Pursue Your Purpose

It's the journey of our lifetime... finding and being able to pursue your purpose, isn't it?

And for those who find it early in life, the rewards that come with it are endless.

It is a life of almost living free of trouble, of the complexities that usually come with that struggle we face, day to day, just to keep up with 'stuff'.

This 'stuff' I mention is the constant battle of daily living. Getting up at the sound of an alarm bell, to race through breakfast, to sit in traffic, to get to a job we dislike or do for the sake of making ends meet.

While waiting in traffic our minds wander to what we would rather be doing. On what brings us joy and fulfillment. On what gives us that 'buzz' and spring in our step.

You've met these people who do what they love and love what they do. Those who pursue their creativity. Be it painting, drawing, sculpting, singing, playing an instrument, writing music or poetry or books.

Or other artistic pursuits such as flower arrangements, making jewellry, making clothes. And then there are those that teach. Be it yoga or meditation or anywhere where it allows us to be more present and in the NOW.

I have always aspired to be one of these people. My life, at least the first five decades of it, was dedicated to making ends meet. As a single mother I could not afford the luxury of what I termed ' following a dream'.

I had to be practical. I had to be sensible and realistic. And for most of us, this is LIFE. We may have responsibilities that we can't just abandon. Wether we take care of ourselves or we are taking care of children, the elderly, a spouse or family members, we need to be realistic.

However, in today's world, finding a way to stay committed to our responsibilities and pursue our dreams is far easier now than it ever was.

With the birth of technology, more and more people can find time to pursue their interests and passion.

Today, anyone can be an author. Its true! 30 years ago when I pursued becoming a published author it was incredibly difficult and almost impossible.

My first book was written on a typewriter. No spellcheck, no back-spacing to go into and edit.

I can't tell you how much paper I wasted or how much liquid paper and erasing I did. Photocopies upon photocopies of manuscripts were made and sent out to publishing houses.

Sometimes the copies came back, mostly they didn't. Letters of disappointment rolled in one by one, or letters of encouragement, saying 'title did not suit our publishing house'.

For those who wanted to self publish, a printing house was needed and a minimum of several thousand copies would be required or it couldn't be done.

It was expensive to self publish, but many did it in the belief and hope they could recoup their costs by selling their books.

Then there came the marketing. Well that's a whole other story. Without a marketing campaign you couldn't sell your books.

And so began the task of making appointments to local newspapers, local radio and television networks in the hope they would give you an opportunity for a story in their paper, magazine, or television program.

As a young author, this took up my days, my weeks, my time. Time I didn't have. I was a young single mother and the bills needed to be paid and children to clothe and feed. The writing, that creative part of me had to be put aside for the need to be practical.

The writing came to an end until technology and the internet came about and this was the birth of a new way of living, and opportunities for people to maintain a foot in the world of making a living for practical reasons, and being able to pursue ones purpose.

We live in a world where more and more people can do this without sacrificing moving out of the home.

Today, artists, musicians, writers, poets and nearly anyone who wants to pursue anything creative can do so from the comfort of their own home.

You hardly have to move. Writers can write knowing that they can produce a book, load it up to the internet, and sell ( paperless copies, I might add!) without moving from the comfort of their chair.

Having purpose is part of our souls journey. It gives birth to a better us, who can in one lifetime have several careers. The more we are on purpose, the more opportunity we have to nurture this part of 'who we really are', the better human being we become on every level.

Nancy Wylde is an author and speaker in the field of self-develoment. Her earthy, practical and humorous style speaks to men and women of all backgrounds. Nancy has appeared on national television and radio. Nancy devotes alot of her time to charities, helping raise awareness for Breast Cancer after her own diagnosis of Advanced Breast Cancer several years ago. You can find out more about Nancy Wylde on [http://www.nancywylde.com]

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Nancy_Wylde/223916

Tony Robbins The Secret of Happiness

Confidence, and Twenty-One Day Programming Habits

We all want to achieve, but to create a habit, we must start somewhere. We all start at day zero and one, and then create our habits and realities at the end of the programming or achievement. Indeed, Maxwell Maltz was right, it takes twenty-one days to program a habit, but lifetime of good practice to keep a good habit going. Also, habits are like a prayer or a spell you do on yourself. The more you practice, the more they cement themselves to your mind and spirit.

Like anything, reality creation is the result of habits developed in life, they can be negative like smoking or drinking alcohol, or positive like telling the truth and being honest all of the time.

The semantics of reality are within the habit in every way. Developing good habits leads to a good reality, developing bad habits leads to a bad reality. I think of a sort of statism when I think of hypnosis or mono-idealism, mono-idealism meaning pure focused attention of course creating habits through consistent pure focused attention for an extended period of time. Reality is like the recorded grooves of an old-fashioned record when you think about it, when you practice it enough for enough time, it cannot do anything else but the same thing for good or for bad. Good preferred, of course by all, especially by those who realize they are doing bad for or to themselves as a habit.

To achieve a better reality, we must all start from zero, and get to create the habit from scratch. There is not any real exception to this rule. Nothing comes ready-made, nothing is easily done in this sense. We must start a good habit to genuinely create it.

Start thinking: What do I want to improve, achieve and do. Even put it on an index card note to yourself or write or type inside a little book or folder for yourself to go over all the time. After all, the habit of thinking what you want ultimately cements into reality if you do it right, realistically and carry the "saga" through. Without the grooves of habit, the record of life is just a common ball of wax or plate of wax without meaning, grooves or reality to it.

