I wanted to make a post about this because I know each of these have had a huge impact on my overall well being. Truthfully, I’m an over thinker. I overthink EVERYTHING. It’s kind of annoying, and I wish I could shut my brain up sometimes. But other times, it leads me to question why things are the way they are. It’s something my overthinking brain is always trying to research and understand. Sometimes, with enough research and reading, I can figure a thing or two out. My husband and I are frequently exchanging these sayings back and forth, and it does help us understand our day to day challenges a bit easier. I’m not saying this list is the end all, be all.. I’m definitely not Gandhi. BUT – More likely than not, at least one of these sayings will (hopefully) help your overall well being just like it has mine. You’ve probably even heard a few of them, but we all need a refresher sometimes. My hope is that if I can help give you some piece of mind too, then I have done my job. Here they are:
1) Everything in moderation
I’ve always remembered it about food- it’s okay to have sweets.. but in moderation. Completely true no doubt. But what about everything else? Does this hold true for everything? In my personal opinion, just about.
I believe this saying just about applies to everything. Your favorite foods, your relationships, your work.. and the list could go on. Think about it.. you’ve heard it’s possible to have “too much of a good thing”, right? If your parents solved every problem for you that you’ve ever had, life will probably a bit harder for you when your boss is ready to fire you. It’s good to be helpful, but sometimes a little bit of a “bad” experience is good for us, too. (See #2)
2) Accept that life can’t always be your definition of “great”. It’s the bad times that make you appreciate the good times
Life is a roller coaster. There are lows everyone experiences. For example – those tough break ups, the college course you failed, or getting fired from a job. But without those rough times, you wouldn’t appreciate your amazing husband/significant other, walking across that stage at your college graduation, or the new career that you now love. So in reality, we need those bad times too, or else the great times wouldn’t have any value.
3) How people treat you is a direct reflection of how they feel about themselves.
This is one I learned a few years ago, and constantly have to remind myself of. We all come across people who have a gentle heart, and those who are ready to rip anyone a new one who comes their way. It doesn’t matter if you know them or not, I’ve found this statement to be totally true. Of course, what we say and how we say it will influence the situation, but you can always find some truth in their words. People’s reactions are a defense mechanism for something going on inside them personally. They even may accuse you of something they’re doing themselves. Next time you’re in a situation where someone is flat out rude, think about this saying. Often times, it helps me put a realistic perspective on the situation at hand. It reminds me that I shouldn’t take everything to heart, and remember that people are dealing with things we have no idea about.
4) Everyone is fighting their own battles. Share the kindness people need. It’s contagious.
I put this one specifically right after #3 for a reason. Just because someone treats you horribly, doesn’t mean you should give it back to them. If revenge is what makes you feel better, then so be it.. but two wrongs don’t make a right. Just yesterday, my husband and I were in the car when he received a negative comment about something he posted on LinkedIn. I didn’t find out about it until I asked him why he all of the sudden was in a bad mood. His mood had changed because of the rude message he received. My point in telling you this? Your mood and your “vibe” so call it are very contagious. When people are rude, remember this has to do with themselves (not you), and that you have the power to help make the situation a little better. All you have to do is respond with kindness. Most likely it’ll help the people you’re talking to, and who knows how many other people that person talks to after you.
5) There will always be people who have more than you. Be thankful for what you’ve been given.
Perfect example of this is social media. We see it all over our phones, and it can seriously affect our self esteem. And sure, they may be having more fun than you this weekend. But we also know pictures can lie. Regardless – you have to keep things in perspective. That person you saw that’s making 5x as much money as you and traveling the world? They may have no family whatsoever. Still want to trade places with them?
Here’s an even more realistic one: Remember that while you can walk into your kitchen and easily get a glass of water, there are millions of people (Yes, MILLIONS… 13.5 Million women and 3.5 Million children to be exact) who still have to walk miles every day to get water. Be appreciative of the life you’ve been given. There’s no point in putting yourself in a bad mood because you can’t have everything you want. For the very (VERY) few who can have whatever they want, their whole world falls apart when one little thing goes wrong. It’s great to have goals, but always be sure to be thankful for the things you have right now.
