How often do you unlock your phone and start scrolling without even thinking about it?
It’s hard to imagine a time without a universe in your pocket. A digital whirlpool sucking in any attention you have left to give, blurring the outside world until, one hour later, you suddenly realise you haven’t remembered anything. You’ve seen countless videos, peering into other people’s lives while window shopping the world, avoiding yours. It sounds drastic because, quite frankly, it is.
Your brain lies to you every day without you realizing it.
Even when participating in seemingly innocent activities, like scrolling through social media. You may find yourself pausing on posts that align with your current belief on a topic, while immediately scrolling past anything that contradicts that opinion. That’s confirmation bias in action.
Imagine having this kind of morning: You wake up, abruptly and disoriented, to the sound of your alarm blaring at a volume that’s too loud for this time of day. You hit snooze immediately and then clamber out of bed at the last possible moment in order to get to your work or class right on time.
Your mind is racing, not fully awake or ready for the day. You may feel disheveled and behind even though your day has just begun. This now leads to a feeling of stress that follows you around from task to task throughout the day. Yikes!
It’s been rumoured that, when you die, a highlight reel of your life plays in your head. Imagine you’re in that scenario. You’re old and have reached the end of your life. With a sad acceptance, you realise time has come for you to pass over. That reel begins playing and, sure, it’s filled with copious amounts of happy memories, but there’s a few things missing. A few items off the bucket list, emotions not felt to their absolute maximum, and stone-shaped experiences left unturned. You realise the human vessel you’ve lived in has enough power to traverse space, but instead, you meandered along the local river. Of course, it’s worth saying that this doesn’t merely mean seeking out adrenaline and high-octane experiences. To many, a slower life is their space travel, and that is okay.
Everyone wants to be comfortable. From a biological perspective, our bodies work towards the path of least resistance. It wants to remain comfortable. This state of being can be a great place to reside – after all, it’s called the comfort zone for a reason. But living there means you’re not pushing yourself to try new things or learn new skills. It can make you feel stuck.
Google.
“Why is my life not improving?”
I researched countless productivity hacks. Books, articles, guides, apps, you name it. I tried them all. I bought planners: daily and weekly, large and small, decorative and plain. I even wrote in those – “why isn’t anything working?” Before long, I felt like a shadow shaking my fists at the unforgiving and uncaring clouds, cursing the world for holding me back.
So you want to fix your life?
Sounds easier said than done. But really, it just requires time, focus, and a plan. Having the desire to fix your life is the first step – this could be the day that everything changes for you.
I want to encourage you to take this time to fully place your attention on this video. Put your phone out of sight and out of mind and grant yourself permission to take this time for yourself and your wellbeing. You matter!
We live in a fast paced world – it’s go, go, go all the time. Get up early and go to the gym, go get coffee, go make a healthy breakfast, go to work, go call that family member, go to that class on the weekend, go to the dinner party…And if you can’t keep up with the quickness in which we all seem to now live our lives, you (or someone you know) may be viewing you as lazy. But could it really just be that you’re overstimulated? With so much to keep up with, how could you not be overstimulated?
When you hear or feel that you’re being lazy, it can sting. This isn’t a desirable trait and it can mean that you lack any drive, motivation or passion for the things in your life. But if that perceived trait is really just a symptom of overstimulation, it changes everything.
Have you ever felt stuck, lost or overwhelmed in life? If so, you’re not alone. Some research shows that up to 75% of people have felt that way at one time or another.
When best selling author and speaker, Timber Hawkeye, realized he needed to make a big change in his life, he did some serious thinking about what he needed to do. He had been living a traditional life in Corporate America, with plenty of success and material possessions, including designer clothes and a sports car. But inside, he just knew something wasn’t right.
Start here: Browse the Self-Improvement Guides and pick the path that fits your situation.
“No.”
It’s a simple word. Powerful too. Yet it is often met with a less-than warm reception. There are many people who say “yes” to most things thrown their way, often in fear of saying “no.”
In reality, saying “no” isn’t anything other than being assertive. Not abrasive, confrontational, or anything in between. It’s an important but small part of assertive communication. Mastering it means to know your boundaries and communicate them in an effective, non-confrontational manner. If you don’t honour your boundaries, then you are giving someone else the opportunity to take advantage of you. By setting and enforcing what you’re comfortable with, whether that’s in your work, social, or personal life, you form your character and establish a social image (even if the social circle itself is small).
