Do you ever feel like there will never be enough time to do everything you want to do?  Well, guess what – you’re right!  We are constantly growing and expanding, which means we’re always wanting more, even if it’s more peace, serenity, time off, etc.  The future is always more and we will always want it.

Brian Tracy teaches “The Law of Forced Efficiency,” which says that, “There is never enough time to do everything, but there is always enough time to do the most important thing.”  I recently found this to be absolutely true and that’s what I want to discuss today.

Most of you are probably aware that I haven’t been posting as many articles on this site as I had been for the past two years.  You’re also probably aware that my husband and I opened a new dental facility two months ago.  Yes, these two facts are related. 

With all of the preparation and planning that I did before the big move, there were things that happened that I just could not have anticipated.  Don’t get me wrong, it was all mostly good stuff, or things that were easy enough to deal with, but everything coming in at once simply took more time than I had allowed.  Combine that with my own business projects and trying to keep up with acquiring new business, and the blog writing just went on the back burner for a few weeks.

I felt guilty for a long time, but then decided that I really didn’t owe any explanation to anyone.  However, at the open house for the new office, I told an avid reader that my blog writing was suffering because I’d been so busy with the details of the practice and her response was, “I could tell.”  OUCH!

After reflecting on that though, I came to realize that all that simply meant was that I really put a lot of myself “out there” on this website, and that was my original intent; to blog about the trials and tribulations of my life and the lives of my clients (who always remain anonymous) in the hope that it will help others, and it does.

So what does a personal strategic planner and time management “guru” do when a major event in her life throws her out of kilter?

Drop back and punt.  Take it one step at a time.  Ask, “What is the most valuable use of my time, right now?”

The main problem was that no matter how well I planned or how much I worked, the jobs and responsibilities just kept piling up.  (I know what a lot of you are thinking right now – “Welcome to my world.”  I know, I know.)  Add to that the deadline of wanting everything to look perfect for the open house, and what would normally be a task that could be put off suddenly became a top priority – like cleaning all of the scuff marks off the baseboards.

The other big issue for me was that normally, even if I’ve had a busy day, I can write a really good post late at night and still meet my personal goal of 3 articles per week.  While there were days when I finally sat down at 9 or 10 PM, I was so much more physically exhausted than a normal work day that I couldn’t even muster the energy to type!  I spent a lot of time on the office landscaping and taking care of it even after the moving and cleaning was over, to the point that my body doesn’t feel that it has returned to “normal” yet – and it sometimes feels like it will never be normal again!  But I do seem physically stronger and I’m sleeping better than ever, so the positive aspects outweigh my whining by far.  But that’s another post!

The biggest lesson I learned from all of this was that I can be a highly productive person. Every hour of every day I had to stop and re-prioritize my growing list of tasks.  I found myself constantly asking that question, “What is the best use of my time right now?”  My time management principles were reinforced and I feel stronger mentally than ever before. 

I also feel more relaxed every day, which was worth going through this experience.  I had to learn to let some things go, like blog post writing, that I really wanted to do, because other things were more important.  As Goethe said, “The things that matter most must never be at the mercy of the things that matter least.”

I tend to make things important that aren’t, which makes me rush around a lot.  This project has helped me realize what is truly important to me, and that it’s okay to let things slide every once in a while.  As much as I love my business and everything I do, my husband comes first.  He is my top priority.  Why? Because he’s a good man who works very hard and he deserves my best.  I knew what I was “getting into” when I married him; I made that choice consciously, and when push comes to shove, like it did this Spring, he will always come first, by my choice.

Your Assignment

Take a few seconds at the end of a major project or task each day and sit quietly where you cannot be disturbed. During this time, let your mind relax and just think about your work and activities.  Ask yourself, “What is the best use of my time, right now?”

The more you implement this process, the easier it will be for you to set clear priorities, to overcome procrastination and to get started on that one activity that represents the most valuable use of your time.

In almost every case, during this time of solitude, even if it’s just a couple of minutes, you will receive wonderful insights and ideas that will save you enormous amounts of time when you apply them back on the job. Often you will experience breakthroughs that will change the direction of your life and work.  When you do, please come back here and share it with the rest of us!

Until next time,

Live Joyfully!

You can subscribe to this blog here.

Get Inspired!  What do you want to create? Wake Up and Create the Life You Want: A Guide to Self-Empowerment has helped hundreds of people create the life of their dreams.  You can read their stories here.  If you choose the downloadable version, it comes with my free report on “The Science of Getting Rich.”

Get Organized!  Learn the secrets of getting and staying motivated and organized with the Eliminate Clutter and Organize Your Life E-book.  This inspiring book gives you step-by-step instructions for getting control of every area of your life.  Click here for the table of contents and to purchase.

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Technorati Tags: Time Management, Personal Development, Conscious Creation, Coach, Success, Quit Smoking, Motivational Speaker, Retreat Leader, Motivation, Organize, Law of Attraction, Dental Practice Management, Consultant, Motivational Book, Self Help

Posted under Education, Inspiration, Law of Attraction, Leadership, Motivation, Success

The longer I live the more I appreciate the basics of life:  a good, clean home; a stable job and husband; a reliable car; and systems that work.

