Overthinking Will Cause You to Think It Over

When was the last time you did something without actually spending a second to contemplate if it's the right thing to do? If you find it quite hard to make a decision even in the simplest things like deciding what to eat for breakfast, you may be a victim of what we call "overthinking".

A typical rational human being has a gift of reason which allows him to know the difference between good or bad. Sometimes, "reason" obliges us to think too much which causes us to be anxious in every decision we make. Finding hidden meaning in mere situations that does not require your investigative prowess worries your mind that you tend to become conscious in everything you do, constraining you from doing what you want. Overthinkers weigh each single option before they can make a move. They tend to ignore the bigger picture which causes them to panic under pressure even when they already know that they are good at it.

Growing up, we are filled with so much learning that we acquire so much knowledge which is good - to a certain extent.

When you are not in the mood, you have the tendency to be anxious and get depressed. This will eventually trigger your mind to outpour thoughts. Sometimes, these thoughts are not even connected to the main reason why you are having a bad mood. When you start thinking too much, your normal functions are affected.

Stop seeing what is beyond the surface if there is no need to. Before you dig deeper, you must have a clear view of what is in front of you. If you continue to give weight to those that are unnecessary, you will fail to see the truth of everything.

When you start thinking about something in an endless cycle, ask yourself: 

Will this still matter in the long run?

Asking yourself this simple question every time you overthink can snap you out immediately. You will then be able to focus your time on something that really matters. Learn to set a time-limit for every decision you make so that you can immediately act on it. Be better in making decisions by setting "deadlines" in your life in order to prevent you from procrastinating and encourage you to not take things for granted.

Most of us wish we could control everything that is happening. If this was only possible, we could've avoided making a mistake and things would've been perfect. But failures are a part of life and this is the only time where we can learn a lesson and become a better person. Everyone who is successful made mistakes before they reach their status quo.

Stop thinking over and over and over... it will just be an endless cycle and none of it matters! You can't control everything. Accept the fact there are just things that are beyond what you can handle.

There is no need to dwell on things that don't matter. Focus on what's important like making those people close to you smile. 

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You Were Not Born to Be Ordinary, So Stand Out and Be EXTRAORDINARY!

Why do we spend so much time and energy out of our precious lives trying to fit the mold that other people try to put us in? We spend so much time trying to fit in when we were born to stand out. It is important to remain yourself and who you were born to be. The world would be so boring and uninteresting if we were all the same type of person doing the same type of thing. That would also hinder our purpose and creativity.

Living a happier and more fulfilled life for me began when I began to "break the rules," and what I mean by "break the rules" is going against the grain of what other people felt like I should be doing, and going with the grain of what I was being divinely led to do. I discovered that I was born to be unique. And by unique I mean creative and phenomenal. Now going against the grain doesn't mean that you never consider the advice of others, but it should be positive advice that is supportive of your uniqueness.

Many times we care too much about what other people are going to think about us, or what other people are going to say about us. So we stay in a "safe place" and never step out to be who we really are. When in reality why does what other people think about us or say about us even matter? Maybe those other people are so critical because they wish they had the courage to step out and allow their uniqueness to shine, but they don't have that courage, so instead they are critical of those who do.

Being true to yourself means that you are in alignment with who you were born to be and what you were called to do. You can create a lot of positive space in your life just by being yourself. And nobody wants to look back 20 years from now and realize that he or she lived their life according to the constraints and guidelines of others. And guess what? Those critical people are not going to have to live with the regret, only you are.

Here is the best way to live your life extraordinary... do what you are being divinely led to do! Even if it makes no sense to others, and it might not make sense to others since it is what you are being divinely led to do and not them. It is often hard for others to identify with things we are inspired to do. And sometimes they don't understand until the results manifest.

You might be surprised at how just going against "what's normal" can contribute to your success. People are drawn to things that are unique and stand out. If you just blend in the same with everyone else in life or in business, how will you stand out and make the impact you were truly born to make?

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FIND YOUR FREEDOM

“The unhappiest people in this world, are those who care the most about what other people think.” ― C. JoyBell C.

“If you don’t go to university you’re a loser!”

These words rang in my ears through high school. No, it wasn’t my supportive parents chirping these words, it was the teachers and principal at my private school in the 90’s.

Constantly hearing these words was like hiding one of the answers in a multiple choice question – it was limiting and made me think my future options were only the ones they were feeding me. I imagine the test would look something like this:

What do you want to do after high school?

a) Go to university (p.s. Great choice, you’re an instant success!)

b) Go to a private college (p.s. Are you sure? You’ll possibly become a loser)

c) Get a job (p.s. Are you ready for your loser tattoo yet?)

d) Explore the world before deciding what you want to do with your life (p.s. If you’re reading this you’re delusional because it isn’t an option on this test. Be warned – traveling, or taking time out, and not studying after school is a formula for dismal failure).

OK, back to reality…

As an obedient girl who disliked conflict, I did the obvious and enrolled in university after graduation. Having no clear idea what I wanted to do or contribute to the world wasn’t a consideration. You see, my high school teachers said that, if I didn’t know what to study at university, I should enroll in an Arts Degree, as that would help me find myself, my true passion.

Yeah right, the plan didn’t work. I lasted 2 weeks, 2 long, soul-destroying weeks.

“I hate this with a passion. How can I get out of it?” is what I used to think every day. Not having the guts to quit, I created my own private prison and was prepared to give up just about anything in return for the exit key.

As fate would have it, the key fell into my lap. At the end of my 2nd week of study, I fell ill with a mysterious, debilitating condition. This was bittersweet; it completely removed me from my work and social life, but it also gave me a viable reason to leave university without being labeled a ‘loser’ for quitting.

I unenrolled as quick as I possibly could.

I felt so free. Despite having no money coming in and being unable to visit friends, my sense of relief and freedom was immense. I wallowed in this state, trying to find a pill to fix my body, for more than a year.

After visiting countless doctors and natural therapists, I was beginning to feel better. Still slow and with a strong memory of hating uni, I allowed myself to realize that I had developed a strong interest in natural medicine. Tentatively, I explored my options and eventually enrolled in a private college to study naturopathy.

