Showing posts with label effort. Show all posts
Showing posts with label effort. Show all posts

How to Achieve Your Dreams (and Keep Going When It's Hard!)


This is SO important, such great advise from Brendon Burchard. It'll always get hard with whatever you are doing, just keep going, keep learning, keep growing.

Where To Begin On Your Fitness and Health Journey

By CA Flemming

Going back and forth with where to start on your new healthy adventure can be very frustrating and confusing to the point where a lot of people give up after a week of trying new and different things. My best advice while starting this new adventure is to get in the mind set that everything works differently for everyone! Not every diet will work the same for each person. For example my best friend can only have half the carbohydrates a day than I can because my body can process them faster and distribute it evenly throughout my body. So don't get frustrated from the beginning because everyone starts out in the same place you are now.

Here I have listed a checklist of things you should consider while starting off on your new adventure of being fit healthy and happy!

Throw out more than half of the junk food in your house, if not all of it. 

They are only temptations that we don't need. Yes you can eat them occasionally but having them linger around gives us more incentive to give into the temptations.

Write a list of your fitness goals. 

Start off with writing down your morning weight and date it. Then write down where you want to see yourselves and the time frame you are giving yourself.

Start thinking about meal prep. 

Meal prep is all about making meals for your week to get you started on a healthy week because the moment you open that fridge you can grab anything but if you know you already have meals that you prepared you are more willing to go for those and that is always the healthier option.

Go shopping for healthy food options. 

You can check out anywhere on the internet for recipes and grocery lists for healthy food options.

Get a gym membership 

I know not all of us have a lot of money to spend on expensive over the top gym memberships but there are some gyms like XSport or Planet Fitness that offer $10 memberships and the moment you know you are paying for something you will tend to use it way more often. If this really isn't a viable option then do at home workouts, take daily walks, start up running or biking riding as a new hobby. It is all about starting off with small changes.

Drink more water. 

Your daily water intake should be at least 8 glasses of water a day. This will help with your skin, hair, and overall hunger that we tend to get when we start a diet.

Think of this as a lifestyle change for the better. 

The moment we stop calling it a diet is the moment we keep trying for this end goal and we keep up with what we started off doing in the first place.

HAVE FUN!


Why This Simple Daily Habit Will Make You Become a Better Person

By Tony Fakhry


Journaling.

Yes, this simple daily habit will make you become a better person, because the simplest habits are ones that produce the greatest results.

It is the compound effect journaling offers that often goes unnoticed.

Journaling has many unexpected benefits, one of which is improved mental and emotional wellbeing.
Many people ruminate on problems that gnaw at them, sometimes for decades.

Brain scientist Jill Bolte Taylor suggests that the average lifespan of an emotion to move through the nervous system is one and a half minutes. This releases the burden of clinging to our emotional attachments longer than required.

This daily habit helps you to make peace with toxic emotions and transform them into healthy ones. Otherwise, they remain 'stuck' in your nervous system instead of moving through you.

The simple act of writing in your journal on a daily basis helps you to be mindful of the present moment, instead of being caught up in the past or future.

"All clutter and stress seem to be found on the surface, on the level of thinking and emotions," affirms Peter Francis Dziuban in: Simply Notice: Clear Awareness Is the Key To Happiness, Love and Freedom.

Mindfulness is a way to attain clarity as to what really matters. You become attuned to your emotions instead of allowing them to control you.

I recall listening to the spiritual teacher Eckhart Tolle state that anytime you are emotionally agitated for no reason, you are recollecting unresolved memories and creating a Pain body experience.

Similarly, Colette Baron Reid writes in Uncharted: The Journey Through Uncertainty to Infinite Possibility: "Memories are emotions intertwined with thoughts, and those can become lodged not just in your brain but in your body too."

Journaling is the act of making sense of those memories by transferring them onto paper, otherwise they lead to conditions such as T.M.S. (Tension Myositis Syndrome), according to Dr. John Sarno.

Repressed emotions resulting from psychological stress are stored in the body and may inhibit muscle and/or organ function if left untreated.

Writing your thoughts on paper is a form of emotional freedom. There are moments in our lives where we must bite our tongue with family, friends and co-workers for obvious reasons.

