The Iso Tank Blog

Life is all about choices, and making the wrong ones can lead you down some pretty rough paths. But is it fair to call any less than desirable choice “wrong”? Should we instead just describe it as a decision that takes us on a learning curve, where we listen patiently, nod our heads, and ultimately acknowledge, “Okay. Lesson learned — Won’t do that again.”

Perhaps.

You may find changing your mentality on how you view things enables the positive to come out sooner — Life is far more about mental perception than you realize; the psychology of it is a very interesting thing.

Remind yourself that you’re on an ever-changing journey, and though life will certainly tangle itself up rather well at times, it’ll always find a way to become untangled, and place you gently (and sometimes not-so-gently, but at least you’ll get there) back on-track.

Enjoying the Up’s and Down’s equally may not be the easiest thing for you to accomplish, but if you can reach a point of peacefulness that runs off that mentality, I can tell you the life you live will be much fuller than those who focus on the negative — Dreading having to overcome or do things is a choice you make; if you think of it as another stepping stone that we all ultimately take, maybe you won’t feel so lonely, confused, or frustrated during the process — It just becomes what you have to do.

Furthermore, remember everything is relative.

If you forget this important piece of the puzzle, you’ll find it difficult to see eye-to-eye with many people.

For instance:
Person A has $10,000 in debt. Person B has $2,000 in debt. If Person B hasn’t ever had more than that, their emotional response to their debt [even though it's 80% less than yours] will most-likely be equal. And don’t get me wrong, Person B will recognize they have it much better than you if you’re Person A, but it’ll still be a tough road for them to travel down because it’s the worst they’ve known.

Again, Relativity.

You have the power to lay the foundation for what your core will be, and choosing a negative platform to stand on won’t hold you up very long.

As you go through life there will surely be times when the path is unclear. You’ll become overwhelmed and confused, and go on what feels like a manhunt for answers. And when on that hunt it’s always nice to find what you’re looking for quickly — But what happens when you don’t? What do you do when you’re left waiting in life, all by yourself, with no estimated departure time, in what feels like an empty space? Well it’s a good thing you came here, because that’s our discussion topic for today.

If you find yourself there (and really I should say ‘when you find yourself there’, because ultimately we’ll all pay that scenario a visit once or twice) don’t give up hope. The neatly wrapped package you had once had, or that you’re looking for, will find it’s way to you. The trick is to be patient and positive, as tough as both those may be. Sometimes it’s helpful to remind yourself that we’re all in the same boat — This journey we’re on doesn’t come with a guidebook, and we will get lost from time to time. That’s an absolute — We can only do our best.

The great part is that we have complete control to define what “our best” means.

Set the bar as high as it can go, so each day you wake you strive to reach the top, and if you don’t reach it, no biggie –  You’ve probably just gone higher than most people, and certainly higher than you would have gone without having something to aim for. Not to mention you can always keep trying.

Each time you allow yourself to get bogged down with the immaterial you will lose another precious minute, another hour, another day. You’ll lose a moment you could have shared with a friend or loved one, or one of self-reflection, in which you learn a thing or two about who you are, who you want to become, your desires, or your goals.

So regardless as to where you are on your journey, keep reminding yourself nothing lasts forever. Sadly, that also goes for the good stuff, and though it’s never fun to think about, it can be beneficial to remind yourself of that from time to time — It’ll make you grateful for what you have, even when other parts of your life may be in disarray.

As the Holidays approach, carve out time to look around your world and pick out all that is good. And if you find things in your world that are making you unhappy, start by jotting down ideas as to how you can overcome them.

A lot of people want change to occur instantly, but there is no such thing as anything happening “instantly” in the bigger picture — Even the quickest and simplest actions in life took a lot of planning before they became routine.

So grab a pen and paper, glass of wine or cup of coffee, and cozy up in a relaxing environment to do a bit of digging.

You have the power to make your life anything you want it to be. Don’t waste that gift — It’s the biggest and most important one you will ever get.

At one time or another we’ve all felt trapped under the grates. The light is dim, the air is thick, and you think your chances of escaping are slim to none. But then you begin your journey upward, and those feelings start to lessen. The sun returns to your view, you start to breathe easy again, and your trip is not so much an escape as an accomplishment. Life returns to how you remembered it. Except for a few fundamental differences — You are stronger, you are wiser, and you are more in control of your mind, body & spirit.

During milestones we are instilled with something new, be it a lesson, a frame of mind, or a mental note to stay away from or gravitate towards a certain situation or person. Without hitting the ceiling from time to time we might never know what it is, or who it is, we should be around or with as we continue down this unguided path.

Challenges present themselves without warning. It’s how you handle the challenges that make the difference. Facing them head on and dealing with what you need to when you need to will will propel you forward. Putting your head down and covering yourself with a blanket will set you back. It’s not a science we can dictate on paper, and there is no structured formula — It’s a power bigger than our rational thoughts; it is our subconscious kicking in and our survival mechanism engaging.

Take comfort in knowing when you need the tools they will be there. You will get through the rocky times, and surpass what you perceive to be limitations. You will rise to a higher level of spirituality with each step you climb.

Those who love you will be there to push you should you need a bit of help. They’ll wrap themselves around your worries, and enhance your joys with a smile, a hug, a shoulder to lean on or a hand to grasp, just so you know they’re there.

In the end, everything will be okay, and you will continue to thrive, to learn, and to live.