Tag Archive for fulfilling life

Your Routine: Good, Bad, or In Need of a Tuneup?

March 19, 2019 John Uncategorized No comments
We’re talking routine today. If yours is working for you, way to go!
 
If not, GenuLines is here to help you power up your routine 
 
 
call for a routine
 

Your Routine: Good, Bad, or In Need of a Tuneup?

Routines are neither good nor bad. It all depends on the context by which you apply them.
 
symbol for routineIf your routines are making you crazy, or have you in a rut, it may be time for you to break away from them, at least temporarily. Then again, if you don’t have some structure in your life, routines may be what you need.
 
If you’re feeling like you’re in a rut, consider going on a vacation. This can be a great way to reset the ordinary.
 
 
It can also lead to meeting new people or opening up opportunities. How many stories have you heard of people going on vacation and falling in love with the place they visited?
 
But keep in mind that making the new place your home can result in still more routine. Another way to shake things up is to join a club that you wouldn’t otherwise join.
 
For instance, if you never tried a certain type of craft, join a local club where you can learn all about that craft. Or, join a group that plays music together.
 
You may have to learn an instrument or try out with the group as the singer. No matter what the activity, try doing it in a different way.
 
If your life is a bit unstructured, and this isn’t working for you, try to introduce some routine into your days. This could be as simple as creating a to-do list.
 
And you might want to find someone who can hold you accountable to the routine. People form accountability partnerships for this purpose.
 
You can hold your partner accountable for reaching their outcomes.
 
Many people find having a mix of routine and spontaneity works best for them. Doing something spontaneous helps to break up the routine before the people get into a rut.
 
Getting back to those routines after taking a break will restore order in their lives. This isn’t necessarily the way everyone will work best, though it’s worth a try.
 
Make sure you give yourself some time before writing this off.
 
Only you can decide whether you need to incorporate a routine or if you have too much routine in your life.
 
Remember, you’re the only one who can determine if you need to do a mix of routine and spontaneous action.
 
JohnK 3-19-2019
 
 
 
stick figure shows routineOverheard: “It’s a hard thing to leave any deeply routine life, even if you hate it”
                                 ~John Steinbeck
 

 

 

disclaimer for routine

Action Steps For When You Don’t Trust Yourself

March 12, 2019 John Uncategorized No comments
 
Many people don’t trust themselves for one reason or another. If you include yourself in this group ask yourself why.
 
Today GenuLines helps you break the issue down and begin to change. Once you discover the problem, you will be well on your way to learning how to trust yourself.
 
Call to trust yourself
 

Action Steps For When You Don’t Trust Yourself

 
Start with your childhood. No, this doesn’t mean you have to spill your guts to a shrink while lying on a couch.
 
Baby learns to trustThose early years can give you some clues into why you don’t trust yourself. Could be your parents were distrustful of themselves.
 
Siblings or other relatives might play a part. The purpose isn’t to blame them.
 
 
Recognize that it happened and use it to move forward.
 
Not trusting others can be habitual. It isn’t too much of a stretch for that mode to extend to you.
 
Start putting trust in other people and they’ll likely appreciate you for it.
 
Are you an overly sensitive person? If so, this could cause you to be mistrustful of yourself.
 
A sensitive nature can cause you to take others’ remarks out of context.
 
It’s not wrong to be sensitive. You only have to realize that it can cause you to misread what others are saying or feeling.
 
When trust doesn’t work
Putting your trust in others is going to backfire sometimes. Some people aren’t trustworthy.
 
They may even put on a front that they are. You should accept this as a part of life, and try not to project experiences from a few onto other people.
 
Otherwise, you are going to continue to maintain your wall.
This wall will make it difficult for you to trust others as well as yourself.
 
Another reason for not trusting yourself is that others don’t trust you. If you are not trustworthy, how can you expect to trust yourself?
 
You may not even realize this is happening.
 
You may think you are doing right by others when in fact, you aren’t. Ask friends and family to assess whether you’re trustworthy.
 
That can be a hard pill to swallow, but you’ll get great insight. Try not to get upset if people tell you that you aren’t trustworthy.
 
It’s a learning experience.
 
