Half-time. Almost six months of the year have passed. Some people use the turn of the year as an opportunity to reflect more deeply. Why not do this more often? Probably because everyday life is a treadmill. It's like this: once a year, I lift my head. The rest of the time, I plow away. I work my way through my tasks. That doesn't sound like self-determination. Here's a suggestion: let's lift our heads up for a moment—right now. But be careful! The following questions will make you think. And definitely add more substance. Promise!
So should the next six months be better than the last? If so, what exactly needs to improve? And do you know why? What has been great about 2018 so far? What has proven itself and should be preserved, and what needs to be changed? What should be added, and what physical and psychological things should you let go of? Let's take a look at the higher-faster-further mania that is getting on our nerves.
Perhaps you automatically think like many others: always a little more.
Better health. More energy. More freedom. More income. More sex. More fulfillment. More success... and we fall into the trap of self-optimization. As if more were always automatically better. How do you define success? A fuller bank account, a new love, or a promotion? Eroticism you'll never forget? Phew. Not so easy. The key question is: At the end of the year, how will you know that 2018 was "better"?
Admittedly, these questions are challenging and not easy for anyone to answer. But if you engage with them, the thought process will lead you deep into your inner self, where only you know the answers! This effort of reflection is the price of insight. There are no shortcuts: reflect – recognize – acknowledge – change – try – adapt – reflect. The cycle of successful development.
Optimization – Reduction
Anything is possible!?
Only when you answer these questions regularly will you discover what you really want and what will get you there. You don't need a special date to do this. You can make this decision again and again. Whenever you want! Consistent implementation requires much more than that: above all, character. But you don't determine that on your own. Your genes and your environment also play a role.
Science is still debating between two extremes: that free will is "pure illusion" and that "everything is possible." How much is it really? A tried-and-tested model assumes 50:50. One half belongs to you, the other does not. At least for people who instinctively work on themselves more than they complain about others. So, rather the exception. You probably belong to this group. This raises the question: Which half can you access and which half can you not?
The better you understand yourself, the clearer it becomes what you can change.
Without self-deception. Without welcome excuses. With the courage to look yourself in the face. How liberating. No more false roles. No more struggling for artificial recognition, no more haggling for a right to exist. Clarity that you stand by. Without reproaches. Without being offended. Without fear of the truth. You are becoming more and more yourself.
What fantastic prospects. You become more self-aware, expand your sphere of influence, increase your level of responsibility, and enjoy your growth, which you can pass on to others. That is truly meaningful. Replace the obsession with self-optimization with self-awareness. Replace "more on the surface" with "less in depth." That is substance. That is what most people want and very few achieve. That is mental freedom in action. And I wish that for you with all my heart. Every year. Every month. Every week. Every day.
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