Having read Dottie Gomez’s “Mottos to Live by,” I felt the urge to contribute to the next generation the two mottos that have made my life into an adventure worth experiencing.
Several years ago, I adopted the motto “seek to improve.” These three words account for all of the successes that I’ve found in my personal relationships, as well as my ability to function efficiently in the world, and they’ve mainly provided a means to get myself out of any difficult situation. For instance, I’ve been overweight and burdened by a lack of discipline where health was concerned, particularly related to diet and exercise, which I knew was important, but was seemingly unable to get into the habit of taking them seriously.
My motto of “seek to improve” has helped me get myself into a mindset of positivity related to functional discipline. For several years, I’ve engaged in healthy habits that have given my mind, body, and spirit a huge boost of self-esteem, physical ease, and radiant energy, which, for someone who’s 74 years old, is a very rare and cherished gift.
The second motto was given to me, unknowingly, by one of my former yoga teachers. At the endpoint of a particular asana (yoga pose), she would say “any amount more,” so that one would give the movement an additional squeeze or push. I’m reminded of this during my daily yoga practice, and I feel it’s a wonderful addition to “seek to improve.” Both are positive affirmations that invite me to strive just a wee bit more—“any amount more,” as a matter of fact! I incorporate this in almost any challenging (or not challenging) situation. It’s very helpful indeed.
I don’t have a motto for staying out of debt, but if I could influence even one person to spend only to their income level and not exceed it, I would die happy. Debt is one of the top 10 destroyers of lives, right there under alcohol and gambling. I’ve been in debt such that it brought me to my knees. Fortunately, I was able to make it into retirement debt and mortgage-free, which makes every day stress free! Cut up those credit cards!
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