6) “The problem is.. you think you have time” -Buddha
Just a few days ago, I was casually scrolling on Facebook when I noticed the little girls I used to babysit. I graduated high school eight years ago, and last time I saw them, they were all under the age of 10. Needless to say – I was shocked. Now, they were all in high school, and all about to go off to college. My next thought was how quickly time had passed. For the past 8 years, there have been things I have wanted to do that I’ve continued to put off out of habit. Here I am 8 years later and still haven’t accomplished those things. I know I’m not the only one either.. we’ve all heard the “Oh yeah.. I’ve been wanting to do that for years”. There is no “perfect” time to start. Life is busy, we have a million things to do. If we don’t make it a priority and start now, you may never get the chance to. None of us know when our last day on Earth will be, so we need to make sure we’re not waiting for the right time to start something we’ve always dreamed of.
7) “When you look good, you feel good. And when you feel good, you do good.”
This one is one of my favorite sayings to live by because it’s so true – and we all have the chance to live this saying out every day. I work from home, and there are days where I just throw on a t shirt and leggings, throw up my hair and start my day. The problem with doing this is how I feel about myself. I feel lazy, I don’t want to go out in public, and I never end up getting as much done as I would have liked. What you wear does matter – for yourself, more than anything. Remember how I mentioned earlier that people’s attitudes towards you is a reflection of themselves? Same thing goes for you. When you know you look good on the outside, you start feeling good about yourself on the inside. When you feel good on the inside, you’ll be working better, eating healthier, making better decisions, and giving more. It all has to start with getting up in the morning, and making sure you feel good about the way you look.
8) Your biggest critic is yourself.
After you take a picture with some friends, you know that more than one of them will immediately want to look at it and start critiquing themselves. I’m guilty of it, too. There’s something called body dysmorphia that more people need to know about. Despite it still being relatively unknown, it’s very common. Basically, it’s a mental disorder in which you see yourself as worse than you actually are. Dove made a video about this a few years ago that shows this perfectly. You can check it out here. Have you ever looked back at a picture from 5 years ago and said “I can’t believe I thought I was fat then”? I know I have. You have to remember that you are beautiful.
In college I had a friend who I thought was (and still is) absolutely stunning. Like seriously – outside of the norm, no makeup, naturally uniquely beautiful. One day when she was criticizing herself, I told her how beautiful she was, and she was taken back. She said “not to be weird, but the other day I was looking at your picture, and I decided you are actually the most beautiful female I’ve ever seen”. I don’t say that to be cocky, because in all honestly, I was SHOCKED. It’s something I still think about to this day and ask “how did she ever think that?!” I would never classify myself as that, and I know that there are much prettier people out there. My point in saying this is that there are people out there that feel that exact same way about you. Next time you look in the mirror and start thinking ugly thoughts, remember to take your own opinion with a grain of salt.
9) If you focus on success, you will find success. If you focus on the negative, you will attract the negative
This is another favorite for me because it’s proven itself to me personally time and time again. I actually learned about this concept from a book called “Who Says You Can’t? You Do“. Have you ever wondered why so many CEO’s are reading books every week? It’s because of the effects reading has on their success. True story – when I read the book called “Think and Grow Rich” (a classic I recommend everyone read), I ended up starting and running a boutique with my sister. I even wrote a post about it, which you can check out here. Coincidental timing of reading an award winning self development book and starting a business? Probably not. I love to read self development books, and every time I do, my mindset is shifted. Likewise, if you’re around negative people, you will most positively attract negative things. This all happens because of the Law of Attraction. This quantum physics law basically says that we have ability to attract into our lives whatever we are focusing on. So make sure you’re staying positive as much as you can, and your focus is on the things that matter.
10) It’s the baby steps that count.
Have you ever looked at a huge goal (or anything overwhelming for that matter), and immediately gotten discouraged? All you have to do is start taking baby steps. One little step in the right direction will get you to the next step. Even more importantly, these baby steps will help you form good habits. These habits are the building blocks that will get you where you need to be. Likewise, that baby step in the wrong direction can form a negative habit that will have more of an affect on your life than just that one day. For example, as I go through the grocery store, I’ll pass by the cookie dough and give into temptation. After dinner, I’ll end up sitting on the couch eating those cookies instead of going on the walk I promised myself I would take. The next day, I’ll eat the rest of the cookies instead of walking again. The next time I go to the grocery store, it’s now even harder to pass by the cookie dough and not put it in the basket. Before I know it, I haven’t worked out in a month, and treated myself to dessert every night. (Yes, this is a real life struggle for me- ugh). Am I saying it’s bad to have cookies? Absolutely not! Just be conscious of the small decisions you make, and remember (as said in #1) – everything in moderation.