I used to spend thousands of dollars per year investing in the latest self-help book.  And don’t get me wrong, those authors have made me the person I am today and I am eternally grateful.

But one system I’ve been using for almost two years now is that every month, I allow myself one new book, but also review one “old” one.  Lately I’ve struggled with finding anything new and have mostly been reviewing my favorites.

This week, the book that is up for review is Write It Down, Make It Happen by Henriette Anna Klauser.  I’ve blogged about Ms. Klauser’s wonderful book before in Creatively Combine Your Tasks, and 18 Reasons to Love Lists.  But today I want to share a new reason to love this book.

I’ve been inundated with tasks and projects lately.  My regular readers know that my husband moved into a new dental office one month ago.  We really believed we’d be all moved in in about a week.  Fools!  Oh, well.  Things are going well, and we’re having the time of our lives doing all of it – it really is a dream come true for both of us.  But at the end of the day, I am much more tired than usual.  Okay, enough of trying to rally up a pity party from my online friends, I’ll get to my point now.

I love using Outlook to organize all my lists.  I adore Excel for strategic planning, but there is something about putting real pen to real paper that just gets things done.  I love it.  I love the act of making a list.  I love the feeling of planning a project out loud, and on paper – writing it out.

As I’ve read this book many times over now, I have several pages ear-marked.  As I write this post, the book falls open to the first page of Chapter 11, Becoming Committed. 

I’ve made a note at the top of the page that reads, “This is my favorite page in the whole book.”  So I’m going to share it with you now:

In an oft-quoted passage from The Scottish Himalayan Expedition, W.H. Murray speaks to the significance of commitment.  Once you walk forward in faith and a conscious effort, all manner of support and tangible backing will be available to you.

 

Until one is committed, there is hesitance . . . The moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves, too.  All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred.  A whole stream of events raising in one’s favor . . . unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance which no man could have dreamed would have come his way.

It is up to you to trust the possibility enough to be willing to put your dream in writing, and to take the first step, even with no evidence that it will actually happen.

What I’ve learned over the past several weeks is that Providence doesn’t just come for big dreams, He will come for your overwhelming projects and to-do items as well.  I’ve relied more heavily on my old-fashioned Franklin planner and it’s the only way I’ve accomplished what I have while basically trying to work 2 jobs and keep the house in order.  My advice to anyone gearing up to go through a move or any other type of major project is write it down, write it down, write it down.

Henriette shares more stories of her own and discusses the psychology behind why writing things down works.  This book is so fundamentally powerful I believe everyone should own a copy.

In the meantime, here are a couple of tools to help you get on the path to lasting peace and happiness:

Wake Up and Create the Life You Want:  A Guide to Self-Empowerment

Eliminate Clutter and Organize Your Life E-book

Until next time,

Live joyfully!

You can subscribe to this blog here.

Technorati Tags: Peace, Happiness, Attitude, Conscious Creation, Retreat, Coach, Success, Motivational Speaker, Retreat Leader, Motivation, Law of Attraction

Posted under Education, Inspiration, Law of Attraction, Leadership, Motivation, Success

No, that title is not a misprint.  Although, it could be the daily grind that causes the need for the daily ground!  What I’m talking about today is spiritual grounding.  Everyone has bad days sometimes, and we all get burnt out.  When you find yourself irritable, hostile, nervous, short-tempered, or just in a bad mood, it’s a sign that you need to get grounded.

Paying attention to and protecting your psychic and spiritual energy is a valuable part of leading a more peaceful and fulfilling life.  Here are my seven favorite ways to get grounded.  Try these methods whenever you feel your energy or vibration is over stimulated or out of balance, or when you feel you are being negatively influenced by energy- whether someone else’s — or your own.

1. Getting outside – literally.  Just the very act of standing on the ground will help neutralize your negativity.  Visualize all of your problems flowing from your brain, down through your body, out your feet, and into the ground.  If possible, sit on the ground and relax for a few minutes.
2. Deep Breathing.  Okay, just don’t do this one as you start a phone call!  I do this one when I’m in the car or can’t step away from a project.  If my husband catches me doing this, he’ll say, “Well, that was a heap big sigh!”  “Just getting some air,” I’ll reply.  Since I occasionally have trouble with asthma, I know that my response is probably almost as physical as it is spiritual, but I figure either way, it feels great!
3. Exercising.  This method naturally follows next since you breathe more deeply when you exercise, but there is something about getting physical that adds to the clearing of the mind.  Whether it’s a 5-minute walk or anything more vigorous, (whatever you like to do), exercise is good for the mind, body, and spirit.
4. Cooking.  Sometimes the way I cook is like exercise!  But there’s also the creativity component, getting something accomplished, and getting my mind off my problems that helps me get grounded.  And my husband gets to enjoy the results of this one as well!
5. Gardening.  I can remember that as a child, my mother would always know when something was bothering me because I would “play in the dirt.”  What can I say, old habits die hard!  I love gardening just for the purpose of it, but just like cooking, gardening gets my mind off things.  Cooking can sometimes be too complicated for true grounding, and pulling weeds is sometimes just what I need.
6. De-cluttering.  My regular readers already know how I feel about clutter.  If my bad mood stems from a sense of “overwhelm-ment,” I know it’s time to de-clutter.  I told my time management class just yesterday that it seems counter-intuitive; you think you should be getting stuff done instead of de-cluttering, but trust me, you really will think more clearly with everything in its place.  Which brings me to my final favorite grounding method -
7. Organizing.  I’m not speaking here of organizing your desk; that’s de-cluttering (more than likely.)  What I’m talking about here is creating a Work Breakdown Structure for a project, or organizing your day or week, or whatever it’s going to take to make you feel better.  Instead of plowing in on a project, if you’ll take the time to get organized first, your mood will lift and you’ll accomplish more in the end.  You might even think of ways to avoid unnecessary work and find people to delegate parts of the project to.

