As I sit down to prep this GenuLinesblog post a new morning is starting. I have my own way of approaching each day.
I call it my daily regimen.
How about you? Is there something you want to do that would make a big difference?
A habit you can do on a daily basis?
It could be in any area of your life. From exercise and healthy eating to working on your relationship with your kids.
Sit back and imagine your perfect morning. It isn’t stressed or rushed.
Best of all it’s a day when you have time for everything on your list.
This could mean having time for a long shower. Or going for a run before breakfast.
Or having a few minutes to connect with your spouse over breakfast.
There are a lot of “maybes” but the key is to start with what’s most important to you. Then think about how you could fit it into your morning routine.
Dream On
Remember, you’re only dreaming and imagining at this point. You’ll work on figuring out where to find the time to fit it in and how to make it all work out later on.
For now paint a vivid picture of what your new morning could look like. Get very clear on what you want that perfect morning to look like.
Imagine it in as much detail as possible. (And I would suggest you keep all this to yourself)
Write it down somewhere so you can refer to it as needed. In short, define your perfect morning.
Why is this so important?
Because you can’t start to make any meaningful changes until you know what your goals are.
You need to know your destination before you can start to pick a route and figure out how you’ll get there.
That’s what today’s task is all about.
It’s figuring out where you want to get to. Don’t stop until you have it figured out and firmly pictured in your mind.
Live a More Fulfilled Life- Choose to Accept Yourself
You want a fulfilled life. But do you wear a mask of perfection?
Beneath that facade lies a whirlwind of strengths and weaknesses. It’s the messy reality of being human.
Even the most benevolent among us can’t escape the occasional dark cloud; So, what happens when your best intentions get sidetracked by your demons?
How do you navigate those turbulent moments that test your genuine self? Today GenuLineswill dive in to the topic.
The truth is, all of us are a mix of strong points and weak ones.
That’s to be expected. It’s part of the human condition.
Usually, it takes just one bad day for the demonic side of a person to show up. What do you do when those days come your way?
How do you deal with that?
My point is that your flaws are what give you character. They’re actually what make you special and unique.
If people wanted to date you based on your good looks you’re going to be in trouble. Why?
Looks fade. What happens when the wrinkles appear?
What gives you character is your weird laugh, your quirky sense of humor, your off-beat way of looking at situations. These are things that people hang on to.
Crazy High Standards
Unfortunately, if you keep on focusing on impossible standards, you become blind to the flaws that give you character. Now, a lot of people can accept this, but they would try to rework their flaws.
They would try to reshape their flaws.
You could try this. Flaws can be reshaped, but understand that they never go away.
This is all part of the territory. Learning to accept yourself is really the first step in learning to live in a flawed world.
That’s how things work. That’s how they are.
You’re actually tapping into a deep reservoir of personal power if you accept your flaws. This means you choose to stop running away from them, apologizing for them, justifying them, pointing the finger at others, or otherwise avoiding them.
Instead, you acknowledge them. Acknowledgment is the first step.
Next, you learn to live with them. Then you take ownership of them.
Eventually, you’ll get to the point you need to reach: making your flaws work for you instead of against you.
Are you feeling stuck in life and have no idea what to do next? Do you feel paralyzed with fear at the very mention of change?
First off, you can be proud of reaching this state. It means you sense that your life is shifting.
Yet, knowing where to begin or what to do can be overwhelming. So, if you’re facing this decision, these GenuLines points are for you.
Below are five steps to help you decide what to do next in your life.
Take a Step Back
When you’re looking at what to do next in life, it’s imperative to stop and take a step back. Take a look at the big picture to identify where you want to go and what you want to do.
Too often, we struggle with all the ways of how to get there without fully knowing where ‘there’ actually is. We don’t take the time to highlight what’s working in our lives and what’s not.
So when we reach a crossroads, we’re baffled and unable to move forward. This is when taking a step back can help you specify where you want to go as you move on in life.
Understand What Fulfills You
Get to know what makes you you. Dig deep and do some soul-searching to understand what motivates you.
