Very few things surprise me like seeing myself. I mean, I know what I look like and I would recognize myself in a crowd, but it’s always a little bit shocking to see my face. I’m not ashamed, per se, but I see flaws more than attributes. I suppose I’m not alone. I read a study recently that said the greatest fear, after public speaking and jumping onto a grenade to save your platoon, is the fear of meeting your lookalike at a cocktail party and making small talk.
So whenever I glance up and see myself in front of a mirror or in the window of a parked UPS truck or reflected in the spoon I’m holding, I always make four affirmations. It doesn’t matter how busy I am or even if someone is honking at me, I always say these four things — out loud and in a clear voice.
- Never ever take life for granted. The cosmos are vast and the universe is daunting. “Why are we here?” is a great question, but an even greater question is “Why not?” You may not always appreciate your station in life, but that’s only because you forget you have a station in life. It doesn’t have to be that way. Make the most of every moment.
- Be better today than you were yesterday. If we’re not growing, we’re shrinking. There’s no pause button in life. Are you challenging yourself? If not, you’re coasting. And the only thing a coaster provides is a place to set your drink.
- Smile more, squint less. Your eyes are truly the window to the soul, and your face is the billboard to your heart. Everyone is selling something, what are you selling? It doesn’t have to be crass materialism, it can be depth and honesty and humor and charm. So keep your eyes open to wonder and put your best self forward.
- Brush your hair. It never fails to amaze me how unkempt I am after I leave the house. Running a quick brush through my hair always lifts me up and puts me in the proper mood to address the three previous affirmations. That’s why I always carry a brush with me at all times.
NBSB. That’s the acronym I use to remember these four affirmations. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not advocating this for everybody. If you have four better things to say, I’d love to hear them (hopefully, they’ll fit the acronym I have because it took me a long time to memorize these things).