Any one of the exercises will help, but when necessary, I’ve been known to do them all before proceeding into my day!  Getting into alignment with your higher self in whatever you have to do is way more important than the action itself.  Try it; you’ll be glad you did!

GET CONTROL OF YOUR LIFE NOW When you’re ready to create the life you want, you’ll want to purchase my latest e-book to help you get started and on the right path.  I share my latest success tips and how I’ve applied 20 years of solid business principles and the law of attraction to acquiring the life of my dreams.  Wake Up and Create the Life You Want: A Guide to Self-Empowerment is helping many others do the same.  It comes with my free report on “The Science of Getting Rich.”  Both are downloadable, so you get them immediately, pay no shipping, and the cost is only $27.

Posted under Education, Inspiration, Law of Attraction, Motivation, Success

When I began reading over the articles for this week’s carnival I became concerned about finding a common theme.  I know I’m not required to find a theme, it’s just one of my, well, anal-retentive traits.  However, about half-way through putting the carnival together, I realized that instead of finding a traditional theme to do with healing, what I was experiencing was an amazing collection of articles educating us about wellness.

Many of this week’s authors chose to share personal testimonies, some are utilizing their academic prowess, but all are teaching us something about health, wellness, spirituality, or self-empowerment.  With that theme in mind, I’ve included only articles that are told from a personal vantage point, or that are extremely unique in a beneficial way.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I have enjoyed preparing it for you!

Next week’s carnival will be at Spiral Visions.  If you’d like to host a carnival, please visit the Carnival of Healing Homepage.  A special thanks goes out to last week’s host, A-Ha! TV. 

Until next time,

Live Joyfully!

P.S. Follow me on Twitter - http://twitter.com/DebraMoorhead

You can subscribe to this blog here.

Technorati Tags: Carnival of Healing; Peace, Happiness, Attitude, Conscious Creation, Retreat, Coach, Success, Motivational Speaker, Retreat Leader, Motivation, Law of Attraction

Posted under Inspiration, Motivation, Weight Loss

Laughter and the ability to remain light-hearted have been proven in many studies to be more successful at maintaining a healthy heart than mere diet and exercise.  Why?  Perhaps because maintaining a sense of humor frees us from stress and anxiety.  After all, you can’t be anxious about something and laughing at yourself at the same time. 

Here, then, are 5 ways to develop a more light-hearted attitude toward life.

1. Smile.  The physical act of smiling releases endorphins into your body and instantly improves your mood, making it easier to laugh at whatever situation has come along.  Try it.  If you don’t believe me, try this; Smile as big and wide as you can, and try to maintain a negative thought.  I’ll bet you can’t do it!  Go ahead; laugh at how simple this is!

2. Laugh at yourself.  We’re all human.  And so are you!  (Some people need to be reminded of that.)  Taking yourself too seriously puts undue pressure on your subconscious mind and keeps you further from whatever it is you’re trying to accomplish.  I’m guilty of this at times and I suppose everyone is.  Your most important relationship is the one you have with you.  Learn to forgive yourself and laugh at your mistakes, even the clumsiest of them.

3. Practice this mantra:  “This too shall pass.”  Isn’t that true?  You know that you can overcome any adversity.  Consider all the challenges you’ve already faced and have lived to tell about it.  Whatever the situation is, you’ll get past it.  Take a deep breath, say, “this too shall pass,” and face the crisis head-on.

4. Keep busy.  Remember, your thoughts control your feelings.  Og Mandino wrote, “Never will I labor to be happy; rather I will remain too busy to be sad.”  Engage your mind with positive thoughts and when you feel yourself veering to the negative, find something to do. Perhaps this is why gardeners tend to be very happy people; there’s always something to do when you have a garden.

5. Make someone else smile.  The best way to create something for yourself is to give it to someone else first.  Tell a joke to a friend. Tell a stranger she looks nice.   Surprise your spouse with a gift of some sort. 

Finally, strengthen your sense of humor by conditioning your mind to look for the bright side of every situation you encounter each day.  Before long, this will be your usual way of thinking, and happiness and success will be just around the corner.

We will talk more about the importance of developing a sense of humor at my Life Skills Retreat; I hope to see you there!

In the meantime, here are a couple of tools to help you get on the path to lasting peace and happiness:

Wake Up and Create the Life You Want:  A Guide to Self-Empowerment

Eliminate Clutter and Organize Your Life E-book

Until next time,

Live joyfully!

You can subscribe to this blog here.