We all want to win, but we do need to create good habits and train to really do it. That is always a reality that always exists. Thank you for reading this idea I have about life and existence as a law of living reality.

My name is Joshua Clayton, I am a freelance writer based in Inglewood, California. I also write under a few pen-names and aliases, but Joshua Clayton is my real name, and I write by that for the most part now. I am a philosophical writer and objective thinker and honest action taker. I also work at a senior center in Gardena, California as my day job, among other things, but primarily I am a writer.

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Joshua_Clayton/177409

How To Think Correctly | Zig Ziglar Motivation | Let's Become Successful

Not Following The Crowd

The only way to achieve anything genuine is to not follow the crowd and come up with something creatively original. With that dramatically simple statement, I start this article off. The greatest dreamers that ultimately got "somewhere", started off seemingly insane, "nuts" or worse and ended up prophets of reality that won everything right down to the invention and patenting of the electric light bulb, motor car, wireless cell phone and forever beyond creativity, simple or complex.

So, we all love to win, even the best and worst of us. Who loves to pay genuinely at all creative costs for what they win though? That is why the very concept of cheating exists as a reality in the minds of most people. "Follow the crowd, steal what you can and get it 'all' quick and easy without the work" is the subliminal reality presented to us all in society.

The underlying genuine reality still remains there, though. To win you must journey the full journey of the originator ultimately, whatever the temporary disappointments to really get the real goal. All cheating leads to false escapes and disappointments that are permanent in that sense anyway. In that sense, I can honestly, and factually say that only the weakest people are genuine cheaters and the strongest people create value from the ground up regardless of what others, including the cheaters may do. Violent losing always comes down to a gun shot or a first fist raised in violence. Genuine triumph always comes down to creativity and rational self-defense from the ground up in a genuinely working way that creates and preserves instead of destroys and steals. Indeed, initiating violence and destruction for gain is the ultimate form of cheating and if we are destructive in that way destruction will ultimately and genuinely end us.

Nobody is a winner who cheats with the destructive essence of cheating and full understanding of it. The real achievement is essentially being creative realistically, not trying to escape responsibility through stealing or cheating. So, at the end of this article, I quote one of my favorite Dan Penn/Wallace Daniel Pennington and Lincoln Wayne "Chips" Moman songs, "The Dark End Of The Street" with an understanding context that lays the reality there for all to see clearly as a wonderfully honest metaphor:

At the dark end of the street,

That's where we always meet.

Hiding in shadows where we don't belong,

Living in darkness to hide our wrong.

You and me, at the dark end of the street

You and me.

I know time is gonna take its toll

We're have pay for the love we stole

It's a sin and we know it's wrong

Oh but our love keeps coming on strong

Steal away, to the dark end of the street,

They're gonna find us,

They're gonna find us,

They're gonna find us, oh someday

You and me, at the dark end of the street

You and me.

And when the daylight hour rolls around

And by chance we're both downtown

If we should meet, just walk on by

Oh darling, please don't cry

Tonight we'll meet

At the dark end of the street.

My name is Joshua Clayton, I am a freelance writer based in Inglewood, California. I also write under a few pen-names and aliases, but Joshua Clayton is my real name, and I write by that for the most part now. I am a philosophical writer and objective thinker and honest action taker. I also work at a senior center in Gardena, California as my day job, among other things, but primarily I am a writer.

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Joshua_Clayton/177409

How to Use the Power of Self-Discipline | Brian Tracy

6 Steps to Take Action Right Now

"I wish I didn't play it too safe" said my father then he continued "you're young, so get out and take risks, fail and learn". That was enough for me to take action towards my goals. Just think about it, you work for your goals and you achieve them, wouldn't it be amazing? Easier said than done, right? If you don't give a chance to yourself, it will never happen.

What is worst, we all tried to do something to make our lives better. Especially, in new years, many people have that 'new year, new me' mindset. Weird enough, they and also you pursued the same habits to achieve different goals. It's like eating chicken and expecting the taste of beef. After all of the failed attempts, you become hopeless and start to believe that you don't have what it takes. The good news? You do have what it takes!

However, first things first. The main reason you failed in the past is this: you set a goal in your mind, you read, listen, watch and gather information about it. And you forgot the most important part; the execution. Let's say, you want to play violin, have a hot body, or start a business. What do you do? You go for it! You spend too much time learning 'about' your goal that eventually, you run out of energy for the actual goal.

Hesitation is another issue; you think like should I go for it? Will it be beneficial? Am I going to be successful? What others are going to think? I've got a question for you; how on the earth are you going to know the answer without trying? The only thing you should get out of this; you spend too much energy about your goal rather than the goal itself.

Procrastination, I had this problem in the past, I feel you. I generally put off working on my goals; I'll start working on it after watching this episode. Alright, I'll just listen to one more music and get started. Guess what happened? Nothing, I killed my valuable time. And I've had enough of it, you've had enough of it too. Here's how to take action right now:

First, understand your fears. Yes, fears and yes, the ones that you deny. If you wish you can write them down on a piece of paper. But generally, we're scared of these: failure and what others will think about what we do. The bad news, you're going to fail, I know from myself, I did it whole lots of times. The worse, it will hurt, yet I've got good news as well. Every time you fail, you learn how to get back up. Certainly one reason that you're afraid of failure is because you don't want other people to see it, that's why you don't want to fail.

