Archive for the ‘Blog’ Category

While at the gym today, I was doing my not so favorite exercise, lunges.  Ugh, I was thinking, these are so hard, and I have to do so many.  Then, I took a deep breath, paused, and thought not about the tediousness of the exercise, but the results that I was going after.  Ooooh, how I love having nice legs, a firm butt, etc.  When I pictured the ideal results I was working for, the lunges didn’t seem so bad.  I actually began to enjoy the process, knowing that the work would pay off and I would have a great  body to show for it.

In the study of the Law of Attraction much is said about vision boards, boards where you post everything you want in life, your final results.  According to the Law of Attraction, what you think about becomes your reality, so having a vision board keeps your thoughts focused on what you want to attract.  The other great thing about a vision board is it keeps you  focused on the end result,  making it much easier to do the more difficult tasks that are sometimes necessary in achieving your goals.

If you are in sales, it may be in your best interest to make a certain number of contacts per day to reach your sales quota.  Those contacts are not always fun or easy to make, but if you have your end result in mind, it can keep you going even when you don’t want to.  If your company offers incentive prizes, post a picture of the prize in front of you when you are making your calls, reminding you constantly of the reward that awaits you from your efforts.  If no such prize exists, then create one for yourself,  and keep that in mind anytime you feel like slowing down or not giving your job your all.

It is so important in life to know why you are doing something, that “why” being the final result you are going after.  If you can not clearly visualize why you are doing something, it is nearly impossible to have the drive necessary to be successful.  Make sure you know your “why” in everything you do, and visualize it happening.  You will be amazed at how much more enjoyable your life will be and the incredible results you will achieve!

If you are a results oriented individual who would like to work in an industry where you are fully compensated for your efforts click here.

I had an interesting interaction at my local gym this morning.   One of the salesmen there asked me  what I was planning on doing today, and I replied, “Work out, work, have fun, you know, the usual”.  It was just your average chit chat, but what made me think was his response as the conversation went on.  I asked, “What about you?  Do you have fun plans?”  He replied:  “No, I have to work.”  I said, “Work can be fun!”  He stated adamantly, no it’s not, work is NEVER fun!”  Of course I had to continue and say, “Work can be  fun!”  and with that I left to begin my work out.

As I ran on the cross trainer, I thought about the preceding conversation.  How sad, I thought, that that guy thinks work is  never fun.  He is a salesperson at a gym, that could be a fun job.   I don’t really know the details that are involved in selling gym memberships or personal training, but I have a feeling that if he had a little fun, he may even be more successful at selling!

I have had jobs in the past that at I absolutely dreaded.  When you reach that point at a job, when it is not fun at all, and you can’t stand it, it is time to find another position.  Once I finally took action to find something more appropriate for me, I did find a job that I loved, and had fun every day.  Sometimes you stay at a job for  security, but it is not worth the security if you are miserable all of the time.  During the week days the average person spends at least one third of their time at work.  One third of your life should not be spent in misery!  If you can not make your job enjoyable take action and find some type of work that is!

Your attitude can go along way in making your job enjoyable.  In the scenario that I mentioned with the gym salesman, it seems that if he had a better attitude, his job could be fun.  If he viewed it as a game, a challenge to be the best, to sell the most memberships, or do better each day than the day before, perhaps he would consider it fun.  If selling is just not his thing, he may need to get into a different field, but as long as he is there, he should make the best of it until he takes action to find a job that he does enjoy.

Your mindset is a huge part of whether you enjoy your job or not.  Many of us were programmed that work was not supposed to be fun, work is work for goodness sake!  If we had parents that hated their jobs but did it to provide for their families then it is ingrained in our subconscious minds that that is how it is supposed to be.  I have heard of parents discouraging their children from pursuing their passions because “you can’t make any money at that”.  How sad.  Life is not meant to be spent chasing the dollar, it is meant to be cherished, lived and loved! I know in our current economic environment it is sometimes difficult to think of just doing what you love, but you can do it, millions of people do, why not you?

I encourage you to do everything in your power to make your work as enjoyable as possible, and if it continues to be a “grind”, then take action, make a change and love life!  I work in the field of Internet Marketing.  The people in my field that are extremely successful love to have a good time, work hard but enjoy their work, and have the right mindset.  If that sounds like you and you would like to learn more, click here

When we make the decision in our lives to be happy, we “choose” happiness, we also must learn to handle people who are not on the same page, people who are angry, irritable, or just plain grouchy.  How do you  deal with the cantankerous individual, who no matter how kind, happy, and helpful you are they just react in a surly fashion?  The answer?  Create a ray of happiness, a barrier if you will, that allows you to navigate through the world, deflecting  negativity and shining positivity on everyone you come across.

