Eliminate Bad Days – Follow These Tips

2015-10-14 ~ adminlife

“I take nothing for granted. I now have only good days, or great days.” – Lance Armstrong

Never Have a Bad Day Again

You have good days and bad. Wouldn’t it be great if you could eliminate most of the bad days from your life? You have the ability to make good days the norm.

What constitutes a good day is debatable. Maybe each day you’re alive could be considered a good day. It’s up to you.

What has to happen for you to label a day as “good”?

Eliminate bad days with a few strategies:

1. Refuse to have a bad day. There are many opportunities to have a bad day. You might be running late or your car decides to break down. Someone might speak unkindly to you or you spill mustard on your pants.

Having a bad day can be a lot like eating a piece of cake you know you should ignore. Just because it’s there doesn’t mean you have to bite.

Avoid letting a few minor mishaps ruin your day.

2. Choose to be happy, or at least content. In spite of whatever is going wrong, choose to be happy. If you can’t find any happiness, at least be content. You can choose to have a good day or a bad day. Release your expectations and try to see what’s good in each situation.

3. Spend time with someone you love. Few activities can bring your perspective back to reality more effectively than spending time with a loved one. The stress, worry, and anxiety seem to melt away.

4. Be on time. Being late creates stress. The stress begins once you realize you’re going to be late. It rarely ends until the day is over. If you’re late for one activity, you can be late for everything afterwards, too. Give yourself plenty of time to keep your schedule intact.

5. Have a morning routine. If your morning starts well, you’ll find the rest of your day goes well. A morning routine is an effective way to get the day off to a positive start.

An effective routine can include what time you wake up, a review of your to-do list, wearing the clothes you laid out the night before, affirmations, exercise, and anything else you enjoy in the morning.

Build your routine slowly and ensure it enhances your day.

6. Try doing less. Having too much to do creates many challenges that get in the way of having a good day. Reduce your schedule to the most important 3-5 tasks.

Stick to the important and urgent tasks. Reschedule the rest.

7. Complete your most important task. There are few things more frustrating than a stressful day that accomplishes little. Give yourself the gift of knowing that you completed at least one important task. That’s more than most can claim. Complete it as early in the day as possible and give yourself time to accomplish even more.

8. Be grateful. When life is wearing you down, remember all the great things in your life. Give yourself a few minutes to list all the positive people and circumstances in your life. Are you healthy? Do you have friends and family? Your life is probably much better than you think!

Consider listing those things that fill you with gratitude as part of your morning routine. Your attitude will be primed to have a good day.

Having a good day is relative. The worst day for a middle-class American might be a great day for a child in a third-world country. Only you can assign a quality label to your day. Make the conscious decision to have a great day.

Michael W

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Applying What You Learn In Self-help Books

2015-10-092015-10-09 ~ adminlife

“You are essentially who you create yourself to be and all that occurs in your life is the result of your own making.” ― Stephen Richards, Think Your way to Success: Let Your Dreams Run Free

How to Apply What You Read in Self-Help Books

Self-help is an ancient tradition that is still going strong. Long before there were 250 varieties of chicken soup for the soul, advice-seekers were looking for answers in the Tao Te Ching or the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius.

Today, self-help is an $11 billion industry, with Amazon listing almost half a million choices in this popular category. According to some estimates, up to one-half of American adults have bought at least one title on weight loss, relationships, or other common concerns.

How do you find what you need in a selection so vast? Consider these tips for shopping for self-help books and translating what you read into concrete action.

What to Look For

Check the science. Remember that you’re investing your hopes as well as the cover price of the book. Does it make realistic claims? Do the reviews suggest that it’s psychologically sound? Look closely at the author’s credentials and experience.
Follow your faith. You may have an instant affinity with writers who share your religious beliefs. What are other members of your congregation reading?
Know the target audience. Publishers often market to specific demographics. For example, the biggest buyers of self-help books are upper-income women on the east and west coasts. Ensure that the message seems pertinent to you.
Feel engaged. Enjoy some laughter and entertainment while you’re enriching yourself. You’ll probably pay more attention to the text if you like the writing.
Browse multiple categories. All kinds of books are taking a self-help angle. You may find the information you’re looking for in memoirs and fiction, as well as psychology and business.
Stay up to date. Recent research may cast doubts on certain conclusions in books that used to be bestsellers. For example, many doctors and nutritionists now say that it’s okay to eat eggs regularly even if you’re watching your cholesterol.

