“When no one around you measures up to your standards it might be time to check your yardstick.” Bill Lemley. Jim Rohn once said, “be careful who you are around because they influence who you are; how you think, how you feel, decisions you make, what you eat, etc.” Really? Do you mean my friends, family and co-workers and others are primary contributors to the quality of my life? Yes. And if you don’t like how they are contributing it might be time to let them go. Over the years I have had to let several people out of my life; a few friends, some clients, a couple of employers, and even a few relatives. I wish I could have found a way to keep many of them in my life but it was a choice – live with invalidation, toxic remarks, or just stuff that contributed to my lack of self-esteem and inner peace or success and happiness or let them go. I’m not suggesting anyone should walk away from anyone in their life without some effort to keep them in their life, but at some point, many of us have had to make a difficult choice because it was in our long-term best interests.
“No one from the beginning of time has had security.” Eleanor Roosevelt. How do you define security? Is it a financial issue? A health or career one? Or, is it a relationship one? Or a unique combination of them all? A few statistics might contribute to my point and the foundation of this quote. The divorce rate in the US has been over 50% for over 75 years and has not improved regardless of the tremendous number of resources now available. Over two million businesses fail every year for any number of reasons. Over 150,000 people die every day in the world for just a few things like auto accidents, drug abuse, starvation, smoking and falling off ladders, etc. And bankruptcies – well that’s over 1.5 million on average every year. I’m not trying to be morbid here but just stating a few facts that illustrate that many people might want to reconsider how they define security. Over the years I have shared a simple fact with many audiences – we own nothing. Oh, sure your mortgage is paid off, and no more car payments but consider, someday will someone else own that home, drive that car, or temporarily own – whatever? Yes, you don’t owe any more money on your home, but you still are just using it for a short time either till you sell it or you die. We are here for a short term and then, well we are gone forever. What do you think you own while you are here while you are just using it? I know, you can take issue with my definition of ownership but why not look at the broader picture regarding her quote?