For some get up and go!

Hello Beautiful Souls!

Need a pick-me-up? Good. Because today we’re going to talk about different ways to boost our energy. Fatigue and a lack of energy have been problems for me a lot in life. Whether it was long hours in the navy on deployment, motherhood, or fatigue from my battle with lupus, finding the energy oftentimes has been an arduous task. I’ve asked experts, who often told me things to the effect of, ‘considering your lifestyle/situation, this is quite normal.’ But I wasn’t satisfied with that. I wanted to find way to give myself energy so that I could pursue my goals and dreams.

Sometimes tiredness can’t be helped but there are things I can do to alleviate it. Below are some energy boosters that have worked for me and others over the years. Try them to see which works best for you and use more than one at a time if necessary.

1. Energetic music

Different types of music have different effects on us, but you can learn which are best for you by trial and error. Once you find the music that wakes you up, keep it ready.

2. Sleep

It is recommended that we get 6-8 hours of sleep per night. Try drinking something warm before bed or relax with a simple meditation.

3. Talk about something interesting

Have you ever seen a tired person start to talk about something they’re passionate about, and suddenly “wake up.” It’s a powerful technique you can use for yourself. Have a few “favorite” subjects that get you going.

4. Coffee

For some of us, caffeine makes us more tired when it’s abused, but short-term, it can work wonders.

5.  Deep breathing

Several slow deep breaths help oxygenate the blood supply better, and especially seems to wake up the brain.

6. Move your body

Sometimes just getting up and washing the dishes, or walking around the house helps boost energy levels.

7. Exercise

t’s not a quick solution, but many people notice an increase in their energy level when they get regular aerobic exercise.

8. Hot and cold shower

Try a minute of hot water, then a minute of cold, alternating for six minutes. This isn’t for those with weak hearts, but it will wake you up. Incidentally, research shows that this also revs up the immune system.

9. Get outside

Often, a little sunshine and fresh air can be very energizing.

This last one, I suggest as a last resort.

10. Have an energy drink

There are mixed reviews on most of them, but it’s a cheap option to try. I used to drink energy drinks religiously but was scolded by my doctor and have heard some disturbing stories on what can happen when you drink too many of them.

Well,  that’s all I have for you today. See you next Thursday!

Until next time beautiful souls, keep glowing…

Hello Beautiful Souls!

Today I want to share a lesson I learned about motivational thoughts. What do motivational thoughts do? They help you take action. This isn’t about positive thinking or motivating quotes. Those have their place in shaping your attitude and thinking. However, what motivates each of us is unique, so you need to have your own thoughts – those which are most effective at getting you going.

“In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity” – Albert Einstein

• Motivational Thoughts Of Your Own

Making it your own means experimenting with a good thought until you find a way to use it in your own recipe for motivation. Suppose, for example, you’re in a difficult situation and don’t feel like dealing with it. As you sit there, you play around with the idea of opportunity coming from difficulty. Fortunately, you discover that it pulls you out of your slump to think about yourself in the future, explaining to a friend how you turned the difficult situation to your advantage. This is how you create your own motivational thoughts. Now, it might be more motivating if you imagine yourself being interviewed someday about how you overcame this difficult time. The thoughts that work for you are the thoughts you need to be thinking.

• Learn Your Motivations

Experiment and get to know how your mind works. I find that beyond just thinking a thought, if I explain it to someone, I get excited. That is my own self-motivation recipe. When I feel unmotivated about writing, for example, I explain an idea I have for some article to my wife. By the time I am done, I’m very motivated to work. You can get creative in your motivational experiments. Maybe thinking about being poor makes you get up and get to work. If so, that is a great motivational thought. If visual thoughts are more motivating than mental conversations, then use those. See pictures in your head that get you going. Perhaps when people say you can’t do something, you do whatever it takes to prove them wrong. Then it might be motivational to think about them saying you can’t.

