Choose Your Words Carefully
This is so true. Someone’s seemingly harmless words can haunt you indefinitely. When you speak to others, choose your words carefully and lift them up.
Are you holding a Grudge?
Holding a grudge and not telling the person why is like spitting into the wind. Holding a grudge will destroy you. It heals nothing. It shows your real (poor) character. If you can’t forgive, don’t expect others to forgive you. Grudges block forgiveness and happiness. Forgive, forget, and don’t hold grudges. Holding a grudge is a sign it’s time to heal thyself. A grudge hurts you more than the other person.
To be Happy, Don’t Compare Yourself to Others
Want to be Happy and Joyful? Put social media aside because Comparison is the Thief of Joy. You have a choice. Run Your Own Race! Become your Authentic Self. “To Thine Own Self Be True” Shakespeare. It’s up to you. Choose wisely.
Nature and the Mountains Are Calling
Nature and the Mountains are Majestic. When your outside nature evokes feelings of grander, wonder and peace. After many years of being away from the ocean and mountains we drove from the High Desert of Utah to the Oregon coast. The closer we got I felt my mood improved. A sense of peace, wonderment, excitement and calm came over me. The same feelingsI get when going to the mountains of Grand Teton, National Park and so many more natural areas. For me it felt like coming home. I feel attached to mountains, coastlines, mountain meadows, peaks, lakes and streams. It’s a great feeling. It’s one I like to share. We should support organizations that work to preserve the natural world.
WWhen you feel stressed unsettled in your every day life go outside and claim your space in the world. Nature is calling you, listen to her call and go find her anywhere she is. Experience the Mountains, Ocean, Lake, Forest, Desert, a park in the city, wherever calls you.
Enjoy and share your time outdoors and in natural.
Put God First by the Great Denzel Washington
Whenever I find myself wondering and lost and ready to give up on my dreams, I turn to people like this and suddenly life feels better and filled with possibilities. You can do the same.
#Denzel Washington Wise Words for YOU!
This man has accomplished so many good things during his life. Let him be one of your guides on your path to personal greatness.
I hope you enjoyed Denzels talk and that you take away and use his wise words.
Thanks for stopping by and please return, John
10 Mindful Attitudes
Our minds can be our worst enemy or our best friend and most powerful tool. It’s up to you because you thoughts and words create your life. Best advice for happiness and getting what you want, Mind Your Thoughts!
Here, HackSpirit.com gives us tips to deal with Anxiety.
10 mindful attitudes that rewire your brain to let go of anxiety
Anxiety is more of a curse than anything else. You can’t cure it with the perfect medicine, and it doesn’t go away passively like a cold.
Anxiety demands your attention, while making you more fearful of giving it your attention the closer you look at it.
But deep down, defeating anxiety consists of taking part in a power struggle for your brain. Ridding yourself of anxiety is a mental exercise; keeping it away is a mental habit.
This is where adopting mindful attitudes can be hugely beneficial.
Here are the 10 best mindful attitudes to rewire your brain to let go of anxiety:
1) Find the Goodness In Every Moment, Even The Ones You Don’t Like
Some of us have issues with the lessons of mindfulness. This comes from the fear of living in the present, because the present isn’t always as great as we want it to be.
By living with mindfulness, they believe that they are withholding from themselves the ability to disengage or escape.
But that’s exactly what mindfulness tries to teach—not every moment can be positive or beautiful, and not every moment should be positive or beautiful.
We must learn to live with every moment, even the ones that we dislike, because those are the ones we learn from most.
2) You Can’t Do Everything
One of our greatest sources of anxiety is the fear that we can’t fix everything and we can’t make everything right.
Take a minute every day to stop and tell yourself, “That’s right—I can’t fix everything.” Accept the limitations of your being and you will be happier with what you have seen yourself accomplish.
Free up the energy and time that would rather have been spent worrying about things out of your control.
Don’t judge yourself and don’t push yourself too hard. Do as much as you can and find peace.
3) Always Be Present
The modern world makes it so hard to live in the present. We’re always dreaming of future wants and needs; we’re always looking at great pictures of past events; and we’re always distracting ourselves from the present moment with social media and technology.
