Life

The Trouble With Life…

Published

7 years ago

Oct 2, 2017

On the cereal box of life, we’re not told what to expect. No one tells us how good the highs can be and how bad the lows can get.

The trouble with life is…

Days can easily blend into years

As we get older, the days seem to pass like years. We become so focused on getting to some end destination that we forget where we started. No one reminds us to cherish every day and stop multiple times a day to return to the here and now.

No one reminds us to escape the past and put the future on hold even if it’s only for a few minutes. These few minutes can change everything if you do it consistently.

The trouble with life is…

Being happy is harder than we think

We’re given a myriad of options daily to find something wrong with our life. All we have to do is turn a corner and there’s an advertisement trying to convince us of some falsity.

Happiness starts from within when you decide to stop letting your external environment dictate how you feel. Shielding yourself from the stormy weather than your external environment throws at you sounds more straightforward than it is.

“If you don’t learn to find happiness, then your default human mode is to be negative and pissed off”

Happiness takes discipline and very few of us put in the work.

The trouble with life is…

We’re all addicted

Addiction comes in many forms. We like to over consume things that feel good rather than finding that good feeling in what already exists in our mind. We become addicted to streaming television shows, sex, stimulants like coffee, sugar, acting superior, useless material objects and talking down to ourselves.

What if we acknowledged our addictions and decided to fight them? What if we refused to have too much of a good thing and not to plug voids with quick addiction fixes?

The empty space – also known as the voids in our life – is exactly what we need to thrive. The empty space leaves room for new experiences.

The trouble with life is…

Many of us forget so easily.

Those brains we use to steer through life make us forget stuff.

We…..

Forget how lucky we are.

If you’re reading this article, then it probably means you have the Internet. This means you’re already lucky and have access to infinite information. Any answer you want is available to you at the touch of a button. What many of you have forgotten is that the only answers worth knowing are found inside of you and not on the Internet.

Forget that our problems are small compared to the universe.

That morning at 8:30 am when you think you’re going to be late for a meeting is small compared to the real problems of this world. Global warming, starvation, aids, cancer and the list goes on, are far more important than your little problem of being late.

Forget to say thanks.

The most basic word in the dictionary and yet it’s not used enough. Remembering to say thanks and saying it like you mean it is something too many of us forget. You should never take anything from this life without appreciating it. The word “Thanks” makes you remember that everything is a blessing.

Forget we’re loved.

At times you’ll become very selfish and only focus on your needs. You’ll tell yourself that no one cares or that nobody loves you. You forget that you’re always loved. Whether it’s the person serving you at the grocery store, or your parents, or your friends, or someone you work with, or an ex-partner; somebody on this Earth loves you. Don’t ever forget that.

The trouble with life is…

Too many of us don’t ever reach our full potential

You and I have so much potential inside of us. We can rally people together to solve any problem we want. We can acquire any skill that we feel we’re lacking. The resources we have access to are infinite yet we still feel so empty and even poor at times.

There are so many things we can do yet the trouble with life is that nobody shows us what’s possible in our lives. We have to discover that potential by consistently trying to tap into it, and building habits that support our dream.

“Everyone reading this blog post can achieve gianormous dreams yet many of you are reading this, are looking for inspiration. You may feel lost yet all you need to understand is that you have unlimited potential”

You can only access that potential with a single decision and hard work. Your potential can be reached when you decide not to give up. You can reach that potential when you take action and don’t become addicted like a heroin addict to the result or influence / fame you may get by becoming world-class.

The trouble with life is…

One decision can change it all, yet we never make it.

How many of us actually make that decision though? How many of us eventually make that decision after reminiscing about it for years?

“The actions that come from making a decision are not what’s hard; it’s deciding to cut off all your other options and tearing up your “Plan B” to follow one path”

Having nothing but a Plan A takes guts and confidence that what you’re doing is the right choice.

What I’ve learned is that the right choice is always right if you believe it is. Bad decisions are only bad when you perceive they are. There are lessons in every decision which can make a single decision seem worthwhile if nothing else.

What if you were only one decision away from achieving more than anybody on the face of this Earth has achieved? What if you had the potential to cure cancer and you didn’t? That’s why you must make that decision to change everything. You could be preventing so many of us from accessing your gift.

The trouble with life is…

Rejection feels depressing.

This whole rejection thing may not be the “No” you think it is. Rejection could, in fact, be a sign that it’s just not the right outcome for right now. Repeat after me:

“Rejection really means not right now.”

Don’t let the outcome of a decision make you feel like crap and then label it with a word like rejection which makes you feel worse. Everything is a lesson and is education if you let it be. Rejection is really nothing more than education. Education in life makes you smarter and prepares you for the real challenges.

The trouble with life is…

Horrible stuff is going to happen…sorry.

Somehow we’re shocked when tragedy strikes. The older I’ve become, the less I’ve understood this. We’re all going to experience some horrible events in our life. Life is set up to be full of pain, death, heartbreak, sickness and failure.

If you focus on this list of toxic and horrific events, then that’s what you’ll feel. When you learn to deal with each one as a fact of life, you’re able to heal better. These events will happen and the way to move forward is to heal yourself and get back on your feet.

No one said life was easy. The part we miss is that life is not easy for anyone. This horrible cocktail of events is going to happen to us all. Plan for the worst to happen and so when it does at least you’re prepared. Strengthen your mind in the following ways:

– Meditate
– Learn to deal with extreme stresses
– Practice gratitude for what you have
– Become a beautiful human being
– Build a quality network of people that can support you in these challenging times

The trouble with life is…

Life is hard for all of us. With that said, life has more sunshine and beauty than we could ever imagine. The trouble with life is nothing….life is a gift when you practice seeing it that way.

