Milestones and Meanings - Seeking Inspiration from the Things We Do

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.

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.

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.)

1. surround yourself with positive people read: Intentionally Positive
2. change your routine
3. find spirituality read read: Spiritual Experiences in Daily Living
4. read some inspirational quotations
5. visualize achieving your dreams
6. take a walk
7. 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
8. listen to music
9. use aromatherapy to stimulate your sense of smell
10. read an inspiring story
11. do something fun
12. embrace uncertainty
13. do something kind for someone else read: Kindness - Lessons for Our Children
14. empower yourself
15. do one thing at a time read: Task Scheduling - The Art of Prioritizing Yourself
16. find your mantra
17. 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
18. watch a movie that you find inspiring
19. learn something new read: dogology-famous dogs pawprints in ancient history Part 1 and pawprints in history part 2
20. read some poetry
21. meditate
22. think about your past successes
23. exercise read: Beginner Tai Chi and Better Health
24. find your passion
25. let go of your past
26. take action read: Weight-Loss-Systems-Getting-a-Slimmer-Waist
27. be influential
28. apply some affirmations
29. write
30. look at the big picture
31. use your imagination
32. just do it
33. pamper yourself read: natural-remedies-Beautiful-Skin
34. do something artistic
35. believe in yourself read: Knowing and Trusting Yourself Part 1
36. watch the sunrise
37. make your environment a relaxing place for yourself
38. sit by a fireplace and enjoy the emanating warmth
39. read about butterflies read:http://hubpages.com/hub/Butterflies-Winged-Wonders-A-Gift-of-Nature
40. believe that you can!
41. learn from Ben Franklin read: Ben-Franklin-Americas-First-Environmentalist and Making-and-Saving-Money-Ben-Franklins-Way
42. 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
43. say no read: The importance of Saying No
44. think positive
45. spend time with someone you love read: What the World Did On Valentine's Day
46. sit by a waterfall
47. light a candle
48. respect yourself read: http://hubpages.com/hub/Health-Burnout-Stress-and-Success
49. do something good for the environment read: Earth-Friendly-Pet-Products
50. take a risk
51. reminisce about happy times read: New-Years-Eve-in-New-York-City-and-Around-the-World
52. clean something read: http://hubpages.com/hub/Psychologyisms-Your-Mental-Health-
53. eat some m&m’s or something decadent read: M&M's Chocolate Candy That Changed the World
54. let your pets make you smile read: Dogology-Lovable-Dogs-in-Different-Shapes-Sizes-Types
55. take a day trip read: Distractions-Car-Accidents-and-Driver-Safety and Driver Safety and Cell Phone Laws
56. get energized by the refreshing scent of lemons read: Lemons-The-Earth-Friendly-Cleaning-Products
57. hug someone Petology-Loving-Our-Pets All-Year-Long
58. do something bold
59. laugh read: The-Humourous-Side-of-the-United-States-Presidents
60. compliment yourself
61. ask for advice
62. prioritize yourself
63. do one thing different
64. ask yourself ‘what if’
65. buy yourself something new read: Smart Shopping Deals Throughout the Year
66. take satisfaction in your accomplishments
67. relax read: Health-and-Emotional-Well-Being-Checkup
68. donate to charity
69. get a mindset to do something read: Successness-Self-Determination-and-Other-Factors-of-Success
70. find pleasure in simplicity
71. read inspiring moments in history
72. be patient
73. take action
74. recognize your own achievements
75. appreciate yourself read: Knowing-and-Trusting-Yourself-Part-1
76. take a bubble bath read:The-History-of-Baths-from-Ancient-to-Modern-Times
77. take pride in some of your milestones
78. be around supportive people read: Dogology-Dogs-Uncanny-Intelligence
79. unclutter your life
80. watch children at play read: Create-a-Family-Ancestor-Connection-for-Your-Children
81. volunteer your time
82. accept yourself read: Psychological Triggers - Why We Do the Things We Do
83. learn about someone else who is inspiring read: Macys-was-a-Failure
84. do some gardening
85. do something nice for yourself
86. count the stars read: Spacedom-Unmanned-Missions-May-Find-Other-Planets-Like-Earth-in-the-Universe
87. go to an art gallery
88. go to a new restaurant
89. bolster your confidence
90. do something just for you read: Natural-Healing-Powers-of-Gemstones-Myth-or-Science
91. trust yourself read: Life-Coaching-Courses-Knowing-and-Trusting-Yourself-Part-2
92. be determined
93. dare to step out of your comfort zone
94. read something from your favorite author
95. protect yourself read: Jealous Lovers and Therapy and Jealous Couples and Are Tall Men More Jealous than Shorter Men
96. instill a sense of desire for yourself
97. look for opportunities in the moment
98. be a leader read: Success-What-Do-You-Want-Deciding-and-Guiding
99. learn a new joke
100. take that first step

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”.