If you were invisible, would you live your life differently?  Think about this for a moment.  If you were invisible and no one could see you no matter what you did, what would you be doing right now?  What would you choose to do with the rest of your life?

Let’s take it one step further, and imagine that as well as being invisible, you have no name and no identity.  Would you live your life differently if nothing that you did could ever be traced back to you?  Would you still want to write that book or record that album if you couldn’t put your name on the cover?

Taking the time to think about your answers to this question will help you find balance in your life.  How?  It will help you align with your true purpose.  Your answers will help you see where you are being of service to others, and where you are possibly wasting time trying to please your ego.   Let me give you an example.

When I completed this exercise, I came to the conclusion that if I were invisible and nothing I did mattered, I would still clean and organize my home on a regular basis.  Yeah – it’s kind of crazy, I know, but I would do that for my husband as well as for myself.  It is very important to me for him to be comfortable in his surroundings and even though he doesn’t realize how much time, effort, and energy cooking, cleaning, laundry, and organizing the house requires, I know he would be a mess without it.  (Come to think of it, I am sort of invisible in this regard – aren’t we all?  But that’s another post!)

The other thing I would do if I were invisible is go around whispering in people’s ears – “You can do it!”  I would be that voice that you sometimes hear when no one is around that motivates and inspires you to become your best.  I would encourage everyone I could.  Want to lose weight?  You can do it!  Want to go back to school?  You can do it!  Want to go for that promotion?  You can do it!  Want to start your own business?  You can do it!  Want to quit your job and stay at home with your kids?  You can do it!  Whatever your heart is calling you toward, you can do it!

So, in my daily efforts of writing books, speaking, preparing seminars, designing websites, etc., all of it falls into my passion and true purpose.  All of the organizing, cooking, cleaning, writing, speech preparing, web designing etc. – all of it, as long as it is within the guidelines of helping and motivating others, (or myself), is time well-spent.

At the end of the session my higher self reminded me that I am not invisible, and that that is on purpose – by design of a Higher Power.  I am visible so that I can motivate, educate, and inspire others to be their best and reach their full potential.  It’s a good feeling to know that I am living a life, fully visible, in line with my true self.

But now it’s your turn:  What would you do if you were invisible?  Make a list of the things you would continue to do, and then a list of what you would no longer do.  How many of the latter could you let go of now?  Think about how much more freedom letting go of those things would give you to do the things that align with your true purpose.   As you begin doing more of what your inner being calls you toward, you will find more things in that realm that please you.  Living a life full of purpose requires that we remain true to our “invisible” selves.

Until next time,
Live Joyfully!

Posted under Inspiration, Motivation

“There is no passion to be found playing small, in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.”
Nelson Mandela, 11th President of South Africa

You get what you settle for in life.  Are you living the life of your dreams?  Are you the professional you want to be?  Are you making the money you want to make?  Are you the mother/father/sister/brother/aunt/uncle/provider/team mate/ employee/employer/leader you want to be?

Perhaps a better question to ask is, are you the best you that you’re capable of becoming?  Okay, we’re always in the process of becoming, so I’ll give you some slack on that one.  But are you on your way?  Can you feel your becoming?

Or, are you settling for what others around you and/or your upbringing or current surroundings/conditions have caused you to believe that that’s all you deserve or want?

Perhaps because I live in a rural area, I encounter numerous people with attitudes like this:  “My daddy was a farmer, and that’s all I’ll ever be.  I’m lucky to have a factory job that actually pays the bills.  I’m doing a little better than he did, so even though I’m not completely happy, I’m at least providing for my children the way my parents did for me.”  Some even go as far as to believe that if they do much better than their parents, that they are actually disgracing or demeaning their parents in some way.

In reality, nothing could be further from the truth.  In fact, just the opposite it true: When you hold yourself in a position that is less than all you are capable of, not only are you disgracing yourself, but everyone who has ever invested in you. Whether your parents put you through college or just helped you with your homework in elementary school, they likely invested in you in some way.  (And if they didn’t, no big deal – get over it.  That just means you owe them nothing, let alone holding yourself back so that you don’t hurt their feelings!)