If you want to increase your productivity and learn some more valuable life hacks, then join my private mailing list on timdenning.net

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Tim Denning

Aussie Blogger with 500M+ views — Writer for CNBC & Business Insider. Inspiring the world through Personal Development and Entrepreneurship You can connect with Tim through his website www.timdenning.com

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Life

How Learning the Skill of Hope Can Change Everything

Hope isn’t wishful thinking. It’s a state of being and a skill that has profound evidence of helping people achieve success in life

Published

2 weeks ago

Jan 6, 2025

Daniel Bell

Image Credit: Midjourney

Hope isn’t wishful thinking. It’s a state of being and a skill that has profound evidence of helping people achieve success in life.

Wishful thinking, on the other hand, is like having dreams in the sky without a ladder to climb, having a destination without a map, or trying to operate a jet-engine airplane without instructions. It sounds nice but is impossible to realize. You don’t have what you need to make it happen!

What Real Hope Is

Real hope is actionable, practical, and realistic. Better yet, it’s feasible and can be learned.

One popular approach is Hope Theory. This concept is used by colleges to study how hope impacts students’ academic performance. Researchers found that students with high levels of hope achieve better grades and are more likely to graduate compared to those with less hope.

Hope can be broken down into two components:

Pathways – The “how to” of hope. This is where people think of and establish plans for achieving their goals.
Agency – The “I can” of hope. This is the belief that the person can accomplish their goals.

Does Hope Really Work?

According to Webster’s Dictionary, hope as a noun is defined as: “desire accompanied by expectation of or belief in fulfillment.”

As humans, we are wired to crave fulfillment. We have the ability to envision it and, through hope, make it a reality.

My Experience with Hope

For 13 years, I was a hopeless human. During my time working at a luxury hotel as a front desk agent earning $11.42 per hour, I felt the sting of hopelessness the most.

The regret of feeling my time was being stolen from me lingered every time I clocked in. Eventually, I decided to do something about it.

I gave myself permission to hope for something better. I began establishing pathways to success and regained agency by learning from self-help books and seeking mentorship.

Because I took action toward something I desired, I now feel more hope and joy than I ever felt hopelessness. Hope changed me.

Hope Actually Improves Your Life

Wishful thinking doesn’t work, and false hope is equally ineffective. Real hope, however, is directly tied to success in all areas of life.

Studies show that hopeful people tend to:

Demonstrate better problem-solving skills
Cultivate healthier relationships
Maintain stronger motivation to achieve goals
Exhibit better work ethic
Have a positive outlook on life

These benefits can impact work life, family life, habit-building, mental health, physical health, and spiritual practice. Imagine how much better your life could be by applying real hope to all these areas.

How to Develop the Skill to Hope

As acclaimed French writer Jean Giono wrote in The Man Who Planted Trees:
“There are also times in life when a person has to rush off in pursuit of hopefulness.”

If you are at one of those times, here are ways to develop the skill to hope:

1. Dream Again

To cultivate hope, you need to believe in its possibility. Start by:

Reflecting on what you’re passionate about, your values, and what you want to achieve.
Writing your dreams down, sharing them with someone encouraging, or saying them out loud.
Creating a vision board to make your dreams feel more tangible.

Dreams are the foundation of hope—they give you something meaningful to aspire toward.

2. Create an Environment of Hope

Set Goals: Write down your goals and create a plan to achieve them.
Visualize Success: Use inspirational quotes, photos, or tools like dumbbells or canvases to remind yourself of your goals.
Build a Resource Library: Collect books, eBooks, or audiobooks about hope and success to inspire you.

An environment that fosters hope will keep you motivated, resilient, and focused.

3. Face the Challenges

Don’t avoid challenges—overcoming them builds confidence. Participating in challenging activities, like strategic games, can enhance your problem-solving skills and reinforce hope.

4. Commit to Wisdom

Seek wisdom from those who have achieved what you aspire to. Whether through books, blogs, or social media platforms, learn from their journeys. Wisdom provides the foundation for real, actionable hope.

5. Take Note of Small Wins

Reflecting on past victories can fuel your hope for the future. Ask yourself:

What challenges have I already overcome?
How did I feel when I succeeded?

By remembering those feelings of happiness, relief, or satisfaction, your brain will naturally adopt a more hopeful mindset.

Conclusion

Hope is more than wishful thinking—it’s a powerful skill that can transform your life. By dreaming again, creating a hopeful environment, facing challenges, seeking wisdom, and celebrating small wins, you can develop the real hope necessary for success in all aspects of life.

Let hope guide you toward a brighter, more fulfilling future.

Life

The 5 Stages of a Quarter-Life Crisis & What You Can Do

A quarter-life crisis isn’t a sign you’ve lost your way; it’s a sign you’re fighting for a life that’s truly yours.

Published

4 weeks ago

Dec 27, 2024

CT Dool

Image Credit: Midjourney

The quarter-life crisis is a well-defined set of stages—Trapped, Checking Out, Separation, Exploration, Rebuilding—one goes through in breaking free from feelings of meaninglessness, lack of fulfillment, and misalignment with purpose. I detail the stages and interweave my story below. (more…)

Life

Here’s The Thing About Learning, Unlearning, and Relearning

Stop hoarding and start sharing your knowledge and wealth for the benefit of humankind

Published

2 months ago

Nov 21, 2024

M.S. Rao

Image Credit: Midjourney

Few people have the habit of hoarding their wealth without spending. However, it limits their motivation as they tend to get into their comfort zones. When people start spending money, then there will be depletion in their coffers. (more…)