Tag: goals

THE MAGIC KEY

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When I first saw this picture I thought “that is kind of redundant”. Actually it is quite profound. Seeing the best in the world, or the ‘glass half full’ is a good part of what keeps me happy. Does that mean denying the half of your glass that is empty? Not at all. It is merely focusing on the part that is full.

In my own life there have been countless situations that could certainly look terrible. If you need an example please see the previous post about the pigeon. I know that in life whatever you look for you will find. Stop and read that last line again, maybe even a third time. Let it sink in. This is really the key to both happiness and success in your life. If you are focused on what is working in your life and what there is to enjoy and be happy about you will find it. Truth is that it is there all along just waiting to be noticed.

My law of attraction friends will tell  you that whatever you focus on expands. I believe that, but I also believe this: the more you focus on something the better you get at finding it. It may seem like more of what you are focusing on is appearing, but I also think you are also noticing more of what is already there.

Why is this so important? Let’s recap. What you focus on both expands and you tend to notice that thing easier and more often. That means you get to choose what your life will be filled with! Want joy and prosperity? Start to look for all the opportunities for both joy and prosperity in your life. Now, before you say “Neil, I try but there are still problems” that is true, we need to focus on them only enough to develop and begin working on a solution. After that, switch to what you have to be grateful for.

If you are anything like me, you may still have some lingering doubts. That’s good, do not accept what I am saying without proving it to yourself. I have a little experiment for you. Try this for at least 3 days, more if you like. Pick a color you enjoy. Mine would be blue, but pick whatever color you like. As often as you can for the next couple of days try to notice all the things of that color when you enter a room. By about the end of the third day you should notice something. Things of your determined color seem to jump out at you. They seem to be all over the place. This experiment works easier because there is no emotion attached. Changing to a positive focus takes a little more work, but you can see how it will happen using this little activity. Do it with a friend. Compare your results and discuss them with each other. Share this post with others and get them involved as well. Remember you create your own life.

WHAT CHILDHOOD TEACHES ME EVEN NOW

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This is one of my favorite childhood characters. Harold is a little boy who draws stories to life with his purple crayon. I remember asking my mom to read these over and over again to me which she must have hated because there is only one line on each page. In the stories if harold ever becomes lost, scared or in trouble he simply draws his way out of it.

Here is the funny thing, years later when I began to study law of attraction and self-improvement books I realized the great parallel. In life when we become scared, lost or find ourselves in situations we do not desire it is up to us to draw up a solution. Sure it might not be as easy as using a purple crayon, but it is up to us to create our own reality.

So when you are faced with challenges, remember harold and draw up your own solutions. Perhaps you could even use a purple crayon! You may even want to pick up a book by Crockett johnson.

WILL YOU TAKE THIS PLEDGE WITH ME?

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Today is Monday. The start of a brand new week. Let us all read and commit to the pledge above. Whether you have a generally optimistic outlook on life, or are sunshine challenged, let us all commit to doing our best to see the good in the life we are living. Even in the most challenging lives there is something to be grateful for. Even if it is the ability to be reading this. So let us to commit to focus on the light in our lives. Yes, there will always be some dark, but there is always light as well.

Need more motivation? What we focus on tends to grow. Let me explain. Have you ever had someone do something to upset you? Perhaps someone close to you? We all have. Now have you ever just sat and thought about it? What happened? You became more and more angry. On the opposite end of things, can you recall when sometime did something to show you how much they cared? If you sat and thought about that you may be so overwhelmed you all but tackle them with a hug when you see them.

In both cases you increased the feeling of each by focusing on it and thinking about it. So take take this pledge and for the next week do your best to focus on the positive.  If you slip and begin to notice the negative just congratulate yourself for noticing and start all over again. 

Feel free to share this with anyone you would like to take the pledge.

2 LESSONS FROM THE GROCERY STORE

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This is Mr Pig. The mascot of Piggly Wiggly grocery stores. What does a grocery store have to do with living an amazing life? Two things really. First of all, what do most of us bring with us to the grocery store? If you said shopping list you are right. Why do we bring a shopping list? So we remember what we are there for and can get it in an efficient manner. What happens if we forget? We have to go all the way back to the store, or worse yet make something else for dinner. It is no wonder grocery lists are as important as they are. It gives us focus and reminds us what we are there for. What does all of this have to do with life? The same people who never forget their grocery lists are the same people who tell me they are too busy or do not need to write down their goals in life. So to recap  making sure we pick up apples is more important than reminding us what our main goal in life is? We all need reminders  in black and white of where we want to take our lives and why. It keeps us focused and on track. So I encourage you to write down the ingredients you need to live the life you want.

The second thing we can take away from the grocery store is this, pay as much attention to what you put in your head as you do your body. Diet and nutrition are a multi billion dollar a year industry. There are new diets popping up daily. Yet people who are so vigilant about not eating anything they deem bad for them still watch the news, or violent things on TV. They are not careful at all about what they put in their heads. What is the use of a healthy body if you are sad or depressed? The mind and the body are connected. I admire people who take care of themselves physically, but let us not forget about a mental diet as well. So next time you find yourself debating about buying organic, think about what you choose to put in your mind as well.

Please feel free to share this post with others and remember “Savings are big when you shop the pig”

 

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JUST REMEMBER

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This weekend take time to go easy on yourself. Take time to recharge your batteries. I was speaking with Travis Jones who writes bringitivity.net last weekend. He took some bold steps to take some time away from the entertainment he does to focus on other more important aspects of his life.  The result? A refreshed spirit,done great new blog posts and energy going into the future.

Even if you are doing what you love, what you are passionate about and it hardly seems like work at all, you still need to focus on you from time to time. My favorite way to explain this, especially to the givers out there, is that you cannot fill a glass from an empty pitcher. If you keep giving and giving eventually the pitcher will be empty and no cups will be filled.

Another thing this does is give you fortitude. Life is sure to present some challenges to you at the most inopportune time. If those challenges find your energy and inspiration close to empty you may get knocked down. If they come up against a fresh and energetic spirit, they don’t stand a chance.

So do something for you this weekend.  Find something that inspires you or recharges your batteries. If you feel guilty about that, remember that you must have a full pitcher if you hope to fill someone else’s cup. So take care of yourself so we can all take care of each other!

Feel free to share this post as well as your ideas for recharging your batteries in the comments below.