Tolerance & Love

In light of recent events, I think it’s important to remember the value of tolerance & love.  Every single person that has ever lived is different.  There are of course people with similar interests but ultimately we are all very much individually different.  With that in mind, we have to find a way to peacefully cohabitate on this planet.  The earth is just a big rock, some think it’s flat and others think it’s round.  At some point, imaginary lines or boundaries were drawn to separate people.  Within those imaginary line sections, people added value to the inhabitants of some sections and removed value from others.  Should there be a zombie apocalypse there will be no distinctions made by the zombies, they will eat all of us the same.  I’m sure the only difference in taste will be a result of the individual's diet and not their skin color, zip code, the language they speak, the religion they practice or their sexual preference.  Just because you disagree with something doesn’t mean you are right, it never has and it never will.  We are all in a similar struggle to make sense of life and its purpose, continuing to use our differences to self-inflate should not be the answer.  Self-love is the first and most important step for all of us to gain a level of tolerance that will end what we see on a daily basis.  The internet sess pool is slowly but surely creeping into reality as more and more people are allowing the virtual confusion to impact their real life actions.  When you love yourself enough, the differences in others doesn’t affect you so negatively.  You achieve a sense of self that makes tolerance very easy.  When you love yourself enough it also makes it very easy to love others even if they don’t share your same beliefs and preferences.  Love is positive energy, when you apply it to yourself you make it very easy to apply to others.  Anything positive is worth your time and your energy and those are your two most valuable assets.  Nothing positive can be accomplished through negativity. 

Love yourself as much as you possibly can.  Feed your mind a good diet.  Feed your body a good diet.  Feed your spirit a good diet.  Spend as much time as you can doing the things that make you happy with the people that you love.  The more your day is filled with these things the less time you have for the things that don’t appear on this list.  When you encounter someone who is different from you engage them in a way that is positive and productive.  Be the good person you are, don’t worry about how others will perceive you especially since they are the one traveling in negative space wasting their time and energy.  Be their positive example to follow, if you want the world to be a better place it starts with you.  

Perseverance

Definition of perseverance

:  continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties, failure, or opposition:  the action or condition or an instance of persevering

There really is no substitute for perseverance.  If you have a goal, it will require the definition above to be successful unless it is something you can already achieve without much effort and then it shouldn’t be a goal.  There are so many traps and roadblocks in front of you when you set out to accomplish something of substance.  People you care about will tell you that you should focus on being like everyone else.  They will tell you how dumb your goal is and why it won’t work.  They will literally take the time and devote the thought resources to map out your failure and then deliver it to you under the pretense of helping you.  If you reject their map they will commit even more resources to strengthen their argument.  This will increase your level of frustration and make the job a little tougher for you but you cannot let someone influence you with their fear of failure.  Surround yourself with positivity as best you can and don’t lose focus.  It will be tough sometimes because you will have doubts as you navigate through the rough patches and the voices you hear will be from the people you care about telling you to stop and not do it.  Their fear of failure will be resonating through your mind and it’s a natural thing, we’re all human.  What you cannot do is let it consume you.  You cannot let it guide you.  You cannot let it prevent you from achieving your goal.  As long as you prepare, do your absolute best and follow through you will get the best possible outcome and that is the real goal.  Others will try and define your success using their rules, but you will have your own and that is the one that truly matters.  Block out the noise as best you can, focus on your plan, work toward your goals and push through all the road blocks.  Know that if it was going to be easy it would never be a goal in the first place and with the right attitude, plan, and grit you can achieve just about anything.  Start the business, get the degree/certification, drop the weight, do whatever it is that you have been considering.  It will be worth it and you will be so happy you did.  There are going to be people who will support you despite the naysayers and that will give you the boost you will need to get through the trying times.  They will help you refocus and recalibrate when you need it.  That person you see in your daydreams accomplishing all of those great things, that is you.  The person you are overcoming everything in your dreams at night, that is you.  Give yourself the opportunity to be great and you will be surprised how much you accomplish.    

Layoff Survival 101

Getting laid off can be a very traumatic experience, especially for the first time.  If you find yourself in these circumstances here are some tips to help you successfully navigate through this time in your life.  It’s very important to let it sink in once you are notified.  Give yourself a day or two (at the most) to let the reality set in and then begin to take control of the situation.

Step One: Use Your Health Benefits

Most companies are at least kind enough to do this on the first day of the month, giving you at least 30 days to make as many medical appointments as you can during that time.  It is important to take full advantage of this time.  Make that appointment, even if it’s just for a physical.  Get your prescriptions filled, especially your maintenance drugs if you can.  Buy the glasses, get the teeth cleaned, do any and everything you can in those 30 days before you have to get benefits on your own should you still be unemployed after the 30 days are over. 

Step Two: Secure Your Finances

Apply for unemployment benefits immediately.  If your HR department is worth a penny they will provide you with everything you need to expedite the process but you can do everything online.  Decide what you want to do about your 401K.  You should receive paperwork from HR on how to move it, cash it out or keep it so explore the options and do what’s best for you.  Now that you have time, this is a good opportunity to make sure all of your personal filing and accounting is in order.

Step Three: Exercise Your Mind

Use this time to take a class.  You will be so happy that you used the time productively and it’s an opportunity to add more skills to your tool belt.  If you can’t afford to pay for one there are resources available that you can take advantage of for free.  Whether it’s in a class, online or in a book, the point is to stay sharp and be productive!

Step Four: Exercise Your Body

Now you have absolutely no excuse.  None.  Get up and get out.  Take a run or a walk but do something to get you moving.  Besides making you feel better it will be a good habit you can carry into your new routine once you find a new job.

Step Five: Apply for Jobs

Obviously but the key is to be strategic.  Limit yourself to five applications per day and here’s why.  Most applications that aren’t quick apply take a good 30-45 minutes to fill out completely and that is exactly what you should do: fill them out completely.  This will also prevent you from getting burned out, which can lead to frustration and depression so make sure you pace yourself and fill out each application fully and to the best of your ability.

Make sure you find things to fill your day.  You can make a list of things the night before of the things you want to accomplish and even set calendar appointments to make sure you are getting everything done that you need.  The most important thing is to give yourself something to do besides look for work.  It can be incredibly frustrating because finding a job does take time, and if that is all you are focused on it will begin to grind on you.  By pacing yourself you are putting your best effort into the job applications and that is extremely important.