Technorati Tags: Humor, Peace, Happiness, Attitude, Conscious Creation, Retreat, Coach, Success, Motivational Speaker, Retreat Leader, Motivation, Law of Attraction

Posted under Education, Inspiration, Law of Attraction, Leadership, Motivation, Success

“A person with a clear purpose will make progress on even the roughest road.  A person with no purpose will make no progress on even the smoothest road.”

–Thomas Carlyle

One of the biggest obstacles to creating the life of your dreams is having no sense of purpose.  It’s great to have big dreams, but focus is the modus operandi that will bring them to you.  Let me explain.

I’m sure by now we’ve all heard, “You become what you think about most of the time.”  The two factors that determine what happens to you in life are what you think about and how you feel as you’re thinking about it.

For example, you’ll often hear someone describe a wealthy person this way:  “He loves money; always chasing the almighty dollar.  Boy, that’s not how I would want to live my life.”  In reality, the person speaking probably does not know the person they’re speaking of at all; however, they’re probably right!  Because in order to make money, you have to focus on it, and love whatever it is you’re doing that’s bringing it to you, and you have to feel good about the money you’re bringing in and accumulating. 

Money is always the easiest example to use in this scenario because it’s something nearly everyone can relate to, but any goal is the same way, whether it’s health, relationships, or a simple habit like no longer biting your nails.  Successful people spend the majority of their time thinking about their goals, taking inspired action, and feeling good about it while they’re doing it.  As a result, their goals are consistently moving toward them and they are moving toward their goals. 

Now, it’s important here to distinguish what not to do, because I think a lot of people miss this.  To be in the habit of thinking mostly about your goals and what you want to create in your life, means you can’t be chit-chatting with your co-workers about your weekend.  Oh, it’s fine to ask, “Did you have a good weekend?  Great!  So did I!”  But don’t ask that person you know is going to tell you all of the latest problems with her teenage son!  What do you do if you accidentally “step in it?”  I’ve done that before and here is what I learned to do. 

“Did you have a good weekend?”

“Oh, no.  It was horrible.  First my son and my husband got into it.  I even had to call the—“

“Great!  So did I!  Well, off to work!”

Developing the discipline to focus on what is important to you will get easier as you practice it more.  Here are 7 ways to get you on that path to a crystal clear sense of direction.

1. Decide what you want in each area of your life – financial, physical, emotional, spiritual, intellectual, and relational.  This process can take a while, and will develop over time.  That’s okay, just start somewhere. 
2. Write your goals down on paper.  Be as specific as you can with each one.  As you begin to focus on this list daily, you will further define each goal.  But the more specific you can be from the beginning, the closer you are to achieving it.  However, don’t worry about the non-specific desires you have.  Just write them down with the knowledge that you will work on the details later.  Life is more fun with a list of goals to go for.
3. Set a reasonable deadline for each goal.  The reason this step is important is that on bigger goals, you’ll have to break them down.  A strategic plan is critical to the thought-word-action creative process.  Things will fall into place more easily for you if you give the universe all the details you can. 
4. Create your strategic plan.  Sure, there are some things you just don’t know yet, so start with the things you do know.  I use Microsoft Excel for this process.  As the project builds, I can add rows and columns as necessary.
5. Build your plan of action by prioritizing and putting a chronological order to your strategic plan.  Not sure where to start or about a certain step in the process?  Listen to your intuitive guidance.  Take an hour of solitude.  The answer will come to you.
6. Take action on your plan immediately.  Don’t make excuses; do something now to get the ball rolling.  Action is God creating through you.  Thoughts and words alone will not bring you the success you’re seeking.  Take the action you’re inspired to, as soon as you’re inspired to do it, making sure you’re happy as you do it, and everything will fall into place in a way that seems almost effortless to you.  Others will say, “Wow.  You must really love what you’re doing!”
7. Maintain your focus by doing something every day that moves you a little closer to your most important goal.  Even if it’s just a five minute task, do it.  If a step is going to take a chunk of your time, figure out when you can work it into your schedule and commit to it.

Every day, think about your goal as often as possible.  Post it on a wall, make it your screen saver, or just keep a card with your goal written on it in your wallet or purse.  Take 15 minutes every day to brainstorm (with your spiritual guides) ways to accomplish your goals.  Be persistent.  Before long, you’ll notice your energy and creativity expanding in all directions and on many subjects.  Your potential will feel as if it has finally been released, and rightfully so, because it has!

If you’d like to take some time in a beautiful, quiet setting, to think about your future, and you’d like to have a personal coach to walk you through the creative process, sign up for my Conscious Creation/Success Retreat. 

In the meantime, here are a couple of tools to help you get on the path to a clearer sense of direction:

Wake Up and Create the Life You Want:  A Guide to Self-Empowerment

Eliminate Clutter and Organize Your Life E-book

Until next time,

Live joyfully!

You can subscribe to this blog here.

Technorati Tags: Peace, Happiness, Attitude, Conscious Creation, Retreat, Coach, Success, Motivational Speaker, Retreat Leader, Motivation, Law of Attraction

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

You’ve got it all down pat; the goals, the plan, the schedule, the self-improvement, the professional development, and the help you need to pull it all off, (nannies, personal chefs, personal shoppers, etc).  But have you remembered to make room for yourself?  Time to breathe?

