Thought For Today - June
 

Dissolve to Resolve

Often when we're agitated with someone, we feel it's the other person's responsibility to resolve the issue. But it's our responsibility to dissolve the agitation we feel. How? Find something you admire in that person, a positive quality, or maybe they're a specialist in something. Now, whenever you think of that person or come into contact with them, see them with that positivity.

This is sometimes enough to dissolve the agitation, as well increase our ability to connect with that person and resolve the issue.

Like the Fragrant Flowers

Walk into a room with fragrant flowers & you'll find yourself taking a deep breath & enjoying the fragrance.

Like fragrant flowers, we too carry our presence when we walk into a room. Our thoughts, intentions & feelings carry a fragrance that permeates the air in the room.

The question is: Like the flowers, are you carrying a fragrant scent, a positive presence?

An Overactive Mind

Here is a technique to calm an overactive mind: Keep the mind active with a few simple thoughts. "I am calm." "My mind is clear." Sometimes a few simple thoughts is all the mind needs to restore calm.

Calm the overactive mind and then you can activate the mind to think clearly and constructively.

June 4

When Promoting Yourself, Avoid

To stand out from the crowd and get ahead, often we have to promote ourselves.

When promoting yourself:
- Avoid sounding like you're bragging or boasting. Highlight your accomplishments when and where it’s relevant.
- Avoid coming across as arrogant or annoying. Communicate your value as well as the value of others.

Maybe, every time you promote yourself, promote someone else too.

June 5

Pass It On

Everything that comes to us, comes to us to pass on. Not just the money in our pocket, but wisdom, objects, ideas, opportunities, all comes to us, for us to put to good use, and then at the right time, to pass it on.

So come on, pass on what you love, pass it on with love.

The Stories You Tell Yourself

Every day we tell ourselves stories about ourselves, the people around us, about what's happened and what’s going to happen. These stories may start off as facts but, as we keep telling and retelling these stories to ourselves, they often become fiction. And as we start to believe the stories, they start to influence how we think, feel and act.

Become aware of the stories you tell yourself. Are these stories adding value to your life, moving you forward or holding you back? Are you going to keep telling these stories, or let them go, or change them? Why not tell yourself stories that are positive and empowering?

A Glass Act

Be like a glass. Hold space for others and be a support. Create space in which others can simply be. Do it with positivity and good feeling.

Be a glass act and then you become a class act.

More Than Work

Is your identity tied to your work? Does what you do define who you are?

When we love what we do, it makes work happy and fulfilling. But when our identity is deeply connected to the work we do, it can negatively impact our self-esteem and how we prioritize our priorities.

We are more than our work. We are not what we do. We are a human beings. So, reconnect with who you are and you'll do your best and, at the same time, keep your work and what you do in perspective.

Are You Missing Out?

Do you get wrapped up in the feeling that you're missing out on something more exciting or interesting? Especially when you scroll through your social media feeds and see all the photos and updates of what others are doing?

Realize: 1) You are always going to be missing out because you can't be everywhere. 2) The grass is always greener on the other side of the screen. So, acknowledge that you are missing out and find joy where you are.

Remember: 1) You can ease the feeling of missing out by limiting your time on social media. 2) You can use the feeling of missing out as motivation to plan for something more exciting or interesting.

Realist or Visionary?

A realist or a visionary, which are you? Which is better? Which one do you want to be? Would you rather be a bit of both to get the best results?

Be realistic enough to see things as they are but be idealistic enough to see where you want to go and be. Then you can take your vision and work out how to get there. Follow it with action and you'll make your vision real.

June 11

The Worst in You

Who or what brings out the worst in you?

1. Recognize who or what brings out the worst in you.
2. Ask yourself, can someone or something really bring out the worst in me?
3. Consider this, no one and nothing can bring out the worst in me, unless I let them.
4. Take responsibility for a) the worst in you, and b) bringing out the best in you.

June 12

Make It An Opportunity

Ever waited for the right opportunity to come along? Is it ever handed to you? Sometimes, but mostly not, right? So, why wait for opportunities to come along or be handed to you? Where you are right now, what’s in front of you, the one in hand; make that an opportunity.

Make opportunities happen. And if one does come along, or is handed to you - make the most of it.

Feeling Comfortable

Is that a spot on your face? Notice a spot on your face and then the only thing you can think about is the spot on your face!

The more self-conscious you become, the more uncomfortable you feel. Other people may not even notice the spot but they may notice you feeling uncomfortable.

Spot or no spot, feel comfortable with yourself and others will be comfortable around you.

Managing Interruptions

People checking in, dropping in, calling in…. Interruptions are mostly distracting and disruptive. We can't really stop the interruptions, but maybe, we can manage them a little better.

Maybe we can politely encourage the interrupter to finish or, if it's not urgent, schedule to a convenient time. To curb interruptions at inconvenient times, maybe connect regularly with others, so they can update you or get their questions answered. Maybe establish a ‘non-interruption time’ when you really need to get things done.

How will you manage interruptions a little better?

What will you share?

The best things in life are free, so share what you have, freely. Share a kind word. Share a smile. Share what you know.

Share and you’ll feel richer for it. What will you share, today?

Just Write

Be honest, be brave, and write. Write about your experiences, your feelings…. What went well, what could be improved…. Write a sentence, a paragraph, pages….

Don't worry about grammar or editing your words. Simply allow your thoughts and feelings to surface and write. Write, and you may gain a fresh perspective, enriched self-awareness, as well as added wisdom.

Life is Like a....

Is life like a box of chocolates? Or is life like a stage, a river, a mountain to climb, maybe a battlefield?

See life as a battlefield and you may feel that everyone is against you or that everything is a struggle. See life as a stage and you may realize that everyone is playing their role and you just need to play your role. See life as a river and you may take everything in your stride, all the twists and turns, and just keep flowing forward.

As is your perception, so is your experience. What's your metaphor for life?

June 18

Nowhere to Now Here

If you keep thinking about something, over and over again, most often, it's as if you're going nowhere. Next time your thinking is getting you nowhere, go from nowhere to now here.

Shift your attention to the present moment. Be here in the now, and your thinking is most likely to get you somewhere.

June 19

It's All Gone Pear Shaped!

“It’s all gone pear-shaped.” When things go pear-shaped, leave no space for doubt. No matter what shape things are in, have faith that all is exactly as it should be. Have faith that you have what it takes to handle pear-shaped situations.

When life gives you pears, make….

Learning from Others

Sometimes we're too quick to criticize others. Stop the criticism and you can learn a lot from others.

Notice what they do well and how they do it. Also take note of what they do, that you want to avoid. Take what you learn from others and then adapt it, or add it to better who you are and what you do.

Doing What You Don't Want To Do

Not everything on the to-do list is enjoyable or likeable but it still needs to be done. So what to do? Force yourself to get it done? Find someone else to do it?

Here are 4 ways to do things you don’t want to do:
1) Make it the first thing you do and get it out of the way.
2) Listen to something you enjoy or do the task in a location you like.
3) Focus on how it contributes to the bigger picture and be positive.
4) Plan a treat for yourself for when you get things done.

Sense and Sensibly

Sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch are our five senses. Our senses are connected to the mind. Our senses can over-stimulate, over-load and over-tire the mind. If our senses pick up or generate any negativity, it’ll disturb the way the mind works.

For peace of mind, use the five senses more sensibly!

Know Your Strengths

Do you know your strengths? Take an inventory of your strengths, and if you want, ask others to help you identify them. Also think about how to use your strengths more often, and further develop your strengths.

Know your strengths and you’ll contribute more value and take better advantage of opportunities.

The Way Things Are

There are times in our life when we're not content with the way things are. So we start changing things to improve things, but how soon are you discontent again?

Often the best way to begin when we're discontent, is with contentment. Things are exactly the way they are meant to be, at this moment in time, and create contentment for the way things are.

Start with contentment and then begin to make changes and improvements.

June 25

Acceptance and Peace

Peace of mind comes not from wanting to change others, but by simply accepting them as they are.

For your peace of mind, can you let go of what you want others to do or how you want them to be? Can you accept everyone as they are?

June 26

One Step At A Time

When faced with a problem, a habit change, a task that seems insurmountable, do this: lay it out & break it down into steps. Remember, everything takes time & involves many steps.

When you start worrying about it all, remind yourself to concentrate on one step at a time. Take it step by step & take charge of what seems insurmountable.

Make Summer Count

If only summer lasted forever! But like the rest of the seasons, summer doesn't last forever. If it did, all the energy & potential would reach its limits & inertia would set in.

So enjoy the summer while it lasts. Relish the weather, the warmth, the flowers, the fruits. And start planning your fun & make your summer count.

The Oyster Approach

When things get under your skin & annoy you, try and develop the oyster approach.

What's the oyster approach? Well, there's a story about an oyster that finds an irritating grain of sand under its shell. The oyster tried to remove it but couldn't, so, the oyster said, 'If I can’t remove it, I'll try to improve it'. And as time passed by, the grain of sand became a pearl.

Try & remove the things that get under your skin or remove yourself from things that annoy you. If you can't, try & improve yourself or improve the situation. Take the irritant & make it into a pearl.

Meet Your Deadlines

Sometimes, no matter how hard and fast we work, we still are not able to meet a deadline. When you’re not able to meet a deadline, inform the people involved as soon as possible, & then extend or reschedule the deadline.

The next time you're setting a deadline or agreeing to a deadline, be more realistic about the amount of time & work involved, & give yourself some extra time to deal with the unexpected - you'll need it! Be realistic with deadlines & you're more likely to meet them.

Find Your Courage

Courage is the strength that allows you to:
- face difficult situations, places, people and even yourself
- go beyond your current limits and take action even when you are afraid
- stand your ground and stand by what you believe
- rise from the ashes, the disappointments, failures and setbacks

Courage comes from the core of your being. So, find your courage, take that one step of courage and see where it takes you.