Drogheda Independent

Are you bringing out your best self?

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Between now and early January most of give will time to reflect on our lives and ourselves; how we are doing, what we are not doing, what is going well and what could go better or some variation of the same theme.

As you do this reflection, it is important to be constructi­ve, understand­ing and real. For many years in my personal reflection, I would have either been too hard on myself and then balanced that by being too easy on myself missing the point and most of the learning. The gold of understand­ing is somewhere in between.

We often start the year or any project we do with full of enthusiasm. If the result does not match the reality, it is often too easy to get disappoint­ed. To expect everything we do to work first time is unrealisti­c. Failure (First Attempt in

If you really want to be at your best, it is important that you bring the best of yourself to every situation.

Learning) is almost always part of every journey to success. Failure teaches us and then we do it better often expanding our original vision of what success is.

Now back to disappoint­ment. Disappoint­ment often leads us to look for something or someone to blame which again is unhelpful. When things do not work, there can be many factors. When they do work also, there are many factors. It is important to look at them neutrally so you can really understand and learn the lessons and do better. If we are down on anyone, or looking for someone or something to blame, we are not neutral.

If we want the best out of ourselves we should give the best to ourselves. This means bringing your best mind-set to whatever you do including yourself reflection – and perhaps most importantl­y to your self-reflection.

You are the only person that is with you 24-7 throughout your life. If you can improve yourself through self-reflection and learn the lessons that are in front of you every day, you will benefit 100 percent from the results. This is a great investment of time. Looking at yourself with honesty, compassion and encouragem­ent will make that happen.

So many of us expect ourselves to change behaviour without changing our underlying mindset and attitude. This is very difficult. Relying on discipline alone to get things done doesn’t normally sustain. Beating yourself up for your failures will not inspire lasting positive change.

If we want ourselves to do things consistent­ly like exercise it is much easier if we choose something we love or focus on the amazing feeling we get after it. We may have to explore several things to find that. Doing something because it is a good thing to do is not normally satisfying over time.

If you keep doing what you’ve always done, you will get the same results you have always gotten. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. Many of us go through our lives thinking the same thing or something similar and expecting a different result.

If you really want to be at your best, it is important that you bring the best of yourself to every situation. We all have a best self and we have a range of other aspects! We all know this. Even our tone of voice changes depending on which aspect of us is coming out.

So today, whatever you are doing, check yourself before you open your mouth or act. Are you bringing your best self ? If you are, keep going. If you are not, dig a little deeper and find him or her. You and everyone around you will be all the better for it.

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