When there is a truly uninspiring task you have to do, try promising yourself a reward for completion – make it one that really means something to you. Keep that thought in your mind to keep yourself motivated. A trip to the beach and even a simple bowl of ice cream may be some of your more powerful motivational thoughts.

But, if you want to dig a little deeper- and let’s just say that you do, you can remind yourself that the uninspiring task is part of something bigger. Something more worthwhile. This will add some appeal to the task that you’re completing. For example, I find making phone calls quite uninspiring and undesirable even. But if I remember that my livelihood can greatly benefit from it and is quite necessary (I’m a life coach and financial consultant) then I can motivate myself to get on the phone and make calls. Because no one will know what you have to offer until you make it known.

This is a lesson that I learned and wanted to share. Well, that’s all for now beautiful soul.

Until Next time, keep Glowing…

How to Care for Our Most Vital Organ.

Hello Beautiful Souls!

Today I want to share with you, my 3 top tips to look after your brain. The brain is one of those organs in the body that we can tend to forget when it comes to fitness. Ask yourself – “Have you neglected the grey matter for too long?” If so, these tips will help your brain get into great shape in a very short period of time. Go easy on yourself – instead of trying to implement them all today, why not try and work them into your schedule over the coming days or even over the next couple of weeks.

1. Drink More Water

The brain is made up of 80% water and this water plays an essential part in its function. When we are dehydrated, we can reduce our sense of well-being and significantly reduce our performance and our learning. We are also seriously risking our long term mental health. On average, the human body can lose up to 2.5 liters of water per day. These losses are through the lungs, skin (sweat) and through our urine. We must aim to at least replenish this loss on a daily basis. Try drinking more water throughout the day and eating more fruit and vegetables, as these too are full of water.

2. Eat the right fats for your brain!

The brain is made up of a total of 60% fat, which includes – saturated fat and cholesterol. Now most of us may at first consider fat to be unhealthy, however there are some fats that our brains need to function normally. 20% of the brain’s fat should be made up of essential fatty acids or Omega-3 and Omega-6. These two essential fatty acids are important as they can not be made within your body, so you need to make sure that you are getting them from your diet. Eat oily fish as these are a well-known source of Omega-3 and Omega-6.

3. Exercise

Keep your brain fit by keeping your body in shape! Scientists have shown us that regular exercise can massively reduce the effects of depression, anxiety and stress. In fact, in a lot of cases, exercise can work just as well as antidepressants. Keeping your grey matter happy will also keep it healthy! You can do this by introducing a daily brisk walk through the park or maybe take a dance class!

I hope this helps!

 Until Next Time, Beautiful Souls keep Glowing…

Hello Beautiful Souls!

How are you doing on this wonderful day? If you’re feeling a bit less than excited or motivated in life, then this is the exact blog that you’re looking for.

From time to time, each of us will find ourselves in a rut of boredom and disinterest. We seem to lose our zest for life and feel tired, irritable, and unmotivated. We want to hide under the covers rather than face the day. Perhaps you’re feeling overwhelmed by work, or sad about the pain and suffering in the world, or just bored with the routine of your daily life.

You are not alone. We all go through periods like this at some point. The good news is that we can do something about it. Here are some tips to help break out of the rut and feel excited about life again:

1. Take a “Time Out” – Prolonged stress can wear us down and zap any enthusiasm we once had. Before doing anything else, take a few minutes to breathe and just BE. Empty your mind of all stress and worry. This takes practice, but don’t give up! As thoughts come into your mind, gently push them back out and continue to keep your mind empty and calm. Take slow, deep breaths and let all of your muscles relax. Sit quietly and recharge your batteries. Try to do this daily, or even twice daily (morning and night). We need quiet time as much as we need anything else in life. Give yourself the gift of inner peace.