There’s one thing you need to do, and only one: Stop. Engage with your present in the way you would want others to engage with you—with their full attention.
Feel the moment as it passes knowing that it will never return; do not hold anything against it simply because it isn’t an amazing moment. Engage with your senses and open your mind.
4) Let Yourself Be Surprised
These days, too many people think they know everything. We are always trying to predict, to foresee, to judge before we know the full story. But this ruins the way we experience events, because we are always ready to say “Ha! I told you so!”
Stop trying to prove yourself to the world. You don’t have to know everything, so why bother? Let life take you down a road without predicting every part of the path for once, and you will understand the true joy of what it’s like to be genuinely surprised.
5) Surrender to the World
Too often, we are taught to resist. To fight against change, to keep things the way we want them to stay, and to do everything in our power to make sure tomorrow is exactly like today.
But the world doesn’t operate according to your whims and fancies; the world changes, and this is a part of reality.
So the best way to deal with this? Accept it. Surrender. Let go, and flow with the waves that are pushing you a certain direction. Who knows—you may find something better on the other side.
6) Stop Trying to Understand
The modern world has turned all of us into a pile of neurotics. We obsess over knowledge and information and knowing, and any time we don’t know, we are just a few thumb presses away from Google.
Simply put, we are taught that we have to know everything, and that not knowing is something to be ashamed about.
But constantly labeling everything will make things less organic, less natural. Try to step back and let life unfold naturally, without you forcing it to happen faster than it can.
Breathe, exist, and interact, and if you don’t know something, then, well, you don’t know.
7) Trust in the Universe
How do you achieve your dreams? There are thousands of people who have earned everything they ever wanted, even if they came from nothing. The answer? They took a leap of faith. They put everything they had into their dreams and said, “F*ck it, let’s go.”
They trusted the Universe, or God, or something; something greater than them, to help lead them on their way to their hopes and dreams. You don’t have to be religious to believe that there’s something bigger than you looking out for you. Just the belief is enough to change your whole disposition.
8) Stop Analyzing
Let’s say you’re traveling somewhere, and you get lost. You might end up getting worried, getting upset.
You check your phone, check the GPS, check the maps, update your social media platforms, call your friends, freak out, and a thousand other things.
But all of these are the wrong answer. Just stop. Stop analyzing, stop overthinking. What has happened has already happened, and the best way to get out of the situation is not to think about every little thing that caused it, but to just keep going on.
9) One Thing At A Time
Multi-tasking is the bane of a mindful existence. Why do we always have to be busy, why always in a rush? Success, recognition, fame, money—are these really all the things that matter?
Focus. Concentration. Presence. Stability. These can contribute so much more to the current condition of your life than arbitrary goals of success and recognition.
You don’t have to be the best and you don’t have to beat everyone around you. Learn to be present, instead of a shadow moving from one state to another.
Learn to start living your life like someone who is alive.
10) Hold No Grudges
We can’t always live a peaceful existence. Emotions and reactions are normal, and disagreements happen all the time. Anger, grief, rage, pain—these are parts of life that can’t be avoided.
But grudges? Grudges are unhealthy. They are unnatural. They are no longer emotional reactions, but conscious decisions to continue holding a pain or anger against someone else for something that has already passed.
The one hard truth about grudges is that they hurt you much more than the person you are holding it against.
Why? Because the grudge is always on your mind, while it only affects them when you are around. Start letting go, and start accepting what has happened.
Looking to reduce stress and live a calmer, more focused life? Mindfulness is the easy way to gently let go of stress and be in the moment. It has fast become the slow way to manage the modern world – without chanting mantras or finding hours of special time to meditate.
In Hack Spirit’s new eBook, The Art of Mindfulness, we explain how you can use mindfulness practically to help you clear your mind, let go of your worries and live peacefully in the present moment.
By devoting full attention on what we are doing in the moment, we can alleviate suffering, fear and anxiety.
With the power of mindfulness at our fingertips and the beauty of looking deeply, we can find insights to transform and heal any situation.
Check it out here.
