Thriving on the losing side

Thriving on the Losing Side

How can you carry on through crushing disappointment and heartache—disappointment that goes through your heart and soul? It’s hard to forge ahead, but even when you see no light at the end of the tunnel, forging ahead is the right thing to do. It is the best way to take back who you are and what you believe in and stand for. Events can give you a fresh perspective and teach you some things about your approach, but they shouldn’t change your values or vision. Working through a loss is the best way to learn about yourself—why you hold to certain values and how your vision came about. It’s when you learn about your gumption and how to tap into it.

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Best Thing

The Best Thing—Positivity as a Priority

What is the best thing that could happen?

When an opportunity or a challenge arises, do you first consider the risks or the potential rewards? Both are important, but you will likely give one or the other more sway in your thought process. In some decisions, the risks or downsides are evident and significant; it is never logical to deny the existence of the risks. However, the focus should be squarely on the upside in instances where the rewards outweigh or are worth the risks. A “best thing” mindset can keep you focused on the upside of situations while giving sufficient attention to the potential downside.

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Consistency in Changing Circumstances

Maintaining Consistency in the Face of Changing Circumstances

At the moment, I am making a concerted effort to live a healthier life—less drinking, healthier eating, and consistent exercise. Under “normal” circumstances, I can do that without too much temptation—typical working days, going to bed at a consistent time, and managing my energy. But when there’s a celebratory mood, or we have people over, or during a vacation or the holidays, the temptations are much more significant, and the rationalizations are easier. 

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Balance priorities

What’s Important—Finding Balance in a Finite Life

One of life’s most important but most challenging aspects is achieving a state of balance. We are all eventually faced with a broad range of demands, passions, and responsibilities to which we cannot devote sufficient time or energy. We ultimately have to choose those activities that we either need or must spend more time with at the expense of others. You might base this on requirements or perceived requirements. You might disregard your responsibilities and focus on what you love, but regardless, at some point, you will have to choose what you do with your time.

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Finding your niche

Your Niche—How Your Strengths Fit into Your Life

What are your strengths? One would think that people know what they’re good at, but as you figure this out, you may hit many bumps and curves along the way. You may also go through periods where you feel you haven’t discerned your strengths and may never figure it out. Somehow, college kids are expected to know what they want to do with their lives as they choose their major at 19! Most of us will try a few things until we find one we like and are good at. But we may continue to have lingering doubts about our choices. Is this my calling—what I want to devote my life to? We may feel like our life is “fine,” but we must keep looking. We have to find our niche.

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