The Importance of Affirmations

Affirmations can help you to improve your life. However, we tend to unintentionally say negative affirmations every day. If you tell yourself you can't do it, or say things like "I'm lazy" it only makes it worse because subconscious mind accepts what you said as true. Positive affirmations help your conscious and subconscious mind to help transform your habits in order to make what you say come true. Throughout the rest of the day, try to keep any negative thoughts out of your mind because they can negate the positive affirmations.
Here are some tips for doing affirmations:

Keep it in the present tense. Don't say "I'm going to be wealthy" so something believable but also in the present tense like "wealth is coming to me more and more".

Visualize whenever possible. If one of your affirmations is I weigh 140 pounds, imagine stepping on the scale and seeing that number or visualize yourself looking into a mirror and seeing the slender version of you.

Don't include negative words such as "Don't, No, or Not". Your subconscious don't understand negative, so if you say "I am not broke" all your subconscious hears is "BROKE".

How to be more lucky

What is the difference between luck and chance? Brian Tracy says luck is actually probabilities. Gambling is more like chance because there is little if any control on your part over the outcome. But with luck, you control the probabilities. If you set goals, your probability for success is greater. If you treat others well, the probability of having a good relationship with them is better. If you eat better food, the probability of you being healthy is greater.

The Importance of Saving Money

Saving Money

You have a choice how to spend your money.  But in order to reach your financial goals, you should have a spending plan. Write down your expected cash flow and determine where you will spend it before you receive it. This should help you cut down on the everyday spending, such as that soda from the vending machine at work, which you probably don't realize can add up to a significant portion of your earnings. Don't be afraid to save because you are actually "buying" something great - financial security. So, as you have heard, you should pay yourself first and make saving a priority over other expenses. So live below your means with a realistic budget that balances your current and financial means. Start saving now and watch your saving grow!

10 Quick Success and Motivational Quotes

10 Quick Success and Motivational Quotes

Thanksgiving and the benefits of gratitude

Today we celebrate Thanksgiving in the United States. It's time to take a moment and reflect on what you are grateful for. Gratitude is important and I thought I'd share some benefits of bringing gratitude into your life.

You feel better.  This is probably obvious, but it's true.  Spend 5 minutes thinking of all the things you are thankful for and then see if you feel better than when you started. And the opposite is also true.  Spend 5 minutes complaining about everything that is not going well in your life, and see how you feel afterwards.  Probably not as good as you did 5 minutes ago, right?

You will boost your health. There have been studies that show optimism leads to a better immune function.  A way to stop the production of stress chemicals that can cause harm to your body is by practising gratitude.

You will reduce stress. Those that have practised gratitude can better deal with stress.  Stress brings more stress, so if you reduce your stress now, you'll have less stress to deal with later.

You'll bring more things to be grateful for into your life. There was a quote in the movie "The Secret" that said something like "Whatever you think about and thank about you bring about".  For those that don't know, "The Secret" is a documentary about the "law of attraction", which basically means you'll bring into your reality what you think about.  So what thoughts are you thinking today?

Practical money saving tips

Practical money saving tips.

Manage costs of the necessities. Buy generic, use coupons and buy items when on sale when at the grocery store. Compare insurance rates to see if you can get it for less. Get rid of your land line if you don't use it much.

Try negotiation. Call your cable company and ask for a lower rate. Apply for a lower mortgage rate. Ask for a discount at stores if you know you can get it for less at their competition or if the product has a little defect. If you pay cash for bigger ticket items, ask if you can get a cash discount.

Cut out interest and fees whenever possible. Don't use an ATM that charges $2 to withdraw $20. Use free checking at your bank. Some banks offer online bill pay and you can save money on stamps. Pay off your credit card every month so you're not paying interest on food you ate a few months ago.

Pay less taxes - Legally of course. Just do the research (IRS.gov has the tax laws on their site) of what deductions you can take like the home buyer tax credit and deductions for charitable donations.

What matters is what you do now

Tony Robbins says "your past does not equal your future. What matters is not yesterday, but what you do right now".

So, yes you may have had some failures. Learn from your mistakes. Just because you didn't have success in trying something in the past doesn't mean you'll always fail. If you make an effort to put positive changes into your life, you'll have a better chance of being successful in the future.

How to get into a better mood.

