{"id":68,"date":"2010-04-05T22:27:53","date_gmt":"2010-04-06T02:27:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nathanbrooksthompson.com\/?p=68"},"modified":"2019-04-02T20:11:40","modified_gmt":"2019-04-03T01:11:40","slug":"change-your-life-in-a-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nathanbrooksthompson.com\/change-your-life-in-a-day\/","title":{"rendered":"Change Your Life in a Day"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Editor’s Note: I wrote this post back in college. I went ahead and cleaned it up, dropped in a few updates and made sure it’s safe to read at work. I mean as long as you keep the mouse on the minimize button you should be fine.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you don\u2019t like it, change it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s probably the single greatest piece of advice I\u2019ve ever received. You\u2019ve probably heard it too, but chances are you were too busy whining about how awful, boring, difficult or stressful your life supposedly was to notice. Sure, I get it. The playing field isn\u2019t level\u2013–we didn\u2019t all drive BMWs in high school. We didn\u2019t all go to an Ivy League school or marry the Homecoming Queen. But let\u2019s face it. BMW drivers try too hard, college is a money pit and the Homecoming Queen got knocked up and dropped out of school anyway (Don\u2019t worry. BMW drivers and Homecoming Queens are much too busy with their fabulous lives to be reading this blog).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why am I wasting my time and yours telling you something you already know? Because most of you still don\u2019t get it. You don\u2019t take the time to realize all these so-called \u201cawful\u201d situations are a result of your own actions, or lack thereof. You\u2019re too busy being victims instead of taking some responsibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But don\u2019t worry. I\u2019ve got a fix for your suck-fest-of-a-life. But it\u2019s going to involve some changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Improve Your Mood<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

First, you need to change your mood from a whiny little brat to a confident, in-control human being. I\u2019ve included a few tips to get you on track:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turn Off Your Cell Phone<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Few things can empower you like turning off your cell phone. It\u2019s a message to the world and proof to yourself you have the ability to get away. You\u2019re never truly alone when you have a cell phone, and sometimes being alone is the only way to figure out what\u2019s really going on in your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Get a Haircut<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Haircuts are cheaper than buying new clothes, and in most cases it has to be done anyway. It also happens to be one of the fastest ways to change your outlook on life. Confidence, self image and boredom often dictate whether or not you enjoy life. Something as simple as a haircut has the ability to shake up all those feelings in half an hour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Clean Your Room<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I can\u2019t function when my room is messy. I don\u2019t really care if it has to do with Feng Shui or with out-of-place objects emitting negative energy. What matters to me is having a clean room so I can focus on other things. Cleaning your room is also good to do when you are procrastinating. You\u2019ll likely be be looking for anything else to do, so you might as well do something constructive. At least when you\u2019re done cleaning you\u2019ll be able to suck at life in a clean room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Buy Healthy Food<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Notice I didn\u2019t say eat healthy food; just buy it. Eating healthy is annoying, but buying healthy food makes you feel like a champion. I like to fill my shopping cart full of organic, green, environmentally-special food just so the guy with a stack of microwavable pizzas and a six-pack of natty light feels like he’s failing life when he walks by me. What\u2019s even better is when you get home you\u2019ll realize all you have to eat is a bunch of disgusting health food, and you\u2019ll be forced to be a responsible, health-conscious individual. After all, you can\u2019t afford to go out to eat\u2013–you spent all your money on overpriced organic foods. Showoff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Make an On-My-Mind List<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The problem with to-do lists is they only cover things you have to do. They don\u2019t typically include the issues you need to “think” about. An on-my-mind list on the other hand, includes all the things you need to get done as well as the issues you need to think about. It\u2019s a way to get all of your thoughts on a single sheet of paper so you don\u2019t have to think about them until you\u2019re ready. By addressing the list on your own terms, you\u2019ll realize all your problems are actually just a single sheet of paper, and are not nearly as dramatic or life-altering as you first thought. And if it turns out all your problems are actually much worse than you thought, at least you\u2019ll have something to burn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Go For a Drive<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Driving, as long as you’re not prone to road rage, can be a fantastic stress reliever. It\u2019s literally you changing your course, position and place in life. It\u2019s the ultimate analogy of taking control of where you\u2019re going. It\u2019s also a time to be alone and think while still being able to see and interact with the world, even if it\u2019s only with your middle finger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Identify the Issues<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Once you\u2019ve improved your mood, you\u2019ll be able to think clearly and address the true obstacles in your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The common denominator in each of your problems is you. This doesn\u2019t necessarily make you the cause of the problem, but it does make you a part of it. By assuming every issue is within your control, you will be better able to do what\u2019s best for you and avoid unnecessary whining\/worrying. Sure, certain aspects of the problem are out of your hands, but you must identify and act on those aspects that are in your control. It is only by addressing what you can change that you will be able to improve your life. Let\u2019s look at some examples:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My Job Sucks<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy boss hates me. They don\u2019t pay me enough. They make me work ridiculous hours. They don\u2019t give me a chance.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These are all phrases people use to describe jobs they hate. The point is the statements make it appear the problems are the company\u2019s and not your own. The key is to make every problem you encounter your problem, because if it\u2019s not your problem you can\u2019t do anything to change it. We\u2019ll start by rephrasing the above statements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI hate my boss. I don\u2019t get paid enough. I work ridiculous hours. I don\u2019t give myself a chance.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now that you\u2019ve made the problems your own, you can identify the issues you can change. Let\u2019s look at the first statement. If you think your boss hates you, have you ever considered you might hate your boss? After all, who could like someone when they think that person hates them? If this does turn out to be the case, maybe you should reconsider your feelings for this person or consider working for someone else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s look at the next statement. If the company doesn\u2019t pay you enough, there\u2019s really nothing you can do about it. But if it turns out you aren\u2019t getting paid enough, we have some options. You could reevaluate how much your time is worth and ask for a raise or decide your time and effort could be better spent doing something else. If those options fail, your problem might not be with money, but with your priorities. People will often confuse not getting paid enough with not having enough time. If you value time more than money, you should adjust your priorities to emphasize a need for more time, even if it means less money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The next statement is similar to the money issue. If you feel you are working ridiculous hours, then you need to do something to change them, even if it means adjusting your priorities. Start by looking at how you spend your time at work. Is your workload really forcing you to work late, or is your Facebook time forcing you to work late? If it’s your workload, is everything you’re doing being directly asked of you from the company? Or are you creating more work for yourself in an effort to stand out or “protect” your job? Whatever the case, you are in control of when you decide to stop working each day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And finally, before you accuse the company of not giving you a chance\u2013–whether it be a chance for a promotion, more pay or better hours—ask yourself if it\u2019s really the company holding you back. In the end, I would much rather have my own set of problems than deal with someone else\u2019s problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Next example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My Girlfriend\/Boyfriend Sucks<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy girlfriend always does this or never does that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Being with someone is a choice, not a necessity. If your girlfriend or boyfriend does something you don\u2019t like or fails to do something you do like, it\u2019s because you put up with it. Since you\u2019re the one with the problem, you should be the one to bring the issue to their attention. If they refuse to make the change, the problem once again becomes your problem. You can either change the way you feel about it, or change your relationship with the person. There\u2019s no way around it and no reason to whine about it to your friends. They can\u2019t do anything about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The key in every situation is to make the problem your own. By doing this, you can be the one who makes the changes necessary to alleviate the problem. If you fail to make the problem your own, you will never be able to do anything about it and will live a sad, pathetic life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Make the Changes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

