Just be who you are, calm and clear and bright. Automatically, as we shine who we are, asking ourselves every minute is this what I really want to do, doing it only when we answer yes, automatically that turns away those who have nothing to learn from who we are and attracts those who do, and from whom we have to learn, as well. – Richard Bach

You might as well stand out in the crowd.

No, really, you might as well. If you can, you should. Every day we’re surrounded with mediocrity, and now, with globalisation, we have transnational blandness and mediocrity instead of it being local and personal. Face it, we’re surrounded by drooping drips. That’s ok, just don’t go there yourself. Have a go. So what if you belly flop? It doesn’t matter.

“What’ll the neighbours/my family/friends/everyone think?”

Trust me, they don’t. And if they do, think that is, it doesn’t matter, they’ll be so exceptional, such rare individuals, that they’ll be there applauding you on.

Turn off your tv and do something that’s worth a damn. Doesn’t have to be big, just something that’s worth making the effort for. Strike a revolutionary pose and bust a move. Do something. Anything. Baby steps. Just make it good, very good. Stupifyingly good. With a bit of luck your idea will be picked up by somebody else and – thanks to your inspiration – they’ll do the same. We just might start to see some wonderful changes going on around here. You can be the little yellow flower, who’s fluffy seed head ideas and actions will float away on the breeze, away from the drooping drips, to start a new circle. Please. Start. Now.

Thank you, in anticipation.

Manifesto
12. Every day love yourself.
23. Every day retain your personal power. It belongs to you. No one else.
28. Every day you will be tested.

Part of us is always the observer, and no matter what, it observes. It watches us. It does not care if we are happy or unhappy, if we are sick or well, if we live or die. Its only job is to sit there on our shoulder and pass judgment on whether we are worthwhile human beings. — Richard Bach The Bridge Across Forever

We watch ourselves all the time. There’s possibly no harsher critic, and no body less likely to be impressed with us than us. Unfortunately we don’t always see ourselves in a good light – things are frequently distorted. Even if we do see things clearly it is possible that what we are really seeing is from a historical perspective, and this is unrelated to what we are or can be or do today. I’ve got a belief pattern that I’m not good at maths. The truth is that while I’m unlikely to become a maths professor I’m not completely useless either. It’s an outdated, outmoded idea based on some less than stellar school results from several decades ago. Let it go already.

I seem to have had no difficulty in letting go of the very successful maths test results I’ve achieved before today. I have met many people over time who can’t do this or that because I’m not that kind of person, or “I can’t do that.” I always figure that while I’m not going to be world class, with some teaching and a few thousand hours of practice I can achieve most things.

Things go wrong every day – results vary, for sure, however this is more about a snapshot of the moment than not being any good at something for the rest of your life. And it’s easy to bask and stare at a distorted reflection and take no action. For me, my maths is arrested at a not-too-successful high school stage – had I actively pursued and found a tolerant and competent teacher since I’m very sure I would be better. At maths. I’m also sure I would’ve found some other negative mirror of myself, some other way of keeping things – me – in check.

Manifesto
42. Every day celebrate. Who you are. What you have achieved. Things that matter to you.
43. Every day accept you will make mistakes. Learn from them. They are opportunities in disguise.
48. Every day there are things you can’t change. You can change the way you think about them and deal with them.