10 Life Philosophies

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I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you...we are in charge of our attitudes"--Charles Swindoll

Although we may not be aware of them, we all have personal philosophies that shape how we view the world. These philosophies colour our interpretation of events in our lives--both good and bad--and more importantly, how we respond to those events. We've all heard some of the more popular philosophies--e.g. when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. But, have you stopped to think about the philosophies that guide and shape your particular worldview?
When life gets hectic, and things don't seem to be going your way, following are some philosophies you can adopt that will indeed, enable you to take those lemons and make the very best lemonade!

1. Mistakes are the stepping stones to mastery

I love watching funny sitcom and movie out-takes--especially when I've already seen the finished product. Nothing illustrates this concept better. We can learn so many lessons: that humour can get us through the fumbles; that others are there to lend a hand if we allow them; that no one is perfect, not even Robert Deniro; that there's always a chance for another take; and most importantly, that if we persist, we can eventually master the task at hand and no one would be the wiser!

2. If you truly believe in you, you're one-up already

Any top salesman will tell you that he cannot fully succeed if he doesn't believe in his product. Whenever we pitch ourselves--be it for a promotion, a lead role, or a new job--just how effective we are, is largely determined by our own self-confidence and esteem. Think about the times you've been fully confident in your abilities, and how easy it was to convince others of the same. And then, think about the times you may not have been as confident--was it as easy to be convincing?

3. Perfection, like a brand new car, is customisable

What's your idea of a perfect life? I bet, if you asked five other people they would all tell you something different. Commercials and ads appeal to our recognition of a well-marketed American Dream (i.e. the house with the white picket fence, a dog, and 2.5 children), but we all know there is no universal definition of "perfection." The key is to define it for yourself, based on your Personal Values, and then to aggressively pursue it despite differences in opinion about what may constitute "perfection."

4. Disappointment in oneself only stems from the knowledge that we CAN do better

Deep down, we all know what we're really capable of. The key then, is to figure out what forms of support enable us to be our best. Reality is, there will be times when you fall, and when you do, revisit philosophy #1.

6. If you're afraid to make the jump, you can always get a hand glider

Look inside to find out what keeps you from creating the life you really want to be living. If your life or career goal appears to you to be a most daunting mountain, know that you don't have to face it alone. Family, friends, or a personal coach can help you to safely navigate, and enjoy your experience conquering that mountain.

7. There is no one else in the world who knows everything that you know

Your life is like no other. You are a unique individual. When it feels like others around you may be smarter, recognise that every piece of knowledge you've gathered over the years is unique to you and while someone else may seem to know more than you do about a particular thing, they can't possibly know every thing that you do!

8. The work will be there tomorrow

Yes, this is a good thing. This means, that you can comfortably say no to laundry today to catch that game on TV, or meet an old friend. The laundry, like a true friend, will still be there tomorrow.

9. For every 1 thing you regret, there are always 100 more to be thankful for

So many of us spend a lot of energy focusing on what we don't have, or what didn't go our way. Meanwhile the sun is shining, the sky is blue, the grass is green, the sky is starry, our health is good, our children are beautiful... Try this on--next time something disappointing happens, shift your focus instead to identifying 100 things that you do have to be thankful for. Then, figure out how you can channel all that wonderful positive energy into achieving whatever it is you seek!

And finally

10 - Remember there are no ordinary moments! Posted by Jon Davies