It's funny, because you're not their priority, so they don't think about you as much as you think they think about you. Suppose that one your friends started training martial arts. He got serious about in his new hobby and after training a couple of months participated a tournament. Let's say, he got destroyed in his first match. How much would you care? Are you going to make fun of him or if yes, for how long? As you can see, there's no need of fear of failure that comes from worrying about others' reactions.

Second, you should accept failure. There are many ways to embrace failure, in my opinion, changing the definition of failure is the easiest one. How? Instead of 'failure' you can say 'stepping stone', 'lesson', or 'opportunity for growth'. The more you fail, the more 'opportunities for growth' you will have. Trust me, one of those opportunities will work for you, afterwards, you'll rise like a star. You don't fail because you take action, you fail because you don't take action.

Third, you learn on the way. Your worst is your first, remember that. Do a favor to yourself, have low expectations in your first try. No one was born as professional athletes, wonderful writers, or singers. All of the successful people put tremendous amount of effort on their work. There's no secret, you have to do the same if you want to achieve your goal. It's perfectly okay to think, read, listen and gather information about what you want to do, however, make sure you'll have enough energy to put necessary efforts into your goal. Otherwise you'll not be going forward.

Fourth, run away from temporary desires as your life depends on it. Temporary desires ruin your life. While you think of one more episode, one more music or one more night out, the other person out there working is winning. If something that you do doesn't help you, then don't do it. For instance, I love listening to music, therefore, I listen to music before I work. It starts with that sentence 'just one more' or 'alright, this is the last one', trust me it is more than one more or last one. When I started to write instead of listening to music, I found myself writing till 2 a.m. So, just get started!

The last one, take your time. It is good to visualize your success and it does motivate you, however, you should take only one step at a time. When it comes to achieving something, you cannot start on the top. Don't try to be on the top in the beginning of the journey, as I've said before, have low expectations in the beginning.

If you keep thinking about what you want to do, you'll hesitate, fear and put off more. Which will not bring any positive results. On the other hand, if you start doing what you want to do right now, eventually, you'll have some results (good or bad). More than that, if you keep trying, eventually, you will get your desired outcome.
What are you waiting for? Go for it!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/10244657

One Mindset Shift to Quickly Increase Your Confidence

This Is How You Thrive

THIS IS HOW YOU THRIVE

Over the years, I've witnessed every so-called "reason" people stay stuck. Here are some of the most common:

"I can't do anything about it"

"It's too hard to change"

"I don't know where to begin"

"There are too many obstacles in my way"

Well, here's something important to know. ALL THINGS EXTERNAL TO YOU ARE IRRELEVANT.

Meaning?

The most common thing people do is focus on "reasons and rationalizations" OUTSIDE THEMSELVES.

Here is an irrefutable truth: THERE IS NOTHING TO CHANGE BUT SELF.

Meaning?... and I invite you to remain open here: What you see

in the world is a PROJECTION of what you think and feel.

Consider this:

Your "outside" world is like a blank screen in a movie theater. The screen can ONLY project the film playing in the projection room. If you don't like the movie do you blame the screen or the projection room?

Of course not!!

You simply get up, leave and find a better movie.

Consider this--

-You have your own projection room... it is your mind.

The world outside is a "blank screen" on which you project your beliefs, perceptions and assumptions.

YOU ARE THE DESIGNER/WRITER of the film playing in your life

YOU are completely responsible for the story you write.

To blame people and events is a mistake for the movie you see is a projection of the movie playing in your mind. It is within you.

Don't accept this?

I have a question.

Ever wake up feeling really great without knowing why? Most of us have had this experience.

What kind of day did you have?

95% say "a great day. I was calmer, happier and noticed nothing really bothered me and I easily moved through adversity. It was different than my usual kind of day-that's for sure."

Can you see it?

Without realizing it... folks are demonstrating exactly what I'm saying.

Their day (their screen) WAS A REFLECTION OF THE MOVIE PLAYING IN THEIR HEAD. The result? A better day.

THEIR BETTER DAY HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH ANYTHING BUT THE MOVIE PLAYING WITHIN THEM!!!

So... what movies are playing in your projection room?

The answer is simple.

YOUR CURRENT LIFE CONDITIONS MUST BE A REFLECTION. That's how you know.

Do you struggle in life, relationships, finances or health or in performing on the golf course, tennis courts or in auditions or on stage/set??

Are you stressed?

Do you judge, criticize yourself or others?

These are the scripts you are writing and therefore the movie projected onto the blank screen... and yet you swear "this is how it is."

NO, that's not "how it is." It is merely a reflection of the movie (your beliefs and assumptions of how "life is".)

Test this for yourself.

"When you change the way you look at something... that something changes"

Dr. Wayne Dyer

"We are all in trouble" PREPARE NOW! (Robert Kiyosaki)

Denzel Washington's Life Advice Will Leave You SPEECHLESS |LISTEN THIS EVERYDAY AND CHANGE YOUR LIFE

Modes of Growth

Everyone has their own individualized potential for self-growth, or improvement. As each person is different, everyone’s journey cannot be the same when it comes to making oneself better. Inpatient Vicodin rehab centers, physical therapy, and other types of institutions are common for a model of self-growth.

Self-growth of is definitely not limited to people making changes because of physical issues. In fact, the more common topic of self-growth deals with young kids who are starting to find out about themselves as they transition into adult hood. In the spirit of creating plans, goals, and aspirations, some experimentation gets involved when you’re learning about yourself. In the path of self-improvement, more often than not, failure will lead to success. Whether you realize it or not, everyone is changing all the time, but it’s up to you to figure how much effort will go into making changes and growing.