I hope you enjoyed this post. Stop by again. Thanks, John
3 Emotions – How to Find Your Purpose
No matter where you are in life humans tend to doubt and second guess their motivations and actions from time to time. They question their purpose, their reason for living, does their life mean something, are they valued. Maybe it’s time to rethink these questions and be sure you’re living authentically.
Watch this video to learn how Ben Angel says to find your purpose using 3 key emotions.
http://www.success.com/videos/youtube/how-to-find-your-purpose
How to Find Your Purpose
Best-selling author of CLICK, Sleeping Your Way to The Top in Business and Flee 9-5, is Australia’s leading marketing authority.
December 9, 2016
Finding your purpose can be a long journey full of twists and turns, but that’s OK—and even recommended. You can only discover your life’s mission by exposing yourself to new experiences, and that’s what prepares you to step into your purpose.
This kind of experimentation brings people closer to their deepest desires. It’s the gradual process of exploring and shaping oneself for the next chapter of their life that makes the difference. But when the mind gets stuck, focusing heavily on the absence of purpose, embracing the process can be a challenge.
“The problem is, we get so hung up on doing just one thing for the rest of our lives, and in the process of trying to work out what that one thing is, we box ourselves in and create resistance that prevents it from appearing.”
No one was put on earth to do just one thing. That kind of lifestyle would only rob people of the experiences that create the person they are becoming. Without those challenges, no one would have the resilience to live out their true purpose in life.
“You’re already in the process of living your purpose, you’re just yet to reveal the next phase to yourself…. Subconsciously, you already know what your purpose is. You’re just too scared to claim it.”
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Hope you enjoyed this little tidbit today. You can Subscribe, on the right side of this page, if you’d like to be notified of future posts.
Thanks for stopping buy, John
How to Believe in Yourself
Some people are very confident in themselves right from the start of live. Others aren’t so much, and many are in between. Here are some tips on how to turn that around and truly believe in yourself and do the things you love and create your perfect life!
Here we go….
How to Believe in Yourself in the Face of Overwhelming Self-Doubt
“When you doubt your power, you give power to your doubt.” ~Honore de Balzac
You know what that voice in your head says…
You can’t do it. You’ll never be good enough. You’re going to fail.
This voice taunts you whenever you set a goal. It criticizes you when life gets difficult. It beats you down when you struggle to stand up against its running commentary.
You know you shouldn’t let self-doubt bother you, but it’s a sneaky critter. Sometimes, you just can’t contain it and it slips past your barriers.
And self-doubt is greedy. When it’s loose, it devours your confidence, strips logic and reason from your mind, and steals happiness from your heart. In return, it leaves you with only fear and insecurity.
You try to remove self-doubt by forcing yourself to “think positive,” which usually doesn’t work as well as you think it should.
The more you fight your self-doubt, the more it fights back. However, with self-knowledge and understanding, you can use self-doubt for your benefit.
A Story about Crushing Dreams and “Being Realistic”
When I was a child, I was in love with drawing. For me, drawing was as exciting as going to the playground.
At some point in my childhood, I decided I’d become an artist of some kind. But the critics in my life were quick to cut me down. I’ll bet you’ve heard the same kind of clichés:
“Art is great but not a ‘realistic’ future goal. While it’s a nice hobby to have, you can’t really make a living out of it. You’ll just be another starving artist.”
As children, we internalize these negative messages and parrot them back. If the adults say so, it must be true, right? By adulthood, every time we have a small hope, we’re the first to snuff it out:
“Drawing is nice but not necessary. I’ll never be as good as the real professionals anyway. I don’t even have a degree from an accredited art school.”
For years I stopped myself before I even tried. I did it because I was afraid.
I was afraid of what people would say. I was afraid everyone would hate my art. I was afraid of failing as an artist.
When fear grabs you, your beloved goal forever feels out of reach. But it doesn’t just stop there, does it?
If left unchecked, the infectious bite of fear and self-doubt can spread. You unconsciously start questioning your knowledge and abilities in everything you do. And if you’re like me, you desperately want to find a cure.