We cannot express our feelings, so we stow them away hoping they don't resurface down the road. This is the psychological pain point many people experience later in life.

The key is to allow your emotions to move through you using a method Dr. Daniel Siegel outlines in his book Mindsight. He suggests you name and tame the emotions you experience rather than be overwhelmed by them.

Journaling helps identify the troubling emotions by writing them as "I feel angry" instead of "I am angry." The latter is a limited self-definition since, "I feel angry" implies the ability to acknowledge a feeling, without being overwhelmed by it.

"Just by bringing greater attention to the part of your body where strong emotions or physical pain linger, you are loosening each layer of cellular memory to assist in another moment of healing," affirms Matt Kahn.

I suggest exploring your thoughts on paper as the last thing at night after a complete day. In Zen teaching, meditation is thought to help wipe away the day's stressors by witnessing our thoughts through the eyes of equanimity.

Journaling purges you of mental stressors. It is the process of becoming intimate with your thoughts instead of allowing them to occupy space in your mind.

You become attentive to your mental landscape instead of letting runaway thoughts impose on your freedom.

This simple daily habit will make you become a better person, because you are aware of your thoughts and won't be overcome by them.

Committing your thoughts to paper invites you to calmly witness them with a clear awareness rather than an agitated mind.

Tibetan meditation master Orgyen Chowang explains in Our Pristine Mind: A Practical Guide to Unconditional Happiness: "You must first relax the mind and then observe it with patience and perseverance. It is that simple."

Journaling is the act of coming home to yourself and loving the person whose thoughts appear on the page.

What we see and perceive in our waking life results from the mind adding judgement and commentary, like morning fog.

Writing your thoughts downloads them onto paper and liberates you of the need to process them any more than you need to.

How To Stay Focused


Nothing more important in life when you are trying to achieve great things, than focus. Brendon Burchard is brilliant at breaking down big questions like this one.

The Path To Success Is A Very Lonely Road

By Tony Fahkry

Journaling.

Yes, this simple daily habit will make you become a better person, because the simplest habits are ones that produce the greatest results.

It is the compound effect journaling offers that often goes unnoticed.

Journaling has many unexpected benefits, one of which is improved mental and emotional wellbeing.
Many people ruminate on problems that gnaw at them, sometimes for decades.

Brain scientist Jill Bolte Taylor suggests that the average lifespan of an emotion to move through the nervous system is one and a half minutes. This releases the burden of clinging to our emotional attachments longer than required.

This daily habit helps you to make peace with toxic emotions and transform them into healthy ones. Otherwise, they remain 'stuck' in your nervous system instead of moving through you.

The simple act of writing in your journal on a daily basis helps you to be mindful of the present moment, instead of being caught up in the past or future.

"All clutter and stress seem to be found on the surface, on the level of thinking and emotions," affirms Peter Francis Dziuban in: Simply Notice: Clear Awareness Is the Key To Happiness, Love and Freedom.

Mindfulness is a way to attain clarity as to what really matters. You become attuned to your emotions instead of allowing them to control you.

I recall listening to the spiritual teacher Eckhart Tolle state that anytime you are emotionally agitated for no reason, you are recollecting unresolved memories and creating a Pain body experience.

Similarly, Colette Baron Reid writes in Uncharted: The Journey Through Uncertainty to Infinite Possibility: "Memories are emotions intertwined with thoughts, and those can become lodged not just in your brain but in your body too."

Journaling is the act of making sense of those memories by transferring them onto paper, otherwise they lead to conditions such as T.M.S. (Tension Myositis Syndrome), according to Dr. John Sarno.

Repressed emotions resulting from psychological stress are stored in the body and may inhibit muscle and/or organ function if left untreated.

Writing your thoughts on paper is a form of emotional freedom. There are moments in our lives where we must bite our tongue with family, friends and co-workers for obvious reasons.

We cannot express our feelings, so we stow them away hoping they don't resurface down the road. This is the psychological pain point many people experience later in life.

The key is to allow your emotions to move through you using a method Dr. Daniel Siegel outlines in his book Mindsight. He suggests you name and tame the emotions you experience rather than be overwhelmed by them.