JohnK 3-12-2019
 
 
stick figure shows trustOverheard: ” Seize the day, and put the least possible trust in tomorrow”
~Horace
 
 
 
 
 
 
disclaimer for trust
 

Self-Doubt And What You Can Do About It

March 5, 2019 John Uncategorized No comments
Have you ever wrestled with self-doubt? That might seem like a silly question.
 
Most people doubt themselves at some point in their lives. Scroll down for some good words from GenuLines on dealing with self-doubt.
 
Call to self-doubt action
 

Self-Doubt And What You Can Do About It

 
Why do people engage in self-doubt? The reason is that it’s easier to doubt yourself than it is to believe that something is possible.
 
ape with self-doubtYou may believe in your concept, but it’s something that hasn’t materialized yet. It’s unfamiliar territory for you.
 
Our protection mechanisms tell us to reach for something that’s familiar. We use this as a reason to quit.
 
The unknown also helps us to come up with excuses. It’s easy to say it won’t work because, and then insert whatever reason can set your mind at ease.
 
 
You can even find help from others in coming up with excuses. They have plenty of them for you to choose from.
 
If they didn’t, they would be succeeding at their goals.
 
A survival mechanism
Sometimes self-doubt can help us survive. For instance, someone tells you that you can jump off a cliff and survive.
 
Your self-doubt probably jumps in and tells you this is a bad idea. Self-doubt can sometimes keep you from making bad financial decisions.
 
This might be an opportunity that sounds too good to be true.
 
In most cases, self-doubt is not something that will advance your life. It will hold you back, and you need always to be aware of that.
 
Don’t take the easy way out. Do prepare yourself as much as possible for unfamiliar situations.
 
But, go forward with a strong belief that you can complete what you set out to do.
 
Try to structure your life so that you have more positive than negative energy. Flush out as much negative energy as possible.
 
Use affirmations, support groups, or whatever works for you.
 
Negative energy is what self-doubt is all about. Two forces are opposing each other.
 
If you have 100% negative energy that means you have 0% positive energy. Try to tip the scale toward as much positivity as possible and push away the negativity.
 
No shortage of negative energy
It’s unlikely that you can ever have 100% positive energy. But, you can work towards exposing yourself to positive energy.
 
You can stop listening to or reading the news, and you can reduce your exposure to negative people. Positive people do exist.
 
You just need to find them.
 
JohnK 3-5-2019
 
 
 
stickman with self-doubtOverheard: “Every time I start a picture I feel the same fear, the same self-doubts, and I have only one source on which I can draw. Because it comes from within me”
                                                  ~ Federico Fellini
 
 
 
Photo by Paolo Nicolello on Unsplash
 
 
disclaimer for SELF-DOUBT
 
 
 
 

Appreciate The Small Things and Find Contentment

February 26, 2019 John Uncategorized No comments

Appreciate the small stuff and you’ll be happy. You hear it enough.

But what is happiness anyway?

Today GenuLines looks at appreciation and its “kissin’ cousin”, contentment.

 

Subscribe to GenuLines- get CHI FOR YOURSELF guest information and more!

 

Appreciate The Small Things and Find Contentment

smile to appreciateMost emotions are transitional, meaning you’re never in one state for long periods. People who are considered upbeat will have moments of sadness or depression.

Even depressed people aren’t depressed all the time. They have moments of happiness, too.

 

Think about a major event such as a war. When two countries are fighting, both sides lose lives.

It’s bloody, and it can last for years. But, when the war is over, the countries are euphoric.

There will be no more bloodshed because of the war, and people can return to their homes. But, nothing that has changed in the world except that the war has ended.

In other words, the sun still sets each day. People still have to manage their lives.

The euphoria from the war ending doesn’t last long. Months later, the war is still over, but the euphoria has died down.

Same goes for sickness

The same is true in a smaller way when you have a bad sickness. For instance, suppose you have a stomach bug that leaves you uncomfortable and in pain.

When the bug passes you feel fine. But you don’t feel any better than you did when you weren’t experiencing the bug.

It’s relative to the bad feelings. That’s how emotional states work.

They go from one to the other on a constant basis.

Appreciating the small things in life may lead to happiness. But, it’s likely you’re content more than you are happy.

Contentment can almost be thought of as a neutral state, leaning toward the happy side. There’s nothing wrong when you’re content.

