Here’s another quote I stumbled across recently:

There is a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in.

Leonard Cohen

For me, it translates into: Nobody is perfect, and that’s good.

This quote means that we all make mistakes. But these mistakes can help us learn and grow, so they are actually a good thing. They let in the light, knowledge, understanding, improvement, or growth.

We all strive to be better. Most of us do. But none of us will ever be perfect. So it’s important to remember that our mistakes are not a sign of weakness or failure but instead an opportunity for growth and learning.

By embracing the crack in everything and allowing the light to come in, we open ourselves up more fully to life and its possibilities. We can become better in ways we never imagined. The light of knowledge and understanding can be our greatest teacher if we are brave enough to learn from it.

So don’t let your fears or mistakes keep you away from the light – embrace them instead, and watch as you grow. You may surprise yourself with what you can achieve. That is the power of the quote, “There is a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in.”

And there is another angle. Those cracks make us unique. They look different for everyone. No two individuals have the exact same set of experiences or flaws, and these differences make us special. They give us a unique perspective on life that can be shared with others to help them understand and appreciate our own individual beauty, quirks, and all.

So remember: there is a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in. Embrace your cracks and use them to help you grow! Who knows where the light may take you?

Recently I read somewhere the following statement. Unfortunately, I don’t remember where, so I can’t add the source here. But I’d like to share the message nonetheless.

I heard my mom asking our neighbor for some salt. We had salt at home so I asked her why she was asking. She told me, “They don’t have much money and they sometimes ask us for things. So I asked for something small that wouldn’t burden them. I want them to feel as if we needed them too. That way, it will be much easier for them to ask us for anything they need.”

I admire that attitude, and it expresses so much kindness and care. I am trying too to be kind, fair, supportive, positive, and respectful. Most of us do. And there are days when this works out better than on other days. That’s okay. The important thing is that you keep trying.

In our fast-paced world, we tend to forget those values easily. We are all too busy to stop and look around us, see those in need, and help others. We are so busy with ourselves and minor issues that we sometimes don’t see the bigger picture.

This message above is a reminder to be kind. So, if you haven’t been kind to someone today, the day is still ongoing. Go out and be kind.

Many people care more about being right than being happy. This is a statement from James Clear. And thinking about it, I am sure this has happened to all of us already, right? Some things must be clarified, or we don’t find peace with that topic. I am sure you have had such thoughts too in the past, right?

A small example is the famous dishwasher. For whatever reason, in most relationships, you have one partner with a particular way to fill the dishwasher. Every piece has its place in there. Let’s call this partner Jim. And there is the other partner, Jenny, which doesn’t care about such stuff. Most of the time, Jenny places used dishes on top of the dishwasher instead of in the dishwasher. And even if Jenny spends the effort to open the dishwasher door, the dish will end up in there in the wrong place.

This is very upsetting for Jim, resulting in myriads of explaining, scolding, and or simply grumpy uttering. Jim tries, again and again, to educate Jenny to do it the “right” way. But guess what, Jenny will never do it the way Jim wants to see it. But Jim doesn’t give up. Why is Jenny not getting it? What’s wrong with that person? I need to try harder. I want Jenny to understand that I am right!

This is just an example, and there are plenty of others. It is simply not so easy to let go of something we believe to be right. So we keep fighting as if there won’t be a tomorrow. But there are other strategies, aren’t there? One would be to reflect. Why is it so important to me to be right in this case? What is the best possible outcome? That Jenny says, “Yes, Jim, you are right. From now on I will do it your way.”? How likely is it that this will happen? So why keep trying to make her acknowledge that you are right? She won’t. Already her pride will prevent that.

Jim could also approach Jenny with: “Hey Jenny, we always have this stupid fight about the dishwasher. How about this: we alternate weekly. I am using my way, and you are using your way. And the other won’t interfere. The only rule: the dishes are clean after the week or we won’t switch back. Deal? Nice! Let’s go and have fun.” Wasn’t that hard, wasn’t it?

“The myth is that there isn’t enough time. There is plenty of time. There isn’t enough focus with the time you have. You win by directing your attention toward better things.”

James Clear

Recently I came across that quote from James Clear. This quote resonated somehow and here is why.

Contrary to popular belief, time is not a scarce commodity. We all have enough of it, every day; however, the issue lies in how we allocate our attention and focus with the time available.

This realization has enabled me to be more mindful about what I choose to focus on during my days. Rather than being pulled into activities that aren’t serving me, I try to direct my attention to better things. This helps me maximize the time I have and ensure that my efforts are going toward achieving what matters most in life.

By recognizing that there is enough time but not enough focus, I am able to make decisions with a greater level of intentionality and clarity. This has enabled me to cultivate meaningful habits that are bringing me closer to my goals and dreams.

How are you using your time? Are you happy with how you spend your time?

Recently I stumbled across the following quote: “The most invisible form of wasted time is doing a good job on an unimportant task.” And thinking about it, I do this quite often, spending time on unimportant tasks. But why? Well, for one there are certain tasks I simply like to do, it’s fun doing them. Once in such a task, it’s hard to realize that the task might not be that important and actually I should stop doing that. Those tasks are usually in the less important 80% of the Pareto principle. And second, there are tasks where I simply didn’t spend enough time to identify or determine the importance and I’ll find out too late, that these tasks haven’t been that important at all. I am often too busy to push the cart with the flat tire to fix the tire.

So, what can be done about that?

1. Set Priorities: Before starting any task, take a few minutes to think about its importance in the grand scheme of things. If it’s not an important task or not worth your time, move on to other tasks that are more important and beneficial to you.

2. Make a To-Do List: Allocate a time slot and priority for each task on your to-do list. This way, you can prioritize tasks important to you and quickly identify which tasks are not worth your attention.

3. Take Breaks: When working for long hours, it’s easy to get caught up in unimportant tasks. Taking breaks helps reset the mind and refocus on important tasks.

4. Delegate Work: If there are tasks that you can delegate to others, then do so. This way, you can focus more on the important tasks and not get bogged down by unimportant ones.

5. Automate: Use automation tools for repetitive tasks like data entry or other time-consuming tasks. This will free up more time for important tasks and eliminate the possibility of getting sucked into unimportant ones.

The quote highlighted an issue many experience – doing a good job on unimportant tasks. Setting priorities, making to-do lists, taking breaks, delegating work, and automating wherever possible can help ensure that you’re spending your time on important tasks and not wasting it on unimportant ones.

Ultimately, this quote serves as a reminder to be mindful of how we use our time and to focus our attention on the most important tasks first. It’s an investment in ourselves and our future. So, let’s make sure that we don’t waste our time, since time is our most important asset. There will be always ways to get money, wealth, attention, and even health up to a certain degree. But when time is gone, it’s gone. There is no way to get it back.