Tag Archives: Mindset

The Optimist

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“The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” ~ Winston Churchill

While your health is very important to your quality of life and longevity, your emotional well-being is equally important. Your emotional well-being impacts the way you do nearly everything in your life.

Studies show that people who are optimistic are less likely to suffer from a chronic illness, states Brian Tracy, Chairman and CEO of Brian Tracy International. They live 11-15% longer and have a greater chance of living beyond age 85.

Optimistic people have better job security, are more likely to succeed in their careers, and have greater job satisfaction. They are able to turn disappointments into motivation, which leads to increased productivity and accomplishments. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill said, “The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”

Optimistic people get sick less often and recover from illnesses faster. Optimists seem to have different ways of dealing with the world that set them apart from the average, says Tracy:

  1. “First, they keep their minds on what they want and keep looking for ways to get it. They are clear about their goals and they are confident that they will accomplish them, sooner or later.”
  2. “Second, optimists look for the good in every problem or difficulty. When things go wrong, as they often do, they say, “That’s good!” And then set about finding something positive about the situation.”

When you think and talk about what you want and how to get it, you feel happier and in greater control of your life. When you think about something that makes you happy, your brain actually releases endorphins, which give you a generalized feeling of well-being.

Moreover, if you are looking for something good or beneficial in a person or situation, you will always find it.  And while you are looking, you will be a more positive and cheerful person.

Optimists seek the valuable lesson in every setback or reversal.  Rather than getting upset and blaming someone else for what has happened, they take control over their emotions by saying, “What can I learn from this experience?” 

When you experience a setback or a negative event occurs, it’s your response that matters most and truly determines the outcome. Thus, it’s vitally important to always look for the positive response or optimistic lesson when such setbacks and events take place.

“While you cannot control everything that comes your way, you can control how you respond to them.” Brian Tracy

The true measure of emotional well-being is how positive and optimistic you are about yourself, about your talents and abilities, and about your life.

We all face challenges, but it is our reaction to those challenges that determine how quickly we can overcome them. Your ability to find an optimistic view of challenges will impact your overall success and emotional well-being, so to ensure you know how to be optimistic during hardships.

Resolve to see your glass of life as half full rather than half empty. Happy people give thanks for the many blessings in life rather than worrying or complaining about the things they do not have.

Assume the best of intentions on the part of everyone around you.  Most people are pretty decent, honest and are trying to do the very best they know how to, says Tracy. When you look for something good in their words and actions, you will almost always find something.

Finally, resolve to be cheerful, no matter what happens.

Looking on the bright side is most important when things go wrong. According to Tracy, “While you cannot control everything that comes your way, you can control how you respond to them.”

“Success is not an action that you take, it’s a way of life. If you want to accomplish great things, greatness must be reflected in everything that you do.” Brian Tracy

References:

  1. https://www.briantracy.com/blog/personal-success/be-an-optimist-at-all-times/
  2. https://www.briantracy.com/blog/personal-success/positive-attitude-happy-people-positive-thinking/

Brian Tracy, Chairman and CEO of Brian Tracy International, a company specializing in the training and development of individuals and organizations.

10 Powerful Quotes ~ “The Psychology of Money”

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“Rich is the current income. Wealth is income not spent. Wealth is hard because it requires self-control.” Morgan Housel

10 Powerful Quotes from “The Psychology of Money” by “Morgan Housel”

  1. “Spending money to show people how much money you have is the fastest way to have less money.”
  2. “Getting money is one thing. Keeping it is another.”
  3. “Be nicer and less flashy. No one is impressed with your possessions as much as you are.”
  4. “You might think you want a fancy car or a nice watch. But what you probably want is respect and admiration.”
  5. “Use money to gain control over your time.”
  6. “Saving is the gap between your ego and your income.”
  7. “Savings can be created by spending less. You can spend less if you desire less. And you will desire less if you care less about what others think of you. Money relies more on psychology than finance.”
  8. “Rich is the current income. Wealth is income not spent. Wealth is hard because it requires self-control.”
  9. “Happiness is just results minus expectations.”
  10. “In fact, the most important part of every plan is planning on your plan not going according to plan.”

https://twitter.com/books_dq/status/1517815934056075264

A few bonus quotes:

“”Be more patient” in investing is the “sleep 8 hours” of health. It sounds too simple to take seriously but will probably make a bigger difference than anything else you do.”