Remember, according to my school teachers this meant that I could never be highly successful in life, only mediocre at best.

Whatever.

I didn’t care. I’d had enough of listening to the opinions of teachers, principals and other so-called successful authority figures. My future was my business and I decided it was time to re-enter the world and focus on something that genuinely interested me.

It took me 5 ½ years to finish my naturopathic course. Most people do it in 3 or 4, but my health slowed the process significantly.

You know, I was actually pleased it took so long because it gave me time to discover what was genuinely important to me. Becoming a health practitioner is a big responsibility and I felt that taking the extra time was important (I was only in my early 20’s).

Fast-forward 10 years and I was loving my career. Educating others and helping them take responsibility for their health fed me on a deep level.

But then, an old feeling returned…

I realized I was unhappy. My old mantra of “I hate this. How can I get out of it?” was back. I guess it was listening to sad stories of struggle day in, day out that got me down.

Despite my proven ability to treat clients, I had developed intense anxiety that mainly reared its ugly head just before my appointments. I’d even try to barter with my colleague, asking her to see my clients in exchange for me doing some of her duties.

After 12 months of anxiety and bartering, I knew I had to make a change; but, I was still resisting making the final leap, just like I did with university.

What happened next?

Fate stepped in (again) and gave me my out. One night, I fractured my heel and tore ligaments from my toe through to my ankle. It was pretty bad and the pain was intense.

However… this was my exit key.

I happily called work for the next week telling them I couldn’t walk and was unable to come in. At this stage, I was so content not going to work that I hadn’t even considered going to the doctor to see what was wrong, nor had I got crutches to help me move.

Yes, I was hopping on 1 leg around my house (up and down stairs) for a week before I decided to do any investigations.

After I got the results, I milked it with work for another week. During this time away, I realized how plausible it was to leave – to quit the career I had worked so hard to create. I realized the feeling of leaving, with no job to go to and an impaired ability to walk, was far more enticing than the prospect of earning a steady income and dreading seeing clients.

The day I quit that job – and career – was just as freeing as unenrolling from university. Oh, it felt sooooooooo good!

But, reality set in just a few days later.

Having no income, no job prospects and little ability to walk had left me with no option but to make a change. After 9 months, my foot totally recovered and I was ready to make my move.

So, where am I now?

Much to the dismay of my high school teachers, I have a highly successful career that requires no university degree. It’s a creative job that demands passion, innovation and an ability to think on the run.

My husband and I run a film production house and we’re happier – and healthier – than ever before. Around the same time, we both made the decision to change our careers (he was a factory worker), and now, after years of learning, training and on the job experience, we run a successful business and work with organizations around the world.

This truly is what freedom feels like.

So, what have I learned?

Well, it’s obvious to me that life can be amazing even if you don’t have a university qualification. What’s most important is that you listen to the little voice inside that’s telling you on a daily basis if you’re moving towards, or from, something that makes you happy. If you use this as your barometer for success, not the words of you high school teachers, you’re on the path to true health, happiness, and satisfaction.

What’s your little voice saying?

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No Excuses

Don't you just hate it when people make excuses for their failures? So do I. But do you know what I hate even more? Finding myself making excuses for my failures! I have a policy that I try to live by: No excuses.

Here are some thoughts on a "No Excuses" policy.

People will respect you. When you say that there are no excuses, that you blew it, and that you take full responsibility to make the situation right, people will be astounded (since very few people make no excuses) and they will come to a greater respect of you.

You will find yourself taking greater responsibility. When you know that your policy is to have no excuses, there will be less room for error because you will be doing everything that you can to make sure the job gets done!

You will become the "go to" person. When someone wants something done, they will turn to you because they know that they can count on you to perform. And they know they won't get any excuses! This will improve your level of success, and that is exactly what you are aiming for, right?

Practice up: "You're right. There is no excuse for that. I will fix it immediately." Refreshing!

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3 Quick Questions for a Simpler and Happier 2017

“New Year’s eve is like every other night; there is no pause in the march of the universe, no breathless moment of silence among created things that the passage of another twelve months may be noted; and yet no man has quite the same thoughts this evening that come with the coming of darkness on other nights”
Hamilton Wright Mabie

This year is coming to an end. Just a couple more days to go.

But before we step through that doorway I’d like to quickly share one last article with 3 of my favorite questions of all time that can help you shape 2017 into 365 days that will be simpler, happier and self-kinder.

Stay safe, enjoy your New Year’s celebration and see you next year!

1. Is this useful?

It’s very easy to spend a lot of time on things that do not really matter much. To spend hours, days or even weeks on being angry at someone, replaying a mistake or failure in one’s mind or to dwell on something negative and feeling more and more like a victim.

So I try to ask myself this question as often as I can to question and confront my own thoughts. To catch myself and to wake myself up when I get stuck in negative thought loops going round and round.

By doing so I:
Suffer less.
Waste less time on going round in circles.
Spend more of my time on finding a practical solution.

2. What is one very small step I can take right now to get the ball rolling?
This is my favorite question for when I want to get started with something or if I want to get going again with something that have fallen to the side for some reason.

Because it makes things easier. Makes them feel lighter.

This question prevents me from trying to escape into procrastination and helps me to avoid the side-effects of that such as sinking self-esteem and simply a lot of time being wasted on trying to hide.

3. Will this matter in 5 years? Or even 5 weeks?

This one helps me to simplify.

To let go.

To not make a mountain out of a molehill.

To find the healthier and happier perspective.

To not lose my focus and energy to crippling worries.

To find a lightness in life where I do not have to carry around 5 tons of unnecessary mental baggage.

It is a truly wonderful question.

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7 Keys to Unlock Your Potential - Now!

The difference between who you currently are and who you want to be in life comes down, at least initially, to your mindset in life.

Initially, this mindset is what kick starts you in the morning and all during the day.

You eventually become what you think you are!

The internal conversations that you are continuously having with yourself every moment of every day will become the driving force on who you actually end up becoming in life.

It is the driving factor behind every success and failure in life.