How to Apply What You Read

Consider counseling. While you can find valuable information in books, some situations may call for extra assistance. Talking with a therapist allows you to receive individual feedback and access medical care if necessary.
Think critically. However popular a book is, you still need to evaluate whether it works for you. Beware of extravagant claims like, “Become a millionaire in thirty days!”
Take small steps. Big changes often start with simple tasks. Look for tips that you can implement right away to build momentum and confidence.
Go back for more. Some critics joke that self-help books don’t work because at least 80% of consumers buy more than one. Would you give up on a restaurant just because you wanted to eat again the next day? Becoming happier and stronger is a life-long process.
Be flexible. You’re one of a kind. Check that a book encourages you to adapt the program to your own style. You might like to read a work cover to cover or you might browse chapters for takeaways you can try out immediately.
Prepare for lapses. Sick children and leaky roofs can interfere with your plans. Does the author suggest what to do if you’re looking to get back on track after a few delays?
Track your progress. How will you know if your reading is paying off? Some books have forms for setting and evaluating your goals, or you can design your own. Measuring your success creates great motivation.

Self-help books can teach you how to talk with your teenager, manage your diabetes, or enjoy more peace of mind. Shop wisely and put your new knowledge to work in your daily life.

Michael W

Photo credits: “150 Psychology and junk self-help literature”- Helder da Rocha

CC license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/

Reach Your Goals Despite The Obstacles

2015-10-05 ~ adminlife

“Whenever you want to achieve something, keep your eyes open, concentrate and make sure you know exactly what it is you want. No one can hit their target with their eyes closed.” ― Paulo Coelho, The Devil and Miss Prym

Go For It: Achieving Your Goals Regardless of Obstacles

You can be sure that life will at times be a twisting path of “potholes” around which you must navigate. You’ve likely been through phases of your life already where you wondered if your luck would ever change. Then, things calmed down and you discovered the smoother, straighter road.

No matter where your journey leads, staying focused on what you want in life will keep your spirits high and bring you joy. The key, then, to a fulfilled life is to achieve your goals no matter what.

Use these tips to continue going for your goals even though life’s road gets rough:

Know exactly what you’re after in life. What do you want your life to be like? When you’re sure, you can then plan your activities over the short and long term to help you achieve your goals.

Keep your list of life goals short and to the point. Some good examples of life goals are: “Save 25% of my yearly earnings for kids’ education, vacations and retirement,” “Take budget-friendly vacations out of the country every 5 years,” and “Retire when I’m 67.”

Infuse elements of achieving your goals into your everyday life. Let’s say one of your goals is to travel to Australia three years from now. Have a couple of books about Australia laying around the house, on your coffee table and nightstand. Listen to Australian talk radio shows via the web. Watch television shows about Aussie land.

Make your life goals part of your everyday life so that even when life gets bumpy, you’ll be able to keep your eyes on what’s really important to you. After all, it will be right there in front of you.

Talk positively to yourself. Although some kinds of talking to yourself might not be seen as healthy, it can be quite helpful to use positive self-talk. When you do, you’ll be more likely to keep working toward your goals in life. Say something like, “I’m in a rough patch but I can still keep saving for my retirement and my kids’ educations.”

Other examples of positive self-talk are “I can get through this challenging phase just like I did before,” “As long as I keep moving forward, things are okay,” and “Life has in store many more wonderful adventures for me.”

Using positive self-talk will keep your spirits buoyed when you feel like you’re floundering in choppy waters.

Reflect on your efforts in order to reinforce them. Even though you may be struggling, think about what you accomplished just this week to achieve your goals. Maybe you made a couple of phone calls, explored the internet to gather information, or drew up a new budget to ensure you’re on target for saving for your life goals.

The fact is you did something. And recognizing that will reinforce your efforts in your quest to achieve your goals. You can excel in times of great challenge.

Keep working toward accomplishing your goals even though life throws more than a few obstacles at you. Know what you’re after and stay focused. Make your life goals a part of your daily life and use positive self-talk. Acknowledge what you’ve done to keep moving forward.

Apply these strategies to help you consistently work to meet your life goals. If you do, you’ll accomplish whatever you want no matter what.

Michael W

Michael is a certified Life Optimization coach as well as a Law of Attraction and Law of Attraction Wealth coach.

If You Had Unlimited Resources …

2015-09-23 ~ adminlife

“Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning.” —Albert Einstein

What Would You Do With Unlimited Resources?

Have you ever wanted to do something, but discouraged yourself because you believed you lacked the necessary resources to be successful? They might include a lack of sufficient time, money, education, support, or experience. Interestingly, a lack of resources is rarely an issue if you’re truly committed! Avoid allowing a current lack of resources discourage you.

It’s easy to get started on any venture without any resources. In time, resources can be found when needed. Even the largest businesses had humble beginnings.

Consider the power of believing you have unlimited resources:

What would you choose to accomplish if you had unlimited resources? Take a few minutes to consider how you would live your life if you had everything you needed. Would you go back to school? Start your own company? Become a philanthropist? Own an island? It’s easy to see that your options are unlimited. Think big.