Journaling helps identify the troubling emotions by writing them as "I feel angry" instead of "I am angry." The latter is a limited self-definition since, "I feel angry" implies the ability to acknowledge a feeling, without being overwhelmed by it.

"Just by bringing greater attention to the part of your body where strong emotions or physical pain linger, you are loosening each layer of cellular memory to assist in another moment of healing," affirms Matt Kahn.

I suggest exploring your thoughts on paper as the last thing at night after a complete day. In Zen teaching, meditation is thought to help wipe away the day's stressors by witnessing our thoughts through the eyes of equanimity.

Journaling purges you of mental stressors. It is the process of becoming intimate with your thoughts instead of allowing them to occupy space in your mind.

You become attentive to your mental landscape instead of letting runaway thoughts impose on your freedom.

This simple daily habit will make you become a better person, because you are aware of your thoughts and won't be overcome by them.

Committing your thoughts to paper invites you to calmly witness them with a clear awareness rather than an agitated mind.

Tibetan meditation master Orgyen Chowang explains in Our Pristine Mind: A Practical Guide to Unconditional Happiness: "You must first relax the mind and then observe it with patience and perseverance. It is that simple."

Journaling is the act of coming home to yourself and loving the person whose thoughts appear on the page.

What we see and perceive in our waking life results from the mind adding judgement and commentary, like morning fog.

Writing your thoughts downloads them onto paper and liberates you of the need to process them any more than you need to.

Why One Is Greater Than Zero


Great message from Gary Vee. You never know who could watch, read or listen something of yours that could lead to something great:)

The New Science of Happiness and Success

By Anthony Hamilton


Would you like to be happier?

Would you like to be more successful?

Whenever I ask people these two questions, as I have done many times over the past 35 years, I find that virtually everyone's answers are the same; a resounding, "Yes, of course! Who wouldn't?"

If I then follow these questions up with another question, such as, "What would it take for you to be happier?" I generally receive a response like, "More money", "More peace of mind", "More time off work", or perhaps a response like, "A better relationship" or better 'job', 'salary' or 'body' etc.

The thought process behind these answers reveals a fundamental pattern which seems to be true of pretty well everyone, namely the idea that for us to be happier, we need something else, specifically more success, either in our finances, in our relationships, in our health or in any other area of our lives. This thought pattern reveals a fundamental aspect of virtually everyone's beliefs about the way life works. Namely, that more success leads to more happiness.

This basic concept, that more success) leads to more happiness seems so self-evident that we seldom question it. Indeed, we never even notice that we are thinking this way. But this attitude is what author Jack Canfield, of the "Chicken Soup for the Soul" series of books, calls, "living on 'Someday Isle'.

In other words, as Canfield says, we tell ourselves, "Someday I'll have more money." Or "Someday I'll have better health." Or "Someday I'll have the right relationship." Or, "Someday I'll lose that ten pounds." The implication with this line of thinking is the same; the basic belief that "When I get the success I want I will be happy.

But is this line of thinking really true? Does more success really lead to more happiness?
"Not at all." says Shawn Achor, author of the best-selling book, "The Happiness Advantage" (Crown Publishing, New York, 2010).

Trained by some of the pioneers in the new discipline of Positive Psychology, Achor helped design and teach the famed "Happiness" course, for years the most popular course at Harvard. Since then, (according to his on-line biography), he has spoken at or worked with over a third of Fortune 100 companies and his TED talk is one of the most popular of all time, with over 13 million views.
The front flap of his book reads, "Conventional wisdom holds that if we work hard, we will be more successful, and if we are more successful, then we'll be happy. But recent discoveries in the field of positive psychology have shown that this formula is actually backward."

He explains that when we are positive, our brains become more engaged, creative, motivated, energetic, resilient, and productive at work. This discovery has been borne out by rigorous research in psychology and neuroscience. It has also been proven true in the boardrooms and on the bottom lines of organizations around the globe.

This change in thinking echoes the transformation that followed the reversal of the conventional belief that the sun revolved around the earth. According to Achor, this new discovery that conventional thinking is backward and that it is happiness which leads to success and not the other way round, promises to be as earth shaking and life transforming in its impact.

