Whether we realize it or not, we all operate from a personal philosophy and our personal philosophy is key to determining how our life works out.
Some people may develop a personal philosophy that states ‘Stay on the couch and binge watch your favorite Netflix series with a pint of ice cream no matter what’, others may have the philosophy ‘I need to grow and progress every single day.’ Whether you are aware of your personal philosophy or not, we all have one and it defines the life we live and the results we get. That’s why people in the same exact situation can get dramatically different results.
There are a multitude of factors that go into shaping your personal philosophy, from past experiences, sensory inputs, knowledge, emotions, family and friends, the interpretation of past failures and successes, the way you feed your mind with books and movies… the list is endless.
Have you ever thought about your personal philosophy? Here are our TOP 10 ways to help you to consciously develop a personal philosophy.
#1 Reflect
Like with everything else in life, before you can define your personal philosophy, you need to take a moment and do some introspection and reflect. Think about what makes you act a certain way, what determines how you make your decisions, what are you passionate about, what are your beliefs for every area of your life? A great way to reflect on your passions and beliefs is to meditate and journal and take your time to come to some real answers.
#2 Read More
One of the best ways to help you develop your personal philosophy is to read all you can. People from all sorts of backgrounds had some of the most amazing experiences in their lives and they take the time to write about them, so we can be inspired and revise our own personal philosophies. Books offer a wealth of information that have the possibility to change our health, relationships, careers, finances and lives for the better. Make it your mission to read at least 10 pages of a book each and every day and read about different kinds of subjects to help you get a sense for big ideas.
#3 Keep an Open Mind
Being flexible and and keeping an open mind is essential when it comes to developing your personal philosophy. Don’t fear knowledge and broaden your horizon so that whatever philosophy you choose will be an educated choice. Pay close attention during your day and observe what’s going on, surround yourself with people you admire and respect. Be awake and be alert because a lot of times you will find extraordinary opportunities that are hiding in seemingly unimportant events.
#4 Connect with Others
Connecting with others and discussing your personal philosophy as well as the personal philosophy of others can be extremely insightful. It is essential that you simply observe without any judgement. While other people’s personal philosophy can be completely different from what is on your mind, listening to others is an invaluable resource of new ideas. Don’t stop that flow of inspiration by judging those who have a different view of the world. Learn from everybody and take whatever you like from them and discard what isn’t working for you.
#5 Experiment
Personal philosophies affect how you act and how you feel. Before you commit to your new philosophy, experiment with different ideas and approaches and see what connects best to your passions, your happiness and your ideas of a meaningful life. Your personal philosophy needs to be able to be applied to any and all situations and life circumstances you encounter so go out and discover if your personal philosophy can hold up in different situations.
#6 Learn from Failure and Success
To make sure you establish a powerful personal philosophy you need to objectively look at the conclusions you have about life. Look at your past experiences and evaluate what you did right to be successful and what went wrong and needs to be changed. Once you look at your own experiences, observe the failures and successes of others. Study people, especially those who are successful and learn from people you admire and respect and model their behavior. And look at the failure of others so you can learn from them and don’t replicate their mistakes.
#7 Write a Journal
A journal is an amazing tool to gather all your discoveries and observations about life. Capture your experiences, your emotions, your feelings, your ideas, your passions, your desires and your conclusions about events, circumstances and people who have touched your life. If you document the past properly, you will create a great guide for making good decisions in the future. Writing in itself is a wonderful tool to gain clarity, because it slows down our thinking and gives us time to analyze an experience. You’ll be amazed what you can find out when you go back to your journal when you get to the task of developing your personal philosophy.
#8 Be Disciplined
Our days are filled with minor and major decisions that need to be made and all of those decisions have an impact on the direction of our future. When we do have the right personal philosophy, we can be mentally prepared to make wise decisions. Just think about it, deciding to start exercising will result in newfound energy, switching to a more healthy way of eating will have a profound effect on our health in no time and starting to read every day will grow a new level of awareness. Being disciplined to practice something new on a daily basis can have magical results on our life, so decide today to incorporate a new discipline in your life and see how it enriches your thinking.
#9 Adjust Your Thinking
Changed circumstances can happen in an instant and we all have experienced challenges, heartbreak and disappointment in our lives. It isn’t so much about these challenges though, it’s all about the way we think and if we can adjust to the changed circumstances. Do we let challenges take us down and destroy our life or can we struggle back to our feet and reset the way we think to steer us in a new direction that is a conscious choice. On your path to developing your personal philosophy, adjust your thinking so that you can deal with any challenge that life throws at you.
#10 Be Patient
Developing a perfect personal philosophy and strategy on how to live your life is a life-long process. Be patient with yourself and allow your personal philosophy to evolve and emerge. Keep in mind that there aren’t any final answers when it comes to your personal philosophy. You simply keep refining and optimizing it.
While there are many pieces that go into the puzzle of success, developing a strong personal philosophy is detrimental so that all the other pieces can fall into place. Commit yourself to building a strong, positive personal philosophy to change your life for the better and once you do, you’ll never look back.
CREATE AN INSPIRED LIFE AND LIVE IT EVERY SINGLE DAY
Joschi & Monika
#BoldNaked