Forget for a moment the Valentine’s Day gifts of flowers, candy, and cards. Forget for a moment the special TV programming with glitter and hearts showering us all with hook-ups between our favorite characters. Forget for a moment the pressure to have a special someone take you to a lavish dinner. Whether you have a special valentine this year or not, there is one person who is way into you. Someone who you’re probably ignoring. YOU!
I challenge you to start taking better care of yourself. It’s a challenge that few master. I certainly haven’t. But for those of us who struggle with being pulled in too many directions at once, it is that much more critical to our well-being to do this.
Despite what our guts tells us in challenging moments, putting ourselves last every time will take its toll. Life may be pelting lemons at you faster than you can make lemonade, but you can still put on a helmet for goodness sake! A small investment can go a long way.
Insulate yourself by taking mental vacations. Temporarily immerse yourself in a task that you like. And schedule time in your calendar to persue something you’ve always wanted to do. Take more breaks. Drink more water. Eat! You may not have noticed, but it’s a lot easier to get cranky on an empty stomach. For many of us, stress builds up as energy in our bodies. Take a long walk to let it out. It has to go somewhere. You don’t have to bottle it up. Have a difficult task to complete? Decide on a reward beforehand. That way, you have something to look forward to.
The little things add up. You may not think you can spare the time. But why torture yourself? Running on an empty tank for too long will show up in your life. If you don’t think investing in yourself is important, then why would anyone else?
So spread the love, but don’t forget a very important person who deserves it just as much…you.
Tags: Emotion/Mind
I was thinking today about values. Not sure why. It just struck me to question the difference between what I believe my values to be versus what my thoughts and actions each day show that they are. And the disconnect that can persist in everything that we do, dragging down our moods and removing us from even the possibility of success. So how can they be so different?
It’s easy to think of values I would explain to other people. I might say that a core value of mine is a dedication to healthfulness. In my mind, for this to be true, I must be knowledgeable about my medical history. I must keep up with my vital statistics. I’ll make good dietary decisions at each meal. And other qualities. But is this really what I subscribe to?
It’s much more difficult to tease out the things we say to ourselves in the dark. The habits we may or may not feel guilty about but that reveal our true priorities. The truth with a capital “T” is that I fall short in all the above areas. My thoughts are filled with my favorite Wendy’s french fries that I eat more often than I should at lunch. I give myself permission to eat “bad” things because I’m stressed and deserve a treat. I haven’t done a thorough audit of my medical history and that of my family. And so on.
Honestly, much like the other ideas I put forward on this site, I still struggle with bringing my thoughts and actions in line with my values. Everyday life is a never-ending exercise in embracing my authentic self.
But I guess the point of this post is to share my struggle with this and invite you to challenge your own ideas of what your values are. To what degree do your core values, the things about yourself that you take the most pride in, take a back seat to everyday life? To what degree do you put happiness and balance last? And then, what steps can you take to truly bring your life in line with what is truly important, making it your Truth?
I, for one, am putting having a conversation with my parents about my medical history on my calendar. I’m going to also make an appointment with a nutritionist to make sure the new habits I work on forming are the right ones for my body. And I’m going to make a grocery list after that visit to start incorporating some of those foods. I’ll take it one step at a time and find comfort in knowing that my Truth is within reach and moving in the right direction is indeed virtuous enough. May your journey to your authentic self be a fulfilling one.
Tags: Emotion/Mind, Finances, Physique, Spirituality
How often do you go to bed at night wishing you could start the day over and get more done? The solution to this is a common one: time management. But unfortunately, we denigrate this concept. It’s the unwanted step-sister, forced to stay at home. Scrub those floors Cinderella! But the ground that lies beneath your feet can actually teach you a new perspective, allowing you to decrease your stress and still go to the ball!
In real estate, there is a concept referred to as the ”highest and best use.” In a nutshell, the highest and best use is the reasonably probable use that produces the highest property value.
