success Archives - Blocks of Life

June 8, 2024April 12, 2024 by Pete Wiley

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.

October 14, 2023October 4, 2023 by Pete Wiley

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.

September 30, 2023September 21, 2023 by Pete Wiley

Actions and Outcomes—Creating Your Future Through Habits

Nobody is perfect in their habits. There will always be backslides and hiccups related to the good habits we strive for and the bad habits we strive to avoid or control. Sometimes, these lapses can be severe, and depending on the habits involved, they can have significant consequences. People have all kinds of habits, but it can be helpful to think about how they impact your life. Some habits contribute to or detract from your mental or physical health; others may add meaning to your life in various ways. Some may provide spiritual enrichment or a creative outlet. Some may seem easy, while others may be a constant struggle.

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September 16, 2023September 5, 2023 by Pete Wiley

Enhanced Awareness—Seeing Your World More Deeply

The world, even your little slice of it, contains significantly more than you could possibly fathom. As you move through your life, you notice things that your brain has been trained to bring to your conscious level of awareness. Your brain can process an unbelievable 11 million bits of information every second, but our conscious mind can only handle 40 to 50 bits of information a second. The big question is, what gets past the filter and why? You notice things you must so that you stay away from danger and navigate your life, but there are whole worlds that don’t make it into your awareness, and there are elements of those worlds that you would definitely be interested in exploring if you could. So, how can you decide what makes it to the front row of your mind?

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September 3, 2022September 5, 2022 by Pete Wiley

Celebrating Milestones—A Time to Pause and Reflect

My family makes a big deal about birthdays. We decorate the house for my son’s birthday in July, and keep it decorated right through my wife’s birthday in mid-September (mine is in early September). Like many anniversaries, birthdays are just ways to count another year going by (and an opportunity to eat and drink well!). But milestones go beyond tracking time and having celebrations. For many, they have a deeper meaning. They honor an auspicious occasion and/or allow us to recognize the significance of others’ presence in our lives. They’re also great opportunities to take stock of our lives—where we’ve been and where we’re going. To me, milestones are important, and reflecting on them contributes significantly to giving my life meaning.

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