Below are 7 magical mystical keys that will help unlock your potential and guide you on the path to where you want to be.

1. Goal Setting

Don't settle for anything less than the best outcome here. Set your goals HIGH and don't stop until you reach them. Knowing what the final outcome is will motivate you and also allow you to track how far you've come.

2. Self Trust.

Being successful, no matter how you define success, is having the belief in yourself and your capabilities. Success is created by YOU. Expel the negative thoughts and voices regardless of the current situation. You alone can determine your worth and value. Believe, believe and Believe!

3. Patience

Sometimes moving forwards on something actually takes patience. This should not be taken as being the same as standing still. Standing still and procrastination will not get you any further along the road than where you currently stand.

4. Focus.

This is one of the hard ones. It's actually very easy to be focused when you first begin something new. Keeping that razor sharp focus takes discipline.

Discipline and focus are the middle layers to get you from where you currently stand to where you want to be.

5. Courage!

Another tough one. Fear has a nasty habit of showing its ugly face when you least expect it. Remember though, courage is not the absence of fear but rather acknowledgement of that fear and moving on regardless.

6. Positive!

I've written quite a few articles in the past regarding a positive mental outlook on life.

Set your mind to positive and expel the negativity from your life.

Remember the reasons that you want to do this and ensure that you keep these in mind. Print out a mood board, goal board or whatever other inspiration you require and look at it as many times as possible.

That's your goal - YOUR LIFE.

7. Learn and Adjust.

Not everything in your life will go as planned. Don't treat failure as anything other than another learning curve. Don't make that same mistake again and you will grow.

I hope these 7 points have at least a small impact on your life - in truth, I hope that they help you achieve everything that you actually want out of life.

It's YOUR life - LIVE IT!

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5 Ways To Overcome Fear and Improve Confidence

Overcoming fear is one of the greatest challenges that you will face as you learn how to improve your self-esteem and self-confidence.

Imagine that you lived in the 17th century when there were no airplanes and parachutes. Imagine that you lived happily with your family at the top of the mountain until you ran out of food and water. You can see all the water and the food that you need to help your family survive from the top of the mountain. However, to reach the water and food you need to overcome your fear and jump from the mountain top to the ground. You know that when you jump you will dive into the river beneath the mountain and not suffer physical injury. You also know that it will change your life to jump because you will be able to gather all the food and water that your family needs, but you need to overcome the fear and doubt that is holding you back. You also need to overcome questions triggered by fear on your mind and make you anxious, "what if I hit the rock", "What if I find no way to climb back up", "What if... "

Our lives are not too different from this story. We sometimes face difficulties and challenges such as being unhappy at work, being unhappy with our bodies because we picked up weight, toxic relationships and criticism. This results in us being unfulfilled. From this we also experience a low self-esteem and a lack of confidence -: sometimes we know that if we could just take a leap of faith and jump to change our lives our lives could improve, but we remain scared of jumping. Fear and anxiety holds us back. Doubt cripples our attempts.

Overcoming fear is one of the most important skills that you need to learn in your life in order to get unstuck and take your life forward. Fear affects decision making and a lack of decision making power causes poor results. Sometimes because of fear and doubt you might not take the action that you need to change your life.

Fear can manifest itself in many ways, it can cause you to be afraid of something as practical as snakes or heights. However sometimes fear can also affect you in serious life decisions and stop you from taking action to succeed - whether this is starting a new business or quitting a terrible job that does not help you become fulfilled. Here are 5 ways that you can use to overcome fear in your life and unstuck yourself.

1. Realize that fear is not something to be eliminated but something that needs to be managed

Often when we experience fear we focus more on trying to eliminate it than trying to manage it. People that succeed face the same fears as we face but they act despite their fears. Their process, unlike some of us, does not focus on eliminating the fear but focuses on managing the fear.

So aim to act despite the fear. I cannot tell you how many times in my life I have been afraid to speak in public however I acted despite the fear to a point where now I have mastered not how to be unafraid to speak in public but to act despite the anxiety and fear that I feel. Try doing the same in your life-: feel the fear and act despite it.

2. Realize that fear can be both rational and irrational

As people we have an internal conversation also known as self-talk. The little voice inside our head sometimes gives us messages that causes us to have doubt... then we begin to question ourselves - "maybe I shouldn't", "maybe it is not the right time right now", "what if this and what if that"... instead of acting we then leave the status quo and do nothing. Our lives don't change, we remain unhappy for years. Only to look back into our lives many years after and have regrets.

So improve your level of awareness regarding self-talk. The minute your internal voice tells you to doubt... stop and question yourself. Here are few questions to really ask yourself and overcome irrational fear, what am I really afraid of? What is the worst thing that can happen? Am I realistic or is fear ruling me?

3. Define your fear

Don't let fear get irrational define what it is that you are afraid off. If you were to quit your job, what would you afraid of, is it the fact that you won't find another job? Or is it just the imaginative discomfort of finding a new job. What about a new business, why would you afraid to start? So what if you fail and get broke... maybe you can get back to working. Define the fear. Once you define the fear you are in a better position to take the next step...

4. Make an action plan to manage your fear or just accept it

List your fears and make an action plan to resolve them.

If you want to start a business and you are worried you will lose money then make a plan to absorb the risk. Maybe you can have funds allocated in case you lose money or diversify your investment in some way.

If what you feel is just irrational fear (which might feel very real) as opposed to rational fear then accept the discomfort and act despite the fear. Make a contingency in your planning for the practical things that you are worried about, and accept any emotional discomfort that you might experience so that you are better able to act despite the fear. This will help you improve your self-confidence.

5. Take action and learn more about yourself

Often when we feel fear we make problems much bigger than what they actually are. We also forget that sometimes life decisions are about learning and improving as we might not always get things right the first time. So take action on your endeavours and be willing to have a learning attitude. This will help you overcome fear and improve your self-confidence.

I wish you the best of luck on your success journey.

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The Power of Gratitude: 5 Small Tips for a Lighter and Happier Life Starting Today

“Gratitude is when memory is stored in the heart and not in the mind.”
Lionel Hampton

“Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.”
Marcel Proust

Maybe the simplest and most effortless habit for living a happier life is to take one or a few minutes every day to focus on what is already here and that you can be grateful for in your life.

