Thoughts that I learnt from the most in 2018

When we let go of judgement and are fully present in the work we are doing every moment, we are always winning. Experiencing impatience is one of the first symptoms of not being in the present moment, not doing what you are doing, and not staying process-oriented. - The Practicing mind - Thomas Sterner. Read the full review of the excellent book here

Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you wish to become. No single instance will transform your beliefs, but as the votes build up, so does the evidence of your new identity. This is one reason why meaningful change does not require radical change. Small habits can make a meaningful difference by providing evidence of a new identity. - James Clear, Atomic Habits. This is an excellent book. You must read this. Read my thoughts on this here and here.

You made a goal and started working towards that. But in between you start second guessing your decision. The best way to get back on track is to spend some time thinking the part of brain that is putting up that resistance and understand where it is coming from. Thank it for thinking about you and doing it to help you. Now get back to that decision will help you in the long term and get back to it. - Meditation by Al Jaffery from Insight timer meditation app. You can download the app here. Listen to the meditation here to here it more eloquently that what I have written here. 

One of the greatest (and least discussed) barriers to compassion practice is the fear of setting boundaries and holding people accountable. We have to stay away from convincing ourselves that we hate someone or that they deserve to feel bad so that we can feel better about holding them accountable. That’s where we get into trouble. When we talk ourselves into disliking someone so we’re more comfortable holding them accountable, we’re priming ourselves for the shame and blame game. - Brene Brown, The gifts of imperfection. Very important book. Read my review here.

Five life changing values are - Mark Manson, The Subtle art of not giving a f*ck

- Taking complete responsibility for everything in your life, even when you're not a fault.

- Acknowledgement of your ignorance and constant cultivation of doubt in your own beliefs

- Willingness to discover your flaws by failing, so that they can be improved

- The ability to both hear and say no, clearly defining what you will and will not accept in your life

- Contemplating one's own morality because keeping death in our mind can give perspective to all other values. 

Read my thoughts on it here. 

Reversible and irreversible decisions - Decide based on if a decision is reversible or irreversible. Pay attention accordingly - Jeff bezos. Read about this and other great ideas from Bezos here. 

How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives. What we do with this hour, and that one, is what we are doing. A schedule defends from chaos and whim. It is a net for catching days. It is a scaffolding on which a worker can stand and labor with both hands at sections of time. A schedule is a mock-up of reason and order—willed, faked, and so brought into being; it is a peace and a haven set into the wreck of time; it is a lifeboat on which you find yourself, decades later, still living.― Annie Dillard, The Writing Life. This is from the excellent work by Maria Popova in Brain pickings. Read it here.