Even the tiniest motion forward is better than standing still (or going backward – although you can actually go backwards to move forward, but that’s another post). Huge problems become manageable when you commit yourself to going forward. Just a little forward motion every day will add up, so keep that in mind when it feels like you’re not making the progress you want.
Break It Down Into Simple Steps
One way to keep going forward is to break your problem down into simple steps. Every large undertaking is made up of a series of steps, make these as simple as possible, so that you can take one or two at a time and not feel overwhelmed. One tiny step at a time is still forward motion. Read more...
I can’t understand how the kitchen always needs to be cleaned. Dirty dishes, crumbs on the floor, spills on the counters. I know most people eat at least three times a day, but still, I feel like I am constantly cleaning the kitchen.
Even though I love having a clean kitchen, I can’t always bring myself to clean it up immediately after I’ve used it. It feels too tedious, too boring, too mundane. But eventually it needs to be done.
So I start cleaning it up, putting things back into the pantry, putting dirty dishes into the dishwasher, hand washing various pots and pans. Soon it’s all done and it feels great, but what about the fifteen or so minutes that I spent with my hands in dishwater? Is it just a necessary evil? Read more...
We tend to consume a lot of stuff. But we don’t always enjoy the stuff we consume. Likewise, sometimes there is something we would enjoy but we don’t pursue it for one reason or another.
If you really enjoy something, you should go towards that thing. It doesn’t matter if it’s expensive or inexpensive, produced by a large company or produced by one person, very popular or known only to a small group.
No matter what it is, where it came from, who made it or how it’s advertised, if you enjoy it, that’s all that matters. Read more...
I’ve been wanting to experiment with a video post for a while now, so here it is! This is just a (very) short video to “introduce” myself and say thank you! (If you are reading this in an email you may need to click through to the post to see the video.)
Small talk makes many people nervous. Especially those of us who are introverts or INFPs (like I am).
The good news is, your ability to make small talk can be refined over time. Going from inept to adept is just about keeping a few simple ideas in mind.
Small talk is about connection, not content.
You might be someone who enjoys having deep conversations about topics that really fascinate you with one or two other people. Keep making the time and space to do this. But when you are out and about in the world, it will probably be more appropriate to make small talk.
Making small talk is just about connecting with the people around you. All different types of people. Maybe people who really don’t care to have in depth conversations. Read more...
The next time you are feeling stuck, ask yourself the following question:
What can I do?
This is opposed to thinking about all of the things you can’t do or don’t have control over in any given situation. That is probably a very long list, but the things you can do is a shorter list and, therefore easier to focus on.
When you ask what you can do you stop trying to control the world around you, and you simply focus on yourself. You take responsibility for the things you can be responsible for and you leave the rest up to the Universe.
This is certainly a much more peaceful approach to life than trying to control everything. You will definitely fail at that. Read more...
From time to time on this blog, I write a post that includes self reflection questions. For a while now, I have wanted to compile all of these questions from separate posts into one post where they can be found easily. So, I searched Look Far for all the questions I could find and here they are below. The questions are organized into six categories for easier mental digestion. Notice the ones that strike you and start there. There’s no need to do them all at once (unless you really want to). I’ll keep this post updated as I add more questions to new posts.
I was reading this article the other day about people who are nerds in high school and the qualities they have that lead to success later in life. I started thinking about what qualities I wish I had possessed when I was in high school – the things I have developed since that make my life enjoyable, fulfilling and successful.
So here goes…
The 3 Qualities I Wish I Had Possessed in High School
Openness to Other People – The social scene in high school tends to be very rigid. There are those at the top, those at the bottom and a whole bunch of people swimming around in the middle. (I was in the middle.) Read more...
The simplest way to tackle any problem:
