Tag: Motivation

WHAT DID YOU PLANT TODAY?

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Last post we talked about planting seeds and how long they may take to sprout. What is a good question to begin asking yourself is “What am I planting?”. Quite often our focus depends on what is occurring in our life at the moment. If our life is going well we preoccupy ourselves with thoughts of all the good we have in our life and the good that is coming. We look forward to tomorrow and what is next. Then we hit a bump in the road. Something happens in our life to throw us off center. We then begin to focus our attention on that. We begin to see what it could all effect and how things might get even worse. One of the most difficult things to do, but one of the greatest powers I am learning to harness is living in action instead of reaction.

What do I mean by living in action instead of reaction? It is east to know and to practice things that will make our life successful when things are going well. It is easy to be happy when life is happy. You are simply reflecting your surroundings. You, in essence, are being a mirror. So what happens when life goes south? When a ‘bad’ thing happens? Often it is hard to focus, things seem upside down.

So what should we do? Begin by writing down a vision of what you want your future to look like. Write down the good you are looking forward to coming in the next year. Then daily begin to spend about 2 to 5 minutes a day just imagining what it will be like. Don’t just picture it, but feel it. Keep this and a list of things you are grateful for handy. Each and every day make a habit to look at them ideally twice a day, once when you first get up, and again right before sleep that is when the brain is most suggestive. Then, when hard times hit and you are having a hard time picturing the good in life you will not only be in practice you will have a written script to help you as well.

As always if you enjoyed this post please feel free to share this on social media as well as tell your friends about secret2anamazinglife.com. Together we can make the world a better place for all of us.

WHY AM I NOT SEEING RESULTS?

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This is a very interesting story and did a lot to keep me going. Have you ever been working at a goal, giving it your best effort day after day and feel like you’re not getting anywhere? If you have tried to achieve anything I am sure we have all had a point like this. So what can you do when this happens? How do you stay motivated? How do you keep pushing forward when all your efforts seem in vain? It is a question that haunts all of us. I have a little story that may put things into perspective. Something that will allow you to keep pushing forward, and something I have seen in my life recently.

What is this story? It is the story of a Chinese bamboo tree. What does this tree have to do with our life and achieving our goals? A good deal. Let me explain the life cycle of the Chinese bamboo tree. You take a seed and plant it in the ground. You water and fertilize it for a whole year. If you forget the seed will die and you will have to start over. If you are faithful and do so for a whole year, guess what happens? Nothing. Ok, so you stick with it. Fertilize and water it for another 52 weeks. If you stop you know the seed will die. So at the end of the second year you have…nothing. You’ve gone this far so what is another 365 days right? At the end of the third year? Not even a sprout. The fourth year is more of the same. Let’s recap, for four long years you have fertilized and watered and took care of this seed that you are starting to even doubt is still under the ground. So year 5, losing hope you continue your efforts knowing if you stop the seed will die and it will all be for nothing. Something happens in year 5, the tree not only sprouts, it grows 90 FEET IN SIX WEEKS!!

Again, that is a great story about a tree but how does it relate to our life? Everything! Our goals are much like that seed. We plant them and work on them for one year, two years maybe more. We know if we stop and give up on our goals and dreams they will die and not come true. Quite often all of our efforts may be lost and we may have to begin again. Yet, if we stick with it, if we keep working one day we will experience something like the bamboo tree and our goals will explode. We may not see everything that is happening with our efforts. They may seem like that seed deep in the earth, growth is happening but not visible to the eye.

On a personal note I can see this beginning to happen in my own life. I wrote my book. I faithfully create these blog posts daily. Nothing seemed to be happening for years. Now I was featured on a podcast due out soon, I will be appearing at and speaking at the Wisconsin author festival, a book promotion due out in about a week and meetings lined up with several people I could possibly work with to take things to the next level. I even spoke at a wedding recently! All this good fortune could not have happened without the work I had done in the years leading up to that. So if you are not seeing results and you are honestly doing the best you can, giving 120% just remember the story of the mighty bamboo tree.

If you enjoyed this post, or think it may help someone you know feel free to share it on social media, tell your friends and check out and subscribe to my YouTube channel under ‘Neil Panosian’. Also feel free to leave any comments you may have below.

BACK IN THE SADDLE

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The day I am writing this marks my return to the gym after dislocating my shoulder. It will have been 2 months. 

It is amazing the changes that have happened in that time.  My energy had disappeared, my clothes are a lot tighter, and things hurt that didn’t before.

With all of those pain issues in my life and all the pleasure in stand to gain by going you can understand how excited I am. I can’t wait to be more energetic, more flexible and look better.

Still there is one thing I am dreading. Is it the soreness the day after?  No. Is it getting ready, driving there and going through all of that?  No again.  Is it wading through the sea of new year fitness people? Nope.  They are usually gone by now.  So what is it?

