What Exactly Am I Waiting For?

Dear Friends,

There is often an area of our lives where we have been sitting on the fence, e.g., something we are doing we know is wrong and want to stop, a mitzvah observance we want to strengthen or begin, an act of kindness we are contemplating, Torah study we are considering, or an estranged relationship we want to repair. Other examples include making a career shift, moving to Israel, becoming marriage minded or breaking a bad habit. But perhaps we are ambivalent and the status quo continues.

Recently, there have been a number of tragic deaths of young people due to terror attacks, illnesses or accidents. Use these tragedies as a wakeup call, a reminder that no one knows which day will be their last. Now is the time to get off the fence and take action. To make the most of each day, giving priority to what is truly important.

Often, people’s deepest regrets are not what they did, but what they never even tried. Take the first step of a worthwhile goal and make the most of the strength God gives you.

Have a great week,

Yaakov

Do You Have Any of These 21 Annoying Habits?

Dear Friends,

Marshall Goldsmith in his book What Got You Here Won't Get You There: How Successful People Become Even More Successful lists 21 annoying habits which can harm our relationships at home and at work. For a list of them, click here.

I mention this list as well as other resources for personal growth in this article:

Personal Growth: How to Upgrade Your Skillset

One of the most destructive interpersonal habits is being hyper-critical (of ourselves and others). See,

6 Ways to Kick the Criticism Habit

Have a great week,

Yaakov

Overcoming Our Soft Addictions

Dear Friends, 

Many of us have at least one area of our lives that has become unbalanced and excessive, e.g., overworking, overeating, overspending, or overuse of the internet or our smartphones.

If you struggle in one of those areas or a different addictive behavior, please see:

Overcoming Our Soft Addictions

Have a good week,

Yaakov 

Shvat: Elevating the Physical AND Updated Checklist

Dear Friends,

This post is about the Jewish month of Shvat, as it relates to The Chazak Plan: A 12 Month Journey to Spiritual Strength.

Rosh Chodesh Shvat begins Sunday night, the 10th of January, and lasts for one day.

The 15th of Shvat is Tu B’Shvat, the New Year for trees. An aspect of this holiday is celebrating and elevating the physical. Part of sanctifying the physical is taking care of the body with which God entrusted you. During this month, choose to upgrade either your sleep, exercise or diet habits.

Pick one change you will make on a daily or regular basis, for at least this month, and using your checklist, track how often you do it. If you find the change very easy, add another one. Some examples: Go to sleep 15-20 minutes earlier each week until you feel refreshed in the morning; exercise 2-3 times a week or go for a daily brisk walk; cut out sugary drinks and/or foods from your diet, limiting them to special occasions. Make water your preferred beverage. If you do not like the way your water tastes, consider a filter. (For an informative article by Dr. Edelberg, comparing two popular diets, click here.)

A related point of focus for this month is to consider if there is an area of your life, where your relationship with the physical has become unbalanced and excessive, e.g., overeating, overspending, overworking, or overuse of the internet or your smartphone (surfing, texting, checking email, using Facebook etc.). Most of us have at least one area which, at a minimum, wastes our time and takes us away from more fulfilling activities. This month, pick one behavior to rein in and one behavior you would like to do more of instead.

Questions for the month:

“What will I upgrade this month, my sleep, exercise or diet habits?”

“Is there an area of my life which has become unbalanced and excessive, which at the very least wastes my time? How will I rein it in and regain control?”

“What would I like to do with the new time or money I free up?”

I updated the article, The 10 Item Daily Checklist. I combined two areas and added an additional one.

Take care and may God grant us success in the coming month,

Yaakov

Everything Works Out in the End: Even when it doesn’t appear to

Dear friends,

Especially during times like these, we have to remind ourselves that, Everything Works Out in the End: Even when it doesn’t appear to.

If you didn't get a chance to read my latest article, here is the link:
You’re Not Arrogant, But Are You Truly Humble?

Have a good week,

Yaakov