Be Brave and Be Kind
"We are the things we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit."Aristotle
For a few months, I’ve been sitting a few moments with my daily affirmation at the start of each day. It’s nothing big or time-consuming, but a few notes to myself that I think will make my day better.
It’s been effective for me, so I thought you might benefit as well. There’s no big process. I just scribbled some notes one day and stuck them in my pocket. I’ll refresh them whenever that paper gets worn. Sometimes I’ll write little notes to myself around the edges. Sometimes I'll add a note if it feels like I need something extra, or I’ll delete one if it no longer seems relevant. Here’s what I read this morning.
Stay within yourself. Others are acting for their good too.
I added this because I’ve gotten myself in the most trouble by reacting emotionally to a problem or some form of resistance. I still believe that using my emotional engine is important; it just works better when filtered through a calm, rational mind.
Don’t be wooed by pride.
Pride leads to overconfidence, and overconfidence leads to becoming stale and ignorant.
Be grateful.
You cannot be greedy or angry and grateful at the same time. Starting with an appreciation for things that make me full keeps me grounded for anything else that might come my way.
Practice really listening to what those around you say.
This is a comment on presence. I’ve had too many bad interactions because I’m consumed with something outside of the room I’m in. Eye contact and active listening helps me work better with others.
Breathe and keep your mind calm.
Return to the breath, my friend. When my mind is out of sorts, everything else goes with it.
Welcome difficulty as an opportunity to show your character.
As Ryan Holiday said, the obstacle is the way. The biggest benefits lurk behinds the greatest challenges. So don't deal with them, but seek them out. There is no growth to be had inside of a bubble.
Live and work with urgency. It’ll end too soon.
Whenever it ends, it’ll be before I want it to. I’m not interested in looking back on all those wasted moments or wasting anymore moments today.
Enjoy this. Every part if a gift.
Maybe most important. The good, the bad, the ugly and the indifferent, being here is a gift. Time gets shorter the longer we live. We should appreciate it more.
Do the few things that make the most good.
My tendency is to chase after whatever thing is in front of my face. This is a reminder to sit down and write down the most important thing to accomplish. If I only work on the most urgent things, I'll never put energy behind the most important things.
Be brave and be kind.
I stole this from Rachel. This the simple summary of all these ideals. I don’t think it needs more explanation.
I don’t do them all well, and that’s why they all remain on the list. It should be unique to you, the challenges you face and how you want to grow. But thinking about it every day makes you a more active participant in getting where you want to go.