“The formula for how to do well with money is simple. The behaviors you battle while implementing that formula are hard.”

“”Save more money and be more patient” is too simple for most people to take seriously, but it’s the best solution to most financial problems.”

References:

  1. https://www.collaborativefund.com/blog/rules-truths-beliefs/
  2. https://www.collaborativefund.com/blog/$/

Major Definite Purpose

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It is said widely that ninety-five percent of the people of the world drift through life aimlessly without definite purposes for their lives.

Psychological reason for having a definite purpose in life implies that one’s actions are determined by the thoughts of one’s mind. Therefore, if you deliberately hold your definite purpose in your mind with the expectation of it realization, this will permeate your subconscious mind to the point where it will automatically influence the actions needed to achieve your definite purpose.

Once you determine your definite purpose, make sure that it is well-defined. You must write it down and place it where you can see it as soon as you open your eyes in the morning and the last thing that you see before you close your eyes at night.

An excerpt from Brian Tracy’s “Goals”

Your major definite purpose can be defined as the one goal that is most important to you at the moment. It is usually the one goal that will help you to achieve more of your other goals than anything else you can accomplish. It must have the following characteristics:

  1. It must be something that you really want. Your desire for this goal must be so intense that the very idea of achieving your major purpose excites you and makes you happy.
  2. It must be clear and specific. You must be able to define it in words. You must be able to write it down with such clarify that a child could read it and know exactly what it is that you want and be able to determine whether or not you have achieved it.
  3. It must be measurable and quantifiable. Rather than “I want to make a lot of money,” it must be more like “I will earn $100,000 per year by (a specific date).”
  4. It must be both believable and achievable. Your major definite purpose cannot be so big or so ridiculous that it is completely unattainable.
  5. Your major definite purpose should have a reasonable probability of success, perhaps fifty-fifty when you begin. Set huge, audacious goals, and you will still be motivated to take the steps necessary to achieve them. But in the beginning, set goals that are believable and achievable and that have a high probability of success so that you can be assured of winning right from the start.
  6. Your major definite purpose must be in harmony with your other goals. You cannot want to be financially successful in your career on the one hand and play golf most of the time on the other. Your major definite purpose must be in harmony with your minor goals and congruent with your values.

“Decide now what you desire from life and what you have to give in return.”

To achieve success, you have know exactly what you want and what you are willing to give-up in return….success is a two-way street.

References:

  1. https://www.achieve-goal-setting-success.com/definite-purpose.html

Long-Term Investing

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“Investing should be more like watching paint dry or watching grass grow. If you want excitement, take $800 and go to Las Vegas.” — Paul Samuelson

Everyone is a long-term investor up to the moment the stock market correction or crash occurs. “During bull markets, everyone believes that he is committed to stocks for the long term,” opines Billionaire investor William J. Bernstein. “Unfortunately, history also tells us that during bear markets, you can hardly give stocks away. Most investors are simply not capable of withstanding the vicissitudes of an all-stock investment strategy.

Yet, successful investing is a long game. It takes “time, patience and discipline”, says Warren Buffett. When you put money to work in markets it’s best to set it and forget it. Billionaire investor Warren Buffett quipped, “Over the long term, the stock market news will be good. In the 20th century, the United States endured two world wars and other traumatic and expensive military conflicts; the Depression; a dozen or so recessions and financial panics; oil shocks; a fly epidemic; and the resignation of a disgraced president. Yet the Dow rose from 66 to 11,497.”

