If nirvana were an animal, I’d have to say it would be a cat.
Socks was in my office the other day, stretched out on the cat tree and sunning himself in the window. His eyes were half-closed as the rays streaked across his coat.
Of course I had to go disturb him.
I went over and stroked his fur, and he enjoyed it so much that he started rolling backward and slid off the cat tree!
It was one of those slow, oozing falls, and I caught him before his back legs reached the ground. I put him back on the top so he could lay down again and enjoy more scratches.
Have you ever felt such satisfaction? Normally we tend to focus on what needs to be done, or the negatives that hold us back. When a positive happens it can be easy to say, “Good job!” then let it slide away into the background.
Each positive, each accomplishment you achieve, is part of the foundation that pushes you forward. Instead of only focusing on what needs to be done, keep in mind what you have already finished, and it will change your mindset from an “I can’t do this,” to “well, I did this, maybe I can.” Success leads to possibilities, and you only need that chance to complete whatever task lies before you.
Think about it this way: as the day progresses you accomplish tons of tasks. You get out of bed, you get dressed, you completed several things like eating, going to work (or whatever you did that day), and then you arrive at a daunting task. You don’t think you can do it because you feel like a failure. But you’re not taking into account all the things you did successfully that day, all the things you’ve already achieved.
Now I’m not saying you’ll always be successful at your task. As mentioned previously, I will never be a great mathematician because I am terrible with numbers. No matter how much I study I will never find a universal equation. But hey, I did pass Calculus and Statistics and learned some mad study skills, and those are some pretty cool accomplishments if I do say so myself.
The point is, you collect accomplishments along the way, give it your all, and focus on the positives. Learn from your mistakes, make more accomplishments, and grow your confidence. Be as satisfied with your life as a cat sunning on a cat tree, minus the rolling-off part.