In this concept, the current use of a piece of land, may not be the most profitable. And therefore, it makes more sense to re-purpose the property and achieve the highest value.
For example, a real estate investor might buy an unusually large piece of land, tear down the house that sits on it, divide the land into two properties, and build a new house on each one. Then, he can sell two houses instead of one! Or, if he gets the zoning changed from residential to commercial, he could get a store to generate even more cash.
This concept can certainly be applied to time. Most of us give up many opportunities each day in making better use of our time and bringing our goals to us faster. For example, you could stand in line at the bank steaming because it’s taking so long. Or while you’re on your way to completing the day’s banking, you could see the extra time as a gift and decide on an action for a problem you’re having in your business or at work. Or you could decide what is for dinner and save time later because you’re not wandering around your kitchen lost and confused.
Now you’ve prevented lower uses of your time later by taking full advantage of the time you have now!
I’ve elevated the concept of highest and best use of time to a Wealthy Appetite fundamental because it’s pivotal to maintaining our sanity in this fast-paced, high stakes, pressure cooker called life. And time strain and drain is a major stressor.
So the next time you’re wishing there were 25 hours in a day or feeling overwhelmed by the busy day ahead of you, take a step back and do some creative time management. Think high impact. How can you combine tasks? What is the ONE THING that if you get it done today will help you sleep tonight? Stop trying to pack too much in. Trust in the end result. Cinderella will thank you!
Tags: Emotion/Mind, Finances, Physique, Spirituality
How do you feel when you get up in the morning? Imagine bounding out of bed with a smile, grateful for the new day and ready to take on the world! For too many, this idea is laughable. It doesn’t need to be. Do these simple exercises, and you’ll be on your way to finding your passion!
Exercise 1: Ask people you trust what they think you’re good at. Tell them that you want their input on what they think fits you if you were to choose a new line of work.
You might be surprised at the answers people give! And if more than one person says the same thing, you might want to brainstorm ways of making money around that idea.
Don’t be scared off by suggestions that you’ve discarded in the past. They could just need tweaking.
For example, if you’ve been told that you’d be a great teacher, but the thought of standing in front of a classroom and dealing with behavior problems makes you ill, consider different avenues. Would you prefer being an author? A public speaker, paid to talk about a topic that you’re passionate about? What about consulting? Is one-on-one interaction more your style?
Take the strengths you already have and combine them in new ways. Have fun with it!
Exercise 2: Brainstorm what feeds your soul. Don’t edit in your brain. Just let it spill out on a piece of paper, even if it sounds silly.
If you have trouble getting started, try one of these:
When I was 15, I liked to…
My ideal day would start…
The key here is to be specific. Don’t just write, “I want to work from home on my computer and have the freedom to go traveling.” That’s not enough. What are you doing at home? Where are you going and why? Who is your ideal customer or client?
If by the end of the exercise, you’re smiling, then you’re on the right track!
Exercise 3: Did you hear something on TV or from friends that peaked your interest? Use this as an opportunity to learn more about it.
Find someone in that profession, perhaps someone you know. Offer to take the person out to lunch for an opportunity to pick her/his brain. Alumni associations and non-profit groups often offer opportunities to network with or look up people in various disciplines.
Here are some questions to ask the person you find:
- What does an average day look like for you?
- How would I get started? What education do I need?
- What do you like most about your line of work? Like least?
- Do you make enough to support your lifestyle, or do you have other streams of income?
- What do you wish you would have known before you started?
Don’t forget to get business cards from these people! They could become mentors that you contact occasionally for advice. At the very least, you can make the person part of your network.
Exercise 4: Another way to explore your passion is to find a free or low-priced seminar in your town.
Check out county-sponsored workshops. Or search the internet for a non-profit group connected with the topic and contact it for information on local events. Even if you don’t find your next opportunity, you might happen upon a fulfilling hobby.
But if you can see yourself becoming an information junkie when it comes to a particular endeavor, you’ve struck gold!
