal improvement doesn’t happen in a single day. This journey is a process.
 
The change is gradual.
 
There are many ways to create a growth mindset in your life. Browse social media, read self-help books, or psychology books.
 
Consider studying goal setting, attending conferences, and listening to podcasts. to open your mind up to new ways of personal growth.
 
Final Thoughts
These are only some of the tips and tools to help you on the journey to personal growth. Life is an ever-changing journey.
 
At different stages in life, your goals and perspectives may change. Keep going in the process for self-knowledge, self-mastery, and personal improvement.
 
This is one aspect of living a fulfilling and balanced life.
 
JohnK 2-7-2022
 
Stick figure hears about personal growthOverheard: “The purpose of learning is growth, and our minds, unlike our bodies, can continue growing as we continue to live”
 
                                       ~Mortimer Adler
 
 
 
disclaimer for personal growth

What Does It Mean to Think Strategically?

January 3, 2022 John Uncategorized No comments

I’ve always felt that improving how you think will go a long way toward improving what you think. The result is a marked improvement in your life.

 As a new year begins, GenuLines offers a closer look at the thought process.
 

What Does It Mean to Think Strategically

 
“The purpose of life is a life of purpose” – Robert Byrne
 
Have you ever thought about what it means to think strategically? Does it mean to create strategies like in a war?
 
Is it a skill you are born with or something you learn? Strategic thinking seems like vague buzzwords.
 
Man thinks
 
 
 
The kind that CEOs toss around to sound important.

Learning

Actually, strategic thinking is a skill we can all learn. It’s how we plan, think, and ask questions to grow and learn while we work toward a goal.
 
It’s embracing what you were like when you were young child. When you asked questions like, “why?”
 
Thinking strategically grows out of a combination of knowledge, experiences, and your hunches. It’s about taking calculated and uncalculated risks that we hope will pay off in the future.
 
It’s about shifting your focus. You go from just doing things to thinking and planning what should be getting done.
 

Three Behaviors That Inspire Thinking

Strategically Switching your focus is easier said than done. To cultivate a mind of thinking strategically, these three behaviors can help.
 
Question why. Don’t accept doing a task a certain way because it’s the way it’s always been done.
 
Ask yourself why it’s done that way. Or if there’s a better way to do it.
 
Thinking strategically is about knowledge to help you make an informed decision. Asking questions and listening to others’ opinions is important.
 
It supplies you with the information you need to make a well-informed decision.

Observe everything

Spending every minute doing stuff and getting things done might seem productive.
 
But it doesn’t allow for you to think strategically about what you are doing.
 
Instead occasionally step back and observe what’s going on. Look for areas that could be more efficient. Who’s doing what and how much each activity is helping things move forward.
 
Look at the big picture. See the way the pieces fit together.

Reflect on your day

Think about what gave you energy or took it away.
 
Reflect on the activities that helped the organization move ahead. And the ones that wasted your time.
 
Reflection time each day allows you to ask yourself if you’re on the right path. Whether you develop solutions, and stay on track with your goals.
 
This is where inspiration and creativity have a chance to grow in a visible way.

Takeaway

When you focus on doing and making something happen by doing this and doing that, you’re working hard. But you’re not thinking strategically.
 
Of course, working and doing is necessary up to a point.
 
Instead stop focusing on just getting things done. Take a step back and set goals for what you want in the future and how you can help the organization win.
 
Thinking strategically is inspiring. You move away from going through the motions in a mindless way.
 
You don’t jump at the commands of others. Or you plan and observe and put ideas into motion.
 
And that takes you (and your team) to success.
 
JohnK 1-3-2022
 
stick figure hears about how to think
Overheard: “The essence of the independent mind lies not in what it thinks, but in how it thinks.”
                           ~Christopher Hitchens, Lettets to a Young Contrarian
 
 
 
 
 
disclaimer for how to think

Trouble Staying Focused? This Might Help

December 13, 2021 John Uncategorized No comments

Your focus needs to be laser-like. But for some reason it tends to wander. These few reminders from GenuLines will help keep you on the beam.

Trouble Staying Focused? This Might Help
We all have days when we’re struggling to stay focused on our work. One of the first things you should look at is distractions.
 
Various things and people can keep us from concentrating and getting work done. Let’s look at what shape and form these distractions may take and what you can do to lose them.
 
kids focus 
 
Then we’ll look at how you can get back to staying focused.
 
Physical Distractions
First the obvious. There can be all sorts of things that distract you in your office, or around your desk. This could be your phone blinking each time you get a new social media alert or email.
 
It could be your email program on your laptop notifying you of incoming messages. It could be your phone ringing, or that pile of files sitting on the corner of your desk that you know you need to deal with.
 
If you’re working at home it could also be that sink full of dirty dishes. Or the washing machine beeping to let you know it’s finished.
 
The key here is to realize that you’re in control of your work space. Turn your phone to silent and stick it in a drawer, or lay it upside down while you’re working.
 