The hardest thing for me is having to start over.  Before I injured my shoulder is was lifting certain weights, running for certain time and distance. Now after two months off I will have to start from below that. It is hard not to be a little discouraged. Being a motivational speaker this is both a great challenge and opportunity.

So how am I tackling this?  How am I going to stay motivated and not feel discouraged and quit? Several things.  One I’m enlisting help.  My lovely lady is going with me. She is a great source of both encouragement and accountability. I’m also employing anger and frustration. These are emotions I always caution using. Here however, I am going to keep looking in the mirror and seeing how far I have regressed. Doing this will help me keep that fat crying like in the picture above while also being able to note the improvements.

I’m also interested in any motivational techniques you use for working out.  How do you stay focused? What keeps you coming back? Feel free to share with all of our readers in the Comments below. If this post inspired you or you think it would inspire someone you know please feel free to share it with anyone and everyone

MAKE IT A POSITIVE GOAL

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When people make resolutions for the new year it is surprising how many are negative. By negative I do not mean we are looking for bad things to happen, but we may too focused on what we wish to get rid of. Such as “I want to quit smoking” “I want to lose 10 pounds” while these are goals are good in and of themselves, they way we have worded them is in the negative. We are quitting smoking. Who wants to be a quitter? We actually want to be no longer controlled by an unhealthy addiction. We want to begin a smoke free lifestyle. Lose 10 pounds? Why? Because we wish to live a healthier life. Some people tell me “I want to stop being depressed all of the time” really they wish to add more joy to there life.

This may seem like splitting hairs, but it is not. All of our motivation comes from two sources. We either want to reduce pain,or increase pleasure. I think using a little of both tends to work the best. I encourage you to write down the reasons WHY you are working towards any goal. Try adding lots of statements including things you will gain by this goal.

If reading this has inspired you, or you have found it useful please feel free to share this with all of your friends

THE WORD OF THE DAY IS

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Here is a word I have been accused of using way to often. In reflection there is a lot of truth to that. Even this site is called secret2anamazinglife For a while I began trying to use different words. ‘wonderful’ ‘great’ were some I chose. None really fit the bill, and before long the word ‘amazing’ was coming out of my mouth quite often.

I began to think about why this is. I know it began when trying to think of a name for this site. Amazing seemed to have the power I was looking for. So why do I use it so much? that is a good question. I realized that I view a good amount of things in my life as amazing. I also know that the words you use most often can have a great impact on your life. This is more true than many people believe. Here is a quick test. think of these 3 phrases, perhaps even say them out loud if you happen to be alone or don’t care if people think you are sane or not. First, say “I did something stupid” We have all done something stupid. Said something without thinking. Put our sweater on backwards(I did this just the other day). Ok, now the second one. Say to yourself, or out loud “I am being stupid” There have all been moments I’m sure we felt like this. You are in a bad mood and just acting difficult. Perhaps you have had too much rum and are doing several things you may regret in the morning? Doesn’t it feel different than doing something stupid? A little more intense? Ok, now the last one. Say to yourself or out loud “I am stupid”. How do you feel? hurt? sad? See there is a difference between “Doing something stupid” “feeling stupid” and “Being stupid”.

So how can we use this to improve our lives? Think of times you use the same word. A greeting perhaps? Then think of how you want your life to be. When people ask how I am doing, my answer is almost never ‘fine’ or ‘good’ it is usually ‘living the dream’ ‘legendary’ or yes, ‘amazing’. Words have emotional power. Find some you would like to include in your life and try using them.

If you enjoyed what you read here or find it to be amazing, please share and tell your friends about http://www.secret2anamazinglife.com

THE RICH GET RICHER . ..

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We have all heard this expression, “the rich get richer while the poor get poorer”. This works for a lot of different situations other than money. At first glance this may seem and sound unfair, but upon closer examination it is actually very helpful.

This was brought home by a conversation I had with a new coworker of mine. We were discussing his online classes and he mentioned how one teacher only dictated and there was no interaction. I asked him what he liked least about that. What he told me really got me thinking. He said the part he liked least was the inability to perceive emotion. He said the lesson could really be interpreted differently depending on what mood he was in. He then gave me the example of how if someone sends you and email and you open it in an anger mood some of what they say could seem confrontational where the same email opened in a pleasant mood would not draw those same conclusions.

Here is the interesting part of all this. The same is true on the opposite side. What really is powerful is the fact that this is a self-fulfilling lifestyle. What do I mean about this? Let us play this situation out. You wake up in a bad mood. You start the day by checking your emails. A friend sent you an email letting you know they can’t make the dinner you had planned later in the week. Great you think, he can’t even call me? You feel a little rejected. You grab your coffee and go off to work. “Damn why can’t the car be warm already?” you find yourself thinking. My coffee won’t stay warm for long you think. You begin to think about everything you dislike your job. Suddenly you just want to turn around and go back home to bed. By the time you reach work you are in a less than pleasant state. As you walk in a coworker greets you with a nod. “can’t even say good morning?” Nobody has time for being pleasant you say. This is just the beginning of your day.