How to get into a better mood.

Ugh! It's Monday, your alarm clock failed and now you're running late, the roads are bad, you can't find the keys and computer isn't working... Sounds like a bad day right? Well instead of reaching for the chips and ice cream, here are a few ideas to get you out of a bad mood.

Do something nice for someone else. Studies show doing something nice for someone releases feel-good hormones in the body.

Take a time out. It may not always be possible, but if you can take a few moments to close your eyes and get into a peaceful mindset, it will help you feel better.

Take a few deep breaths. Like I mentioned above, you may not be able to get away for a mini-meditation, but you can almost always take a few relaxing breaths.

Relax. Sometimes you just need to a little selfish and take some time for yourself. Take a hot bath, get a massage or read a book.

Write in a journal. Sometimes you just need to vent, and writing it out may help you come to a resolution to the issues in your life.

Count your blessings. You'll probably not want to "think positive" when you're in one of those low moods, but try your best because you may realize it's not so bad after all.

Laugh and smile. Just the action laughing and/or smiling can trick yourself into feeling better. If you need some inspiration, look up "babies laughing" or "adorable pets" or anything that will bring a smile to your face on the internet.



Youtube video courtesy of genesee99





Youtube video courtesy of cheezburger

Kaizen Principal

The Japanese have a principal called the "Kaizen" principal. The word kaizen means improvement. The idea is to make small improvements every day. It is an on-going improvement process. Can you make a very small step towards improvement? And then the next day take another step? Eventually all these small steps will lead to a big improvement, but you'll barely notice the extra effort since you took very small steps towards it. The momentum will make it easier and easier to keep going and create faster and more results. So try exercising for 1 extra minute or increase your productivity at work just a little bit today.

One Small Step Can Change Your Life: The Kaizen Way

Kaizen: The Key To Japan's Competitive Success

Tip from Brian Tracy

Brian Tracy offers this suggestion: Write down 10 goals you would like to accomplish in the next 12 months. Then, ask yourself if you could only accomplish one goal on this list in 24 hours, which one would you choose and which one would have the most positive impact on your life? Circle that goal, then on another piece of paper, write that goal at the top and brainstorm everything you can think of to achieve that goal. Make sure you do something to work toward that goal every day.

You can do it!

You can do it!

Think about your "limitations" and excuses why you can't do something. Then watch this video and think if your limitations really do hold you back.


Youtube video from harrish0789

SMART Goals

SMART Goals

You may have heard of "SMART" goals before. SMART is an acronym for aspects goal should have.  Here is what it means:

Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Realistic
Timely

So, let's use losing weight as an example.

Specific: Don't say "I want to lose weight", but say "I want to weigh ___ pounds".

Measurable: The example above also is a measurable goal because you'll know when you have reached your goal.

Attainable: You're not realistically going to lose 10 pounds in 3 days, so choose something you know is attainable (a good weight loss goal would be 1/2 pound to a pound a week, 2 pounds if you have over 100 pounds to lose).

Timely: You can say you're going to lose 20 pounds, but you should have a target date so it keeps you going, otherwise it might take you 5 years. 

Resume and cover letter tips

Resume and cover letter tips

Solve employer's needs.
The employer cares more about what you can do for them than what you have done in the past so be sure to mention what you can do for them in the cover letter.

Show them the benefits of your skills.
Don't just list your duties, but show how what you did benefited the company.

Keep the most relevant information near the top of the resume.
For example, if you're looking for a position where past experience is more relevant and important than education, then list it first.

Be specific if possible.
Don't make a resume over a page or two long, but if there is relevant information such as how much you saved the company, then include it.

Make it look nice.
Don't use more than 2 font sizes. Make sure everything looks organized and pleasing to the eye.

Don't use generic cover letters.
Fine tune your cover letter so it addresses the specific skills the employer requests. If they don't see what they are specifically looking for, they'll probably not consider your resume.

Have someone else look it over.
You might have omitted a word or have a typo that you overlooked. A friend could also offer some ideas on how tweaking something could improve your resume.

Sharpen your mind with these foods

Here are some foods that are good for your brain!