Myopic Loss Aversion

Investors must manage the battle between fear and greed in their heads and stomachs to be successful in building wealth in the long term. Unfortunately, the fear of loss is generally a more powerful force that overwhelms many investors during periods of steep losses in stock prices.

Even though they don’t plan to liquidate the investment for decades, many investors panic during market corrections and bear markets; causing them to miss out on the often sharp recovery in prices that follows.

Being a long-term investor is more about inner attitude, about positive mindset and about behavior then the asset holding timeframe. Being a long-term investor requires a confidence based on clarity of purpose, rigorous research, and insightful analysis.

Long-term investors should invest in sustainable and growing companies – companies that are likely to be around and that are increasing their intrinsic value for the long term.

Behavior is an essential value of a long-term investor since behavior drives results. Thus, staying calm during a downturn is indeed a critical quality of any long-term investor,

For long-term investors, if you are clear about your investment principles, confident in your investment’s thesis, and genuinely believe in your investment strategy, a market downturn is the best time to invest in companies.

Overall, investing is all about focusing on your financial goals and ignoring the noise and mania of the markets and the financial media. That means buying and holding for the long term, regardless of any news that might move you to try and time the market. “There is only one way of investing, and that is long term,” says Vid Ponnapalli, a CFP and owner of Unique Financial Advisors and Tax Consultants in Holmdel, N.J.

Investor, Mohnish Pabrai, says it best, “You don’t make money when you buy stocks, and you don’t make money when you sell stocks. You make money by waiting.”

“Successful Investing takes time, discipline and patience. No matter how great the talent or effort, some things just take time: You can’t produce a baby in one month by getting nine women pregnant.” Warren Buffett

References:

  1. https://www.forbes.com/advisor/investing/tips-for-long-term-investing/
  2. https://www.institutionalinvestor.com/article/b18x07sykt3psy/What-Long-Term-Investor-Really-Means
  3. https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbes-shook/2022/05/10/an-investors-mind-6-ways-it-can-block-the-path-to-long-term-wealth/?sh=7ca749405f7c

Inspiring Story: Small Actions can Pay Big Dividends

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“If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way.” – Napoleon Hill

A man was asked to paint a boat. He brought his paint and brushes and began to paint the boat a bright red, as the owner asked him.

While painting, he noticed a small hole in the hull, and quietly repaired it.

When he finished painting, he received his money and left.

The next day, the owner of the boat came to the painter and presented him with a nice check, much higher than the payment for painting.

The painter was surprised and said “You’ve already paid me for painting the boat Sir!”

“But this is not for the paint job. It’s for repairing the hole in the boat.”

“Ah! But it was such a small service… certainly it’s not worth paying me such a high amount for something so insignificant.”

“My dear friend, you do not understand. Let me tell you what happened:

“When I asked you to paint the boat, I forgot to mention the hole.

“When the boat dried, my kids took the boat and went on a fishing trip.

“They did not know that there was a hole. I was not at home at that time.

“When I returned and noticed they had taken the boat, I was desperate because I remembered that the boat had a hole.

“Imagine my relief and joy when I saw them returning from fishing.

“Then, I examined the boat and found that you had repaired the hole!

“You see, now, what you did? You saved the life of my children! I do not have enough money to pay your ‘small’ good deed.”

So no matter who, when or how, continue to help, sustain, wipe tears, listen attentively, and carefully repair all the ‘leaks’ you find. You never know when one is in need of us, or when God holds a pleasant surprise for us to be helpful and important to someone.

Along the way, you may have repaired numerous ‘boat holes’ for several people without realizing how many lives you’ve save.

Make a difference….be the best of you

So, no matter who, when, or how… just continue to help, sustain, wipe tears, listen attentively and carefully repair all the ‘leaks’ you find, because you never know when one is in need.

