Harvey, Jason - Achieve Anything In Just One Year - Be Inspired Daily to Live Your Dreams and Accomplish Your Goals

Spend at least thirty minutes writing in your journal today. Try to capture the emotions that have come up over the last 250 days. What has the journey been like so far? Has it been a vacation, or has it been hard work? Maybe it has been a little of both. Specifically how have you changed?

You have been asked to complete a lot of exercises in the last couple of months. You are continuing to increase your awareness, but now you are adding concrete actions to back up your newfound knowledge. Has that been difficult? Sometimes transformation is painful. Have you been willing to change?

Secondly, take some time today to meditate about the extent to which you are completing the exercises in this book. Have you really been getting into the work, or have you turned in a half-hearted effort? Are you waiting to see if you notice any minor changes before you really go for it?

Finally, do something really nice for yourself today. You’ve come a long way since and you have an interesting road ahead. Stop and appreciate this moment.

DAY

251

“A man wrapped up in himself makes a very small bundle.”

— Benjamin Franklin

It is important to have confidence in yourself, but there is a line you shouldn’t cross: the line into self-absorbed thinking. If you are all wrapped up in yourself you do make a pretty small package.

Today you are going to look at an alternative to being wrapped up in yourself. What if you took a genuine interest in other people? It is important to be in tune with your own thoughts and feelings, but you are not all there is in this world. Look around and see who else is out there. Make friends, help others, and learn from those around you. If you do so, you are latching on to a wealth of knowledge, camaraderie, and love that will nourish you in ways you cannot even begin to imagine.

Your assignment today is to make a new friend. You may decide to talk to someone at work that you’ve never interacted with before. You could also strike up a conversation with someone in a waiting room. Age doesn’t matter. You might find one of your children’s friends fascinating if you spend a few minutes talking with them.

The object of this exercise is not to turn you into a creepy stalker or a nosy neighbor. Just take an interest in someone else when the opportunity arises. People really do enjoy talking about themselves when given a chance. You probably won’t have trouble starting a conversation. Make it your goal to find out something new and interesting about another human being. Pay attention to others for a day and see how it enriches your life.

DAY

252

“Treat your friends as you do your pictures, and place them in their best light.”

— Jennie Jerome Churchill

You will be studying friendships for the next few days, and one of the most important aspects of a good friendship is highlighted in the quote above, attributed to Winston Churchill’s mother. Treat your friends like your pictures. Place them in their best light.

Friends are valuable. It’s important to lift them up and show off their strengths rather than cut them down and point out their flaws. Friendship is an opportunity to celebrate another person. The goal is not to keep them in your shadow.

Who are your best friends? Why do you like them? How do they treat you? Do they make you feel good about yourself? Write about the characteristics of the best friends you’ve had in your life. Then journal for awhile about what kind of friend you think you are to others. Are you a good friend? What do you do to put your friends in their best light? Do you stick up for your friends, or are you really only around if there is something they can do for you?

Some people are takers in friendships and some are givers. You want to lean toward the giving side. Don’t worry about ending up with nothing. When you give yourself to others you very seldom end up bankrupt. Kindness has a way of multiplying and enriching your life, not taking away from it. It isn’t a chore to be a friend. It’s a gift. Put your friends in their best light, and you will be surrounded by beautiful images.

DAY

253

“You got a lotta nerve To say you are my friend When I was down You just stood there grinning You got a lotta nerve To say you gotta helping hand to lend You just want to be on The side that’s winning . . .”

— Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan is not depicting an ideal friendship in this excerpt from the song “Positively 4th Street,” released in 1965. Do you know someone like this? Do you see yourself in this song?

Loyalty is a much sought-after trait for friendships, and it is not that easy to find. On a scale of one to ten, how would your friends rate you in the loyalty department? It’s actually more important to be loyal than it is to be on the winning side all the time. Do you agree with that statement?

You don’t become a good friend by accident. You have to practice it just like you practice many other aspects that build your character. Get in the habit of helping your friends when they are down or if they need a hand. If your friend is moving into a new home, put on your work clothes and offer to pitch in and help him. When your friend goes to the hospital for surgery, visit her and keep her company.

You are well into the action phase of this book, so it’s time to get to work. Make a list of things you can do during the next week that would be helpful to your friends. Follow through with at least five items on your list before the week is over.

DAY

254

“ . . . Winter, spring, summer or fall, All you have to do is call And I’ll be there, yeah, yeah, yeah. You’ve got a friend . . .”

— Carole King

There is a reason why the last two days have highlighted song lyrics as quotes. Millions of composers have used friendship as a subject to inspire their music. Poets, novelists, dancers, and painters have also depicted friendships. Relationships with others, both good and bad, are a common thread that holds humanity together. You choose whether you will create a strong and lasting strand or whether you will be a corrosive and withering cord that could snap at any moment.

Today you get to be the poet. Write a set of song lyrics, draw a picture, or find another artistic way to depict the kind of friend you would like to be. If you have some musical talent, you might want to compose a tune. Try to find an inspiring way to describe how you view friendship in your life. After you have completed this exercise, keep the end result nearby and refer to it often. You don’t ever have to share it with another person, but you should use it as a reminder to live up to that goal.

Strive to be the kind of friend Carole King describes in the quote above. Be a beacon of light when your friends find themselves in darkness. Be a source of hope and peace rather than discord and distain. Let your friendship be a happy tune, not a dismal picture. Let it be a rousing dance, not a mournful ode.

DAY

255

“Best friend, my wellspring in the wilderness!”

— George Eliot

How much do you value your friendships? Do you agree with George Eliot? Do you think of friends like a wellspring in the wilderness? Or do you consider the duties of friendship more like a muddy puddle you would rather avoid?

Today you will have a chance to write about your honest feelings regarding friendships. Think about how they affect your life. Journal your positive and negative thoughts on the subject. One person will consider friendship a chore, while another individual thinks of friendship as a precious gift. Once you get your thoughts down on paper, try to link instances in your life to your conclusions about friendship.