The List Continues…
4. Try something new. Every year on my birthday, I write a list of new things that I want to try to accomplish in the coming year. This year’s list will be 34 Things to Do Before Turning 35. The items have ranged from put $5000 in savings to learn CPR. Some are easy, one-time things (take my dad kayaking) and some involved a longer commitment (read 36 books). All of them make me live out loud and keep me interested in my journey.
5. Stop the weight and beauty self-denigration. From now on, eliminate the negative ways you talk about yourself. No more “I am so fat, ugly, old, gray” or anything else of that nature. It’s bad for you and bad for those around you. Challenge your friends to do the same thing and then start a fine system. Anytime you say something negative about yourself, contribute a dollar to a Glorious Fund. Use that fund later to treat yourself to something glorious or donate it to a cause for which you are passionate. Anytime your friends say something negative about themselves in a group environment (and you, too), have them pay a dollar to a group pool. When enough money accumulates, treat yourselves to a great bottle of wine or something else that feels indulgent or celebratory. After all, you are celebrating your best selves.
6. Listen to your intuition. It knows when you are making a bad choice. Whether that choice is about a relationship or a personal decision (to take the job or not, to move or not, etc), your intuition probably has an idea about what’s right. That said, we try to talk ourselves into things all the time, undermining our intuition. Call yourself on it when you find you are doing just that. We too often try to talk ourselves into things that we know we shouldn’t do. Pay attention. Life keeps handing you the lesson you need to learn until you learn it. If you don’t pay attention to your intuition and make a choice that isn’t right, your next opportunity to make a decision around that issue is going to be amplified. Avoid the pain by making the right call the first time—your intuition will help you do just that.