However, this recent bit of scientific knowledge which is a result of recent brain scanning research, is not the only evidence that our previous ideas about the human condition are wrong that has come to light in the last couple of decades. Just as profound and potentially earth shaking is the recent discovery (also using brain imaging technology) that the structure of our brains, which was long believed to be fixed and unchangeable, is actually plastic and continually changes throughout the course of our lives.

Although some of the new ideas about our brains seem like common sense, others are a little harder to grasp. For example, the proof that when a person learns to play the piano, certain parts of the brain undergo measurable changes, seems, upon reflection, to be quite reasonable. After all, we know that the nerves which move the fingers have connections to specific areas of the brain, so the fact that these areas of the brain would grow through endless repetitive piano exercises, like a person building his biceps by lifting weights, seems eminently reasonable.

But how about feeling happy? Does practicing feeling happy produce changes in the brain as well?
In a word, writes Achor, "Yes".

Furthermore, there seems to be no limit to how far these changes can go. Numerous studies have confirmed many ways we can permanently raise our happiness baseline and adopt a more positive mindset simply by doing certain kinds of thought exercises.
And Achor is not the only author writing about this discovery. According to Sharon Begley, author of "Train Your Mind, Change Your Brain", (Ballantine Books, New York, 2007) the long held scientific dogma that the brain was forever fixed and unchangeable, implied that one's 'happiness set point', which is the level of happiness to which one returned after experiencing a deep tragedy or a great joy was as unalterable as the earth's orbit. However it now appears that our 'happiness set point' can be altered quite easily. And when we re-set it, it remains the new baseline for happiness long into the future.

Here is a key idea which most people simply miss; that an individual's personal inner world of emotions, feelings and self-talk, and her outer world of observations, experiences and conscious reasoning are linked. After all, is not the nervous system responsible for your feelings of happiness or unhappiness, optimism or pessimism, not the same nervous system which is responsible for other cognitive functions as well?

We all have noticed that when we are feeling down, our perceptions of the world are negative too. We not only feel low. We also feel that our goals and desires are less attainable. We feel that opportunities are eluding us. We tell ourselves that life is becoming more difficult. On the other hand, when we are feeling optimistic, we not only feel more positive, we will also see more opportunities for positive results in the world. We not only feel that our dreams and goals are attainable, we can actually see more opportunities in the outer world. How many popular songs have been written on the same theme; that when we are in love, the sun seems to shine a lot more frequently.

Therefor it follows, according to Begley and Achor, that when we re-set out happiness set point, we not only recover from set-backs more quickly and perceive negative results in a more positive light, but we also feel better and more optimistic about the world in general. When our brains change, we begin to actually see more opportunities for success and satisfaction in the external world. What the findings of this new research is showing us, is that when we re-set our inner happiness set point, our outer world undergoes a positive shift too. For all of us who have harbored the desire to change the world, this new information shows us that it might actually be possible. While we might not be able to change someone else's world, we can indeed change our own.

So how do we re-set out happiness set point? It is amazingly easy. All we need to do is to practice FEELING happy for a few minutes a day on a regular basis. They say nothing succeeds like success. And nothing attracts more opportunities for success and happiness than an inner feeling of happiness and well-being.

If you want to reset your own 'happiness set-point, try this simple exercise:
  1. On a sheet of paper, write down a small number (five or six is enough) of what I call, "Past Successes". These are simply events from the past which we consider to be positive successes. And here's the thing; they don't need to be huge successes. Simple successes like getting your driver's licence, learning to bowl or baking an amazing chocolate cake are perfect. Here's the key: does remembering this past event make you to FEEL happier and more successful? If the answer is 'yes', write it down on your 'Past Successes List'.
  2. Read this list over every day for five minutes. While you do this, actually FEEL the feelings of happiness and success in your body. You might want to do this exercise while listening to a favorite piece of relaxing music. As you read your list, make an effort to really FEEL the feelings in your body. As you think of other past successes (And you will.) add them to your list.
  3. Repeat this exercise each day for four to six weeks. Scientific experiments have conclusively shown that over this period of time, actual, physical changes in the brain are measurable.
  4. Keep a simple diary of how this exercise is affecting not only your inner world of thoughts and feelings, but also note any observations of successful events in the outer world. Expect your world to shift and it will
Is there any limit to how far one can take this brain training exercise? According to Achor, there doesn't seem to be. As he writes, "The point is, we do not know the limits of human potential. Just as we can't know the limit for how fast a human can run or swim or how high a person can jump, we still don't know the limits of our brain's enormous potential to grow and adapt to changing circumstances. All we know is that this kind of change is possible."