It can help you to…
Lift your mood and boost motivation very quickly.
Find the things in your life that you want to focus even more of your time and energy on.
Not just take things for granted and to find joy even during the tougher times.

It is simply an awesome habit to cultivate that demands little but gives much back.

So this week I’d like to explore 5 small tips that you can use to cultivate more gratitude and happiness in your life.



1. Pause and look around yourself.

A first simple step to build the gratitude habit is simply to pause in your everyday life and to ask yourself questions like:
What can I be grateful for in my life today?
Who are 3 people that I can be grateful to have in my life and why?

If you cannot come up with several things or people every day then that is OK. If you find one thing or one person then that is great too. Don’t get hung up on the numbers. Just take a few minutes and see what you come up with.

Try to not repeat the same things too often. Instead, try to think of more things and people you can be grateful for in your life.

2. Look towards yourself.

Don’t just look outward.

Take a look at yourself too. A habit of being appreciative and grateful towards yourself is a simple way to improve self-esteem and self-confidence.

Ask yourself:

What are 3 things I can be grateful for about myself?

It could be that you were a good father in a moment of crisis this week. It could be that you finally got done with that task you had been procrastinating on.

Your self-gratitude does not have to be all about achievements at work or in school for example. You can simply be grateful for your good sense of humor or that you help people out a lot by being a good listener from time to time.

3. Take a closer look at the very smaller things or what you may take for granted.
Don’t just focus on the big and obvious things you can be grateful for.

Think about what very small things you can be grateful for too.

Like the plant just in front of my laptop that I am writing these words on.

It is not a remarkable plant. But its simple beauty in the vibrant green color, how it keeps growing on just a little water and sunshine and the faint smell of nature is something simple I feel grateful for.

Another thing that I am grateful for today – that I may sometimes take for granted – was my lunch. It was a few potatoes with some grilled chicken and a dollop of sauce. It was delicious. And, more importantly, I don’t have to go hungry. I am in the very fortunate position of being able to eat lunch every day.

Ask yourself:
What is one very small thing that I can be grateful for today?
What is one thing I may usually for granted that I can be grateful for?

Opening your eyes to the small and daily things you can appreciate lets you truly see more of the simple beauty in life.

4. Do it early or late in your day.

But how do you get the gratitude habit to stick and not just become one of those things you forget about or abandon after a few days.

Two things that I have found effective are:
Take 1 minute in the morning to get a good start to your day by finding 3 small or big things you are grateful for in your life.
Take 1-2 minutes each evening and use a journal to write down maybe 3 or 5 things you are grateful for about your day, about yourself or about your life.

Try one of these tiny time commitments every day for a week and see how it impacts your life.

5. Express your gratitude.
Don’t just keep the gratitude on the inside. Express it.

Make other people happier too – and help them to perhaps pay it forward later on – by expressing how you are grateful for having them in your life. Plus, their smile and the joy in their eyes when you tell them this will make you happier too.

Now, that gratitude could just be a small sentence. But it can have a big impact on someone’s day, week or even life sometimes.

So tell the people in your life.

Tell them in person tonight. Or write an email or a letter to someone a little further away in the world. Or send a small text message right now.

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10 Reasons to Chase Your Passion & Not the Money

We’ve all been in that situation…

We had to decide between whether or not to chase something that makes more money, or something that we are more interested in.

So what do we do?

Answering this question is not easy. It may seem easy because everyone around you is telling you to follow your passion. But in reality, it’s much tougher because some part of you still think you will be happier with the money.

10 Reasons to Chase Your Passion

Today I want to share with you 10 solid reasons, which I learnt from successful people, on why you should chase your passion. Not the money.


1. Becoming really good at what you’re interested in can bring you even more money, even if you think it can’t

Now, I’m not one of those spiritual gurus who will tell you that you can make infinite money from any skill or passion or interest you can think of. If it was that easy everyone would already be doing it.

What I am saying is simply that if you can become really good at what you do you can make a lot of money doing it. If there is market demand for your skill. Of course, some interests are very tough to turn into money.


VERY FEW PEOPLE, IF ANY, WILL PAY TO WATCH YOU SIT ON A COUCH AND WATCH TV.


But one thing I can tell you is that you probably underestimated how many skills can be turned into passions. For example, most people do not think that you can make a decent living let alone a great living off a topic like spirituality.

But when you dive into the subject, you find people like Deepak Chopra and Wayne Dyer who have made a lot of money off that exact topic.

2. Money can act as a crutch you depend on

There are tons of successful wealthy people who depend on money to validate their existence.


Some of them use money to show off to others. Some of them use it to show their superiority. And Some of them buy all these expensive things just because culture has told them that this is what success is.


THE PROBLEM IS THAT DEEP DOWN THEY STILL FEEL UNHAPPY AND UNFULFILLED. I HEAR STORIES ABOUT THIS ALMOST EVERYDAY WHEN I LISTEN TO PODCASTS OF SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEURS.


By first establishing a solid independent foundation where you do not have to depend on money, you can live freely once you have it. Otherwise your possessions end up owning you rather than the other way around.


3. Money can come and go

There are very few things in the world that we can really fully control.

As hinted at in the last point, if you do not have a solid foundation of internal love and independence, you leave yourself open to being dependent on factors of life you cannot control for your happiness.

And when you leave your life up to a couple of factors that can change in a moment’s notice, they sometimes do change.

Sometimes it can seem like you have a rock solid business or career that is generating a lot of money for you. But all the same, one day, you lose that money because that career or business meets unexpected obstacles.

If you can find internal passion, you can still find love and joy and delight at what you do regardless of if you are broke, middle-income, or rich.

4. Money will not bring you as much happiness as you think

In the past, any advice on what brings happiness was purely based on opinion.

And the problem with opinion is that you don’t know if it’s actually fact or not. Nowadays, there has been extensive scientific studies done on the science of happiness. We have definitive evidence on what brings happiness and what does not.


