Hello lovely readers and welcome back to Mindset Mondays! The only weekly post that believes balance can only be found in outer space…
Following a 3-2-1 approach, it contains 3 thoughts from me (that you should ignore), 2 quotes from others (that you should read), and 1 thing I’ve been reading, watching or listening to this week that has helped me grow.
As a bonus I’ve finished with 1 joke that’s so bad, it’s good.
Let’s begin!
3 x Thoughts:
1) If you ignore what you have to do, you’ll feel bad about doing the things you enjoy. If you don’t do the things you enjoy, you will find it hard to muster the energy needed to do what you have to. Prioritise both. Don’t neglect either. Lift is needed to counteract weight.
2) Balance isn’t something you find, it is something you maintain, like a tight rope walker. 3 things with that in mind:
- Don’t carry too much weight.
- Go at a steady pace.
- Don’t stop moving.
3) Getting things off your chest means getting thoughts out of your head. That means communicating your feelings. If you want peace of mind – whether you’re right or wrong – you gotta speak up. You gotta speak your truth. That’s how you get things off your chest. This allows you to breathe easier.
2 x Quotes:
“Meaning is not something you stumble across, like the answer to a riddle or the prize in a treasure hunt. Meaning is something you build into your life. You build it out of your own past, out of your affections and loyalties, out of the experience of humankind as it is passed on to you, out of your own talent and understanding, out of the things you believe in, out of the things and people you love, out of the values for which you are willing to sacrifice something. The ingredients are there. You are the only one who can put them together into that unique pattern that will be your life. Let it be a life that has dignity and meaning for you. If it does, then the particular balance of success or failure is of less account.”
– John Gardner
“The main thing is the YOU beneath the clothes and skin—the ability to do, the will to conquer, the determination to understand and know this great, wonderful, curious world. Don’t shrink from new experiences and custom. Take the cold bath bravely. Enter into the spirit of your big bedroom. Enjoy what is and not pine for what is not. Read some good, heavy, serious books just for discipline: Take yourself in hand and master yourself. Make yourself do unpleasant things, so as to gain the upper hand of your soul.“
– W. E. B. Du Bois (Source: James Clear Newsletter)
1 x Thing:
This Seth Godin blog post on the difference between making a point and a making a difference:
“There are countless ways to make a point. You can clearly demonstrate that you are angry, smart, concerned, stronger, faster or more prepared than the person you’re engaging with. But making a point isn’t the same thing as making a difference. To make a difference, we need the practical empathy to realize that the other person doesn’t know what you know, doesn’t believe what you believe and might not want what you want. We have to move from where we are and momentarily understand where they are. When we make a point, we reject all of this. When we make a point, we establish our power in one way or another, but we probably don’t change very much. Change comes about when the story the other person tells themselves begins to change. If all you do is make a point, you’ve handed them a story about yourself. When you make a change, you’ve helped them embrace a new story about themselves. And even though it’s more fun (and feels safe, in some way) to make a point, if we really care, we’ll do the hard work to make a difference instead.”
1 x Joke:
Another far side comic for you all this week – I hope you enjoy!
Thanks ladies and gentlemen. As always I welcome ALL thoughts on this blog. Let us know in the comments below.
PREVIOUS MONDAY POST:
Clear Air Turbulence 
Lift is needed to counteract weight – what a great flying life lesson!
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Thanks Ashely. There’s plenty more where that came from. I have post in the works about exactly that.
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Fabulous!
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As always a great party! This thought #2… On the money. I love that quote by W.E.B. ..I have a short version as wall art. I have facilitated trainings and learnings on diversity and this quote always helps!
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Thank you Leslie – I appreciate your kind words. Your work – learnings on diversity – sounds very fulfilling. I wish you the very best 🙏
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All three of your points are interrelated. If you’re stuck between what you should be doing and what you love doing, then that can be a burden on the mind. And to find the right balance one would have to shed this burden. And to shed this weight, often getting things off one’s chest is the best way. Speak the truth, confront it, and it shall set you free.
Meaning is something you build into your life – SO TRUE!
And yes practical application of wisdom and experience is much more effective than just preaching its benefits. Be the change that you want to see.
And the joke is hilarious. Poor guys. But one’s still a luckier bastard. Haha!
Great sharing. 🙂
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I like how you linked the three thoughts. You’re right! Meaning is something I’m big on. I agree we should be the change we want to see. Wise words as always Terveen. I’m glad you enjoyed the post 🙏
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I love the theme of “weight” in your three thoughts this week. All very insightful.
I agree with the point around balance, around doing both what you enjoy and what you need to do. And absolutely agree on the importance of speaking (and living!) your truth.
Enjoy the week ahead!
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Thanks Ab. I have a post coming up related to that. Hope you’re having a great week too 🙏
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I really enjoyed the tight rope analogy. It comes with some great advice! I’m really curious about the second quote… There was a phrase I don’t fully understand. I hope someone (AP or a fellow commenter) won’t mind helping me understand it. “Enjoy what is and not pine for what is not” — What does that mean? Thanks for a great post 🙂
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I’m pleased you enjoyed the post Ash Jones. In answer to your question. To pine after something, is to want something badly. If you miss something for example you could say – I pine for the days when this pandemic is over and we call meet in person again. Wishing you well 🙏
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Ahhh thank you!! I wasn’t familiar with that phrase, I read it like a hundred times trying to understand haha but I was missing a piece to the puzzle!
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AP, a helpful and useful post. Balance is the hardest thing in life to achieve, I think. We have to work on it every day. ❤
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Absolutely. It is no easy thing to walk a tightrope. Thank you Cheryl. I hope you’re well 🙏
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The comic is a bit “I got your back if you got mine.” ☺️☺️
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Yes it is. Thank you Nova – gald you liked it 🙏
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The 1xThing…
Really needed to read that. Thanks-🙏
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My pleasure – glad it resonated 🙏
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