Learning To Unleash Your Full Potential By Living In The Present Moment

By James Nussbaumer


A great self-help tip is to not spend too much of your time watching television. Watching too much television may lend a complacent lifestyle which isn't in the best interest of your over all well-being.
A great way to help one's mood is to live in the present moment or commonly known as the "here and now." The idea resembles what A Course in Miracles terms the "Holy Instant".

If you live in the present moment, you can not ever possibly be in pain, because to know pain there has to be a past to regret and a future to fear.

A Course in Miracles states, "The holy instant is the Holy Spirit's most useful learning device for teaching you love's meaning."

One great tip with regards to personal development is to make a plan and stick to it present moment by present moment. Love your plan and allow it to be you.

Creating a plan to achieve a goal is great, but it is only half the battle.

Understand that setting up goals and making plans is easy, executing them is the hard part.
As you can see, helping yourself to live a more fulfilled life is not as hard as it might appear. It just requires doing research on your objectives and goals, making commitments, and asking for just a little bit of help when you need it. The work will pay off once you see how it can help you live your life better.

One characteristic that everyone should strive to implement more in their daily lives is humility. Recognize that no matter what you achieve or success you attain, you are not better than the man or woman next to you.

Not only does the therapy of a professional massage and a hot tub relax you, but there are a number of mental and physical well-being benefits associated with a personal spa. Relaxing in the warm water surely soothes you in a number of ways.

Power of presence

When people don't understand the power of presence it's difficult at time to seek and release painful experiences out experiences that are pleasurable. Replace that state of being with a more right-minded optimistic sense, which makes you live life more fulfilled and happy.

I mean to say that, to give yourself a fresh perspective on life expose yourself to new ideas and new experiences.

Experiencing new things, even in an unrelated field, will make you look at things in a completely different way. This can jump-start your creative juices and the new perspective may help you find new solutions to old problems.

Learn some tips that can help you better fulfill your life and make yourself a better person.

Your goals

You can figure out everything you need to stick with and achieve all of your personal goals. It's not as frightening as you may think once you know what you want to do to make the right-minded positive changes in your life.

Everyone interested in self-improvement and personal development should remember to share their thoughts with family or friends that they can come to trust.

It is going to be very tough to go through hard times without having anyone to confide in over those deeper matters, so you should try to seek someone with whom you can discuss your problems and plans.


Change Your Attitude to Change Your Life

By Camille Goscicki    

Have you ever known a time in your life when a bad attitude helped you with what you were dealing with? How about someone else you've known who walked around with that cloud over their head, expecting life to rain on them at any moment? Did their bad attitude fight off the storm? 

Personally, I can't think of any time in my past when my bad attitude solved any problem or concern I was facing. If anything, the attitude I carried brought on more misery, and a lack of clear thought that could have helped me make things better.

Having a bad attitude affected my self-esteem, my decisions, and my choices in life. Negativity made me fear life and what was ahead of me in the future. Somehow, some way, my attitude changed, due to my marriage, the birth of my daughter; and the death of my only brother, among other life experiences.

I got to the point in life where I'd say to myself, "This isn't a dress rehearsal, kiddo. This is life. If you're going to live it, you might as well live it well." So I chose a new perspective. It worked for me. I'm not afraid of what lies ahead anymore, and I face life with an "active pessimist" attitude. I may complain, criticize and get ticked off about stuff that happens, but then I take action and do something about it (if I can). Sometimes there's nothing I can do except let the storm ride out.

I'm sure you've seen those people who constantly complain about getting older, who feed into the old-age stereotypes, and who use age as an excuse to let their bodies and minds go to waste. I've seen it myself, in people decades younger than me. What a terrible way to age!

Vital aging requires an empowered attitude.