Along the way, you may have repaired numerous ‘boat holes’ for several people without realizing how many lives you’ve save.

References:

  1. https://www.kindspring.org/story/view.php?sid=137702
  2. https://motivateus.com/stories/hole-in-the-boat.htm

“Those who joyfully leave everything in God’s hand will eventually see God’s hand in everything. Worries end when faith begins.” – Nishan Panwar

Working on Your Goals and Expressing Gratitude Everyday

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“With whatever you are struggling to master in your life, create a small habit or routine that gets you one step closer to it each and every day. ” Brendon Burchard

Now more than ever is the time to really appreciate the small, meaningful moments in life. It’s time you stop waiting for ” the anvil of purpose” to fall onto your head and suddenly everything, like life’s vision, purpose and meaning, become clear!

Instead, sit down with yourself and really think about what that purpose, that meaning, that vision for your life can really be.

There is no better time than the present to start this journey of self-exploration and find the ways in which you can truly feel alive, fulfilled, and happy in this life.

Thus, it’s important to make getting better everyday and self-improvement a way of life. It’s important to:

  • Begin the journey to think about and clarify your life’s vision, purpose and meaning.
  • Focus more on expressing gratitude and incorporating everyday wins back into your week and taking the time to appreciate them and let them sink in.
  • Focus more on your habits and long-term goals, and connecting back to your vision and purpose.

In the past, how many times did you achieve something or have special moments with your kids, spouse or friends, only to quickly move on to the next thing?

Life is so short to breeze by these special moments and not appreciate them. Really take the time to feel the day and fill your heart with gratitude. You’ll be happier too!

There’s still time to reclaim your day and schedule activities that add real value and meaning back into your routine. By pursuing your dream for 2 minutes or even 30 minutes every single day.

Don’t wait until next weekend when you might have the time for your goals and vision. Tomorrow isn’t guaranteed and that big dream of yours isn’t going to materialize if you keep pushing it off.

Break down your big audacious goals into quarterly, monthly, weekly, and daily goals. Work on your goals every single day and you will move the needle in your progress and success.

Additionally, if you want to achieve your goals, you should develop a growth mindset. A growth mindset allows you to explore more, take more risks, try new things, and grow more into what you’re capable.

The Power of Reflection

Clarity only happens when you reflect on your long term goals, habits and relationships — daily. It might be time to take a hard, unflinching look at your own performance in these important areas of your life.

When you live a life with intention each day, that brings about true purpose and meaning to your life. And when your days are filled with more purpose and meaning — more happiness and fulfillment tends to follow. And isn’t that the ultimate goal? To live a happy, purposeful and meaningful life.

Personal growth, goals and purpose are things that must be worked on everyday, otherwise you will lose touch with them.

Your Wealth Building and Financial Freedom Coach,

References:

  1. https://growthday.com
  2. https://www.growthday.com/hps-v4

Small, daily actions can gather momentum to become an unstoppable force of change.

  • Outcome – goals and vision
  • Process – habits and systems
  • Identity – mindset, beliefs and thoughts

It’s not too late to prioritize your health and wellness, explains Brendon Burchard,

! If you haven’t already, put your health at the forefront and do everything you can to get your healthy eating, sleep, and exercise routine in place. Because small, daily actions can gather momentum to become an unstoppable force of change.

The Great Benefits and Joy of Movement

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“Anytime you engage in regular activity, you’re becoming this version of yourself that is more hopeful, more motivated, more energized, and better able to connect with others.” ~Kelly McGonigal, Ph.D.

Knowing only great benefits and happiness will result from movement, why are Americans so resistant to making movement a priority in their day?

While our brains and bodies reward us for moving and exertion, we also are built with an instinct to avoid overexertion, conserve energy, to rest, to avoid discomfort, and avoid failure and embarrassment, says Kelly McGonigal, Ph.D., a research psychologist, a lecturer at Stanford University, and an award-winning science writer and author of The Joy of Movement.