SCIENCE HAS SHOWN THE AMOUNT OF EXTRA LONG-TERM HAPPINESS, AS YOU’RE INCREASING HOW MUCH YOU EARN, RAPIDLY DIMINISHES AFTER YOU HIT A MODEST FIRST WORLD MIDDLE-INCOME.


The craziest part about modern society is that 99% of people still case excessive money. Based on a false belief that it will give them a huge long-lasting boost in happiness. save yourself some time.


5. If you start with money, you can end up miserable

This is a simple but often overlooked fact. Many people chase, and chase, and chase the money until they get a lot of it. But then they look around and they find themselves in a career or business that they cannot get out of and no time to spend that money.

The worst part?

They absolutely hate every single second that they spend working because they found themselves in an industry that they hate.

I don’t know about you, but I do not think success is working 10 to 12 hour days at a job that you hate to make excessive amounts of money that you don’t even have the time to spend or enjoy.

6. By chasing money first, you can end up in a cycle of constant never-ending chasing
Many people who chase money first end up in an addictive cycle of chasing more and more, even once they hit their financial goals. They quickly get used to the money that they achieved and it’s never enough.

The scientific term for this process, taking the money we have for granted, is called the hedonic treadmill.

Now, notice how I said “many.”

Some people are smarter than that. Some people who chase money first quickly realize that money shouldn’t be their main goal. And so they start sculpting their career into one that follows passion as well.

Others eventually learn that this cycle is not the right way and they turn to passion, purpose and fulfilment.


YOU CAN GET A HEAD-START BY STARTING WITH PASSION AND PURPOSE TO BEGIN WITH. I’M NOT SAYING THAT YOU SHOULD NEVER TAKE ANY MONEY.


Money is good. I am simply saying that while you are reaching and moving towards higher and higher goals, you should always have a sense of independent fulfilment, that doesn’t depend on more money for your levels of happiness.


7. Status, Validation and Ego end up being meaningless

Countless successful people strive their entire lives for awards, medals, and achievements.

Some of it is healthy. These are people who want to break the mold, who want to break records that have never been achieved, or even change the entire industry in a way that no one has ever seen before.

But others do what they do for internal validation or unhealthy psychological reasons. Many successful entrepreneurs made all their money simply because they were never validated or proved as a child. This can lead to an unhealthy, unfeeling desire that never ends.

The biggest reason why spending too much time chasing your self validation is that you will die one day. There are plenty of people who have all these awards and accomplishments at their deathbed but they still feel unfulfilled when they die and no one really loves them.

I really like the billionaire Warren Buffett’s philosophy on this topic because he believes that he would rather sacrifice making more money so that the people that he wants to love him actually love him.

He came to this conclusion after seeing a lot of rich people he knew who had all these monuments named after them yet no one that they wanted to love them actually love them. Everyone was simply there at the funeral to see if they can get any money.

8. Money gets old

It’s very tough for someone who never had much money to really understand the idea of money gets old.

But one way of relating, is to think of something that you really used to love or look forward to as a child that you now have and you have gotten used to and taken for granted.

This could be your clothes, the food that you can buy, or just the privileges you have. for me, it is the indoor plumbing and access to ice cream that I did not have as a child frequently that I now have all the time.

In a similar way, a lot of wealthy people have admitted that their expensive toys get old.

Many of them sell businesses that they are passionate about to play on the golf course every day. But after a couple months or years playing at the golf course, they get bored and end up returning to business.

Especially when you are young, having a lot of money and no passion can lead to a lot of boredom. Many people who stumble upon a lot of money end up quickly losing that spark within a couple years.

They should realize that they have losing that spark within a couple years. They should realize that they have Decades of their life ahead of them and not much else to spend their money on decades of your life ahead of them and not much else to spend their money on.


9. With a passion, you have something that is with you no matter where you go

Passion stays with you.

No matter how tough your day is or if you have a lot of money, you always know that your day will mostly be filled with enjoyment because you love what you do.

On the other hand, if you only have money, you don’t know how the rest of your day will turn out. In fact, your day could be completely horrible most of the time because you are at a job that you absolutely hate going to and every moment is driving you insane.


10. A passion is like wine. It gets better with age (unlike money)

Many people get more and more interested in their craft as they progressed and become Masters at their craft. They end up being able to do more interesting sophisticated and pool things as they get older and have more years of practice under their belt.


EVERY YEAR BECOMES MORE AND MORE EXCITING AS THEY CAN TRY OUT NEW THINGS. DO MORE INTRICATE AND COMPLEX THINGS. AND GET GREATER RESULTS BECAUSE THEY’RE BUILDING SKILLS.


Money, on the other hand, gets old. The older you get, the less utility it has for you. Maybe you wanted to travel the world when you were young. But now that you’re old, your body cannot handle travelling. And your eyes are too weak to really experience the sites.

A lot of the cool experiences you wish you had dulled with age. Or they just become less of a priority or less enjoyable.

Warren Buffett calls this saving up sex for old age. You can still have a lot of fun when you are old but it’s also important to realize that many things were meant to be enjoyed young.


Conclusion

Money is important. I’m not saying to give up on making money. I’m actually saying that you should have it all if you want it. If you want to do it right though, you should start with finding out what is your passion and your purpose.


IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE YOUR END-ALL-BE-ALL GRAND ANSWER. JUST START MOVING TOWARDS IT OR TESTING DIFFERENT THINGS OUT.


By starting with your passion and purpose, your happiness will naturally rise and stay there based on science. And you will have a solid foundation to continue living your life and improving it to make more money.

This leave you with a castle built with a solid foundation. Instead of one built on sand pillars that easily crumble.

Unfortunately, most people build their castles on sand by chasing the money first. They ending up quitting a highly profitable job or business, because they cannot take the lack of interest anymore.


Wrapping up

Now, I have a question for you:
What’s the number one reason that really impacted you on this list?

Let me know in the comments below and let me know why it help you so much. your import could really help another reader make the breakthrough that they have been seeking.

