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According to Merriam-Webster, the word structure means. I quote.” the action of building:  2a:  something (such as a building) that is constructed b: something arranged in a definite pattern of organization, a rigid totalitarian structure— J. L. Hess leaves and other plant structures 3:  manner of construction: makeup, Gothic in structure 4a: the arrangement of particles or parts in a substance or body soil structure, molecular structure b: organization of parts as dominated by the general character of the whole economic structure personality structure c:  coherent form or organization tried to give some structure to the children's lives 5:  the aggregate of elements of an entity in their relationships to each other, the structure of a language. When many hear this word structure, they become stressed, confused, and overwhelmed with all it’s about to impose on them. Through this article, I will share how structure may be a great catalyst to make you successful and the part that deters you from it.

There may appear to be mystery in everything until we understand its structure, and then we appreciate it even more. A structure is not just a form but also a unique formula, protocol, or way in which something must be for it to exist in our world. Another way to think about structure is to look at it as a pattern, such as symmetries in nature that mirror each other. A type of fractal that branches, in the same way, each time or a naturally flowing brook or waterfall. Water crashes against itself, and the way bubbles form against the shore.

The structure is also the property that gives something strength to support things such as buildings, aircraft, skeletons, bridges, stadiums, and statues. Structures allow us to stay within boundaries while maximizing resources and decreasing costs. All sorts of structures exist in companies to keep the company profitable and maintain its info structure. One area they can be found in is human resources being centralized, decentralized, matrix, and or outsourced. 

Remember, a structure is not just a solid but may also be a frame, shell, or liquid. Some liquids that have a definite structure are water, alcohol, benzine, and milk. Any good article, book, or speech has a structure as well. Even a play has a structure comprising a plot and story elements, starting with an opener, incident, crisis, climax, and ending. When you visit your local grocery store, there is a structure in how you enter the store, shop, checkout via a cashier or self-checkout, and exit the store.

Did you know that all lighthouses have several structures that have been around for hundreds of years? All lighthouses have a strong foundation built with an entrance door, a staircase or stairway, a service room, a lantern room with a beacon emitting light, and a copula on top. When lighthouses are near each other, they use different flashing sequences, so skippers know which lighthouse is flashing. These flashing patterns are: fixed, occulting, flashing, iso phase, group flashing, alternating, and Morse code. Flashing is made possible in lighthouses by a circular-shaped piece of glass called a bulls-eye lens. The bulls-eye lens acts similar to the one found in a magnifying glass. Also important to note is that all lighthouses today are no longer manned by people except for one in the Boston Harbor called Boston Light. The only reason that this specific lighthouse is manned is because of a law passed in 1989 requiring it to be.

Many people I have talked with cringe or stress at the slightest thought of the word structure. The reason is that the structure imposed on their lives has been because of third parties’ or other people’s choices. These people feel they have given every moment of their time to things they never enjoyed or wanted. Remember that schedules that deal with keeping time for yourself, activities, and events fall into a structure. Some people have trouble saying “No” because they don’t want to feel bad, let others down, or feel bad themselves.

Remember that you can choose to implement your structures as you see fit to help shape and improve the quality of your life. One area many people introduce a structure is exercise and maintaining good health. A way you can do this is to commit yourself to exercise x times per week, doing the following specific exercises with so many reps and a specific number of sets. Another area where people choose structure is in business, to perform several specific activities such as many qualified appointments, number of quotes, sales, etc. The structure is essential if you want an outstanding balance of work, leisure, and play.

To structure sounds so complicated, and I’m not one that ever set my schedule but always broke my backside to follow everyone else. How do I implement structure in my life without becoming overwhelmed? This is a question I get asked so many times, and all you have to do is start small, be consistent, write it down, or use an electronic online calendar like google. I recommend using an online calendar so you can see it and update it well. The first thing to remember is JIT (Just in Time Scheduling). You enter the personal time you want for yourself, so nothing else will have a chance to get that spot. Second, realize that whatever hits your schedule is what you will do, and check it before committing yourself to anything, regardless of how large or small a task is.

Thus, in summary, we have learned that structure is essential for leading a happy, healthy, productive, and abundant life but don’t let others stricter you than you are comfortable with. We also can deduct that when anything has been structured; it can be replicated again using a specific formula, recipe, etc. Please choose to start structuring your life and those things in it so you may have more freedom to do what you want.