By Shazad
"Do the best you can until you know better. And when you know better, do better."
> Maya Angelou
Most of us say things like “I didn’t know about such and such a thing” or “If only I knew how to do this or that, life would be better”. There are many variations of this theme. We all claim that our lack in a certain area or deficiency of blessings in life is somehow only limited by a lack of knowledge. I’m going to challenge that mindset and show you what to do.
I think it’s fair to say we have never been more blessed with information and knowledge than in the present moment. There’s so much content and so many ways to consume it for at least 50% of the world that has regular access to electricity, the internet, and some kind of traditional media like radio, TV, and newspapers. Most people in Western nations, and many in developing nations, don’t suffer from a lack of awareness of what’s going on or of how to live healthy, smart lives. So why are there so many people suffering and acting like they need even MORE information to change their lives?
It’s a bit of a mystery until you look more closely at human nature. In my observation of groups of people as well as individuals, the problem is related to inertia. A certain desire to keep doing what we are doing until a change is forced upon us. This could be a scary medical diagnosis, a job loss, a relationship on the verge of collapse, or an economic downturn. There are many examples of individuals and societies that were forced to make changes they knew were coming. Many decided to ignore, delay, or just denounce the reliable sources until something forced them to reconsider. Don’t let that be you.
Here’s an easy method to uncover what you really know in the key areas of your life and take action, however small, today.
This is the part where you force yourself to KNOW something about yourself and your situation and then DO something about it.
Rate your current mental and physical fitness on a scale of 1-10. Where do you stand today and most days in the last few weeks? Rate Mental and Physical health separately and watch how they change over time.
Call to Action: Do one thing this week that improves your number by at least 1 point. For mental health, it is recommended to take a 10-minute walk after breakfast or lunch, preferably in a green space such as a park, forest, or private garden. For physical well-being, that walk helps. Try changing 1 thing about your daily nutrition to gain more benefits. For example, drink 1 more glass of water today and continue for at least 1 week. This one change will be noticeable if you change nothing else. Now choose another small change next week, like going to bed 30 minutes sooner. Next, try a 5-minute stretching routine. Keep going with small changes, and you will be unstoppable!
Review your Finances from last month to see what you spent and earned. How much are you saving for retirement or a fun activity? How much Debt are you in? Know your numbers clearly and be honest about each purchase.
Call to Action: List 1 expense you can cut from your life for 30 days to save money. It could be expensive coffee and breakfast, or a food delivery service. Maybe it’s that fancy gym membership you don’t really use. Look at your subscriptions and find something you forgot to cancel or downsize. Could you ask for a discount on your phone, TV, or internet services simply because you are a loyal customer and you asked for one? Get comfortable with finding the savings and reducing one item for 30 days.
How good are your memory and reading skills these days? Could you finish a book and explain the core idea to someone who hasn’t read it?
Call to Action: Find 3 books on a topic you want to learn more about, such as health, finances, wisdom, or spirituality. Look for the best-rated books on your topic and purchase one of these to read. Start by reading just 1 page a day and stop. Explain what you read to yourself and keep doing this daily until you get up to a chapter a day. Write out a 1 or 2 page summary of the chapter and look at the summary each day before you start the next one. You will find that you don’t have a ‘bad memory’ or a lack of time to read; you just didn’t know how to put things into a system that works with minimal effort. Until now!
Try each of the above exercises, and I promise you that you will feel healthier, more in control of your finances, and wiser each week! There’s no way that a person who realizes something and then takes action on it, however small, can fail! You must believe in the value of small things done consistently, which compound over time and produce massive change. Many great things started off as daily sets and reps and became the ‘muscles’ we admire in other people. Develop your Awesome muscles now that you know the way. The next step is yours!
Have An Awesome Day Every Day!
(As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases)
Visit this link to order your copy of the Awesome Life book today!
Click Here: Buy The Awesome Life Book!
Enjoyed this? Join 300+ readers getting our weekly Wednesday Mental Boost — 5 ideas from history, philosophy, and science in under 30 minutes. Click here to join the Awesome Community: awesomelifebook.com