Is now a good a time as any to invest in yourself? And if so, here are some thoughts and suggestions on how you might just do this.
Challenging and all as it may be at this time as we deal with the Covid–19 situation, eating the right foods, getting enough rest and relaxation, along with exercising on a regular basis is a great start. This and keeping your mind sharp through reading broadly, journaling and meditating daily if that is something that would work for you (as it does for me) is a great way to invest in yourself.
It is also important to be aware of who you are spending time with, and to invest your effort and energy in people who support you. By being proactive about looking after yourself in all these areas, you will also tend to like yourself more. As opposed to a vicious circle, this becomes a positivity circle. Moreover, as you get caught up in this positivity circle, your own paradigm of yourself – your self-esteem, self-confidence and integrity – will be profoundly affected.
As this is all wrapped up with self-esteem, which is vital to achieving success – success that is true and real for you. Feeling good about yourself starts with having a great relationship with yourself. For the problem is that so many of us just want to be accepted by the people who mean something to us – or to be part of the gang, the in-crowd. The difficulty with this is that we can end up living what others see as success for us. We are often more than happy to go along with that, as it will mean we are accepted, and stay part of the gang and the in-crowd. Yet we will never live to our fullest and reach our truest potential by letting someone else – be they parents, friends, family, neighbours or colleagues – define the meaning of our success.
While many people take action because of social pressures, those that achieve true success often take action despite social pressures. Looking for others’ approval, or not wanting to upset them, can often be the basis for the way in which many people make decisions in their own lives and relationships. If this has been the case for you, it will not be easy to change. Yet therein lies the challenge: to make those decisions and take those actions which will bring you to where you really want to go with your life. If you want to be truly successful, then you may have to be prepared to take actions which might not endear you to those people who matter in your life. Easily said, hard done!
Until next month, take good care of yourself, all the best for now and if you want to follow up on what has been written here and living a life of true and real success for you please check out my book: Conversations in Singapore – available from:
