Personal Meditation No. 170

“It’s not all in your mind but if you don’t control your mind, then the rest doesn’t matter.”

Embrace the Within.

Finished my second book of the year already. The next book was one I wanted to read and was on my list this past fall and winter. It’s a motivational book titled You’re Not that Great by Daniel Crosby, Ph. D. And I might not be the person you think needs a motivational book, however, Dr. Crosby chocks a bunch of information from other sources into the hundred pages and change that make up this motivational book. Another thing I really enjoy are the Lived Learning Challenges at the end of the chapters. If you follow me on Facebook then you see that I applied one of them yesterday in an attempt to see what folks considered my strengths.

We are typically awful judges of what we do well and what we do poorly. So, it is nice to get perspective and it is also nice to hear some good things about yourself on social media. That doesn’t happen too often. It’s a quick read with tons of information and life applications. So, if you’re looking for change I totally recommend a read. Maybe even buy a copy so you can write all through the book. I like writing in books.

So, I wanted to take a little time to focus on a reference Dr. Crosby made to a YouTube series by Kirby Ferguson, Everything is a Remix. I found that information so compelling for where I am and what I do. I am under no assumption or delusion that what I am doing every day here is original. It has my voice and has my ideas BUT my voice and my ideas come from so many different sources and influences that I would find it difficult to write down everything that impacts my writing and my style alone, let alone my thoughts.

And I think that is one thing I can bring into my classroom. The understanding that we need to read and watch and listen to a lot of information from a variety of sources to get ourselves a thorough education. I know that a lot of folks try to avoid things they don’t like in learning. Some folks stopped learning and coasted the rest of the way through life. And other folks adopt my mindset of trying to learn something from everything.

If I have to experience something, then I want to get something out of it. If I have to sit through a meeting, wait in a line, drive to a place, go for a walk, watch a program, or read a selection, then I want something to take away and apply in my life. Sometimes we don’t immediately see the impact. Sometimes we immediately pull things together. BUT the process of learning as much from as much of life is what keeps me interested in everything.

Amor fati. Even in the struggles of what is a messy existence filled with many things outside our control, we do get to control our choices about our daily interactions with everything.

I am going to choose to learn. It is one of my core principles in life. The importance of learning and growing from my experiences is what has carried me this far and will carry me as far ahead as I have to go. What are you learning?

Have the day you want. I hope you find whatever you’re looking for.

#ThinkBetter #BeBetter #NoGodsNoMasters #MyBodyMyChoice #MakeYourselfGreatAgain