I'm the Clay and The Potter of my Own Life

There are no happier people on this planet than those who decide that they want something, define what they want, get hold of the feeling of it even before its manifestation and then joyously watch the unfolding as, piece by piece by piece, it begins to unfold. That's the feeling of your hands in the clay. ~ Esther Hicks

The most important question about how to change my life for the better has always been—Where do I begin?

Do I eat healthier, get more exercise, find a new job, a new love, or travel the world? Those things may be part of the final destination, but they can never be the right beginning. Why? Because the success or failure of all those things depends on me.

“Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.”~ Rumi

It’s an unchangeable truth that we can’t change the whole world, but we can change our world, the world we create in our minds and heart. Through that change, we can then change our mindset, attitudes, habits, environment, etc.

The second unchangeable truth is that this process doesn't happen overnight. It will take time and is best done in small achievable steps layered one on top of another.

Another unchangeable truth is that not many of us have an unlimited supply of money, time, or energy with which to tackle this change. So we ordinary people need an Ordinary Master Plan.

Come along with me as I unveil my ordinary plan.

Ordinary Master Plan

Don’t drift — focus

Would you agree that hardly anything is accomplished without a good plan? The same is true for our daily lives. Don’t drift through your days without a plan. Learn how to take control of your life, how to sustain that control, and build confidence in your ability to be the Captain of your ship as you sail through each of your days.

“True life is lived when tiny changes occur.” ~Leo Tolstoy

• Try this — When you wake in the morning, take 5 minutes to decide what kind of day you will have. Sit up on the side of the bed and think about the gift of another day of life. Do you want to be happy today? Then decide to be happy. Do you want to approach today with a positive instead of a negative mindset? Then adjust your mood level now. Do you have tough assignments and projects to tackle today? Then decide to give those your very best effort and realize that is all you can do in one day. Leave tomorrow’s tasks for tomorrow. A day in which you’ve given your best is a day well done!

Makes some ‘same-old-same-old’ changes

Continuing in the same routine when trying to make life changes will not jump-start the plan. So start immediately to make small routine changes.

“If you want to change attitudes, start with a change in behavior.”~ Katharine Hepburn

• Try this — Not a breakfast eater — try it you may like it. Schedule 20–30 minutes to have a leisurely, mood-enhancing breakfast with your family. Make a decision to spread some laughter and affection around the table. if you’re single or alone, put on some mood-setting music while you eat. While going to work, can you change your driving route to give you a change of scenery? Change what you do on your work breaks. Change what and where you eat lunch. Look for niches of your daily life where change is easily implemented.

Spread some fun

“One day spent with someone you love can change everything.”~ Mitch Albom, For One More Day

Most of us make room in our lives for fun and relaxation to some degree. This would be a good time to analyze that area in your life. While we don’t want to overdo this, we need to make sure that work and ambitious endeavors aren’t robbing our lives of needed recreation.

But did you know that you could get twice the enjoyment from your recreational activities if you share them with others, especially those who may be in desperate need of your generosity?

• Try this — Do you have aged parents that would love a drive through the countryside, a stroll through the park, or a backyard picnic you’ve supplied? Do you have depressed and burdened friends that could benefit from a day at the lake, a sporting event, or dinner and a movie? Do your family members need a game night, a backyard movie, or a family biking evening?

Change your color, style, or decor

Small changes that make us feel good are super important for adding enjoyment to our daily lives.

• Try this — Take the plunge, get that new hairstyle, cut, or color you’ve been dreaming about. How about trying a fashion statement that is new and adventurous for you. Change the tone and feel of the room where you spend the most time at home. New paint, new artwork, or some new accessories will do the trick. And how about your office or work area? What can you change to make those areas feel energetic and stress-free.

Teach the old dog new tricks

Do something that makes you a different person tomorrow from who you are today. Enhance your satisfaction and joy of living by enhancing yourself first.

• Try this — Start learning a new language. Volunteer to teach skills you have to others— the teacher always learns along with the student. Take a course on cooking, car maintenance, design, coding, gaming, or any field that interests you. Delve into history and geography. Travel virtually. Take online tours of museums and travel excursions. Learn about different peoples, cultures, and customs. A well-travel and well-read person broadens their perspective which opens opportunities and reasons to enjoy life.

Make new friends

Widen out in your appreciation for people. Make a genuine effort to get to know those that live outside the fringe of your inner circle. Your next best friend may be in that group just waiting for the opportunity to get to know you.

• Try this — Invite a co-worker that you usually don’t associate with to lunch. Sit next to strangers on public transport and strike up conversations. Get to know your neighbors. Take time to initiate a quick conversation with delivery people, utility workers, mail carriers, healthcare assistants, salespeople, etc.

Investigate some things you don’t understand or agree with

If you don’t like a certain food, music, sport, art form, etc., try to figure out why. Sometimes the answers are funny, tragic, restrictive, biased, but at the very least, they’ll help you understand you better, which leads to living a more enjoyable life.

Think about why you have a prejudice, aversion, or distaste for a particular culture, religion, lifestyle, fashion, etc. Often, such an investigation eliminates misunderstandings we might have about those things. Eliminating misunderstandings and clearing up misinformation paves the way to a more peaceful and enjoyable life.

In conclusion

If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.~ Maya Angelo

Change is often the catalyst for a better life. Beginning with small changes that affect our everyday living can equip us for making bigger, life-altering changes when necessary. We can make decisions that pave the path to happiness. On any given day, we can decide to live our life differently. No one can stop us except ourselves.

This is my ordinary master plan for building a better life in 2021. I hope you've found something useful that will help you do the same.

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Originally published here

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