5 Times You Should Accept Nothing but the Best
What am I talking about? It’s easy. Your quest in life should be to accept nothing but the best in all you do, in all the people with whom you interact, and all the situations where you place yourself. You deserve the best and there’s no time like the present to start.
“You need to wake up and realize that you deserve more, and there is more waiting for you out there. Stop settling; it only tarnishes and corrodes your soul.”
Lebo Grand
At the risk of being repetitive, you deserve nothing but the best in all aspects of your life. Take a deep breath and read that sentence again. Now listen to this: you won’t get what you want without working at it. It won’t be easy, so this isn’t the time to get lazy! Nothing and nobody is actually perfect, but you can make things a whole lot better. My message in this post is: accept nothing but the best for yourself and your life.
Accept Nothing but the Best in…
Your Education
When I say “education” I don’t necessarily mean that you are attending a traditional college. You might attend online, take continuing education courses, take a Master Class or use any of the free education resources available around the web. I like Skill Share myself. It isn’t free but it is reasonably priced considering the wide range of topics they cover. The point is that, no matter what your age, you need to be learning about anything that interests you.
It is also important that you learn skills that will help you in your career, but the most important part of this is that, just as a sales person must always be closing, you must always be learning. Search Google or Duck, Duck Go for classes, tutorials, or videos about the things that interest you most.
Whatever you choose, accept nothing but the best resources.
Your Career
I’m not talking about individual jobs here; I’m talking about your career. When it comes to suggesting that you should “accept nothing but the best” here, I’m suggesting that you decide what career you want and then find jobs that will help you get there. It’s never too late to achieve the career you want. Keeping a dead end job that you don’t like it not required. If you’re unhappy with your current job, find a new one!
Pay attention here though! I am not telling you to quit your job because it isn’t fun. You may have to stay there while you find something that is more in line with what you want, but there is no rule about getting your resume out there. Just don’t tell your manager because he may just give you more time to look by getting rid of you.
Find jobs that will cover your bills and allocate your spare time to building up a good income with your dream career. I would like to be a freelance writer, for example, and I’ve committed myself to getting articles and stories out there for people do see by working in the evenings while I keep up my day job. I’m not there yet, but I’m getting closer to it every day.
In Personal Relationships
We all have family, friends and acquaintances. Some people are better for us than others. I am not saying that you need to start collecting famous or rich friends when I say that you should accept nothing but the best.What I’m suggesting is that the people in your life who promote things that are bad for you, like drinking too much, eating too much, or neglecting the important things that need to be done.
What can you do if the people around you don’t give you what you need?
If you have friends or family members who abuse you psychologically or physically, you need to have the courage to get away. Clearly something needs to change. Demanding respect begins with respecting yourself. It’s difficult to change the patterns of a lifetime but that’s what you have to do.
Demand respect for yourself. Don’t stay in relationships that run you down instead of building you up.
In Love
The same things apply in love as they do in other relationships. In love, “accept nothing but the best has nothing to do with looks, education, or income. The person you love should not only love you back, but they should want only the best for you.
My parents loved each other but I’ve always felt that my father didn’t necessarily think about what was best for my mother. They married the year after she graduated from high school, and after that the only time she worked outside the house was once when my father was laid off. She had always told me that she wanted to be a lawyer, so I asked her why she never finished college.
“I got married,” she replied.
To me that wasn’t an answer. I realize that life is a series of choices but giving up your dream because your spouse or significant other doesn’t support your goals seems so wrong. Just the thought of it makes me want to cry.
The worst thing you can do for yourself is play it safe. Don’t stay in a relationship that diminishes you. Don’t worry about how others feel about the relationship. The important person is you. Even as I type that, I feel that I’m telling you to be self-centered and mean to your partner. I don’t mean it that way. What I’m saying is that sometimes you need to admit you made a mistake and move on. Be kind but don’t ever stay in a relationship just because of what people might think or to save someone else’s feelings. If you do, there will come a time when you regret it.
But remember, don’t take things too far and become too picky!
Finally, Accept Nothing but the Best from Yourself
Be brave! Demand more from yourself just as you do from the people and situations in your life. Nothing I’ve said before will matter if you ignore what I’m saying now. Expecting the best from those around you won’t do you any good if you don’t expect the best from you! This isn’t a demand for perfection. That would be impossible. This is a call for you to be your best self; to grow and improve all your life.
The last thought before you go to sleep should be, “I did the best I could today.” You also need to remind yourself that nobody is perfect. Sometimes you have a bad day. Some nights you will find yourself thinking, “I fucked up but tomorrow will be better!” I hate to admit how often I have to say that to myself. Be honest with yourself. Acknowledge your imperfections but, whatever you do, don’t allow yourself to accept less than the best you can do.
So tell me, have you discovered yourself accepting less than the best?
Image Credit: Unsplash