If Your Life Sucked Yesterday; It Will Again Today Unless …

“Where then do I look for good and evil? Not to uncontrollable externals, but within myself to the choices that are my own …” — Epictetus.

No one ethically knows the outcome of a game. We cannot make someone love us. We cannot dictate the weather.

The only control any of us has is around 3 things:

1. Whether you let yesterday influence today
2. How you let your environment influence your beliefs
3. The choices you make

That’s what learning is. Opening a door, one leading from an ordinary world to a journey unknown. They’re rarely smooth. I’ve taken them before. It will challenge me. Sometimes drag me through fire. At other times I’ll feel as if drowning. It's the path to a more successful life.

And every step of the way will open another opportunity. Another view. Yet one closed, if I hadn’t turned the handle.

Without seeking, nothing is found.

Animals Know What We’ve Forgotten

• How to focus, then let go of disappointment fast
• How to release muscle tension when stress passes
• How to be in the present moment.

Reaching goals can bring out our best and worst. The thrill of leaning into a goal needs weighing against the angst of making slow progress. It can be a stressful business.

And while 75–90% of all visits to doctors are stress related (estimation), it’s time to take onboard these 7 ideas:

Compliance is a costly mistake bred into education systems. It’s where masses of young people first learn group-think, permission-seeking and how to fit-in.

Those who don’t follow the rules are treated harshly, ostracized from the group or ‘managed’ through a process of fear designed to ignite the reptilian brain and destroy individuality.

Breaking out of this mindset can be a challenge. Because on one hand we’ve got the reptilian brain monitoring personal ‘safety’ and releasing fear when out of its comfort zone. And on the other hand the social rules of ‘compliance’ creating invisible boundaries of a pre-ordained life.