Tag Archives: Barry Demp

Edit yourself for approval, and you become a minority shareholder in your own life

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“Edit yourself for approval, and you become a minority shareholder in your own life.”

—Shane Parish, Author of the Farnum Street Blog

Image from Unsplash by GRAY

Every time we soften our truth to avoid judgement we trade authenticity for temporary peace — and lose creative control.

The more we tailor ourselves to meet expectations, the less of us remains in the story.

It’s emotional outsourcing: our worth becomes dependent on others’ applause. Approval feels safe, but it slowly dilutes your ownership of identity.

Reclaiming a majority stake means embracing discomfort, disagreement, and self-trust.

It’s not rebellion — it’s alignment.

You don’t owe everyone your edited version. Living uncut invites respect, not rejection.

Don’t let fear own a controlling interest in your life’s direction!

EXERCISE:

Where in your life are you shrinking yourself to fit in?

In what ways can and will you choose honesty over approval to reclaim a larger share of your soul?

Go at it boldly, and you’ll find unexpected forces

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“Go at it boldly, and you’ll find unexpected forces closing around you and coming to your aid.”

—Basil King, American painter and writer

Image from Unsplash by Jametlene Reskp

Bold action calls forth the invisible. When you move forward with conviction — before you feel “ready” —something shifts in the world around you. People appear. Opportunities surface. Momentum builds.

The timid wait for clarity; the bold create it.

Life rewards motion, not hesitation.

Courage doesn’t eliminate fear — it transforms it into fuel.

Those “unexpected forces” are faith, alignment, and the power of commitment meeting you halfway. So, stop tiptoeing toward your dreams, step into them with both feet.

The universe may just rush in to meet your stride.

EXERCISE:

State a specific, time-bound commitment publicly so that others know exactly what you are building or changing.

This clarity invites accountability, advice, and support from people who resonate with your direction and goals.

Constant growth is not just a part of nature; it’s part of your nature

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Constant growth is not just a part of nature; it’s part of your nature.

—Calm App Reflection

Image from Unsplash by Name_Gravity

Growth isn’t just something you chase — it’s something you are.

Nature never stops expanding, renewing, and reaching for the light, and neither do you. Every breath, thought and experience stretches you toward something more.

Even when it feels like you’re standing still, roots are forming beneath the surface.

Just as seasons shift and trees grow rings unseen, you’re constantly evolving in quiet, meaningful ways.

Growth isn’t reserved for youth or success — it’s the pulse of your being. So, trust the process.

Keep leaning toward curiosity, learning, and kindness. You’re not just part of nature’s rhythm — continuous growth is your nature.

EXERCISE:

Take a 10–20 minute walk and look specifically for signs of growth: new buds, cracks in pavement with plants, or migrating birds.

As you observe these examples, silently repeat “This is what I am made of, too.”

Train your brain to associate your life with continuous adaptation instead of stagnation.

Friday Review: GROWTH

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Friday Review: GROWTH

How much did you grow in 2025? Here are a few related posts you may have missed.

“One moment can change a day, one day can change a life, and one life can change the world.”
 

 

 

 

“Is your default setting to defend your limitations or expand your possibilities?”

 

 

 

 

“Life becomes richer when you cultivate a more diverse personal garden.”

 

 

 

 

 

Peace is where there is diversity that finds a higher oneness

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“Peace is where there is diversity that finds a higher oneness.”

—Tzvi Freeman, Canadian Rabbi and Author

Image from Unsplash by Miles Peacock

Peace isn’t the absence of conflict — it’s learning to hold differences inside a larger wholeness.

In every conversation, meeting, or family gathering, diversity of opinion, emotion, and experience is present.

When we listen instead of reacting, when we seek understanding rather than victory, we start building a peace that’s alive and practical.

When you notice a viewpoint that challenges you, stay curious instead of getting defensive.

Ask, “What truth might they be carrying?”

Each time we choose empathy over ego we create a ripple of unity.

