Today's journaling..

Thinking about these 3 things today  [Brendon pic]( {NAME} - It's a special Sunday, so I spent a lot of time thinking and journaling about life, about deep gratitude for God, about this mission to bring self-improvement back to the fore of our culture, about how I can best serve at this stage of my life. (For those that always ask, I use [GrowthDay app]( for all my personal development journaling, goal setting and habit tracking). It's a great day to journal about what you've learned in your own personal or spiritual development. Today, as I was journaling, I kept coming back to a question one of our members asked in the community this week:  Why Does the World Feel So Dark Right Now?  I'm sure everyone has a logical reason. Conflict. Social media comparison, superiority and judgement. Selfish motives. Loneliness. Lack of education, health care, opportunity. There's a lot to be upset about. Sad about. Frustrated or angry about. But hasn't that ALWAYS been true? Won't it always be? If you read history and philosophy, the darkness of almost any time is a recurring theme. I've never read about any era, any nation, any community that didn't have major challenges, epic battles of confrontation and cultural chaos. So what can we do? Shall we allow ourselves a pessimistic view on humanity? That's an essential work effort of personal development: to see the world with perspective, and to try to better ourselves and the world in some way. When people ask me "what can be done," I humbly say: We learn to manage ourselves and our conflicts better. This, we can all do, no matter the object of the "difficulty" or "crisis" at hand. This month in [GrowthDay](, we've been taking on the topic of how to handle conflict better. Absolute masterclass sessions are up already... if you missed the live sessions, just upgrade to [GrowthDay Pro here](. I truly believe how we treat each other through difference and conflict is ultimately the hardest personal and spiritual development work there is. How do we also manage ourselves better? We all have our tips and routines for self-awareness and self-mastery. Today, perhaps you'll journal on what you've learned in the spiritual dimension of life. Personally, I've spent much of my adult life studying the spiritual texts from almost every belief and religion. I don't play favorites or push an agenda here, as I consider spirituality a vital part of personal development, and because I serve you all: millions of people from over 98 countries with all sorts of backgrounds and beliefs. In my work in this area, I can only share the personal development lessons I've noticed that weave throughout time. These 3 values seem to represent most beliefs around the world and serve us well on our own journeys to become better humans.  1. Humility.  Life has a way of humbling us. Life is hard, and no one is perfect. We all experience lows, and are capable of extraordinary heights. The world changes, and so must our own philosophy and capabilities. This requires change; this requires learning. And where there is great change and great learning, there is humility. We are either humbled by life, or we choose it as a way of life. I think adopting a humble mindset, an open learning mindset, especially in these times where indignant superiority is on full display in social media around the world is truly key. I know humility means different for things for people all over the globe. What does it mean to you? Maybe a good topic for journaling today. When was a time you learned about humility? Perhaps you'll share in our community.  2. Compassion.  People are struggling right now. You see it in the angst, comparison, loneliness, and hatred online. The judgment fatigue has hit us all, and it will either wipe us out or remind us to be compassionate toward one another. Once you've been judged or mistreated, you have an opportunity to realize you don't want that for others. You stumble into the idea that others deserve compassion. One reason I believe so many are inspired by spiritual leaders is that they remind us, so directly and consistently, to treat one another with kindness, compassion, empathy, tenderness, fairness, respect, and love. These are high bars, of course. But let us not fail to keep reaching for them. Let us keep a compassionate heart for our fellow humans. Please.  3. Faithful Service.  The people I admire most are faithful servants to a cause beyond themselves. They have a sense of mission, purpose or calling... and over they years it's clear they are devoted to making a difference in the world in some way, even if that journey changes directions or shape as they move through life. Every great spiritual text that I've read calls for both faith and service. What do these things mean to you? How do they show up in your thinking, relationships, and planning? We have all sorts of beliefs in this GrowthDay community. These are just 3 lessons I was journaling on today. My invitation is for you to think deeply about life today, to capture your ideas in your GrowthDay journal, to use this blessed Sunday as an excuse to make every day a great day to grow. 🙌🏼 Cheering you on. Your coach, -Brendon Founder, GrowthDay Ps. Next month, I'm certifying the world's best life coaches. Want to know more? [Learn more and register here](.  [Calling All Life Coaches!](   Most Popular Podcast Episodes this Week! [5 Ways to Raise Standards]( [Develop Your Self-Worth]( [Workout: Energize Yourself!](  Listen on [Apple](, [Spotify](, [Google]( or Alexa.   Hey - you're awesome. I love creating training for you. Hit reply if you need anything, we always have your back. Of course, you can [unsubscribe](, just please be careful, bc that means I can't deliver your emails anymore, even for things you asked/paid for, as all our services are tied to your email address. But you can reach me anytime at support@Brendon.com or 1300 1st Street #368, Napa CA 94559. Â