Ask yourself these questions: What drives me and makes me excited? What are my values and beliefs?
And, what contributions do I want to make to my community?
What’s important to me? What are the skills and talents that I bring to the table?
Explore Your Passions
Make a list of all the things that you’re passionate about and explore those options in more detail. It’s important to analyze your options on emotional and intellectual levels.
To do this, try to imagine how each one impacts your thought processes and your emotions. Do this step without worrying about any of the whys, should-haves, and would-nots.
Instead, connect more with your subconscious. Find out what resonates with you and your core values.
For instance, let’s say you value innovation and technology. You might look for positions at industry-leading businesses.
If family culture suits you might be better off seeking a job at a small family-owned organization.
Learn New Skills
No matter how many great skills you already have, it’s always nice to learn something new. Whether it’s soft skills or hard, think about what you’d like to learn.
Look for places in your community or online where you can take classes.
For example, you want to learn more about graphic design. You may consider applying to an art program.
Or you could be interested in gardening. You can take a class in gardening and plants, then apply for a job at a garden center or arboretum.
Whatever ever you do remember to set short-term goals that follow the SMART plan. This framework ensures that your goals are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-based.
Let Go of What Could Be
Change is scary because you don’t know what to expect from your decisions. This fear keeps you in a state of inaction and apprehension.
But what if you could let go of all that worry just for a few minutes?
To do that, you need to trust yourself and maintain a positive mindset. Have faith that whatever comes along, you’ll find a way to handle it.
Stop thinking of change as something to be dreaded and feared. Instead, you can begin to think of it as something stimulating that adds a layer of excitement and intrigue to your life.
Be open to whatever life brings your way. It may surprise you with an even better outcome than the one you first imagined.
Final Thoughts
These five steps can help your personal and professional life short term and long. It’s a tough journey, but if you’re determined to make it, it can also be extremely rewarding.
Now, all that’s left to do is take that first step to discover your purpose and get back on your life’s path.
It may be hard to believe, but there’s tremendous strength in releasing the past and moving forward. I understand it doesn’t feel that way.
Right now it’s easy to get caught up in what’s already happened.
But there’s a lot of power in letting go and moving on. I know it doesn’t feel like it.
And GenuLines knows that at this point, you’re focusing on what happened in the past.
You’re thinking that if you keep dwelling on what happened, you might be able to figure it out. You think that with enough contemplation, things would fall into place.
And you’d see the rhyme and reason for the negative things that happened in the past.
This isn’t the first time you’ve thought this way. In fact, this might be the thousandth or so time you’ve entertained that idea.
What happened the previous days when you thought this way? How about the days before those?
Focusing on the past isn’t going to help you. And understand that past misfortunes don’t make your life a complete disaster.
You do want to map out a more clear path for your life. You’ll see that things are not so bleak.
There are very promising possibilities
Understand that these areas of light are areas of hope in your life.
You haven’t completely dropped the ball in those areas. You haven’t completely screwed up.
There’s your cause for optimism. It’s something to feel good about.
Focus and move on.
Focus on the fact that you have control. Given time, that area of control in your life could grow.
But these areas of control can’t grow if you don’t focus on them. As the old saying goes, “Where attention goes, energy flows.”
How can you take full ownership of your life if your attention stays on the things you can’t control? I’m talking about people from the past.
I’m talking about situations in the past. And I’m talking about people in your present you can do nothing about.
Focus on your area of competency, which is your choice to respond to things going on in your life.
This is your area of control. It’s the only area of control.
But the good news is the more you focus on it, the more competent and self-confident you become.
This helps you to become a more responsible and powerful person. Focus on these and move on from things that waste your time, attention, and emotional energy.
There has to be endings to create new beginnings. An old year ends and a New Year begins, full of promises of change and new experiences.
It’s a good time for GenuLinesto look at the endings in your life. For example , the death of a loved one, will leave you sad.
But if you accept the loss and focus on the good memories the person brought you can move on.
