Simply Successful Secrets - What I Do (almost) Every Day
Lyman Reed
March 9th, 2007
Uncategorized
It’s another meme, people… but this one could end up with a great compilation of just what actually works for people when it comes to personal development. It’s been started by Aaron of Today is that Day, and I was on his list.
So here goes:
I Practice Gratitude
This is definitely #1 on my list. And I’m not just talking about being grateful for the things that my ego likes, like unexpected income or an easy day at work. I’m talking about practicing gratitude for everything… from the mountains that I get to look at as I drive to my job, to the dingy curtains here in my apartment, to the bills that are late and I have to make that call about, to the color of the truck’s bumper that I’m following in 2 mph traffic.
It is called “practicing” for a reason. Sometimes (often) it’s not automatic. I have to remind myself to be grateful for having eyes that can see, for the companies that allow me to use their services in advance of being paid for them, and for the technology and construction that gets me places I’d never reach without them. When something pops up that I have a hard time being grateful for, I remember that everything that happens in my life is pointing me in the direction of my dreams, even if I can’t see the how of it yet.
I Read
We live in a time when there is more information on personal development and spiritual growth freely and easily available to huge numbers of individuals than at any other time in history… and I want to learn ALL OF IT! In the past, I was over read and under done, but I’ve learned to get some kind of balance between the reading (and listening) and the application of what I’ve learned.
I Write
Not only does writing help me to organize my thoughts and emotions, it’s also a great feeling to know that by communicating the stuff that I learn about and come up with, I may be helping another person. I once heard someone say that the Catholic Church recognizes journaling as a form of prayer. I don’t know if that’s actually true or not, but since I’m not a Catholic, it really doesn’t matter, now does it. 
For me, writing is a form of prayer… a way of communicating with the unseen that’s in me.
I Meditate
I’ve been meditating on and off for years, but just recently (it’s been 8 or 9 days now) I’ve really committed to learning Vipassana (insight) meditation. I’ve been following instructions provided by the Insight Meditation Center of Redwood City, California. They have a 5 week Introduction to Meditation course that I’ve been working with, and meditation timers. It’s the best online instruction I’ve found so far.
I Take My Medication
Notice I said take my medication. I’m not proselytizing for SSRI’s, but for me they help. For the longest time, I denied my problems with depression and kept trying to kick myself into shape. I finally got to the point of at least not trying to kill myself on a regular basis, but when I knew from experience that it was creeping back, I finally accepted it and went to my doctor. One of the most freeing things I ever did was decide that it’s OK to be on an antidepressant. I now see no difference between a person with asthma using an inhaler, a diabetic taking insulin, and me taking EFFEXOR. My brain seems to need it, it’s available to me, and I don’t experience any negative side effects. I do what I need to do.
As I continue this journey in personal development, more will be added - regular exercise and kicking the tobacco habit are two that I’m focusing on. Thanks, Aaron, for the opportunity to share and to do a bit of self-examination.
And now for the tags. Aaron started off with quite a long list, let’s see if I can pull some people in that he didn’t include:
Nneka of Balanced Life Center
Gleb of Personal Development Ideas
Vic of Vic Johnson: Motivational Speaker and Author
Tony of Constructive Science
Jesper of Practical Self Development 101
Brad of Conceive, Believe, Achieve
Carolyn of Thoughts and Philosophies
Pam of Make the Most of U
I hope you’ll join us!
Update 3/13: Sania Wyatt also added me to her list! Thanks, Sania!
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Lyman,
Thanks for participating! My favorite was the part about “practicing” gratitude - that is SO true! Practice may not ever make us perfect at realizing gratitude, but the attempt will certainly benefit us along the way.
Thanks for wisdom and the sharing!
Not a problem, Aaron… I really enjoyed this one!
Thank you, Lyman. I’ll try to do you proud.
Carolyn
in reference to “I Practice gratitude” let me share something I read tonight: “In a fascinating little book drawn from a series of BBC radio broadcasts in 1946, historian Herbert Butterfield, of Cambridge University, made a case for his conviction that God allows humanity the freedom to commit enormous sins such as the two world wars and holocausts of the early 20th century. Yet there is a sense, he claimed, that these great atrocities are also the very acts by means of which Providence resets the course of history. ”
It’s hard to be grateful for some of the awful stuff, but maybe we need to. We have learned a lot (of life-giving stuff) from some of the worst things that have happened so I guess if we need something to get our attnetion so mwe can learn, we have to be grateful for it. Thanks for your writing–I’m grateful for that too.
I believe that practising self-gratitude is fine but that bestowing the gratitude you received upon others is more gratifying.
Thanks for adding me to this. I will get to it as soon as I can.
Mar 11th, 2007 at 8:02 pm
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Simply Successful Secrets
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