Around the time you graduate high school and decide if you will take that next step to college or another form of higher education, someone probably asked you “what do you want to do?” Statistically, if you were to ask someone that, they probably wouldn’t know. An estimated 20 to 50 percent of students enter college as “undecided” and an estimated 75 percent of students change their major at least once before graduation. It’s important to note that most students will change their minds at least once. The reason for that is they tried something, and ended up not liking it, thus learning something about themselves, and grew as a person. It’s hard to know and learn things without trying anything different.

While college life, or just life after high school in general, is part of personal growth, many college applications ask potential students to write about their personal growth early on. It’s used as a way to gain insight on whether or not you are mentally ready or mature enough to take the next step. It’s a very common essay topic that should not generate bland responses, as everyone is different. So what could a potential college admissions person look for in someone’s essay on personal growth?

Self-improvement or growth is not necessarily measured in achievements or failures, but rather experiences. An example is from the movie “21” the story about the MIT students who would head to Las Vegas once in a while to count cards. In the beginning of that movie, you see the protagonist sitting in front of an admissions person telling them a story about themselves or something interesting that may have given them life experience. At first he had nothing. By the end of the movie the protagonist had gone through a series of events, eventually giving him a good story to tell, but also able to describe the experience gained from it. Significant life changes such as a divorce, sudden loss of family, and traumatic events all contribute to a person’s self-growth and life experience. In some way the events affect you as a person and change the way you are, for better or worse.

The high school transition for young adults is just one of hundreds of examples where self-growth is tested. Many people wish to improve things about themselves. Just about anyone who gave themselves a New Year’s resolution is either making good on that self-improvement or learning from their failure. If you promised yourself to hit the gym everyday but caved in with McDonalds on day three, there’s still a lesson to be learned there. You can analyze what went wrong, what can be changed next time as far as motivation, and better practices for avoiding temptation. Self-growth is formed from any experience whether good or bad.

Unleash the Power Within VIRTUAL Event | Tony Robbins

What makes a leader stand out?

“A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way.” – John C Maxwell

‘L’ for Leadership is not a position; it is not an authority, it is not power. Then what is leadership? It is a vision, a vision that aims at making a difference and creating a way to put that vision into action. No great leader is born. A great leader is made, over time.
Leadership is a result of tireless efforts towards the achievement of a goal. The goal that a leader sees is aimed at the betterment of the community and not just the self. If the goal were aimed at personal success, she would not be a leader, but an achiever. Some distinct qualities make a leader stand out from the rest. In this article, let us look at those qualities.

A Leader Has a Vision

A leader has a vision. A vision that is extraordinary. All great leaders are driven by the dream they have. The people who believe that they can change the world are the ones who do. When a leader has a vision, she creates a way to get that vision achieved and communicates her idea to the world.

And why do people believe in his vision? It is because there’s something unique about it. Unique in an appealing way. Something that is so compelling that everybody else just wants to follow the path shown by him. And that makes her what she is, a leader.

She has Self-Believes in Himself

A leader not only has great vision but strongly believes in it. She knows what she’s doing is right and that she will be successful in the end. It is this conviction with which she carries his dream forward that makes him different.

And his belief is contagious. It makes others trust him and support him in what he is doing. His trust in himself attracts followers towards him and makes him lead them.

His Goals Are Constructive

No leader ever dreams of destruction. A leader’s goals are always constructive, productive and positive. His ultimate aim is either the betterment of an organization, a solution to a serious issue or the progress of humanity in general.

Why would anybody look up to a person if all that he wanted to do was plant time bombs here and there and see people dying? People become followers of a leader because they know that his ambition is constructive and they want to be a part of it.

He Takes the Road Less Taken

With the extraordinary aim that he wishes to achieve, comes great risk. The risk of failure, the risk of breaking down halfway, the risk of letting his followers down, the risk of not being able to reach the finish line.

However, he is never afraid to take risks. He knows what lies beyond the risk. The reward. He believes in challenging the limitations and still moving ahead.

He Values His Team

One of the biggest traits of a leader is that he values his men more than anything else. He would not move a step ahead even if one of his followers isn’t ready. He is always there for his people, ready to listen to their problems, and give effective solutions to solve them.
A true leader always lifts the spirits of his people, inspires them to do good and believes in working as a team. A manager says, “Go.” A leader says, “Let’s go.” A leader works with his team and still stands out.

He is an Exceptional Orator

This is yet another quality that every leader possesses. He knows that words have power and uses the magic of words to motivate his followers. There is no power like oratory. Antony’s public speaking skills made Romans run for the revenge of Caesar’s death. All he did was convince people through his powerful speech.

A leader uses his power of speech to encourage, inspire and motivate his followers. When reaching the goal seems tougher, it is the stirring words that work wonders. Leaders can lift the spirits of their people by their oratory.

Many leaders even hire a motivational speaking coach to improve their oratory skills.

He Is Exemplary

What does a leader do as he moves in the direction of his goals? He leaves a trail of messages, and footprints of good deeds. Though a leader would never dream of it, he sets an example for people.

People aim to be like their leaders and achieve the extraordinary. The examples set be leaders are a legacy. People follow a leader’s footprints for years, decades and centuries. His vision, the path taken by him, the actions done by him and his belief that helps him achieve his goals is exemplary.

