Your assignment today is to give more than you can and take less than you need. Think of others before yourself. You will soon see that a big dose of generosity and a small dose of pride are very useful tools to help you achieve your dreams.
DAY
334
“Pride makes us artificial and humility makes us real.”
— Thomas Merton
Take a look at the quote above and write in your journal for at least thirty minutes about your thoughts on it. Create your own definition of pride and your own definition of humility, and journal about the advantages and disadvantages of each. Try to keep your pen moving at all times to allow your stream-of-consciousness thinking to ramble on without censorship. When you are finished, read through what you wrote. What were some of the major themes?
Let’s take a look at pride first. How does pride make you artificial? Do you believe when you are full of pride that you have an accurate view of yourself? It may be possible that you give yourself a little too much credit when you are in a prideful state of mind. Some people would define pride as healthy self-respect, while others consider it to be an overly high opinion of oneself. How do you define pride?
Now, let’s take a look at humility. Many definitions of the word are not flattering. Humility is sometimes equated with meekness, lowliness, and having a submissive nature. That doesn’t sound like someone who is reaching for success. Another definition of humility is lacking false pride or having modesty. Those might be useful traits. In the quote above, Thomas Merton says humility makes us real. Humility could simply be an acceptance of your shortcomings. No one is perfect. There may be advantages to being humble. Use your definitions of these words today to help shape your self awareness and move you along the road to success.
DAY
335
“Proud people breed sad sorrows for themselves.”
— Emily Brontë
Jerry was a proud man. He had accomplished much, and everyone who came across him knew before he opened his mouth that he thought very highly of himself. From his perfectly coiffed hair to his impeccably shined shoes, Jerry was the picture of success—outwardly. He looked down his nose at anyone in close proximity and made it quite clear that he was on a higher plane. Jerry could barely stand to hold a conversation with his inferiors. They had nothing useful to give him. He knew it all.
Unfortunately, Jerry found out that it was lonely at the top. If he was better than everyone else, who would he find interesting? Who could teach him something new? He never even considered sharing his brilliance with others. Jerry’s pride set him so far apart from the pack that he didn’t identify with anyone. He constantly looked for ways in which he was different, so he lost sight of the similarities he had with his fellow humans. Yes, it was very lonely and dull at the top, but Jerry created his sorrowful world. He had no one to blame but himself.
Draw a picture of yourself when you are full of pride. What do you look like? What emotions surface when you are proud? Have you ever taken pride too far and ventured into the kind of world Jerry created? What was it like? Now, draw a picture of yourself when you think you have just the right dose of pride. What colors emanate from you then? How do you relate to those around you? Consider how pride might alienate you from your peers, and work instead to strengthen connections with others today.
DAY
336
“I finally figured out the only reason to be alive is to enjoy it.”
— Rita Mae Brown
What do you want out of life? Why are you here? If you could get only one thing out of your time here on earth, what would it be? Many people simply want to be happy. Others prefer to collect as much stuff as possible. What are your goals? Are you enjoying life?
It is really important to consider your overall happiness while you are sifting through your daily activities, so you don’t get stuck in the minutia and forget to have a little fun. If it all ended today, would you wish you had enjoyed your life a little more?
You have completed assignments throughout this book to discover what activities will bring enjoyment into your life. You’ve done your homework. Have you used what you learned? Are you living a joyous life? Have you done anything fun today? If not, get out there and go for it!
Enjoying life has nothing to do with blowing off your responsibilities. There are a million fun things you can do that don’t take you away from the work you also plan to complete. If it’s a nice day, take your lunch outside. If your kids, in a moment of random silliness, ask for pancakes for dinner, make them! Enjoy the unexpected things that come up during the day. You may not have a second opportunity to experience them. If you enjoy life today, you are a success. Go with the glitches in life, and you may find yourself on an interesting and rewarding new path. If you don’t find happiness for yourself, try to give a dose to someone else. That will also put you in the success category.
DAY
337
“Not what we have but what we enjoy constitutes our abundance.”
— Epicurus
Everyone has the right to live an abundant life. The primary purpose of this book is to guide you toward living abundantly and achieving your dreams. How are you progressing? Are your dreams coming into view? Has your idea of abundance changed at all since you started reading this book?
The quote above suggests that abundance has nothing to do with possessions. You may be thinking, “Ahhh! Here’s the catch. The book says I will achieve my dreams, but now they’re going to try to tell me that all my dreams should be of the emotional variety, and I don’t need material abundance.”
Don’t worry. There is no catch. You have every right to live an abundant life— emotionally, financially, and any other way that makes your dreams come true. The point of the quote above is to expand your thinking concerning the word “abundance.” It does not have to be limited to possessions. You deserve more than that.
What do you enjoy? Do not look back to any previous pages of your journal to answer that question. Turn to a new page and make a fresh list of the things that make you happy. How do those items coincide with achieving your dreams?
No one is stopping you from living abundantly right now. Do the things you enjoy, and abundance will follow. Help others, and you will be rewarded. Follow your dreams and drop your fears, and you will know happiness.
DAY
338
“Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.”