10 tips for living purposefully
Occasionally things slip out of focus.
The lines that I try to within become
blurred as my days grow busier and
busier and I whirl around trying to catch
sight of just what it is I’m trying do and
why. Today is one of those days. A day
when the space around you grows
smaller and the people rush by hurried
and tired, and in their tired faces, you
see your own, for you have also become
hurried and tired.
Well here I am, and right now, I’ll take
this moment for my own; a moment to
remind myself of how I want to live my
life, and I hope that among these
reminders, you might find a tip or two
for yourself.
Here are my 10 tips for living
purposefully.
“The ultimate value of life depends
upon awareness and the power of
contemplation rather than upon mere
survival.”
- Aristotle
Take your Time
As the world quickens, we quicken with
it; always trying to get someplace. Try
to slow down. Enjoy what it is you are
doing, because that is your present and
you should, if you can, give your
attention to little else. Be here, now
and enjoy it. Even when you’re doing
something you don’t enjoy too much, it
still serves better to keep yourself in
the moment and take one thing at a time
so you can devote your full self to the
task. Plus, when we take our time, we
are far less likely to make mistakes.
Smile
Smile and the world smiles with you.
Well, not really, but it might make you,
and if you’re lucky; the person beside
you, feel a little better. Now isn’t that
worth it? I know how this sounds, but
give it a go – you’ll be surprised.
Keep your Cool
Still waters run deep. Just because
you’re calm and relaxed, doesn’t mean
that you’re not affected by your
surroundings. It often means quite the
opposite. If when something happens
you jump straight to reacting, you might
be missing a crucial observation. Keep
your cool and truly assess your
situation, then decide how best to
react. When everything around you
becomes hectic and people are losing
your heads, try and become the calmest
person in the room – then you’ll become
the most effective and the one
everybody turns to for a solution.
Say Yes More
You never know where the flowing river
will take you. Try saying yes when you
might otherwise have said no. Who
knows what will follow? Try this on for
a day or, if you’re feeling brave, a week.
We don’t live life by saying no all the
time.
Make Time for Yourself / Understand
Yourself
This is seriously important to your
wellbeing. Take some time just for
yourself, even when you’re being pulled
in a thousand directions. Tend to what is
necessary in your own life and then
take some time just to enjoy your own
company. It’s through time alone that
we find ourselves. As important as
recreation is, another good use of time
alone is to consider deeply our own
actions and reactions. Through true
contemplation, and a healthy dose of
‘whys’, we begin to understand ourselves
on an entirely new level.
Say, “Thank you.”
Manners don’t cost a thing, as they say.
Being polite is easy, which is why it
offends me so much when people
abandon their manners. How many times
have you held a door for someone just
to have them walk straight through it?
Make sure you’re not one of these
people. Not often can such small things
have such great an impact on someone
else’s day. Make sure you are being
polite.
Dream
Do not abandon your dreams, for to
abandon your dreams, is to abandon
living. Dream hard, and encourage all
around you to dream. Dream with
fervent passion as such things are
contagious. Ask the people in your life
about their dreams too.
Respect Other People’s Time
Time is perhaps our most precious
commodity. Once spent, we cannot
reclaim it. Therefore, I strongly believe
we should endeavor not to waste that
of others. Even if it only means turning
up at 7.30pm when you said you would
and not at 7.45pm, leaving somebody
standing around for 15 minutes of their
own time. I acknowledge, sometimes,
this can’t be helped. But if you’re going
to be late, let them know, they will
appreciate it.
Ask and Listen
We love to talk. This is true for some
more than others, but fundamentally,
we enjoy expressing ourselves to
others. But it’s important to ensure that
the important people in our lives are
being heard too. Ask questions and
listen. Be curious about the people you
hold close. You might be compelled to
give an opinion at every opportunity but,
if you can, hold it off a while and let
those around you talk. If you’ve ever
had somebody attentively and openly
listen to you and take a genuine interest
in what is important to you, you’ll
understand the sense of value it instills
and how much closer to that person it
draws you.
Lighten Up and Have Fun
Life calls for seriousness and maturity
far more than it ought to, so when the
opportunity to set some responsibility
aside and have some fun presents itself,
if it will be of no detriment, take it. Let
your hair down, meet with friends and
family or just put your feet up and
watch some mindless television
occasionally. It’s important to take
physical and mental breaks and give
ourselves a good opportunity to have a
laugh.
So these are just a few points that I
wanted to get down in a post to serve
as a reminder of some things that I
consider extremely important. This is,
of course, not my entire moral compass.
It is merely a few pointers that, when
observed, provide me happiness. I hope
it helps!
