Wow! I haven't written a blog post in 2013 and we're almost halfway done with this year. Talk about commitment issues. Well, I did write that one blog post for SocialChange last month. Anywho, I was just thinking about some important things I've learned in the last 2 years that I figured I'd share with the world. :) This has been my formula to success.
1. Be nice. Yeah, be nice to people. It's easy and simple, but what I'm saying is be genuinely nice. Don't be pretentious. Just be nice and expect nothing in return. No recognition. No thanks or expressions of gratitude. Just be nice and when you get something in return be appreciative. Karma is real, on top of that, there just aren't enough genuinely nice people in the world. We could use more. :)
I always use CouchSurfing as an example. It takes a really nice person to offer their home to a stranger expecting nothing in return. It takes an even nicer person to be screwed over by a stranger (which does happen with CS occasionally and not to change who they are or what they do because of one person. CSers are some of the happiest people I've ever met because the universe does send good things to good people.
2. You get out of it what you put into it. What is "it"? Anything. Life. Your job. Your friendships. Your relationships. If you put your all into something, always have an optimistic attitude, things normally work out. I didn't say you will get your desired outcome, but things will work out the way they are supposed to.
If you keep complaining about your situation, just expect it to continue to be crappy. Your glass should always be half full, even when it's half empty.
3. Think. This one is self-explanatory, but seems to be the hardest thing for most people I know. People don't think a lot. I've learned that most folks want something handed to them. The people in this world that have managed to truly make something of themselves aren't really smart or like crazy wizards with super powers. They just used their common sense. Common sense and good work ethic will take you soooo far in life.
4. Be happy. Do whatever makes you happy. Don't put it on hold. Take a risk and put God first and let Him do the work. If you remember tips 1-3 this one shouldn't be a problem. Money won't make you happy. I lived in 2012 off about 12,000USD. I visited roughly 8-10 countries (not going to take the time right now to do a mental recap), and lived in Italy and Germany. I didn't have a lot of "stuff" (which is what I call anything that is replaceable ie, car, clothes, shoes, etc) or a lot of money, but I was happy. I was stressed sometimes not knowing where my next bank deposit was going to come from, but after successfully executing 1-3 I had no problems at all, and even felt silly about stressing over material things.
You know that quote, "Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive and go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive." Yeah, I hate that quote. It's so overused by folks who don't even do #1, let alone 2-4 :-P But I'm going to use it here because it's so true.
I often get random Facebook messages from people essentially asking me how I do "it." Well that's how. I try to be nice. I put my all into everything. I think...A lot...and for myself. I do what makes me happy.
1. Be nice. Yeah, be nice to people. It's easy and simple, but what I'm saying is be genuinely nice. Don't be pretentious. Just be nice and expect nothing in return. No recognition. No thanks or expressions of gratitude. Just be nice and when you get something in return be appreciative. Karma is real, on top of that, there just aren't enough genuinely nice people in the world. We could use more. :)
I always use CouchSurfing as an example. It takes a really nice person to offer their home to a stranger expecting nothing in return. It takes an even nicer person to be screwed over by a stranger (which does happen with CS occasionally and not to change who they are or what they do because of one person. CSers are some of the happiest people I've ever met because the universe does send good things to good people.
2. You get out of it what you put into it. What is "it"? Anything. Life. Your job. Your friendships. Your relationships. If you put your all into something, always have an optimistic attitude, things normally work out. I didn't say you will get your desired outcome, but things will work out the way they are supposed to.
If you keep complaining about your situation, just expect it to continue to be crappy. Your glass should always be half full, even when it's half empty.
3. Think. This one is self-explanatory, but seems to be the hardest thing for most people I know. People don't think a lot. I've learned that most folks want something handed to them. The people in this world that have managed to truly make something of themselves aren't really smart or like crazy wizards with super powers. They just used their common sense. Common sense and good work ethic will take you soooo far in life.
4. Be happy. Do whatever makes you happy. Don't put it on hold. Take a risk and put God first and let Him do the work. If you remember tips 1-3 this one shouldn't be a problem. Money won't make you happy. I lived in 2012 off about 12,000USD. I visited roughly 8-10 countries (not going to take the time right now to do a mental recap), and lived in Italy and Germany. I didn't have a lot of "stuff" (which is what I call anything that is replaceable ie, car, clothes, shoes, etc) or a lot of money, but I was happy. I was stressed sometimes not knowing where my next bank deposit was going to come from, but after successfully executing 1-3 I had no problems at all, and even felt silly about stressing over material things.
You know that quote, "Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive and go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive." Yeah, I hate that quote. It's so overused by folks who don't even do #1, let alone 2-4 :-P But I'm going to use it here because it's so true.
I often get random Facebook messages from people essentially asking me how I do "it." Well that's how. I try to be nice. I put my all into everything. I think...A lot...and for myself. I do what makes me happy.
