self Archives - Blocks of Life

October 26, 2024September 16, 2024 by Pete Wiley

Love Yourself, and People Will Love You Back

It’s nice to be loved, but not everyone loves you. That is just a fact of life. It may seem that there are some people who everyone loves, but I guarantee that even those people wanted someone to love them sometime in their lives who didn’t. What people feel about you is out of your control. What is in your control is who you are, so be yourself and work on yourself. Focus on personal growth and a meaningful life. Don’t try to become what you think will attract others or make a specific person love you. That will never work.

October 12, 2024September 1, 2024 by Pete Wiley

Self-honesty—Keeping it Real

Honesty is one of the most important qualities we can have as people. Honesty is key in interpersonal relationships, forming the basis for trust, loyalty, and love. But more important than honesty with other people is honesty with yourself. Dishonesty with yourself can lead to a whole host of problems and issues, and the only way to address them is by coming clean. Self-honesty is also the only path toward a meaningful life. If your path isn’t genuine, it will lack meaning. Honesty can be challenging, but it just takes practice, like any habit.

May 25, 2024March 25, 2024 by Pete Wiley

Your Vision for Who You Are—Owning It

Most people have a vision for who they are and how they live. This includes how they interact with others, how much they eat and drink, exercise, and sleep patterns. It also might include how much time they devote to their family, job, or passions. You won’t always live your life in a way that is entirely consistent with that vision—no one can—but how you react to missteps is key to making your vision realistic. If you constantly berate yourself over something you did or didn’t do, you’re making it more than it should be and denying part of who you are. If you incorporate imperfection into your vision, you will be much more likely to realize it.

in Emotions / Proactive 0 comments

May 11, 2024March 18, 2024 by Pete Wiley

Time Apart is Key to Meaningful Time Together

It’s hard to be away from those we love. We may feel longing or loss. We may even think that we aren’t a significant part of the other person’s life—that you’re not on their mind or in their heart anymore. While these feelings are natural, it’s important not to let them diminish the fact that you are your own person—independent and strong. It may not always feel that way, but each of us has an independent person inside us, needing nurturing and care—not from another person, but from ourselves. If you are always with another person, you may rely heavily on that other person for your identity and emotional state, which can lead to an unhealthy reliance on that person. This can become chronic and damaging. Some couples or friends spend a lot of time together in very healthy ways. But if you become emotionally dependent on the other person, that’s a problem.

in Emotions / Open Mind 1 comments

March 16, 2024February 15, 2024 by Pete Wiley

Keeping your Sense of Self with Others

I just returned from an annual weekend in the woods with my college friends. We do this every year, and this year was our fortieth!! I (obviously) love spending time with those guys, and we know each other as well as friends can. We spend time catching up, “reveling,” making chili, and playing cards (pitch). For the duration of the event, we are with each other every moment. There are few people I would be able or willing to spend this much time with all in one go, but these guys are in that category. It is still a challenge, not because of anything they do, but because being with people generally is challenging for me—especially when it’s constant and for an extended time. The introversion voice is strong.

in Mindful / Proactive 0 comments