Each step in your life
These are necessary for you to continue growing. The end of high school or college signifies the beginning of adulthood.
This might give way to a career that you’ve studied for.
Every New Year is an opportunity for you to sit down and figure out what you want to change in the coming year. What will make you a better and happier person.?
Do you want to lose weight, quit smoking, move on to another job? Now is the time to rethink and reset your goals and make the necessary changes in your life.
Endings can only come when you let go of thinking about the negative events. When bad things go beyond your control you’ve got to distance yourself.
Make space for the positive
Get a grip on the reality of endings. You don’t like all endings, but you do need to accept their reality.
If you don’t learn to accept endings to allow for new beginnings, you might give up. That could open the door to a lifetime of regrets.
Think about things in a new way. You may think of yourself as “set in your ways,” about certain things.
But you have the right to change your mind if something changes, like more facts about what happened. Sometimes it helps to gain a fresh perspective on life and let go of old beliefs.
Remember, if you don’t take chances, change isn’t possible. You can hold on to the good things in your life, but if a new idea triggers excitement and fulfillment in your life, try it.
There’s one in every office, every family and every group you’ve ever been a part of. A person who drives you up the wall and makes your blood boil.
They seem to have a cheat sheet on what pushes your buttons. And GenuLines knows they can get under your skin.
So how do we deal with these people who frustrate us and make us impatient? Try these tips during your next work meeting, family reunion or carpool.
We all have different priorities
What you think is a must-do isn’t always everyone else’s. This thinking has been the cause of many spousal disagreements and work resignations.
Keep this in mind when it seems someone isn’t taking action that you think is important. They might not be trying to drive you nuts; they might only have a different priority than yours.
Put yourself in their shoes
Sometimes, all you need to throttle down your impatience is empathy. Someone could be dealing with major life events or be under a great deal of stress.
And they aren’t thinking about the fact that they might be driving you nuts. Put yourself in their situation and see if you can offer them a little empathy.
Ask yourself why they bother you so much
Could it be that they mirror a fault of your own that drives you to distraction? Are they always late and that habit holds everything up?
Look at your own habits
How often are you late? How often do you keep people waiting or expect them to wait for you?
You might actually be responding more to something you see as a character flaw in yourself, but can’t admit to.
Remember that everyone has a different natural rhythm
We don’t all march to the same drummer, and we don’t all have the same internal pace. Some people are more easy going and have a slower rhythm, even when they’re in a hurry.
This can be frustrating. But keeping in mind that we all have a different pace can ratchet down your anger.
People move at the rate that feels right to them.
Focus on their best qualities
It’s easy to focus on the little things that irritate us, but when we do, that’s all we are able to notice. Rather than get impatient with someone, think about what you like or respect about them.
This helps put those little irritations in perspective.
Dreaming of getting rich? You can’t help but admire the extravagant lives of celebrities and influencers, right?
It’s easy to fantasize about living like them. But as you chase after riches, are you losing sight of the things that matter?
Today, GenuLines invites you to explore this crucial question.
It’s often said that if you do something you love, the money will follow. This worked for me and it provided me with a good life (story for another time)
And after all, common sense says that you’ll approach something you love with passion.
But what if?
What if making money is your driving force? You’ll chase the dollar from one job to the next or from one opportunity to the next.
You’ll get seduced by false offers of riches. Over time, you’ll look back and see that you didn’t actually get real fulfillment.
The quick buck
You may be successful in the short term. You get that extra dollar from a new job.
Or you squeeze a quick buck from your business. But, you’ll be searching for more and more money.
You could even put yourself into a position where you can’t handle the new job due to lack of experience.
In other words, you didn’t give your previous level enough time to develop a foundation. You jumped ahead, and now you’re unclear what to do.
It’s a concept known as the Peter Principle, named after the person who came up with the idea, Peter Drucker.
Money isn’t as important as many try to make it out to be. For instance, what good is having a high-paying job when you have to work 80-90 hours a week?