One fateful day I realized that trying to beat out my self-doubt wouldn’t rebuild my confidence.
If I wanted to believe in myself, I needed to face my self-doubt and be willing to take care of it.
Before, I imagined self-doubt as a life-sucking monster. Now, I realize it’s actually a fearful, angry, and lost creature secretly crying for help.
Like fear, joy, and sadness, doubt is part of human nature, and it needs understanding. If you want to improve yourself, you need to tame your self-doubt, not fight with it.
That means paying attention to how you react to things, understanding the root of your insecurities, and taking steps to address your fears.
Now I no longer tell myself, “I’ll never be a good enough artist.” Instead, I ask myself, “What can I do to become better?” And I take baby steps.
I went from drawing every few weeks, to every week, and now every two to three days. Re-framing self-doubt has also helped me cope with other challenges, like successfully starting a small business.
Self-doubt doesn’t have to be as monstrous as we make it out to be. It’s all about perspective. The following tips will help you manage your self-doubt.
Identify and ease your doubts.
Learning how to recognize when your self-talk takes a turn for the worse is crucial. When you hear yourself saying, “I can’t,” or, “I don’t know,” or, “What if,” a red flag should go up.
Instead of telling yourself, “I can’t do X,” say, “I can’t do X yet. But I’m working on it.”
Or if you start wondering, “What if I fail?” you can respond by saying, “Then I’ll try again.”
Doing this transforms a negative situation into an opportunity for growth. In the end, it’s about giving yourself a chance.
Stop listening to toxic people.
Toxic people are convinced that everything is impossible, and they are quick to shoot down ideas. They’ll poison your mind into a state of hopelessness.
Don’t let them steal your energy just because they’ve lost theirs.
Instead, surround yourself with supportive and passionate people who can both inspire you and bring out the best in you. You can find them among friends, family, books, or blogs like Tiny Buddha.
They will lift you up when you feel down and help you see the bright side of your darkest fears and doubts.
Recall your successes.
This one is tough. When you’re down, you’ll more easily remember the bad instead of the good. And oftentimes, the “rah-rah” pep talk just doesn’t cut it.
So, I suggest writing a list. Grab a piece of paper or small notebook, or open a blank document. Now write down your successes, big or small.
If you’re a bit bashful about your achievements, ask someone you trust to tell you the great things they think you’ve done. It’s refreshing and a great confidence boost.
And finally, keep your list with you at all times. It will help you find your way back to yourself whenever you get lost.
Trust and love yourself.
You probably spend more time being your own worst enemy instead of being your own best friend.
But you deserve to treat yourself better. After all, you have the rest of your life to spend with yourself.
Think of it this way: Would you mentally abuse or condemn your loved ones? Would you let them suffer in their time of need? If not, then why would you do it to yourself?
So, be kind to yourself. You are more capable and worthy than you give yourself credit for.
Give yourself permission to try…and try again.
Self-doubt never disappears. Over time, you just get better at dealing with it.
It will greet you every time you fall out of your comfort zone and whenever you strive to do something great.
But know that it’s not something you have to fear or resent. Your doubts are only thoughts, not your future.
Sure, something may go wrong. But if you never try, you’re losing an opportunity to improve your life.
Are you willing to risk that instead?
This advice came from our friends at Tiny Buddha.com. A great blog, worth following.
How to Believe in Yourself in the Face of Overwhelming Self-Doubt
Thanks for stopping by, come back soon, John
Courage Is Needed Today
With all the hate and anger that are going on in our lives today, next door, in our city, in our state and country and the whole world, and all the pain and negative events and injustices put upon us, NOW is the time for each of us to stand our ground and have COURAGE. To speak up for our values and what we stand for and also sit down and truly listen to each other, for listening is equally important (although often overlooked) and speaking.
Families, even mine, are splintered by mental and physical pain some members inflict upon others and the same in return.
“Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes
to sit down and listen.” Winston Churchill
I pray that each of you who read this will sit down and truly listen to others and meet in the middle, come to a compromise, share love, and mend broken promises and dreams.
Have courage to make the first move towards peace in your family and the world. Give your love and give peace to others.