But, there also isn’t anything that is making you overly happy.

Striving for happiness can be stressful. You might want to shoot for contentment instead.

Contentment is likely to find you when you appreciate small aspects of your life.

And it comes without the hassle of working hard toward happiness.

If you spend most of your life being content you’re doing something right. Think about all the people you love and what you have, such as your health and a good job, etc.

If you try to imagine life without them, you will truly appreciate your contentment. That thought may even make you happy for a short period.

JohnK 2-26-2019
chiforyourself.com home

 

stick figure shows can appreciateOverheard: “My crown is called content, a crown that seldom kings enjoy”
                         ~William Shakespeare

 

 

 

disclaimer for appreciate

 

Photo by Belinda Fewings on Unsplash

Being a Perfectionist May Be a Sign of Low Self Trust

February 5, 2019 John Uncategorized No comments
 
 
Are you a perfectionist? If so, your expectations may be set too high. GenuLines takes a look at this tendency, flaws and all.
 
 
So you’re a perfectionist
target for perfectionistIt’s natural to want everything to be perfect. The trouble is there’s no time for it.
 
You’ll be disappointed to find that most people aren’t perfectionists.
You need to learn how to manage expectations.
 
 
 
It’s a delicate balance, and you have to know when you’ve done as much as you should. You can always do more, but you need to move on.
 
You snooze you lose
Another problem with perfectionism is that you may miss opportunities. Suppose you decide to hold off releasing a product because you want to put more features into it.
 
You delay the release of the product by several months. But you see that your competitors are finished releasing their versions.
 
The product you would have released was better than your competitors. Customers would have likely bought your products over your competitors.
 
Try explaining that one to management or shareholders!
 
Spreading the news
Good customer experiences with products get shared with friends and family. This sharing also occurs on social media channels, which in turn, can go viral.
 
It’s more challenging to build up a product that’s not yet released than it is to build up one that is.
 
When perfectionism is okay
There are cases that call for perfectionism. Medical techniques and technologies come to mind.
 
In most other fields, though, perfectionism will hold you back. It’s not necessary, and it only leads to frustration and delays.
 
Of course, you should never release products that have a sloppy design. Or are dangerous to the consumer.
 
That’s where this delicate balance comes into play. The product needs to meet safety guidelines.
 
Your reputation is at stake, and you don’t want customers bashing your product or your brand. In this case, it may be necessary to delay the release of products until they are safe, etc.
 
In self we trust
How is being a perfectionist a sign that you don’t trust yourself? You think that nothing is ever good enough and that you have to keep striving to be better.
 
When you trust yourself, you can reel in expectations to manageable levels.
 
JohnK 2-4-2019
 
 
perfectionist stick figure
 

Overheard: “If you look for perfection, you’ll never be content”

                             ~ Leo Tolstoy   

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
disclaimer for the perfectionist
 

Failed To Reach A Goal? Move On And Learn From It!

December 20, 2018 John Uncategorized No comments

 

So your goal(s) for 2018 failed. You’re looking for a better 2019.
 
But you’re not really sure how you’ll do it. Maybe it’s how you’re looking at it. 
 
Today GenuLines looks at failure and offers some ideas on how to re-frame it. 
 
 
 
Subscribe to GenuLines- get CHI FOR YOURSELF guest information and more!
 
 ____________________
 

Failed To Reach A Goal? Move On And Learn From It!

We tend to think of missing our goals as something shameful, undesirable. Failing to realize our intentions can cause negative feelings.
 
No matter how big or small the goal.
 
failed at samurai
 
The way to overcome those feelings is by changing the way you understand failure. It’s part of the success process and it teaches valuable lessons if we know how to learn from it.
 
Ways to redefine failure and learn from it
Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Learning from your mistakes is about more than just thinking about what went wrong.
 
The first step towards using failure as a tool for success is to stop seeing mistakes as shameful.
 
Think about it – a mistake is not only a natural part of embarking on a new project; it is also part of the human experience. Accept it as a necessary step towards achieving your goals.
 
In her article “Strategies for Learning from Failure”, Amy C. Edmondson classifies mistakes:
 
Preventable
These are the mistakes we often think of as bad. They result from a lack of focus or attention to the procedures needed to achieve the goal.
 
