Tip#45: What Can't You Live Without? - 7 Movie Tips

Value: Worth in usefulness or importance to the possessor

Unexpected Crashes

My computer has crashed more than once over the years and that can be so stressful. And if it's happened to you then you know how scary it can be. You get overwhelmed thinking of the many years worth of work and other files that could be lost forever. It becomes a wakeup call for identifying what you can't live without. So learning to backup your files regularly becomes a new priority.

Recently, I experienced a cascade of computer crashes that included not only my laptop but the backups on my two external hard drives. Yes, even my backups! After the initial shock of possibly losing all of my files I immediately cared only about saving my digital family photos and music library. The experience helped me see what I valued most on my computer and that was preserving my personal memories.

The unexpected "crashes" in your life can help shift your priorities into focus. Unfortunate disasters like fires, floods and losing your job or home automatically changes how you view life. Especially in the face of sudden illness or death, whether it is yours or a loved one, causes you to re-evaluate what is important to you.

The underlying gift in any of these situations is that you will truly know what you value most. Knowing what you value and standing by them is essential in achieving all your life and career goals. Identifying your values helps you see what you can't live without.

Here are some inspiring movies to help you see what you value most in your own life:

Cast Away (2000)
This adventure drama stars Tom Hanks as Fedex representative Chuck Noland. This story is about discovering the value of life's essentials for survival on a deserted island. Essentials include finding water, food, fire, companionship and hope. Resourcefulness is also shown as a valued life skill.

The Edge (1997)
This adventure drama stars Anthony Hopkins as billionaire Charles Morse. Similar to Cast Away this movie demonstrates the added value of maintaining an aggressive, positive attitude in order to survive the isolation and dangers of a wilderness.

As Good As It Gets (1997)
This romantic comedy stars Greg Kinnear as artist Simon Bishop. Physically hurt and losing work, income, a home and a sense of purpose is the catalyst in this story for letting go of an old life and discovering the value of new supportive friends.

Baby Boom (1987)
This comedy film stars Diane Keaton as ambitious executive,J.C. Wiatt. The unexpected arrival of a relative's baby causes a rising corporate executive to lose her job. This sudden change helps her discover the more important values of a slower lifestyle and of family. She also stumbles upon a new, enjoyable career that fits perfectly into her new lifestyle.

Regarding Henry (1991)
This drama stars Harrison Ford as shrewd lawyer, Henry Turner. A man's near fatal accident causes him to lose his memory but ultimately helps him, his wife and daughter re-discover the values of family. Where he was once a busy and ruthless lawyer he literally rebuilds his life and a more honorable and loving attitude towards others.

Meet Joe Black (1998)
This fantasy romantic drama stars Anthony Hopkins as media mogul William Parrish. A dying, wealthy business man is given the chance to see what he truly values and what he wants to leave as his legacy. He is able to use the precious time he has left to take inventory on what is most important to him beyond his wealth. He discovers it's his immediate family's love and keeping the corporate soul of his business intact that are his priorities.

An Inconvenient Truth (2006)
This documentary stars environmental activist Al Gore. Discovering the immediate needs and choices to protect our planet's atmosphere for future generations is the forefront of the film's message. The core values highlighted involves the essentials for living and breathing that we've all taken for granted in the past.

Embrace Your Wakeup Calls

So embrace all your wakeup calls. Start looking at your own disasters, big and small, as gifts for helping you truly see what you value. Unpleasant things happen for a reason and the sooner you take a positive attitude the sooner you will see the hidden benefits and messages. Believe every cloud has a silver lining even if you don't see it at first.

And if you own a computer remember to always backup your files! When my computer crashed I felt lucky to know a computer expert I trusted who was able to help immediately. This is also a metaphor for having "backup" in your life in the form of supportive people when you need help.

Hopefully you never have to experience any disaster to realize what you value most that includes having good people around you. There is great value in people you can count on when times are tough.

Knowing what you can't live without will ultimately help you move forward in any aspect of your life. You'll make more confident decisions because you will know deep down of what you need to create a satisfying and resilient life.

Emmanuel Lopez
www.motivatorman.com
© Emmanuel Lopez 2007