Sometimes I feel like the amount of information and advice we get from external sources, is infinite. Whether it comes through your social feeds, podcasts you follow, newsletters you have subscribed to, or just people around you who are eager to share their thoughts and opinions on something. If it starts feeling overwhelming, what do you do in order to keep your sanity?
Being a life coach doesn’t mean I always have the answer of how to find the best balance. After all the best answer for what suits you, can only be found within you. But let me share here what I try to do and personally find helpful when I feel like it gets too much.
First, I try to filter the sources and only keep what I really find useful, helpful, inspiring in that specific period. Then I try to investigate what happens inside me when I hear something positive, something that I can relate to. And what happens when something triggers me. Articles or quotes that usually bring out my best self, involve self-empathy and self-worth. Over the years, I started noting down all the ideas that resonated with me and I kept them handy. I return to them when I need some motivation, or I just need to read something positive.
I share some of them here, along with a short explanation of why I feel they empower me.
We mustn’t try to fix our problems. We need to fix our thinking, and our attitude towards how we respond to problems. And then we will get less and less of them (L. Hay). When I first read this in Hay’s book The Power is within you, I was intrigued! I remember telling myself, if I can train my brain το react differently to problems, I could be happier and calmer. Just imagine next time you are faced with a problem, instead of going into panic mode and asking yourself “What do I do now?”, “What is going to happen if…?”. Try saying “Everything is working out for my own good and from this experience only good will come and I am safe”. If it sounds like wishful thinking and not really your thing, keep on doing what you usually do when you face a problem, but have this idea at the back of your mind, don’t dismiss it just yet. It might become useful, you never know!
Taking no risks will be your biggest risk (unknown). This one can be tricky, especially if you are not a big risk taker. However, if you don’t try to do something new, or outside your “safety net”, chances are you will feel “stuck” and life will just happen. Why not give purpose to your life?
What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make. The greatest danger to our future is apathy. You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you (J. Goodall). I read a research recently on happiness. The results showed that people who considered themselves happy felt they were leading a meaningful life, a life with purpose. And it is not the pursuit of happiness but finding meaning that makes life worth living. In her psychological research, Esfahani pointed out four pillars for a meaningful life. One of the four pillars is having a goal that motivates us to contribute to the world.
Stop telling yourself you’re not qualified, good enough or worthy. Growth happens when you start doing the things you’re not qualified to do (S. Bartlett). The reason I love this one is because it simply tells you to believe in yourself in order to develop and grow. If others are telling you, you are not good enough for a job or a position, take a look internally and try to decipher how true that is. If you can then tell yourself that you are worthy, and just do the things you haven’t done before, all you will see is growth.
You have to risk failure to succeed (S. Sinek). I like this one because it simply says, when you are out there living a life with purpose, chances are you will make mistakes. But you will learn from them, pick yourself up and try again.
I believe there is a lot to digest here so I will leave you with these thoughts. I am always looking for inspiration, so if you would like to share your inspirational quotes please send them my way!
