How long is a moment and is there a universally-accepted time-period that defines one? I'm not sure but life is made up of them; Our lives are the unfolding of moment after moment and we can embrace them or not, a choice we must all make for ourselves.
I read a post yesterday about life-moments titled magnificence of moments. It inspired thought about my own which can be confronting as I've lived through some difficult moments. I work towards creating good ones though, to living my best version of life and of myself - That helps put the difficult moments into perspective; It's not easy and some battles will last forever, but are worth fighting.
So, the moments of our lives - We all have them and need to deal with them as best we can, celebrate the good and accept, hopefully learn from, the bad; The negative ones.
Negativity battles attitudes actions and life moments
I recognise negativity easily and deal with it brutally; I refer to external sources here. I know what doesn't feel right and cut it away like the cancer it is. I am able to draw a line beneath negativity and just move on, a skill learned over time. I used to react differently but learned a while back that some battles simply aren't worthy of my time or effort and became an expert at drawing that line. I don't go to war with people these days; It doesn't mean I cannot, just that I choose not to. I choose better moments and to fight for them.
But what about the negativity within myself - That affects my life-moments too. Quite probably more than external negativity ever could.
One's attitude dictates one's actions and outcomes in my opinion - I'm sorry, I'm not a smart man so don't have any research to back that up, just my experiences; But generally a person with the right attitude is going to perform better, more efficiently and effectively, than one without; I have seen it a thousand times. It is the same for me and maintaining the right attitude has been a strong focus; It creates better moments and has helped me live a better life in all aspects.
For me maintaining the right attitude comes down to knowing why I need to achieve a particular thing. I apply the know-the-why ethos to most things and it's rarely failed me - In fact the failures are really just learning experiences that help me move forward with more certainty.
Vincit qui se vincit
So...Moments are life unfolding and attitude and action is directly linked to creating good moments over bad...Seems easy, but how do I do it? Well, know my why's of course, and I think about them all the time. I do that in various ways but one of the simplest I have is that Latin phrase above. Vincit qui se vincit.
The phrase translates to he conquers who conquers himself although it could also translate as he who prevails over himself is twice victorious.
I take it to mean one must look within oneself for the strength one needs to project forward, to deal with one's personal issues, overcome or adapt to them, prior to being able to take the required actions externally. Conquer internal fear and doubt for instance and one's attitude is better, and action reflects attitude right? It could be insecurity or lack of self-esteem also, damaging to one's attitudes if not dealt with.
The phrase is a simple reminder that the way forward lies within me, that I'm responsible to take ownership then action. I fight an internal battle against moments sooner forgotten each day, this phrase in mind and it helps; A trigger-phrase to illicit a response.
I apply this phrase to my life, and others also like that phrase that appears in my post signature below. They mean much more than the words you read, they are simple triggers to activate mechanisms and inspire the thought-process to create the right attitudes and actions which, in turn, help create the moments in life that I most desire; They happen.
The why is the moments
Sometimes it's difficult to conquer ourselves, take those bad moments we have lived and put them into perspective. It's a battle I fight daily and it's difficult. Is there an alternative though? Sure, there's an alternative and I've seen many take it...But it's a very final solution and I think it's worth exploring different options like working towards creating valued moments to replace those we do not value.
Embracing the beautiful moments in life is one method of finding the strength for that battle and showing gratitude for them is another. They arm me with the ability to better deal with the ugly moments that, try as I might to avoid, are always going to be there.
Life is a precious thing as are the moments in it. After all, those moments are life...They are all we really have! I'd say they're worth fighting for. The why's we seek are those moments...That walk on the beach with a lover, the laughter of your child, the thrill of achievement, the moment you fall in love, shared passion, laughter, longing, music, the smell of petrichor...Single moments; Our lives tumbling forwards also. Worth fighting for.
Here's two quotes that I love from the author of that post linked above...
In-between all of that, there are all these “moments”- Brief ticks of the clock which we will never have again. Surely they should be made the most of?! “Pick your battles or you will spend the rest of your life fighting” a kindergarten teacher of Jude’s once said to me. Whilst I did not agree with ALL of her approach – that statement was one of the things “I took” – and I left the rest.
Pick your battles - Yes...Know what's worth fighting for and what is not and expend your energy in the right place. Know the why and conquer yourself then your challenges and find those beautiful unfolding moments of life that fulfill life.
We should all learn to appreciate them more - be it with our children, friends, partners or simple acquaintances - every single one of them counts.
Appreciate the moments more - Agreed. Value the good ones, celebrate them, but learn from the bad and appreciate that they are simply the pages of our life turning, and they all count towards the journey forward.
So why? Only you can determine that because it's different for all of us. I know my why's and live them...I breathe life into my *why's daily, cling to them, rely on them and use the why's to fight the internal battles that help me move closer to them and the other moments I desire so much.
Vincit qui se vincit - He conquers who conquers himself...Yes, I agree and every day I move a step closer...Moments leading to moments.
How long is a moment, I asked in the first line of this post...A moment is a lifetime long so make it your best moment.
Design and create your ideal life, don't live it by default - Tomorrow isn't promised so be humble and kind
Discord: galenkp#9209
This post was inspired by @jaynie who authored the magnificence of moments post I have linked above. She has a way of saying things well, of putting her meaningful thought into words, so take a read if you're keen, you may be surprised what you find - You'll probably find value that could augment your future moments and make life that little bit better.
Image is mine - Semaphore Beach, South Australia.