Alexandra Levits Water Cooler Wisdom Universal Human Truths That Are Hard to Swallow

Alexandra Levit's Water Cooler Wisdom Universal Human Truths That Are Hard to Swallow As human beings, we tend to hold on to irrational ideas and fight against the inevitable. Based onEran Dror’s new book, here are the difficult truths we all must recognize and then take steps to get over. Warning: some of this might be hard to hear and even harder to digest. You are going to die Acknowledging life’s limited duration is good for us. It helps us focus on what matters and forget petty things. It can motivate us to make decisions and take calculated risks. It can make us better people: more self-aware and less self-involved. Cope better by asking yourself: what would I do differently if I only had a year to live? A month? A day? Nothing is permanent We are constantly looking for “happily ever after,” a contentment so stable that nothing could ever shake it. And then a friend moves away or our company closes its gates. What if we could accept that everything is subject to change and that both pleasant and unpleasant experiences will pass in time. Ask: do I tend to suffer in moments of great change? How can I find peace instead of desperation? The future isuncertain We agonize over a hoped-for promotion or the success of a business venture. But the future cannot be directly observed and is therefore impossible to predict. Focus on what you do know and what you can do, and leave yourself open to adventure and discovery. Ask: have I ever experienced uncertainty as exciting or even beautiful? The present is all you have We obsess about the past and worry about the future and often forget to appreciate what’s right in front of us. But our whole lives are nothing but a string of present moments, so you must stop and pay attention. Ask: do I miss out on wonderful experiences in my life because I am too preoccupied with what’s already happened or what hasn’t yet happened? You can’t do it all We are beings of finite time, limited attention, and constrained resources. Accepting that you must be highly selective will teach you a lot about yourself and liberate you to focus on what you care about most. You simply can’t sample everything in the buffet of life, so take pride in saying no. Ask: do I feeloverwhelmed by all of the commitmentsin my life? For more hard truths that are hard to accept, check out the full post at Intuits Fast Track blog.