To retrain our bodies to encourage movement, we must first start with self-compassion and the practice of gratitude. We must remove the negative connotations from movement and recognize how the practice of movement can be really rewarding on its own.

“Exercise is health-enhancing and life-extending, yet many of us feel it’s a chore.” Kelly McGonigal

Research shows, according to Dr. McGonigal, there are three motivations that keep people moving:

  • Enjoyment – doing something you actually enjoy
  • The activity provides social community or sense of identity (i.e. “I’m a runner”), … positive social connection, and
  • It’s a personal challenge and meaningful to you as you’re making progress toward a goal.

If you can find an activity that gives you all three – you’re hooked for life! Exercise is health-enhancing and life-extending, yet many of us feel it’s a chore and burden.

Movement can be a source of joy and is intertwined with some of the most basic human joys, including self-expression, social connection, and mastery–and why it is a powerful antidote to the modern epidemics of depression, anxiety, and loneliness.

Basically, bliss can be found in any sustained physical activity, whether that’s hiking, swimming, cycling, dancing, or yoga. However, the runner’s high emerges only after a significant effort. It seems to be the brain’s way of rewarding you for working hard.

McGonigal tells the stories of people who have found fulfillment and belonging through running, walking, dancing, swimming, weightlifting, and more, with examples that span the globe.

Along the way, Dr. McGonigal paints a portrait of human nature that highlights our capacity for hope, cooperation, and self-transcendence.

Movement is integral to both our happiness and our humanity. By harnessing the power of movement, you can create happiness, meaning, and connection in your life.

The latest theory about the runner’s high claims that: Our ability to experience exercise-induced euphoria is linked to our earliest ancestors’ lives as hunters, scavengers, and foragers.

As biologist Dennis Bramble and paleoanthropologist Daniel Lieberman write, “Today, endurance running is primarily a form of exercise and recreation, but its roots may be as ancient as the origin of the human genus.”

The neurochemical state that makes running gratifying may have originally served as a reward to keep early humans hunting and gathering. What we call the runner’s high may even have encouraged our ancestors to cooperate and share the spoils of a hunt.

In our evolutionary past, humans may have survived in part because physical activity was pleasurable. It takes about six weeks of consistent moderate movement to see structural and neurochemical changes in your brain. And, increase intensity amplifies the benefits. The harder stuff seems to payoff. Exercise gets easier and more pleasurable sooner.

The key to unlocking the runner’s high is not the physical action of running itself, but can be achieved on continuous moderate intensity exercise. And in fact scientists have documented a similar increase in endocannabinoids from cycling, walking on a treadmill at an incline, and outdoor hiking.

If you want the high, you just have to put in the time and effort. 

References:

  1. https://getmadefor.com/blogs/perspective/the-joy-of-movement-how-looking-backwards-moves-us-forward
  2. https://www.amazon.com/Joy-Movement-exercise-happiness-connection/dp/0525534105/ref=nodl

Kelly McGonigal, Ph.D., is a research psychologist, a lecturer at Stanford University, and an award-winning science writer and author of The Joy of Movement.

Attitude of Gratitude Tips

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“Gratitude heals, energizes, and transforms lives.” Robert Emmons, Ph.D.

How often do you feel thankful for the good things in your life? Studies suggest that making a habit of noticing what’s going well in your life and practicing gratitude could have wealth, health and emotional well-being benefits, according to the National Institute (NIH) of Health News in Health.

The author of “The Millionaire Mind”, Dr. Thomas J. Stanley, tells a terrific story of meeting with several former University of Alabama football players of the legendary Coach Paul ‘Bear’ Bryant, who were all successful business owners and senior executives in companies.  Dr. Stanley asked questions of the former football players. Instead of asking the typical questions, the author asked a simple very focused question.  What is the first thing you learned from Coach Bryant.  All of the former players tell a similar story:

On the first day of football practice, Coach Bryant asked them one question. “Have you called your parents to thank them?” He then says, “None of you got here on your own.  It required your parents to sacrifice many days taking you to little league practices, school, and feeding you and ensuring that you could play football and ultimately be on this team.  None of us got here on our own and we will not win on our own.”

