HOW TO STAY ON TRACK IN YOUR LIFE

I was recently watching a water ski boat towing a skier near where I live and it dawned on me how this is a great analogy for staying on track in your life.

As I was watched the boat it would stick to a set course and would not waiver from that course regardless of what the skier was doing behind the boat. For instance, if the skier seemed to be going too wide the boat DID NOT turn in toward the skier to try and catch them, it kept on course giving the skier the opportunity to recover from the mistake.

It really hit me how similar this is to how we live our lives. If you are someone who is constantly trying to “turn in” to suit what everyone else in your life wants then I suggest you are probably not really doing the things that you really want to. If the driver of the ski boat turns into the path of the skier to try and “save” them then the skier will probably fall off into the water because there is no tension on the line and ultimately the driver has created exactly what they were trying to avoid, the fall of the skier.

This is so very similar to what happens when we are trying to accommodate what everyone else wants in our lives above what we want.

Think for a minute, what if we all lived our lives like the ski boat driver that is always on course and lets the skier react to the driver’s course rather than trying to second guess what the skier is going to do and pre-empt their direction. If this was the case then we would all be on track in our lives moving towards our ultimate goals and none of us would be trying to guess what others around us wanted. I am not for a second suggesting we shouldn’t be mindful and respectful of others and their needs and wants but ultimately we should be looking after ourselves number 1.

If you don’t put yourself first and look after yourself as your priority then eventually you will burn out and have absolutely nothing left to give those around you. The more you look after yourself the bigger the “bucket” containing your energy, focus and motivation becomes actually creating FAR MORE for you to share then if you gave it all away and left yourself until last.

Most of you have been taught that being selfish is bad, and I agree that not caring about others is wrong, but not caring about yourself is even worse.

Sometimes you will need to make some tough decisions about what and who you have in your life and this won’t be easy. If you always look at the situation for what is best for all concerned (including yourself) then you will make the right decision 99% of the time.

Relationships are a great example, if you have someone in your life who is not making your life better, but is dragging you down, then staying in that situation is the WRONG thing for you and the other person. If it is not right for you then it cannot be right for the other person. Perhaps this is confronting but it is absolutely true.

So like the ski boat driver always stay true to your course and direction and the people who are meant to come with you will follow you and those who aren’t will let go of the rope and head in their own direction. When you try to make everyone happy by changing what is best for you then ultimately it spells unhappiness for everyone.

Value yourself enough to put yourself first and you will be amazed how well it turns out.

Until next week Be Your Best & Live It Up

Donna

www.liveitupcoaching.com.au