Category: Success Laws

Flip a switch.

Your mind is a powerful computer. When you give your mind the right input, it will, in turn, produce the right output. On the flip side, when you put garbage into your mind, you will get garbage out. Just what you would expect from a computer.
 
For most of my life, I had been telling myself, and anyone else who cared to listen, that I could never write a book. I really, honestly believed that I couldn’t. About a year and a half ago, I was inspired by a powerful book to look at my life a little differently.  Actually, it made me look at myself a little differently.
 
I remember distinctly the day that I flipped a switch in my mind. It started with a simple question to myself. “Could I write a book?”
 
The day that I allowed myself to believe that it was possible, the floodgates of my mind opened up and a stir of excitement started to grow in my belly.
 
Today, I hold my book in my hands with great joy, and I love to inspire others with it. I have proven that I am capable of anything I put my mind to. What will I think of next? A plan to take over the world?
 
You are also capable of anything, but you must first believe it is possible. Once you know that you can, you can! That is the secret.
 
So, flip a switch in your mind today and start getting more of everything out of your life. Namaste!

 

Be Prepared for Monday.

What causes stress? Anxieties about time management. How will you get it all done? Alleviate stress and be more prepared, calm and excited about your week by doing a few simple things each day. Here are some simple tips to help you get more efficient, and feel more prepared, quick.

  • If you have not done so already, you need to keep an agenda or binder that accurately shows your time. I was taught by one of my coaches to use an agenda with one day on each page, and to use my own hand to write in it (versus typing everything into a computer). Writing with your own hand is very powerful. You can print daily calendar sheets from Outlook and keep them in a binder if you are anxious to get started right now.
  • Write down everything that you need to do each day in the appropriate time slots, and then include the stuff you want to do (there is a difference). Need: get groceries. Want: go to yoga class. Although I could see myself arguing for need on the yoga class…
  • Use the notes section to write down all of the projects that you are working on, or tasks that need completing. Things like “book dentist appt” or “finish writing article for yoga journal” or “look up easy easter crafts to keep my kids busy, and me sane, while they are on Easter break”.
  • Cross off tasks as you complete them, or put check marks beside them. Do what feels right for you. If you do not complete a task on the day you had it written on, just keep moving it forward to future days. Eventually you will do it. When things come up suddenly, you will need to assess how to prioritize it based on everything else you have going on. Only make changes to your existing schedule if what comes up is an absolute emergency, or is something of extreme importance to you. You may be able to tackle it the next day, so do your best to stay focused on your original plan. But be sure to write everything down as it comes up so you never forget a thing.
  • Look at your week and see where the tasks you need to complete might best fit in. If you drop your kids off right by a registry office, perhaps you can squeeze in your vehicle registration renewal when you drop them off, then get groceries, pick up your mail, and get the coffee that you earned. Work smart, not hard. There is always time to do what you need to do, but you need to plan for it.
  •  Every day, at the end of the day, review your day, and then look at the next day. Create a plan in your mind of what you would like to get done based on the time you have, and then write that down. Seeing your next day all laid out for you can really ease the anxieties of a busy lifestyle. It is easy to feel overwhelmed with everything you need to do, but when you see it all written down, you will know that it is achievable.
  • On Sundays, review your week, and plan everything accordingly. You will sleep much better on Sunday night knowing that you have a plan that is scheduled to suit your needs.

Allow for some flexibility in your schedule, but if you want to take on the world, you have got to be accountable to yourself and your schedule. Plan it, then do it! You have full control over your time, and your stress.

Happy Monday!

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.

Rock Inspired Inspiration

You never know when inspiration is going to hit you.  The other day on my drive home from Edmonton, I was inspired by a Trooper song.  These were the lyrics that spoke to me…

“If you don’t like what you got, why don’t you change it?
If your world is all screwed up , rearrange it”

While this particular inspiration proves that I am a rocker at heart,  you don’t have to be a rocker, or even like rock music, to see the inspiration in it.

If you are not happy with the results you are seeing in your life, you need to know that you have the power to change it.  Grab onto that feeling of control, and make a change in your life, even if it is a small one.

I also like the reference to rearranging things in your life.  I love to organize! Rearranging a room in your home can have a tremendous impact on your life.  So make a concrete change to something in your home that has been bugging you.  Doing this will not only change how you feel about your surroundings;  it will also change how you feel inside.

Have an incredible Monday!

Sit Back, Relax, and…

Take Action! Yes, you can relax and you can enjoy your life.  But you also need to be taking action in your life.  Maximize your time and results by taking the right actions.  Make sure you know where you want to go, and then just start taking little steps everyday towards getting you there.  If you make time and focus on your dreams and your passions consistently, you will achieve your dreams.

Focusing on your dreams must include:

  • visualization of, and meditation on your dreams
  • writing down your dreams and passions, without restriction
  • writing down steps to take to achieve your goals
  • creating time in your day to consistently work on your dreams

Find 20 minutes today, and everyday, to give your dreams some time.  You’re worth it.  Namaste.

 

Roatan Recycling Update.

When I was in Roatan a year ago, there were no recycling facilities that I could see.  The people living here even told me that there was no where to recycle cans and bottles.  If you’ve read my book, I talk about how cans are simply burned or just thrown into the ocean here! My husband and I did discover by asking around that the stores would take the bottles and cans and return them, so we started dropping them off there.  One year later, I am so pleased to report that there are now bottle and can containers located all over the island.    Woo Hoo! What a difference a year can make.  Someone here was thinking, and wanted to help make a change for this island, and for the world. A small thought followed by a small action by one person created a huge change in how things are handled on this island.