Think of your  ray of happiness as your “happy armor”.   Before you even get out of bed in the morning,  visualize your ray of happiness, that will touch all the people you come in contact throughout the day.  Think of all of the things in life that you love.  See yourself happy and count your blessings.  Be mindful of  everything in life that you have to be grateful for and give thanks.  Spend time in meditation, feeling the sensations of love, joy, bliss, kindness and gratitude.  Know that you will spend your day being happy, loving and kind.

As you go through the day, you may come across situations that are sad, depressing, or difficult.  Be  as kind and loving as you possibly can in every situation yet allow yourself to be in the moment and feel various emotions.   Feeling appropriate emotions in different situations allows your ray of happiness to shine even brighter at the correct time.

When you are in the company of someone who is extremely negative or depressed, do not allow yourself to get sucked into their gloom and misery.  If they seem to be clinically depressed suggest that they seek help of a professional.  If they are going through a hard time, do lend a sympathetic ear, but rather than dwelling  on everything that is not going right for them, ask them how  they would like their life to be and have them focus on their ideal life, and the ideal situation for whatever problem they are currently complaining about.   Encourage them to take action and make a positive changes towards improving their life.

If you have an interaction in the day with a person who your are not connected to: a stranger, a clerk in a store,or a customer and they are negative or angry, remember those are their feelings and not yours.  You and only you are  in  total control of your own actions and reactions.   If  the irritable person is your customer and you have done everything in your power to help them, and they are still upset then realize that you have done all you can do and move on.  Give them kindness and compassion, and be happy in the fact that you did your very best. If the angry person is a stranger who you have offended in some way, apologize for the mishap and again show kindness and compassion and move on.

Move forward in your day, shining brightly with your ray of happiness.  You will not only have a great day yourself, but you will probably improve the lives of countless others!

I work with an incredible group of people who seem to each emit their own “rays of happiness”.  If you would like to lean more click here

Aww, the sweet life.  What exactly is living the sweet life?  To me, it means living a life that is easy, fun, adventurous, fantastic.  Like biting into a scrumptious piece of cake, savoring ever yummy bite, you love every ounce of your life, enjoying every bit of it!  There are several key ingredients to creating a sweet life.

1. Love.  This is the most important  ingredient.  Your life needs to be filled to the brim with love.  Love everyone as much as you possibly can and in turn accept as much as you can from others.  Let your loved ones know they are loved and appreciated.  Give them hugs and kisses and express your love by doing  things for them, sharing your world with them, show your appreciation for them.  Love, love and love them even more!
2. Fun.  Have as much fun as you possibly can in life.    Surround yourself with pictures of people, places and things that make you smile.  Smile and laugh as often as possible.  Play fun games, listen to uplifting music, comedy,  anything that puts you in a good mood.  Spend time with good friends, with positive people that enjoy having a good time.
3. Adventure.  Put a little adventure into your life.  This can be done close to home, or plan an exciting travel adventure.  The simple planning process can be half the fun and add to the adventure itself.   Visit someplace you haven’t been before, learn a new skill, or try a new sport.  Look at life itself as an adventure and welcome new possiblities.
4. Relax.  Stop and smell the roses.  Get off the the fast track every once in a while and enjoy the little things in life.  Notice the beauty that surrounds you and  all the glorythe world has to offer.
5. Gratitude.  Give thanks for all of your blessings and the blessings in your life that your are expecting to receive.  There is so much to be thankful for, take the time to show your gratitude for everything you possibly can.

When you mix together love, fun, adventure, relaxation and gratiitude, you are sure to have an amazing sweet and spicy life you will savor forever.

I love living a fun, adventurous life.  If you would like to learn more click here.

I am grateful for my happy life and happy that I have a life for which I am grateful.  What an awesome never ending circle of positiveness.  When I express gratitude for all of the blessings in my life I feel happy.  It is such an interesting cycle, the more you feel grateful for in  life, the happier you are,  and the happier you are the more you have to feel grateful .

