Ten months ago I began a journey of practicing mindfulness every day and we've reached day 331. Yesterday, I talked about being hopeful. Today is a new day.
What really helped me out in school was learning how to make outlines. Every time I had a project my teachers would suggest making one to help make the process a bit easier. Some even required it. Being thickheaded, I generally ignored making them when I was younger and as a result I'd be jumping back-and-forth throughout my paper trying to piece things together (my thinking can be very jumbled). This made writing papers a hectic mess.
When I finally got it together and started listening I realized that it brought me a lot of focus in my thinking. I'd still go back-and-forth when writing sections, but the outlines helped me remember what I was putting where, which made a huge difference in preparing me for what I'd research, how I'd connect my points, and then string it all together in a neat and orderly fashion.
Outlines are mainly for papers, but their concept is something that can be applied with everything. For example, when I went out to go bouldering yesterday the first thing that came to mind was, "where am I going", "how am I getting there", and "how long will it take to get there?" Those questions serve as a checklist to cross out and help organize our thoughts. Keeping mental checklists makes problem solving more methodical, and it prepares us for taking on challenges we know about.
To take it a step further, planning for the unexpected is also important. Whether it's budgeting, being somewhere by a certain time, or planning out your future, there's always something that can go wrong. Maybe your car breaks down and you need money to repair it. Perhaps an accident caused delays to your train and you'll be late for work. There's no way to fully plan for the future, but having contingency plans in addition to having an outline is like the padding used when learning gymnastics. Sure, the coaches do a great job in teaching proper form, but you can never be too safe.
Thinking about how to be prepared for anything means making some sacrifices, but I find that they ultimately build character. Sure, I might end up leaving a bit earlier and sacrifice some free time, but in doing so I value my free time more and prioritize more of it doing things that are meaningful to me. Sure, I might not go out or buy things all that often, but in case anything happens and I need money to get me out of a bad situation I know I'll be alright.
How we spend our time determines our future, and being prepared for whatever just helps cushion the blow when the roads get a little bumpy. That's what we call "preserving the peace".
Peace
"To be prepared for war is one of the most effective means of preserving peace." - George WashingtonI'm definitely not condoning war or violence by any means, but the underlying message is about planning ahead and being ready for the unexpected. Whenever I set out to do something, whether it's a vacation, a project, or meeting up with some friends, things always end up better when I've taken the time to properly plan things out and execute with a purpose in mind. Yeah, spontaneity can be good, but when shit hits the fan it's a lot harder to start from nothing than it is to have come at least a little prepared.
What really helped me out in school was learning how to make outlines. Every time I had a project my teachers would suggest making one to help make the process a bit easier. Some even required it. Being thickheaded, I generally ignored making them when I was younger and as a result I'd be jumping back-and-forth throughout my paper trying to piece things together (my thinking can be very jumbled). This made writing papers a hectic mess.
When I finally got it together and started listening I realized that it brought me a lot of focus in my thinking. I'd still go back-and-forth when writing sections, but the outlines helped me remember what I was putting where, which made a huge difference in preparing me for what I'd research, how I'd connect my points, and then string it all together in a neat and orderly fashion.
Outlines are mainly for papers, but their concept is something that can be applied with everything. For example, when I went out to go bouldering yesterday the first thing that came to mind was, "where am I going", "how am I getting there", and "how long will it take to get there?" Those questions serve as a checklist to cross out and help organize our thoughts. Keeping mental checklists makes problem solving more methodical, and it prepares us for taking on challenges we know about.
To take it a step further, planning for the unexpected is also important. Whether it's budgeting, being somewhere by a certain time, or planning out your future, there's always something that can go wrong. Maybe your car breaks down and you need money to repair it. Perhaps an accident caused delays to your train and you'll be late for work. There's no way to fully plan for the future, but having contingency plans in addition to having an outline is like the padding used when learning gymnastics. Sure, the coaches do a great job in teaching proper form, but you can never be too safe.
Thinking about how to be prepared for anything means making some sacrifices, but I find that they ultimately build character. Sure, I might end up leaving a bit earlier and sacrifice some free time, but in doing so I value my free time more and prioritize more of it doing things that are meaningful to me. Sure, I might not go out or buy things all that often, but in case anything happens and I need money to get me out of a bad situation I know I'll be alright.
How we spend our time determines our future, and being prepared for whatever just helps cushion the blow when the roads get a little bumpy. That's what we call "preserving the peace".
Are you prepared?
Peace
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| Any plan is better than no plan. It's never too late to start. |
How are you prepared? Leave a comment below!
ReplyDeleteHave a great day~