consistency – POTENCIA

Pessimism vs. Realism – Get Real with Yourself

“Pessimism is an excuse for not trying, and a guarantee to a personal failure.”
Bill Clinton

I’ll get straight to the point – your outlook on life is the deciding factor of your life’s trajectory. There’s a spectrum of outlooks, from overly optimistic to dangerously pessimistic. Pessimism, or the tendency to only see the worst in life, will fill your mind with negative thoughts that prohibit you from developing aspirations and maximizing on your potential. The problem is that most people who are pessimistic falsely interpret this outlook as being realistic – it is not.

Realism is defined as the attitude or practice of accepting a situation as it is and being prepared to deal with it accordingly. Whether you’re a realistic or unrealistic person is not the same thing as whether you’re optimistic or pessimistic because you can accept a situation for what it is and still have a negative outlook on what caused the situation and thus how to handle it “accordingly”.

Let’s say you arrive at work and your manager randomly asks to speak with you. As a pessimist, your initial thoughts might be that you’re in trouble because you assume they wouldn’t want to speak with you otherwise. By allowing these negative thoughts to fester, you’ve unconsciously gone into your meeting nervous, insecure, or even angry (which is probably a defense mechanism for your vulnerability). This perspective snowballs into negative thoughts, negative attitudes, and ultimately negative perceptions of who you actually are.

Quit holding yourself back. It’s possible to be a realistic person with an optimistic perspective on life so that you can motivate yourself to work towards your goals no matter the hurdles you face. And if this article doesn’t really apply to you, share it with a friend who could use the wake-up call!

I’m always working to be a better version of myself and hope my tips can help you on your journey. I’d love to hear back from you – comment below!

Practice Makes Perfect – What Are You Perfecting?

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”
Aristotle

Is social media the first thing you check when you open your eyes? Then it’s no surprise you find yourself on Instagram or Twitter throughout the day without consciously opening the app. Do you get home and immediately turn the TV on every day to “unwind”? Then it’s no surprise you’d have the remote buttons memorized while you scroll through shows for the rest of the night.

It’s important to recognize and understand two things:

1. It’s not enough to set a goal; you must identify what habits you want to form to achieve that goal

2. You get better at what you practice consistently

Let’s say your goal is to save an extra $100 by the end of the month for the next year. Great, you’ve set your goal. However, habitually, you spend $50 from each check going out to eat with friends. Well, if you’ve set your goal without identifying what habit you want to change or adopt, you’ll have saved $0 by the end of the month.

You master what you practice consistently. That means the first month you choose to say no to friends in order to save your money towards your goal is going to be hard. But if by the middle of the year you remain firm with the expectations you’ve set for yourself, saving your money and finding alternatives like inviting friends over for a movie night will become second nature; and as a result, you’ll achieve your goal and feel empowered to strive for more.

Quit holding yourself back by staying committed to habits you know are detrimental. Set your goal, set the habits you’ll adopt to achieve your goal, and hold yourself accountable for your actions in whichever way works best for you (some people tell their friends, others journal to declare the expectation). You master what you practice consistently – what are you perfecting?

I’m always working to be a better version of myself and hope my tips can help you on your journey. I’d love to hear back from you – comment below!

Moving to a New City: Tips for Success

“If we were meant to stay in one place, we would have roots instead of feet.”
Rachel Wolchin

Your first time moving to a new city can be intimidating. Aside from the more obvious concerns like living arrangements, there are other just-as-important factors that are often forgotten or ignored until it’s too late. Whether you’re just thinking about moving or in the process of making the change, here are few tips to help you successfully plan and transition to your new home:

▪ Living proximity to necessities – when apartment hunting, your primary concern will be proximity to your job; however, it’s just as important to consider your proximity to living necessities like grocery stores, pharmacies, and your favorite activities. If you neglect these aspects, you’ll end up spending more than you intend (or can afford) on food, delivery fees, and hygienic products. Aside from the financial burden, if you don’t consider the proximity to your favorite activities, it’ll be extremely easy to forget your reasons for moving in the first place which can ultimately lead to a feeling of regret or depression.

