“Out of the bliss comes magic, wonderment and creativity.” —Michael Jackson
I was 23 years old when I first realized I had fallen in love with reading. At this time I was still suffering from severe anxiety and depression. Lack of sleep, extremely poor eating habits and a negative mindset left me feeling drained. I wished and dreamt for the day that life would be better and magically lead me to success. Rapidly I realized life wasn’t going to hand me what I wanted. Nature doesn’t play that game. I am not entitled to anything, wishes don’t come true. Action does. Literally, any action. So I got to reading. My journey to self-discovery, self-discipline, and personal growth began by simply reading. And trust me, I read plenty of boring articles and books in college and never enjoyed them or took any value out of them. That’s not the kind of reading I’m talking about. I began choosing my own books, searching for knowledge, meaning, and purpose. Ever since life has been extraordinarily different. For my first post, I’ll leave you with some of the habits I have implemented in my life which have changed my attitude and mindset for the better.
READING
If you didn’t already know, the majority of all successful people read and accredit reading as a major factor to their success. Reading is the biggest influencer in my pursuit of more knowledge. I have begun a love affair which I have no desire to ever end. Through reading, I have gained an understanding of topics, theories, and laws I would have never learned otherwise. There is pleasure in reading. We not only pass time productively by gaining knowledge, but we expand our vocabulary and open our minds to creativity and adventure.
PRAYING
I have always believed in God. He is the major driving force in everything I do. My mother taught my sisters and I to pray from a young age. Praying is a habit I continuously practice throughout the day. A prayer can be as long or short as you desire as long as you feel a connection with our higher power and allow it to guide you. I often give thanks for all the blessings in my life. I used to be very ungrateful and ignorant. Once I began listening to my “other self” as Napoleon Hill refers to it, which is the voice we have within us. My life became more positive and my habits changed to ones which are aligned with who I truly want to be. At night I pray for forgiveness, due to my sinful nature. I ask God to continue to guide me and protect my mind and heart because I am human and weak. Praying is my way of meditating and reaching a clear and peaceful state of mind in order to continue my purpose in life and be of service to others.
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
Personal development, a term I was not aware of until two years ago. My first mentor was Jim Rohn via youtube. When I first started listening to him I felt understood. Jim’s teachings were powerful because he genuinely wanted others to improve their quality of life and transmuted that into everything he taught. Because of him, I learned that personal development is necessary in order to live a happy, passionate, giving, and stress-free life. Understanding ourselves, our behaviors, actions, and feelings all lead to personal growth and personal freedom. Aside from Jim Rohn, I listen to Napoleon Hill, Tony Robbins, Eric Thomas, Les Brown, Andrew Carnegie, Brene Brown among many other great philosophers, writers and speakers. Due to my curiosity and need for more valuable information regarding life and purpose, I have reached a point in which I finally have more control of my mind then it has on me. I am able to create better habits, enjoy intelligent and intriguing conversations, feel more confident about my public speaking and become a more well-rounded person who is eagerly fighting for her self-expression and personal freedom.
EXERCISE
Exercise saved me. It took me out of the dark hole I was in and pushed me to be more disciplined and determined. My anxiety and depression have both reduced tremendously after I consistently started exercising and pushing past my limits. Once I made it a habit, there was no going back. I was addicted to the after feeling, the energy and mind clearing you to get from a great workout. Not only was I making my body stronger but I was mentally overcoming negative thought patterns which were hindering me and not allowing me to become more confident and self-reliant. I owe a great part of my mental strength to exercising and stepping out of my comfort zone.
Leave a Reply