As everyone starts to wrap up their affairs, finish off at work and start to unwind for a well earned Christmas break, it is not unusual for people to also start thinking about the measure of their success for the year. Just before we all pop the champagne for New Year's, we often find that the period between Christmas and January 1st offers us a moment of introspection to stop and consider how much we have achieved, what we did well and what we wished we had done differently.
Sometimes this pondering begins to happen when we open up our Christmas work bonuses (or lack thereof), or when we clock out of work for the last time in that year or when we get together with family and friends and hear all about their achievements, losses and wins throughout the year over the festive season. However it occurs, it generally happens around this time of the year. And wherever we recognise the deficit in our current lives at that point can be indicative of what we will tether out resolutions to for the coming new year.
The reason that I am even thinking about this is because of a poster that I saw yesterday. At the top of the poster in big lettering it said: HOW TO SUCCEED IN LIFE. Naturally, I stopped to read that poster that was hanging in the window, because let's be honest, who doesn't want a very clear road map of how to succeed in life? Was I actually expecting to find the answers to life on a poster hanging in a shop window? Nope, of course not. At best I was hoping to get a giggle or maybe a snort out of it, I mean, as if a poster with gigantic ugly lettering was going to have anything useful to tell me!
And this is what it said - I still know because I took a picture of it on my phone:
Talk - Softly
Eat - Sensibly
Breathe - Deeply
Sleep - Sufficiently
Dress - Smartly
Act - Fearlessly
Work - Patiently
Think - Creatively
Behave - Decently
Earn - Honestly
Save - Regularly
Spend - Intelligently
At first I really questioned Act - Fearlessly, because if you did that then you would be acting fearless all the time, which is both reckless and stupid, however Behave - Decently cancels that out, because no decent person would act recklessly or stupidly. Also, acting is not necessarily doing or being, so if you are behaving decently, then you really could act fearlessly without being a dangerous asshole.
Anyway, after some serious scrutiny, I had to admit that it really was pretty sound advice for a shop window poster. As far as being the elixir for HOW TO SUCCEED IN LIFE, well it's hardly that now, is it? After all, it is missing some very important life ingredients in there like love, kindness and humility; but overall, I had to admit it wasn't nearly as bad as I was expecting and it does have some useable elements to consider if you are looking to get on board with a new resolution for 2022.
And perhaps if we did all spend a little more time measuring our levels of success based on the ways that we talk, eat, breathe, sleep, think, act and behave, rather than how much we weigh, earn or have, then maybe we would all be a lot happier and healthier overall.
It is certainly something to consider.
Sometimes this pondering begins to happen when we open up our Christmas work bonuses (or lack thereof), or when we clock out of work for the last time in that year or when we get together with family and friends and hear all about their achievements, losses and wins throughout the year over the festive season. However it occurs, it generally happens around this time of the year. And wherever we recognise the deficit in our current lives at that point can be indicative of what we will tether out resolutions to for the coming new year.
The reason that I am even thinking about this is because of a poster that I saw yesterday. At the top of the poster in big lettering it said: HOW TO SUCCEED IN LIFE. Naturally, I stopped to read that poster that was hanging in the window, because let's be honest, who doesn't want a very clear road map of how to succeed in life? Was I actually expecting to find the answers to life on a poster hanging in a shop window? Nope, of course not. At best I was hoping to get a giggle or maybe a snort out of it, I mean, as if a poster with gigantic ugly lettering was going to have anything useful to tell me!
And this is what it said - I still know because I took a picture of it on my phone:
Talk - Softly
Eat - Sensibly
Breathe - Deeply
Sleep - Sufficiently
Dress - Smartly
Act - Fearlessly
Work - Patiently
Think - Creatively
Behave - Decently
Earn - Honestly
Save - Regularly
Spend - Intelligently
At first I really questioned Act - Fearlessly, because if you did that then you would be acting fearless all the time, which is both reckless and stupid, however Behave - Decently cancels that out, because no decent person would act recklessly or stupidly. Also, acting is not necessarily doing or being, so if you are behaving decently, then you really could act fearlessly without being a dangerous asshole.
Anyway, after some serious scrutiny, I had to admit that it really was pretty sound advice for a shop window poster. As far as being the elixir for HOW TO SUCCEED IN LIFE, well it's hardly that now, is it? After all, it is missing some very important life ingredients in there like love, kindness and humility; but overall, I had to admit it wasn't nearly as bad as I was expecting and it does have some useable elements to consider if you are looking to get on board with a new resolution for 2022.
And perhaps if we did all spend a little more time measuring our levels of success based on the ways that we talk, eat, breathe, sleep, think, act and behave, rather than how much we weigh, earn or have, then maybe we would all be a lot happier and healthier overall.
It is certainly something to consider.
BLINDED BY THE LIGHT
Release Date: 2019
Rating:
Running Time:
A British drama/ comedy that was inspired by the real life coming of age events of journalist Sarfaz Manzoor. With enough Bruce Springsteen hits to sate any die hard fan, Blinded by the Light uses the power of music to deliver a truly heartfelt, feel good tale about growing up in difficult times.
Javed Khan and his Pakistani migrant family are living in Luton, England in 1987. Times are tough. Javed's strict father has just lost his job, his mother has to work all day and night to support the family and Javid faces constant cultural prejudice and social isolation. When he discovers the music of Bruce Springsteen, he believes that he has found a kindred spirit and his life is changed forever.
Although this film presents as a feel good hit, it isn't afraid to address some really tough topics either. From politics, racism and family tradition to social exclusion and isolation, there is actually a lot going here. Sure it's a little cheesy and at times over the top, but it is also insightful, inspirational and unexpectedly touching, and for those reasons it shouldn't be missed.
FINAL SAY: You can't start a fire without a spark.
3 Chilli Peppers
Release Date: 2019
Rating:
Running Time:
A British drama/ comedy that was inspired by the real life coming of age events of journalist Sarfaz Manzoor. With enough Bruce Springsteen hits to sate any die hard fan, Blinded by the Light uses the power of music to deliver a truly heartfelt, feel good tale about growing up in difficult times.
Javed Khan and his Pakistani migrant family are living in Luton, England in 1987. Times are tough. Javed's strict father has just lost his job, his mother has to work all day and night to support the family and Javid faces constant cultural prejudice and social isolation. When he discovers the music of Bruce Springsteen, he believes that he has found a kindred spirit and his life is changed forever.
Although this film presents as a feel good hit, it isn't afraid to address some really tough topics either. From politics, racism and family tradition to social exclusion and isolation, there is actually a lot going here. Sure it's a little cheesy and at times over the top, but it is also insightful, inspirational and unexpectedly touching, and for those reasons it shouldn't be missed.
FINAL SAY: You can't start a fire without a spark.
3 Chilli Peppers
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