Peace begins not in global treaties, but in these small moments where the many find their shared oneness.

EXERCISE:

Where in your world could you find and create greater peace by embracing diversity and discovering a new level of shared understanding and oneness?

Where is your Self to be found

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“Where is your Self to be found? Always in the deepest enchantment that you have experienced.”

—Hugo Von Hofmannsthal, 19th Century Austrian novelist and poet

Image from Unsplash by Anastasiya Romanova

The moments that light you up are not random — they’re road signs.

That feeling of being fully alive engaged in a hobby, traveling, helping someone, or building something from scratch — that’s your deeper self-calling.

It’s easy to lose it in routines, expectations, and responsibilities, but your enchantment is the clue.

Instead of asking, “What should I do?” try asking, “when do I feel most alive?” Then do more of that.

Passion isn’t a luxury; it’s fuel.

The path to purpose is hidden inside what excites and expands you. Your enchantment isn’t an escape; it’s evidence of who you’re meant to be.

Follow it like your life depends on it-because it does.

EXERCISE:

Where is your Self to be found?

What areas of enchantment stir your passions?

How can and will you dive deeper and more often into these areas to discover more of who you are and who you are becoming?

Decide the type of person you want to be.

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“Decide the type of person you want to be. Prove it to yourself with small wins.”

—James Clear, Author of Atomic Habits

Image from Unsplash by Greg Rakozy

Big dreams die in the gap between who we say we’ll be and what we actually do.

You don’t need a grand plan — just one win stacked on another.

  • Five minutes of reading
  • A short walk instead of scrolling
  • Choose calm over reaction

These moments are proof, not perfection. Each small win whispers, I’m becoming that person.”

Before long, the whisper turns to a roar — confidence builds from quiet consistency of doing what you said you would.

So, stop waiting for a sign. You are the sign!

Start today, with one small action that aligns with your future self.

EXERCISE:

Who do you dream of becoming?

How can and will you see each small daily win as evidence that you are on the right path?

How can you stack these wins and their momentum until your confidence becomes unshakable?

Complainers build walls with their words and wonder why they’re trapped

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Complainers build walls with their words and wonder why they’re trapped.

—Calm App Reflection

Image from Unsplash by Omar Prestwich

Every gripe is a brick.

Every excuse is a layer of mortar, slowly constructing an invisible prison.

The irony is brutal: the person who feels most confined is often the one doing the building.

Words shape attention. Complain long enough and the mind becomes an architect of obstacles, seeing only what is wrong, never what is possible.

The wall grows higher. The options shrink.

The way out is simple: speak differently. Trade “This is terrible” for “This is a challenge I can influence.”

Curiosity: “What can I do about this?” – is a doorway. Responsibility is the first step through it.

EXERCISE:

Try giving yourself and others a three to five minute “vent window” to complain and then require either a positive action or let it go.

Friday Review: Gratitude

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Friday Review: Gratitude

How have you made gratitude an integral part of your daily life? Here are a few related posts you may have missed.

“You should have something to show for each day you were lucky enough to live.”

 

 

 

 

“Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.”

 

 

 

 

“Walk as if you are kissing the earth with your feet.”

 

 

 

 

Don’t ask, “What do I need?” ask “Where am I needed?”

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Don’t ask, “What do I need?” ask “Where am I needed?”

—Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, 17th Century Rabbi

Image from Amazon

These two questions change everything!

The first asks how the world can serve us.

The second asks how we can serve the world.

One mindset seeks comfort; the other creates meaning. Often, we chase what we think we need — success, recognition, security — only to feel emptier once we find it.

But when we ask, “where am I needed?” we discover purpose beyond ourselves.

We see gaps waiting to be filled, people waiting to be helped, ideas waiting to be built.

True fulfillment does not come from what we take, but from where we choose to show up and give.

EXERCISE:

To dig deep into to today’s quote consider reading Adam Grant’s book Give and Take: Why Helping Other Drives Our Success.