“After I get this done, I’ll take a break.”  Oh, but something new comes up.

“If I can just get through tomorrow, I’ll be free and clear for some time off.”  But a new prospect is ready to negotiate.

“I’m going to have fun at this business conference.”  But it ends up being more beneficial, and intense, than you thought.  You come home enthusiastic, but too tired to implement anything.  By the time you’ve rested, you’ve lost that enthusiasm.

You need to take regular, planned, breaks from your work, your family, your goals, and most likely, your life as you’ve created it.  Proper rest and relaxation are as essential to your overall well-being as a good strategic plan.  Just as you get more done with a good plan, you will also accomplish more by taking time off. 

The more rested you are, the brighter, sharper, more alert, and more productive you will be at your work and in every other area of your life. Isn’t your mission worth your highest level of productivity? 

Because my office is in my home, I used to feel guilty about just about everything I did.  When I was cleaning the house, I felt guilty because I wasn’t “working,” and when I was working, it would bother me to see something that needed to be cleaned.  Vicious cycle!

I finally learned that the way I felt – the guilt - was keeping me from realizing my true potential in any of these areas.  If your mind is on something else, you’re not giving what you’re currently doing your full attention, and attention, especially focused attention, is vital to success.

My challenge to you for this weekend is to give yourself one entire day off.  Sit for awhile and do nothing.  Go for a long walk.  Don’t even do house chores, and I strongly recommend no television.  Do something your spirit has been longing for you to do.  Take her for a drive in the country.  And before you make that trip to the mall, think about your last trip to the mall.  Did it energize you?  Or did it leave you feeling even more tired from all the hustle and bustle?  (I’m not judging either way – I want you to think about it and make that decision for yourself.  We all have different experiences, perspectives, and attitudes.)

Do something different. Start a garden.  (Okay – you can watch HGTV to get yourself motivated to start a garden.)  It’s okay to “work” if it’s a sincere hobby.  I say that because I know a lot of people might read “start a garden,” and rightfully think, “that’s a lot of work.”  I know it is.  But for me, it’s joyous work.  More like meditation really.  To my grandmother, the garden was work, especially at the level she did it.  I do about one-tenth of the amount she did.  So it’s all in how you go about it.  To some, doing the laundry might be relaxing.  If it makes you feel better to clean out and organize your house, go for it.  The idea is to take a break from your normal routine and chores.

Be careful, though, not to justify a chore.  Listen to your inner guidance.  If you sense a whisper saying, “clean out the litter box, then take the rest of the afternoon off,” do that.  If you feel a soft voice that seems to say, “go for a drive and get an ice cream cone,” do that.  But don’t let your rational mind say, “Clear your Outlook tasks, and then if there’s time, you can take a break.”  Get it?  Good. Now, go do it.

If you want to get real results and learn the secrets to manifesting your heart’s desires, take a break at my Conscious Creation Retreat.  You’ll get the rest and motivation you need to reinvent yourself, and your life.

In the meantime, here are a couple more tools to inspire you to take that much needed, much deserved break:

Wake Up and Create the Life You Want:  A Guide to Self-Empowerment

Eliminate Clutter and Organize Your Life E-book

Until next time,

Live joyfully!

You can subscribe to this blog here.

Technorati Tags: Peace, Happiness, Attitude, Conscious Creation, Retreat, Coach, Success, Motivational Speaker, Retreat Leader, Motivation, Law of Attraction

Posted under Inspiration, Motivation, Success

Has this ever happened to you?

You wake up after a good night’s rest feeling rejuvenated and happy to be alive.  On your way to work you take note of your energy level and think about all the things you’ll do when you get home.

When you arrive home, however, that energy you had at 8 o’clock has been completely drained by your work day.  You start to resent your employer, your supervisor and possibly even your co-workers for taking so much out of you that you have nothing left to give your family, or yourself.

Yeah, I know.  We’ve all been there.

Why is it that some people can have a hard day at work and still come home and mow the lawn, while others barely have the strength to dial the phone and order in dinner?

Well, it’s a matter of attitude.  You have to safeguard your energy and make sure it’s being spent in the most effective way possible, the way you want it to be spent, and the way to control that, is with your attitude.  In the following list I’ll give you several examples of what I mean.

1. Refuse to participate in the drama of it.  If you have one of those workplaces where the crew isn’t happy unless there is something to gossip about, find other places to be when the squabbles are going on.  Seminar participants always challenge me about this, saying, “Debra, are you saying we should put our heads in the sand?”  Yes, that’s exactly what I’m saying.  Think about it.  Wouldn’t you rather have your head in the sand than in someone’s crap?  I would!  And remember that what you think about you bring about.  So if your head is in the sand, you’ll create more sand.  I’d rather have more sand than more crap.  Even better, if you go off by yourself during lunch instead of participating in the who-did-what-to/with-whom ritual, find a nice magazine and just look at the photos.  (That’s pretty much putting your head in the sand, right?)  Use your imagination to think about what your house would like if it were decorated in that style – or whatever.  The creative power of putting your head in the sand will yield you much more favorable results than participating in the drama going on in others’ lives.  Now, I’m not saying to refuse support to your co-workers.  Just make sure it is support with the intent to improve their situation, not help them wallow in it.  I’ve had to learn that some people just like drama and the best thing to do is just let them have it.  It doesn’t mean I have to participate in it.  In my experience, this one technique alone could save 50% of your energy level for when you get home.  But keep reading . . .

