Milestones and Meanings - Seeking Inspiration from the Things We Do
The Number 100 is Significant in People's Minds
When I started many hubs ago, and I read about other people writing their 100th hub, I thought I won’t create something about my 100th hub. Even 2 hubs ago, I thought about the topics I will write about next, and writing about my 100th hub wasn't even on my mind. But then after I published my 99th hub, something came over me. I can’t explain it exactly. It is a mixture of being proud of getting to number 100, and the feeling that it should not be ignored, it is worthy of me acknowledging even a minor achievement.
This got me thinking about why is the number 100 significant? What is it that makes us think 100 is any more special than all the numbers that preceeded it? I thought about all the different things 100 means. To be 100 years old, means you have lived a century. Schools place significance on the first 100 days of school. The president’s first 100 days in office is worthy of making news. When a television show reaches 100 episodes it is eligible for syndication. A football field is 100 yards long. Ben Franklin is on the $100 bill. The boiling point of water is 100 degrees celsius. In aspects of time, and place, in sports, and finances, and in science the number 100 is significant. Numbers in general are associated with religion, superstition, mysticism and symbolism. There are societal and mathematical reasons the number 100 has meaning, mainly because our decimal system is zero based.
Numbers Are a State of Mind
But in psychology, the question arises why do we give numbers meaning, and what makes 100 so special? It is a man made concept built on the belief that 100 is a milestone. But 100 could have arbitrarily been a different number. We adopted and accepted this concept. How we understand the meaning of numbers is a result of our experience, exposure and adapted beliefs.
People, as a rule, like round numbers. Numbers ending with a ‘0’ usually denote a landmark. It helps make something memorable. We set up benchmarks that help us see where we were and how far we have come. 100 hubs ago for me, it was summertime, there was a heatwave going on. The world series and super bowl hadn’t been played yet, and it was a different year. 100 hubs ago, gas was about $2.75 a gallon, today it is about $3.45 a gallon. The Tuscan shooting had not happened yet. Mubarak was running Egypt, Libyans were not yet fighting for their freedom. 100 hubs ago, I didn’t exist on hubpages, I didn’t have the new hub friends I have made, and my mother was still alive. My life has changed since 100 hubs ago.This 100th hub has allowed me to reflect on the last 6 months. And it is this reflection that helps us see the big and small moments we have experienced. It is not the number that is significant . It is the idea that we can celebrate a minor achievement and mark the passage of time . And it helps motivate us to make more milestones, and to help us get through some difficult times. Great accomplishments are based on the small milestones and progress we make.
Celebrate and Take Pride in Yourself
To move forward, we need to be motivated. These milestones are a measurement of our progress. Milestones help motivate us, and inspire us to reach just a little further. Inspiration exists within us and around us. As you seek to go further, reach farther and find fulfillment in your life look for these milestones. Milestones have meanings and they will give you the encouragement and motivation to know small successes. Ask yourself, where were you 100 hubs or 6 months ago? Celebrate yourself and take pride in where you are today, and how far you have come. Look for inspiration within yourself and from others. Listed below are 100 ways to get inspired, be creative, and motivate yourself. (And some of my hubs that are related to helping you be inspired that I hope you will read.)
- surround yourself with positive people read: Intentionally Positive
- change your routine
- find spirituality read read: Spiritual Experiences in Daily Living
- read some inspirational quotations
- visualize achieving your dreams
- take a walk
- talk to a friend read: Big-5-Personality-Traits-and-Their-Pets and Peoplality-Personality-Traits and Psychological Behavior and Personality Characteristics that People Share
- listen to music
- use aromatherapy to stimulate your sense of smell
- read an inspiring story
- do something fun
- embrace uncertainty
- do something kind for someone else read: Kindness - Lessons for Our Children
- empower yourself
- do one thing at a time read: Task Scheduling - The Art of Prioritizing Yourself
- find your mantra
- put your worries in a bubble and blow them away for a few hours read: Health and Hard Times and Grieving When You Lose Someone Close to You
- watch a movie that you find inspiring
- learn something new read: dogology-famous dogs pawprints in ancient history Part 1 and pawprints in history part 2
- read some poetry
- meditate
- think about your past successes
- exercise read: Beginner Tai Chi and Better Health
- find your passion
- let go of your past
- take action read: Weight-Loss-Systems-Getting-a-Slimmer-Waist
- be influential
- apply some affirmations
- write
- look at the big picture
- use your imagination
- just do it
- pamper yourself read: natural-remedies-Beautiful-Skin
- do something artistic
- believe in yourself read: Knowing and Trusting Yourself Part 1
- watch the sunrise
- make your environment a relaxing place for yourself
- sit by a fireplace and enjoy the emanating warmth
- read about butterflies read:http://hubpages.com/hub/Butterflies-Winged-Wonders-A-Gift-of-Nature
- believe that you can!
