12 Things You Should Keep Doing

You see the image on the left? That’s exactly what we used to do when we were still young. This meant to us a very strong commitment.  If you cheated or deceived your friend, if you did not honor the promise, there would be a harsh punishment coming on your way. We truly believed that. Did you play this game? If you did, then promise me to never stop doing what you are going to learn in the next lines. Keep your eyes open for new and better ideas, strategies, and share them with the world.

Today, we are reading Marc Chernoff and for those who don’t know him, there is a link at the bottom to read more.

Marc Chernoff, 12 Things You Should Never Stop Doing-Take control of your destiny.  Believe in yourself.  Ignore those who try to discourage you.  Avoid negative sources, people, places, things and habits.  Don’t give up and don’t give in.  Your life isn’t behind you; your memories are behind you.  Your life is always right here, right now.  Seize it!  Choose to let each of your experiences today be a gateway to an even brighter tomorrow.

Start doing these things now and never stop…

1. Think only of the best, work only for the best, and expect only the best.  Be a defender of honesty and truth so that nothing can disturb your peace of mind.  Forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the achievements and lessons of today.  Give so much time to your own self improvement that you have no time to criticize others.  Look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism part of your religion.  Live in the faith that the whole world is on your side so long as you are true to the best that is you.
2. Walk comfortably in your own shoes.  If you don’t follow the path others want you to follow they might become irritated.  Don’t worry about it.  Let them be.  It’s their problem, not yours.  So many people seem to have a clear idea of how other people should lead their lives, but have no clue how to lead their own.  So focus on your inner callings and keep paving your own path.  Remember that it is more useful to be aware of a single strength or weakness in yourself than to be aware of a thousand strengths and weaknesses in others.  Read The Untethered Soul.
3. Embrace your difficulties.  After each difficulty you faced in the past was overcome, you became stronger and more able to meet the ones you face today.  Likewise, the difficulties you face today are preparing you for the challenges of tomorrow.  As this process of growth takes place remember that there are no mistakes.  The events you bring upon yourself as you journey forward, no matter how unpleasant, are necessary steps in order to learn what you need to know to reach the places you’ve chosen to go.
4. Focus on the controllable.  If you’re feeling miserable and highly stressed, there’s a good chance you have developed an unhealthy attachment to things you have no control over.  The first step is to let go of these things – release the stress.  You were never really in control of them anyway.  Positive change will happen in your life when you decide to take control of what you do have power over, instead of craving control over the uncontrollable.
5. Maintain full accountability for every aspect of your life.  When you think problems you have are someone else’s fault, you will solve none of them in your lifetime.  Do not allow yourself to be limited by your beliefs.  In the end you will achieve what your mind believes.  Start realizing that this is not a dress rehearsal.  If you’re not learning and improving yourself by taking responsibility for everything you have in your life, then your dreams and desires will stay fantasies.  Read The Road Less Traveled.
6. Give it all you’ve got.  You get what you put in.  The amount of effort you give determines the amount of joy you receive.  If your life doesn’t please you, do something about it.  Take action, change things.  Everything you want is out there waiting for you to ask.  Everything you want also wants you.  But you have to take action to get it.  If you can, fly.  But if you can’t fly, run.  If you can’t run, walk.  If you can’t walk, crawl.  No matter how you do it, move forward.
7. Prune nonessential commitments.  The mark of a successful person is the ability to set aside the ‘somewhat important’ things in order to accomplish the vital ones first.  When you’re crystal clear about your priorities, you can painlessly arrange them in the right order and discard the activities and commitments that do not support the ones at the top of your list.
8. Keep taking deep breaths.  Don’t allow yourself to be crippled by stress and anger.  Everything is only as it is.  There’s no reason to let it destroy you.  Breathe in, breathe out.  Relax.  Let every moment be what it’s going to be.  What’s meant to be will come your way, what’s not will fall away.  And remember that a wonderful gift may not always be wrapped as you expect.  Read Radical Acceptance.
9. Hold on to your humility.  All self-misery has its roots in self-pity, and all self-pity is rooted in taking life too seriously.  If you take everything too seriously, especially yourself, you’ll wind up fearing every new step you take.  Loosen up and laugh it off if you can – especially when things don’t go as planned.  People with a good sense of humor have a better sense of life.  You grow up the day you have your first real laugh at yourself and your circumstances.
10. Cherish those who have proven their love.  It’s a lot easier for someone to be nice to you on a beautiful day when the sun is shining, but in a heavy storm is where you learn who truly cares.  That’s why you need to pay attention to who was there for you when no one else was.  Because the people who stood beside you through your darkest nights, are the ones worth spending your brightest days with.