2. Take regular breaks.  Depending on your job, ergonomic specialists have come up with specific guidelines as to how often you need to rest from repetitive tasks.  I’ve seen recommendations from 30 seconds every 10 minutes to 1 minute for every 30.  Most businesses are required to allow a 10-minute break for every 5 hours of work performed.  If your employer has certain guidelines for your particular job, make sure you follow them.  I have had employees who refuse to take breaks because they’re trying to make a good impression.  Don’t do that to yourself.  Performing well at your job will make a better impression and it’s easier to do that with the proper rest.  Most importantly, don’t refuse to take your breaks and then blame your employer for it.  If you find that you require more breaks than you’re allowed, learn how to take mental breaks.  Are there certain aspects of your job that are repetitive in nature that could almost do with your eyes closed?  Now, I’m not talking about factory work here – please!  For example, in the summer I can meditate and pull weeds in my garden at the same time.  It’s simple, requires very little brain power, which gives my mind a break.  I love pulling weeds this way and it’s much better for the garden to pull them every day mindlessly than to wait until they’re a problem and become a chore.  Find something like that in your job and utilize it when you can.  Perhaps straightening your desk and getting organized - but more on that in just a moment . . .

3. Learn to relax while you work.  Try this mantra:  “In an easy and relaxed manner, I complete my tasks on time.”  Say it over and over until it becomes ingrained in you.  Do the same thing at home, except you might want to change the mantra to, “In an easy and relaxed manner, I joyfully create whatever I want.”  Going about all of your work in an easy and relaxed manner will reserve vast amounts of energy to use whenever you want. 

4. De-clutter.  Clutter around you creates clutter in your brain and drains your energy before you perform your first task.  Get rid of everything on your desk except for (maybe) three personal items, and the project you’re working on.  Keep all necessary items straight, clean, and . . .

5. Organize.  The time it takes you to get organized will come back to you 10-fold.  Just thinking about the possibilities of what you could do with all of that time can be very energizing.  Take a moment to just think about how you would feel if you were 100% organized.  Isn’t that energizing?  So, what’s stopping you? 

6. Prioritize.  Almost everyone I know has a hundred items or more on their task lists.  Isn’t that wonderful?  We are all so intelligent and capable of doing so much – we are truly blessed.  But take a few moments to consider what’s really important.  There are many factors to consider here and I know you have many people you need to please.  Taking a few minutes to think it through, pray about it, and get perspective will generate a feeling of control, which is always energizing.

7. Strategically plan your days, and your week.  Ideally, I’d also say your months and year, but I’ve learned that if you take care of the week and each workday, you’ll be way ahead of others and probably from where you are right now.  Most of the time, we expect too much out of ourselves in the way of time.  The result is that we become depressed and think it’s useless to organize and prioritize.  Not true.  However, it is useless to organize and prioritize if you’re not going to put those decisions into a strategic plan.  Again, it goes back to that feeling of control of knowing that you accomplished everything you could for today, and there is a plan for getting everything else done, in its proper timing.  Planning is a huge boon to your energy level. 

8. Focus.   If you want to become more energetic, make doing so the focal point of your thoughts.  Take note of what makes you feel energetic.  What really “floats your boat?”  What is the best way to go through your day?  Do you like to tackle things one right after the other so that time seems like it’s standing still?  Or do you require long segments of time to think and ponder things?  We are each unique and have our own way of making the world go ‘round.  It’s important to find yours and focus on it.  Give yourself the attention you deserve, and make your energy level the center of your attention for a while.  Eventually, you’ll develop the habits you need to become that way all of the time.

9. Become enthusiastic.  People who are enthusiastic about their work, both on the job and at home, are rarely tired for no reason.  (If you are genuinely enthusiastic about your work and tired for no reason, you should seek medical advice.)  Don’t get me wrong; of course you’re going to get physically tired at the end of the day.  But we want as many of those “good tired” days as we can get.  That’s how we know we’ve found our path and are connected to our higher self.  You know when you’re supposed to be tired.  And you also know when you’re just “down.”  Find ways to become enthusiastic about your work.  What do you appreciate about your job? 

10. Develop a persona.  Fake it until you make it.  Sometimes, the best way to turn your energy level around is to pretend you’re someone else.  Using your imagination is very energizing.  I’ve written before about how I used to hate grocery shopping until I started pretending to be Giada De Laurentiis while shopping.  Now, don’t get me wrong, I don’t tell people I’m Giada—I just use my imagination to conjure up her energy level for shopping for the “perfect ingredients” for this recipe or that.  Since I often stop for groceries at the end of a work-day, this is especially helpful.  It’s like a mental break, fun exercise, and practicing the art of visualization all rolled into one. 