Now let’s look at the opposite. You wake up after a good nights sleep in a pleasant mood. You start your day by checking your emails. A friend sent you an email to let you know they can’t make it to the dinner you planned next week. Nice of them to let me know and not just show up, you think. I really must plan something with Joe you say. Feeling grateful your friend let you know ahead of time. You leave feeling thankful for having such considerate friends. You grab your coffee and head off to work. “Damn it’s cold out here, glad I have a car to drive to work” As your driving you are thankful for your hot coffee until the car warms up. By the time you reach work you are feeling pretty good about how many amazing things you have in your life. A coworker greets you with a nod. “Nice he noticed me” you think. feeling you have friendly coworkers. This is just the beginning of your day.

Notice, none of the situations on the outside changed. Just your perception of them and how they made you feel. This may seem extreme to you but it really is not. Being in a bad mood does more than just color your view of the world, it also may cause you to miss out on certain opportunities that may present themselves or friendships that may be available. This is why some of the most successful people tend to be the happiest. It is not because they are grateful they have everything it is because they are grateful for everything they have! This is why it is important to foster an attitude of gratitude and happiness as soon as we are able. Feel free to use the tools presented in this blog as well as discover your own. Also feel free to share any you have in comments below for other readers.

This is why the happy tend to get happier. If you enjoy what you read here please feel free to let us know and to share this with all of your friends.

WHY YOU NEED HAPPINESS NOW

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Yesterday we talked about fighting the battle within. This is why the time to do so is now. Why happiness is not a decision to be made later or thought of only when we lose it.

Why is happiness so important and what is the hurry in putting it into practice? Simply put, life challenges do not call ahead. How often has your phone rang and a voice on the other end tell you “please enjoy this week because next week you will get a flat tire, oh and in the near future your job may be downsizing so you might want to stay looking. Thank you”. Doesn’t happen. Quite often life and it’s peaks and valleys catch us off guard. That is why it is so important to work on increasing the joy in your life right now!

So what can we do? Start putting to together some lists. Movies that make you happy when you watch them. At my seminars I recommend everyone create a “happy cd” or “happy playlist” they can listen to when life gets them down. Think of places you enjoy going, people you enjoy talking to,great blogs by bartender/postal workers you like reading. Seriously, know what makes you happy so when life gets you down you have something that turns it around.

These things may not fix your problems but they will help put them in perspective. If challenges takes you down a few rungs on the ladder of life, at least let them find you standing on the top.

As always please feel free to share this post and tell your friends about it.

TURNING THE ENEMY INTO A FRIEND

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What does this African proverb mean? Let us take a look. Several times in this blog we have discussed the inner battle we fight. From doubt, to negative or defeating self talk the greatest enemy can often lie between your own two ears. So how important is it to win this battle? Let us take a look.

A friend of mine and I were discussing people, more to the point members of your own family not supporting you or what you do. It can be extremely difficult to hear things about yourself that are negative or hurtful. It can be even worse when those things are not true. Add on top of that the pain of having those statements coming from family or close friends who should be the very people on your side.

So what can we do when this happens? Here is the bad news right up front, if you live long enough and take any chances or have an opinion it is going to happen. Whether it be out of jealousy, intimidation or any other emotions the other party might be feeling people will attack you. Quite often this may be for doing the very best you can do. Again this can come from their own feelings of inadequacy. What can we do when that happens? Truly it is a painful experience. There is almost a feeling of betrayal. The first thing we must understand is that what they are saying is their opinion. Les Brown, one of my favorite speakers once said “Do not let other people’s opinions about you become your reality”. They can sight all the facts and figures they want. They can mention as many other people as they want, but it does not have to define us.

How can we make sure it does not define us? By getting right with ourselves. What do I mean by getting right with ourselves? Become the kind of person you can be proud of. Whatever you are currently doing, do it to the best of your ability. Always be kind. Be the kind of person other people want to be around. Know and accept your flaws. If you can work on them, then do so. Be the best version of yourself that you can be. When you bring greatness into the world than all of the critics can do is offer you their opinion. Know that if they are judging you on a mistake you made yesterday that you are committed to work on and correct from today forward than they are convicting an innocent person. Most importantly know the only two people who are fit to judge us are ourselves and our higher power because those are the only two people who truly know who we are.

As always I invite you to like, comment and share this post to your hearts content.

