Originally Published March 17th, 2019

Hey Gang,

I’ve spent a lot of time lately trying to change the way that I think about & approach life.

Writing regularly has helped. Another technique I’m using is CBT—Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.

CBT is basically attempting to eliminate unhelpful/toxic thought patterns in order to improve mental health. There’s way more to it—but you get the idea.

One of the thought pattern’s that I’ve been trying to reorient is my expectations of others.

I don’t know about you, but I tend to get into these patterns of thinking where I’m expecting other people to do the work for me.

Why aren’t my clients, friends, and family:

• Inviting Me To Do (X)
• Liking/Sharing/Viewing My Content
• Helping Me Do (X)
• Supporting Me During (X)
• Paying Me For (X)
• Hiring Me To Do (X)

Playing the victim card is SO common because it’s the easy path.

It’s so easy to sit at home and blame other people for the things that your life is missing. It’s much harder to take responsibility for your life, pull yourself up by your bootstraps, do the work, and go out find someone else to help.

The question I’m asking myself this week isn’t “What can other people do for me?”—but “What can I do to help others?”

I think empathy, compassion, and a willingness to serve will always win over attempts to build our egos.

Thinking about how I’m a supposed victim is not productive.

Asking myself how I can help others, going out and doing the work, and being the friend that I want others to be—that’s a thought pattern that will bring value, meaning, and purpose.

This isn’t me giving myself a pat on the back. It’s not a marketing campaign. I’ve seriously been thinking of all the things people have done for me in the past and I’m planning ways of giving back.

If you took the time to read this far, let me know in a comment how I can help you.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!!!

Thanks for reading!

-Tim