About CTG

“You are such an IDIOT!”

Sound harsh? Like something you’d never say to someone else? 

I agree.

Welcome! I am Ryan Lee Piekarski, the owner and founder of Create The Great Life (CTG Life). My passion for choosing elevated thought and emotion officially began at 7am, January 14, 2021.

I woke up in the dark that morning, sharing a room while at a mindfulness event. I remember trying to get dressed quietly to be considerate. When I realized I had put my shirt on backwards, I let out an audible, "You are such an IDIOT!"

My roommates weren’t the only ones woken up by my shout.

I became aware at that moment that I had been practicing, for most of my life, a daily destructive and demoralizing internal dialogue as a way to self-identify. Instead of offering self-compassion, I berated myself for making a minor mistake. I hadn’t understood how wrong that was.

Forgot something at the store? IDIOT! Didn’t make time today to call the cable company to sort out my bill before their customer service ended for the day? LAZY! Ran out of toilet paper? BAD HUSBAND! BAD FATHER! The hours spent with my family, helping with homework, going to [insert activities here], none of that mattered.  Because I ran out of toilet paper–that little mistake, immediately fixed with a 5 minute trip to the store–I beat myself up about my parenting skills. Doesn’t make sense when you examine it. But I hadn’t been thinking logically, it was an automatic, negative, knee-jerk reaction.

I couldn’t immediately stop my internal villain from shouting abuse at me, but now that I was aware of it, I could take steps to quiet it.

I also became aware that I wasn’t alone. Many of us have that internal bad guy (or gal) that always finds fault, minimizes our successes, and highlights every failure.

I now consciously practice finding the goodness in self and others to create greatness within and without. CTG Life is an invitation to Find The Good and Create The Great in each of our lives.

My blog focuses on sharing affirmations and inspirations.

My products offer up beat messaging and images, reminding you that you matter. That while perfect is unattainable, we can always be a little better and that those moments, those choices, should be celebrated.

My mission at Create The Great Life (CTG) is to inspire individuals to find goodness within in order to create greatness throughout the world. CTG provides innovative products fostering personal growth, well-being, and fulfillment Through integrity, creativity, and global collaboration, we strive to cultivate a world where everyone has the opportunity to uncover and discover their fullest potential.