It’s easy to feel amazing every day. But it takes effort.
For me, I’ve relied on these lifesaving tools – the things I need when life feels impossible.
And so you’re aware, this post is going to be a bunch of quotes and wisdom from old men. If you don’t like catch-phrases and metaphors, move along.
But if you’d like some words of encouragement, then proceed.
Feel Amazing – I’m Miserable
Lots of times I feel miserable. Life just isn’t going right, or the way I expect, and it sucks. It’s like a horrible cloud follows me everywhere and my life just feel disappointing. Like I’m a failure. And a horrible person. And I should just quit everything and crawl back into bed. (Because sleeping, and avoiding issues, is clearly the appropriate adult response…)
Yet, when I’m in these dark moments, I have clarity. I’m able to recognize what’s going on and that I don’t have to feel that way. I remember better times, of feeling good, and being optimistic (like even a month ago).
I begin to realize my thoughts have internalized themselves and all I think about is myself. I don’t do this on purpose, but it’s an easy trap to fall in. It’s like, “I don’t feel good, I’m miserable, I want to do something else.”
And it’s doubly hard when it’s the holidays and New Year’s rolls around. Everyone is throwing parties and acting all excited. Everyone’s motivated with brand new plans and resolutions. It’s all about me, me, me – what I want and what I need.
But then wait! I realize I’m miserable and have been for a month. I realize I’ve been thinking about worldly things and nothing else.
So I literally say to myself, “I’m miserable. Let’s break the cycle.”
Feel Amazing – The Word
A wise old man once asked me, “If you’re miserable: Have you been in the Word (the Bible) or helped anyone recently?”
Geez. That strikes like a searing iron through a black heart.
It’s painful to hear when you’re in a gloomy state. Actually, it’s the last thing you want to hear – that it’s your own fault you suck at life. But believe me, it’s a lifesaver, and the only thing that will bring you out of the pain.
I realize it’s true. I realize my morning routines have faltered. I haven’t been in the Word. And I literally haven’t helped anyone else, well, since never.
Helping people is hard. Reading the Word is hard. It all takes sacrifice and effort.
(It’s just easier to do nothing, and feel pity for myself.)
Feel Amazing – Hard Thing
Another old man said, “Do the hard thing.”
That’s obvious advice, but it’s hard to follow. Sometimes it’s hard to figure out the “thing.”
As a financial advisor, I felt miserable a lot. It’s a hard job and you’re pulled in a million directions. It’s hard to figure out what your job actually is.
But after two years (of pain), I finally figured it out: I needed to schedule three appointments every day. That was it. That was my “thing.”
I had been taught that since day one, but until you’re living in the hurt, you don’t appreciate the advice.
If I accomplished that feat, everything would fall into place and life would be easy. If I didn’t, life would suck, and it would suck a lot.
Feel Amazing – Mark Twain
It seems easy to say, but it’s hard to do.
Mark Twain said, “If it’s your job to eat a bullfrog, it’s best to do it first thing in the morning.” (or something similar)
You have to figure out what your bullfrog is, that one thing if you accomplish you’ll feel amazing. But if you avoid it and don’t eat it, you’ll feel gloomy and miserable all day.
As a financial advisor, I remember getting my “thing” done first thing in the morning. Before I read emails or checked the sport scores, I’d gear up and get the task accomplished. It was my soul focus and thing I needed to do. Nothing else mattered.
After I finished, I could do whatever I wanted with my day. Sure, there’d be real work to do, and results from the activity, but if it was a Friday and I wanted to go skiing that afternoon, I would, and I would feel great because I had accomplished my goal.
Feel Amazing – Your Turn
You can find your “thing” too. And you probably don’t have to look very far.
You know exactly what it is. It’s that thing that’s welling inside you and causing a lot of pain.
Admit what it is. Rip it like a band-aid. Start committing to your thing and getting it done every day.
Maybe it’s hard, but who cares. If it’s something that’s important to you, it probably is difficult. It probably takes some sacrifice and extra effort. Maybe it means a new routine. Maybe it means less sleep.
But once you get it done, you’ll feel so much better – and then you can go skiing.
Then tomorrow, you can do it all over again. And feel amazing every time.