2. Get Inspired – Read something motivational, inspirational, or uplifting. Look at some beautiful nature photos or read something humorous. Consciously move your thoughts to a more positive place. Focusing on nothing but work and our daily tasks in life can leave us feeling pretty uninspired. It’s easy to turn it around if we want to. We just have to seek out things that will lift our spirits and our moods. Make it a point to laugh, be happy, joyful, and lighthearted each day. Don’t wait for inspiration to come knocking on your door, go out and find it, or create it. Conjure up some funny or touching memories. Write them in a journal so you can go back and read them when you’re feeling down.

3. Get Excited – Think about the things you have planned for the day and rekindle the enthusiasm you once felt for them. When we first begin a new project, or start a new job, we are excited about the possibilities and eager to get moving! Over time, we can lose that enthusiasm for a variety of reasons. Travel back in time for a moment and think about what got you so excited at the beginning. What made your heartbeat a little faster? Recapture that feeling and hang onto it! Even if your tasks aren’t anything to be really excited about, at least think of some positive benefits to doing them. For example, list the ways they will benefit your children, your spouse, yourself, your job or your home. Identify the payoff and focus on that. Even mundane tasks have some benefits. Sometimes it’s just a matter of switching our mindset to see the positive side.

4. Baby Steps – Sometimes the hardest part is actually getting started. A project seems so monstrous that we cringe at the thought of all that time and energy we’ll have to expend. Instead of overwhelming yourself, start small. Set a timer for 15 minutes and just start working on it. Allow yourself to stop after 15 minutes if you really want to. But most often, once we start working on something, we won’t want to stop. Don’t focus on the big picture, look at the smaller details and take them on one at a time. Any large task seems manageable once we break it down into smaller steps.

5. Care for your Body – Sometimes our feelings of fatigue are caused by physical deficiencies, not mental. Be sure you are getting enough rest, eating food that nourishes your body, drinking enough water, getting enough exercise, etc. Especially when we’re very busy, we tend to grab the quickest, easiest meals, which aren’t always the best choice for our bodies. Eating a lot of highly processed foods and sugar is like putting watered-down gasoline into our cars. In order for our cars to run smoothly, we need to maintain them properly, and so it is with our bodies also. Remember, the body is the vehicle for the mind and soul!

Finally, remember to reward yourself from time to time, and be gentle with yourself! There will always be things that “need” to be done. But some of us take on way more than we can handle, and our lives turn into a pit of drudgery because of it. Try to eliminate the things that truly don’t bring you joy, or at least minimize the time you spend on them. Do what you can, and let the rest go. Or ask for help. Don’t feel you have to do everything yourself.

Remember that motivation, just like happiness, is something we CHOOSE. We may need to give ourselves a little push at the beginning, but once we get into the right mindset, it’s simple to stay there if we choose to.

Until Next Time Beautiful Souls, keep Glowing…

Remove the limits from Your Imagination!

Hello Beautiful Souls,

I saw this quote and wanted to share it with you.

“Nobody succeeds beyond his or her wildest expectations unless he or she begins with some wild expectations.” – RALPH CHARELL

That brought me to a moment of reflection, or more accurately it confirmed something I already knew on a much deeper level. I knew that I was playing small, but the caused me to think about expanding the vision that I have for myself. And so, now I ask you:  

What are your expectations for your life? Are you excited about your future or are you facing it with apprehension and fear? For most people the future holds too many uncertainties and the fear of what might happen tends to overshadow the ray of light that represents the life they ultimately desire. One of the hardest things to do in life is to lift yourself out of your current circumstance and step up to the level of life you desire. 

We all live with an unconscious expectation of ourselves and our own lives. This expectation not only determines what we have in our lives, but it also represents what we are willing to settle for. Expectation is a very powerful emotion and one that very few people ever learn to fully cultivate. Whatever you expect with certainty is what you will get in your life. Expectation is the emotional state where an idea becomes so real that you feel it even though you can’t hold it yet. Expectation is like an invisible magnet that will attract into your life that which you expect. When you expect something, you activate and engage those parts of your mind and your nervous system that can empower you to think the unthinkable and do the undoable. One of the most powerful ways to cultivate expectation is to develop a very clear vision for your life.

