Are You the Person You Want To Be?

It's Not Too Late

Photo by Nathan Lemon on Unsplash

Every day we are at a crossroads regarding who we want to be, how we want to spend our time and live our lives. Do I want to eat a piece of chocolate cake, or do I want to make a healthier food choice? Do I want to go downhill until death, or do I want to age well?

A circumstance I never considered was that my husband would die before me, and I would be alone. But there I was - at a significant crossroads.

Two things were clear. I wanted to be independent and age well. To me, that meant

• saying yes to life, even if it’s scary

• going outside my comfort zone

• writing and pursuing my hobbies

• remaining mentally, spiritually, intellectually, and emotionally healthy

• doing things I didn’t want to but felt it was the “right thing” to do

• take care of myself

• making my own decisions

The motivational speaker, Mel Robbins, offers a thoughtful message in this video. You might enjoy it!

The important point I took from the video was that if something doesn’t turn out as planned, it isn’t a failure but a chance to learn.

The article 15 Steps to Becoming the Person You Want To Be is informative. In previous posts, I’ve discussed mindfulness, knowing myself better, creating a vision, and honoring my values and beliefs. Others that stood out

1. Decide - and do it.
   So many times, I make a decision and talk myself out of it.

2. Find your why - why do you want to be the best you can be?
   The catalyst may have been a motivational speaker who said she didn’t want to be on her deathbed wishing she hadn’t done certain things.

3. List the obstacles preventing you from living the life you want. Look at it and circle the ones in your control, cross out ones related to other people and those you can’t fix. Can you identify self-doubt on that list?
   Self-doubt is high on my list - and a constant barrage of “what if’s” and “shoulds.”

4. Focus on habits, not goals. What little things do you do daily that harm your self-growth, and what habits should you practice to reach your aging goals?
   James Clear, who wrote the book Atomic Habits, suggests forgetting goals and looking at the practices - the habits - you choose to get to the results you want.

5. Be willing to take risks and try new things. It helps to do something you haven’t done to get the results you haven’t obtained.
   I have many “why not’s.”

6. Take action now - Forget about “motivation” or waiting to “feel ready.”
   Just do it - the process of doing may act as the motivator.

So that’s what I’m working on today. We are responsible for who we are - and for our choices. I remain a work in progress. How about you?

Two articles that I wanted to share

• Need A Little Push - Self-trust is such an important issue.

• The Changing Skies - Such a beautiful tribute.

If you want to contribute to my work, consider donating to the Alzheimers Association. This link takes you to their website. The choice is yours.