I didn't just pull that belief off the top of my head. Aging experts and researchers have shown that a person's attitude affects their aging process. Many studies have shown that: 


• Older people who believe in positive aging stereotypes live longer than those who believed in negative stereotypes. 


• Older people with a positive attitude take better care of themselves, and may recover from illness/injury faster. 


• Older people who stay engaged in life (e.g., with lifelong learning) have a higher quality of life than those who don't. 


• Often, older people are happier than younger adults. (Face it, we know we have less time on this earth, so it's important to make the most of it!)

Why "get" older when you can "grow" older? When you reach the age of 40, or 50, let go of the "over the hill" thinking. Start climbing again. There are new hills to challenge you. Change your perspective. Let go of those stereotypes. Quit complaining. Make physical and mental fitness a priority. Fight ageism. Stay connected. Laugh out loud. Remain flexible. Keep learning. Take charge of your life.


Everyday Measures You Can Take To Boost Self Confidence

By Michael Cobb



Even the best leaders lack self-esteem at sure times. Boosting self-esteem isn't a static quality; rather, it’s an attitude that takes effort to keep up once the going gets rough. It should be learned, practiced and down a bit like the other talent. However once you master it, you may be modified for the higher.

Here are a unit six effective ways in which to push your own self-esteem.


1. Act the Part.


Your visual communication will instantly demonstrate boosting self-esteem, or it will scream insecurity. Gift yourself in an exceedingly method that says you're able to master or take command of any state of affairs. If you look esteem and act the half you aim to succeed in, you’ll not solely feel up to speed; individuals can have way more confidence in you yet.
Hold your head high, stay up straight, and gently bring your shoulders back to align your spine and appearance directly at the opposite person once interacting. Avoid a limp acknowledgement and maintain sensible eye contact whereas somebody is talking to you.


2. Dress the Half.

When you look higher, you are feeling higher. If you select article of clothing and accessories that fit your needs well, fit your trade and manner, and cause you to feel sensible, this may mechanically increase your vanity. Appear as if the half you wish to play, or in different words, suit up for achievement. Don’t be afraid to let your temperament shine in your accessories. Daring jewelry or a colorful tie will be a center of attention and a decent spoken communication starter.

3. Speak assertively.


The next time you hear your favorite speaker, be conscious of the method he or she delivers a speech. An excellent speaker speaks with confidence, in an exceedingly steady, Sapphic tone. Rather than the ums and ahs that interrupt flow, they use pauses to emphasize ideas.

Adopt associate assertive, however not aggressive, method of speaking that indicates your boosting self-esteem. You may feel your vanity begin to rise. To be taken seriously, avoid high-pitched, nervous chatter or twittering giggles in your speech. Individuals can hear you additional with attention after they see the leader radiate from among you.


4. Think and act absolutely.


Positive energy ends up in positive outcomes, thus set your mind to the dynamic aspect of any state of affairs, avoiding the negative self-talk that may because you to feel less esteem. Smile, laugh and surround yourself with happy, positive individuals. You’ll feel higher and therefore the individuals with whom you're employed can fancy your company.
Keep a feeling journal to prompt yourself of the high points of your day and your accomplishments. You may develop additional peace and confidence after you area unit in an exceedingly grateful state of mind.


5. Take action.


There’s additional to being esteem than simply however you look. You want to act the half. Walk up to a trespasser at a networking event, or settle for a project you’d ordinarily reject. It will eventually help boosting self-esteem and shortly it'll become habit.

Inaction breeds doubt and worry, whereas action breeds confidence and courageousness. As associate exercise, jot your strengths and weaknesses. The general public can tell you to figure on your weaknesses, however use what you have and make the most your strengths insead. Once you set additional energy into your positive traits, your confidence can begin to shine through.


6. Be Ready.


Remember the 5 P’s: Prior planning prevents poor performance. The more ready you’re the boosting self esteem will feel concerning your experience and ability. Preparation can assist you avoid obtaining tripped up by life’s surprising glitches.

Learn everything you'll be able to concerning your trade, your subject material, your goals and what drives you towards success. Before you begin a task, 1st imagine however you wish to feel once you’ve completed it. Don’t attempt to accomplish an excessive amount of quickly. Break complicated tasks up into tiny, bite-size, manageable items.