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7 Easy Ways to Reduce Stress in Your Life

Stress is a big part of life, unfortunately. Particularly if you’re a dreamer, and some things just haven’t gone the way you wanted them to. However, once you know how to control your stress levels, things become a lot easier for you.

Unfortunately, we all have daily stress, and it can come from many sources. But stress is something you can definitely reduce, by taking a few simple steps.

7 Easy Ways to Reduce Stress in Your Life

Here are 7 things to keep in mind that will reduce your stress level and make it easier to be happier and more productive at whatever you do.


1) Sleep well

Many people underestimate the value of sleep. It is all too easy to stay up late and give up your sleep time. Especially when you are young and feel like you can do anything.

Research shows that sleep deprivation affects your body’s healthy balance, so it is not something you want to cut out. Think of it as mistreating yourself because lack of sleep affects everything you do. If you have trouble sleeping, there are many ways to address the problem.

Talk to your doctor for solutions.


2) Eat Healthy
We all know how it feels to skip meals because we are too busy, or eating too much of the type of foods that are unhealthy.

When you want to improve your diet, there are many choices. Just reducing your sugar intake is one sure method. Avoid sugar sweetened drinks and those with high doses of caffeine is another.

Sticking to a diet rich in protein with large amounts of fruits and vegetables is generally good advice.

3) Simplify
Life can get complicated, especially when you find yourself being very active and not having enough time for yourself.

It’s easy to take on too many projects, to work overtime, or to spend excessive time involved in community or school projects and activities. When you choose to simplify your life, you decide to cut back on stress-inducing activities.

You purposely slow down, and plan quiet time for yourself and your family. Another way to simplify refers to the recent popular trend of cutting back on your material possessions.

Cleaning out closets and organizing your home or workspace is always a good idea.


4) Exercise

Exercise is one of the fastest and easiest ways to de-stress.

Many people go to the gym or take up running. But even doing simpler methods like just riding a bike or spending time in your living room each morning doing cardio moves, or taking regular walks every day are ways to improve your health and reduce your stress level.

Exercise reduces your risk for getting chronic diseases because it improves your immune system. Along with exercising, you should also make sure you drink enough water to stay hydrated.


5) Be creative
Have you ever noticed how people who have serious hobbies are rarely depressed?

This is because doing something creative is a way to channel your energy in a new direction. Find something to do that you are interested in, such as gardening, scrap-booking, putting together a photo project, or woodworking.

Or maybe you are interested in doing a larger home project such as remodeling your garage or building a wine cellar. You will quickly see that it will help you unwind from your work day. Hobbies are fun to do and a great way to spend time away from everything else.
Easy Ways to Reduce Stress in Your Life

Here are 7 things to keep in mind that will reduce your stress level and make it easier to be happier and more productive at whatever you do.


6) Take time to relax

Some people forget to take time out of their regular activities to relax.

But, more and more people are realizing just how valuable relaxation time is. Taking time to relax will make you feel better and give you more energy to to be productive at work.

There are many ways to relax, such as visiting a health spa or taking a yoga class. Many people use meditation to help them relax.

Doing outside activities also help you unwind, so take time to travel and explore new places you have never been before, or get outside somewhere close to home.


7) Schedule Fun

One of the biggest mistakes people make is to overwork.

Life can seem so fast paced, and the demands of excessive job hours can seem overwhelming. This is why it is so important to schedule time for fun activities.

Whether you are single, or have a family, doing something outdoors with friends, or with your partner or children is very important. Live a little better every day. Get out of the house, try something new and have some fun!


Keep these 7 tips in mind when you want to reduce your stress level. Sleep well, eat healthy, simplify, exercise, be creative, relax and have fun.


These ideas will help you to stay balanced and live happier and healthier every day.

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10 Priorities You Should Re-Evaluate to Live a Happier Life

One of my biggest struggles in my day-to-day life is managing my priorities. And by that, I mean I take stuff wayyyy too seriously.

Car bill due? I’m thinking about it all day. Carpet to vacuum? Also on my mental to-do list.

Some people think that keeping these kinds of daily priorities in your mind is an act of mature responsibility. I know I used to.

But, more recently, I’ve been made aware of just how limiting that kind of prioritization can be. Not just to your mental health and your happiness, but it can limit the happiness of important people in your life.

If you spend all your time prioritising your responsibilities, you’re likely ignoring some things that are very important to your life. Like your family, your friends, your “you” time, etc.

The best way to determine if you’ve got your priorities straight is to take some time now and again to re-evaluate them. Below are a few ways that you can start.

#1: Spend as much time as you can doing something you love to do.

Often, we push away our own needs in favour of the needs of our loved ones, such as ageing parents, our spouse or children. While this is a noble practice, we cannot neglect our own bliss in the process. Make it a practice to do something that fuels you as much as you can.

A single mom who works all day and then takes care of her children at night might start to feel depleted. However, if she loves to crochet, this is something she could do for 15 minutes after the kids are in bed. By spending just a little time on herself, she’ll feel a little “fuller” in terms of her own happiness.


#2: Surround yourself with people who want to be happy.

This might sound like a strange request, but it’s important: if you want to be happy, the fastest way is to hang around with people who are happy. In other words, it’s time to distance yourself from emotional vampires. Certainly, you can’t do that 100% of the time, especially if the toxic individuals are your coworkers or relatives, but you can minimise the impact they have on you by minimising your contact with them. Replace them with people who genuinely care about you and want you to lead a fulfilled life.

For example, a man may have an office colleague who enjoys bringing everyone down with his negativity. The man cannot completely cut himself off from this colleague, but he can help bolster himself by starting to form relationships with colleagues who are more positive. Maybe he can even try to use the positive energy he develops to make his negative coworker more positive.


#3: Set some personal goals that will get you closer to where you want to be.

Do you feel as if time is your enemy rather than your friend? Take control of the time you have by setting and accomplishing personal goals. They can be very challenging, such as climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, or quite simple, like saving $100 a month to spend on a beach trip to North Carolina next year. Remember to divide your personal goals into doable “baby steps” and mark off each one you accomplish. If you have setbacks, don’t let them kill your dreams. They’re just tiny bumps in the long road.

