“There’s two kinds of people in this world when you boil it all down. You got your talkers and you got your doers. Most people are just talkers, all they do is talk. But when it is all said and done, it’s the doers that change this world. And when they do that, they change us, and that’s why we never forget them. So which one are you? Do you just talk about it, or do you stand up and do something about it? Because believe you me, all the rest of it is just coffee house and bullshit.” – Rocco, The Boondock Saints.
When I was young(er, because still totally in the prime of my life here) I read all the self help books I got my hands on. I always loved them; I liked to read, I love to learn, especially if it involves copious amounts of excellent living, and so I downed self help books like hipsters down Starbucks coffee. But no substantial change ever took place from all the reading. Just reading never did the trick.
The funny thing is that when it comes to fitness, everyone understands reading a book with exercises doesn’t make you fit. That reading a diet book in itself drop the pounds. That knowing how to make a green smoothie is not going to make your skin glow.
It’s the same with self help, maybe even more so: You can know you should stop hanging around the Internet, but unless you do it you won’t know just how much time really is in a day. You can know you should make to-do lists and plan, but unless you use it, your life will still be a chaotic at-the-last-minute mess, no matter how many benefits you can name of to-do lists. I can tell you every reason why yoga is amazing for you, but if I am not doing it I am not actually gaining anything now, am I. No matter how many benefits you know are in a sugarless diet or raw food, if you don’t eat it you won’t feel it. See what I mean?
Knowing the path is different than walking it (Morpheus – The Matrix). I want you to know the path, and actually take the steps on it.
I want you to actually do the things you know are good for you. Start taking all the little figments of self help knowledge you have and implement hem, piece by piece, a few every day, a week, or a month. So you can truly experience what you can do for yourself. So you actually truly help yourself.
Do it, dear little darling. Don’t look at different yoga schools online: Go to a yoga class today. Don’t read about the benefits of raw food: Eat a salad instead of that sandwich with mayo. Don’t read a book on productivity: Work uninterrupted for an hour. Don’t just read my articles on positivity and manifesting: Spend 10 minutes making a gratitude or a universal wish list. Listen to music instead of mindlessly watching a television show while doing your homework (improves concentration). Make a to-do list and hop straight into the Top Priority Item until it’s done.
Be fucking excellent today. True personal excellence is in taking action upon the things you know are right.
I’m going to be fucking excellent today!
Prachtig dat je The Boondock Saints quote.
oh yes, i will!
Revolutions or resolutions?
Further great blog, I love it!
Hey there,
maybe you could link back to some of your other posts, when you mention something again as for example the universal wish list. This way you also get more “clicks” for your blog. 😉
A while ago, I asked whether you could write a post about your take on feminism. Would still be very happy to see something like that pop up at some point. But I guess it might be hard to connect to the selfhelp context…
Have a great day.
Cheers,
m.
Yeah I knoooow, I totally need to do this. I m thinking about the feminism thing, although I’m not into it at all. Maybe some day!
Dear Lianne,
Since your post on the misslipgloss website Ive been following you. This is my first comment on your website. I admire you (not in a creepy way!). You are very bright and smart.
All your blogpost are truly beneficial. I could write my comment in Dutch but just like you I fucking love to express myself in the English language. I also write sometimes, only for myself.
Your discipline is amazing and the way how you are explaining things is magic!
Thank you for your effort and time.
Have a wonderfull day,
Fa
You’re awesome. Kisses.
Leuk dit te lezen, ik ga maar eens snel aan de slag met mijn artikel afschrijven en aan mijn freelanceopdracht!
SHH, nog een fantastisch nieuwjaar gewenst (mag stiekem niet meer, maar ik doe het lekker toch!)
Boondock Saints <3
Great post and couldn’t agree more!
Great post! I’m doing it right now! Executing my to-do-list top-down! Thx!!
Mijn Engels sucks, dus ik schrijf gewoon even ouderwets Nederlands hoor 😉
Ik moest even scrollen om deze post terug te vinden en ik ben heel blij dat ik hem weer gevonden heb! Ik wilde je nog even laten weten dat dit de beste peptalk is die ik óóit heb gelezen. Ik ben zo’n typische ‘talker’ wat sporten betreft. Al jaren zeg ik tegen mijzelf dat ik binnenkort wel een keer ga sporten. Ik kijk zelfs Youtube filmpjes met heftige workouts terwijl ik in mijn chill pants achter m’n laptop hang (met een zak chips). Nouja, van dat bewegen kwam dus niet echt wat. Maar dit heeft me een schop onder de kont gegeven, ik heb de dag er na meteen hardloopschoenen gekocht. Hoera! En ook al ben ik er nu nog maar een paar weken mee bezig, ik voel me nu al beter omdat ik nu minstens 200% actiever ben dan voorheen. Dus: dankjewel. Nee, maar echt!