The message from coach Bryant was clear.  You must have an ‘attitude of gratitude’ and realize we all need each other to get where we want to go.

Consequently, the millionaires in the study discussed within the book, “The Millionaire Mind”, agreed with coach Bryant’s assertion. To be successful and to successfully build wealth, you should have an ‘attitude of gratitude’.

Gratitude has two key components, according to Robert Emmons, Ph.D., Director, The Greater Good Science Center at the University of California, Berkeley, and perhaps the world’s leading scientific expert on gratitude.

  • “It’s an affirmation of goodness.” Gratitude permits you “to affirm that there are good things in the world, gifts and benefits” you’ve received.
  • It “…recognizes that the sources of this goodness are outside of yourself … You acknowledge that other people—or even higher powers, if you’re of a spiritual mindset—gave you many gifts, big and small, to help you achieve the goodness in your life.”

The social dimension of gratitude is especially important. It requires you to see how you’ve been “supported and affirmed by other people”. In other words, the grateful person accepts all of life as a precious gift. It does not mean that everything that occurs in life is pleasant and good…bad things and problems will continue to occur in your life. Instead, it implies that we are grateful for both life’s problems (or challenges) and life’s blessings.

Because gratitude encourages us not only to appreciate gifts but to repay them (or pay them forward), the sociologist Georg Simmel called it “the moral memory of mankind.” This is how gratitude may have evolved: by strengthening bonds between members of the same species who mutually helped each other out.

Taking the time to feel gratitude can improve your wealth, health and emotional well-being by helping you cope with stress. Research suggests that a daily practice of gratitude could affect the body, too. For example, one study found that gratitude was linked to fewer signs of chronic inflammation and heart disease.

When life gets challenging, it can be difficult to focus on all the good things we have to be thankful for. Our brains are hardwired to consider the worst possible scenario and remember negative experiences to avoid pain and stay safe.

Gratitude is one way to counteract our natural bias towards negativity and to boost happiness and overall well-being.

The first step in any gratitude practice is to reflect on and appreciate the good things that have happened or are happening in your life. These can be big or little things. It can be as simple as finding a good parking space in your workplace garage or enjoying a cup of Starbucks coffee. Or, perhaps you feel grateful for a close friend’s unexpected cellphone call or compassionate support.

Next, allow yourself a moment to enjoy and appreciate that you had the positive experience, no matter what problems may exist in your life. Focus on and embrace the positive feelings of gratitude.

“We encourage people to try practicing gratitude daily,” advises Dr. Judith T. Moskowitz, a psychologist at Northwestern University. “You can try first thing in the morning or right before you fall asleep, whatever is best for you.”

When you make gratitude a regular habit, it can help you learn to recognize good things in your life despite the bad things and problems that might be happening.

The bottomline is to create positive emotions by being thankful and practicing gratitude every day by following these tips:

  • Take a moment. Think about the positive things that happened during the day.
  • Joy it Down in a Gratitude Journal. Make a habit of writing down things you’re grateful for. Try listing 3 to 5 things for thirty days.
  • Savor and be thankful for your experiences. Try to notice positive moments as they are happening.
  • Relive the good times. Relive positive moments later by thinking about them or sharing them with others.
  • Write to someone. Write a letter to someone you feel thankful toward. You don’t have to send it.
  • Make a visit. Tell someone you’re grateful for them in person.

In short, gratitude heals, energizes, and transforms lives, says Emmons. Religions and philosophies have long embraced gratitude as an indispensable manifestation of virtue, and an integral component of health, wholeness, and well-being.

