Odds are, right now, most (if not all) of us are not fully pleased with the lives that we currently live. We yearn for people, experiences, and things that we do not yet have. We tend to lose our gratitude for the value of those things that we do have. The majority of people have a mental-picture painted in their heads regarding what they want, as well as what they do not want out of their lives. With this said, people are often afraid, terrified even, of letting go of those people, things, experiences, and habits that once brought them feelings of comfort and security. I would argue that, instead, we should focus on and dissect those factors that need to be either added or eliminated from our lives in order for us, as individuals within society, to attain the end goals that we ultimately desire.

I like to make the comparison that people are like iPhone users who have the opportunity to upgrade from their current “iPhone 6” lives to the new, better, improved “iPhone 10” lives. Let’s break this statement down further…

An “iPhone 6” life is not a fulfilled life. It is a life of longing, restriction, discomfort, and “just getting by.” Now, lets consider the “iPhone 10” to be the the “ideal life” we see our individual selves living. This includes our unique perceptions of what our own “perfect” relationships, experiences, successes, and lifestyles would look like.

Even with the frustration and longing that one’s current living of “iPhone 6” life brings, I’d like to reiterate that people struggle with the idea of letting go of the factors that provide them with a sense of comfort and security in their “iPhone 6” lives. We do this for either one, or both, of the following two reasons. This first would be that we are afraid of the unknown future; after all, how is one to know how to navigate the new “technology” and “advancements” of an iPhone 10, when all that one is knowledgeable and comfortable with navigating is an iPhone 6? Not knowing how to use an iPhone 10, with a headphone jack and home button that is missing….now, that’s intimidating. The second possibility is that we can become so entranced by the shiny, glistening light of our ideal lives, our “iPhone 10” lives, that we entirely dismiss those factors that they would need to change and or manipulate in order to attain it. Our “iPhone 10” lives are a dream, that is not backed by action, thus, it remains just a dream.

All people have the option to “upgrade” their “iPhone 6” lives… even the most abundant, happy, and prosperous people in this world can make their lives better. A ceiling does not exist. This now begs the question, “how ought one go about upgrading his/her life?” Well, to start, we can chose to have better associations and relationships (be those platonic or romantic), have greater, more fulfilling experiences, as well as create new habits, or adjust/eliminate old habits, that in turn would lead us to act in ways that would be more conducive to forging those “ideals” that we each so-deeply desire.

These are the steps one must take in order to “upgrade.” Making this “upgrade” will foster a persons growth toward his/her goal. It is not comfortable. However, one must remember that even the act of taking one baby-step, is an upgrade. The journey that people need to embark on in order to achieve their “ideal life” is destined to come with several road bumps; for the sake of this analogy, we can define these road bumps as “glitches.” While living our iPhone 6 lives, these “glitches” present us with the option to either “purchase” another “iCloud” plan and retreat, or to “upgrade” to a better phone…a better life, as achievable by taking those actions mentioned above. “iCloud plans” are only a temporary fix to a long-term problem that will result in more glitches that arise down the line. You can’t put a bandaid on a gun-shot wound.

When we encounter the road-bumps, it is easy to fall for the trap of purchasing more “iCloud Plans;” one “purchase” leads to another, followed my another, and another…a never ending cycle. In doing so, we waste our own time, money, energy and other resources. These “iCloud Plans“ can be better-described as those people and things, that make us comfortable in the now, but that ultimately restrain and deter us from achieving our “ideal lives,” or at least a life that is closer to those “ideals” we hold.

Eventually, we will all come to the realization that the only viable option is to consciously and strategically “upgrade” the people in, experiences of, and habits within, our lives. A temporary fix, the purchasing of an “iCloud Plan,” delays one from getting, even that baby step, closer to achieving one’s “ideal” life.

Break the chains of mediocrity and embrace the warm light that comes with your impending growth! Make the necessary changes, make the remainder of this year your period of growth, abundance, and prosperity. Eliminate all of those people and things that don’t help you evolve. Upgrade your life!!

Attract what you expect, reflect what you desire. Become what you respect, and mirror what you admire. What is the first step that you need to take in order to upgrade your life?