Motivational Speakers

Many of my (relatively unemployed) friends and acquaintances have, of late, turned to writing motivational or inspirational material and some (a few, I don't know or care how many or how much) have begun to show a profit for their efforts. Which leads me to this... Are we a generation of people who need constant motivational tools and if so, why?

Having felt a lull in motivation myself lately, I thought I might go back to FlyLady as a way to gain some control, but increasingly I have come to feel like "control" over our lives is completely unrealistic, despite my friend's assertion to the contrary (his point is well taken nevertheless, we are all responsible for our own actions).

Yesterday, I was motivated and I had a great day and I was thinking to my self that one thing I might find valuable would be to make a personal "Ten Commandments" of sorts, not that I don't respect those clay tablet ones from the Bible too, but just as a way of reminding myself what I can do better.

Try doing this yourself, create a list of ten things that you will try to honor as you live your life. They can be big or small but they should be meaningful!

My Ten Commandments

1. Thou shalt live simply. (Do not be obsessed with material things. Do not abuse the vast resources you have been given access to. Do not always choose convenience over sustainability.)

2. Thou shall love thyself. I have been getting better at this, but to really seal the deal I need to not be so hard on myself. I need to remind myself it is okay (good, even) to relish in my accomplishments, enjoying them will help eliminate envy when others shine, which brings me too:

3. Thou shall love others and be happy for their successes. See how #2 has to come before #3? It's the equivalent of securing your oxygen mask before helping others with theirs. Love yourself, so you can open yourself to loving others.

4. Thou shall always seek the answers. Never stop learning. This doesn't mean you will always find the answers, but you are doing well so long as you don't miss an opportunity to discover something about the world or yourself. The goal or culmination of these four items leads to number five...

5. Thou shall always see the beauty in the world. In design or in chaos. In the smallest insect or the largest tree and in people as well as things try to find something that makes that person or thing beautiful and meaningful to you. Savor it, be thankful for it. Like learning you must always be receptive in order to find it.

"Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything that is beautiful, for beauty is God's handwriting -- a wayside sacrament. Welcome it in every fair face, in every fair sky, in every flower, and thank God for it as a cup of blessing." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

6. Thou shall take more chances. I do not regret a single thing I have done in my life. Some were ill-advised, others the result of stubborness and pettiness. What I regret are the things I didn't do. The dreams deferred, the roads lleft untravelled, these are regrettable.

7. Thou shall drink more water. I currently have a Liter of Coke on my desk purchased from the 7-11 around the corner which is over half empty. I will take this bottle and fill it at the water fountain before I leave and drink the entire thing again with smething not manufactured in a bottling plant. For me, my health, my planet.

8. Thou shall work to make the world better. Remember the cardinal rule: No one can do everything, but everyone can do something.

"Everyone can be great because anyone can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't even have to make your subject and your verb agree to serve... You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love..." - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

9. Thou shall refrain from offering your opinion, until you have listened to others. We were given two eyes, two ears and one mouth. Coincidence? I think not.I will try to do a better job of actively listening and less of the unecessary talking. There is too much talking in the world anyway. (Although after a few glasses of wine, all ebts are off!)

10. Thou shall be more supportive. Try to build people up, not tear them down. Remind people of what about them you find valuable, but be truthful in it, they'll know if you don't mean it.

Notice there are no "thou shall nots"? I don't want the negativity they bring, this is about being a positive, life afirming person, not about setting or breaking rules or limits.

Have a glorius day everyone!

*ETA: “I must learn to love the fool in me the one who feels too much, talks too much, takes too many chances, wins sometimes and loses often, lacks self-control, loves and hates, hurts and gets hurt, promises and breaks promises, laughs and cries” - Theodore Isaac Rubin