Thanks.
See you at the top
The lines that I try to within become
blurred as my days grow busier and
busier and I whirl around trying to catch
sight of just what it is I’m trying do and
why. Today is one of those days. A day
when the space around you grows
smaller and the people rush by hurried
and tired, and in their tired faces, you
see your own, for you have also become
hurried and tired.
Well here I am, and right now, I’ll take
this moment for my own; a moment to
remind myself of how I want to live my
life, and I hope that among these
reminders, you might find a tip or two
for yourself.
Here are my 10 tips for living
purposefully.
“The ultimate value of life depends
upon awareness and the power of
contemplation rather than upon mere
survival.”
- Aristotle
Take your Time
As the world quickens, we quicken with
it; always trying to get someplace. Try
to slow down. Enjoy what it is you are
doing, because that is your present and
you should, if you can, give your
attention to little else. Be here, now
and enjoy it. Even when you’re doing
something you don’t enjoy too much, it
still serves better to keep yourself in
the moment and take one thing at a time
so you can devote your full self to the
task. Plus, when we take our time, we
are far less likely to make mistakes.
Smile
Smile and the world smiles with you.
Well, not really, but it might make you,
and if you’re lucky; the person beside
you, feel a little better. Now isn’t that
worth it? I know how this sounds, but
give it a go – you’ll be surprised.
Keep your Cool
Still waters run deep. Just because
you’re calm and relaxed, doesn’t mean
that you’re not affected by your
surroundings. It often means quite the
opposite. If when something happens
you jump straight to reacting, you might
be missing a crucial observation. Keep
your cool and truly assess your
situation, then decide how best to
react. When everything around you
becomes hectic and people are losing
your heads, try and become the calmest
person in the room – then you’ll become
the most effective and the one
everybody turns to for a solution.
Say Yes More
You never know where the flowing river
will take you. Try saying yes when you
might otherwise have said no. Who
knows what will follow? Try this on for
a day or, if you’re feeling brave, a week.
We don’t live life by saying no all the
time.
Make Time for Yourself / Understand
Yourself
This is seriously important to your
wellbeing. Take some time just for
yourself, even when you’re being pulled
in a thousand directions. Tend to what is
necessary in your own life and then
take some time just to enjoy your own
company. It’s through time alone that
we find ourselves. As important as
recreation is, another good use of time
alone is to consider deeply our own
actions and reactions. Through true
contemplation, and a healthy dose of
‘whys’, we begin to understand ourselves
on an entirely new level.
Say, “Thank you.”
Manners don’t cost a thing, as they say.
Being polite is easy, which is why it
offends me so much when people
abandon their manners. How many times
have you held a door for someone just
to have them walk straight through it?
Make sure you’re not one of these
people. Not often can such small things
have such great an impact on someone
else’s day. Make sure you are being
polite.
Dream
Do not abandon your dreams, for to
abandon your dreams, is to abandon
living. Dream hard, and encourage all
around you to dream. Dream with
fervent passion as such things are
contagious. Ask the people in your life
about their dreams too.
Respect Other People’s Time
Time is perhaps our most precious
commodity. Once spent, we cannot
reclaim it. Therefore, I strongly believe
we should endeavor not to waste that
of others. Even if it only means turning
up at 7.30pm when you said you would
and not at 7.45pm, leaving somebody
standing around for 15 minutes of their
own time. I acknowledge, sometimes,
this can’t be helped. But if you’re going
to be late, let them know, they will
appreciate it.
Ask and Listen
We love to talk. This is true for some
more than others, but fundamentally,
we enjoy expressing ourselves to
others. But it’s important to ensure that
the important people in our lives are
being heard too. Ask questions and
listen. Be curious about the people you
hold close. You might be compelled to
give an opinion at every opportunity but,
if you can, hold it off a while and let
those around you talk. If you’ve ever
had somebody attentively and openly
listen to you and take a genuine interest
in what is important to you, you’ll
understand the sense of value it instills
and how much closer to that person it
draws you.
Lighten Up and Have Fun
Life calls for seriousness and maturity
far more than it ought to, so when the
opportunity to set some responsibility
aside and have some fun presents itself,
if it will be of no detriment, take it. Let
your hair down, meet with friends and
family or just put your feet up and
watch some mindless television
occasionally. It’s important to take
physical and mental breaks and give
ourselves a good opportunity to have a
laugh.
So these are just a few points that I
wanted to get down in a post to serve
as a reminder of some things that I
consider extremely important. This is,
of course, not my entire moral compass.
It is merely a few pointers that, when
observed, provide me happiness. I hope
it helps!
Thanks.
See you at the top
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