Turn off the phone’s ringer, and either deal with the files now, or stick them in a drawer until you can take a look at them. Cut out the physical distractions as much as possible.
 
Then work on staying focused and getting your work done. The key here is also to make a conscious choice of when to deal with things that tend to interrupt you.
 
Distracting People
People who show up and distract you can be a little harder to deal with. You need to work with others.
 
You want to cultivate friendships. And there are times when you have to deal with a family situation, no matter how big a work deadline you have looming.
 
Setting expectations helps. So does making it clear that there are times when you need to shut your office door.
 
If you can set aside a time and make a schedule of sorts. Let people know when you must work without interruption.
 
At other times having an open door can help. This works well with co-workers, but also with family and friends.
 
Mental Distractions
Last but not least there are mental distractions. They can be the trickiest to keep at bay since there’s not a lot you can do to shut them out completely.
 
Thoughts will pop into your head and do their best to distract you. It helps to keep a notepad nearby.
 
You can jot those thoughts down. Later you can go back and check on things after you’re done with your task.
 
For example, if you’re worried if your check cleared, make a note.
Then get back to work.
 
Check your online bank account during your break.
By writing it down, you don’t have to worry about remembering to do it.
 
JohnK 12-13-2021
 
stick figure hears about focusOverheard: “Focus does not mean saying yes, it means saying no”
                                ~Steve Jobs
 
 
 
 
 
disclaimer for focus

5 Steps To Be More Honest With Yourself

September 6, 2021 John Uncategorized No comments

Are you honest about the good and bad parts of yourself? You might need some help with the not so good stuff. 

This is where GenuLines steps in to help put the truth on your side. 

5 Steps To Be More Honest With Yourself

You’re serious about improving yourself as a person. And honesty is an important part of the process.
 
Honesty is a key aspect of developing because if you aren’t being honest with yourself, how on earth do you plan to grow?
 
When we choose dishonesty and delusion we’re choosing to see only what we want to see. That might not sound so bad, but it means that you are ignoring a whole lot that you would prefer to avoid.
 
It’s those things that matter the most. You’re securing short-term joy in exchange for long-term happiness.
 
picture of honest
 
Being more honest with yourself might be painful. But it’s a necessary part of furthering yourself.
 
How can you be more honest with yourself?
 
 
 
 
1. Acknowledge The Bad & The Good
We have a way of embracing all the good things in life, while completely ignoring the bad. It’s a bit like social media.
 
We watch only these timelines of pure joy and bliss. And it’s not realistic.
 
People share the best of their lives. It’s a slideshow of their lives and doesn’t paint a true picture of the hardships they might face.
 
We do this, too, whether it’s on social media or in our own heads. It’s just easier to ignore the bad things rather than deal with them head-on.
 
Ignoring problems won’t solve anything, if anything, it will make things worse for you in the long-run. Be honest with yourself about everything good and bad in your life.
 
That balanced view can keep you sane.
 
2. Take Time For Self-Reflection
At the end of each day, take a few minutes to think about how it went. Ask yourself how you did, if there’s anything you did well or could have done better.
 
You can be honest without being too critical or too judgmental. This exercise isn’t about damaging your self-esteem.
 
Rather, it’s about reflecting on the day so that make tomorrow will be better.
 
Reflection helps you learn about yourself. And it can improve your ability to solve problems, too.
 
Allow yourself the opportunity to analyze the day and you get a better picture of what it takes to improve.

3. We All Make Mistakes – Admit It

This is one of the most difficult aspects of being honest with yourself. It’s easy to slip into ego protection mode and fine an excuse or someone else to blame for a mistake.
 
But it won’t help you build a real sense of self-esteem.
 
True self-esteem and confidence lie in being courageous enough to own up to mistakes. When you can stand up and own shortcomings you can learn and grow.

4. Get Into Your Emotions

When people say they’re caught up in their emotions it usually has a negative connotation. Yet, your emotions have an important role to play in how you understand and interact with the world.
 
Emotions aren’t the reality, but they are revealing. It’s revealing when you dig deep to figure out why you feel a certain way.
 
You learn about the things that tend to make you feel that way. What’s more, you’re learning appropriate responses.
 
This is a level of honesty that your stress levels (and social circle) will appreciate.

5. Don’t Get Caught In Analysis Paralysis

As noted above, it’s important to take time for reflection and analyze the day. But it’s also important that you don’t over-analyze.
 
It’s easy to get carried away. You don’t need to rationalize everything or intellectualize about it.
 
There’s no need to create an elaborate story about why bad things happen to you. You need only to note how it is right now and move forward.
 
You don’t need to understand everything that’s going on in the world. Instead be realistic, be practical and be sensible.
 
JohnK 9-6-2921
 
stick man hears about being honestOverheard: “Being entirely honest with oneself is a good exercise.”
                              ~Sigmund Freud
 
 
 
 
 
 
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