Now you can brainstorm ways you’d enjoy making money doing this. And perhaps take more courses to become well-versed in the topic.
Caution: Be careful not to get sucked into buying high-priced products at sales or product pitches posing as workshops. Be extremely critical. And only buy something after you’ve investigated it thoroughly, and you’re positive it’s within your means. Going deeper into debt for the sake of exploring won’t get you to happiness. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
In the end, your job shouldn’t be something that just pays the bills. It should be a calling. Something that fills you up instead of leaving you braindead at the end of the day.
Subscribe to this free blog and gain access to a future post that will give you ideas on where to go next. And discover the best way to earn money while doing what you love!
Tags: Finances
Purpose: The purpose of this experiment is to powerfully attract wealth, health, and peace into my life with less effort and better than expected results. Method: Accomplishing this by infusing the concepts of a self-help system modernized from the ancient, Hawaiian methodology of Ho’oponopono. Results: While results are preliminary, they are promising. And the guarantee of easy, quick results was certainly fulfilled.
Imagine a hospital holding patients diagnosed as criminally insane. Where there are constant attacks on staff from patients, violence between heavily-medicated patients, a long list of psychiatrists who have come and gone, high levels of staff burnout, and no one is getting any better.
But then one man is hired by the hospital and, without counseling any patients, essentially cures almost the entire ward by studying patient charts and looking within himself. By taking total responsibility for the heinous acts committed by the patients and healing himself, and consequently them, from afar. Causing the ward to be shut down because the patients were released, having found new purpose and been cured of their ailments.
Sounds like urban legend? Perhaps not.
Dr. Joe Vitale, internet marketer extraordinaire and inspirator, made it his mission to uncover the truth. And he found that not only does the man indeed exist, but all of the evidence he uncovered, including accounts from former staff of the now-closed hospital seem entirely true!
The Secret System
I was introduced to Dr. Ihaleakala Hew Len in the book Zero Limits: The Secret Hawaiian System for Wealth,
Health, Peace, and More
This practice is based on the principles of total responsibility. But this is not just the basic take-responsibility-for-your-actions diatribe touted during our childhoods. With this system, we must take responsibility for EVERYTHING. Our aches and pains. Other people’s aches and pains. The war. Pollution of the earth. Failing schools. Any ailment in the world I can think of, I must take full responsibility for.
Next, through simple rituals of cleansing and healing myself, I am cleansing and healing the world of the same problems. Because if I can recognize it, that means it exists in me, and it is now my responsibility to cleanse it from my memory to allow Divine inspiration to flow through my life.
I repeat aloud or in my head:
I love you.
I am sorry.
Please forgive me.
Thank you.
But the point is not to say these things to any person in particular. It is to say them to the Divine. Whatever the Divine is for you. The universe. God. Or even just the forces you acknowledge to be working in your life but don’t understand. This practice transcends religion. It is the act of constantly cleaning, to free harmful energy from our lives and thus, the lives of others.
It’s working! I’m already feeling the effects!
- I have achieved a level of relaxation and peace that I don’t think I’ve ever experienced before.
- I have become aware of the negative energy I put out into the world without realizing it and am redirecting my thinking.
- When faced with a frustrating or upsetting situation, I’ve just chanted “I love you, I love you” in my mind and immediately felt better.
- By just radiating love, I’ve noticed people around me change for the better.
- I’m able to let go of some possessions and clear the clutter in my space without remorse because I realize now that it’s just blocked energy. I’m clearing the clutter in my life to allow something better to come in.
- I find myself more grateful, open, and relaxed.All because I’m saying I love you. I’m sorry. Please forgive me. And thank you!
This is certainly an ongoing experiment. Could the good feelings and experiences that have happened after starting these rituals be coincidences? Certainly. But if the very best I’ll ever get from reading Zero Limits: The Secret Hawaiian System for Wealth, Health, Peace, and More
Thank you to my husband who brought this message into my life. I love you.
Tags: Emotion/Mind, Spirituality
