Blocks of Life

Fun. Playful woman studing with colorful stuff.

April 2, 2016April 1, 2016 by Pete Wiley

Fun

Some parts of our lives are fun, but other parts of it – not so much.

We all have responsibilities – things we have to do – things we do because we get paid to do them or because they are necessary parts of our lives.

But does that mean that these things can’t be fun?

Some people go through life with a sense of weight on their shoulders. Everything they do seems to involve drudgery, and they are constantly worried that something new will either add to the grind or throw everything out of whack.

Others always seem to be positive, happy and energetic. They breeze through mundane tasks and take on new challenges with creativity and vigor. They approach every aspect of their lives with a sense of joy.

March 19, 2016September 24, 2015 by Pete Wiley

Participate

How much of our lives is spent waiting for something to end?

The car ride while commuting to work, a boring meeting, waiting for a doctor or a flight—how many things fall into the category of waiting for time to go by?

At other times in our lives, we feel like we don’t have enough time; we have to prioritize and squeeze things in. Sometimes, we feel like we never have a moment to ourselves to decompress and regroup.

This dichotomy in our perception of the passing of time is not necessary. To address it, we have to pay attention to our wandering brains and direct them where to go.

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March 5, 2016September 24, 2015 by Pete Wiley

Excitement

How often are you truly excited about something?

It doesn’t have to be a big thing; we can be just as intensely excited about everyday things as we are about big, important things. In fact we should be.

Excitement is one of my keystone emotions. It is one that I constantly pursue and use to gauge the quality of my life. I like to be excited.

Excitement can come in many forms and from many sources. When some people think about being excited, it is often in anticipation of some big event or trip. But if we only get excited during experiences that are designed to give us excitement, we are missing out on all the things that have the potential to be exciting if we pay closer attention.

in Emotions / Proactive 0 comments

February 20, 2016August 12, 2015 by Pete Wiley

Boredom

I’m soooo bored. . .

What a weird thing to say.

With such an interesting world to live in and so many avenues to capture our attention, how can any of us be bored?

Some might say that boredom is not high up on the list of issues we have to address as a society. But consider that boredom can be related to obesity, drug and alcohol abuse, smoking, laziness, bad posture, and, worst of all, failure to be in the moment.

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February 6, 2016January 19, 2016 by Pete Wiley

Worry

Everyone, from Alfred E. Newman on, seems to offer advice about how to handle worry. But at some point or another, we all do it.

Nobody makes a conscious choice to worry. It’s a very unpleasant feeling, and it generally doesn’t fix the problem. It can also rob us of our peace of mind.

Everyone worries, but by recognizing it for what it is and acknowledging the effect it has on us, we can minimize those effects. In my experience, once I recognize and accept a negative feeling, it brings it out into the light of day, and this somehow makes it less scary.

in Emotions / Proactive 2 comments