I frown when I meet people who do nothing to improve their lot in life. They wait for others to do it for them or just remain passive and resign to the idea that 'it's their fate!" This is the lamest excuse. We can always make our lives better. There's always a way to prevent life's challenges; a way to make burdens lighter; or a way to live life more comfortably. We just have to do something. We just have to be proactive.
Being proactive is a learned skill. Being proactive is being courageous in taking risks. Being proactive is learning from one's own mistakes and learning from the mistakes of others. Being proactive is creating desired results. Being proactive is moving your self forward.
Being proactive is a learned skill. When I was young, because my father died and my mother had to leave us to work abroad so that she can support me and my 6 siblings, I looked for ways to augment my very minimal allowance. I sold ice candies inside the theater owned by a relative. I sold newspapers and magazines on weekends, even joined singing competitions hoping to at least get a consolation prize. I studied hard and made sure that I was an academic scholar. At that age, I learned the empowerment of being proactive in my life. I knew that no one can help but me. I can't just sit around and wait for "the guava to fall into my mouth".
The opposite of proactive is reactive. Do you remember the science experiment of taking a cup of vinegar and adding baking soda? The combination of elements creates a reaction. There is no controlling the gas that is created. Now, let's consider a health issue. We are all given a specific number of teeth. When those teeth are damaged, you cannot restore them to the original condition. Some teeth are genetically healthier than other teeth. However, brushing our teeth is a proactive behavior. We become reactive when we have a tooth ache due to decay and then are required to act in one manner or another to remove the pain. So, with today's science and technology, one can be more proactive by visiting a dentist for checkups. These checkups may not always be pleasant yet the act of caring for our teeth in this way more likely prevents us from the uncontrollable reaction we experience from the pain of a tooth ache.
So, you may be asking, what is my point? While many events in our lives we seem not able to control, events do exist which we can control by our own pro-action behavior. Select an area in your life you desire to change. Consider this idea. What can I do proactively now so that this area in my life will change? You may not be able to see what you can do proactively. When this occurs, call upon someone who can help you see "outside the box." Be open to suggestions and listen without judging. Consider that many choices are available. Being proactive is moving your self forward. You do not need to feel "stuck" and always reacting to the things around you.
Another small tidbit of information - being reactive uses more energy than being proactive. Being proactive reduces the amount of stress in one's life. Less stress means you have more positive energy than negative energy. With more positive energy, you can enjoy this life you have been given. With a more peaceful life, you are empowered to be proactive. Take a risk and move forward.
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