Whatever it is you’ve been holding yourself back from doing, whatever the decision is, ask yourself this question:  Which do I choose to be – a person living up to her full potential, or a person who ends up with nothing but excuses?  Then listen to your heart for the answer.

Believe whatever your heart wants to believe.  Your heart knows what you are capable of becoming.  Let your light shine and achieve all that you are capable of being.

Until next time,
Live Joyfully!

Posted under Inspiration, Motivation

Everything around you is speaking to you.  Do you like what it’s saying?

Everything around you has energy.  Is it lifting you up, or dragging you down?

I am often amazed at how much mediocrity we live with on a daily basis. We surround ourselves with daily reminders that average is acceptable. Take a few minutes to assess all of the things in your life that promote your being just average. These are the things that keep you powerless to go beyond the limits you set for yourself. 
 
The first step to having what you really want is to remove everything in your 
environment that represents mediocrity. Why be average or boring?  You did not come into this world to be like everyone else, you came here to shine and radiate something new and different and delightful.

I know a lot of people who are on their way to success.  Most know, however, that it is a journey.  Some arrive at that much-desired destination faster than others.  How do they do it?  They release the self-imposed brakes that are holding them back. 
 These proverbial brakes could be:  Not getting the education you need to move your career forward; not being willing to invest in your business; not surrounding yourself with things – items – you love; allowing clutter to take over your surroundings and therefore, your mind; not allowing yourself to enjoy your spare time; taking action before getting in alignment; not making appropriate professional connections; allowing fear to control you; allowing feelings of resentment or other relationship issues weigh on your mind.

Everything around you, from the things you own to the people you spend time with, affects your happiness.  Do you love what surrounds you?

Most of us 
envision a life for ourselves that is constantly expanding and growing. When we 
release the brakes, we discover the catalytic force that will catapult us into a life 
of greater appeal, affluence, and influence. 
 
Every person is born with the potential to be powerful.  Every person is born with the potential for wealth, and every person is born with the potential for personal 
happiness. The money you are not making is your greatest expense. The power you are not experiencing is your greatest discontentment.

Most people are not willing to let go of the good in their lives for the better or best.   Don’t be one of those people.

When you experience anger, frustration, and boredom in your life, these are signs of agitation. The greater your agitation and discontentment, the greater the breakthrough you are about to experience. 
 
You already have prosperity; you just have to exercise it. Money gets its impulses from you based on the quality and passion of your thoughts and actions. When you have a 
positive attitude coupled with enthusiasm and a passion for life, your life begins to move at a faster pace. Moving into the fast lane is a process you must initiate.  Don’t expect your boss, your company, your co-workers, your spouse, or even your mentor to make that move for you. Your belief in yourself and limitless possibilities is the only difference between where you are now and where you want to be.  Being newly rich is a much better condition of living than being established poor.  If you refuse to accept anything but the best, you will get the best.

Are you willing to look and feel your best every day? Are you willing to experience the joy of 
living a life of prosperity and happiness? Set some big goals. Decide exactly what you want. Be very specific.  Think, act, and speak like you’ve already achieved it. The fact and evidence that something is really yours is always preceded by the desire to have it, and the belief that it is on its way.

When you visualize your life as you want it to be, you might notice or be informed that certain habits, things, or even relationships do not coincide with your desire.  Taking care of those issues as they come up is the path to getting what you want.  That is how you prepare for success, and that is how your success comes to you.  Decide what you want, and get everything out of the way of the path of its coming to you.

Until next time,
Live Joyfully!

Posted under Motivation, Success

“The best way to make your dreams come true is to wake up.”
Paul Valery, French Poet

“My life sucks.”

“I’m a statistic.  I grew up in the inner city and everyone expects me to be on welfare or in jail.  Why should I disappoint them?”

