Surround Yourself With The Good Stuff
Posted on Sep 25, 2011 | 8 comments
People are easily influenced. Maybe more so now than ever.
All our media, books, talk shows, advertisements, and yes, even blogs, make every attempt to persuade and convince us to follow a particular path. Our influences have a tremendous impact on who we are. And all of the things that surround us eventually become a large part of us.
It's a bit scary when you think about it.
Complete strangers are dictating your lifestyle and beliefs. Teams of advertisers and writers are telling you how to be funny, healthy and smart. And completely average dads like myself are spitting out dreams and dilemmas and somehow impacting the lives of others. It's weird, but it is the way it is.
Our ability to achieve the goals we have in life is greatly impacted by that which surrounds us.
It's difficult to be positive when you are surrounded with negativity.
It's impossible to become the person you want to be, when the majority of your daily influence doesn't reflect your goals and aspirations.
I am on sort of a mission to change my life and travel the world with my family. To do this, I have had to change many aspects of my routine and pretty much all my habits. The stuff I was doing everyday really wasn't getting me anywhere, so change was a must. Unless you're perfect, there is just no way to get to the next level without some change and focus. And the quickest way to get yourself moving in the direction of your dreams is to start surrounding yourself with the things in life that support your goals.
Yes, we are easily influenced.
Yes, influences today are everywhere.
But we always have a choice. To a great extent we can choose the things in life that influence us. We can choose the good stuff.
How To Become Exactly Who You Want To Be
It's really simple actually.
1) Know the type person you want to be. This is actually the hardest part. If you don't know what you want, you don't have a chance. Identify 3-4 goals in life that you want to achieve. 3-4 things that will make your life, a great life.
2) Surround yourself with all the stuff in life that supports the type of person you want to be. Hanging out with positive, passionate people will only help you to light your own creative fire, assuming you are open and eager to live a positive and passionate life. The same goes for everything else.
3) Eliminate the stuff that can not help you. We all tend to downplay this a bit, but it's amazing how so many things that seem like innocent habits and entertainment actually wind up keeping us from doing the things in life we truly desire. All your music, games, movies, TV shows, and quirky habits - are these things helping you? It might be time to shed some dead weight and rise up.
It's really easy people. Just go find those things that in life that get you motivated and focused and start making them part of your daily routine.
Do it today! And don't start slipping like me.
Lately, I have not been surrounding myself with as much of the good stuff as I have in the past. I've been spending too much time with TV, football, and political nonsense. I could use some new good stuff. I'm gonna have to go back to reading Zen Habits and The Art of Non-Conformity on a regular basis as well as dipping into some of that old James Allen stuff, but I would also love to hear about some of the good stuff that motivates you.
What gets you moving in the direction of your dreams?
What helps to make those grand goals of yours realities?
Thanks so much for visiting us at The Great Family Escape. Our family is learning how to turn our dreams into realities and we love to share and learn with others.
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Man, you always know just what to write to kick me in the butt and get me into action! Thanks for your inspiring words. Can't wait to follow along as you guys chase your dreams!!
Jenny Solar recently posted..Comment on Lia loves to jump by Robyn Rasmussen
Good to hear Jenny. Thanks!
We become what we think about most of the time.
My wife and I talk all the time about what we want our life to look like. I think incessantly about my goals.
And reading blogs from other family travelers is a big part of the equation. Sometimes I think I spend too much time reading other bloggers. But all of those othe bloggers have really become the key influences in my life. They are the ones that challenge and shape my thinking. They are the ones I quote when I'm at a lunch with some guys in here in Tahoe. They're the people I quote when my wife and I are talking to another couple with kids about education philosophy.
Clark Vandeventer recently posted..Dear Future Self, I have a question for you about my stuff.
I think it's nice to have an online world with like-minded people, it keeps you going, as long as it is positive and helpful.
You get out what you put in. That holds true for pretty much everything.
'It’s difficult to be positive when you are surrounded with negativity' Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaamen!!!!!
Get rid of the haters and march on! One step at a time is better than stalling and crying about poor old me! Great article!!
Sure is man. Got to keep going and keep pushing and there is no room for a tear - not in this game anyway.
I love it when you so eloquently express what's been on my mind. We're trying so hard to jettison the things that are not important so we can focus on the things that are. But even the process of winnowing the chaff takes a certain amount of time and energy. And when you're living in a place that's working against you it becomes a Sisyphean task. I'm constantly reminding myself that with patience and tenacity, these efforts will eventually result in my personal renaissance as well as a new outlook for our family. So little steps for now until the big final step of removing us from the suburban nightmare.
And this is what is so great about this online community...harnessing the passion of like-minded people when most of what surrounds you offline is trying to push you the wrong direction.
Thanks for the pep talk!
Val Joiner recently posted..Hiccupy Road Trip
Well, it certainly helps that I am psychic.
It is the key to everything good in life. I believe that. You are what you eat and the same applies to everything else you take in.
You're in the nightmare. Embrace it for now and it will be less scary. The time will come. We are all playing the waiting game.