Several years ago I started living a life filled with gratitude.  It is really amazing how much you can change you life, and your attitude simply by being grateful for everything you possible can be in your life.  I have found  ways to be grateful for the things in my life that I used to complain about.  For instance, doing the dishes.  Now when I do dishes I quietly give thanks for the fact that I have had the opportunity to enjoy a delisious meal, that I have running water and a dishwasher, that I own a house with a gorgeous kitchen.  We tend to take so many things for granted in our lives, or even worse, complain about the simplist things when if instead we show gratitude for them, we feel so much better.  The complaining goes away, and I have found that even more things seem to appear for which you can be grateful.

When I was in my early 20s I was diagnosed with Hodgkins Disease, cancer of they lymph nodes.  I received the news on my 22nd. birthday, not news that I was especially grateful for.  In looking back, I did have much to be grateful for in this situation.  They had found the tumor very early, it was curable and I only had to go through eight weeks of radiiation treatment.  At the time I was scared and not exactly the most positive person.  I did get though the treatment, but if I had faced it with gratitude instead of fear, anger, and sadness, I possibly would have had an even better result and I would have enjoyed my senior year of college much more.

We are always going to have situations that come up in our lives that are not the most pleasant to deal with, but when we have the right attitude we can handle  anything.  If we face life with an “attitude of gratitude”, we can not only change our own lives for the better, we can also have a positive  impact on those around us.

Take the time to let the people in your life know haw much you appreciate them.  Instead of griping at your spouse for the little things they do wrong, thank them for whatever they are doing right!  Catch people doing something well, and let them know that you noticed, and that you appreciate them.  When your children do something sweet, kind or thoughtful, tell them how great they are, and how grateful you are to have such a wonderful child.  Everyone loves to be loved and showing gratitude for one another is a great way to demonstrate your love.

You are meant to have an amazing life, live it!  Look for everything you possibly can to be grateful for and before you know it your life will be overflowing with an abundance of greatness!

I am very grateful for my life and the work that I do, grateful for the freedom that my work allows me.  If you are interested in learning more click here.

Happiness as a habit?  Wow, have you ever thought about simply making being happy a habit?  Why not?  I bet you know people who are cranky all the time, irritable or negative.  It is very possible that those emotions have just become a part of their persona because of habit.  So why not make being happy a habit?

You have control of your emotions and can simply choose to be happy.  There are also simple action steps you can take on a regular basis in order to be happy consistently.  In other words, make being happy a habit.

First, when you wake up in the morning think of everything that you love.  Take a moment to be grateful for all of the blessings in your life.  Picture your dream life, and imagine yourself living that life now.  Say to yourself, “I am so lucky to have such a wonderful life!  I am so incredibly happy!”

Listen to upbeat happy music whenever you can.  Make a playlist of songs that make you feel good, inspired, and joyful!  Everyone has their own taste in music, but you know which songs stir emotions of sadness and which make you feel happy.  If you get the chance, sing along, dance even shout out a woo hoo!  You will be thrilled at how great you feel.

Exercise.  Exercise releases endorphins in your body and elevate your mood.  If exercising seems like pure drudgery to you try to find something fun, like a salsa class, or train for an upcoming race, or simply go for a walk with friends.  Sometimes starting is that hardest part, but commit to making exercise a part of your life and a part of your happiness habit.

Allow yourself to feel and express other emotions.  Just because you decide you are going to be happy doesn’t mean there will not be times in your life when you will feel sad.  I think of myself as a very happy person, but I also cry very easily when I am sad.  Expressing your other emotions allows them to be released and allows you to return to the state of happiness.  If you are feeling irritable look at the source of irritation and deal directly with the problem.  If your irritability is groundless, than go back to practicing the steps of happiness, think of all the things you love, be grateful, exercise, and love your life!

Make a joy board.  You may have heard of vision boards, a joy board is similar.  Simply put items that make you feel happy on a bulletin or poster board that you can display and view regularly.   The difference from a vision board is you  include pictures from your past, quotes, lyrics, anything that makes you smile and makes you feel happy.  I also suggest you make a portable version called a joy book.  Put the same items you would post on a joy board into a 5 by 7 photo album (often called a brag book).   Carry your joy book with you as often as possible and view it regularly!

Be kind to others!  This is so obvious, but the nicer you  to everyone you meet, the more joy, love and kindness you will receive back.  It is so rewarding to help others and what we give is always surprisingly small in comparison to what we receive.

Take in the beauty that surrounds you.  We often travel the world to see the sites that everyone raves about when some of the greatest creations are right in our back yard.  Take the time to appreciate the small details in life, the sunsets, smiles,  laughter , a delicious dinner, a romantic kiss.

Live and love your life!  Practice the “Happiness Habit”!