Conclusion

Leaders become powerful not because they do great things. They become powerful because they inspire others to do great things. People love their leaders not because they lead them towards better. They love them because they sit and work with them until they become better. A leader is someone ordinary who dares to do something extraordinary. And that’s how he stands out.

10 Ways to Stay Productive Working Remotely

So many folks had dreamt of working independently from home without having to jump busses and without having to face traffic, the privilege of working at your timing with no boss ordering you around.

This is indeed is a desired state. But with the outbreak of the deadly COVID19 pandemic which has resulted in a lockdown, the reality is not so desirable. So many people have become unproductive as a result of the lockdown.
Working remotely requires some skill set to enable one to stay productive. Bellow is 10 ways to stay productive working remotely from home:

Planning
Plan your day. Write out the list of activities to be done. This will help you to stay focus and not easily be distracted.

Organize your work
This has to do with setting a schedule. Organize your work in the order of importance or priority. Handle the most important task first and not the other way round.
Create a schedule to maintain a regular work hours
Create a schedule that works best for you. You must create a schedule that helps maintain a regular work hours. Set clear guidelines on how many hours a day you want to put into your work. It is equally important that you consider your most productive time of the day when setting your schedule.

Create a workspace
Create a workspace in your home. This will give you the right frame of mind and set you in the work mood. This home office should be taken like the conventional workplace and must be respected. This is more so, if other family members would want to cause distraction.
Act like you are going to work
Acting like you are going to an office can make you more productive. Do everything you would do each morning before heading to work. Set your alarm, get up and have a shower. Get dressed in work clothes, have breakfast, and grab a coffee before starting work in your home office. Make sure all your work tools are readily handy.

Plan break and take them
Plan regular breaks throughout the day and take them. Try to take at least a half-hour lunch break. Taking time out is good for productivity. You come back to work feeling refreshed after time away from the computer screen.

Avoid social media, the silent thief
Social media is distracting and steals your time when you are meant to be working. It's tempting to quickly check what's going on. Avoid social media while working. Turn it off during work hours and resist the urge and temptation to take a quick look except in your breaks.

Set ground rules for family members
Family members at home can be distracting. And with most of us on lockdown at the moment, odds are you are surrounded by people 24/7. This can disrupt your train of thought and focus on productivity drops. Set ground rules so there aren't constant interruptions all day. This is why having a home office is so valuable. If you have a private sanctum, you're much less likely to be disturbed than if you're working from the couch.

Work with reliable technology
Every remote worker needs reliable technology. You need access to an internet connection that you can rely on and that doesn't constantly drop out in the middle of a video call. It also needs to be fast enough to upload completed work. You also need a good computer setup that can handle the workload without slowing down for hours every day. An extra screen, a wireless mouse, and a keyboard may also be essential for you to work efficiently. And noise-canceling headphones can be handy so you can work anywhere at any time.

Be disciplined
The bottom line is you must be disciplined to be productive working remotely from home.
……..Stay home, stay safe, and stay productive.

Jim Rohn Motivation : Get Serious, Get Better, Get Going (Re-uploaded With Light Music)

How to feel connected, when we feel so far apart.

It has been a challenging few weeks, I want to believe that the end is in sight, but realistically we need to rough this out, for the sake of the greater good, for a little while longer. We’re all adjusting to new patterns and routines, and work environments. With every challenge, we have opportunities, and right now, we have the opportunity to become more connected, more empathetic, and more flexible.

Here are five suggestions for feeling more connected when we’re all far apart:
1. Check-in with friends and family – many of us are in self-quarantine with partners or children (deep breath), but others are alone. Try and stay connected with others; we’re all dealing with tough and new situations. One phone call can change someone’s day, pause reading this blog now, and pick up the phone. We’ll still be here when you’re done.

2. Check-in with yourself. It’s ok not to be ok. If you need to cry, then cry. You don’t need to be strong all the time. Even better, let others know you’re not ok; maybe they need to feel less alone in all of this overwhelm.

3. At the beginning of this challenge, I became very overwhelmed. I read every article, watched every press conference, and read every social media post. Now, I’m limiting myself to check the news in the morning, and at night, I needed some distance. You can turn off the story; you can catch the highlights later. I’ve even challenged myself when talking to others, to focus on “normal” stuff, not headlines. Re-focusing conversations on normal “stuff” can help you feel more connected. Try reaching out to a grandparent in your life, and ask them to tell you a story about your family history, work on a virtual family tree together, ask questions, and get genuinely engaged in those you connect with.

4. Check-in with your clients, both former and current; let them know you’re thinking of them on a personal level. Take this time to call a client and connect with them personally. It’s not about the “sale,” it’s about the relationship.

5. Switch your phone calls to video calls when you can. There’s nothing like a friendly face to brighten your day, and it encourages you to get out of your pj’s and into work attire. This may be “normal” for a while yet, find a routine that works, and try to get back into it.

I’m ever the optimist, and what I find overwhelmingly to be true, is in this time of distancing, we’re reminded how connected we are. We are, globally, united in one common goal; and we are, globally, united in one common struggle. Remember these times, not for the challenges that have been presented in our lives, but as a time when we were reminded to be empathetic in our relationships with others, and when we put the health and safety of others as a priority, by staying home. Let’s put our politics aside and bring hope and opportunity to the table.
Most of all, if you’re struggling in adapting to this new normal, ask for help!

IT'S POSSIBLE (Les Brown's Greatest Hits)

Keeping up your momentum, when everything is slowing down (still!)

