When you feel alone…

When everything you see is dark and grey…

When you taste the bitterness of defeat…

When you cannot reach out and touch your dreams…

When all hope seems lost…

You can either let this be your breaking point. Or make it your turning point.

What’s it gonna be?

]]> http://www.lyved.com/misc/make-your-breaking-point-your-turning-point/feed/ 0 http://www.lyved.com/misc/the-new-colossus/ http://www.lyved.com/misc/the-new-colossus/#comments Tue, 20 Sep 2011 02:30:19 +0000 Guest writer http://www.lyved.com/?p=4372 Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
“Keep ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she
With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

- Emma Lazarus – Jul 22, 1849 – November 19, 1887

 Image by Mauropm

My life needs fixing?

It is a misconception that lifting ones mood from unhappy to happy requires drastic lifestyle changes. Taking on everything so aggressively at once can be extremely refreshing to begin with, but common causes of failure to achieve goals come from setting unrealistic objectives and losing heart when the initial momentum fades.

An aggressive focus on the future while good in the long run does not provide a surge of satisfaction that comes from engaging life in the present. When life seems stagnant and I need a pick me up; I find the beginnings of greater inspiration come from making a few quick fixes now.

What is a quick fix?

Some might ask ‘What do you mean by quick fix?’ I mean bringing yourself up from a low phase in life by taking some action; a reminder that your potential may be greater than you currently feel it is.

When a bath overflows you would not mop up the water then turn off the tap when finished, the task will be easier if we start with the quick fix of first turning off the tap. Problem solving principles tell us that we can solve more problems under pressure by starting with the smallest tasks and eliminating them from our priorities; start small and take a step up.

These steps are small but noticeable, and simple but practical.

The quick fix is not a 5 year career forecast or ‘Personal Development Plan’, it is you lifting yourself from life’s little (or big) dips by taking small steps in grasping control of your own being and thus getting motivated for bigger tasks.

Why is a quick fix so effective?

“Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs”

– Henry Ford

You are taking immediate and noticeable ownership of your life, gratification comes from the satisfaction of knowing something is complete or the excitement of knowing bigger things may lie ahead. All change requires drive and this momentum needs a starting point no matter how unrelated it may first seem. Sparking a positive attitude will give you the confidence you need, and then the rest will come gradually.

Finding a quick fix in life

What follows are a few of my own personal experiences that lift my mood and help bring out the best in me. A reminder again; these actions are simple and they work to get you inspired.

Tidy your personal space

Notice a lot of clutter while working at the computer at home or at work? Take half an hour to tidy up all clutter and fully clean your space, and it feels like working in a whole new space altogether.

This fix also applies to your car your kitchen or any other space you spend time in.

Plan for the day ahead the night before

You have a day off tomorrow? Don’t always play it by ear, scribble down a few things that need sorted tomorrow and keep it as a checklist for controlling your free time. Remember to phone your boss early about that meeting before the meeting, don’t play by ear and forget about it until he’s busy having that other meeting about the meeting.

Make preparations and be ahead of yourself

A good use of free time is to take small steps towards another task in advance, when you’re cooking a big meal in the evening; buy the ingredients and wash your dishes as early as possible. This way you’re facing the task head on by taking the first steps towards completion.

Discuss your goals

Talk over your personal goals with anyone who is willing to listen, let it be a refresher course in the person you want to be. Fortunately for me I work with a very supportive group of colleagues and this gratification comes easy to me. This starts by being open and honest about yourself and if you’re lucky your friends will do the same and this becomes an opportunity to learn more about them.

Research new goals

Make a fresh start on a new hobby or interest. Engaging yourself in something that never interested you before will allow you reflect on your growth as a person. Do something interesting and as random as you like. Join a club, society or even an internet forum for help on getting you started.