I am so fortunate to live a life I love and work with positive people who live their dream lives.  If you would like to learn more click here.

I usually don’t write about  negative emotions such as anger.  I don’t like to give negative emotions any thought at all as I am a big believer in the law of attraction,  meaning what you think about you attract into your life.   Obviously I don’t want to bring negative emotions into my life, but it is so important to learn how to handle anger in order to achieve more happiness.

First you must  realize that you and only you are in control of your emotions.  Someone or something can take place in your life, but you have the choice of how you are going to react to that action.  If someone cuts you off in traffic, it is your choice if you want to allow your blood to boil, flip him off, curse, or do whatever you might do if you feel very angry.  At the same time, you might think to yourself, wow, I’m so happy that did not cause an accident, lucky for me!   I know the second response may sound a little too peppy for some people, but think about it, you have the exact same situation and too very different responses.  The first reaction will probably have the driver dwelling on the situation for the rest of his commute, wasting time telling everyone in the office about the idiot who cut him off and set a negative tone for the rest of his day.  On the other hand, the driver in the second scenario has moved on in his thought process, is enjoying his commute, possibly preparing in his mind for an upcoming sales presentation, greets his fellow workers with a smile and sets a positive tone for his day.

Understanding that we are in total control of our emotions is a huge key to curbing our anger and once we realize that fact we are able to experience all of the happiness that the world offers us.  So often we miss out on happiness because we block it with negative emotions such as anger.  I am constantly amazed by the little things that set people off on a tizzy of anger.   I have learned that the small thing is probably not the real problem in their life, just the outlet.  That is why it is even more important not to allow yourself to be angry due to the actions of other individuals, especially strangers.  If you have no idea what is going on in their personal lives, you may just be their “anger outlet” for the day.  Do not get sucked into the anger vortex, take a deep breath, be as kind and positive as possible and remove yourself from the situation.  Use the situation to be grateful that you do not live in such anger and negativity and be as loving as you can to that person, if they are acting angry and horrible, they probably really need your love.

When we change our attitude to one where we are as loving and kind to as many people as possible, it is  interesting how much less anger you will feel.  It is as if love and positive feelings simply overpower negative emotions such as anger, and it  begins to dissipate.  The more you live your life in that manner, the more positive things you attract into your life, the more love and kindness you will receive and ultimately your life will be  filled with happiness.

Some people wait eagerly for the day they reach the top, the day they obtain their ultimate goal, really feel successful until they will allow themselves to feel happy.  It is almost as if they feel that they do not deserve to be  happy until in their own minds they have “made it”.  Unfortunately what these individuals do not realize is that being happy in itself can help create the success that they desire.   When one feels happy they have more energy, exude more charm, and can be more creative, all characteristics  that attract success.  So, what does one do to feel happy on that sometimes rough road to success?

First of all lets examine the definition of success.  Webster defines it as: ” degree or measure of succeeding”, or “favorable or desired outcome”.  Hmmm.  Not extremely helpful.   If you go to dictionary.com you will find this definition:  “the favorable or prosperous termination of attempts or endeavors.”  In simpler terms, success would be obtaining your desired outcome from your attempts.  With those definitions in mind, look at how much you are limiting your happiness if you only will allow yourself to experience it once you have achieved success.  You may set your “desired outcomes” at a level so high they are virtually impossible to obtain, thus never being happy at all!   Obviously setting high goals and standards is a good thing, but if we limit our happiness only to be enjoyed once we reach those goals we may end up living lives of quiet desperation.

One way to begin to feel happier is to allow yourself to enjoy the process of achieving your goals and celebrate the small successes  along the way.  If your ultimate goal is to own your own a Fortune 500 company, and right now you are a salesperson working for a big employer, look at each day as part of the process of achieving your dream.  Each day you are learning, getting better at what you do and closer to your ultimate goal.  Revel in that and be HAPPY for it!

Live a life of gratitude.  It is amazing  when we take the time to feel grateful for the small things in life how much happier we feel.  As in the above example, be grateful for your current employment, be grateful for each learning experience, be grateful for every thing you possibly can in this life.

Make your life as fun as possible.  You may not have your dream job right now, or your dream life, but enjoy life as much as you can!  Make time for the things in life that you really enjoy.  If your idea of success is to travel the world, don’t wait to be happy until you can afford such a trip, take small outings that you can afford now and ENJOY!  You only have one life, NOW is the time to live it!  When we wait until “someday”, that day may never come.  Laugh out loud, dance, and play.  You have nothing to loose and everything to gain by allowing yourself to enjoy life.