This can be an excellent way to determine your life’s purpose. If all obstacles were removed, what would you choose to do?

Whom would you have in your life? Would you be alone or married? How many friends would you have? Describe your friends. Describe your neighbors. How many children would you have? If you dream of owning your own business, describe your employees and clients.
Where would you live? Would you stay put or move to the beach? How many homes would you own? What color would your dining room be? Consider the geographical location and the actual dwelling. There are hundreds of castles for sale at any time. You’ll need a butler, though.
What would your typical day entail? What time would you get out of bed? What would you do first? How would you spend your day? How would your evening be spent? How much free time would you have and how would you spend it? Whom would you see? Would you play golf every Thursday? Would you race cars on the weekend?
Now that you know what you should be doing, how can you make it happen? Few of us have a surplus of resources, but there is always a first step that can be taken.

The first step might entail looking at the educational offerings in your area or seeking a higher-paying job. Maybe it’s finally time to take the drum lessons you thought were silly. There’s still time to be a rock star.
As you progress, your understanding and your resources will grow. Warren Buffett started with a paper route. Now he’s frequently listed as the richest man in the world. You can probably get a better start than a paper route, and your dreams are likely smaller. Consider that.

Pretending you have unlimited resources can also be used to find solutions to challenges. By imagining you have unlimited resources, you can open your mind to all the possible solutions. It’s possible you’ll find a solution that requires additional resources, but give yourself a chance to make it work.

Those with unlimited resources can still struggle, so having unlimited resources isn’t a guarantee. Avoid believing that abundant resources are a cure to your struggles. Remember that many of the most successful people in the world started at the very bottom with no resources.

You probably don’t have unlimited resources. However, supposing that you have unlimited resources can help to determine your life’s purpose, your dream existence, and create a new set of solutions. Imagining that your resources are plentiful will open new possibilities.

You’re limiting yourself right now. What would you do with unlimited resources?

Michael W

The Fuel For Your Life – Motivation

2015-04-30 ~ adminlife

“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing. ” ― Walt Disney Company

We all think we know what motivation is and how it is used in our life. But do we really understand it?

The author gives us another view on motivation as the fuel that drives us towards our destination in life.

Motivation is the fuel not the destination – by Ray Adler

Motivation, motivation what is motivation! Many people think they know what motivation is, but do they? A little research will show you that the dictionary definition of motivation is “the psychological feature that arouses an organism to action toward a desired goal; the reason for the action; that which gives purpose and direction to behaviour”. Ask people to define motivation, very few will give such a concise response. This is because at some level, motivation is intrinsically involved with every aspect of our lives. We have to have a certain level of motivation to achieve anything from the simplest tasks such as getting out of bed or going shopping, through to life goals such as having a successful career. Unfortunately, most people see motivation, as part of the destination rather than the fuel that is needed to get us to reach our chosen destination.

Not understanding what motivation is usually leads to disappointment in life either on a spiritual or materialistic level. One of the most common areas where the lack of a clear definition of what motivation is occurs in the area of goal setting. We all know and understand the concept of setting goals and working towards them to achieve what we want in life, but if you speak to any number of people about setting and achieving goals, they will tell you that their goals motivate them to achieve what they really want out of life. This fundamental confusion over what motivation is often leads to people not achieving their goals and full potential, in fact it often leads to greater de-motivation, as after each setback the belief in the goal becomes less strong leading to a perceived lower level of motivation to achieve the goal. It becomes a vicious circle. It is a situation that many of us have faced and the difficulties that this kind of position brings. It takes a long time for us to realise that goals and motivation are not the same and we should not treat them as such.

When you set your goals you’re laying out the route and the destination you want to get to. When we are setting goals we are telling ourselves what do we want in life and how are we going to get there. What steps do we need to take? A list of goals will always allow us to move forward and give us a purpose in life, but they are not motivation in themselves.

Motivation is the fuel that inspires us to reach are goals and desires and allows us to keep getting up and moving towards our goals whenever we have a setback. Getting motivated and staying motivated gives us the energy we need to reach our goals in the shortest time possible. Motivation is required to meet our goals and goals are required to give purpose to our motivation. The two work hand in hand. If you get the motivation right you can achieve anything. So think seriously about how to get motivated and stay motivated so you can achieve whatever you desire.

Ray Adler is the owner of http://www.thesalescloser.co.uk. Ray has built up over 20 years experience in the sales arena and now delivers insights and advice on motivation and sales topics through The Sales Closer.

Michael

To discuss what a life coach can do for you and your motivation, and to schedule a session with Michael, use the contact form below.

Michael is a certified Life Optimization coach as well as a Law of Attraction and Law of Attraction Wealth coach.