Complexity-related
 
These mistakes happen when the goal is the product of various factors. They include:
 
  •       your own motivation
  •       previous skills
  •       your environment
  •       support network
  •       your resources
 
If any of these fail, you might be unable to reach the goal.
 
Intelligent mistakes
According to Adam Mendler, having the freedom to make mistakes increases creativity. And it boosts work performance.
 
Mendler looks at the pressures to avoid mistakes and the shame that comes with them. Minus those, he found that employees contribute more often.
 
And they’re able to express more original ideas.
 
For example, many inventors stumbled upon some of the great inventions. Think Post-It notes or penicillin.
 
There is a beginning step toward learning from the setback, whatever its source. Remove any negative feelings about it and re-frame it as a source of new knowledge.
 
What’s next?
Rethink your approach to your goal
 
Now that you’re looking at the mistake without judgment, think of how you got into the situation.
 
Guy Winch* suggests you analyze your motivation levels, focus, and mindset.
 
Did you feel less motivated to achieve your goal at some point? Did something else distract you from it?
 
If your dedication and focus decreased at any time, make note of it and try to find the cause. Identify the internal and external causes that affected your resolve.
 
This helps you prepare for them in the future.
 
At times you can discuss the failure with someone you trust. This might help you see the issues from a different perspective.
 
Rely on your support network to pinpoint what went wrong and how you could’ve prevented it.
 
Plan ahead
Identifying what caused the mistake is not enough to prevent it in the future. You need to take steps to prevent that mistake from happening again.
 
Say your goal was to write a novel in six months. You’ve identified a few reasons why you couldn’t achieve it.
 
They include lack of time, insufficient planning, or lack of motivation.
 
But what can you do to prevent those issues from getting in the way of your goal in the future? In our example, you could scale down the scope of the novel.
 
Spend more time planning the story. Or set a specific time to write undisturbed.
 
Bottom line?
Failure is not permanent.
 
“Accept” failure. Analyze its causes. And look at how you can by-pass those causes.
 
Now you’re on your way to achieving your goals.
 
JohnK 12-20-2018
chiforyourself.com home
 
 
 
 
man with failed plansOverheard:  “The errors of great men are venerable because they are more fruitful than the truths of little men.”
                     ~ Friedrich Nietzsche
 
 
 
 
 
 
* “The 4 Keys to Learning From Failure”- Guy Winch
 
* “What Sales Executives Can Learn From Failure”- Adam Mendler
 
 
 
 
 
 disclaimer for parsley
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Prioritizing: A Key Stress Management Skill

December 11, 2018 John Uncategorized No comments
We’re into a stressful time of the year, and prioritizing tasks may not be top of mind for you right now. But it’s worth thinking about, especially if the stress is really starting to build.
 
Since wellness is a high priority around here, GenuLines offers a tip “yule” be glad you used!
 
 
Subscribe to GenuLines- get CHI FOR YOURSELF guest information and more!

 

ARTICLE:

 
prioritizing list
 
The skill of prioritizing can be a key tool in your ability to manage stress. It allows you to look at a set of tasks and determine which are the most important.
 
You’ll put your focus on completing those first at the expense of those lower on the list. 
 
It isn’t about working smarter, it’s about dedicating your time to the correct tasks. 
 
 
 
 
When you have a list of things to do you think that you won’t have the energy (or the time) to get through them all. So, a lot of it will get left undone and you’ll be left feeling guilty about what you couldn’t get to. 
 
But when you take the time to prioritize them you ditch the guilt. You’re more efficient.
 
It seems as though there’s an 80/20 rule in every aspect of life and prioritizing is no different. In this case, the rule states that 80% of your activities contribute under 20% of your value of work. 
 
Focus on completing 20% of your tasks (the most important ones of course). This way you’ll achieve more.
 
This should make your working life run a bit more smoothly and allow you to spend more quality time with your family (or yourself!). 
 
The Trick To Prioritization 
 
Well, there actually isn’t a trick. It’s all about choosing what you should be doing and what you shouldn’t be doing.
 
High priority tasks should be taken care of first. No doubt you’ll have more energy to do them at the start of your day anyway.
 