▪ Wardrobe essentials – with the chaos of moving, it’s easy to forget the seasonal changes you’ll face in the upcoming future. As a result, you’ll wait ‘till last minute to get the items you need – albeit a new coat, better shoes, or necessary bottoms – and miss out on the sales. Don’t be this person! In your planning stages of moving, when you’re budgeting your expenses, identify the seasons you’ll experience, research peak shopping times for that season, and set aside money to spend on an appropriate wardrobe if you don’t already own it.

▪ Meeting new people – the level of difficulty associated with making new & lasting connections depends on your personality, for some it’s effortless and for others it’s exhausting. The good news is that with the level of technology in our society and the increasing desire to grow and relate as whole, networking is easier than ever. Use the internet to find events you’d be interested in and use those events to meet individuals you would otherwise not meet on the way home from work who share similar interests as you. When moving to a new city it is essential to expose yourself to a variety of activities and networking events to build a community of people you can feel comfortable around.

There’s a lot that goes into moving to a new city, and frankly it would be impossible to dissect it all in a post; but hopefully these tips can provide an additional level of guidance when embarking on a new journey. What’s important to takeaway is this – do your research, save as much as you can for unexpected expenses (because they will happen!), and don’t feel discouraged by the hardships you’ll face as they can only make you stronger.

I’m always working to be a better version of myself and hope my tips can help you on your journey. I’d love to hear back from you – comment below!

How Journaling Can Change Your Life

“[Journaling] – It’s like whispering to one’s self and listening at the same time”
Mina Murray

All of us (yes, that includes you) have daily routines we follow to get through the day which allows us to make room in our brains to process the more complicated thoughts/situations in our lives – like our goals. But often, the physical and mental toll of a work day or assigned homework or project can leave us yearning for the off-button. This overwhelming feeling can lead to a shift in focus from striving for the goals we set for ourselves, to simply trying to “make it through the day”. The problem with trying to make it through the day every day is that we subconsciously fall into a cycle of existence and un-fulfillment.

The solution?

Journaling – and no it’s not just for women. The benefits of journaling apply to everyone and here are just a few:

Become more accountable for your goals – When you tell your friend that you plan on getting the latest technology, don’t you feel more obligated to do so? After all, you’ve already set the expectation that you’re going to and don’t want to be the type of person whose word is not trusted. Well, the same concept applies to yourself. When you write your goals down you’re basically telling yourself what you plan to accomplish and revisiting your promise to yourself will naturally make you feel more inclined to work towards those goals so you can prove your achievements to yourself.

Let out all your frustrations, whenever you want – We deal with a lot in a day, regardless of our situations. Instead of letting these frustrations build up and multiply in our minds, journaling allows you to take a few minutes to express your feelings about a situation. More importantly, by journaling you assess the magnitude of the situation before allowing it to consume your thoughts for the rest of the day. In doing so, the result is you feeling less overwhelmed and better equipped to handle the day-to-day battles we all face in life.

Never forget your accomplishments – Give yourself credit for working hard! With a journal, it’s easy to write down your achievements, no matter how small or large. It’s easy to forget what you’ve achieved in life so far when you’re so focused on your present and future. By having access to your list of achievements, you can easily remind yourself just how awesome you are in times where life might seem a little down.

Consistent journaling helps shed light on your good habits and achievements while exposing your tendencies that could use some tweaking. It brings your subconscious thoughts to the forefront and helps you adjust your mentality towards life. If you haven’t tried it yet, because you’ve never put a lot of thought into it or because you’re worried what others might think, quit holding yourself back; it might just change your life.

I’m always working to be a better version of myself & hope my tips can help you on your journey. I’d love to hear back from you on your thoughts/ journey – comment below!