Category: self improvement

Time flies when you are having fun but slows down when you are sad

Ian HunterLeave a comment

Instagram followers hide your lack of real friends

Texts with thumbs up and Facebook likes

Give the impression you are always happy

Saving you from actually speaking

Lest your voice becomes an unwitting informer

Dark sunglasses hide your sad eyes

You only take them off in the dark

A fake smile masks your depression

Your face aches from forcing it all day

Blacked out windows in your Cadillac

Prevent the world from seeing the real you inside

Your trophy wife paraded in public

She plays the part well when seen

Becoming cold as ice when alone with you

She talks to her friends all day

Never makes eye contact with you

You chose a childless relationship

Too risky having anybody that close to you

Expensive home and flashy toys

A thick wallet full of credit cards

Combine to hide your mounting debts

Long hours and grinding out results

Disguise your real dissatisfaction with your job

You stopped talking to your parents long ago

Tired of them asking what is wrong with you

You hang out with the boys every week

Mostly to be seen doing guy things

Watching sports and talking trash

Downing beers for an alcoholic buzz

Your sad thoughts briefly anesthetized

Laughing outwardly at all the stupid jokes

While crying uncontrollably inside

You wished it was all a bad dream

But its there every time you wake up

You pray for the day when it will all change

You wait for guidance of a new direction

You hope for the strength to adjust

You are constantly looking for the signal

1,456 days of social media distancing

Ian Hunter5 Comments

On November 8, 2017 I decided to stop looking at FaceBook

I was disillusioned at the content and disappointed in myself for wasting so much time every day looking at mundane things which added no value to my life.

It was easy to quit, no twelve step program or going to FaceBookaholics Anonymous meetings, I just closed my account and moved on

1,456 days later I have no regrets and my true friends found other ways to keep in touch

Early in 2020, I do not recall the exact date, I made a decision to stop watching the news, both TV and internet

After a lifetime of addiction to daily news, I suddenly became aware that being constantly fed negative sensationalized stories did nothing to make me a better person

Being informed of the minute details of a distant natural disaster or terrorist attack that I could not influence just added unnecessary stress to my life

I do care about things and donate both my time and money to causes that matter to me

Abandoning the news was not as simple as deleting an App on my phone, I had to make conscious decisions not to tune into news channels

It was harder to break the habit of reading online news especially when you Google a current affairs subject because the top results are almost always news outlets

You have to dig a little deeper to find data on matters that interest you but also be skeptical about anything you read being true or factual

When I walk into a room today where TV news is being broadcast, I simply ignore it by listening to music on a headphone or engaging in conversation

So I am saying a huge thank you today to FaceBook, CNN, NBC, BBC and all the other media sources that used to take up 2 hours or more of my day

Thank you for leaving my life and gifting me that time to do other things of my choice like riding my bike, reading, writing, having interesting conversations with friends or engaging in a project to improve my home or myself

Imagine how this extra time gained daily adds up, over the next decade I will have the equivalent of 12 months news and social media free gifted time for myself

Its like having your life expectancy increased by 10% with the additional bonus of being less stressed

I am grateful for still being alive today during the Covid-19 Pandemic, and even more grateful for not having been spoon-fed the 24/7 toxic news on this subject

If important things happen out there that could effect my life, others advise me of it

Time is precious, I am determined to spend mine on things which bring me joy and fulfillment

Good health but short memory

Ian Hunter1 Comment

good health

most of us take it for granted

until you get sick or injured

then you realize how truly precious it is

you start praying for a speedy recovery

making promises that you will change your lifestyle 

if you get well its a real blessing

suddenly you feel reborn again

fleetingly toying with goals to exercise more and eat a healthier diet

you quickly go back to your old routine

you get busy and forget about your good health

bad lifestyle habits creep back in

until the next time your health deteriorates

break this cycle

before it breaks you

your poor lifestyle is not the problem

its your memory that needs fixing

Float days are fun

Ian Hunter4 Comments

its good to have plans

establish milestones and goals

set objectives to meet them

diligently work on tasks towards your goals

pause when you have reached a big milestone 

bathe in the glory of achievements

but only celebrate for a short while

then get back to working on tasks

however, there will be some days when you can’t seem to focus

maybe your energy level is low

or you just can’t get motivated

if you have the flexibility, give yourself a day off

declare a float day

a day to float around doing almost nothing

turn your phone off and stay off the grid for a day

let your mind float too

keep it empty of worries about things to be done

let your thoughts float freely

dream a while as you are floating

at the end of your float day, pause to review your plans

determine if they are taking you where you want to go

adjust your plans and get back on task

it’s not healthy to be running full steam ahead all the time

you can still get there with a bit of floating now and again

float days are fun

Sometimes its good to be lost

Ian Hunter3 Comments

Sometimes its good to be lost

In an unfamiliar place

Without a clear path back

Nobody there to guide you

Before you can find your way back

You have to first find yourself

Find your fears and worries

Find your hopes and dreams

Have some time alone with them

Challenge them to convince you to keep them

Listen carefully to their words

Identify the ones you can really trust

Decide which ones you want to carry back

Leave the others behind

Knowing they will forever be lost

Lighten your load for the return journey

The path back will be easy to find

You will enjoy every step of the way

Come back a much better person

With clearer vision and purpose

Sometimes its good to be lost