You may think that the little things you do don’t add up to much.  But, if the little things you do stimulate others to change their thinking, and then they start doing little things also, eventually we can all change the world just by doing something small.  And that is the way to make change, and save the planet that has been so good to us.  Small actions and small changes in thinking create huge results.  So get out there and do something small today!  Namaste.

Living differently.

Being on vacation in Roatan is amazing… and different. We are staying in a house, not a resort, so we are pretending that we live here. We are buying our own groceries and cooking all of our own food. Others have told me that this is a lot different than it is in North America, but I really did not believe them. Until now. The first noticeable difference is at the till and on the shelf. A bottle of wine costs 173 Lempira’s, which equals about 9 US dollars. And when your grocery bill totals 2000 it can seem a bit scary! (That’s about 100 US Dollars).

Everything that is not grown on the island has to be imported, so almost everything costs more here than it would at home. Due to the heat and humidity here, maintaining the freshness of food even in the grocery stores is an issue. The meat in the grocery stores looks very different than what we are used to, and I still cannot bring myself to buy it. You have to look carefully at expiry dates, and a lot of times the stuff you want to buy (like milk) may not be in stock when you choose to shop. Yesterday for breakfast, I was fully prepared to make pancakes with a yummy pancake mix that was in the cupboard. We had a bunch of bananas that had just been cut off a tree and I had mushed them up to add to the mix. When I opened the bag of pancake mix and looked inside to measure out a cup, the mix was crawling with tiny little bugs. I promptly threw the whole bag in the garbage and moved on something else. These little bugs are common place here, and I suppose one either gets used to them or you don’t eat certain foods. Today, I cooked up some Macaroni Noodles for lunch. When I opened the box and saw movement, I thought “oh, well. At least they are going into the boiling water.”. I dumped the noodles in, rinsed them well once they were done cooking, and we all ate our yummy lunch. A girl has gotta do what a girl’s gotta do for herself and her family. Rest assured that I may be sticking to more fruits and vegetables while we are here from now on, and I will be asking others who live here how to compensate for the interesting foods here.

For now, I have some counters to wipe off so the sugar ants don’t come. I am officially playing “Survivor Roatan” and I feel like I’m going to win!

Make Things Happen!

The other day I was excitedly showing my book off to a lady at school. Her response was “Wow! I can’t believe this is happening to you!”

My reply was, “Oh, well I am making it happen!”

Things will not just randomly happen to you. You have got to take action and make things happen in your life! And the more action you take, the faster things can happen for you.

Just last February, I thought to myself “I am going to write a book!” And I did it! And it is now available in bookstores! That is so cool!

You can do anything if you put your mind to it, take action, and grab opportunities as they are presented to you. Go do it now! 🙂

Control what you think about.

Your mind is a powerful thing.  It will help you achieve, and get, the things you think about.  So you have got to think smart, think big, and think positive!

Do not focus on what you don’t have.  For example, you may be thinking “I do not have enough money!” or “I do not have enough time”.  Turn that thinking into “I am going to make more money!” and “I am going to make more time for me!”.

Also, do not complain to others about what you do not have.  Instead of “We are so tight on money right now, I just don’t know what to do!”, or “I just don’t have any time right now, I am so busy!”, try saying things out loud more like “I am going to really increase my cashflow this year!” and “I’ve been feeling really busy, but I have a plan to get everything I need in place to free up my time.”

Your mind hears everything that you say to yourself and to others, and it believes everything! At the subconscious level, you are creating your thoughts in your life.  Your mind will actively search out opportunities to create your thoughts, even when your thoughts are negative! So, create some positive thinking power!

And be careful what you wish for…or don’t be careful! Change your thinking and you can change your life.  Do not think about what you don’t want.  And don’t give control of your life away to others.  You are the driver.  So put your driving gloves on, and start thinking about your ideal life.    Start your engine and drive yourself to success! Namaste!

My 100th Blog Post!

Success Law: Celebrate the Small Victories

Celebrate the little things in life as they come along. All the little victories add up to create the Big Goal that you are working towards, so get excited about the small stuff. Today, I am celebrating my 100th Blog Post on the Be That Girl website. Wow! How time flies when you are having fun. Today will also go down as the day that I finished my premiere book, Be That Girl! It will be available for sale on January 23, 2012.

How exciting to see a plan come together. Last March, I thought about writing Be That Girl. I registered my website domain, and learned to create my own website. I started writing down ideas in my notebook, and then I started typing. Any free time I had, I allocated to writing Be That Girl. I wrote on airplanes, in airports, in the car (while Ryan was driving),in coffee shops and pubs, and at home. I partnered with an incredible editor and a great manager, and then decided on a release date for the book.

Having a deadline on this project made it easy to plan when everything needed to be completed. I just looked at the deadline and worked backwards to create smaller deadlines for all of the pieces that would need to be completed in order to meet the deadline. I had a plan, and I worked the plan. And I am going to continue working it!

Go team Be That Girl! I am proud and excited, and I cannot wait to hold the completed book in my hands.

Always stay focused on the goal. Keep it clear in your mind. The more clearly you can see the goal in your head, the easier it will be to create it today. Do not get distracted. Stay focused. Put in the effort. And voila…you can do anything.

Have an incredible Saturday. Namaste.