Say that a woman age 37 wants to run a marathon before she turns 40. However, she hasn’t run farther than about one mile. Therefore, she starts researching running plans and systematically working her way up to two miles, then three, etc. By the time she’s 39, she’s ready to run a marathon thanks to her methodical planning and small accomplishments!

#4: Stay in the moment whenever you can.

As Ferris Bueller once famously quipped in the 1980s classic Ferris Bueller’s Day Off: “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”

While the Bueller character was fictional, his words ring true in the real world. Live each day by being fully in the moment. Resist the urge to be on “auto pilot” throughout your life, and you’ll find yourself feeling happier.

A college student might feel as if he’s always doing something and can’t slow down; he’s always busy. But then he starts to be more purposeful and deliberate. Just for fun, he tries different paths around his campus to get to his classes and winds up having a blast discovering new ways to do the same things. His life becomes about little discoveries, not about boredom.


#5: Start to forgive yourself and others.

It’s hard to be in a happy place when you’re angry or holding on to guilt, frustration and other negative emotions. While there’s absolutely nothing wrong with being in touch with your feelings, there’s a time and a place to set them free and let them go. If you’re holding grudges, you’re actually hurting yourself more than anyone else.

For example, a woman in her 50s may have been angry with her sister for more than 20 years. The rift has created tension throughout the family. Not a day goes by when the woman doesn’t get furious when thinking about her sister. Through therapy and determination, she starts to let go of the grudge and realises that, while she still doesn’t want to be around her sister, she can stop wasting her time being mad. This enables her to have the freedom to fill her life with positivity.


#6: Get in charge of your health.

Have you allowed your weight or nutritional wellness to get out of control? Happy people are in charge of their health as much as they can be. While this doesn’t mean you have to become a gym rat, you probably can start eating better and enjoying a few exercises. Over time, you’ll feel powerful because you’ll know that you can govern your health.

Say a man in his 40s hears from his doctor that he’s at high risk of having a heart attack due to increased blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Instead of deciding he has no choice in the matter, he immediately begins to evaluate his health. Over a six-month period, he improves his health and lowers his risk factors. He feels strong, fit and happy.


#7: Learn how to delegate.

Your happiness could be as close as asking someone else to help you. Too often, people take on tasks and simply add them to their responsibilities. Eventually, they become slaves to those responsibilities and may start to feel disgruntled. This gets in the way of being satisfied. By delegating some of the tasks to others, the load is lightened and room is made for cheerfulness.

Maybe a mother of three works outside the home but still has the primary responsibility for all the cooking, cleaning and laundry. She feels as if she’s being treated as a maid, and not as a member of the family. Therefore, she begins to delegate some of the tasks she usually does to her spouse and kids. To her surprise, they do a better job in some areas – who knew a teenager could fold laundry so well? – and the household runs more smoothly. Best of all, she feels less “used.”


#8: Look at setbacks as opportunities to grow.

Setbacks in life happen. It’s how we deal with them that sets us apart. If you have something happen that sets you back, use it as a chance to slow down and objectively evaluate what’s going on in your life. Often, it can be a useful sign that something’s amiss and can be altered for the better.

For example, a man in grad school might get a terrible grade on a mid-term paper. He’s discouraged and begins to question his decision to stick with a higher education degree. Before he throws in the towel, though, he starts to look at the reasons he got the bad grade and realises that he didn’t really do the assignment the way it was outlined by the professor. He sees that he wasn’t flawed in the way he wrote the paper, but rather the way he approached the topic. He uses this knowledge to ace future papers in this class, as well as others.


#9: Focus on what’s important to you.

Are you living someone else’s life? You may be if most of your decisions aren’t geared toward what’s really important to you. Take a few days and consider what you hold most dear in life. Are your actions helping you get closer to what’s important? Or are they moving you away? By aligning your actions with what you really want, you’ll find a truer sense of happiness and purpose.

Say a woman has been working at the same company for five years. She realises that there is nowhere for her to go from a promotional standpoint; in fact, she doesn’t feel any passion for the industry. With this realisation, she begins to take steps to get a job in a different field. It takes time, but as she pushes forward, she feels much more in charge of her life. When she lands the right position with the right company, she knows she made a great decision to focus on what was honestly important.


#10: Schedule down time.

There’s a large movement afoot that causes some people to believe that the busier they are, the more important they are. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Not only does being on the go 24/7 wear you down, but it also cuts into your happiness. While it’s impossible to be in a laid-back state all the time, you can start to schedule some “down time” or “me time” to just breathe and do whatever you want.

Perhaps a man who works in a high-stress field is putting in 70-80 hour work weeks. It’s beginning to eat away at him and he doesn’t like how his daily schedule is overtaking his social and personal life. He begins to add hours in his schedule where client work is not allowed, and he can do anything he wants – even nap! Suddenly, he realises he’s more refreshed when he is on the job, and his life feels more in balance.

To be honest, I still think about my bills and responsibilities, but I try every day to prioritise the things that are truly important and put them ahead of paying the electric bill on time. And guess what – I’m still just as responsible as I was before.

The only difference now is that I’m happier, and the people around me are happier too.

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10 Unique Tips To Wake Up Early

Getting yourself to wake up early can be challenging, however, the benefits of waking up early can also be quite rewarding. Studies have shown that the early morning riser is usually more proactive, optimistic, healthier, and happier in their overall life. As an entrepreneur starting early and making the most of your day is extremely important. So stop wasting time, set that clock back, and wake up early!

1. Get Enough Sleep

Easier said than done, I know, but here are some quick tips that will help you achieve that beauty sleep your body needs.

Stop drinking caffeine 4-11 hours before bedtime. The Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine states that caffeine intake 3 hours before sleeping showed a decrease of 5% in the the quality of sleep and a reduced sleep time of 25-30 minutes. Keep in mind, coffee is not the only caffeine stimulate – chocolate, sodas, energy drinks and protein bars are all other sources to be wary of before bed.

