a thought on positive thinking – Page 4

Just add Fun.

The Best Books on Self Help will teach you how to get happy. One way to do this quickly is to add fun!

I was volunteering at my daughters school the other day and in gym class the kids were doing skipping. I was immediately taken back to the asphalt of my elementary school and I vividly remembered skipping my lunch hours and recesses away. The challenges of learning to skip double dutch and doing double- and triple- unders while singing silly rhyming songs had me reminiscing and giggling to myself. And I found myself wanting more of it!

As we age, the pressures of work and family and home life leave little time for fun. But fun is what keeps us going. Fun is what motivates us to hop out of bed in the morning. Creating fun in our lives inspires us, makes us smile, and helps us learn in a positive way. Fun is what it’s all about.

Think back to your days as a child and think about an activity that you really enjoyed, like skipping, softball, hockey or dancing. Remember the fun you had. And start creating some of that fun energy in your life right now!

My birthday is coming soon, and this year I am asking for 2 long skipping ropes and a couple of friends willing to take turns skipping double dutch. I am already imagining the conversations that we can have, and the laughter that will ensue from an afternoon of skipping on a chilly spring day.

Add some fun to your life today. Namaste.

Success Law: Be Careful What you Change.

The Best Books on Self Help, Be That Books, encourage you to use their Success Laws.

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!

Do not waste your time making changes to things that are working. Just assess everything, decide what is working and what isn’t, and leave well enough alone the things that do not need your intervention. Simplify!

Success Laws: Keep your cool.

It is important to remember that your successes in life are dependent upon your interactions with other people. We cannot do things on our own. We need others to help us, guide us, and give us what we need. Oh, there are times when I wish this was not the case! But it is a reality.

There will be times when it seems like other people are on a mission to destroy you. They seem to thwart all of your efforts and have you thinking that you are just an interruption and annoyance in their day. Unfortunately, you need them. Even though you will feel like you want to scream, swear and cry to get what you want, you need to approach these situations differently. It all comes down to proper communication and persuasion. And it all hinges on your own perception of the person and the situation.

When someone appears to be pulling attitude with you, or just generally not doing what you need or want them to do, remember that it is rarely about you. It is not personal. Everyone has their own issues, and often the reactions that you get from people are a result of their own insecurities or background, which you know nothing about. And you may not need, or want to know that information!

All you need to do is keep your cool. Remember what the goal is… get what you need out of that person. Time to turn on your charm. Let them know that you understand where they are coming from and that you appreciate everything they are doing for you (even if they are blatantly NOT doing a thing for you), and then help them to understand where you are coming from. People are innately selfish, so focus on what they are going to get out of a successful transaction with you. Maintain your assertive position, but keep your emotions in check.

And if you need to lighten it up, just keep thinking to yourself “how sweet can I be to the B*#tch*s I encounter in my life?” (you may also insert an appropriate male gender specific title when the need arises).

Keep your communications light and sweet… do whatever it takes to make yourself smile even when you’re having a particularly difficult negotiation. Do not get discouraged if one conversation ends in you not getting what you wanted. It’s not personal. The important thing is to keep trying and keep smiling. Namaste.

Dream Big and Plan for Reality.

Having dreams and then chasing them is the ultimate feeling. Dreaming big keeps you motivated and forces you to keep going. Visualizing your success is a huge part of getting you there. You have got to see it to believe it and then achieve it.

Until you achieve all your wildest dreams, you do need to plan for what you have right now, and also plan for what you will need in the future. This means having a budget in place to keep you on track. Do you know how much your monthly income is in relation to your monthly expenses? Do you plan to save portions of your money in order to pay for upcoming dreams, like vacations or vehicles? Are you falling short every month and not sure why?

The only way you will be able to realistically achieve your goals is to know what you are starting off with, and then plan for what you need. Implement a personal monthly budget, and then be sure to stick to it. You have got to hold yourself accountable to your budget in order to see the results. Check out the Personal Budget Worksheet available on my website to assist you with this process. Reassess your budget monthly to ensure that you stay on track.

There are always ways to increase income or reduce expenses in order to achieve what you need. Plan for what you want, and then try to be a little patient while the Universe shifts things around to accommodate your wishes. (Patience is something I am still trying to wrap my head around. I want it all and I want it now!)

Make real plans today to achieve your dreams. Reduce stress and build confidence by managing your cash flow. Happy budgeting!

How can I deal with stress? Consider your needs.

Life can be hectic, and our own lofty goals can sometimes interfere with our feelings of happiness. Consider your happiness definition.

My 6 year old daughter Kayley reminded me tonight that “all you need to survive is food, and life and love”.

While we are frantically chasing down other things in our lives, we can forget that the simplest of things are often the most desirable and the most rewarding. Most of the time, we already have these simple things, but we are too busy to enjoy them.