“There’s nothing I can do; that’s just the way life is.  The rich get richer and the poor get poorer.”

“I’m stuck.  This is the career I chose when I graduated from college and it’s all I know how to do.  If my company goes under, I’m sunk as well.”

“The economy is all that is wrong with my business.  Once the government fixes it, things will pick up again – it’d better!”
———
“I am the creator of my life experience.”

“I am the luckiest person alive.  I grew up in the inner city as one of five children.  I received a scholarship because of my race and now I’m a respected professional.  My grandmother raised me and I will not disappoint her.”

“I have so many ideas they blow my mind on a good day!  I have so many options as to what to do with my life that sometimes, I get frazzled trying to implement everything I’m capable of doing.  When I’m not making money, I’m gaining knowledge and experience.  Life just keeps getting better and better.”

“Looking back, I can see now that getting laid off from my job was the best thing that ever happened to me.  I hated fighting traffic every morning to commute to a job that made me feel like a mindless drone.  I’ve started my own business, risky – for sure, but well worth it.  Even though I’m not making as much money right now, I can see the potential for an even greater income that what I had.  Other people have done it, and I can, too.”

“I don’t know where all this media hype is coming from about a bad economy.  My small business continues to grow in customers and revenue.  I’m so glad I made the investment in marketing and public relations – I definitely dodged a bullet on this one.  My company stands on it’s own – no government bailout required here – thank goodness!”
———

I truly am the luckiest person alive:  I am surrounded daily by people who have attitudes in the second set of quotes.  Now, to a certain extent, that is by design; I choose very carefully who I converse with on a regular basis.  I can always tell when I’ve spent too much time with people in the first group – my attitude begins to suffer.  If you’re the most positive person in your group, find a new group.  I’m not saying abandon the others altogether, but remember that in order to lead, you must first learn, and then lead yourself.

Any situation that you’re in right now you have created.  The moment that we call, “now,” is nothing more than a jumping off point for the future.  Everyone talks about “enjoying the now – be here now – etc.”  Today, I want to take that a little further.

If you’re living an experience that you truly enjoy, then, yes, enjoy your now.  Be present in the moment.  You’ve created every aspect of your life as you’re living it now – so enjoy it, relish it, and you’ll get more of it.

However, if what you’re currently living is not exactly to your liking, then now is the time to do something about it.  Now is where your power is.  Now is when you can do something about it.  You can’t do anything in the future because once you get to that future point, it becomes what we call “now.”  This is why personal strategic planning is so important.

I see too many people who want to live in a fantasy world – dreaming their dreams.  Visualizing their life as they want it to be.  Yes – I teach that, too.  But at some point, you have to wake up.  Stop dreaming and start acting.  Now.   I hear stories and read emails everyday from people who fail to act on inspired action.  Why?  Sometimes it’s fear, but most of the time, they chose to stay in the dream world.  It’s easy in dream land.  When you dream of things as you want them to be, you feel wonderful.  In reality, it’s easier to just blame the economy, the government, your boss – whatever.

But the power is yours and your greatest point of power is NOW.

My challenge for you today is to wake up and do something that will change your future.  You can’t do anything in the future – you’re not there and you never will be.  So stop putting it off, do it now.

Until next time,
Live Joyfully!

Posted under Conscious Creation, Inspiration, Law of Attraction, Leadership, Motivation, Success

Have you ever given up on a project about halfway into it?  Many of us do that with our goals and dreams. Living your dream and creating the life you want is hard sometimes.  The actual work becomes so difficult, we forget about the reward at the end – living our dream - so we quit.  Then a few months down the road, we decide to start again, only to follow the same pattern.

