Your past selves

Many people are fearful of getting out of their element a lot of the time.

While it can be uncomfortable and painful to break from an established routine, it can shape you in ways avoiding change does not.

Kiki's Delivery Service is an example of a story where there are not many moments of extreme action, but there is still a significant story being told - one of finding people who inspire or help during a personal crisis.

As with Kiki, we can only be so lucky to find people that provide roles and teach the lessons that Kiki has learned.

Choosing one path means missing another.

When you feel FOMO coming on, ask yourself if the trigger is really something you wish you were doing yourself, or if the sudden recollection of the great number of choices in life has simply brought on a moment of insecurity about your own. 

If it’s the latter, taking a moment to reaffirm your decision is all it takes to chase the FOMO away.

Keep in mind that your FOMO trigger may not relate directly to something you wish you were doing yourself, but can instead point more broadly to something you want to change about your life.

Examine the source of your FOMO before dismissing it; there may be a good reason you feel insecure about your decisions.

Pragmatism believes that the mind is a tool. You have the ability to decide what you think. Or, you can choose NOT to think. And that is one of the most important and most practical things you can learn in life.  

1. Thinking about how you can solve problems. A problem is just an unanswered question. Put your brain to use and think about how you can solve problems. 
2. Understanding knowledge. Try to internalize knowledge and think about how you can use that knowledge to improve your life, career, work, relationships, etc.

When in quarantine, make sure to develop a routine and stick to it. This will enable you not only to get things done and meet your deadlines but also to survive this period of isolation way easier: having a purpose and a schedule will always be better than just wasting time and ending up feeling useless because nothing is ever done.

As we are all self-isolated at present, we might as well take this opportunity to try and work on our relationships. 

This could actually be the most appropriate moment to build meaningful relationships or reconnect with old friends. What is more, we can even take advantage of the current situation and try to solve conflicts with our partners or kids, if there is anything to be solved.

People who have high self-control aren’t missing out on enjoyment. Not being able to resist temptation and enjoying life are not the same things.

They tend to eat in a healthily way, exercise more, sleep better, drink less alcohol, smoke fewer cigarettes, achieve higher grades at university, have more peaceful relationships, and are more financially secure.

Research showed that self-control is ultimately limited by our biology. We can’t exercise effortful self-control indefinitely – the brain has to do regular maintenance to remain functional.

Bad situations and circumstances are not always personal, and not about you. Stop focussing on unworkable options and fixing things (and people) that clearly cannot be fixed.

Start to find workable options in a problem, which may not be perfect, but good enough, and are steps towards progress.

8 hours of sleep/night is a useful goal, but it’s not true that everyone needs that. 

A lot of people get obsessed with this goal of getting 8 hours of sleep every single night, and because they’re someone who just doesn’t need that much sleep, or they can’t reliably sleep that long, they get anxious about it and that actually creates issues with insomnia.

• not drinking caffeine after midday;
• not exercising too late;
• not drinking alcohol before bed;
• eating sensibly;
• leaving mobile devices outside the bedroom (artificial light disrupts the brain).

If doing natural things like this doesn’t work, then it might be wise to consult with a specialist or a doctor.

Rich people are not all obsessed with money. Some talk about money but they understand that their money does not equate to their inherent value. They don't act entitled to anything. They work hard for what they want.

It is called class. You can't buy it. If you find yourself with a friend like this, you can trust them and learn from the ways they look at life.

Know what you are worth with or without money. You don't need money to be creative. Lacking resources can motivate you to think outside the box.

Witnessing value exchanges with affluent family friends can also benefit you.

Prioritizing tasks at work involves getting all your tasks and commitments in one place.  Take a piece of paper and make a list of everything you need to get done. Questions to help you:

• Do you have commitments to others like your boss, partner, kids, or clients?
• Do you have anything you need to submit? 
• Do you have any financial tasks that need to get done? 
• Do you have any planning that needs to get done? 
• Do you have any administrative tasks? Legal, insurance, staffing, or training?
• Do you have any professional development tasks that need to get done? Training, areas to research, skills to develop, books to read or study, or classes to take?

Find your goals. Without them, it is impossible to prioritize your tasks. Try to set 90-day goals, which is long enough to make meaningful progress. Questions to prompt goals:

• What’s the one thing you could do that makes everything else easier or unnecessary?
• If you were giving advice to someone else in your position, what 1-3 things would you tell them to focus on?
• What do you want to have accomplished over the next five years?