TGIM – THANK GOD IT’S MONDAY

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I want to share with you my Monday. Why? you might add. Several reasons. One,  I wish you give you a peak into the life of Neil Panosian. It started early. I returned home about 3am Monday morning from DJing a show with my beautiful lady. Unloading the DJ equipment and such. After getting ready for bed I was probably asleep at around 4am. I was up again at 7:30 to prepare for an amazing podcast interview with a very insightful gentleman. That will be airing later this month I believe. I will keep you posted as details are forthcoming. Following that interview which was a lot of fun and seemed to fly by, I spent some moments of great conversation with my lady on how it went. I had physical therapy for my dislocated shoulder scheduled at 10:30 am. A quick shower and I was off to purchase a gift we were getting for some good friends of ours. Then it was back home to get ready for attending a wedding for a wonderful couple who graciously asked me to speak at. Rehearsing the speech all the way there, there was little time to think of much else. We enjoyed a beautiful ceremony and witness the love of a brand new couple. My speech went well and I do believe they enjoyed it. After which my lady and I enjoyed a quick lunch. Then it was back home to change and get ready for my bartending job that evening. After which time I was home around 3am again. This night I also had the joy of reading to my lady and we both fell asleep in about an hour.

Now you might be thinking “Neil I am just tired reading about that”. Trust me in reflection I am a little exhausted myself. Here is the wonderful thing about it, never during the day was I. Another great thing is this, the whole day I was in contact with amazing people. Phil, who did the interview is a man of great charisma, which you will see, and a passion for bringing great information to people. The couple who shared their special day with us was so loving and a great example of people who should be sharing their lives together. Their family and friends were most welcoming. At night the friends I had the pleasure of serving at the bar were wonderful. We even had the privilege of helping one of the people performing on taking her career in singing to the next level. She is a great soul and deserves all the good that is coming to her.

Through it all was my little lady. After the interview encouraging me and giving me her feedback. Staying by my side as I was nervous to give my speech. Showing all that were at the wedding our love and what a wonderful woman I have. Being a great DJ while I was behind the bar serving drinks. Lastly, allowing me to share the pleasure of a good book, all be it for a little while before she fell asleep.

Here is the point. In all I did, I gained so much. I was able to meet with and share information with an amazing man. I was able to bring some additional joy to a loving couple on their special day. I met great new people and hopefully future friends. I was able to assist in helping a great friend and kind soul pursue her singing dream. I was also able to share a loving and bonding moment with the beautiful lady in my life. I may or may not have sold any more copies of my book A Happy Life for Busy People but I added so much abundance to my life I feel a lot richer for it. When you live your dreams life always pays you well. I invite any and all of you to give your feedback and share this post in anyway you wish.

 

IT’S ALWAYS A GOOD TIME

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Here is a great secret to an amazing life,  enjoy it, all of it. Easier said than done right? What about a dentist appointment? What about a trip to the doctor? What about work Monday morning? I do understand that some things are easier than others, but there are a few simple things that we can all do to turn even a challenging experience into a fairly good one.

First of all, spend time with good people. Have you ever have had a great moment ruined by spending it with somebody who was not all that fun? I am sure we all have. I once was on vacation with a gentleman who found the thorn in every rose. We were at a tropical resort and he complained the food was not the right temperature or wasn’t seasoned right. Never mind it was all-inclusive and we could have whatever we wanted. He even complained when our taxi was 10 minutes late to go on a shopping trip. He made the vacation more stressful and less fun than had he stayed at home. On the opposite side of the spectrum my lady and I stayed in a hotel where we found the toilet didn’t work. We let the desk clerk know before we left for work. When we returned not only was it not fixed, they left us a plunger in case we wanted to give it a go ourselves. I ventured down to the front desk to express my discontent only to find a desk clerk who was in his mid 80’s and moved at a speed slightly faster than the speed at which grass grows in the winter. We left right away for the room and an hour later when he arrived he looked at the plunger and asked me “Have you tried this?”. I watched as this man who barely moved attempted to plunge our toilet. After what seemed to be something slightly less than eternity I inquired if they just had another room we may have. He said he wasn’t quite sure and didn’t know how to look up such things on those “New fangled computers”. Sensing there was not much we could do at this hour I thanked him and sent him back to his desk which hopefully he made before the sun came up. Do you know what happened the rest of the night? My lady and I talked, drank wine, watched movies and broke into moments of hysteria when we mentioned the man  or the toilet. Still do to this day. As for the bathroom, we ended up having to use the one in the hotel lobby. The point is even the worst situation can be made fun with the right person.

The second thing we can do if we happen to be all alone, or stuck with the first type of person I mentioned is what I mentioned at the end of the last story. Which is that very thing, know we are at least going to get a good story out of it. Then ask yourself, what is funny/good about this? In the beginning this may be a challenge, but after a while you will be amazed at the lemonade you can make with the lemons life hands you. Good luck and feel free to share this post and your stories below.