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!

It is far too easy to fall into the belief that being busy somehow creates productivity. When you look at it from the outside, keeping yourself busy often gives the false impression of advancement, intention, determination and emphasis. The facts are that being busy has no inherent value.

If you are not busy taking action toward the life you desire for yourself, more than likely you are spending this time distracting yourself. I know that is what I have done in the past. I even catch myself doing it now from time to time. We keep ourselves so busy that we don't even have the time to see that we are avoiding the situation all together.

However, when you are serious about taking the steps to move your life in the right direction you WILL make time to reflect, learn and apply. The first step is to take an honest look at whether your actions, time and energy are in alignment with the vision you have for your life. Then, you will need to “look under the hood” to see what's really driving you.

Four keys to success in this area are:

• Make time daily to  do a personal check-in for 5 minutes.

• Were your actions in line with your vision?

• Were your actions the best use of your time?

• Finally, take your own advice and keep doing more of what works and do less of what does not work!

Remember, life can ALWAYS BE BETTER!

originally posted October 7, 2013

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!

There are an endless number of ways we hold ourselves back from even slightly reaching our potential. We create all kinds of self-imposed limitations as to what is possible for us through our thoughts, intentions and beliefs.

It has been well documented that our belief system affects how we act and perform. Our beliefs even help in molding our life. When we believe something is possible, many times we will find a way to make it happen. When we choose not to believe it is possible we rarely even make the effort. It is pretty easy to feel that truth.

Now, imagine what life would be like if, instead of creating restrictions we created possibilities. We know that the mind cannot come up with a vision or goal that we are not capable of accomplishing. We just have to be willing to think big, or at least bigger, and take inspired action. Go ahead, give it a try.

• Take the time to identify your core beliefs and look at how they form your perceptions about life-relationships, finances, health, career, etc.
• Determine what beliefs are true and support you in living a fulfilled life. Then look for those that are actually based in fear and limit your potential.
• Then, explore what more you could complete if you were willing to let the beliefs that hold you back go. So, what is holding you back?

Remember, life can ALWAYS BE BETTER!

originally posted October 28, 2013

“The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of
the strong.”
― Mahatma Gandhi

When you choose to carry a grudge it heavily weighs you down. Many times one small simple thought of how you were hurt in the past triggers a new physiological response that drags your energy level into a downward spiral. This can be very hard to overcome, or is it?

There is a way for you to free yourself from this unnecessary downward turn and continue to move forward for success. That solution is forgiveness.

Many times it can be difficult to turn over the proverbial new leaf so that it can be pruned and grow back new and refreshed. The first step it to let go of the incident that is causing you pain. It is in the past and cannot be changed. The anger, frustration, resentment, sadness and discontent that is weighing you down will be released when you make the conscious choice to forgive. Is it easy? Many times not. But I can tell you from my own life that when I choose to forgive I feel much, much better. Start today and see how freeing it is to release those negative thought patterns and just let go.

Here are five steps to freedom from pain:

• Start by recognizing the past pains that are holding you back.
• Then, write down each are where you benefit and suffer from hanging on to the negative thoughts that are causing you pain.
• Follow this by making the choice to let it go.
• Finally, write a positive commitment to replace those negative thought patterns with an action of forgiveness. Also, write the benefits you will receive when you forgive.
• Repeat as necessary for any people or events that are holding you back!

Remember, life can ALWAYS BE BETTER!