9 Reality Rules You Need to Know

LIFE IS HARD at times for everyone. And we all make mistakes. Sometimes stuff happens, and it hurts. There are, without a doubt, a lot of things going on around us that can easily take you off-track. It’s easy to get frustrated, cynical, and angry. Reality can be hard to process. But a few grounding rules will help us prosper in spite of it.

Performance strategist John Alston and Emmy Award-winning director-producer Lloyd Thaxton present nine uplifting and inspirational Reality Rules for dealing with trying times in Stuff Happens (and then you fix it!): 9 Reality Rules to Steer Your Life Back in the Right Direction. They offer the rules with stories and a few exercises to help us get the point.

Here, in overview, are the nine rules with the author’s comments:

Rule #1: It’s Not What Happens to You That’s Important, It’s How You Respond

Realize that you can’t change others, but you can and do influence them by how you respond. How do you respond when stuff happens? You say, “Next!” Saying “Next!” is like asking, “Okay, what do I do now, in this instant, to handle this and move on?”

Rule #2: To Win, You Have to Begin

Take that first step. Not feeling like doing the right thing is no excuse for not doing the right thing! Up to now, you’ve operated on the stories you believe in, your own personal little dramas, your own soap operas that you act out every day. If you want to change your life for the better, you have to change your story.

Rule #3: Knowledge is Power

What you don’t know can hurt you. Ignorance has the power to stop, delay, and prevent prosperity and growth. If you are to make the best of the journey, you must know the nature of the challenge. You must know the nature of the reality and what it demands, and the nature of the field and terrain on which you will travel. You must have the facts.

Rule #4: Be Prepared

Some stuff will happen for sure. Not preparing for what you know will come is detrimental to your well-being in the face of reality.

Rule #5: Working Hard at What Doesn’t Work, Doesn’t Work

If it’s not working, it’s time to change. And the first thing you have to change is yourself. If stuff keeps happening to you, it’s time to analyze what you keep doing that isn’t working. Although things occur that may not be your fault, your response when stuff happens should be to accept some responsibility and make changes in yourself.

Rule #6: To Change Your Life, Change Your Mind

Feelings never tell us what to do. They are only messengers that tell us that something needs attention. Most people who react negatively to angry feelings are people who have simply never learned how to positively cope when stuff happens. Your attitude3 is the ultimate weapon in the battle for strengthening relationships and gaining that competitive edge, and getting back on track.

Rule #7: Gratitude Is the Most Powerful Attitude

Say “thank you” when you wake up in the morning. Life is a gift. Don’t trash it.

Rule #8: Make It 100 Percent Okay to Accept Criticism

Most people love to learn, but they hate to be taught. You see, teaching includes criticism, and most people can’t stand to be criticized. How about you? Criticism doesn’t mean that the critic is right. However, just take the time to listen and consider, “Hey, maybe I can make a little adjustment here, a little tuck there. Maybe I can set some higher goals for myself.” Test it. We need the criticism.

Rule #9: The Power to Choose Is Within

A part of making it all work is acknowledging that there are rules and principles that, when followed, make a positive difference in how we manage stuff. Some people get more than their share of bad stuff because they just don’t get it. They make the wrong choices, and stuff happens.

Consider these five compass points when making choices:

• Life is a gift. Don’t trash it. Count your blessings.
• Of all the gifts you possess, the greatest gift is all is your mind. Don’t waste it. Put it to work.
• Develop your talents and give them back to the world.
• Be the most decent person you can be. (The admonition “If you can’t say something good about a person, don’t say anything!” is a principle worth observing. Applying this principle keeps a lot of unnecessary stuff from happening.)
• Remember, in this particular game, there is no guarantee on time.

In the end, the authors remind us, “Some get it. Some don’t. Some will. Some won’t. Those that do, do. Those that don’t, don’t. And that’s what it’s all about.”

* * *
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter for additional leadership and personal development ideas.

* * *

 

Posted by Michael McKinney at 05:59 AM
Permalink | Comments (0) | This post is about Personal Development