-
Living that Life of Quiet Desperation
You’ve heard the famous quote from Henry Thoreau most likely but in case you’ve forgotten or missed it, the great American transcendentalist and iconoclast wrote, in Walden Pond, here it is: “The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. What is called resignation is confirmed desperation. From the desperate city you go into the desperate country, and have to console yourself with the bravery of minks and muskrats. A stereotyped but unconscious despair is concealed even under what are called the games and amusements of mankind. There is no play in them, for this comes after work. But it is a characteristic of wisdom not to do desperate things..”…
-
I’m Sick of Being Myself. Now What?
“I’m sick of being myself.” It can hit you at any time, but usually comes after a period of repeated failures to change. If you’ve been stuck in a rut for a while and have tried again and again to make changes and gotten nowhere, this phrase or one very similar to it is going to come for you. It’s going to sneak up on you. The first thought in the morning. When you look in the mirror. When you wake up hungover or collapse into your bed one night after a frustrating day of accomplishing nothing or realizing that you are living a lie rather than a life that…
-
Do That 1 Thing (That Will Transform Your Life)
That one thing, the thing you haven’t done to transform your life because it serves no practical purpose, won’t get you any immediate rewards and might even draw disapproval from those closest to you. You have to do it. What am I talking about? Not going after your dream career, or getting into amazing shape or getting married to the perfect person. Not any form of conventional success. I’m talking about the thing your soul longs for you to do, to experience, in order for it to grow. In our hyper competitive, results oriented and materialistic world very few of us take care of our souls, and it’s one of…
-
What About the Bad Days?
Bad days. We all have them. It’s essential to learn to work with them, not be beaten and keep your progress going while the negative energy does its thing until it’s used up. First, realize that bad days are going to happen. They don’t give you any warning, they just come up from behind and clobber you. It could be something stupid you said the night before after a couple of beers coming back to haunt you in the form of an offended friend you now need to ameliorate. It could be a bad night’s sleep and a foul mood. It could be your significant other who has had enough…
-
Change Everything to Transform Your Life
How do you change everything to transform your life? First, create a vision of the life you want, and the person you want to be. Second, ask yourself how much you are willing to change in order to have the life you envision. Ask yourself if you are willing to move to a new city, state or even country. Ask yourself if you are willing to give up your job. To leave friends who drag you down behind. To change your diet, your morning routine, your reading and computer habits. Most importantly, are you willing to change yourself internally? Your thoughts, beliefs and the standards to which you hold yourself.…