Blueberries
Walnuts
Fish
Tomatoes
Broccoli
Eggs
Brown Rice
Sage
Avocados
Tea
Dark Chocolate
Citrus Fruits
Beans
Water
Blackberries
Apples
Cinnamon
Spinach
Grapes
Curry

5 Ways to Make Extra Money

5 Ways to Make Extra Money

First, look around your house for things you don't use anymore. The smaller stuff (small enough to ship) can be sold on ebay. For the bigger things like that old desk, you can put it on Craigslist.org. Anything that doesn't sell on ebay or Craigslist can go in a garage sale.

Rent a room in your house. It'll be a little inconvenient, and you might have to sacrifice your privacy, but you can get a few hundred extra dollars a month that will pay a good portion of your mortgage.

Umpire for youth sports such as softball. No long term commitment (most seasons are only a couple months long) and most games are in the evening, so it fill fit into your schedule if you have a day job.

Deliver papers. You'll have to get up early, but you can keep your full time job.

If you're a crafty type you can create products like jewelry or t-shirts and sell them on Etsy.com.

How to sleep better

How to sleep better

Turn off the computers and TV - the light can prevent you from falling asleep.

Go to bed at the same time every day otherwise your sleep/wake cycle can get out of sync.

Avoid coffee and chocolate after noon. If you need a pick-me-up in the afternoon, chew a piece of mint gum, or have a snack with protein such as celery and peanut butter.

Need a late night snack?  Try turkey because is has tryptophan, an amino acid that helps your body relax and go to sleep. Whole grains are also a good bedtime snack to help you sleep because it keeps your blood pressure steady.

Take some time for yourself.  Take a hot bath, listen to calm music or any thing that decreases stress and makes you feel relaxed.

Avoid to-dos right before bed.  A bunch of unfinished tasks will make you feel anxious and send your mind racing, which will make it more difficult to sleep.

Exercise at least 20 minutes a day.  Don't exercise too late or it will actually make it more difficult to fall asleep.

Ways to lower your blood pressure

Ways to lower your blood pressure

Exercise: 
Just 30 minutes of brisk walking a day can decrease your blood pressure.

Eat more apples:
The fiber, potassium, Vitamin A and Vitamin C can help reduce blood pressure.

Cut back on salt:
Read labels and look for low sodium versions of foods, or avoid processed food all together.

Eat more dark chocolate:
According to studies, this actually helps!

Reduce noise:
Noise can sub-consciously make us stressed and can cause a raise in blood pressure. Loud noises even when sleeping can cause a spike in blood pressure, so make sure you don't sleep with the TV on or with the windows open if you live in an urban neighborhood.

Benefits of deep breathing

Benefits of deep breathing

Taking in a few deep breaths can calm you down.

Deep breathing increases the speed of your metabolism. In order for metabolism to work, it needs oxygen.

It can lower your blood pressure.

It also helps you have a clearer mind.

Deep breathing can increase your energy level.

Deep breathing also releases natural painkillers into the body.

Fast Weight Loss Tips

Here are some fast weight loss tips from diethealth:



Here are the 3 top tips to lose weight:

Nutrition: Keep intake of sugar and processed food to a minimum.
Exercise: Boost metabolism by getting whole body moving.
Lifestyle: Ask yourself if your routine something you can do the rest of your life?

Tips to not feel hungry when losing weight

Many people want to lose a few pounds and in order to do so, you have to take in less calories than you burn. Unfortunately that means you might experience some hunger. Here are a few tips to not feel hungry when on a diet.

Drink Water: Sometimes you are not actually hungry, but thirsty. Also, the calorie-free water can make your stomach feel fuller.

Engage your sense of smell. Sniff some peppermint extract or some coffee grains. That may be enough to satisfy the craving.

Have more fiber. Fiber will make you feel fuller, so you won't eat as much

Eat slower. By the time you're half way done, you may realize you are no longer hungry. You can put the rest away for later. If you eat fast, you might eat the whole thing before you realize you could have stopped earlier.

Stay away from food whenever possible. Don't keep a candy dish on your desk. If it's out of sight, it will be more likely to be out of mind.

Chew gum.  It will give you some flavor and something to chew on, but only a few calories.

Get more sleep. Your willpower will not be as strong when you're sleep deprived. Your body will also be looking for "energy", which can cause you to reach for food to keep you going.

Enjoying Success

Welcome!  This blog will share ideas on how to enjoy more success in all areas of life including health, wealth, relationships and more...  Stay tuned!