Successful people have a way of visualizing the big dream – they focus on the result, not the work.  I can’t tell you how many times in developing this website I’ve almost given up.  I have literally had the thought, “Forget it.  This is too hard, I can’t do this.  No one should have to go through this, there’s got to be an easier way.”  Then I realized there was an easier way; I could hire someone to design the site for me.  But then I’d be at their mercy every time I needed to change it.  I want a site that I can re-design and customize on a moment’s notice.  If I give a speech and want to make materials available to that audience alone, I want to be able to do that immediately and on my own.  Luckily, I’m a very determined person who doesn’t give up easily.  I don’t like to give in and let something beat me.  More appropriately, I was able to keep my thoughts focused on the desired result instead of how complicated the process.

I’m still working on my site – constantly.  There’s a lot more I want to change and the list grows daily, but I can do it all myself and I’m constantly learning.  I also enjoy the creative side of maintaining my site myself. With each new language I learn, it seems as if there’s another that must be learned to go with it.  Then there’s the marketing side with new methods introduced daily.  There’s also the profitability side, which accounts for a lot of stress as well.  The important thing is that I’m living my dream of motivating, educating, and inspiring others to be their best through my writing, speaking and consulting.  This site is the glue that holds all of that together and to turn it over to someone else would not work for me.  So when the going gets tough, even painful at times, I let my “control freak” kick in and guide me through the process.

How to overcome the strong notion to quit

So what are some ways that you can overcome that strong notion we all get when the going gets tough to just call it quits?  I’ve put together some ideas and thoughts for you that have helped me.  First of all, take a step back and ask yourself, “What am I trying to do?  What is the desired result?”  If that desired result is strong enough, it will keep you going.  That’s what kept me going on this project and does so almost daily.  I remind myself of my unwavering desire to have complete control over my website.  That’s the most important aspect of my career right now.

Realize that it’s not really you

Those thoughts of, “I’m not smart enough to do this,” or any version of, “I can’t,” are just hogwash.  You can do it or you wouldn’t have started/been assigned the project to begin with.  More than likely, you just need to eat something, take a break, go for a walk, read something light, or get some sunlight - REFRESH!  At the very least, you need some perspective.  Refuse to give in to any negativity, wherever it’s coming from.

Make sure it’s your goal/dream

It’s common for us to get caught up in someone else’s dream.  If you’re faced with a situation where the work should be easy for you to accomplish, and you know how to do virtually everything required to accomplish it, but you’re still confronting blockages, think about whether or not this is your goal.  Or, are you being used to accomplish someone else’s dream?  When you work for someone else, it’s easy to get caught up in this, especially if you’ve chosen a field you’re not passionate about.  Assuming you can’t quit, (and I strongly recommend you not quit a project you’ve given your word to complete), think about what your individual reward is for the attainment of this goal.  Is it money?  Is it a better position within the company once this project is completed?  Find that incentive and focus on it.  As Brian Tracy puts it, “Let your vision of the future guide your present performance.”

Think of it as easy

With whatever you have to do today, think of it as easy, and it will be.  Don’t believe the voice in your head telling you that the accomplishment of a particular task is going to be difficult.  So you have to design a new website today?  Easy!  You’re on your way to an important meeting where you’re expected to a sign a $5 million account?  Easy!  You have only two hours to clean your two-story home?  Easy!   Why is it easy?  Because it’s important to you.

Anytime you concentrate on the difficulty of the work instead of its results or rewards, you are likely to become discouraged.  Dwell on it too long, and you will develop self-pity instead of self-discipline.  The next time you’re facing a must-do task and you’re thinking of giving up instead of paying the price, change your focus.  Count the benefits of doing what’s important, and then dive in.

Related Products

Related Posts:

Wake up and Create the Life You Want

How to Motivate Yourself into Action

We Are All Self-Employed

Seven Steps to Goal Accomplishment

Until next time,
Live Joyfully!

Posted under Inspiration, Law of Attraction, Leadership, Motivation, Success, Weight Loss

The Law of Capital says that your most valuable asset, in terms of cash flow, is your physical and mental capital - your earning ability.