Discover a new experience (or re-discover an old one)

Have a good outlook on the unfamiliar and share this enthusiasm with others. Try a new type of restaurant, visit somewhere new for a day out. Enjoy ‘McDonalds’ for lunch? Have fish and chips for a change. Shop in a supermarket? Try the small high street businesses instead.

Reward good work

When something challenging passes by; reward yourself upon its completion, Take time to validate your achievements and start reflecting on life going right. Is a hard week’s work over? Have drinks with friends. Do anything to reflect on a job well done.

Start appreciating (and showing it)

Stop living in your own shell and start appreciating the good work of your friends and your family, your superiors and subordinates. See into the souls of others and get yourself inspired to reflect their behaviours back to them.

Your turn

Now it’s time for you to do something. Feeling like life is passing you by? Take control again fix something that’s bothering you.

Is it something at work? Arrange 15 minutes to talk to your boss about your job, highlight some problems they might not have detected.

Ok done? … Great, now do something again.

Is it your social life? Get the gang together and venture towards something new, start thinking differently about your friends and friendships.

Now share with me your own problems and quick fixes to life. What were they and what did they lead to?

Written by Daniel Burns

Daniel is a 22 year old management hopeful from Northern Ireland. Learns many lessons from great friends and colleagues; but keeps in mind that life is a personal journey. Lead your own way and take great friends with you.

Photo by Dave-F

Those born in the 1980’s and 1990’s are considered part of “Generation Y,” including myself. We have been defined by the media and society as “kidults,” as lazy, as individuals wanting success without any effort, as compassionless, as too sheltered from the real world, and many other negative attributes. When an older individual looks at Generation Y and sees us Tweeting and Facebooking, they can’t help but think of us as less than those of the past.

However, we are not the laziest generation ever that will not amount to as much as those in the past. That is why I’m calling others of my generation to redefine yourself!

How can we do it?

Through the arts.

Writing, music, film, stage, painting, photography, and other forms of art enable individuals to capture the events that impact them and the emotions that are evoked from within. And by doing so, they capture the same impact and emotions of those around their age—whether they’re aware of it or not—helping to define them.

When you look to the past, there have been numerous artists that have been able to capture the events, ideas, thoughts, and emotions of their generations. These artists include:

- Emma Lazarus
- F. Scott Fitzgerald
- Ernest Hemingway
- Langston Hughes
- Arthur Miller
- Dorothea Lange
- Truman Capote
- Thornton Wilder
- Marlon Brando
- Jack Kerouac
- James Baldwin
- James Dean
- Dennis Hopper
- Simon and Garfunkel
- Bob Dylan
- Sam Cooke
- Janis Joplin
- Bruce Springsteen
- Maya Angelou
- Sandra Cisneros

These artists are American, but every country and region have their own artists they can look to, to view a glimpse of what it was like for the artist’s generation.

Even though the media and society have already written Generation Y off, our legacy has yet to be carved out. We can’t yet point to specific young artists and say that they and their creations represent Generation Y and will stand the test of time, giving future generations a time capsule-like look at the past, with complete certainty. So many songs have yet to be sung. So many novels have yet to be written. So many pictures have to be taken. So many paintbrushes have yet to meet a canvas. So many young artists have yet to take the plunge to define their selves and their generation.

It is time for you to challenge yourself, define yourself, and redefine Generation Y!

If you’re a writer, don’t try to write the next vampire novel. If you want to leave a legacy, don’t think you can do it by being a “Jersey Shore” reality star. Don’t worry about making millions. Display that we have passion, compassion, perseverance, dreams, and goals. Do something with more depth and more purpose. You just may be a part the culture’s canon and be added to the history books of the future.

As you may have noticed, I’ve haven’t been posting much lately, but that is because I’m attempting to write a book to help with the redefinition of us. Please join me in this fellow Gen-Yers! I know you artists are out there. Just push yourself a little harder and see what you can create!

Photo by davedehetre

Hoping for the best for everyone in 2011!

-Andrew

Photo by jessica.diamond