Be honest, do you talk to yourself? Here are some things to talk to yourself about:

When the mind is thinking it is talking to itself. - Plato

Thinking can be incredibly hard work, which is why most people probably don't spend a lot of time doing it. Yet proper thinking can launch you in all sorts of directions, if you are willing to sit down first and decide which things are the most important things for you to do. So what should you be "talking to yourself" about?

Prioritizing

Most things in life can be properly accomplished if we simply take the time to figure out which stuff is really the most important things to be doing. Normally, we live in a reactive state, and simply react to situations and emergencies around us. But by thinking about priorities, you can line everything up proactively. While this will not completely eliminate unexpected events, you will be surprised at the amount of accomplishments that become attainable.

Goal setting

Yuk, sounds awful, doesn't it? But setting goals are extremely important to achieving anything, otherwise, what is there to achieve? You should have several long term goals (2-5 years), several mid-range goals (6 months-2 years), and several more immediate goals (now to 6 months). By reviewing these goals on a regular basis, you will begin crafting your life in the direction you would like to see it go.

Ways to positively impact others

If you haven't already heard, the things that really matter involve others in your life, whether that's family relationships, friends, co-workers, customers. (But of course you already knew that because you just spent time getting your priorities straight). What are some ways you can positively impact others? If you try to think of ways ahead of time, you're more likely to do it. Can you give advice? Share inspiration? Help around the house? Volunteer a night once a month? Mentor/teach others on specific skills you have? These are things that have lasting value, and lasting impact on those who are most important to you.

So how does it feel to talk to yourself? (Your own voice sounds weird, doesn't it?) Well, I think you'll find that if you take the time to listen to the voice of your thinking, you have the potential to become very good friends with yourself, and be much more productive.

Capacity: do you have it?

You know what I'm talking about...capacity. It's the ability to have
life throw a googly-moogly amount of stuff at you, all at once, and
then you simply -- deal with it. That's capacity.

Most people don't have a lot of capacity, and, I must admit, there are
days when even the slightest bit of additional unplanned-for
responsibility will send my system into overload.

But for the most part, capacity allows an individual to be enriching,
broadening, calming, and reassuring in the midst of chaos. If stress
is the pulled-thin tightness of hectic activity and responsibility,
then capacity is the opposite. It can handle with clear-headed
thoughtfulness whatever is thrown in the mix at any given moment.

Capacity is similar to patience; but patience can wear thin, or run
out. Capacity, however, remains vaulted once expanded. There's
always room for more with no pressure increase.

This is definitely a skill that can be learned and cultivated. In my
own life, I'm noticing a sense of growing capacity to handle lots of
different challenges that arise each day; challenges from work, home,
relationships. Capacity allows room to breathe and think and to be
level-headed enough to accomplish what needs to be done. Since I'm
not as frustrated and exasperated at every little thing, my capacity
must be expanding to allow all of the unnecessary things to fall
harmlessly without affecting any damage.

Don't be forced into making rushed decisions; take your time to
evaluate and consider all of your options. Grow your capacity to
think laterally about other ways of accomplishing what needs to be
done. The more you practice it, the easier and roomier it gets. It's
like stretching a balloon to allow the air to expand it more easily
with each breath.

Capacity allows you to live in the moment, because that's the most
important time to be aware of. Try it for yourself, and see how much
your capacity, and achievement, increases with practice.

That which consumes you is your passion; make it positive for others also.

A good indication that you are pursuing an appropriate adventurebolt is that your enjoyment and passion of the pursuit consumes you, and you have a positive influence on others. In this state, you will be intently focused and involved in the activity to the point of time passing without notice, or the hands of the clock (for the analogs among us) will seemingly spin at exceptional speed.

Some call this "flow," some call it being "in the zone." Synaptics in the brain are firing in every quadrant, and tasks become effortless and practically automatic. This is how adventurebolts are played out and defined.

A similar process occurs during addictive behaviors; however, a good distinction is to point out that addictions are typically selfish and destructive desires, while passion occurs in the pursuit of something constructive that can benefit others. Artists in the heat of creation are synonymous with passion. Perhaps it's a sports performance that benefits the rest of the team. Maybe it's an organization task in the home. These are positive contributions that can benefit others.

Follow those things that you are passionate about that can also benefit others, and you will be living a life with greater fulfillment and sense of purpose.

Filed under: clarity