12) Walk The Line Between Perseverance & Acceptance
By John Fotheringham
“Be present. Accept the moment as it is.” Yah, great advice in theory, but doesn’t this lead to apathy and laziness? Absolutely not.
That is just another psychological weapon wielded by your ego to keep it’s hold on you and prevent you from being truly alive in the moment.
Being present does not mean you can’t make plans, work toward goals, or stick to a higher purpose. The key is to put your present reality and future dreams in accord with one another, with neither sacrificed for the other. It’s no easy task, and one that I struggle with every single day, but when I look back on the times I was most happy, most fulfilled, most productive, it was when I had attained balance between accepting where I was at the moment while at the same time (almost paradoxically) aiming toward a goal I had yet to achieve.
Next: 13) Have Low Expectations Return to the List
Author: John Fotheringham
My name is John Fotheringham and I’m a languaholic. I originally hail from Seattle, but have spent most of the past decade living, learning, and working in Japan, Bangladesh, China, and Taiwan. I currently reside in Los Angeles where I am a full-time "manny" (or "bro pair" as my older brother calls me) for my 5-year-old nephew. I focus most on Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, and Spanish but love all languages. And corny puns. And sushi. You can learn more about my other projects at: http://johnfotheringham.net
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