How to Quite Life & Start Living

Do you ever feel like life is spinning out of control? That the harder you try to get ahead the more you just barely get by? If so, maybe it's time for you to think about quitting life -- that elusive thing that we chase after and strive for -- and, instead, start living.

It can be a difficult distinction to understand, I know, but making the distinction can make all the difference in the world. So if you're tired of suffering through and truly want to live, here are 10 tips to get you started!

1. Recognize that life is what you get when you're born...
...Living is what you do with it!
You can sit back and wait for life to happen to you or you can make it happen yourself. As Maya Angelou once said, "Life likes to be taken by the lapel and told, "I'm with you kid. Let's go!"

2. Define life... It leads to the fine life.
Life is not a slogan, no matter what Nike, McDonald's, ABC, NBC, or any other media giant might have you believe. While those "Life is..." t-shirts are often witty, the philosophy they propose, like the shirt itself, are rarely "one size fits all." Define life and living on your own terms and you've a better chance of getting both.

3. Make up your own rules.
Many people believe that "life is a game." Maybe so, but most games have rules and clear cut definitions of winning and losing. We didn't get rule books when we were born and that leaves us free to make up our own rules about life, living, losing, and winning.

4. Take charge of your life.
Once you've made up your rules you can start taking charge of your life. And when you take charge of your life, as Geoffrey Abert said, "...there is no longer need to ask permission of other people or society at large. When you ask permission, you give someone veto power over your life."
Examine every aspect of your life, decide what needs changing... and make those changes! Look at everything, your health, your happiness, your finances. --Don't leave anything out. Now is the perfect time to examine all of it and look for ways to improve on all fronts. (One of the easiest ways to do this, financially, is by maintaining adequate protection of your financial future. Now you can get a free referral service which makes it a lot easier to find the best life insurance for you and your family.)
 
5. Little things mean a lot.
No matter how we live, life throws a lot of little negative things in our way that must be dealt with or else they will greatly diminish how we enjoy our days. Stephen Vincent Benet said it best: "Life is not lost by dying; life is lost minute by minute, day by dragging day, in all the thousand small uncaring ways."

6. Employ the power of positive quitting.
Most of us view quitting as a NEGATIVE thing to do, but it's not. "Winners NEVER quit," we're told. In reality, winners quit all the time by choosing to STOP doing things that aren't creating the results they desire.

7. Create your personal quit list.
Examine your life closely and you'll find all sorts of things you do and/or tolerate that hold you back, slow you down, or effect you negatively in some other way. Decide which ones you really want to be rid of and write them down.

8. On your mark, get set, QUIT!

Now start quitting the things you listed. Doing so will immediately create a positive "charge" in your life as you rid yourself of these negatives and create the room in your life for new, more positive experiences.
9. Charge into your future!

As you recreate this positive force in your life, take big, massive leaps into your future. Be imaginative, bold, and brave! The results may surprise you.

10. Use everything.
You are blessed with a particular set of skills and talents that NO ONE else has. Use every skill and talent to live your life as joyfully and abundantly as possible. Leave this life as Erma Bombeck wished to: "When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left and could say, 'I used everything you gave me.'

Change Your Attitude Today!

Sure, it's easy to say, "Change your attitude and you'll change your life," but how do you do that if you don't know what to do? After all, if changing one's attitude was easy why don't more people do it? Especially if it means they could be happier, more joyful, and much more successful?

Honestly, I don't know. What I do know, however, is that changing one's attitude doesn't need to be difficult and, in fact, can be quite easy. . . . All you need is to consistently employ a few simple techniques and you'll be on your way. So, to get you started, here are my 10 tips to get you started on improving your attitude. Good luck!

1. Think like you want to be

It's tough to be happy, joyful, successful, etc. if you don't think that you are a happy, joyful, and successful person. Think it first, then do it!

2. Smile

There's no arguing with this one -- research has shown the smiling has both psychological and physiological effects. So, put a smile on your face and you'll be on your way to a change in attitude!

3. Immerse yourself

Read books, articles, magazines that help you understand and adopt the new attitude. Watch films or listen to music that inspires you and encourages you to change.

4. Change your actions

It's hard to change your attitude if you keep doing the same old stuff the same old way. Do things differently to start thinking differently.

5. Change your environment

Make your environment reflect the attitude you wish to have. Create the physical spaced that makes you eager to change.

6. Follow the leader

Find someone who already has the attitude you wish to have. Follow their lead, learn from their example.

7. Help others (and help yourself)

One of the fastest ways to change your attitude is to take the focus off yourself and to help others in need.

8. Get a little help from your friends

Let everyone know what you're doing and enlist their support to help you change and give you ideas. The more you feel like you're part of a group effort, the more likely you are to be successful.

9. Get a pro

If the change you desire to make is a big one or is extremely radical, consider getting the help of a mentor, counselor, or coach. These professionals can reduce the time & frustration involved as well as provide you with many new ideas to help you grow.

10. Be patient

Recognize that most changes occur slowly, over an extended period of time. If you don't get immediate results, don't be surprised and DON'T QUIT! Keep working, it'll come. by Jim M. Allen

7 Steps to Living at the Speed of Life

Everywhere you turn today, people are in a constant rush: Hurry here! Hurry there! Free up an extra half-hour and you just might be able to squeeze one more task into your already overflowing schedule of things to do.

Unfortunately, too many of us these days mistake living fast for living well. They aren't the same things. Rather than spend your time rushing around not enjoying life, make the decision to do just the opposite. Choose to slow down.

Below I've listed 7 steps that will help you get started "gearing down" to a calmer, more enjoyable pace: your own, personal, speed of life.

1. Stop rushing

No matter how much you do or don't do, time passes by at a steady rate. Second by second, minute by minute. You can't change that. So accept it and pace yourself.

2. Stop being rushed

Of course, you'll need to spend some time telling the people around you that you're not going to rush anymore, but it's worth it. Take a stand: don't let others force you into fast forward mode.

3. Do less

It's natural for you to start rushing about when your list of activities is jam-packed. If you really want to slow down, reduce your commitments --it's okay to say "No" when people ask for your help and/or participation-- and free up some "spare" time.

4. Do nothing

Better yet, take #3 even further. Do less than less.... do nothing! Plan "nothing days". These are days when you have absolutely nothing that must be done -- days when anything you choose to do is the right thing to do.

5. Do one thing at a time

If you can't bring yourself to doing less (or nothing), then slow down by simply doing one thing at a time. You'll focus more on each task you do (and you'll probably complete it faster, too).

6. Do things now

Not everything, just the stuff that really must be done today. Pay your bills when they arrive, not the day they're due. Take out the trash when the trash is full, not just on the day the garbage truck comes by.

7. Do something for someone else

Spend an hour each week helping your favorite charity . You'll quickly see how valuable time really is and you'll feel great by focusing on helping others. by Jim M. Allen