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Day 74 / 100 Days to More ~
What is Friendship?
You may have a lot of acquaintances, but only a few people are your friends. These are kindred spirits whose souls are “knit together” with yours. Aristotle described friendship of virtue having the following characteristics:
1. A friend is not just sympathetic, they are empathetic. They share your feelings, weeping with you when you weep and rejoicing with you when you rejoice.
2. A friend will hear your side of a story before they tell you what they think you need to hear. They will do it in such a way where you can receive it because they love you more than they love their views.
3. A friend stays in contact with you and communicates fairly regularly. They will make it a point to stay in touch.
4. A friend is someone whom you trust implicitly. They have earned your trust. You don’t doubt that they have your back and you don’t fear that they will stab you in the back. You trust them enough to confide in them about highly private and confidential matters.
5. A friend will stand by you, defend you, and even take a bullet for you when you’re under attack. This is perhaps the highest measure of friendship. The posture of a friend is, “If you hurt my friend, you’ve hurt me.” It is never, “Well, that person never did anything to hurt me, so it’s not my issue.” This attitude is what separates goats from black sheep.
In summary, you need at least one person in your life that is your confidante! If you don’t have a friend, examine why and see if there’s something you need to do to change that. “If you have two friends in your lifetime, you’re blessed. If you have one good friend, you’re more than lucky.” S.E. Hinton
Action: Are you a good friend?
Read MoreDay 73 / 100 Days to More ~
Be honorable yourself if you wish to associate with honorable people. The reverse is true too. If you want to be honorable, surround yourself with honorable people. If you want to be creative, talk to some creative types. If you want to get in shape, spend as much time as you can with other people who have the same goals. And so on. To live by what you believe, and to become someone you like, it’s easier when you can borrow from others. Whether you realize it or not, your personality and actions are shaped in part by your surroundings. So if someone is going to “rub off on you”, make sure it’s someone you like, respect and can learn from.
We strive for materialistic ends, such as lucrative income, status, a big house, an expensive car, jewelry and so on, because we believe these things will make us happy. Seldom do we give attention to our mind and soul, which the time and resources we spend in trying to fulfill our physical needs and desire, we are still unable to achieve lasting peace and happiness through satisfaction of bodily needs. This is because we have not learned how to listen to our mind and soul. It’s all together, mind, body, and soul for good health.
Action: What do you want for your life?
Read MoreDay 72 / 100 Days to More ~
The average person talks to themselves 50,000 a day…and 80% of that self-talk is negative. The words you speak are truly powerful. So when you speak, make sure you use your words to lift people up, and never put them down. Respect people’s feelings because even if it doesn’t mean anything to you, it might mean everything to them. #change #the #way #you #treat #yourself. We get one opportunity – one chance – one life. The choices we make and the time we spend will determine our fate. We can create something amazing, build a legacy, and leave something that we are proud of. There are no limits. The pen is in your hands. What will your story say?
Thinking differently doesn’t happen overnight, but try it. Before long it will become a habit and eventually you will believe in it. It will be in your core and you will glow from the inside out. On rare occasions people can “just change,” but for the most part that’s B.S. Change is not easy. We carry around years of baggage, deeply entrenched sets of behavior and defense mechanisms that repeat and repeat as we go about our lives.
Action: How do you talk to yourself? Good or bad?
Read MoreDay 71 / 100 Days to More ~
Let the people and the past go learn from it, but grow into who you’re called to be. You Matter. Life is more than just existing…it is about living to the fullest. It’s not about the material aspects in life; it’s something much more meaningful and deep. It does not lie in a bank account, a multitude of possessions, or surrounding yourself with a bunch of fake people in your life. It’s not about a job title. It’s not about having a beautiful face. It’s not about the surface level.
It’s always better to be alone with dignity than in a relationship that constantly requires you to sacrifice your happiness and self-respect. When you let someone repeatedly hurt you, you are saying to them, “You matter more to me than my own self-respect and dignity.” You must take a stand and be willing to part ways with people whom you know you’ve given numerous chances to. Though letting go can cause lots of initial pain, it may be necessary medicine, providing you with the best possible life in the long run.
Saints have a past and Sinners have a future. Keep your head up and a smile planted on your beautiful face because none of are perfect! Just keep trying everyday no matter what happens or who says something! You Matter!!
Action: What are you doing with your life?
Read MoreDay 70 / 100 Days to More ~
As you live and experience things, you must recognize what belongs and what doesn’t, what works and what doesn’t, and then let things go when you know you should. Not out of pride, inability, or arrogance, but simply because not everything is supposed to fit into your life. So close the door on the past, change the tune, clean your inner space, and get rid of the dust. Stop being who you once were so you can become who you are today.
It’s okay to ask for help. Reaching out doesn’t make you a burden. It doesn’t make you weak or incapable or inadequate. And it doesn’t make you a failure. It makes you someone who has the courage to honor their needs. It makes you honest and proactive and brave. It’s a form of self-care and it’s something that takes a lot of strength. So stop beating yourself up for needing support and start giving yourself permission to take care of yourself. You’re important and you matter, and your well-being matters. And if you’re struggling, you deserve to get support.
Action: Time is your most precious gift because you only have a set amount of it. You can make more money, but you can’t make more time. When you give someone your time, you are giving them a portion of your life that you’ll never get back. Your time is your life. That is why the greatest gift you can give someone is your time. If people bring up negative stuff then you must let them go. Misery loves company; Envy hurts; Stagnation is boring; Comparison is unwarranted; Intimidation threatens; and Mistakes happen.
Read MoreDay 69 / 100 Days to More ~
The DANGERS of PEOPLE PLEASING…No matter how hard you try, no matter how many hours you spend pondering and planning, and regardless of how hard you try, you absolutely cannot please everyone. It is impossible. So do yourself a favor and stop now, before you drive yourself toward insanity. Reverend Haynes always said these 3 things + a Bonus: 1. You can’t make anyone love you. 2. You are only accountable for yourself. 3. You are in control of your life. Bonus: Live by the Golden Rule.
The most difficult phase of life is not when no one understands you; it’s when you don’t understand yourself. Believe in YOU. Listen to your soul. Trust your instincts. Acknowledge your own strengths. Dream it and dare it. Do what you are afraid of, and capable of. Follow your vision. Know that anything is possible. Know you CAN.
If you’re struggling, you deserve to make self-care a priority. Whether that means lying in bed all day, eating comfort food, putting off homework, crying, sleeping, rescheduling plans, finding an escape through a good book, watching your favorite TV show, or doing nothing at all – give yourself permission to put your healing first. Quiet the voice telling you to do more and be more, and today, whatever you do, let it be enough.
Action: Do you know you can?
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