Most people never even make the time to really define what they want from their lives, but even those who do follow the hope and pray strategy. They kind of know what they want but they don’t believe they can have it, so they hope that something will just happen in their lives to fulfil their desires. Expectations, however, are a completely different mindset. It is a mindset of absolute certainty that can be consciously cultivated. Inherent in hoping there is a sense of doubt as you always hold two opposing results in your mind’s eye. When you expect something, you know it is happening. The very focus of your mind dwells upon one definite result. To turn a hope into an expectation, you simply eliminate doubt and fear by eliminating the opposing outcome. Instead of “seeing” something fail or succeed, you now only see the success. With expectation your actions, your words, and your imagination dwells upon and reflects you already having and being exactly what you want. When you expect something, you remove the doubt that is inherent in hoping.

When a mother is pregnant, we would say she is expecting. In other words, she knows beyond a shadow of a doubt exactly what’s going to happen. Although some of the details are still unclear, she is certain about the fact that she will have a baby and not something unknown. On an emotional level she can feel the result because she is expecting it although she can’t see and touch it yet. What you expect for your life is exactly like that. When you start to expect for your life that which you absolutely desire your whole mindset turns from an uncertain hope and wishing to the certainty of expecting. The images you encourage and entertain in your mind’s eye, what you say to yourself and everybody else reflect only the results you are committed to.

Most people expect the worst and hope for the best. Our cultural conditioning has taught us things like “don’t get your hopes up” – just in case you might be disappointed. We’ve been taught to aim as low as possible. Everything above that will be a bonus. Right? Wrong! Remember that what you expect with certainty is what you will get in your life. You have to break away from the autopilot of the masses that just settle for an ordinary life; a life where they are not really happy, but they are not unhappy enough to do something about it. If you want to lift your life and the quality of your life to a higher level than what it is now you need to start by raising your expectations. Raise your expectations of what you are as a person and what you believe you deserve. See, what you believe you deserve is based on your expectations. When you lift your expectations to a higher level you raise your own standards and raising your standards is the first step to improving your life.

When you expect only the very best you will get only the very best. What you earn right now is what you expect to earn. The amount of free time you have right now is what you expect to have as free time. The relationships you have are what you expect them to be. When you expect the best it’s not like expecting something good or something similar, but it is the best and only the best. You must stop settling for less than you can be or have. On a deep psychological level this is exactly what creates your expectations and that is why a lifetime of settling for less than you can be creates an expectation that is only “O.K.”. It becomes the standard that you are willing to settle for. Think of yourself as the pregnant mother who expects (not hopes) only the best and with her imagination she is able to “live” the result in magnificent detail until she eventually has the experience of physically holding her “expectation”. You have to nurture and care for your desires and only by becoming unreasonable in your expectations can you turn your deepest desires into reality. Expectations are ideas that are built on solid rock. They are unshakeable; unlike hopes and wishes that will wash away with the first storm that comes along.

You need no special skills or knowledge to raise your expectations. You simply need a decision that from this point onwards you will never again settle for anything less than you can possibly be. The difference between hoping for something with uncertainty and depending on something with expectation is nothing but the way you control and direct the focus of your mind. What you say to yourself, the images you imagine, and your behavior are what you can consciously control and direct. But only if you choose to. If not, you will revert to the autopilot of the masses just go with the flow of “whatever” comes along. The cultural autopilot is the emotional default and only through conscious and consistent nurturing of your desires and emotions can you live life by your own standards and create the expectations that will lead you to a life of abundance and fulfilment.

Great expectations create great results. When you expect the best, it will become a directional mechanism that will guide you to seeking out and finding what you expect. The difference between great expectations and weak hopes is nothing but a mindset; a mindset that can make the difference between living a life of fulfilment and one of desperation and frustration. Create the expectation by making sincere decisions. Nurture your expectations by never settling for anything less than the best.

As always, it’s been a pleasure sharing with you!

