5 Steps To Stand A Little Taller In Life

How would you like to live your life standing just a little bit taller? By living the life you long for.

Instead of simply longing for it.

I’m asking because many of us seem to live our lives hunched over a little bit. We’re actually 5’10″ but we stand 5’8″.

We started our lives with the abundant energy of a small child. And have since lost the bulk of that energy. We’ve allowed our best ideas to be stifled by the opinions of others.  Or never seeing daylight of any kind, we’ve hidden them from scrutiny. In a bottom drawer somewhere.

What are you longing for?

And what could you do in your life to stand just a little bit taller? To reach a little bit higher. To make a better life for you and those around you.

What would happen if you really believed in yourself? If you took a few more risks. And lived a little more.

It’s possible that you would start to straighten up. To move and converse with more confidence. And, who knows, perhaps start to be seen as a bigger player in the world. Perception is powerful.

How many of you could add a few inches if you tried?

Here are some ideas to get you started:

1. Make a list of your ideas or opportunities. Pull out your journal or idea book. Collect into one place the post-its, napkins, business cards or any other sources of ideas. This could include business ideas, creative efforts (poems, songs, short stories) or any concept you’ve always had on your list.

2. Make a list of your obstacles. What’s stopping you from taking action?  Then create two columns and separate real obstacles (money, skill, etc) from false ones (fear, excuses).  I’d like you to be conscious of all the things holding you back – real or imaginary. Once you shine a big light on your obstacles you can begin planning a way around them. Or ignore them.

3. Pick 2-3 ideas or opportunities. If you have a longer list, this is really important.  Because most of us don’t have the time or capacity for more than a few new focus areas in life.  This also leads to action because a shorter list always feels more “doable”, right?

4. Take action in some way on each. I suggest this because listening to your head and heart as you begin will tell you a lot about your true desires.  Sometimes we long for something we don’t really want.  And you learn this through experience.  Even just writing a one page summary or business plan for each will tell you something.  If time stands still as you write, you might have something!

Even just telling five friends about each idea will help.  You will hear yourself talking about each.  And often the reaction of your friends can be telling.  They might say something like “That makes so much sense.  That’s perfect for you!”  Or if they are really paying attention, they will see that your face lit up when you described one of the three.

5. Pick one and stick with it. Creating something new.  And getting value back from getting it started. Well, it takes time.  And depending on the niche you choose, it could taker longer than you think.  So pay attention to the small wins along the way.  And allow yourself to see a future with your idea helping others, making you money or influencing big crowds.  Or whatever your ideas are destined to achieve in the world.

If you know my story, I spent many years sitting on 38 ideas.  Every year they struggled to breathe in my bottom drawer, was another quarter inch I hunched over.  A lack of action on my part left me bummed out.  And only reinforced my worst fear – that the ideas were bad.  That my inaction was the right course.  To avoid embarrassing myself.

And then I took action.  I picked a few ideas and brought them to life (this blog was one of my 3).  The learning started.  As did the growing.

Similar to the Grinch experiencing a growing heart, I started growing taller.  More confident.

I was living 5’10″ and now I am proudly living 6’0″.  And I plan to keep growing.

So what are you longing for?  What could you do today to slow the “hunching” and start the growing?

And how can I help?

Photo Credit

Written by: Tim Tyrell-Smith
Tags: bottom drawer | business cards | business ideas | cognition | creativity | idea | ideas | Life | little bit | live your life | metaphysics | ontology | philosophy | short story | stand | stands | steps | tall | taller | thought
Categories: Keeping A Positive Attitude In Life