Regrets?
Many people who do this look back at their lives and wonder why they did it. While they may have a lot of money when they get older, they likely don’t have fulfillment.
Another possibility is the heavy workload needed to get that wealth also gets them to an early grave. The money they earned is useless to them.
If you’re happy with what you’re doing, money becomes a less urgent priority. You do need money to live, and you shouldn’t settle for work that pays less than you’re worth.
So reach a balance between your paycheck and doing something that you enjoy. It can bring a whole bunch of fulfillment into your life.
Dealing with worry can lead you to all types of coping strategies, including substances. This can spiral out of hand in a big hurry.
There’s another way of dealing, and GenuLineshas a list of pointers for your consideration
7 Ways To Use Mindfulness To Attack Worry
You freeze when it happens. You don’t know what to do or how to move forward.
Your thoughts circle like vultures, waiting for your inevitable demise.
It’s only a matter of time. Worry has a way of derailing everything in your day.
Using mindfulness, though, is a quick, easy way to get things back on track.
Stay in the Moment
Take a step back to examine the worrying thought. Start with the acceptance of the thought itself.
This is the heart of mindfulness.
Trying to ignore the worry only makes it worse. By giving the thought your attention, and then placing a label on it, you take power away from it.
For example, let’s say you have money worries. You might start by telling yourself, “Yes, I am worried about paying the bills this month.”
Find the Emotions
Once you’ve labeled your worries, identify the emotion accompanying it. Once you’ve got this, be honest with yourself.
What do these emotions make you feel like doing?
Kill the Worry with Normalcy
Instead of avoiding the worry, pay mindful attention to it. Remind yourself that this worry is normal.
Do this every time it comes up. In time it’ll seem less threatening.
Look for Patterns
Do these worries creep up at certain times? Using mindfulness means you’re paying attention to your thoughts in the moment.
Understanding what sets you off is a great way to keep the worrying thought from happening at all. You’ll find yourself catching those damaging thoughts much faster.
And you’ll be able to shut them down that much faster.
Redirect
With mindfulness, you’re very much aware of the worries the moment they begin. You’re capable of taking control of them.
And you can switch them something else immediately, putting your attention there instead.
Allow the Emotion to Play Out
Worry comes with a slew of negative emotions. Mindfulness means you’re aware of what you’re feeling right now.
If you find yourself falling into the fears and anxiety coupled with worry, let them play out. Imagine watching them from a distance, rather than suppressing them.
This will let them dissipate in a natural way rather than escalate.
Flip it Around
Worried about trying something new? Rather than avoid it, try it anyway.
Handle the worries you know are irrational with action. More often than not, you’ll find you had nothing to worry about in the first place.
But keep this in mind. Sometimes worry is there for a good reason. Be careful which worries you challenge.
Remember, the whole point of mindfulness. You want to be in the moment and pay very close attention to what’s going on both inside and out.
Worry doesn’t bear up under such close scrutiny. If all you do is pay attention you’ll change the game in a big way. .
Fear is something that, at times, can help you in life. But when it takes control of your life it’s a whole different story.
Never fear, GenuLines is here to get you back in the driver’s seat.
Stop Letting Fear Control Your Life
The number one thing that holds many of us from going after our dreams is fear. If left unchecked, it can keep you locked up inside your own mental prison.
The trouble is, confronting your fears isn’t easy. And changing it is going to be uncomfortable.
While they may keep you comfortable, they can also cause frustration and depression. If you’re honest about wanting to live your best life, you need to stop letting fear rule it.
Here, we’ll look at how you can stop letting it control your life.
Explore the cause of your fear
If you want to stand any chance of getting over your fear, you’re going to need to know its cause. Write down all your fears.
Then, circle the fears that are most palpable. Once you’ve identified your main fears, start to think of ways you can prevent them from happening.
This can help you to feel like you have more control over them.
You won’t always be able to prevent your fears from coming true. But most of them are nothing more than a defense mechanism.