Your Earning Ability

You may not even be aware that, unless you are wealthy already, your ability to work is the most valuable asset that you have. By utilizing your earning ability to its fullest, you can bring thousands of dollars each year into your life. By applying your earning ability to the production of valuable goods and services, you can generate sufficient money to pay for all the things that you want in life. The amount of money that you are paid today is a direct measure of the extent to which you have developed your earning ability so far. If you are currently looking for a job, whether you’ve just graduated school or are recently unemployed, let’s explore some factors that make you more employable.  If you are an entrepreneur or professional, these concepts will make you more marketable.

Use Your Time Well

The first corollary of the Law of Capital says: “Your most precious resource is your time.” Your time is really all you have to sell. How much time you put in and how much of yourself you put into that time, largely determines your earning ability. Poor time management is one of the major reasons for poor productivity and underachievement in every industry in America. It is the number one problem for both managers and salespeople in every field, and can be applied to almost every level of worker.  Develop good time management habits and stick with them.

Invest Yourself Carefully

The second corollary of the Law of Capital says: “Time and money can be either spent or invested.” One of the smartest things that you can do is to invest three percent of your earnings every month back into yourself on personal and professional development, on becoming better at the most important things you do. In fact, if you just invested as much in your mind each year as you do in your car, that one thing alone could make you wealthy.

Invest one hour of your time reading in your field every day. Listen to audio programs in your car. Attend every course that can advance you in your career. Get personal and professional coaching to help you to get the very best out of yourself.

Get Better At the Things You Do

There is nothing that will give you a bigger and better “bang” for your buck than reinvesting a part of your time and money back into your capability to earn even more.  All wealthy and successful people have learned this sooner or later, and all poor and unhappy people are still trying to figure it out.

Show Up

Show up for work and show up for your life.  Be enthusiastic at and about your job.  In small businesses, a person with a super attitude will be kept in a lay-off situation over the person with skill.  Why?  The great attitude is easier to be around, work with, and gives us hope for the future.  It’s also vital to keep absenteeism at bay.  Using every little excuse you can think of to not go to work will make you the first one laid off.

If you have your own business, keep the doors open as much as possible.  You do love your work, don’t you?  You’ve chosen a career that you’re passionate about, so use that energy to make yourself more marketable.  Again, a person with a great attitude is someone others want to be around and do business with.

Increase Your Return on Life

The purpose of corporate strategic planning is to increase “return on equity” or ROE. This requires organizing and reorganizing corporate activities so that the company is earning a higher return on the capital invested in the organization. In your work life, your personal equity is your mental and emotional capital.  Practice personal strategic planning to earn the highest possible return on your human capital, to increase your “return on energy.” This way of viewing yourself must become a key part of your attitude throughout your work life.

Action Exercises
Here are two things you can do to apply this law immediately:

First, create a list of your output responsibilities, the things you do that represent accomplishments, not activities. Examine the list and rank the tasks by priority, on the basis of the value of the work to your company.

Second, make a list of all the things you do, day in and day out. Take this list to your boss and ask him or her to rank your tasks in terms of how valuable he or she considers them to be.  (You might be surprised at how you think differently and wouldn’t it be better to know that now, rather during a termination interview?)  Then resolve to work on your most valuable tasks every minute of every day.

Until next time,
Live Joyfully!

Posted under Motivation

The most popular post on this website is How I Lost 25 Pounds in One Month.  Every day I get emails and comments from around the world regarding my method of losing weight by maintaining a positive attitude and being meticulous about what you eat.

I was sharing this information with my massage therapist last week and telling her how surprised I am at how many people call my basic calorie-counting plan, “new.”  She explained to me, “Well, it’s new to us.”  And hopefully, it’s about to get easier as well.

Our local paper printed an article this past weekend from the New York Times service, titled, “Counting calories becoming easier.”  Let me tell you:  THIS IS GREAT NEWS!!!!!!!

