Tag: Look Within

Be Mindful of Your Actions

“If we let all the negative roadblocks influence us then it’s only a matter of time before we end up detoured, lost, or possibly stranded on the side of the highway. Our positive attitude keeps our battery powered and our gas tank full, so that we can make it in one piece to our destination.”

― Lindsey Rietzsch

               I find myself in an interesting place right now. I ended the year and began 2018 with renewed hope and vigor for what was to come. I set goals and high expectations for my life and personal growth. I told myself that I’m going to push harder and have a lot of fun along the way…I promised myself that my main theme for this year was a positive attitude and mindset. In a nutshell, leave the bullshit and pettiness at the door and keep it moving on my end. Well, it’s been 17 days and I’ve already found myself sliding backwards. At times I find myself reacting negatively to negative behavior and attitudes around me. It’s so easy to get frustrated and behave just as poorly as those around you and when this happens you’re a part of the problem…not the solution. As I go through my daily reflections, I think there is an intermediary step that needs to happen for me to see long lasting change and that is mastering the art of self-awareness. What I mean is that I want to place more time and energy on being aware of my reactions and conscious state so that I reflect real time with, “Why am I feeling this way, why did I do or say x, y, and z,” and then ask myself how I could have responded differently. This will force me to acknowledge my every action and be accountable at all times. No more excuses. It’s time to form new habits. My hope is that by recognizing my reactions and thought process, I can get to the point where I automatically respond in a positive manner like muscle memory. I have faith that I will in time. I also believe this is something we can all work on, as life throws some pretty tough curveballs at us all.

What Motivates You

A/N. Some of you may have noticed that I’ve been sporadic in my posting the last few weeks. To be honest, I’ve been losing my inspiration of why I  started doing this blog almost two years ago. I didn’t feel the connection and then what a friend told me gave me pause for reflection. He basically told me that my blog felt a little impersonal. And I don’t disagree. Each day I strived to find an inspirational quote that resonated with me and with what I was going through at the time. However, I didn’t share any of these personal reflections of why I chose the quote; rather, I chose to give my thoughts from a more general, broader perspective. But I’m ready to change things up and try a different approach by sharing more of my personal thoughts and feelings behind each quote. So, thank you, my friend, for inspiring me to do better and reminding me what it means to be The Eternally Hopeful.

Please note because these posts will be more focused, I will begin posting once a week, likely at the end of the week as a reflection of how my week went. I hope you enjoy, continue to follow my blog, and be inspired to make changes in your own life! I invite you to search for the better part of yourself each and everyday!

“The greatest pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do.”
Walter Bagehot

               This quote pretty much sums up a common thread in my life story. I’ve been repeatedly told that I’m not good enough or can’t do x, y, or z. And, I feel like I’ve spent my entire life trying to prove the naysayers wrong and that I am good enough…that I can achieve the impossible.  However, I feel there is a caution warning that should be applied to this quote. Yes, it’s good to use other people’s negativity as motivation to do that and more. But you have to be careful that at the end of the day, you’re doing this for you and that you don’t let these negative people make you bitter, jaded, and demoralized in your approach to life. It’s so easy to become that woman with a chip on her shoulder and this has become my daily struggle. Where’s the line? I’m starting to realize that there is no easy, clean cut answer. Rather, it is yet another battle we must wage with ourselves each day. I try to ask myself at the end of each day, am I doing this for myself or just to prove someone else wrong. I then try to disassociate my actions and gains from the negativity that was attached to my original motivations for doing something. I guess what I’m trying to say is that I believe it’s okay to use someone else telling you that you can’t do something as motivation to succeed, but your end reasons for continuing along the path should be for you and you alone.

 

Introspection

“Did I offer peace today? Did I bring a smile to someone’s face? Did I say words of healing? Did I let go of my anger and resentment? Did I forgive? Did I love? These are the real questions. I must trust that the little bit of love that I sow now will bear many fruits, here in this world and the life to come.”

– Henri Nouwen

           Each day you should strive to be a better version of yourself. This includes evaluating at the end of each day your actions and emotional responses throughout the day. You must focus on the tough questions and be honest with yourself. Did you act out of kindness today or did you give in to frustration and short tempers? By focusing on these real questions, you allow yourself the opportunity to do better tomorrow.

Focus On Yourself

“The only person you should try to be better than is the person you were yesterday”

― Matty Mullins

          Don’t compare yourself to others. Don’t try to live up to other people’s standards. For the only person you should hold yourself up to is yourself, meaning each day you should strive to be your best self. Don’t worry about what anyone else is doing and instead focus on your own personal growth, self-worth, and self-love.

Take Ownership

“At the end of the day, you are solely responsible for your success and your failure. And the sooner you realize that, you accept that, and integrate that into your work ethic, you will start being successful. As long as you blame others for the reason you aren’t where you want to be, you will always be a failure.”

– Erin Cummings

        Take ownership and responsibility for where you’re at in life. Don’t blame others and external factors for your circumstances. For in order to move forward, you must accept the choices you made that led you down your path so you can grow and make different, hopefully better, decisions in the future.

Choose Your Reality

“In life there is reality and there is what you want in life. If you took a moment to step back and forget about everything that is going on that doesn’t really mean that much anyway, you might be able to figure out how to get what you want and what has been stopping you. For every problem there is a solution, for every… need God has provided the answer, and for every want there is a way. Reality is what you make it.”

― Joshua Hartzell

       For every problem, there is a solution. You have but to block out all the white noise that surrounds you and focus on the here and now. Take a moment to stop and assess the situation for what it is without all the background noise. You have all the tools you need to find the answers for the questions you seek. And remember that reality is truly what you make it.

Emotional Wellbeing

“If your leg is in a cast, it’s really dumb to sit in front of your computer doing unnecessary stuff with it hanging down. Your leg will swell and heal slower, if at all. When you go to your doctor, he/she will give you one of those “you’re really dumb and self destructive” looks. Also, “Why didn’t you follow my orders and rest?” Your doctor will be right, and so will mine at my next office visit. Elevate, folk! Elevate your mind, your soul, and your leg, in the order needed!”

― Sandy Nathan

         Self-care is one of the most important aspects of any person’s life, but it is often the last thing you think of. It is important to remind yourself that your mind, soul, and spirit need the same kind of care as your physical body. Your mind, body, and soul require rest, attention, and support too. So, make it a priority to focus not only on your physical wellbeing, but also on your emotional wellbeing.

Take Responsibility

“Take responsibility for your own happiness, do not expect people or things to bring you happiness, or you could be disappointed.”

― Rodolfo Costa

           You and you alone are in charge of your happiness. It is not the responsibility of other people or external things to make you happy. No, you must take ownership of your life, including the good and not so good. For true happiness and contentment can only come from within.

See With Your Heart

“And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.”

― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince

           It’s important to think things through and plan ahead, but you must not forget how to simply listen to your heart. Learn to trust your intuition and heart just as much as you do your head. Never forget that your mind is your logical guide to life; whereas your heart is your moral compass and most important part of you.