Without discipline and just leaning into the idea of "this is just who I am" or "this is my nature", we would all still be pooping our pants... Some of the things discipline requires: -delaying gratification -acceptance of responsibility -dedication to truth -balancing

We all like to see the rainbow but nobody likes the rain that comes with it. But most things worth having come with some version of inconvenience. There is effort, discomfort, giving something up, or doing things before they feel easy. If you want the rainbow, the rain will be there. And you don’t wait for perfect conditions. You get decent boots, a coat and you get out. Because if you wait until everything feels comfortable, the rainbow is gone. What kind of rain are you avoiding right now?

I've been thinking about other people's lives a lot this past week--especially as we encounter the holiday season. Sonder is the realization that every person you pass has a life as complex and vivid as your own. The 'main character' of their own stories but also the 'side characters' of many more. Strangers in a strange land. Each person is carrying unseen stories, responsibilities,grief, joys,hopes, disappointments... Perspective taking is the skill of holding that awareness without losing yourself. It does not mean excusing behavior but it does mean understanding context. When we practice sonder, we soften assumptions and we interrupt our reactivity and postpone our judgments. We make room for curiosity. This shift can change how we interpret conflict, misunderstandings, and silence. It can change a moment from aggression/reaction to something more peaceful. It can help us step outside of ourselves. Question to ponder: What might shift if you paused to consider that someone else’s behavior is shaped by a story you cannot see? Poll: How do you manage interpersonal challenges?

"People are unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered. LOVE THEM ANYWAY. If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. DO GOOD ANYWAY. If you are successful, you win false friends and true enemies. SUCCEED ANYWAY. The good you do will be forgotten tomorrow. DO GOOD ANYWAY. Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. BE HONEST AND FRANK ANYWAY. Big people with even bigger ideas will be shot down by small people with even smaller minds. THINK BIG ANYWAY. People favor underdogs, but follow only top dogs. BE THE UNDERDOG ANYWAY. What you spent years building may be destroyed overnight. BUILD ANYWAY. People really need help but may attack you if you help them. HELP THEM ANYWAY. Give the world the best you have and you’ll get kicked in the teeth. GIVE THE WORLD THE BEST YOU’VE GOT ANYWAY." -Mother Teresa There is no better way to honor life than to strive to become the best verrsionof yourrself. ACTION: What's one action step that you can take "anyway". Here are some ideas: - Offer compassion without correcting, fixing, or proving a point. - Help anonymously so your ego gets nothing out of it. - Do the right thing even when it costs you convenience or status. - Take a visible step toward something you’re afraid to be judged for. - Say the truth without cushioning it to be liked. - Admit what you want instead of pretending you don’t care. - Acknowledge your fear instead of disguising it as logic. - Share an idea before it’s “ready.” - Invest time in a vision that scares you a little. - Speak up in a room where you feel smaller than everyone else. - Bet on yourself when no one else is. - Restart something you quit because it got hard or messy. - Offer support without demanding gratitude. - Stay kind to someone who pushes back or resists help. - Serve without trying to control the outcome. - Do excellent work even if it might go unnoticed. - Lead with integrity when cynicism would be easier. POLL:Which mindset do you most often default to?

@Benjamin Ross wrote this thoughtful post here : what-drives-us-not-another-new-years-post Take some time to think about the factors that motivate you towards action in your daily life. What are they? How is your approach effective long/short term.