Due to popular demand and a couple of class-action lawsuits, more and more restaurant chains and food manufacturers are going to be displaying accurate, single-serving calorie counts right on the menu – next to the price.  (Or on the front of the product.)

Imagine being able to walk into any restaurant and know exactly how many calories are in that meal #1, and making an informed decision about your health, without having to do a lot of research on the internet in advance – about time, I say.   What’s more, legislation will require restaurants to display the accurate calorie count, and make adjustments if their recipe, preparation, or menu changes.

Just seeing those calories displayed openly will make nearly everyone think twice before ordering the cheapest item on the menu.  (It is still true that eating healthfully is more expensive both at the grocery store and in the restaurant – but that’s another post!)

My greatest hope is that the outcome of this will be a healthier America and world.  I know that at times it seems daunting to count calories and watch what we eat, but I also know that a lot of that is due to the fact that it is so difficult to find out exactly how many calories are in some of our favorite dishes, which makes it difficult to adjust our intake accordingly.  This doesn’t mean we have to never have that favorite item again, which is what the restaurants have always been afraid of, it just means that we will “save” for it, or eat less at the next 3 meals.  Of course, many of us do change how we eat forever once we become educated about food energy, but, as with everything in life, we have a right to make an informed choice.

Until next time,

Live Joyfully!

Posted under Motivation, Weight Loss

Whether you’re starting a new business or taking the leap and getting an online degree, having confidence in yourself is vitally important. We all find our inspiration in different places, but here are five tips to help with almost any endeavor – and even just life in general:

1. Ignore Everyone. Whether you have a new idea or are simply starting a new phase of your life, the more original the thought, the less good advice you will be able to receive. You won’t know if your decision to go back to school is a wise one until you’ve attended classes, and you won’t know at the moment of creation if your business proposal or novel idea is any good, but neither will anyone else. Don’t ask friends for their advice, because they don’t know the inside of your brain the way you do. Don’t ask colleagues either, as they’re likely to see anything you do as competition. Listen to yourself, and make yourself your top priority.
2. Put In the Hours. Anything worthwhile takes what sometimes seems like forever, but 90% of what separates the successful people from the unsuccessful people is time and effort. If someone you work with is more successful than you are, they’re probably putting in a lot more time. If you have to balance an online course and work, or writing a novel and work, carve the time that you need out of the rest of your life, but don’t quit your day job. Just allot a couple of hours a night to writing or studying or creating art, and keep your appointment with yourself faithfully.
3. Everyone Has Their Own Mountain. Everyone has their own metaphoric mountain to climb. For the student, returning to classes after years away, it may be the concept of homework, or it may be simple fear of math. For the writer or artist, it’s the fear that whatever they create isn’t “good.”  It’s important to remember that every mountain has more than one route to the summit. You may never actually make it to the top, but that’s okay, as long as you try. Learning and creating share one truth: they are about the journey, not the destination. This does not mean you shouldn’t have a goal – it just means you have to find your own path toward it. Just by deciding to enroll in a class, start a new business, or paint a masterpiece, you’ve taken the first step.
4. Passion Can’t Be Bought. We all have a tiny piece of our psyches that make us restless and ambitious, no matter how successful we may appear to be. That spark is passion, and you can’t buy it. It doesn’t matter what your passion is for: education, language, art, business, saving the world, what does matter is that you feed your passion, challenge yourself, and keep striving for more. Never settle.
5. Do It For Yourself. The class you’re taking might lead to a better job. The art you create might lead to fame and fortune. Both are great, but anything you do should be for your own satisfaction and happiness first, and any benefit should just be a bonus. If you do anything with money, or other people, as the motivation, you may reach your goal, but you won’t be content.

Business, art, writing and education are all wonderful things, but success only comes from hard work, confidence and motivation. Put in the hours necessary, stay passionate, and never listen to naysayers, and you’ll achieve every task you set out to complete.

Until next time,
Live Joyfully!

Posted under Education, Motivation, Success