“The more sand that has escaped from the hourglass of our life, the clearer we should see through it.”
This time of year is typically a time of reflection. These last few years have been tough on everyone but this past year has particularly been a strange season for me. I have found that when you experience change or confront difficulties you have a choice: you can either grow from the season or internalize the struggle and become sad and bitter. Also, during these seasons, you learn a lot about yourself and what you truly believe. Here are a few of those things I have learned (or been reminded of) this past year.
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Slow down and just listen. Talking incessantly is exhausting. If you slow down and just listen for sounds around you or to the person in front of you, you will be amazed how much more interesting life really is.
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Don’t take for granted the days you are pain free. Anyone that has had a season of bad luck when it comes to health knows that those few days when you are pain-free are worth enjoying.
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You can face any obstacle or tribulation as long as you have someone with you. We weren’t created to go through life alone. Surrounding yourself with people that love and care for you make any season much easier to face; good or bad.
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The process of creating a legacy does not begin when you are older, it happens each and every day. I used to think that those achievements that occur later in my life will be the sum total of my legacy. Now I realize that every day that I have lived has left an imprint on someone else and speaks volumes as to who I am. Those moments truly make up my legacy.
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Typically with more money and more “things” comes higher bills and higher blood pressure. There is something to be said for simplicity. Whether it is the rat-race, hamster on a wheel, nose to the grind, or burning both ends of the candle, stress affects your health and ability to be at peace. If money and success cause increased stress in your life, time to downsize and simplify.
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Other people and circumstances don’t determine your mood or outlook, you only allow them to. We spend too much time blaming others for our bad attitude. We need to take ownership in managing how we respond to others. Being thick-skinned is more about thinking right than it is about feeling right. Life is too short to waste energy on negative thoughts and responses.
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Relationships are formed when you seek to know and understand others…talking about yourself all the time is a relationship killer. I learned this principle from my granddaughter. When I kneel down, look her in the face, and just ask questions about her day, I feel more connected to her. Someone once said that dialogue is “the process of open information flow between individuals with the goal of understanding what is being said.” Someone also said, “seek to be understood, not merely heard.”
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No matter how dyer the circumstances or lucrative the sale, if my services won’t help someone the way they need I am okay to let that lead go. If it is not a win-win, then it is a no-go. Success in your business is not going to be defined by those customers that are constantly bugging you or strapping your resources. Let these prospects go sooner than later…you will be thankful in the end.
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An idle life causes old age, not the other way around. As we get older, most ailments seem to come about because we do not stay active, eat healthy, and engage our minds and heart.
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Helping others is a daily lifestyle and brings enormous joy to your life. Being a former missionary and pastor I have had to shift my own paradigm about helping others. Though there are genuine needs all over the world, state and city, you don’t have to walk any further than next door to help someone in need. You just have to expand your radar beyond yourself and be open to those opportunities. The result? You end up feeling better than they do!