Make some time to enjoy a relaxed, healthy meal with the people you love. Truly savor the food that is nourishing your body and giving you the energy you need to live your best life. Be grateful for the health you enjoy everyday. And tell the people you love how much you love them. And when they tell you how much they love you, let your heart swell with happiness. To be loved by anyone is an amazing feeling.

Be thankful for everything you already have in your life, and do not take anything for granted. Don’t forget to smile, especially if you feel like you don’t want to. Namaste.

Use the Universe.

Always seek out Books on Motivation to help you with stress. There will be times when you will feel overwhelmed, and you may wonder how you are possibly going to accomplish everything that you want to accomplish in your life, or even in your day. When you feel this way, you need to know that you are not alone in achieving your dreams. The Universe is waiting to help you, but it needs you to provide guidance. You need to be true to yourself about your dreams, and about the results you want to see in your life. Keep a journal and consistently write things down. This is one way to connect with the Universe about your desires and feelings. Writing things down solidifies them in your own mind, and gets you working on things at a subconscious level. It’s like taking action in your sleep! You will be amazed at what the Universe will do for you when you are willing to put yourself out there. Opportunities will start showing up from every angle, and you will find yourself spending time assessing these opportunities instead of worrying about how you are going to get it all done.

And when opportunities are presented to you, be sure to say thank you to the Universe in whatever way feels good to you. Giving thanks, and appreciating the small things that happen, will ensure that more is sent your way. So chase all your dreams, even if they seem scary and unachievable. You don’t have to do it alone. Namaste.

Tips of Fengshui: Enhance with Plants

A Warm Welcome to all my new Edmonton Friends! I enjoyed meeting each of you at my book signings in Edmonton over the last couple of days.

My next book signing is this Sunday February 26, 2012 in Calgary at
Chapters Dalhousie Station from 1 pm to 4 pm. Come out if you can.

Today I want to remind you to add plants to your life. Plants can have an amazing impact on your life. Plants clean your air naturally. Plants absorb negative energy and create positive energy. Looking after something beautiful that flourishes with your attention will make you feel good. And seeing your plants everyday will make you smile on the inside.

Choose a variety of flowering and tropical plants. Some plants are easier to care for than others. If you’re new to plants, the easiest thing to do is start reading the little info cards that most places have attached to their plants. These will tell you the name of the plant and how to care for that type of plant. Plants love being watered on a schedule, so water them on the same day each week, or more frequently if they need it.

To maximize the impact that plants can have in your life, place them in the following places:

On your desk at work. I like the wealth corner for this one (left corner of your desk).
In corners. Corners give off negative energy. Plants can absorb some of that negative energy.
You may have a room in your home that does not feel comfortable. Add as many plants as you can there.
Bathrooms. Absorb some of the negative energy that emanates from this area by keeping plants near to the toilet.
Anywhere that is appealing to you and not in the way.

I truly believe that that the more plants you add, the better you will feel. So just keep adding plants whenever you have the opportunity, without cluttering your home, of course. Each room in your home should have at least one plant, in my opinion. Do what you can to add one plant this weekend. Getting cuttings from someone you know who has healthy plants can be one cost effective way of adding plants to your life.

Happy plant hunting everyone! Namaste.

The Power of the Mind.

I recently read a book to my 3 girls called “Little Miss Giggles”, part of the Little Miss Collection.

In this story, Little Miss Giggles wakes up one day and she has lost her giggle!

Mr. Happy, who of course cannot stand to see anyone not happy, figures out a way to help her get her giggle back. He gives her an empty box that says something like “Contains 1 Giggle”. She opens it up and says “There is nothing in here!” And he says, “of course there is”…

and then she starts giggling!

This story just reminded me of how powerful that computer is that you have inside of your head. You can truly create everything you want and need with your mind. You need to know how powerful your mind is, and you need to start using it to benefit you everyday. Let’s start a giggle revolution by making some boxes of giggles, and sharing them with others around us. Soon, we will will all be laughing our way through every day. What could be more perfect? Namaste.

Be Free.

On her 8th Birthday, my daughter Trinity wore a shirt with the following small, inspiring quote on it:

Free to Love, Dream and Be ME!

Give yourself the freedom to love, dream and be YOU everyday.

Just Be Free. Namaste.

How can I build confidence? It’s not personal.

This is your reminder to not take things personally when other people are having problems. Sometimes people will attack you, or try to blame you for things that are happening in their lives. As long as you are happy with the person that you are, do not allow others to steal your power away or bring you down.

It is much easier to blame others when you have problems than to face the fact that you may have your own issues that need to be dealt with. Remember that the next time someone tries to put the responsibility on you for their behavior.

You are in full control of everything you do, and so is everyone else. Take responsibility for your portion. Face up to things that you have, or had, control over. And do not allow others to project their fears or inadequacies onto you.

If you are not happy with things in your life, or with yourself, make the necessary changes and move on. The past is not a hitching post… it is a jumping off point.

You have everything you need to succeed and be happy right now. It is your life and you are in control. Take the reins and ride off into the sunset starting today! Namaste.