Let your body metabolize alcohol before bed. Alcohol is deceiving, it may send you quickly off to a blissful slumber, but the problem with intoxication doesn’t lie in the ability to aid sleep,rather, the quality of sleep that ensues. “The problem is, in a single night, as the alcohol is metabolized during the second half of the night, it creates more fragmented sleep,” says neurologist and sleep expert Jessica Vensel-Rundo, MD. Don’t worry, your nightly glass of wine is still okay, just make sure you give yourself at least an hour before bedtime to metabolize the alcohol.

Go to bed early. If you want to wake up early you need to go to sleep early. Adults need anywhere from 7-9 hours of sleep. Going to bed early can sometimes feel like a punishment, making us feel like we are missing out on hours of me-time or time with our spouses. It’s time to take back our nights and make them count, if we want to wake up early we need a nightly routine!


2. Create A Nightly Routine

Power down, turn off all your electronics 1-2 hours before going to sleep. Yes, I know, this might mean having to wait until tomorrow to finish that episode of The Voice. Even the smallest of light emitted from our electronic devices miscue the brain and promote wakefulness. Along with light emitted from our devices, be wary of any light sneaking around your bedroom. The power buttons on computers, bright alarm clocks, or cable boxes are sources of light you may not realize affect your sleep, you may want to hide these light ninjas with some electrical tape.

Once you’ve powered down, soak in a relaxing warm bath filled with lavender bubbles. Okay, you can skip the bubbles if you want, and even the bath – but taking a warm shower before bed helps relax the muscles, preparing the body for a good night’s rest.

Set out your clothes for the next day. Whether you’re headed to the office or for a run, setting out your clothes can be a great way to save time in the morning.

Set 3 goals for yourself to accomplish the next day before going to bed. Setting goals or tasks for yourself to do the next day will help you wake up early with purpose.

Whatever you decide to do with your nights, make sure you create a relaxing routine for yourself that encourages proper sleep habits.

3. To Snooze Or Not To Snooze

Find the right alarm clock to wake you up. Does your blood pressure spike every time you hear that annoying beep of the alarm clock? Do you constantly hit snooze and fall back asleep? Maybe it’s time to try something new. Spend some time figuring out what your body responds to best – maybe it’s the natural light of the sun that wakes you up peacefully, in which case clocks such as the Philips Natural Wake Up Light might work best for you. Or maybe you need an alarm that will get you out of bed and moving, in which case an alarm app such as Walk Me Up, an app which makes you walk around the house to shut off it’s annoying alarm. Maybe the solution is as simple as setting your favorite song as your alarm clock tone instead of that anxiety triggering beep.

To snooze, utilizing the inverted snooze. I’ve heard time and time again that snoozing your alarm clock is the worst thing ever…that is of course IF you go back to sleep. Some people, such as myself, find it helpful to set two alarms. One alarm is set 10-15 minutes before your actual wake up time. When your first alarm, or the “false alarm”, goes off you give yourself 10-15 minutes to do anything your heart desires (with the exception of going back to sleep). I, personally, love the inverted snooze and usually use my first 10-15 minutes laying in bed checking emails, Facebook, or playing games on my phone.

Not to snooze, the art of jumping straight out of bed. This method is less familiar to me, but most people swear by it. When your alarm clock goes off there is absolutely no snoozing, you are out of bed and beginning your day. Things like having the coffee pot set on automatic drip or having an alarm app that makes you solve word problems seems like motivating ways to make this method work.

4. Let There Be Light
Turn on the lights when you wake up. Our bodies naturally associate light with the sun, meaning daytime and wakefulness. Consider turning on the lights immediately upon waking up, or investing in a timer that will turn on your lights in association with your alarm clock.

5. Scents For The Senses

Start diffusing your house with essential oils that promote wakefulness. What we smell can have a big impact on how we feel. If you don’t already have an aromatherapy diffuser you may want to consider buying one, it will wake up your senses and leave your bedroom smelling unbelievably good. Citrus, rosemary, peppermint, and eucalyptus are all scents that are known to help energize, focus, and stimulate the brain. Don’t just diffuse these scents in the morning either, diffuse throughout the day and even change the scents at night to relax and encourage slumber.

6. Make Your Bed

Making your bed every morning is a small way to make a large impact. Not only does making your bed create a welcoming and relaxing environment for you to return to at the end of the day, it also makes us think twice about slithering back under those freshly folded sheets.

7. Be Active

Do some form of exercise first thing in the morning. We aren’t all morning joggers or gym attenders, but doing some kind of activity should still be a goal for all of us. Meditation, yoga, dancing, and stretching are all great activities to add to your morning routine. Mornings are usually tight on time, but even 10 minutes of stretching will make a difference. Stretching first thing in the morning increases blood flow, which in turn increases concentration and sharpened senses throughout the day.

8. You Are What You Eat

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. We’ve all heard this saying before, but what isn’t said is – “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and so is what you eat.” Kick that sugary cereal to the curb and treat yourself to breakfast foods that wake you up – oatmeal, eggs, apples, greek yogurt, honey, and grapefruit are all foods that stimulate your mind and body for hours to come.

Drink a glass of water before your morning coffee. If you’re anything like me, we’re reaching for the coffee pot before anything else in the morning. However, studies show that drinking water upon waking up triggers our metabolism, fuels our brains, and re-hydrates our bodies. So down that H20 before you do anything else!

9. The Power Shower

Take a 90 second cold shower. I will admit this tactic seems harrowing, however, the science behind it is undeniable. Take your morning shower as normal, but at the very end switch the water to cold for 30 seconds and then back to warm. Repeat this cold water torture one more time for 1-3 minutes and then turn the water completely off. Cold showers naturally wake you up by increasing your heart rate and triggering a rush of blood throughout your body. Additionally, cold showers refine your hair and skin, stimulate weight loss, and improve 

immunity and circulation. 

10. Wake Up Early And Reward Yourself
Make time for something in your morning routine that makes you smile. Whether it’s enjoying a freshly brewed french press, a crossword puzzle, or a quiet morning stroll – do something in the morning that you love. Doing something we love early in the morning will not only motivate us to wake up, it will help kick our day off with a positive start.

Hopefully, at least one of these tips will help energize your mornings and create a productive workday.

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