Often, when deciding on a topic for a blog, I do a little research, simply googling “small business challenges.” Many articles are 2020 predictions (entirely out the window now!), or COVID-19 survival tips, I couldn’t find inspiration in either topic! No matter what you read, the information changes daily, and as many have said, we’re all in different boats weathering the same storm.

There will come a time where the economy once again picks up, and so will our respective businesses. We all should be taking this time to prepare for what that could look like, so we’re ready when the time comes while also looking for solutions for continuing to navigate our current normal.

What can you do today to keep your business momentum up? Here are our top 5 tips:

1. Continue to blog and be present on social media. Keep your messages upbeat and relevant, while steering away from sensitive topics. Use this platform to acknowledge the contributions and good others are doing around you while reminding your clients and prospects that you’re still here for them.

2. Continue to develop new products and services that are relevant to today. Modify your in-person programs so they can be delivered virtually. Even when we can once again hold large scale, in-person events, prepare for the possibility that many will still be cautious around travel, and offer a virtual component for others to enjoy, it doesn’t have to be the same experience, but it could be similar.

3. Keep your team energized and engaged – even if business is slow, your team needs to know what you’re putting in place for the future—touch base as a group (professional) level, and an individual (personal) level.

4. Take this time to personally connect with your valued clients (current and former) to touch base with them. Send a hand-written note or a personal phone call – we’re all craving personal connection now more than ever.

5. Continue to look for opportunities to give more to your clients and prospects, review your current packages, what possibilities are within them? Is there an extra workbook you could create, or is there a module you’d like to expand upon?

And one bonus tip we just couldn’t leave off the list – take this time to dive deeper into your client avatar – think a little more about your ideal client and how they might be doing right now. Knowing them as well as you do, how could you better serve them today? What are they going through right now that may be different from others, are they likely to be facing different challenges, or will face more significant challenges as time goes on? What can you offer them today, complimentary, to better serve them? This is not a time to market to their challenges, but to acknowledge their concerns, and to be the person to guide them.

Use this time to see the challenges in front of us, as opportunities to give with the gifts we have. We may all be in different boats, but we’ll only weather the storm successfully if we support others through it.

By Peggy Murrah, Founder of PMA Web Services

The SECRET To Law Of Attraction EXPLAINED (Manifest Abundance TODAY)| Bob Proctor & Lewis Howes

7 Ways To Build a Successful Digital Career

Digital career is a new and popular term that attracts professionals who want to realize themselves remotely, like a magnet. It is not surprising that this approach to organizing work has become a trend - the obvious cost savings of the company plus the flexibility and efficiency of employees give tangible results. If you also want to start and build a successful digital career, then in this article we will give you tips on where to start and where to move.

Find out If There Is a Remote Work Opportunity in Your Company
This is the easiest and most obvious way. If the specifics of your work is such that your presence in the office every minute is not necessary, then the only thing you need to do is discuss the possibility of switching to a remote model with your boss.
As a rule, progressive companies look at things sensibly, and if your strengths are the ability to organize yourself, carry out work within the deadline without losing quality, then there is no reason to refuse to switch to remote work.

Moreover, for companies that position themselves as digital, this is normal practice. These companies comprehensively support the use of technology in the workflow, including for the organization of remote cooperation.
Switch to Freelance

Well, if the previous advice did not suit you for certain reasons, the freelance world is always open to anyone who is willing to invest in their development and is not afraid of difficulties. Contrary to popular belief, freelance is not only suitable for creative or technical professionals, such as designers or programmers. Human resources specialists, sales managers, lawyers, online consultants, teachers, and tutors can also be successful freelancers. And this list does not end with the professions that we have listed.

Therefore, you always have the opportunity to begin to grope the way of freelance without even quitting your main job.
Reveal Your Hidden Talents
Continuing the previous paragraph logically, it’s worth saying that in order to become a freelancer, it’s not even necessary to continue to do what you do at your main job or to look for work according to education if you were a student yesterday. Sometimes it’s enough to remember your forgotten talents and find their possible application in the digital world. Here are a few ideas that can be directly related to your talents that you are not using.

● Writing. Content creation is a very sought-after area in the digital field. For example, look at the experience of successful authors, reviews of which are collected on the Online Writers Rating website.
● Painting. If you can draw and think visually, then you should try yourself in web design. Yes, you will have to acquire several technical skills, but creativity is what was given to you by nature.
● Knitting and sewing. Now many people make the choice in favor of individual designs and eco-materials, abandoning goods from the mass market. Start creating your collections of clothes and accessories if your hands are in the right place.
● Photographing or filming. Yes, the competition among photographers is great, but if this is your true passion, then you definitely should try.
● Social media. If your personal profiles on social networks are successful and popular, then you can definitely help brands do the same.
Get One More Qualification
So here is another good tip. If your current job does not allow you to switch to freelance or a remote model, and you do not have potentially suitable talents, then it's time to develop them. Use the list above to see what you like the most.
In addition, pay attention to the IT industry - for several years now, it has experienced a severe shortage of specialists, and offers huge opportunities for choice - from the creator of sites through an Internet marketer to a neural network programmer and cybersecurity specialist.
Moreover, higher education is not a key requirement. Good knowledge and the ability to share project values are positioned as more important criteria.

Expand Your Network
A digital career is certainly a good choice, but you can’t move on without the help of real people. Therefore, your task is to constantly expand your network of professional contacts. The best way to do this is to create a profile on Linkedin and actively get to know people from your area, tell them how you can be useful and add them to your network. Plus, other social networks and professional sites can also be useful, but each of them has its own specifics.