So, lots of great ideas here, but where does one start?  Well, you start with whichever idea popped out at you.  Which one really excited you?  Don’t start with what you think you should do.  Start with the one that made your eyes light up.  That’s your Spirit talking to you.  That’s what your Spirit needs.  And following your Spirit and the guidance it gives is one of the best ways I’ve found to increase energy.

I’ll be teaching more on all of these subjects and much more at the Conscious Creation Retreat; I hope to see you there!

In the meantime, here are a couple of tools to help you get on the path to greater energy and reduced fatigue:

Wake Up and Create the Life You Want:  A Guide to Self-Empowerment

Eliminate Clutter and Organize Your Life E-book

Until next time,

Live joyfully!

You can subscribe to this blog here.

Technorati Tags: Energy, Fatigue, Attitude, Conscious Creation, Retreat, Coach, Success, Motivational Speaker, Retreat Leader, Motivation, Law of Attraction

Posted under Education, Inspiration, Law of Attraction, Leadership, Motivation, Success

If you desire greater peace and happiness in your life, check your current attitude against these ten traits to determine where you need to make adjustments. 

1. Make a conscious decision that you want peace and happiness.  To some of you, this might sound like a “DUH!” statement, but I know many people who seem to desire drama and upheaval.  These people tend to believe that peace and happiness are symptoms that come from outside conditions, like money, retirement, or finding the “right” relationship.  In reality, just making the decision to become peaceful will work wonders for your happiness level.  But that’s not all . . .
2. Stop wasting your time and energy trying to change people, whether it’s someone you don’t like, or even someone you love and think you’re helping.  Change comes from within; there is no assertion.  You cannot create for someone else.  Everything you do, you do for you.  That’s how it was meant to be.  And since we are all connected, everything you do to someone, you do to yourself.  So wish good things for people, even if it’s just that they will find happiness somewhere else and get out of your life! 
3. Don’t expect others to truly appreciate you for what you’re worth.  Instead, appreciate yourself and they will begin to see you for who you really are.  Jesus healed ten lepers in one day, yet only one thanked Him. Why should we expect more gratitude than Jesus got?  He was the only one of His time who really knew Who He was.  (His followers had faith, but only He knew.)  If only we could learn that lesson.
4. Give for the joy of giving.  When you give to others, you’re really giving to yourself.  So whatever it is you want, start giving that, as much as you can, everywhere and every way that you can.  Your thoughts, words, and actions will return to you many times over.  Now, stop and think about that for a minute!
5. Teach someone else the power of gratitude.  We learn best when we teach, plus, it’s a great way to connect with others.  When people at work hear what you’re grateful for and how much you appreciate your job or your work, or the fact that your business is as busy as all-get-out, it shows off your leadership skills and others will look to you for encouragement when they’re stressed or depressed.  A true leader will be there for them, too, and it’s easier to do that, if you’re coming from a place of true peace, happiness, and appreciation.
6. Focus on what’s going right today or in your life, instead of what’s going wrong.  Why?  Because you create more of whatever you’re thinking about.  That’s why the better it gets the better it gets and the worse it gets, the worse it gets.  It’s also the reason that typically the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.  (Come on, you always knew it was a cop out to blame it on the government!)
7. Don’t envy others.  Be happy when good things happen to other people.  What goes around comes around.  The happier you are for others the more you’re due.  And it will come.  There is no shortage of anything in this vast and abundant universe.  But when you belittle or begrudge others, you cut yourself off from that abundance.  If it seems like you’re always getting the shaft, stop and take a long, hard look at this one.
8. Spend some time in quiet reflection and get to know yourself.  What do you really want?  Are you living the life you dreamed of when you were a child or young adult?  If so, great.  You’re obviously on the right path.  If not, seriously consider making some changes, but don’t expect to make all changes at once.  Take some time every day to think it through.  One step at a time is all it takes to create a brand new life.
9. When you find that you have created something you didn’t consciously intend, thank the universe for the lesson.  My husband likes to remind people that the only thing we can do about the past is learn from it.   Spending the rest of your life lamenting over any mistake, no matter how big, will not bring you any closer to what you want.  Find a way to make your peace with it and move on.  There are good things ahead of you; you just need to have your head up so that you can see them!
10. Stop trying so hard.  Relax and be easy with everything.  Have fun with your dreams, goals, and creations.  Imagine yourself on a river, flowing easily downstream.  Most of us are taught to live our lives as if we need to paddle upstream on a mighty raging river.  “Life is hard and then you die.”  No, it’s not.  Or at least, it doesn’t have to be.  Getting control of your life is not about fighting against the current, it’s about getting in alignment with it.  The current of life will take you everywhere you want to go, but you have to let it. 

I’ve mentioned before that I’ll be writing a lot more about getting in touch with your inner being, that ever-flowing current of life, and I will.  Doing so has helped me to live much more abundantly, while also living with much more ease.  So stay tuned . . .

I’ll be teaching the methods I’ve learned in my Conscious Creation Retreat; I hope to see you there!

In the meantime, here are a couple of tools to help you get on the path to lasting peace and happiness:

Wake Up and Create the Life You Want:  A Guide to Self-Empowerment

Eliminate Clutter and Organize Your Life E-book

Until next time,

Live joyfully!

You can subscribe to this blog here.

