Life 2.0

20 Seconds of Insane Courage

That's what's required: twenty seconds of insane courage. You need to find the courage to ask for what it is you really want….and it will seem insane at the time. Let your heart speak for twenty seconds and say what you mean, need, or want. It is the start. The jump. And it is where most people choke or fall short. Just know that this is what’s required. Just twenty seconds--for the rest of your life.

Tombstone Test

What’s written on your tombstone? Think about it. What does your epitaph say? Is that what you want it to say? More about that in a minute.

Not everyone has the courage to dream of a life fulfilled. Even fewer have the determination to make it happen. If you find yourself wondering how you can live that better life, you are not alone and I'm here to tell you that you can.

300 Sunrises or Sunsets (#300SOS)

Change is difficult—no denying that. How will you survive the changes that you make? For me, I do this by watching the sunrise and sunset 300 times a year so I can spend the time I needed to feel my days. This ritual allowed me to move on more quickly, by focusing on the hope of a day ahead and reflecting on and feeling the day behind.

Know your Real Currency

Our job descriptions should not be our life descriptions. Or to put it another way: make a life, not a living. Instead, focus on what is your Real Currency. The thing that pays you beyond a paycheck. Is it supporting others? Having stable work? Feeling accomplished? Making an impact? Changing your community? The list goes on. But do you know what your Real Currency is? When we get paid in our Real Currency, life gets a lot more interesting, a lot less stressful and a lot more meaningful and rewarding.

No one is in charge of your happiness, except you

Quit blaming others. YOU are the one who decides how happy (or not) your life will be. Your satisfaction with what you have is your choice—so is your willingness to change it. Once you own your decision-making and how you contribute to your own situation, you take back control and you’ll find a lot more smiles and a lot more happiness.

Don’t compare yourself to others

And don’t judge them. You don’t know about someone else’s life journey and you don’t know what they’re dealing with. As Theodore Roosevelt said, Comparison is the thief of joy. Learn to drop your preconceived judgments and expectations, and be deeply satisfied with who you are and what you bring to the world and comparison won’t matter.