The world has told you that the more you do the more productive you will be. Sadly, you then are more than willing to trade your valuable time and energy for the possibility of increased happiness and gratification from your life.

You fill your calendar and To-Do list with far more than you are capable of completing. You take great pride by staying in a perpetual motion and work hard to push through your life each and every day. Then, after you have worked yourself to complete exhaustion, feeling totally empty and unrewarded you ask yourself one of these questions: Why am I so unhappy? Why don’t I like what I am doing with my life? When will it get better?

Fortunately, you can change! It is possible to slow down. You can keep your focus. You are capable of prioritizing your life. All it takes is your decision to make better choices. You can start by saying “no” to all those things that just don’t matter. It is possible for you to be a participant in your own life, which will strengthen your overall productivity. Make a schedule for your life. Give yourself permission to take time off. But, most importantly, schedule yourself that necessary breathing room needed to enjoy every day, not just some days.

Start making a difference in your own life this week and enjoy the magic you create for yourself. Remember the steps below for success.

• Start by doing less – choose to identify the things in life that matter most to you. Then, do that!
• Participate in your own life – Be single-minded and focus on one thing at a time.
• Remember to create breathing room – schedule that free time on your calendar.

Remember, life can ALWAYS BE BETTER!

Everyone likes a good routine. In fact, I am a big believer in keeping to a routine so that you have a sense of order and peace to your life. In fact, having these routines can help to keep your life on track, thus freeing up the mental awareness and vigor that keeps you going in those tough times. However, when you stick to your routines to often it is likely to reduce the chance of enjoying those new experiences that might have the ability to boost not only our energy but our overall mental awareness as well.

Fall is here and it is a good time to enjoy a new experience. You can use these new experiences to bring you back to the present and nurture your overall motivation in order to enjoy more positive emotions. Take a chance and get outside to refresh your life. Nature has a funny way opening our hearts and minds to what more is possible if we just keep our eye on the ball.

So, take this first week of Fall to try something new! It’s time to mix life up, even if just a little bit. It is time to create new memories, new experiences and a newly improved life…made just for you!!

Try using the two steps below to refresh and renew your life. And, like the shampoo bottle states, “wash, rinse, repeat!”

• Wash – Clean up your attitude and refresh your routine with a new experience this week.
  
• Rinse – Enjoy the new experience for what it is and notice how nice it feels to make a change in your ordinary routine.
  
• Repeat – Enjoy new experiences as needed.

Remember, life can ALWAYS BE BETTER!

Many times we jump into choosing a life reflecting the positive changes we want for ourselves with an intensity that is, well, not sustainable. We make the decision that it is time to take charge of our lives and things need to change, and now! It is at this time that the internal renovations begin.

And yes, we stay focused for a week or two taking a clear cut action towards change. But, after those two or maybe even three weeks of inspired action our enthusiasm begins to disappear. Both the emotional as well as the mental energy that it takes to sustain this growth and stay focused begins to feel overwhelming at times. Sadly, we lose our confidence and fall back into our old ways of thinking. All that work for nothing! However, there is an answer…

The trick to creating sustainable life change(s) is to take your time. Take baby steps! When you start small and build off those baby steps you give yourself time to save the energy to move forward. It is like drinking water on a long desert travel. Small, consistent sips will get you to the other side. So, take those small, consistent steps one at a time. Stop to breathe and reflect, and take another step towards your goal … a new, healthy you!

Start this week. Look ahead to the finish line. See where you want to be. Then, begin to take those small consistent steps towards your future. Start experiencing how small consistent changes can create big changes in your life.

• Start by looking at the finish line. Where do you want to be?

• Then, take one small, simple step toward the goal. Maybe it is just smiling at a stranger? Whatever it is, take your time. Remember, the tortoise beat the hare!

• Third, continue on your journey by working a little each day to get you there.

• Finally, don’t look back. This is about where you are going, not where you have been. You are moving forward, not backward!

Remember, life can ALWAYS BE BETTER!

Everyone has a night where sleep appears to be impossible. You know, one of those night’s where your mind start to race the minute your head hits the pillow. This is actually quite a simple math equation: the thought of all that is to be done tomorrow (+) the list of everything that was not completed today (=) an over productive brain that just will not let us rest. I know this has happened to me. What about you?

There are many bedtime routines that will help both our mind and body relax, which is a fundamental key to getting a good night’s sleep. As you know, a good night’s sleep is imperative to your physical health. Proper sleep strengthens your physical condition, emotional strength and mental awareness. Perhaps this is one reason that everything seems so much easier when we are well rested.

Bedtime routines will help your mind and body get ready to relax and unwind. I am giving you three simple routines to follow that will help to get you going on your new life with a healthy, robust sleep pattern. Don’t delay; make the choice to give one a try this evening.

• Routine #1: Turn off the screens (phones, televisions, laptops, games, etc…) one hour before you go to bed. Yes, I know…but try it anyway.
• Routine #2: Take the time to meditate or do a devotional for 15 to 30 minutes.
• Routine #3: Journal. Yes, I said journal! Take the time to write down everything on your mind. Then, identify one or two things on your list that you can take care of tomorrow.
• **These three routines work particularly well when used together**

Remember, life can ALWAYS BE BETTER!

“We attract what we are
prepared to receive.”
― Charles F. Glassman

Are you looking for an idea that will make it easier to maintain your positivity, generate inspiration and keep you energized? If so, then this might just help. Make the choice to invest a little time deliberately making “your” space.

Studies show that the condition of our physical space is like a mirror and reflects back to us the condition of our lives. When our lives are messy we let our space be messy right along with them. I know I am guilty of this from time to time. However, by being proactive and taking initiative we can help ourselves to a better life. If you are like me, life is looking awfully full and chaotic most days, let’s say cluttered. Sadly, cluttered environments leave us feeling exhausted, which makes it hard to imagine taking on anything else.

However, life is far easier when you are backed by a clear, organized atmosphere. Well-balanced spaces make you feel better mentally, physically and even emotionally. These spaces give strength to your mental awareness, greatly boost your disposition and make it even easier to see the big picture.

So, take the time to refresh your surroundings this week. Let go of the stuff you no longer need and give yourself a fresh start with a little more breathing room.

• Start by cleaning up your surface clutter. This is the area you see first. This could be overwhelming, so take it in steps. Walk away when it gets to be too much and come back to it when you are clear again. (This should only be five to ten minutes, not next week)
• Then organize your work spaces. Give yourself a gift. Crete the space you have always dreamed of, “your” thinking space.
• Last, it is time to clean out your closet or junk drawer. This is the most difficult for me. “I might need that someday!” rings a bell. Well, here is a good rule of thumb. If it has dust covering it or you don’t remember where or why you got it, it needs to go.
• Finally, enjoy your new surroundings!

Remember, life can ALWAYS BE BETTER!

Your daily routines help you manage much of life’s busy pace. They keep you on track and assist in strengthening your efficiency. In order to keep the power of your daily routines active in your life, it is important to deliberately fill them with new experiences.

By changing your routines you become more present and aware of your own life. You will feel more invigorated. You also create more positive thoughts and emotions, open your mind to new and exciting possibilities and ease the fear that adds to insecurity.

Whether the choices you make are scheduled or spontaneous, choosing to experience life with a sense of adventure provides you to the energy you need to get through another day.

• Start by shaking up your routine by trying something new and different
• Revive your day with a small, simple changes to the regular routine
• Then, notice that you feel more connected, motivated and strengthened

Remember, life can ALWAYS BE BETTER!