Technorati Tags: Peace, Happiness, Attitude, Conscious Creation, Retreat, Coach, Success, Motivational Speaker, Retreat Leader, Motivation, Law of Attraction

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

I love a good meme!  Jennifer at Alaivani.com has tagged me with the challenge of sharing 5 ways to reduce the use of chemicals in our everyday lives.  Since this is a topic near and dear to my heart, I was very ready to bite.  Okay, Jen, here goes.

1. Microfiber cloths.  My mother-in-law got me hooked on these.  They clean everything from the daintiest jewelry to your car, and here’s the best part, with only water.  Tough, grimy gunk usually requires hot water, in my experience, but no chemicals.  They are the best at cleaning windows and mirrors, but I’ve also used them on furniture, floors, litter boxes, the cats, the cats’ ears, silver and brass, you name it.  I can hardly keep enough of them.

2. Organic gardening.  I did something today I’ve never done before in my life – almost 40 years now – I mowed the lawn – with a reel mower.  No gas, no oil, no heavy machinery, no back pain – and it worked beautifully!  Gardening and lawn care is one area I’ve been going chemical-free for quite some time now.  In the garden, the pesticides don’t work any better than the natural methods, so why bother (and waste your money)?  Until last year, my brother was buying a chemical trap to catch Japanese beetles in his garden.  Then I told him my little trick, which I happened upon by accident.  I was cleaning out my car one day when I felt the need for some soapy water.  For whatever reason, I put a few drops of Dawn dishwashing detergent into a mason jar and filled it about half-full of water.  On my way back outside, I noticed my neighbor’s dog running toward me.  Deciding to stop and play with him, I sat the jar down at the edge of the garden. When I went back to it, it was almost filled with Japanese beetles!  I had found a “natural” solution.  I did some research and found out that my trick was really nothing more than “insecticidal soap,” which has been used by organic gardeners for years.  The beetles that don’t make it into the jar are hand-picked off my garden by my neighbor.  He loves his roses and walks around the neighborhood collecting all the Japanese beetles he can find in the interest of protecting his own investment.  Which reminds me that we are all connected and need to watch out for and help one another.  But, back to this post!

3. Blue cat food.  This one may surprise you.  The vet told me that my cat probably had a flea on her somewhere that was causing her fur to fall out on her back.  I treated her for almost one year with a standard chemical.  I noticed that I had to keep using it more and more frequently in order to prevent the problem.  I decided to do some online research, and discovered that there could be additives in her food that she is intolerant to.  So I switched her to Blue and within 2 months her hair grew back in and I was able to stop the treatments completely.  My other cat now has fewer hairballs as well.  Go figure!

4. Open the windows.  My husband has slight asthma that can be triggered by intense odors.  Once the condition gets stirred up, he has a very difficult time getting over it.  A couple of years ago we had to eliminate most air fresheners because even the slightest whiff would bother him.  You know how the house gets stale smelling when it’s shut up for long periods of time?  I decided to open the windows and let in some fresh air, making sure no neighbors were mowing their lawns at the time, (since that would stir up a whole ‘nother set of problems!), and voila – fresh air, no chemicals.  Now I crack a window or two every day to let in fresh air.  It doesn’t take very long so I seriously doubt there’s much energy being wasted if you’re running the heat or A/C.  (Whenever possible though, I turn off such devices and open all the doors and windows.)

5. Now here’s one that will knock your socks off.  Ozonated water.  My husband has purchased a TherO₃Zone unit for his new dental office and I must say, it is very impressive!  This is like a microfiber cloth on steroids!  (Okay – maybe not the best analogy, please forgive!)  The research on this technology is remarkable and if it’s accurate, ozonated water could rid the world of many of our most troubling diseases, including cancer.  In the dental office, it has the potential to replace Lysol for disinfecting purposes.  It is currently being used to treat and eliminate bacteria in the water lines.  My husband has applied it topically to eliminate his minor adult acne.  There are many websites that provide results from clinical research, as well as products for consumer use, and more information – just do a Google search on “Ozonated water” and you’ll be busy the rest of the day.

I was recently challenged by the much-too-common-around-here redneck with the comment, “I’m not planning to live 500 years, why should I worry about the planet?  It’s not my problem.”

Well, my problem is:  This world might not be here tomorrow for all we know, but we now live in an age when it has been brought to our awareness that some of our habits and “conveniences” are destroying the natural resources of this planet that we enjoy now.  My spirit is wounded anytime I harm something that I now enjoy .  Why not do whatever we can to feel good about how we are treating our planet now?

Jennifer, I really enjoyed writing this post; thank you for the opportunity and for thinking of me.

I now tag:  Aaron Potts, Greenwoman, Albert Foong, Michael, Sharleyanne, and Jenny.

Get Inspired!  Come to the Wake Up and Create the Life You Want Retreat  May 30 - June 1 and learn the techniques for taking control of your life and achieving success, plus get free private coaching!  Click here for details.

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Technorati Tags: Personal Development Retreat, Conscious Creation, Coach, Success, Quit Smoking, Motivational Speaker, Retreat Leader, Motivation, Organize, Law of Attraction, Dental Practice Management, Consultant, Motivational Book, Self Help

Posted under Education, Inspiration, Leadership, Motivation