Be better. What do I mean? Live better, eat better, love better, BE
better. People get so caught up with complicating their lives they
forget why. We forget who we are, what our morals are. Here are my tips,
as I apply them to my own quest to simplify, to be better.
1. Before you say something ask yourself 3 things: Is it kind? Is it true? Is it necessary? So many people are so concerned with just saying. They lose sight of why. Are you even that passionate about it? Or do you just like to stir the pot? Whatever happened to compassion?
2. Do you listen? Or do you wait to speak? 'nuff said
3. WALK! Stop, stop driving around in circles looking for the closest spot. Even crippled people need exercise! Are those extra 20 paces really going to kill you? People will stalk people walking to their cars, clog the parking lot waiting, blinker on, for a spot so they wont have to walk. All the while watching people in much more need walk from the back of the parking lot. You spend more time trying to make everything easier that you complicate the simplest of things. If nothing else, take a deep breath, enjoy the fresh air, look around.
4. Put down your phone. Do it, I dare you. Lift your head up, look around. Life is beautiful, you wont see it staring down at your phone.
5. Greet people. An LPO of mine once told us his biggest pet peeve is when people walk by you and look away to avoid saying anything. Think about it, its rude. He would say 'Lift up your damn head, walk like a man (or woman) and face people. Say hello.' It really makes a difference, if not for you, for the person you are walking past. Give it a shot.
6. Smile! While walking, talking, driving even. Ever seen that person driving by with a smile on their face? Its addictive, contagious, and fun. Heck laugh while you are at it.
7. Worry about you. Stop worrying about 'peoples'. Peoples' lives, outfits, relationships, all of it. Worry about your own. Its so much easier to judge others, but until you are perfect, just stick with your own. Someone the other day made a comment about an individual in a certain uniform at a questionable location. First I thought, heck I will educate them, its in an instruction. Maybe they didn't know. They responded with a snarky remark. An opinion. I could have easily argued that A: The instructions are not up to interpretation and B: What makes one persons personal 'necessities' any different due to the color and fabric of their uniform? We all have things we need to do every day, regardless of what we wear. But I didn't retort. What for? Why do they even care?! If someone is that worried about what other people are doing, it's not because of morals, or what is 'right'. Its because they are busying themselves with others. They're making a judgment, their mind is made up.
8. Do the right thing. Every time. Walk by a piece of trash? Pick it up. Someone struggling with something? Stop and offer a hand. Someone left their chair pulled out? Push it in. Have some integrity. It shows a lot about character and goes a long way. It also feels good.
9. Be an optimist. Try it. Whenever a situation presents itself that draws a negative reaction, re-think it until you find a positive. It's incredible, I promise. You will stop stressing over silly things and start enjoying something in everything. For example, there is this lady who brings bags of food and draws the sea gulls and feeds them by the shore lately. At first, I thought 'Crazy lady, might as well be feeding rats, drawing them to poop and beg'. Typical reaction I thought. Then I realized I haven't been woken up by seagulls in weeks. I sleep all the way to my alarm. They no longer hang around my dumpster, pooping on my car. (My car does NOT need any help looking rough around the edges) My point? There is always a way out that wont raise your heart rate, or develop an unnecessary negative reaction. Especially when it comes to people. We are so quick to judge without even the slightest idea what is going on in their life. Worry about you, remember?
10. Present your solutions, rather than your problems. (another bit of advice from a former boss). Nobody can solve your problems, and neither can you without a solution. Skip the stress and go straight to the troubleshooting. Then fix it. Its way faster, and you can stop bothering other people with your problems and instead celebrate your successes. By complaining you are just delaying the whole other half which includes fixing the problem and moving on. Plus, by bringing people your solutions they actually can help you fix the problem.
11. Don't raise your voice, better your argument. Or better yet, let it go. Simply put, stop yelling. It solves nothing.
12. Give back. Do something for someone. Do at least 1 thing every day to benefit someone other than yourself. One of my favorite quotes “The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good.” -Samuel Johnson
There you have it. Be better. It isn't an instant fix, but its addictive and fun, and it feels good. It's contagious too! Soon, you'll see a difference in your quality of life. You'll start appreciating things, stop focusing on stuff that doesn't really matter, and start seeing life for what it is.