To achieve this, though, you need to be able to see what tasks or projects are of greatest importance. These jobs will help you achieve long-term goals, or have a consequence for not completing. 
 
You might be thinking that everything on your list is important – they’re all urgent. But in the big picture many of the activities you consider urgent are not.
 
Good prioritizing lets you finish the most urgent/important tasks early in the day. Then you can shift your focus to the non-priority tasks.
 
These are more than likely the jobs you find most rewarding. It’s human nature to put off tasks that aren’t enjoyable and instead indulge your enjoyable tasks.
 
You can put tasks in order of importance to keep yourself on track or categorize them. The choice is yours and you should choose whichever method would serve you best.
 
You can have a list of A tasks, B tasks, and C tasks. Of course, anything in the A category should be completed first and then you can move onto the B’s and then the Cs. 
 
While you make your list question yourself about tasks you can delegate or remove. 
 
Wrenches In The Mix 
 
What about unplanned activities? They can throw a wrench into the works. These types of tasks crop up all the time and often throw your day out of whack.
 
You have to rely on your instinct in these situations. When you’re better at prioritizing, you’ll be more confident making judgment calls.
 
But consider your goals and determine how best to fit in unplanned activities.
 
How effectively you handle these situations will depend on how clear you are on your goals. 
 
JohnK 12-11-2018
 
 
 
 
stickman prioritizingOverheard: “Action expresses priorities.”
                           ~Mahatma Gandhi
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Thyme For Some Sage Advice About Parsley

December 4, 2018 John Uncategorized No comments

You sit down to dinner and you can’t wait to dig in to everything, EXCEPT the parsley. Today GenuLines looks at the humble parsley and why it’s a nutritional star!

 

Subscribe to GenuLines- get CHI FOR YOURSELF guest information and more!

 

ARTICLE:

 
You may have seen that parsley on your plate and thought of it as a mere decoration. And while parsley is often used as a pretty garnish, it also has many health benefits.
 
 
parsley on cutting board
 
 
It turns out that parsley is very high in antioxidants. These chemicals help to prevent disease and improve your health in general.
 
What exactly is so special about parsley? It:
 
  • slows the aging process
  • contains powerful antioxidants luteolin, vitamin A, and vitamin C
  • can strengthen your immunity
  • helps your body repair connective tissue
  • strengthens bones and teeth
  • repairs cuts and scratches faster
  • protects you from hardened arteries and heart disease
  • discourages plaque buildup in your blood vessels
  • protects nerve cells to help prevent nervous system disorders
 
 
The natural oils in parsley are also known to fight cancer. Specifically, you can reduce your risk of colon cancer and prostate cancer.
 
You can even get some protection from the carcinogens in cigarette smoke. (though parsley consumption won’t make it a good idea to start or keep smoking)
 
Parsley can help inflammation-related diseases. These include arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrome, and autoimmune disease.
 
How much do you need to eat to get the benefit? It turns out that you only need about two (fresh) tablespoons each day.
 
This gives you the vitamins and antioxidants it provides in high levels.
 
Parsley is delicious in its own right. It makes a great compliment to many dishes either raw or cooked.
 
Raw parsley gives you you the most benefits. And don’t forget to throw a few sprigs into the juicer for a tasty and healthy drink! (you can mix the juice with something sweet like apple)
 
Oh, there’s also a cosmetic benefit to consuming parsley. The oils and texture of parsley help to clean your teeth and freshen your breath after a meal.
 
This is great when you don’t have time to brush your teeth between meals.
 
Next time, instead of leaving the parsley on the plate, go ahead and eat a bit of the garnish to get the health benefits.
 
You’ll come away with fresher breath and an army of nutrients to help keep your body healthier and younger.
 
JohnK 12-4-2018
 
 
 
 
 
man hears about parsleyOverheard: “He who takes medicine and neglects to diet wastes the skill of his doctors.”                          ~Chinese Proverb
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
disclaimer for parsley
 
 
 
 

Good Thanksgiving “Chi” from GenuLines to You!

November 22, 2018 John Uncategorized No comments

 

On this Thanksgiving Day, I am incredibly thankful that you are a part of the Chi For Yourself and GenuLines communities!

Rather than sending you wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving, I’m sending you all the best energies– in other words: good “chi.’