References:

  1. Stanley, Ph.D, Thomas J., (August 2, 2001), The Millionaire Mind, Kansas City: Andrews McMeel Publishing
  2. https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2019/03/practicing-gratitude
  3. https://selfdevelopmentaddict.com/2014/12/20/the-millionaire-mind-book-summarynotes/
  4. https://healthmatters.idaho.gov/an-attitude-of-gratitude/

Living the Life of Your Dreams

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“The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it.” Steve Jobs

Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life or one devoid of purpose. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking, writes Excellence Reporter in a 2019 article. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.

“Life is to be lived and enjoyed in the moment,” says life coach Lamisha Serf-Walls. “Life is too short not to do what you love and when you are living the life your soul intended, you will experience freedom and bliss you never thought possible.”

Life can be much broader once you discover one simple fact: Everything around you that you call life was made up by people that were no smarter than you and you can change it, you can influence it, you can build your own things that other people can use. Once you learn that, you’ll never be the same or settle again.

“The mystery of human existence lies not in just staying alive, but in finding something to live for.” Fyodor Dostoevsky

You should never have a life’s purpose or live a life with the primary goal of getting rich and building wealth. Money can only be a tool used to achieve a goal or life’s purpose. It should never be your primary goal or purpose.

Instead, your goal and puri should be to value or serve others, to work towards something you believe in and to live a life that matters. You should be building wealth to serve others, to make the world better in some small way or to solve a problem. “Never work just for money or for power. They won’t save your soul or help you sleep at night”, states Marian Wright Edelman.

Additionally, let your passion lead you to your purpose. “If you can’t figure out your purpose, figure out your passion. For your passion will lead you right into your purpose. says Bishop T.D. Jakes  Be candid and honest with yourself about what your passions are. What really lights you up and makes you happy? What would you do if money weren’t a concern and you weren’t afraid? Let your passion lead you to your purpose.

Whether you start writing for fun, volunteer at a shelter, or start a new business, take some action today. Your passion will catapult you forward to more of the same and in no time you will find yourself living the life of your dreams!

According to Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, a German poet, playwright, novelist, and scientist, there are nine requisites for contented and purposeful living:

  1. Health enough to make work and life a pleasure.
  2. Wealth enough to support your needs.
  3. Strength to battle with difficulties and overcome them.
  4. Grace enough to confess your sins and forsake them.
  5. Patience enough to toil until some good is accomplished.
  6. Charity enough to see some good in your neighbor.
  7. Love enough to move you to be useful and helpful to others.
  8. Faith enough to make real the things of God.
  9. Hope enough to remove all anxious fears concerning the future.

“Everyone has a purpose in life…a unique gift or special talent to give to others. And when we blend this unique talent with service to others, we experience the exctasy and exultation of our own spirit, which is the ultimate goal of goals.” Deepak Chopra

References:

  1. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/live-your-life_b_6631456
  2. https://www.thegrowthreactor.com/quotes-about-purpose-in-life/
  3. https://excellencereporter.com/2019/06/11/steve-jobs-on-the-wisdom-and-the-purpose-of-life/
  4. https://excellencereporter.com/2021/11/29/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-on-the-wisdom-and-the-purpose-of-life/

Tips to Feel Better – Mindfulness

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“Mindfulness gives you time. Time gives you choices. Choices, skillfully made, lead to freedom.” – Bhante Henepola Gunaratana

Feeling good means that your body and mind are working at their peak level, and you have a general sense of well-being, says David Rakel, MD, founder and the director of the integrative medicine program at the University of Wisconsin (UW). The vision of the UW’s program is “Inspiring health and wellness in patients, communities, and ourselves”.

Life is short and a precious gift. Thus, it’s critical to enjoy and live fully each day To feel good day after day, Rakel suggests:

Stay focused on the present moment.

