Settling for Unhappiness Over Uncertainty

So let me get this straight. You are going to do something you don't love for most of your life, so you can retire and do nothing when you're old. The money is good and your work is not terrible, so you have settled into mundane complacency.

You are so afraid of the unknown, you don't take action. The thought that it won't work and you will fail is overwhelming. Fear and faith have one thing in common. Neither has happened yet. It is all in your approach.

In order to find happiness, you have to take action. This will make you uncomfortable, but this is the only way you can grow. Don't let uncertainty trap you into unhappiness. Set your goals and take action.

I Don't Have Time.

I often hear people say they don't have time. What they are really saying is that it is not that important. You always have a choice in everything you do. You show what is important by where you choose to spend your time.

I had a full day today and chose to get up and be at the gym at 5:30. Believe me, my body said no when the alarm went off. I had to make a choice. It was important enough to me to get up and make it happen.

The next time you are faced with an opportunity to grow, don't be so quick to say you don't have time. If it is important enough, you can make time.

Hurry!!

The world is moving at a much faster pace than when I was a kid. I can remember the long summer days that would seem to never end. We would ride our bikes until the sun went down. We were not bombarded with electronic devices.

Today everyone is in such a hurry. We have deadlines, back to back appointments and little time to breathe. We find ourselves running from emergency to emergency. We leave very little time for ourselves and our family.

No matter how busy you are, you have to find your reset. Maybe it is reading a book, praying, meditating or stopping to drink a cup of coffee. Since moving to the country, mine has been working on the land. Just do something that relaxes your mind. You will more productive when you are hurrying to your next appointment.

Too Much Ice Cream!

Usually when one area of your life is out of whack, it is from a lack of discipline. Laser focus allows you to excel in the areas you choose. Recently many areas of my life are hitting on all cylinders. However, one area I have struggled is fitness. Ice cream is good, but too much isn't.

You have to sacrifice one thing to commit to another. You should always view your goals as a whole and how they affect all areas of your life. To work longer hours, you will miss time at the gym. Then you will become less active. That affects your mood. You start to burn out from lack of energy. Now that you are missing time at the gym, you relax on the food you put in your body. It is a downward spiral.

I don't believe you can have total discipline in every area of your life. I do believe you can set goals and constantly working on them. Maybe instead of just committing to being more fit, you set a goal of running a 5K. This will force you to train because there is an end goal. Your goals should always be specific and measurable. You can enjoy ice cream. Just don't eat it everyday.

3 Hobbies

When is the last time you did something creative? How about something that got your heart rate up? When was the last time you were happy at work?

Most people go through life like water. They travel the least resistant path. Whatever is easy and doesn't hurt. They take a job because of the pay and not the passion. They don't exercise because they don't have time. They don't don't learn to play an instrument or paint.

In the end, you are hurting yourself. You go through life without fulfilling your true calling. You need 3 hobbies. One to make you money, one to keep you fit, and one to expand your mind.

The Front Row

There is a clear difference in the experience you have, based on where you sit. Front row seats cost more. You can't hide on the front row. It is harder to leave early when you sit on the front row.

Why sit in the front? On the front row, you get more from the speaker. You have fewer distractions. When you're on the back row, you are removed from the action. It's harder to get into the spirit of the event.

Many sit on the back row of life. They arrive late and leave early. They are not engaged. They are there, but not really present. Try the front row. Be a part of the action! You are going to love the show!

Activity vs. Accomplishment

Have you ever had a day where you worked hard, but weren't quite sure what you had accomplished? You know you were busy. You probably worked harder than you had in a while. Why don't you feel good about it?

You just did what many do. You confused accomplishment with activity. The act of moving papers from one side of your desk to the other is not an accomplishment. Think of accomplishments as high-value activities. If you are not focused on high-value activities, you will trick yourself into believing that your "busy" was productive.

When you are too busy doing one thing to do something else, you are saying that it is more important. Saying no can help regulate your life. It will help you streamline your day and let you focus on productive tasks.