Today we take a different approach. As probably we all have been experiencing a centrifugal force of the 21st century's developments recently in some form on individual, local and global levels, I thought to myself:
What could possibly serve well at this time?
What could ease stress, frustration, confusion and desperation?
Information that's relatively easy to consume and apply. The format: a string of elements you can consider one at a time, depending on your current capacity.
You define what's truly useful to you at this time.
So, today you will get that trove of ideas, mine and others, a combination, from learning these past years from a plethora of sources. Many you'll recognise and can experience as a good reminder. Some may be new. Some you'll vehemently disagree with, which is perfect too because you are finetuning your own Inner Compass for choices. Exercising discernment. Life is finite, choose what fits optimally in your current capacity and serves your quality of Life best.
I'll add extra notes here or there. Simple statements or examples for beliefs you can eye and decide whether it works for you or not. Repetitions serve to show multiple connection points.
All is connected – an organic map, projected onto our human experience.
Infinitely expandable, while working within the current limits of our human vocabulary.
For more optimal individual results, you will want to edit the wording as it best suits you and what feels most memorable, applicable, empowering and resonant to you. Rearrange their order based on your priorities.
The aim is, as always, that it helps improve wherever you find yourself at today.
A word, a phrase that can bring you relief – an inspiration to solutions you've been working on. Comfort. Revelations. Clarity.
You'll find material on this blog and my social media where you can deep-dive into specific areas and our main topics around Quality of Life and Leadership, Personal Growth, Habits and Flow.
PS: The list is not necessarily in order of importance or logical sequence, and, I mark direct quotes always, where I know them, unless I'm paraphrasing.
Love is the fabric of the Universe.
Lead by example.
Life is happening for us.
We always do the best we can at the given time at our current level of Consciousness and Self-/Awareness. So does everyone else.
The Golden Rule. + Variation: [Aim to] Do onto others as you'd like your Loved Ones to be treated well.
Internal locus of control. Self-empower. Consciousness/Thoughts create reality.
Reality is perception-based.
"Everything is and isn't at the same time." (from The Kybalion) Moving away from a rigid "right/wrong" stance. Practicing curiosity and an open Mind while staying true to our Core Values and fundamental principles.
Acceptance as a step towards less judgement and more understanding. Reduced triggers, reactivity and stress and more harmony in how we relate to the world.
Growth Mindset: Lifelong learning.
Entertain a "Beginner's Mind". Pioneering, expanding comfort zone and Mind. Exercise humbleness, the joy of Growth and gaining strength from the discomfort of Growth.
Navigate by Core Values. Reliable compass for choices.
Improve Character, your foundation of choices.
Improving Character, you improve your Life and Leadership.
Increase Self-/Awareness for better choices.
How we interpret events (give meaning to things) depends on our current level of Consciousness and Self-/Awareness. It's a continuous practice to maintain the "Garden of the Mind"(Neville Goddard) via mental diet (Emmet Fox: The Seven Day Mental Diet), weeding out limitations. Practice makes progress.
"Every little counts": Kaizen. Compound effect. Habits. Community impact for positive change. Individual improvement ripple effect on multiple levels and into surroundings.
Our relationship with Self shows up in our dominant behaviour with others.
Personal Growth is in direct correlation to quality of Life and Leadership.
Personal Growth is the soil for great Leadership.
Balanced living: Heart-Mind-Coherence. Yin-Yang. Wu Wei. Flow. Intuition and Reason serving together as Compass. We explored these further here: Main Lessons: What matters most? and here: 1/2. Balanced Space: Harmonise inner and outer world
A decluttered space helps to have a decluttered Mind. Reducing cognitive overload for more mental clarity and inner peace.
Stopping superior/inferior patterns. While there is diversity of skills and levels of mastery, our inherent Worth we share equally.
People are mirrors. ("The world is a mirror." - Neville G.) Our patterns and beliefs are reflected in who/what resonates and what doesn't. When triggered, which of your Core Values are at the root of it? We usually react strongest when we perceive and feel that our most cherished Values are under attack. What are they for you?
Approaching difficult situations/relationships with questions rather than statements, helps create a doorway for improvement, deeper understanding and a more open Mind. Improved human connections and Awareness.
Cognitive reframing. Positive mental attitude and beliefs. Silver lining. Help relieve stuckness in dogmatic thinking and suffering, as well as Self-imposed limitations. Example: Reframing "failure" - It's either a learning or a success. You win either way something, below or beyond your original expectations. Acknowledge issues/pain, but don't dwell (Emmet Fox - The Seven Day Mental Diet). Try to extract the learning and move on, as best you can. Give yourself a break too. It ain't the easiest task to be human.
Expectations can be saboteurs of our relationships to people, Growth and success. Reevaluate your assumptions thoughtfully, to have fair expectations that don't hinder you, but are rather signposts of your boundaries, Values and goals. Define what are your non-negotiables based on your Core Values. This way you'll have more "fluidity of Mind" (Neville G.) towards more effortless collaborations and solutions.
Expect the best/better than your careful Analytical Mind and protective Ego would dare to expect and go for.
Quantum approach: infinite potential. What is within the realm of possibility for you today? How can you stretch that? Reevaluate your underlying assumptions once again, to reveal hidden beliefs/limitations.
There are infinite ways to success. Does that belief work for you? Can you play with the idea for now, without a commitment to it?
"Everything is working out best for me." Is that belief within your comfort zone? Do you want to practice observing how that shows up to be true in circumstances in your everyday? If you are in a tough period just now, this may not feel easy. Skip or try. Like with the following ones.
The world is a good place.
Love Life.
"I'm a genuinely good person."
Most people are essentially good.
Food is an expression of Life and Love. [A personal favourite belief of mine.] We express our Values, passions and beliefs verbally and non-verbally. How do you find you can lean into these expressions in the daily activities, however seemingly simple? Sharing, contributing, listening. Finding reasons and your innate creativity to express.
"I work with what I have and who I am right now." Identity, Self-concept, Ideal Self are things we had a longer discussion about for example in this one: Main Lessons: What is Adaptability? This particular belief helps to get out of detrimental thought loops, any dwelling in misery and can add a helpful motivational push towards feeling more empowered and capable. It has multiple sources, it's one of those enduring gems of wisdom throughout the ages that we keep learning and relearning. It usually helps me with overwhelming Life situations or during research with data overload. It's a kind of mentally shaking ourselves, rolling up those sleeves and saying: "Right... What do we have here? What's the next best step?" It feeds on the helpful and effective concept of Covey's: The Circle of Influence. As in: What CAN I do about it [the issue/situation] right now? And set aside what I can't influence at this time.
Discernment. What is valuable to you at this time, in this season of your Life? Entertain the ideas of "the art of non-finishing" [not valuable/low ROI things], advocated for by Tim Ferriss, and prioritising valuable ideas, goals, relationships, persevering there where you feel the investment is the best for your quality of Life and positive impact.
Leaders/representatives are stewards of Trust. Leadership is responsibility. Responsibility to do your best not only intuitively, but also consciously. Investing into your Personal Growth, of which a big part is increasing your Self-awareness and Awareness of the world around.
Success feels natural. [A tasty idea. Especially when you use it as a mantra. It will keep illuminating memories of achievements to counteract the inner critic's ever-nagging voice of "not good enoughness". That inner critic voice can be lowered in volume via Self-reflection. #knowthyself as a pinnacle (and continuous journey) of Personal Evolution has lasted for centuries for a reason.] In your sovereignty defining your own measures of success, whatever expectations you come across internally and externally. Finding that centeredness where you are not swayed by your own doubts nor outside criticism. Learning, yet being clear on your Values. Balancing what to take in and what to discard. Discerning once again. Always. What and who are you choosing to stay true to? Practicing Courage through choices.
Optimise relationship with Power. Within and without. Define what "Power" means to you. Self-sovereign. This has strong ties to: "improve your Character", because when you invest into clarity in your Core Values, the traits you stand for (Self-concept) and want to stand for (improvement in progress: your Ideal Self), you develop more stamina and integrity to deal with power struggles both internally and externally.
Egocentric, ethnocentric, worldcentric, cosmocentric. This evolution path (explained also by Ken Wilber in a Mindvalley masterclass with Vishen Lakhiani) is basically our Self and perception of the world opening up and redefining our ties to what we want to put most emphasis on. Some will remain Self-centered, others, who are willing to invest into more conscious living, will choose to transcend into the other three respectively. We can couple that with Michael Beckwith's explanation of the levels of Consciousness, whereby we may move from "Life is happening To Me" (Victim Consciousness, dominated by blame, guilt, shame, the heaviest of emotions) through "Life is happening By Me" (Manifester Consciousness) then "Life is happening Through Me" (Channel Consciousness, where your creativity expresses most authentically) to "I AM" or "Life is happening As Me". This latter one is which most spiritual and Personal Growth teachers may refer to as Self-actualization then Self-transcendence. That is Flow fully embodied. And which is also what James Allen in the first quote I shared above describes.
We create our Life from our Identity. Our Character, Core Values, principles and beliefs which form into thoughts (repeated these become core beliefs, habitual thinking and emotional patterns) and actions (repeated these become habits).
"Be the change you want to see in the world." - M. Gandhi
Whatever stood out today, whatever triggered you or inspired you very positively, all point to patterns. A map of beliefs. A map of what you most value. A map of who you are today.
If you want to take away anything from this that can be a truly lasting navigation point:
the more conscious you become of what you feel is true and authentic and is working well, so you cherish it, and the more become conscious of those circumstances and your own traits you want to change for the better or release entirely, the investment can fundamentally change your Life.
To change requires Courage.
Lightheartedness however is also to be appreciated in this process. It helps to get through the rough parts.
To remember that especially because Life is finite, we shall find Meaning that is strongly tied to Joy. It lives alongside Respect and Depth.
Wherever you find yourself, remember to take only what resonates and leave the rest, for now. In an information-dense world, it can be relieving to have clarity about what's most valuable at this time, to orientate your choices on that.
Recommended Resources
I list the books I regularly recommend. They were helpful in my own Wayfinding.
Dr. Joe Dispenza Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself: How to Lose Your Mind and Create a New One
H. García and F. Miralles Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life
Mihály Csíkszentmihályi Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience
Stephen R. Covey The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change
Eckart Tolle The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment
Shad Helmstetter What to Say When You Talk to Your Self
Tim Ferriss The 4-Hour Workweek
Carol Dweck Mindset. Changing the way you think to fulfil your potential. This book is quoted by many others and is one of the most fundamental concept descriptions on Fixed vs. Growth Mindset and how they influence our level of Success.
Greg McKeown Essentialism. The Disciplined Pursuit of Less. About optimal energy investment for highest yield and disciplined thinking as a way of living.
James Clear Atomic Habits
BJ Fogg Tiny Habits
Charles Duhigg The Power of Habit. Why we do what we do in Life and Business. or Why we do what we do and how to change
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