By facing our fears, we often find that they weren’t as bad as we thought they’d be. Once you have an idea of what’s causing them, you can then look at ways to combat them.
Practice mindfulness
Fear tends to generate a lot of anxiety. By practicing mindfulness, it can help to bring a sense of calm into the mind.
Lowering your anxiety levels will in turn give your fear less control over you. When you’re in a calmer state, you’re going to feel a lot stronger and better able to face your fear.
Meditation and deep breathing exercises are great for calming anxiety. They also deliver a lot of other great benefits for the mind and body.
Start with short, guided meditations if you’re a beginner. They’re free on sites such as YouTube.
Focus on the consequences if you don’t change
If you’re struggling to face your fears, focus on what will happen if you don’t make the needed changes. That is, how will your life be a year from now if you don’t change anything now?
Most likely, you’ll still be stuck feeling dissatisfied with your life. You’ll be unable to move forward.
The reason you’re reading this is that you’re already feeling fed up and wanting to make a change. So, if you don’t start facing your fear, you’ll only start to feel more frustrated, resentful, and lost.
Summary
Focusing on what will happen if you don’t face your fear can provide you with the motivation you need to do it.
These are the best ways you can stop letting fear control your life. Only by recognizing and facing up to this can you get past it.
Fear is also linked to how you feel about yourself. So work on your self-improvement and boost your confidence.
You’ll be in a much better position to face your fears.
You’re okay with being an introvert, until you’re not. It can put into a rut that leaves you feeling sort of stale.
This list of suggestions from GenuLines is designed to ease you out of that rut.
4 Ways To Get Out Of Your Introvert Rut
Have you been feeling like you’re stuck in an introvert rut lately? Do you find yourself spending too much time on your own?
Could it be you do the same things over and over, or feel like you’re holding yourself back? There are a few things you can do if you’re stuck in an introvert rut.
Let’s get busy and figure them out!
1) Step out but within your comfort zone
One of the best ways to get out of a rut is by pushing yourself to try new things. Now this can be a bit much for the VERY introverted.
Branch out and try new things in new places. You could hang out with a larger group of people, but do so within the confines of your comfort zone.
Go to your favorite coffee shop and order your favorite drink at their busiest time of day. Go to a party you wouldn’t normally attend, but hang in the corner with a close friend.
The key to this exercise is finding a balance; you want to push yourself, but not too far.
2) Meet new people on your terms
Along the same lines, you want to meet new people within your comfort zone too. Spark up a conversation with a friendly person at your favorite store, restaurant, or bar.
This will help you meet someone that’s most likely like-minded. And you’ll do it without pushing yourself to the point of discomfort.
Push yourself to go somewhere where you might meet a new friend with whom you have common interests. This could make it easier for you to mix things up.
And you can get out of your rut without pushing yourself to the point of discomfort.
3) Push yourself to take part in something new
Doing something entirely new to you can be a good way to break yourself out of your rut. But for a lot of introverts, this is highly uncomfortable.
It could even be anxiety-inducing. You have to push yourself to do something new that you’re comfortable with.
Are you more comfortable going out to a game night at a brewery or a book club that let you be in a smaller group? Then push yourself to do that.
If you’re more comfortable going to a larger party where you can hide in the crowd if you need to. then that needs to be the something new you try.
4) Drive yourself to bust out of your shell
A great way to break out of an introverted rut is by pushing yourself to get out of your shell. This is another exercise that might prove to be very uncomfortable for introverts.
So it may not be for everyone.
Try branching out to new small groups where the attention has to be on you at some point. It could be a book club, creative writing group, local bridge game, or a small jam session among other things.
This will help you break out of your shell and push past this introversion and the rut you’re in.
Final thoughts
Getting out of an introvert rut can be tough. And the more introverted you are, the harder it becomes.
If you find the process too difficult, talk it over with a professional. You’ll get steered to more specific and custom exercises.
These will better help you get out of this rut without hurting yourself in any way.
Overheard: “Lose an hour in the morning, and you will spend all day looking for it”
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