Tag Archives: decision-making

Television Hiatus

Posted on by under Personal World

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I just recently returned from my first true vacation in quite some time and it was the most energizing and joyful experience ever. Now that I’m back home, it has gotten me thinking about my usual habits.

Whenever I go on a trip somewhere my typical habits are uprooted for a new daily schedule and it’s a refreshing break from the norm. But this was the most impactful break I’ve had because it helped me reflect on all my not-so-great habits.

One in particular is my relationship with television shows. While I don’t watch television all day every day, my tendencies surrounding it are a little unhealthy. When I find a show that I really like, I will not be able to stop watching it until I’m fully caught up. I have shamelessly binge watched SO many shows (thanks to Netflix and Hulu Plus).

Now what makes this habit not-so-great is that I not only waste so much time sitting down and staring at a screen, I also tend to eat a lot of snacks while I do it. Overtime, this has become a habit I have trouble breaking.

When I’m doing something other than obsessively watching a show, I don’t find myself constantly looking for snacks to munch on. This was brought to my attention while I was away and didn’t think about the shows I like.

I believe with easy access and a plethora of options, a television-watching habit is really easy to pick up (that could also be why it took me so long to notice it). So I’ve decided to put my Hulu and Netflix subscriptions on pause for a while to see how things pan out.

If anyone has gone through something similar and has any tips, I’d love to hear them!

…wish me luck 🙂

This Will Blow Your Mind

Posted on by under Inspiration

In all my research for motivation, positivity, inspiration, and happiness…this TED Talk was by far the most impressive. It almost brought me to tears, it made me laugh out loud, and it opened my eyes to finding my own happiness.

Recently, I’ve been so convinced that I would be happy if I moved or if my surroundings changed. Shawn Achor tells us this is absolutely false. Simply changing where I am located won’t make me happy. I have to change the way I perceive things and the way I think naturally.

In his talk, he provides you with a “To-Do List” of sorts to help you work on improving your happiness. I won’t spoil them because I want you to actually watch his talk. It’s only a little over 12 minutes long and well worth it!

Let me know what you think of his talk – I’m curious!

What Would You Do If Anything Was Possible?

Posted on by under Inspiration

No, seriously. What would you do?

This question gives you permission to daydream fearlessly and to imagine a world without boundaries or limitations. Would you become President? Would you own your own dive shop in The Bahamas? Or would you direct movies? Your imagination has no limits – it’s logic that hold you (and me) back.

There are a million different things I would do if I just had the courage to take the first huge leap. Instead, I feel like I’m stuck in cement at the bottom of the ocean (…that may be a little dramatic, but it’s not wrong!)

The crazy part is that I put myself in the cement at the bottom of the ocean. I didn’t listen to my heart and got caught up in things that don’t really matter in this life. Now it’s up to me to bring myself out of it and create the positive world I so strongly desire.

Kris Allen’s song (see below) really gets me in the mood to take charge of my life.

So does this song by OneRepublic

They give me goosebumps!

Since I am not following my heart at the moment, I can’t exactly preach to you all about it. But I can tell you it’s worth trying when you find the motivation – even if it’s 5 minutes every week. Something is better than nothing.

…now go listen to those songs!

I’m Making Some Changes

Posted on by under Lifestyle, Personal World

Lately, I’ve been a little down in the dumps because I have let my life become a jumbled mess. It has become just as easy to put on a positive face as it is to become irrationally annoyed or upset. These emotions alone are driving me crazy, haha. I absolutely let my emotions control me 100% of the time. (It’s not always the ideal scenario).

This has prompted me to not only search the ends of the internet for advice, but to also look into consulting a life coach for some advice. It’s about time that I begin to take control of my life, figure out exactly what it is that I want to be doing, and begin looking at things more positively. Over the past year, I have been stagnant when it comes to just about anything in my life. All the dreams and aspirations that I have are put on hold because I’m afraid to make the necessary huge changes to get to a new way of living.

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On a more positive note, I am thrilled for my Jawbone Up band to get here! I had been waiting to order the newest one, Jawbone UP3, but it seems shipping/production is STILL held up and I’m impatient (oops…) So I ordered an older model online to get me started for the next year or so!

I am hoping this gives me a new sense of control over my life and motivates me to watch what I eat and do more carefully. I have gotten used to taking my life for granted and not taking care of my body. This only ends up making things worse!

If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude – Maya Angelou

How to Make Hard Decisions

Posted on by under Personal World

I’ve searched the Internet countless times to help me make a tough decision when I was unsure and needed more advice. I found myself ruminating on every possible option, thinking this would help me come to a conclusion. This strategy has not gotten me very far because it keeps me fixated on the problem without a “solution.”

After reading this article about Ruth Chang’s TED Talk, it has been made clear to me that I’ve been going about this all wrong. I had fallen into the trap of thinking one choice was automatically better than another, which led to many PROs and CONs lists. But without failure, this method has led me to taking the easy way out with the least amount of risk involved. How will I ever learn or grow that way?

I won’t. Fear and risk-taking have controlled my life for so long that it feels as if I have lost the ability to think for myself when it comes to making decisions. I got in the habit of following in others’ footsteps and doing what is expected of me. In the spirit of personal growth, I’m trying to change this about myself. I expect to encounter many tough decisions in the future, so hopefully this process will prepare me for that.

I encourage you to listen to the TED Talk or at least read the article. Even if you are not in the process of making a big decision, maybe someone you know is and you can help them.

Now I just need to focus on defining my values to help with my decision making process!