By this point, you\u2019ve improved your attitude, identified your issues and come to realize you need to make some changes. But none of it matters if you can\u2019t make it past this next step. Making changes means accepting that your life will be altered in some way. Whether it\u2019s quitting your job, breaking up with a significant other or just choosing to move your life in a different direction, it all comes down to action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Decide What To Do<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You know the problems; now come up with the answers. My favorite way to do this is to list all my options no matter how ridiculous they may seem. Next, you could narrow the list down to the options that are most feasible. DON\u2019T DO THIS. This is where people get into trouble. You’ll think to yourself, \u201cThere\u2019s no way I could do that.\u201d Suddenly one of your preferred choices is gone. Instead, you should narrow the list to the options you\u2019d like to see happen, no matter how far-fetched they seem. From here you can arrange your list from best-case scenario to the worst. Start with the best scenario and figure out how to make it happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If it turns out you aren’t willing to make the changes necessary to achieve your ideal scenario, you can do one of three things:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Do it anyway.
2. Move to the next-best option.
3. Do something so crazy it completely changes the problem altogether.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An example of the last option would be trying to break up with a crazy girlfriend or boyfriend. The best-case scenario might be to ignore them and start dating someone else. The problem is he or she won\u2019t quit stalking you. So your crazy scenario might involve you moving to another country and changing your sexual preference, effectively rendering the issue irrelevant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Set a Date<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

And by set a date I mean do it now. Taking action doesn\u2019t mean saying you\u2019ll do something soon. It means actually doing it. Set a date and stick to it. The sooner the better. Changes come about for a reason. If you\u2019ve already made the decision, don\u2019t waste your time worrying about it. Just do it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do Something Permanent<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you don\u2019t fully commit to your decision you will fail miserably and end up unhappy with your choice. If you plan on quitting your job, turn in your two-week notice. If you want to break up with your significant other, tell him\/her you want to see other people and then do it. If you want to move somewhere else, put your house up for sale. Do something that signifies to yourself there is no turning back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t Look Back<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

At this point, you\u2019ve already identified your issues, gone over your options and made your decision. There\u2019s no need to play the \u201cwhat if\u201d game. Concentrate on moving forward. After all, the past will always be there; your future will not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Disclaimer<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The problem with a guide like this is exactly that—it\u2019s just a guide. It can\u2019t make you do anything. It can\u2019t call your boss and tell him to \u201cshove it.\u201d It can\u2019t make you take a much-needed road trip or exercise more. All it can do is attempt to catch your attention for a brief moment and hope by some strand of luck you will make sense of its meaning and incorporate it into your own thoughts and actions. Like anything in life, it\u2019s only as serious as you take it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Editor’s Note: I wrote this post back in college. I went ahead and cleaned it up, dropped in a few updates and made sure it’s safe to read at work. I mean as long as you keep the mouse on the minimize button you should be fine. If you don\u2019t like it, change it. It\u2019s… Continue reading Change Your Life in a Day<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":795,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nathanbrooksthompson.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/68"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nathanbrooksthompson.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nathanbrooksthompson.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nathanbrooksthompson.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nathanbrooksthompson.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=68"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.nathanbrooksthompson.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/68\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nathanbrooksthompson.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/795"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nathanbrooksthompson.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=68"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nathanbrooksthompson.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=68"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nathanbrooksthompson.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=68"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}