Until next time Beautiful Souls, keep Glowing…

How the Two Can’t Thrive Alone

Hello Beautiful Souls!

Lately, I’ve been doing market research so that I can form a coaching program that really serves my ideal client. The issue that I’d been having was the fact that I struggled with choosing my niche and narrowing down who I wanted to help…because I want to help everybody! But trying to help everyone literally left me helping no one.

So, what’s the lesson here? There are a few. One lesson that I learned was that I needed to select a niche that I’m passionate about and focus my attention on that specific area. In short, my messaging was unclear because I hadn’t focused on anything in particular. This bears repeating-my message lacked clarity since I hadn’t focused my attention on a specific area.

This leads me to another valuable lesson. That lesson is that without focus, there is no clarity because the two are closely related and dependent upon each other for maximized results. Because of what I’ve learned this week, I feel that it’s extremely important to explain and express the relationship between focus and clarity.

Photographs are clearer when they are in focus. When they are out of focus, they are blurry, indistinct. How many times have you been disappointed by the result when the focus was off? Faces or objects are blurred, maybe even unrecognizable. Toss that one away a poor-quality picture that does not meet the ideal you had in mind when you took it. Chalk it up to experience. Maybe blame it on the camera.

The quality of the reality pictures that show up in your life are also largely due to proper focus. In the first place, the idea must be clearly held in mind. The result you desire to out-picture or manifest in your life must first be clearly and distinctly created in your imagination. It must be ‘in focus’; that is, the components must be defined, clearly seen, envisioned.

In the second place, as you go about the ‘doing’ necessary to effectuate the picture, you must remain focused on your goal and not allow yourself to get distracted by what is going on around you. Simple really, but it always amazes me how unfocused people are. Ask someone to describe their heart’s desire and 90% of the time, you cannot get a clear description from them. It is blurry and indistinct. Generalities but no specifics. Or a description of the picture by what’s not in it.

“I want health, wealth and happiness.”

“So, what does health mean to you?”

“Well, you know, to not be sick.”

“So, what does wealth mean to you?”

“Well, you know, to not be lacking.”

“So, what does happiness mean to you?”

“To not be sad, dissatisfied.”

“I want peace.”

“What’s that?”

“Well, you know no more war.”

Not this, not that; defining the picture, the ideal by what is not in it, instead of what is in it. The trouble with focusing on ‘no more war’ is that you are still focusing on war. The trouble with focusing on not being unwell is that you are still focusing on un-wellness, not wellness. The focus is on lack and limitation and not on abundance and potentiality.

Most people seem to know what they do NOT want. Focus your attention and intentions on those ideals that you want, desire, long for, lust after. Make that focus clear and distinct.

You get the picture you have focused on. “Prosperity is the abundance of all things held ideal in mind and dear in heart.” How clear and exact are your ideals? How much desire, longing, passion is attached to them? How focused is the image in your mind? How focused is your desire to have that ideal be out pictured in your life? The complex thing about life is that it is wonderfully full of distractions. Here you are, focused on some purpose or goal and then this incredibly intrusive thing occurs.

Perhaps, you are in medical school, totally focused on becoming a doctor. Then this great guy shows up, sweeps you off your feet, and before you know it, you are at home practicing motherhood instead of medicine and taking your child to the pediatrician you could have been had you not allowed yourself to be distracted- to lose focus. Or perhaps, you are busy going about the business of creating a business and some seemingly major obstacle presents itself, so you change your mind, change your plan, change your focus to the next great business idea and then the next one after that. Life is full of distractions making it easy to lose focus. But remember, people that stay focused always win!

If you’re having trouble with focus, do not hesitate to send me a message. I will promptly send you my link to book a free consultation. Let me help you cut through the brain fog and elevate your focus to goal crushing levels!

Until Next Time Beautiful Souls, keep Glowing…

A Quick Guide to Destroying Proscratination.

Hello beautiful souls!