“If we can learn to recognize the clutter that our mind is in and learn to be more mindful of the present moment, that can be a tremendous asset to our overall sense of well-being,” Rakel says. The “clutter” that can make you feel bad includes regret about the past and worry that bad things might happen to you.

A practice called mindfulness can help you reduce the clutter by keeping your focus on the present moment. Mindfulness means maintaining a moment-by-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and surrounding environment, through a gentle, nurturing lens.

Mindfulness also involves acceptance, meaning that we pay attention to our thoughts and feelings without judging them—without believing, for instance, that there’s a “right” or “wrong” way to think or feel in a given moment. When we practice mindfulness, our thoughts tune into what we’re sensing in the present moment rather than rehashing the past or imagining the future.

To be more mindful, try to:

  • Take in the colors, sounds, and smells that surround you at any given time.
  • Pay attention to your breath moving in and out of your body for a few moments.
  • Let worrisome thoughts flow out of your mind when they pop up, rather than giving them attention and dwelling on them.

Studies have shown that practicing mindfulness, even for just a few weeks, can bring a variety of physical, psychological, and social benefits. Here are some of these benefits according to The Greater Good Science Center at the University of California, Berkeley, which extend across many different settings.

  • Mindfulness is good for your bodies: A seminal study found that, after just eight weeks of training, practicing mindfulness meditation boosts your immune system’s ability to fight off illness. Practicing mindfulness may also improve sleep quality.
  • Mindfulness is good for your minds: Several studies have found that mindfulness increases positive emotions while reducing negative emotions and stress. Indeed, at least one study suggests it may be as good as antidepressants in fighting depression and preventing relapse.
  • Mindfulness changes our brains: Research has found that it increases density of gray matter in brain regions linked to learning, memory, emotion regulation, and empathy.
  • Mindfulness helps you focus: Studies suggest that mindfulness helps you tune out distractions and improves your memory, attention skills, and decision-making.

In addition to mindfulness, it’s important to try to stay positive and focus on the positive.

The same event can happen to two people, and one views it as a positive and one views it as a negative. So try to see the good side of the things and people around you; it can help you stay free of anxiety and depression, Rakel says.

And, there is a strong connection between psychological health and longevity. In fact, optimism, purpose, and happiness have all been tied to living longer, suggesting you may want to cultivate these attributes in your life.

“How we pay attention to the present moment largely determines the character of our experience, and therefore, the quality of our lives.” – Sam Harris

Make a spiritual connection.

Rakel defines this as spending time on “that which gives your life meaning and purpose.”This could be your religious beliefs, enjoying nature, or sharing moments with loved ones. “If we get up in the morning excited about something that gives us meaning and self-purpose, our bodies do all they can to heal,” he says.

Be around people.

Having a good support network of family, friends, coworkers, and other people who care about you can help you stay healthier, feel less stressed, and even live a longer life. Spend time with these people regularly, and work to keep your relationships with them strong.

Bottomline, by being mindful, you can train yourself to live in the present moment to handle life’s challenges with a clear mind to help you feel better and live your best life.

Focus on good health and emotional well-being.

“Mindfulness is deliberately paying full attention to what is happening around you– in your body, heart, and mind. Mindfulness is awareness without criticism or judgment.” – Jan Chozen Bays

Healthy aging

If you want to live a long, healthy life as you age, it’s important to keep physically healthy by eating right, exercising, and getting enough sleep.

People with significantly higher than average life satisfaction, positive feelings, purpose in life, or optimism at age 50 lived an average of five to eight additional years. “Achieving high levels of these aspects of well-being have really important impacts on people living longer and healthier lives,” says researcher Jennifer Boylan, University of Michigan’s Health and Retirement Study. “Their presence is worth focusing on more than it has been.”

References:

  1. https://www.webmd.com/balance/features/more-energy
  2. https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/topic/mindfulness/definition#why-practice-mindfulness
  3. https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/four_keys_to_wellbeing_that_may_help_you_live_longer