I enjoy life to the fullest and enjoy working in a job that allows me to experience the freedom that I love.  If you would like to know more: click here.

With the US economy at a low that we have not seen since the great depression, many are cautious about their investments, wondering; who do I trust and what is the best possible way for me to invest for the future?

Although I am not an expert in the financial industry I do know that one sure fire way to make an investment that can not fail is to invest in yourself.  The investment does not have to be monetary, it can be the investment of time.  Understand that you are your most valuable resource and the more your invest in yourself, the  better prepared you are for the future.

First, find a mentor in your field, someone who has demonstrated by great achievement that he understands what it takes to be successful.  Spend time with that individual and study what he has done to obtain success.  Follow those steps to reach your own goals.  It is much more effective to mimic and improve on the success of others than to waste time figuring out the whole process on your own.

Take time to read at least thirty minutes each day something that will help you grow, whether this material is motivational, inspirational, or relevant to your specific industry.   This is another way investing in yourself as you improve your mind and your expertise in your field.

Attend seminars, networking events and lectures that are relevant to your career.  It has been said that your network determines your net worth, so make sure you are spending time with people who are positive, knowledgeable, caring and fun!  You will find that the more time you spend around positive successful individuals, the more positive and successful you will become in your own right.

Take care of yourself!  Make healthy choices when eating and drinking and spend time each day exercising .  Not only does this help to relieve stress, but if you are to achieve the success you are striving for you want to be healthy enough to enjoy it!  The added energy that you will receive from exercising and eating right will also be a huge asset to you in your success quest.

If you follow the above steps I am positive that you be thrilled with your return on investment as you live a happier more successful life!

Do you ever hear people complaining about their lives?  They say things like, I am so unlucky, if it weren’t for bad luck I wouldn’t have any luck at all!  Or you might hear them mutter:, “I am such a failure, I never seem to do anything right.”  Unfortunately for these people their words become their prophecy.  The more they state out loud their limiting beliefs, the more that becomes their reality.

The good news is that can all change with a simple re-programing of their minds.  Your mind is such a powerful tool and it can be your greatest asset or your biggest liability.  When you are playing a negative program in your mind as in the examples above, you bring about more and more negative consequences to your actions.  The opposite is also true, the more positive you are, the more positive your outcomes will be in every quest that you undertake.

So how do you re-program your mind for success?  The first step is to make a list of all your past successes.  What have you done in your life that have made you feel really great, what do you feel proud about right now.  Think about what you did to achieve that success and the emotions that you felt upon completing it.  This list can contain every and all successes, from bring your grades up in school, graduating a level, getting that first job, getting a date, losing a few pounds, anything that you have accomplished.  Review that list on a regular basis and tell yourself how great you are for those achievements.

Next make a list of positive affirmations that you review regularly.  Make your affirmations as you want to be.  For instance: ” I am a successful business person”, or “I am fit and healthy”.  Think about your ideal life and how you would be in that ideal life and build a list of affirmations around that list.  Write them down on index cards, carry them with you and read them out loud as often as possible.  I know you might feel a little silly doing this, but you can do it in private, read them quietly if your prefer, just as long as you continually read them and say them out loud, your mind will re-program itself into the person that you want to be.

Finally, take the negatives out of your vocabulary and out of your life.  If you are in the habit of saying things like”I’m fat” or” I’m a failure”, stop that habit!  Repeating negatives only makes the situation worse as you reinforce the behavior to your subconscious mind.  If you look in the mirror and see your self as overweight, remind yourself of your affirmations and if it you are not at a place where you can honestly say, “I am fit and healthy”, say “I am getting fitter and healthier each day.” and reinforce that affirmation with physical action such as working out and eating healthy.  With a statement such as “I am a failure”,evaluate more exactly what you are making the statement about.  If you are struggling with your current job, examine exactly what the problem is, could it be a  lack of passion for your work, lack of productivity, or just the current economic situation?  Bottom line is that the answer is not that you are a failure.  You just need to make  positive changes to get on the right track.  Your affirmation in this situation might be something like, ” I enjoy facing challenges and find positive solutions to difficult situations”, or, “I am constantly learning from the challenges in my life and growing as a person to become successful.”.

As you continue on in your life with the new programs running in your mind you will soon find yourself saying things like, “I am so lucky, I love my life” and you will really mean it as it will be your reality!

If you would like to work with me, keeping a positive mindset, click here!p

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