Today, I want to talk about an old nemesis of mine- procrastination. Procrastination is almost always an indication of a deeper internal issue that needs to be addressed. I often procrastinated due to things like imposter syndrome, perfectionism, and overwhelm.  Procrastination greatly lessens the likelihood of success and has a very destructive effect on our lives as a whole.

One of the most destructive effects of procrastination is the fact that it makes you feel out of control. Procrastination is like an ‘invisible force’ that keeps you from doing the very things you know you must do. With the increasing demands on our time and attention there seems to be an increase in procrastination as a chronic problem, especially amongst those people that want to succeed the most. Procrastination usually sets in when you feel overwhelmed by all the ‘have to’s’ in life and instead of making steady progress you take on too much without ever getting any of it done.

Feeling out of control takes away all your power to shape and direct your own life. It’s true that there are many things over which you have no control, but you always have full control over what really happens to you – and what really happens to you is a mental process independent of the circumstances and events of the outside world. Being empowered means that you realize that you already have the power and this realization also gives you the ability to take action. Here are five empowering procrastination tips that can help you to reach this realization and become empowered to effectively deal with procrastination and inaction.

1. It’s All Inside:

Procrastination is an internal process and although it might feel like it’s happening to you, you are in actual fact responsible for it. This procrastination tip can help to put you back in control almost immediately. Procrastination is not an external force, but an internal response and evaluation. The simple realization that it’s ‘you’ that are doing it to ‘you’, gives you the power to do something about it.

2. It’s All You:

When procrastination drags you down it’s all too easy to think that ‘it just is’ and that you can’t do anything about it. Although it feels like you have no control, you actually do. In fact, this is why you feel out of control – because you believe that you can’t do anything about it. There are two very important beliefs you need to develop to help you break free from procrastination. The first is that you CAN overcome procrastination and the second is that YOU can overcome procrastination. No one else can do it for you and because you created it, you can un-create it.

3. It’s All In Your Head:

The reason why most people remain stuck in patterns of procrastination is because of fear. At the most fundamental level, all forms of procrastination come down to fear. What you don’t face controls you. To overcome the fear and the procrastination that comes with it, you need to confront and do the very things you don’t want to do. The instant you do, you take charge and it no longer has any control over you. The ironic thing is that fear only exists in your imagination – it’s always something that hasn’t happened yet. Procrastination is not real – it’s only the way you evaluate things in your mind.

4. It’s All about conditioning:

Success at anything in life relies on consistency. The best of the best at anything are those who can repeat their greatness consistently. The way you get consistent is through conditioning. Your nervous system operates through conditioning. When you do something over and over again it becomes ‘normal’ and when it’s normal you don’t have to think about it – it becomes automatic. The challenge is that this principle works both ways. Whether your conditioned responses support you or whether they pull you down, your nervous system does not make that distinction. If procrastination is your conditioned response, you will always feel out of control, simply because that’s what you’ve ‘learned’ to do automatically. You simply need to ‘recondition’ yourself to a new response; to teach yourself to respond in a different way..

5. It’s All about awareness:

Procrastination does serve a purpose – and a very important one as such, but only if you are aware of the benefits. We only procrastinate about those things that have value to us. At some level, either directly or indirectly, you believe that taking action will benefit you. If it didn’t it would not bother you, right? No one puts off tasks that they view as ‘no big deal.’ Be grateful for procrastination and use it as a guide to ‘know’ what you need to act upon. Being aware of this fact and developing an awareness for what you do and fail to do can empower you to being in charge of yourself on a much higher level.

When you are empowered, you are in charge, and even if things seem to go wrong on the surface, underneath you know that you have the power to deal with it effectively. Procrastination is disempowering and it takes away your ability to take immediate action and deal with any situation. Always remember that you are ultimately in charge of you. Tomorrow will be today tomorrow. Don’t delay. Act! Procrastination is a success killer and must be destroyed!

Let’s take action and make our lives the best experience possible.

Until Next Time Beautiful Souls, keep Glowing…