1. Before you say something ask yourself 3 things: Is it kind? Is it true? Is it necessary? So many people are so concerned with just saying. They lose sight of why. Are you even that passionate about it? Or do you just like to stir the pot? Whatever happened to compassion?
2. Do you listen? Or do you wait to speak? 'nuff said
3. WALK! Stop, stop driving around in circles looking for the closest spot. Even crippled people need exercise! Are those extra 20 paces really going to kill you? People will stalk people walking to their cars, clog the parking lot waiting, blinker on, for a spot so they wont have to walk. All the while watching people in much more need walk from the back of the parking lot. You spend more time trying to make everything easier that you complicate the simplest of things. If nothing else, take a deep breath, enjoy the fresh air, look around.
4. Put down your phone. Do it, I dare you. Lift your head up, look around. Life is beautiful, you wont see it staring down at your phone.
5. Greet people. An LPO of mine once told us his biggest pet peeve is when people walk by you and look away to avoid saying anything. Think about it, its rude. He would say 'Lift up your damn head, walk like a man (or woman) and face people. Say hello.' It really makes a difference, if not for you, for the person you are walking past. Give it a shot.
6. Smile! While walking, talking, driving even. Ever seen that person driving by with a smile on their face? Its addictive, contagious, and fun. Heck laugh while you are at it.
7. Worry about you. Stop worrying about 'peoples'. Peoples' lives, outfits, relationships, all of it. Worry about your own. Its so much easier to judge others, but until you are perfect, just stick with your own. Someone the other day made a comment about an individual in a certain uniform at a questionable location. First I thought, heck I will educate them, its in an instruction. Maybe they didn't know. They responded with a snarky remark. An opinion. I could have easily argued that A: The instructions are not up to interpretation and B: What makes one persons personal 'necessities' any different due to the color and fabric of their uniform? We all have things we need to do every day, regardless of what we wear. But I didn't retort. What for? Why do they even care?! If someone is that worried about what other people are doing, it's not because of morals, or what is 'right'. Its because they are busying themselves with others. They're making a judgment, their mind is made up.
8. Do the right thing. Every time. Walk by a piece of trash? Pick it up. Someone struggling with something? Stop and offer a hand. Someone left their chair pulled out? Push it in. Have some integrity. It shows a lot about character and goes a long way. It also feels good.
9. Be an optimist. Try it. Whenever a situation presents itself that draws a negative reaction, re-think it until you find a positive. It's incredible, I promise. You will stop stressing over silly things and start enjoying something in everything. For example, there is this lady who brings bags of food and draws the sea gulls and feeds them by the shore lately. At first, I thought 'Crazy lady, might as well be feeding rats, drawing them to poop and beg'. Typical reaction I thought. Then I realized I haven't been woken up by seagulls in weeks. I sleep all the way to my alarm. They no longer hang around my dumpster, pooping on my car. (My car does NOT need any help looking rough around the edges) My point? There is always a way out that wont raise your heart rate, or develop an unnecessary negative reaction. Especially when it comes to people. We are so quick to judge without even the slightest idea what is going on in their life. Worry about you, remember?
10. Present your solutions, rather than your problems. (another bit of advice from a former boss). Nobody can solve your problems, and neither can you without a solution. Skip the stress and go straight to the troubleshooting. Then fix it. Its way faster, and you can stop bothering other people with your problems and instead celebrate your successes. By complaining you are just delaying the whole other half which includes fixing the problem and moving on. Plus, by bringing people your solutions they actually can help you fix the problem.
11. Don't raise your voice, better your argument. Or better yet, let it go. Simply put, stop yelling. It solves nothing.
12. Give back. Do something for someone. Do at least 1 thing every day to benefit someone other than yourself. One of my favorite quotes “The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good.” -Samuel Johnson
There you have it. Be better. It isn't an instant fix, but its addictive and fun, and it feels good. It's contagious too! Soon, you'll see a difference in your quality of life. You'll start appreciating things, stop focusing on stuff that doesn't really matter, and start seeing life for what it is.
