2934: 9 Things to Think About Before You Give Up by Marc Chernoff of Marc and Angel on Mental Health Advice

[00:00:00] Have you ever noticed how a calm mind can really set the stage for a good night's sleep? That's the idea behind our new podcast, Good Sleep. Greg, our host from Optimal Relationships Daily, is here to help ease you into a peaceful night's rest with some positive affirmations. And these affirmations aren't just comforting, they can help ease anxiety and nurture positive thoughts, setting you up for true good sleep.

[00:00:24] So, press play on Good Sleep Tonight because a good tomorrow starts with a good night's sleep. Just search for Good Sleep in your podcast app and be sure to pick the one from Optimal Living Daily. This is Optimal Health Daily, 9 Things to Think About Before You Give Up by Marc Chernoff of MarcAndAngel.com and I'm Dr. Neal.

[00:00:48] Hey there, welcome to another Sunday bonus episode. This is where I'd like to share an episode from another podcast in our network, usually overlapping a bit with what we talk about here. And today's post comes from my brother's podcast, Optimal Living Daily. You can find that podcast wherever you're hearing this. So with that, here's my brother Justin as we optimize your life.

[00:01:14] 9 Things to Think About Before You Give Up by Marc Chernoff of MarcAndAngel.com If you feel like you're at the end of the road with nowhere to go, realize you are lying to yourself. You've imprisoned yourself in your own mind by telling self-defeating stories. Stories about what your life should be like, what you should have already accomplished and so forth.

[00:01:38] By doing this, you've created a tiny space in your mind and you've begun to believe you're actually living in it. But you are not. You are alive in a vast world with infinite destinations. Take a moment to remind yourself of this. Go outside. Look at the sky and the clouds. This is the space in which you really live. Breathe it in. Then look at your current situation again. Here are some things you need to consider before you give up.

[00:02:08] Number one, you never fail until you're satisfied with failure. Failure is not falling down. Failure is staying down when you have the choice to get back up. Sometimes you have to fail a thousand times to succeed, which means you haven't really failed yet. You've just found a bunch of ways that don't work. So don't get so hung up on a few failed attempts that you miss every new opportunity coming your way.

[00:02:34] All of your ideas that don't work are simply stepping stones on your way to the one idea that does. As Winston Churchill once said, quote, Success is not final. Failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts, end quote. Read, Awaken the Giant Within. Number two, what you have learned is what's important. Life always offers you a second chance. It's called tomorrow.

[00:03:02] But the second chance doesn't mean anything if you haven't learned from the events of today. You have to acknowledge your troubles, but gather strength from them and laugh at your mistakes, but learn from them. Getting a second chance in life is about giving yourself the opportunity to grow beyond your past failures. It's about learning as you go and positively adjusting your attitude and efforts toward future possibilities. Number three, tough times are just part of life's natural balance.

[00:03:31] Life lives, life dies, life laughs, life cries, life gives up, and life tries. And life looks different through everyone's eyes. In fact, who you were, who you are, and who you will become are three completely different people. And as you gradually grow beyond the person you were yesterday, keep life's challenges in perspective. Hear life's harmony and notice the delicate balance.

[00:03:59] Realize that life is like playing a grand piano. The white keys create your happiness and the black keys denote your troubles. But as you go through life's journey, remember that the black keys also create music. Number four, pain helps you grow. Sometimes things must change so you can change. Sometimes you must break a little so you can get a peek inside to see what an awesome powerhouse you are.

[00:04:26] Sometimes mistakes must be made so wisdom can be earned. Sometimes you must overcome heartache so you can begin to follow your heart again. Number five, success is a way of living. Don't let your struggles become your identity. Not everything in your life will go as you expect it to. This is why you need to drop expectations, live in the present, and go with the flow rather than against it.

[00:04:52] Remind yourself that it's perfectly okay not to be perfect. Ultimately, success is not something you achieve. It is what you learn and how you grow as you deal with the realities of life. It is a way of living and being. Read as a man thinketh. Number six, you can choose differently. The difference between a mountain and a molehill is your perspective. And in many cases, the only thing in life you have control over is your perspective.

[00:05:22] No matter what happens, you control what the meaning is and what to do with the meaning you give to the circumstance. Choose to react in a way that motivates happiness, love, or forgiveness, even when circumstances make that choice difficult. Number seven, it's not supposed to be easy. Just because you're not where you want to be today doesn't mean you won't be there someday. Again, success is tied to long-term determination.

[00:05:50] Successful people keep moving and trying. They make mistakes, but they do not quit. If things in your life aren't happening as planned right now, that's okay. It just means it's not the right time. Life's brick walls are not there to keep you out. They're there to give you a chance to show how badly you want something. They're there to stop the people who don't want it as bad as you do. Number eight, simplify, simplify, simplify.

[00:06:17] Like all magnificent things, life is quite simple. Its simplicity is found not in seeing how little you can get by with, that's poverty, but how efficiently you can conquer your biggest difficulties. Remember, the greatest wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non-essentials. Your most significant ideas and accomplishments will be genius in their simplicity. One day you'll find the right words, the right decisions, and the right solutions that'll lead you to victory.

[00:06:47] And they'll be far simpler than they seem right now. Read The Power of Less. And number nine, life is still good. You may have seen better days, but you have also seen worse. You might not have all your wants, but you do have all your needs. You woke up with a few aches and pains, but you woke up. Your life may not be perfect, but it is good. And more good things are coming down the road as long as you keep moving forward.

[00:07:20] You just listened to the post titled, Nine Things to Think About Before You Give Up, by Mark Chernoff of markandangel.com. Oikos presents 15 seconds of strength. Here we go. Steve's got a trunk full of groceries and no one to help him. Oh, that's tough, Jim. Looks like a five-trip load at least. He grabs the first bag. The second. Bob, it looks like he's trying to do it on one trip. He shimmies the door open, steps over the dog. Oh, and he stumbles. Oh, right into the kitchen without missing a beat.

[00:07:47] Jim, now that's a man who eats his protein-packed Oikos. With 15 grams of complete protein in each cup, Oikos Triple Zero can help build strength for every day. Oikos. Stronger makes everything better. Thank you to Mark. We talked about rejection and failure in Sunday's episode. That's episode 2011. So if you want to hear more on that, definitely check out that episode. Like you heard on that one, I've had my fair share of failures, like pretty much everyone on this planet, starting out right when we're babies.

[00:08:16] Taking those first steps or crawling definitely started with failing. But that's how we build those muscles and learn to balance. By wobbling around, falling down, sometimes even hitting our heads, unfortunately. And as Mark said, the learning is the most important part. If you decide to do something outside of your comfort zone and it doesn't kill you, chances are that there will be some learning there. It's easier said than done, especially if you have something like anxiety.

[00:08:44] And in that case, sometimes jumping into something is not the best move. I'd recommend talking to a therapist or professional to figure out the best move for you. But I'd say in most cases, it's a net positive. As Mark said, it's never easy. Pain is a requirement. And most importantly, life is still good. I couldn't have said it better. So thank you to Mark. And keep that in mind this weekend. I hope you're having a great start to your weekend. Thank you for being here and listening to me and for subscribing to the show.

[00:09:14] And I'll be back tomorrow as usual, where your optimal life awaits.