A Pie Graph of YOU

Finally, a use for that mathematical skill you were first taught in elementary school: the pie graph. I offer it as a way to look at your life, assess it, and if you choose, to realign your priorities.

Compose of pie graph of your life's daily activities. Include some basic categories like: Work, Education, Play/Hobbies, Relationships, etc. Now assign each category a slice of the pie you call YOU. What amount of the whole do you allow each category to take up time in your day? If you're honest, you may find the results interesting, and your life in need of some tweaking? A well balaced pie is a thing of beauty, while a tilting pie is bound to fall.

A Complement Jar

How to best start your day? My advice is to begin collecting those complements you receive daily in a jar. If you're a computer person, make it 'virtual' but if not, get yourself a nice shiny jar or glass vase and bright paper cards for those wonderful things people say about you. Maybe you should carry a pad with you to jot down the daily complements received? And each evening write these lovely thoughts on bright colored paper and toss them in the complement jar in your bedroom. How better to start your morning then a reading of just how wonderful you really are? It's a way to always wake up on the right side of the bed. If it's virtual, you can dig into the jar like cookies and enjoy a pick-up of spirits as needed sans the calories.

But your flaws and faults, you ask? Where to keep them? Why that's the reason you need the printed version of your wonderful qualities. We always seem to harbor the criticisms close, usually in the upper abdomen. It's time to dwell on the positive.

When peer pressure overtakes common sense

Call it vacillating, giving in, selling you soul, or just plain retreating. Whatever you call it, when you behave thusly, you won't feel good about yourself for it. And I'm not saying that retreating from a situation doesn't have a place in your life, it does. Sometimes it's wiser to go along or retreat, but if you make this behavior a way of life, you simply won't have one of your own choosing. To put it visually, you'll always be in the passenger seat, and that's not the way to get where you want to go.

Before the 'feminist' movement, this submissive attitude was taught from mother to daughter: "Know your place," Don't be difficult." "Don't make waves." "Be nice." "You want to be liked, don't you?" Those words took their toll. Years of observing this behavior and hearing the words couldn't be expected to change attitudes and way of life in a generation or two or four.. Humans just don't do: "Do as I say and not as I do," well.

To make real behavior and attitude changes, humans need to witness the success that one can achieve by being assertive--- by being their own person and still caring about other human beings. So if you can't find such a person, one who truly marches to her own drummer without tramping on the whole parade, maybe it's up to you? Get out of the passenger seat and into the drivers' seat. Others need to follow your style. The only thing you have to lose is that constant feeling of frustration.

These are a few of my favorite quotes

George Santayana: " Fanaticism consistes in redoubling your effort when you have forgotten your aim."

Embrace the balance and ride the tempo of your life the way it is -- slow and purposeful. Learn to dance according to the music that's being played . Horoscope for Aquarius from Yahoo 9/17/06

Aquarius Horoscope Yahoo 9/23/06
There's nothing wrong with retreat -- in fact, it's one of the easiest and simplest methods of self-preservation! If you're feeling under attack, you don't have to fight back. Simply walk away. The sight of your back will be an effective message to keep someone from crossing the line with you.