Try to Become an Expert (Or at Least One of Them)
Yes, now there are many specialists who position themselves as experts, and sometimes it can be really difficult to distinguish an impostor from a person who really knows the specifics of his industry. But fortunately, there is one criterion, and it should be your goal as well if you want to become an expert in a certain industry.

This goal and this criterion is the popularity of your services, tips, advice, and name in the digital market. The only way to measure and evaluate your expertise is the number of your subscribers, people who ask for your advice and follow your posts on social networks, get involved in a dialogue with you and thank you for your help and support. The key to success towards this goal is valuable content.

Develop Your Personal Brand
As soon as you begin to position yourself as an expert, this will simultaneously mean that you have embarked on the path of developing a personal brand. A personal brand is an excellent indicator of digital career success. For example, do you know Neil Patel? Of course, you know him. This is just the example when a successful digital career, valuable content and a personal brand have become the whole one.

Conclusion
You can reasonably argue that at the moment the competition in the digital sphere is too high to try to squeeze in there. Yes, you are partially right - however, you do not need to copy anyone. Look for your direction and your best skill to compete well. Moreover, modern conditions for the development of a digital career are very profitable and attractive.

The SECRET To Unlocking The POWER Of Your MIND TODAY| Dr. Joe Dispenza & Lewis Howes

3 Smart Habits That Will Boost Your Productivity

A few months ago I couldn’t consider myself very productive, I just couldn’t get things done as I wished. For example, I remember I always had my cell phone in my hands and checked the notifications every two minutes.

Too many useless activities were absorbing my energy. And I wasn’t doing much to change the situation.

“If you don’t pay appropriate attention to what has your attention, it will take more of your attention than it deserves.”
― David Allen

However, I also spent a lot on a useful and important activity: reading personal development articles and books. It has been my addiction for years.

So, devouring self-improvement articles and books helped me identify what I was doing wrong — many things — and what I needed to improve to get more done.

And I now have my set of habits I can’t give up on. Thanks to this, I get things done and feel satisfied at the end of each day.

1. Hiding my phone.

One day I was reading an article about some productivity habits and I remember one particular piece of advice captured my attention:

"Keep your phone out of sight."

“Why should I keep the phone out of my sight?” I thought. I gave it a try. I worked for 30 minutes and kept my phone behind my computer, where I couldn’t see it.

Then I understood.

That simple piece of advice helped me remove my worst distraction and temptation — my phone. It helped me focus.

It translated into being five times more productive and getting things done.

However, I still had the temptation to check Whatsapp, Instagram, and Facebook from time to time. I thought of things I had to check, and since I had my phone there, just behind the computer and within hands reach, I took it and let the distractions in, again.

So I realized that the productivity hack I had learned was good, but there was something that could be improved.

Instead of just keeping my phone out of sight, I also had to keep it in another room, where I couldn't easily reach it. So I started to leave my phone in the bedroom and on silent mode anytime I was working or studying.

This simple new habit helped boost my productivity as I finally got rid of the need to check my phone every two seconds.

2. Using a customized version of the Pomodoro Technique.

The Pomodoro Technique is a great productivity tool. In case you’re not familiar with it, it was developed by the Italian entrepreneur Francesco Cirillo in the 1980s and it’s a time management method that consists of working in small shifts of 25 minutes of focused work — that is, with no interruptions — with short breaks. Each break can last between 3 and 5 minutes.

The technique was named after the kitchen timer that Cirillo used, which just had the shape of a tomato — “pomodoro” in Italian.

“The only reason to stop a Pomodoro is when your house, pants, or butt are on fire.”
— Francesco Cirillo
The benefits of this time management technique are many:

It helps reduce distractions;
It makes you more productive and helps you get things done;
Taking frequent breaks prevents tiredness and helps you stay focused and productive;
You can measure your work and have an idea of how long you have spent on your daily tasks.
After using this technique for a while, I realized I could adapt it to my rhythm. So I tried some alternatives. I broke down my daily work into 40-minutes and 50-minutes time blocks, with longer breaks. I also tried 35-minutes shifts.

After several tries, I found my ideal Pomodoro duration. Now I usually work in 30-minutes intervals — with no interruptions and removing any distraction— and take a 5-minutes break in between. It helps me be productive and get things done without feeling tired.

The duration is very subjective. So, if it’s the first time you use the Pomodoro Technique, I suggest to try different alternatives and find your ideal structure.

"One day we will be more creative, more productive and yet more relaxed."
— Francesco Cirillo

3. Focusing on the Circle of Influence.

One of my favorite Personal Development books is The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey. There is one idea I learned in this book that helped me upgrade my mindset, become more productive and waste less time on useless tasks — such as checking my Facebook ads stats every two seconds. The concept I’m talking about is the Circle of Influence.

According to Covey, there are two areas where we can focus our time and energy. The first area is our Circle of Concern, and it consists of the things we can’t control, anything we can’t change. The second one is our Circle of Influence, and it represents the things we can control.

"Proactive people focus their efforts on the Circle of Influence. They work on the things they can do something about."
— Stephen Covey

Simply becoming familiar with this concept will help you become aware of where you are putting your energy, and which of the two circles you are focusing on. Once you know this, you will focus your energy on the right activities, reduce waste and get more done.

If you learn these three good practices, you will see that combining them is key to boost your productivity.