Use this time to rest and recharge with your family and friends. And keep in mind that what you think about is what you bring about!

Be well

 

JohnK 11-22-2018

chiforyourself.com home

 

graphic for thanksgiving

 

 

 

man on thanksgivingOverheard:  “If the only prayer you said was thank you, that would be enough.” 
                             ~Meister Eckhart

 

 

 

 

Subscribe to GenuLines- get CHI FOR YOURSELF guest information and more!

 

 

 

 

 

How Much Exercise Do You Need Every Day To Lose Weight?

May 16, 2018 John Uncategorized No comments
Warmer weather seems to be more conducive to exercise. Maybe you’re looking to break a sweat and lose a few pounds in the process.
 
GenuLines always supports good health, and managing your weight is a big part of that. 
 
Below are some things to keep in mind during your program. All the best!
 
 
 
 
 
Subscribe to GenuLines- get CHI FOR YOURSELF guest information and more!
 
 
____________________
 

How Much Exercise Do You Need Every Day To Lose Weight?

Weight loss requires both a disciplined dietary approach and exercise. Other factors are important too. But, how much exercise do you need to do?
 
There’s no magic number of minutes, reps or hours needed to produce weight loss. Rather there are variables that you have to consider to reach the right numbers.
 
Here are some options to help you come up with an exercise time frame that works best for you.
 
Variable 1: Calories Consumed and Calorie Quality
 
The first principle of weight loss is that to lose weight you must reach a caloric deficit. This means burning more calories than you’re consuming.
 
barbell for exercise
 
So, to know the amount of exercise needed to lose weight, you need to know your daily caloric intake. Just as important are the sources of those calories.
 
For example, vegetables versus potato chips. If you function on a low-calorie diet you’ll need less exercise to lose weight.
 
You may be fine with a moderate 3-4 day a week training plan. If you eat large amounts of food you’ll need to up your exercise plan.
 
Variable 2: Exercise Type and Intensity
 
The second key variable is the type and intensity of exercise. 20 minutes on the elliptical has a far different energy output than 20 minutes of all-out sprinting.
 
kettle bells for exercise
 
This variable can also dovetail with our first variable. The greater the calorie consumption, the more energy for high-intensity exercise. Otherwise, you may not need to exercise for an especially long time or at a high intensity.
 
In general, aerobic-intensive exercise is different. It requires a longer time to see any sort of effective impact on weight loss.
 
Jogging, biking, the elliptical or other options eat up more time. This could consume hours over the course of a week before you see a meaningful impact.
 
Anaerobic activities will be more effective in a shorter amount of time. These include sprinting, resistance training or interval training methods.
 
But, their intensity level is much higher. So, you’ll need a certain level of fitness to get the full potential and results.
 
Variable 3: What is the Weight Loss Goal?  How much time do we have to achieve it?
 
The third variable is arguably the most important. Think of your car ride or travel plans.
 
They’re determined by your destination. Your exercise plan and weight loss journey will be dictated by the goal we have set. If the goal is to lose 5 pounds in two months, that is a fairly modest and achievable goal for most.
 
If you’re a sedentary person you would only need to exercise 20-30 minutes a day for 3-4 days a week to achieve this goal.
 
Conversely, if your goal is to lose 30 pounds in two months, the equation is quite different. This would involve more hours every day at high intensity to achieve that same goal.
 
Putting it All Together: Finding the Right Number
 
We’ve examined the variables. Now we can consider how much exercise we need per day to lose weight.
 
jogging for exercise
 
Let’s say you have a low caloric intake, low-intensity aerobic exercise, and a modest goal.
 
You might be O.K. with 30-45 minutes of aerobic exercise a day. Not so if you love to eat, love to lift weights and also have an ambitious goal for weight loss.
 
You’re going to have to spend considerable time every day working out to reach those goals. Your best bet would be to assess your starting point as compared to your goal.
 
Look at how much time you have to reach that goal. Then make your plan to reach it.
 
This is a better bet than relying on a standard number or cookie-cutter approach.
 
JohnK 5-16-2018
chiforyourself.com home
 
 
 
 
 
 
Image for exerciseOverheard: ”Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.”
                           ~ George Bernard Shaw
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
« Older Entries   Recent Entries »