Today is a day that I look forward to all year long. It is the first day of our state fair. Just something I have always enjoyed since I was a young child. I prepare for this all year long. I buy tickets ahead of time to save money, plan what day I’m going with who. We even plan what new foods we are going to try. This extends the joy even longer.
What event do you have in your life that you look forward to every year? Are there ways you can extend the enjoyment of it? Maybe take videos while it is happening to watch later? Look at pictures? Wear a t-shirt? Whatever it is, use that to extend your joy and live life to the fullest!
Oh, and if you happen to be at the Wisconsin State Fair, stop and say “Hello” to Margie and me!
So many times in our lives we can become overwhelmed. A good many of these times is our perception. Inky Johnson, one of my favorite speakers, always says “perspective drives performance” meaning, how we look at things can determine how we act.
We must be careful not to fall in two categories. First, is those who busy themselves with trying to know everything there is and paralyze themselves into inaction. There is a time when you have to go for it!
On the other side of the spectrum, is those who fly into action, or make judgments without having enough information. In order to properly make a decision and come to a conclusion, we must do our best to look at life from as many angles as possible. Hear both sides of the story. Often we find possibilitieswe never thought of or saw! Today try looking at things from a different angle!
How many of these things could you accomplish today? Refuel your soul. How do you do that? It can be as simple as a walk in nature with someone you love. Time with just a good book and a glass of lemonade. Simply avoiding the harsh news and realities of the world for a day.
Be grateful for your blessings. We have covered this one several times in this site. Gratitude has life transformational qualities. There is always something to be grateful for. A few years ago we did a monthly grateful exercise. We are coming up on a new month, so why not get your practice in today?
Take a deep breath and relax. In our go,go,go world, we have lost the ability to have quality relaxation. I’m guilty of this. With 7 jobs i pursue, there is seldom a moment off. This is why learning how to make those moments quality ones is so important. Plus, researching the best way for you to relax can be fun!
Spend time with family, friends and a good cup of coffee. When you do this, keep the conversation positive. Don’t waste time discussing politics and other topics that can create stress. Spend the time encouraging and lifting each other up. Enjoy the smiles and the love.
This Sunday, recreate and recharge yourself. You deserve it!
Today is my birthday! This is not a post about celebrating that, however. It IS a post about celebrating. Once, listening to a talk by Michael Beckwith, I heard him suggest asking yourself 3 questions a day. I dive deeper into this in my second book, Living the Dream, but one of those questions is “What can I celebrate?”
Today, for my birthday, that’s what I’m asking all of you to do. Today, ask yourself what you can celebrate. There is always something. Do you have people in your life you love? People you can learn from? Do you have a way to make a living? Do you have something that can motivate and inspire you?
I certainly wouldn’t mind you celebrating the birth of a charming author and blog writer. Better still, I would like you to find and celebrate something in your own life. Don’t just acknowledge it, celebrate it! Please share what you are celebrating and how you are doing it! Add to my reasons for celebrating today.
Have you ever thought about how often we think about building our future? When we are young it is almost all we think about. People are constantly asking us, “what are you going to be when you grow up?” Sometimes we even ask ourselves that question. Children can often be heard saying “I can’t wait until I’m 18 and can make my own decisions and live my own life!”
Then what happens? We do grow up. We can make our own decisions and live our own life. Sadly, we often forget, or take for granted, that we have this power. Our thoughts, which when we were young were almost always about building our future, have become almost entirely about surviving our present. How to pay the bills. How to get the kids on school today.
Today let us change that up. Whether you are 18 or 80, you have a future. Devote at least one day a week (Thursday thrive?) To building your life and not just surviving it. Learn something new. Invest in improving yourself. Think, and put into action,things that can improve your relationships.
Let us go back to when we were young. Let us decide again what we want to be when we grow up. That doesn’t have to start when you are 18, and it never has to stop.
In the middle of the work week grind, let us not forget to take a moment and refocus on what we are looking forward to for the second half of the week. What do you have to make you smile in the second half?
If you can’t think of anything at the moment, just remember WTF – Wednesday, Thursday and Friday! You have three days to discover that smile😀Please share your second half smile with us!
Look at the picture above. You can see the difference in perspective. Both men find themselves locked up in prison. One can see only the bars and what is holding him prisoner. The other focuses on the beauty right outside their cell.
Most pessimists, or even realist, as they sometimes prefer to call themselves will point out this does not change the fact that both men are still in jail. That is true. Let us take a look at what both men are experiencing.
First the man painting the bars. He undoubtedly is focused on what is holding him back. This will have him feeling oppressed and depressed. He is venting this thoughts by creating a painting and visual reminder of the same. This will further expand his feelings and make his sentence and more arduous one.
Next, the man who painted the nature scene. He is focused on the beauty he can see even if it is not directly in his environment. Although stuck in a cell he is thinking of the birds, the trees and the sunshine. He is creating a work of art that can help take him there mentally.
Even if they stay in jail for the same amount of time, whose prison sentence do you think we be worse? It is the same with us and life. Are you focused on what is holding you back? Are you constantly talking or posting on social media about it? How does that make you feel? Maybe you are like the second fellow and focused on the beauty of life even if it is just outside your current reality. Thinking about that tropical vacation or cool new sports car, even though they are not yours yet. How does that make you feel?
The difference in the quality of our lives is more greatly determined by our internal feelings than our external situations. Focus on where true change comes from.
Here is a great question to ask yourself daily – what can I celebrate? Living life in a constant state of celebration can certainly make it amazing. Truth is, there is always something to celebrate!
You can celebrate the birth of your favorite author (mine is next Friday) you can celebrate one of the odd holidays that they come up with. Just Google “what holiday is today” it will be national chilli dog day or some other celebration you can join.
These are all great ideas. (I especially enjoy the author birthday one) In my humble opinion, the best way to find something to celebrate is to ask the question, “what am I grateful for today?” Whatever answer you come up with, celebrate that. One thing you are grateful for a day and just find ways to celebrate. I would LOVE to hear what you are going to celebrate today!
I know, I know. Nobody wants to work on the weekend. You at probably thinking, “Neil, I just put in 40+ hours this week. I deserve a break. ” This is certainly true. What else you deserve is an amazing life. That is why I created this site, secret2anamazinglife.com, to share what I have learned in my 20+ years of research on the subject.
One of the best ways to start enjoying your life more is to stop and appreciate all the little things, as we refer to them. They are actually not little at all. You see the picture of a sunset i took while leaving the movies with Margie the other night. A sunset, a little thing. Yet, we could not recreate it with all the money in the world. It only lasted a few minutes, but is a memory that will last forever. So is the picture below of a wall I was on with my mom.
This weekend, your job is to stop and really appreciate one of the little Miracles in your life. If you would like, share with us what that might be, as I have shared my two with you.
SECRET 2 AN AMAZING LIFE 