12 Things you should never tolerate

From pickthebrain.com 

1. Unhappiness at work.

You spend nearly half of your life at your job. If you are unhappy, do you really want to give away that much of your life? Think of the impact it has on your emotional well-being, your health, and your relationships. Think of the opportunities missed for doing something that you love, that is fulfilling. Don’t settle for living this way forever. Find a job that you love. Get more education if necessary. At the least, make changes within your current job to lessen your unhappiness.

2. A Long Commute.

A long commute to work by car or public transportation is stressful and empty. Hours in a vehicle adds up to days, months, years wasted in traveling when you could be doing and living. Find a job closer to home, or move closer to your job. Whatever your reason is for this commute, is it really worth the lost time?

3. An Unhealthy Lifestyle.

Are you overweight? Do you smoke? Are you sedentary? Do you eat junk? Do you abuse alcohol or other substances? An unhealthy lifestyle leads to an unhappy life. If you feel bad and look bad, you can’t enjoy life. This is your one and only life, and your body is your sacred garment. Take care of it now.

4. Draining Relationships.

If there are people in your life who are abusive, demeaning, angry, hurtful, not supportive, unethical, or crazy, it is time to let them go. You may have your reasons for hanging on, but do these reasons really outweigh the negative impact they have on your life? At the very least, find ways to cut back on interactions with these people.

5. A Disordered Living Space.

How you live is a reflection of who you are. You don’t need to live in a mansion with lots of stuff, but your living space should reflect the joy, order, and peace you want in your life. It should be clean, orderly, and have some expressions of beauty and warmth. It should feel welcoming to you and to guests in your home.

6. Negativity.

It is around us all the time, invading our minds like termites. We hear and see negative ideas and images on the news. Our friends and associates share their negative stories or reactions to life events. We hear negative lyrics in songs or watch violence and abuse in movies or on TV. Before we know it, we feel negative and depressed about our lives. Turn it off. Walk away. Stop listening. Instead watch, read, and listen to uplifting and positive ideas and information.

7. Too Much Stuff.

Over the years, we accumulate. We like to buy things. We like to have things. But these things require our time, energy, money, and effort. They lose their shine and we lose our interest. They become a burden — something we have to dust rather than enjoy. Get rid of this stuff and free up time and energy in your life.

8. Financial Problems.

The stress and emotional pain caused by financial problems steals your joy and peace in life. Whatever you are doing now or did in the past to cause the problem, do something about it now. Yes, some financial difficulties are unavoidable, but do whatever you can to lessen the stress, even if it means delivering pizzas for a while. If you are over-spending, stop. Sell some things. Very few “things” are worth the stress of money worries.

9. Living Out of Your Integrity.

Are you living in alignment with your values? Are you being true to yourself? Do you need to apologize for something or ask for forgiveness? When you are living outside of your integrity, it causes a disruption in your soul and your psyche. It drains your energy, fosters guilt, and saps your self-esteem. Get right with yourself and with others.

10. Living Without Fun.

If you life is all duty and work (even if the work is enjoyable), you are living out-of-balance.Fun and relaxation are necessary ingredients for a full and joyful life. By removing some of the other stresses from your life, you can make room for pleasurable activities, travel, and entertainment. The world is your beautiful oyster meant to be enjoyed.

11. Accepting Ignorance and Inertia.

We use both of these as excuses not to do something. We talk ourselves into our own inability to accomplish or change because we are afraid. We are afraid it will be hard, we are afraid we might fail, we are afraid it won’t work. You and everyone else knows these are just excuses to avoid. Don’t accept them anymore. Stretch yourself.

12. Lack of Communication.

In every single relationship you have, especially your primary relationship, healthy communication is essential to your life happiness. We you aren’t communicating properly with someone, you feel anxious, angry, frustrated, and helpless. Open, honest, loving communication is the number one ingredient for successful relationships. If you don’t know how to communicate in a healthy way, then learn how to and begin to implement these skills.

Plans for the basement: A Book Nook! :)

Book Critique: Who Moved My Cheese?

Johnson, Spencer. Who Moved My Cheese?  New York: G.P. Putnum’s Sons, 1999.

Summary

            Johnson’s short story, Who Moved My Cheese is a simple, yet effective metaphor for modern society and the work force.  In his story he uses simple characters of two mice (Sniff and Scurry), and two “little people” (Hem and Haw), to represent the various personalities we all possess. Some of us may identify more closely with one character than the others, but one common characteristic is that we all possess a want or desire in life: our cheese.  In the story, all four characters search through the maze and find their cheese and are happy with it.  Then, as conditions change the cheese disappears, causing the characters to react in different ways.  Sniff and Scurry instantly adapt, search for new cheese, and find it in another part of the maze.  Sniff and Scurry represent the fearful, overanalyzing characters who resist change and demand that the conditions return to “normal.”  As Hem and Haw remain in the current location, Haw slowly begins to “see the Writings on the Wall” and slowly adapts and overcomes his fear.  Hem, on the other hand, remains fearful and resistant to change.  In the end, Haw learns that change needs to be anticipated and even expected; that we must overcome our fear of change; and that we must adapt to change, following our cheese or searching for new cheese.  It is more than a story of finding success, it is a story about finding success in an era of constant change.

Critique

            It’s interesting that Johnson’s Who Moved My Cheese is the last reading I complete for this class, the shortest reading I completed, and the most beneficial.  My three previous readings were somewhat helpful, but really did not hit home.  This story, which only took around an hour to read, could not have come at a more appropriate time in my life.  The characters of the story fit so perfectly with the various personalities in society.  I think to all the changes occurring currently in education, especially in my own school, and I can clearly identify the “Hems, the Haws, and the Sniff and Scurrys”.  This past week at a critical faculty meeting, I heard the Hems yelling at our principal when she explained enormous changes that are to come at our school.  The words I heard from these people were, “What about my benefits?” and “That’s not what I am entitled to!” phrases identical to those used by Hem in the story.  It was fascinating.  As the story progressed I clearly began to identify myself with Haw, resistant to change at first, but who slowly read the writings on the wall, leading him to new cheese.  Although, Haw was not vigilant of change that was occurring to cheese, I have been aware of changes occurring in our field.  I consider myself well anticipated for the changes that are unfolding, yet I do possess some of that same fear as Haw. I see that my cheese may be moved, but I have been scared to look at other schools, comfortable with where I am.  I see other jobs opening up, but I choose not to look in case my cheese doesn’t move.  But just as Johnson suggests, I need to “smell my cheese often so I know when it is getting old” and remain vigilant, keeping my options open.  This small story has helped me realize that in a field such as education, my cheese will CONSTANTLY be moved, and I must therefore never consider myself “comfortable.”  I am going to recommend this book to our entire faculty in hopes that some of the Hems and Haws at my school will embrace the change and “keep moving with the cheese.”