- learn from Ben Franklin read: Ben-Franklin-Americas-First-Environmentalist and Making-and-Saving-Money-Ben-Franklins-Way
- learn something new about yourself read: Human-Ananomity-Loving-the-Parts-of-Our-Body-We-Rarely-Think-About and Skin Care Facts Part 1 and Skin Care Facts Part 2
- say no read: The importance of Saying No
- think positive
- spend time with someone you love read: What the World Did On Valentine's Day
- sit by a waterfall
- light a candle
- respect yourself read: http://hubpages.com/hub/Health-Burnout-Stress-and-Success
- do something good for the environment read: Earth-Friendly-Pet-Products
- take a risk
- reminisce about happy times read: New-Years-Eve-in-New-York-City-and-Around-the-World
- clean something read: http://hubpages.com/hub/Psychologyisms-Your-Mental-Health-
- eat some m&m’s or something decadent read: M&M's Chocolate Candy That Changed the World
- let your pets make you smile read: Dogology-Lovable-Dogs-in-Different-Shapes-Sizes-Types
- take a day trip read: Distractions-Car-Accidents-and-Driver-Safety and Driver Safety and Cell Phone Laws
- get energized by the refreshing scent of lemons read: Lemons-The-Earth-Friendly-Cleaning-Products
- hug someone Petology-Loving-Our-Pets All-Year-Long
- do something bold
- laugh read: The-Humourous-Side-of-the-United-States-Presidents
- compliment yourself
- ask for advice
- prioritize yourself
- do one thing different
- ask yourself ‘what if’
- buy yourself something new read: Smart Shopping Deals Throughout the Year
- take satisfaction in your accomplishments
- relax read: Health-and-Emotional-Well-Being-Checkup
- donate to charity
- get a mindset to do something read: Successness-Self-Determination-and-Other-Factors-of-Success
- find pleasure in simplicity
- read inspiring moments in history
- be patient
- take action
- recognize your own achievements
- appreciate yourself read: Knowing-and-Trusting-Yourself-Part-1
- take a bubble bath read:The-History-of-Baths-from-Ancient-to-Modern-Times
- take pride in some of your milestones
- be around supportive people read: Dogology-Dogs-Uncanny-Intelligence
- unclutter your life
- watch children at play read: Create-a-Family-Ancestor-Connection-for-Your-Children
- volunteer your time
- accept yourself read: Psychological Triggers - Why We Do the Things We Do
- learn about someone else who is inspiring read: Macys-was-a-Failure
- do some gardening
- do something nice for yourself
- count the stars read: Spacedom-Unmanned-Missions-May-Find-Other-Planets-Like-Earth-in-the-Universe
- go to an art gallery
- go to a new restaurant
- bolster your confidence
- do something just for you read: Natural-Healing-Powers-of-Gemstones-Myth-or-Science
- trust yourself read: Life-Coaching-Courses-Knowing-and-Trusting-Yourself-Part-2
- be determined
- dare to step out of your comfort zone
- read something from your favorite author
- protect yourself read: Jealous Lovers and Therapy and Jealous Couples and Are Tall Men More Jealous than Shorter Men
- instill a sense of desire for yourself
- look for opportunities in the moment
- be a leader read: Success-What-Do-You-Want-Deciding-and-Guiding
- learn a new joke
- take that first step
Celebrate Your Big and Little Milestones
Celebrate the Big and Little Things You Do!
Acknowledge and celebrate the big and little things you do. Everything you do does matter. You can inspire others and you can be inspired by the circle of influences in your life. For those of you who have written a 100 or more hubs, or achieved something you have wanted to do, congratulations on this milestone. For those of you who haven't yet, I encourage you to go for it. Whatever you do is an achievement that will always be yours.
“Our achievements of today are but the sum total of our thoughts of yesterday. You are today where the thoughts of yesterday have brought you and you will be tomorrow where the thoughts of today take you.” ~ Blaise Pascal ~ (French mathematician,philosopher, and physicist 1623-1662) www.thinkexist.com
Remember your accomplishments big and small. Reflect on where you have been and where you are going. And whatever you do live in the moment. As this quote says - “Yesterday is History, Tomorrow is a Mystery, Today is a Gift, that is why it is called The Present”.