“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”
Love, Courage, Listening, Forgiving, Inspiring and Dreaming are what makes life worth living.
Thanks for visiting, peace, inspire all those you touch, John
©John McFadden, 2011
Career Stress
Are you stressed out from work, family, problems, set backs, or just plan old everyday life?
Then take some time to regenerate your inner batteries. Meditation helps charge those batteries and can be done almost anywhere.
I wrote this meditation to help with career and work stresses. You can adapted it to any stress you have in life. Give it a try, you’ll feel better.
So here we go………..
Career Stress Meditation
Now we’re going to improve your thoughts and life in relationship to your Career.
Choose and prepare where you will meditate today. Choose a quiet spot where you won’t be disturbed. Lower the lights, maybe light a candle. If you want, turn on some quiet, soft music.
Get comfortable and relaxed, laying down or sitting down.
Take a deep breath and close your eyes.
Relax you body, your shoulders, arms, hands, fingers, legs, feet, and toes.
Breath deeply, inhaling slowly, holding it for a moment, then exhale through your open mouth as if you’re gently blowing out a candle.
Continue breathing, slowly, breathe in and out.
In and out, In and out.
Keep your mind focused on your breathing, slowly, gently, and deeply. Feel each breath going through your body. Do so for two or three minutes.
Now, feel your whole body going into a deep relaxation. Feel your neck, your shoulders, your lower back, your chest, your heart, your arms, your hands, your fingers. Shake them loose.
Take another deep breath, exhale slowly. Now your hips are relaxed, your legs, your feet and toes. Wiggle your toes.
Now, breathing slowly, visualize yourself at your work. Visualize the physical space you spend your working time in.
Notice how you feel, your muscles, your jaw, your neck and back, your mind and your heart. How do you feel being in the area you work in? Is it a desk, your home office, an assembly line, a retail store, wherever it is, visualize and feel that space.
Look around, there’s your customers, your co-workers, your boss. What do you feel like in your space? Are you happy there, stressed, angry, unhappy, unappreciated?
Is it time for change? Visualize and feel where you would be in your new environment.
Take a deep breath and exhale, relax, and breath again. Feel these negative feelings fading. Feel them flowing out of your fingers, the bottom of your feet and all the pores of your body.
Visualize a blue mist surrounding you. The mist is blue as it is the color of truth, serenity and harmony, and helps to soothe the mind. It is good for cooling, calming, reconstructing and protecting. It calms the body and mind, raising your frequency to attract the perfect people and opportunities for you.
From today on you will feel positive and relaxed about your life and career. Life is good today and you’re starting a wonderful new journey.
Stay relaxed, breath in and out.
Now, in this relaxed state, think about how you want to feel at work and career. What needs to change? In your mind visualize being relaxed and happy. Remember, you are bigger than your job. Your identity is not defined by your job. You are a unique, talented, skilled and complete person with a mission in life only you can complete.
Meditate on what you would be doing and how you will feel when you’re on the right path. Take your time, visualizing every element. Focus on how your want to feel, not every little detail. The universe will fill in the details.
Maybe it’s still at your current job and things have changed for the better? Is it somewhere new? What area, country, city or state are you in? Are you inside or outside, with others or alone, are you working with your hands or your mind? How do you feel there? Feel your happiness and satisfaction. Continue visualizing the perfect place for you and feel as if you are already there.
Continue this process until you have created the complete vision. It may take several meditations before you see it clearly. With deep thought and searching you will be able to create your vision, one that is uniquely yours.
Now, take a very deep breath and release it slowly. Feel your new energy and mental clarity.
Breath in and out. You have begun your journey. Keep this feeling alive in your heart and mind and use it daily.
Take a few more deep breaths and slowly open our eyes. Sit for a minute to adjust to the light and energy in the room.
You create your own energy regardless of the situation you are in physically. Keep your energy strong and stay on your journeys path.
Stand up, shake your body loose, now, take another step towards your new life. Life is good today.
Now go into the world and be happy and spread love and acceptance.
Thanks for visiting.
Written and copyrighted © by John McFadden, May 2010.