Keeping your phone in another room, working in microshifts taking frequent small breaks, and focusing on your Circle of Influence will definitely help you always get things done.

“Wake up determined. Go to bed satisfied.”
— Dwayne Johnson

Achieve Even More Show : The STTTR Method - John Assaraf

Time Is Not Your Problem

I hear people around me often saying things like: "I don't have enough time. Time is an issue for me. My only problem is time… There's just not enough time in my day…" and things like that.

And I'd like to point out what should be obvious and yet, while we all get it on the conscious level, most people, especially those that I just quoted, it seems to me that they have a wrong relationship with time.

So here we go, you cannot have enough time, or have time at all – because time, is not a thing. Time… is one of those nationalizations in language, where we take a process, a verb, and freeze it in time, and then use it, as if it was a noun.

Have you ever seen time? Can it be moved from one location to another? The answer is no, and that means that time is not a noun, it's not a thing that you could have, right?

So it's an illusion to say the least. And I can hear you going now, yes yes yes, Robert, I get it… but that doesn't really change anything for me – I still don't have enough time!

And that… would be only because… you didn't get it, get it, get it… yet.

You see, if you were to realize that time is not truly a thing, you would realize that lack of time… is not your problem.

You don't get to manage time… you get to manage yourself.

Let me say this again, you don't get to manage time… you get to manage yourself.

We all have twenty-four hours per day sort of speak, and it's the same for all of us.

A homeless person on the street doesn't get more or less time in a day, does he? And it's the same for presidents of nations, workaholics, children, it's the same twenty-four hours, for all of us.

So, here's the good news – you need to learn to manage yourself, and not desperately trying and learning how to manage time.

Enough with multitasking, enough with lack of focus and distractions!

How often, or how much time do you spend on your phone, checking out your facebooks, twitters, instagrams, emails and messages of all kinds, in the middle of important work that you are busy with? You wouldn't believe how quickly it all adds up in time…

Start being aware of those things and learn to guard your focus, learn to… manage yourself and your behaviour. So here are some helpful tips that will assist you with performing even better from now on. My high-performance clients that pay me $10,000 per hour for my private coaching sessions are getting the same kind of advice, so I hope you'll take those to heart too:

Tip number 1: When it comes to performance, decluttered and rested brain is twenty times more effective than the tired and overloaded one. So those of you with a four hour sleep nights, especially those of you who are proud of that, and telling yourselves that you are a machine, and that you own this stuff… technically speaking, you are delusional and headed in the wrong direction. Certainly, not sustainable way to operate.

Now, chances are good that you won't… take me up on this, but my advice to you would be to add at least an hour of extra sleep, each night… to whatever you are already doing. We are probably best off with eight hours of sleep, just so you know.

Tip number 2: First thing in the morning, and the last thing in a day matters a lot. What are you doing, the moment you are awake? With your eyes semi-open, does your hand reach out for the phone first, to check your stuff right away? Do you… go to sleep and… the screen of your phone is the last thing you see at night? Not good my friend, really bad actually. Bad for your health, bad for your creativity, bad for your performance.

If I were you, I would make it a mission, to not have any screens whatsoever, of any kind, for at least an hour before bedtime and at least an hour after I get up. Most of us need to re-learn how to be with ourselves again, how to be ok with no stimulation from the outside world. How to restore our own peace and mindfulness, right?

Now, as for the mornings, do you really want to start your day with checking your inbox? As far as I am concerned, email inbox is a place for other people's agendas, not mine. So my day starts with my agendas instead.

Whatever that is for you, from a shower, to making love with your partner, to breakfast, to exercising, to mentally plan your day ahead… whatever works for you! But during that hour, instead of opening my inbox and get my brain to start responding to all that stimuli, I have my brain to be in a creative mode, and consciously design my own day.

Tip number 3: You must be clear on your priorities, as that will affect your decisions, when it comes to your focus. So plan ahead, get your priorities straight, and have a list of "must do's for the day" and a list of "if I get to it today". Have them listed out in the order of importance. Then, shut down all potential distractions, and get right through the most important things on your list, get them out of the way first!

So, whatever other things get your attention for a moment, you can quickly make decisions around it, in terms of what gets addressed right now, and what will simply have to wait. You can do this super easy and guilt-free, the moment you are super clear on your priorities!

Tip number 4: Take breaks every hour! I hear you say "What!?" Yes, you heard me well, take a short, 10-minute break, every… single… hour. I'll work for fifty minutes, highly focused on one task at hand, and just drill through my list, and then I'll rest for 10 minutes. This rest can be whatever passionate thing you want to do, that gets you energized.

Ideally, you'd get off your butt, off your chair I meant, and involve your body in some healthy movement and breathing. Take full 10 minutes to rest your mind, and recharge. Again, practice mindfulness if you will. Take a moment to breathe… and just… be.

Then come back for the next 50 minutes, of distraction-free, power hour. The amount of work you'd get done in one day is unbelievable. But you'd have to be strict and stick with this plan, plan your work, and then work your plan.

You see, by learning how to manage yourself, you'll feel that you have more time in a day, and you'll feel waaaay better about yourself and about your life. Time was never your enemy, nor the problem itself.

We all have twenty-four hours in a day, and it's the same for all of us. You don't get to manage time, you get to manage yourself. So no more complaints about time itself, as you are just distracting yourself from the real issue. And the real issue, if you speak to me about issues… is always you… or within you, if that sounds better.