Developing a Better You

Tag: personal growth (Page 12 of 67)

5 Life Lessons I Learned From My Granddog

His name is Leonard.

He’s an adorable black Bernedoodle, half Bernese Mountain Dog, half Poodle, the latest addition to my daughter and son-in-law’s growing menagerie. At only four months old, Leonard is already thirty-five pounds, and he’s all puppy—nipping, playing, napping, and eating everything in sight. We love him.

While spending time with Leonard, I’ve noticed he embodies certain traits that I want more of in my own life:

1. Be curious

For Leonard, everything is new and fascinating. I’m trying to remember how the world looked when I was young and to see things through the eyes of my inner child (or in this case, my inner puppy). I’m working on rediscovering the wonder in the wonderfully ordinary. Exploring. Asking questions. Trying new things. It makes life, and me, more interesting.

Leonard discovering a moth

2. Express affection

Leonard is not lacking in this department, sharing his snuggles and kisses generously. What does that look like for me? If I care about someone, I should show it. If I like them, I should let them know. I want to worry less about what people might think of me and more about making sure they know they’re special. Tail wagging is optional.

3. Take naps

Leonard is a champion napper. I’ve started trying it when I’m weary. My attitude and energy level are better for it. And the people around me benefit from me being less cranky and more fun. 

Leonard showing patience with his “big brother” Otis

4. Be patient

Though he’s three times the size, Leonard never reacts to his big brother Otis’s snarls and snaps, while Otis adjusts to not getting all the attention. Without understanding what Otis is going through, I could make a wrong judgement about his temperament. People are the same. Most of them are facing battles I don’t know about. When they’re prickly, I try to be as patient with them as I’d want them to be with me when I’m not at my best.

5. Be yourself

Awkward. Shy. Playful. Silly. Leonard is all these things. He has no pretense and wears no masks, taking everyone at face value and assuming they’ll do the same with him. The lesson is clear—whoever I am, I should be that.

A squinty sunrise shot of me with Leonard

Which of these puppy traits do you already embody? Which could use some attention? Be curious. Express affection. Take naps. Be patient. Be yourself. If you do, you’ll live a deeper, more enjoyable life, and you’ll take another step toward Becoming Yourself.

The Price of Following a Dream

This might be a really bad idea.

For years, my wife and I have toyed with the notion of becoming nomads. We both love to travel, and as authors, we can work remotely. Our two kids are married and thriving. Other than our friends, our stuff, and our condo, there’s not much tying us to one place.

What if we ditched the mortgage, sold everything, and hit the road?Traveled the country and the world, living in AirBnbs, hotels, with friends and family, writing as we go? Free to live virtually anywhere at anytime—what would that be like?

It’s been an intriguing idea, but the timing never felt right. That’s what we told ourselves anyway. In reality, I lacked the courage.

Until now. 

Lisa and I have each lost a parent in the last eighteen months, which drove home the reality that life is short and the future is not guaranteed. And being in our mid fifties, we’ve lived long enough to learn that deferred dreams have a way of never coming to pass.

So we’re not going to delay any longer. A few months ago, we sold rental house #1. We’re in the process of selling rental house #2. We put our primary residence condo on the market last week, expecting to wait several months for a decent offer. It sold in two days.

Now we’re scrambling. We already took a significant step toward minimalism a number of years ago when we downsized from an oversized, overstuffed house in the suburbs to a one thousand square foot condo. Now we’re going even further. We’re trading in our 2007 two door sedan for a new SUV. Other than some boxes of important documents, treasured memorabilia, and favorite books in a closet at our daughter’s place, everything we own has to fit in our new home on wheels.

While this dream comes with a lot of freedom, flexibility, new experiences, and low fixed expenses, there are some strong downsides—giving up a place we can call our own, set up just the way we like it, that we can return to anytime. The grind of travel. Time away from friends.

Will we love this new life? Hate it? Burn out in six months and choose to buy or rent a full-time home base again? I have no idea. But I find I’m incredibly excited. And proud of us for taking this step into the unknown. Whatever the outcome, we’ll make some great memories and wont have to live with “what if?”

How about you? Do you have a costly dream? Something that would make the people around you scratch their heads? Maybe it’s giving up a lucrative career for an “impractical” one that makes you come alive. Or turning down a relationship that’s perfect-on-paper for someone who simply makes you happy. Or giving up TV and nights out to write that novel that you’ve been mulling for years. Think it through. Plan well. Choose your moment. Breathe deep. Then jump. At worst, you’ll fail while living boldly. At best, you’ll discover previously unknown heights of joy and fulfillment. Either way, you’ll take a giant leap toward Becoming Yourself.

Recover from Hard Times with the 3 Hs

I struggle to have life lessons stick.

Whenever I have a personal development insight, either taken from someone else’s wisdom or born of my own inner wrangling, I try to make it simple. Easy to remember. Sticky.

During a recent hard time, I came up with the 3 Hs. They are in no way new or novel. Many others have shared the same insights in different ways. This is just my own pneumonic attempt to remember these lessons and benefit from them in the future:

HEALING

I need healing for the wounds in my PAST. Acknowledge what happened. Embrace the pain. Have hard conversations. Forgive myself and others. Share the hurts with appropriate people. Learn from the scars. Let things go.

HELP

I need help with the issues in my PRESENT. These can be things like heath. A place to stay. Guidance. Money. Meaningful work. Managing important relationships. Do for myself what I can. Admit what I can’t. Seek help from family, friends, therapists, professionals, and agencies.

HOPE

I need hope for my FUTURE. Choosing a positive perspective. Believing something good is coming. Finding motivation to engage with life. Having someone to love, something to do, and something to look forward to.

I’ve found these 3 Hs in myself, others, and God. I’ve done a lot of inner work “peeling my own onion.” I’ve opened up to family and close friends, asking for advice and help. I’ve been to therapy. I’ve prayed, trusted, and leaned on God. I regularly engage in physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual personal growth exercises. I am far from perfect and still struggle, but focusing on the 3 Hs has really helped me recover from hard times.

Where do you find the Healing, Help, and Hope? In yourself, in others, in your Higher Power? Try all three. Be honest. Do your inner work. Share appropriately. Be vulnerable. Ask for what your need. Be open to receive it. If you do, you’ll be on your way to recovery, and you’ll take another step toward Becoming Yourself. 

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