50 best ways to approach life

Source: Hope Heart Institute

17 February 2008

Self Esteem

  1. You understand that no one is more important than you are, and no one is less important.
  2. You understand that you are unique, and that you have a unique contribution to make to this world.
  3. You realize that there are no mistakes in life, only lessons.
  4. You work daily to improve your skills and self-knowledge. (We call this the Competency Principle)
  5. You take pride in doing your best.
  6. You promote self-confidence in the people with whom you work and live.
  7. You practice what you preach; you walk the talk.

Courage

  1. You adapt to change quickly.
  2. You see problems and challenges, and press on with a smile.
  3. You're able take risks and deal with uncertainty.

Stress Management

  1. You pace yourself (by the hour, by the month, by the year).
  2. You look for ways to remove the unnecessary stressors in your life--at work, at home.
  3. You use your head instead of your back--you think things through and plan ahead in order to conserve your physical energy.
  4. You're able to look at a stack of work and tackle one thing at a time calmly.
  5. You learn from the past, plan for the future and live in the present.
  6. The moment you feel physical or mental distress, you take action to relieve it, so that small stresses--molehills---don't become mountains.
  7. You see finish lines rather than deadlines.
  8. You understand that life is 10% what happens to us and 90% how we react to it.
  9. You are able to live in peace with the things you cannot change; you have the courage to change the things you can change; and you have the wisdom to know the difference.

Creativity

  1. You nurture your sense of humor ("No humor, no creativity; know humor, know creativity").
  2. You use your imagination to come up with new possibilities.
  3. You say, "What if....? instead of, "Yes, but..."
  4. You combine intuition, experience, insight, and analytical thinking.
  5. You find ways to make work fun.
  6. You take life seriously, but yourself not at all.

Effectiveness

  1. You are positive---you look for good in everyone.
  2. You are a professional--you strive for excellence.
  3. You are proactive--you don't wait for a crisis to occur.
  4. You are progressive--you aim to surpass your past accomplishments.
  5. You are productive--you get the right job, done right.
  6. You are profitable--you create quality products and services that help others.

Health

  1. You make good moment by moment choices concerning your well-being.
  2. You balance work and family life.
  3. You arrive at work with your batteries fully charged.
  4. You give equal attention to the health of your body, mind, and soul.
  5. You seek professional advice or counseling if and when needed.

Motivation

  1. You tap inner reserves so you're able to keep up your morale when everyone else is losing theirs.
  2. You have initiative and are able to operate with little or no supervision.
  3. You accept responsibility for your actions.
  4. You see your life's mission as that of helping and loving others.

Communication and Quality Relationships

  1. You are able to express your ideas and your needs clearly and concisely.
  2. You ask questions and actively listen.
  3. You have two ears and one mouth and you remember to listen twice as much as you talk.
  4. You are sensitive to the needs and feelings of co-workers, clients, family, and friends.
  5. You relate well to people with different abilities and personalities.
  6. You mind your own business.
  7. You are forgiving and compassionate.
  8. You accept contradiction and correction cheerfully.
  9. You are able to compromise and yield in discussion.
  10. You are patient, kind, courteous, and considerate.

Questions to Ponder

  1. Which of the 50 "best ways to approach life" do I do well?
  2. Which of the 50 "best ways to approach life" do I need to improve?
  3. Are there other "best ways to approach life" that I should add to the list?