Category Archives: Affirmations

Affirmations, Attitude, Autosuggestion, Awareness, Celebration, Creating The Future, Directed Questions™, Expectations, Gratitude, Habit Formation, Intentional Thinking, Learning, Mindset, Persistence, Positive Thinking, Responsibility, Self Talk, Smiling, Visualization

What To Do When You Just Don’t Feel Like It…

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“Do you get inspired only to lose it? Do you you feel positive and then not? Does it sometimes seem like a struggle to keep centered or on the right track? If yes, first know this is completely normal. Everyone goes through it. After all, we are human.

We have ups and downs in our journey. We may not want them but maybe we ought to. When we open up, accept, make the way for, invite and receive we move ahead faster than by resisting. Struggles help us grow. Down times do as well. Contrast is good.

If it weren’t for discontent we might never change. We don’t want to be complacent and comfortable and miss out. At the same time we don’t want to strive and miss what we can appreciate. Balance is the answer. Celebrate struggles, be grateful for all. Then life IS grand.

You Are The Key To Change

I wanted to share a comment from a reader. I answered in the comment at the blog post and I answer this blog for today. I felt it may apply to others so I wanted to address it to as many as possible, not only to those who see the particular blog comment.

The author wrote: ‘As long as I read your post I feel positive and confidant . But after that I go back to the same mental frame . Even that little time frame will expand someday and I look forward to it happening . I thank you .’

Thanks for sharing. You have the correct attitude. That is wonderful. Even though you may not feel positive and confident all the time you look forward to that day when you will enjoy it more so because you know what you are doing now will expand. AND IT WILL!

Take Action Now

That puts you ahead of the game. Expecting to win IS playing the game well.  That IS a positive and confident mind set. You ARE looking forward to that day become more of a regular occurrence. Congratulate and validate yourself and your awareness! Wonderful!

I add the rest only as a reminder to all of us. Reading is only the beginning. You want to DO that which helps change your thinking. The easiest way to accomplish this and enjoy lasting success is to fill your mind with positive reading material daily. Put on a smile!

Read the blog, re-read the blogs. Make it a study not light reading or entertainment.  Read positive and inspiring books, listen to positive and inspiring audios, watch uplifting DVD’s. Listen and watch again and again. Repeated exposure to the same material is amazing!

The Secret To Change – Not Fighting The Old But Building The New

There are 24 hours in a day and most people don’t direct their mind for much of any of it. Researchers say 95-99% of what we do daily is habitual, routine, chronic, thinking, feeling and behaving. It is previous past programming much of which is less than glorious.

In order to begin to change it we need to tip the scale in favor of the positive. We do this through daily dedication and practice. Each positive step we take in the direction of what we want gets us closer to our destination. The journey, how we get there is important.

Have fun. Delight. Enjoy the journey. Find positive infographics, posters, mottos, sayings, affirmations that you can begin to repeat sincerely over and over again. This is very powerful. Look at my blogs on Directed Questions and apply that information.

What You Resist Persists

Set aside time for a gratitude and success journal. List what you are grateful for and you daily successes. Validate what you appreciate about yourself and other. Acknowledge your wins. Visualize yourself, feeling positive, loving, confident, happy, strong.

Whatever you would like more of acknowledge and emphasize. Concentrate on it. What you focus on expands. Accentuate the positive! You bring about what you think about! Energy flows where your attention goes. Maintain your mindset bit by bit. Smile more!

Help others in positive ways. Give to others without expecting anything in return. Appreciate yourself, circumstances and others. Celebrate everything! Persist and soon a new day will dawn. Old habits seem tough to break but you can learn new ones. Smile!

There Is No Better Time Than Now

Smile more, laugh more, Celebrate everything! Move, walk, notice nature and the beauty that surrounds you. Look at how and where the world is good and plentiful. We live in an abundant universe. Notice that. Be gentle, kind and encouraging to self and others.

The way you form new habits  is the same way you learned the old ones. Correct spaced repetition. You perform the same drills again and again in sports to become a better athlete. The same is true about become a positive thinking champion. Keep doing it!

Drop by drop fills the tub. Step by step the journey is made. The more you do the more you can do. Anything worthwhile is worth having difficulty with at first. Whatever we want to do with ease we must first do with diligence. We become what we think about all day.

You Can’t Make A Positive Change With A Negative Attitude

Do daily practice. Read some as much as you can each day. If nothing else read at least a page, a paragraph but DO something. Listen when able. Keep the journals. Repeat the affirmations out loud enthusiastically and silently day in and day out. Smile more! 🙂

Have fun, have faith and you will soon see change. It takes a bare minimum of 21 days to make or break a habit. It can take longer. Make this a daily practice. Commit and keep going don’t quit. Persist. Stay in touch! Oh, did I mention, Smile more?  AND celebrate everything!” Rex Sikes

What about today thrills you?

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Horizons photo used with permission of Phil Koch.

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Affirmations, Attitude, Awareness, Celebration, Choice, Conditioning, Decision, Focus, Intentional Thinking, Mindset, Persistence, Positive Thinking, Responsibility, Self Talk

What Have You Learned From The ‘7 Day No Complaining Challenge’?

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Struggles or not, how has the 7 Day No Complaining Challenge been going? What have noticed? I have been hearing from some by email, FB and other means but not so much here in the comments. How are you doing with it?

Have you been journaling? Have you been, and this is most important, treating yourself with kindness? Awareness is the first step in making change. You need to become aware of the triggers that lead to negativity, whining, blaming, excusing, complaining etc.

This isn’t always fun but it is what is needed. Progress is made in stages. First, you begin to notice your complaining, but, after the fact. You realized you ‘were’ complaining. Second, if you stay with it you notice AS it occurs. In the middle of complaints you wake up.

It Is Your Negative Thoughts That Hold You Back

Third, as you keep at it you will learn to notice it before it arises. You will notice the tendency arising and you will preempt it. As you feel this tendency you STOP IT and re-direct your thoughts positively elsewhere. You begin to take charge of your mind.

Every time you successfully redirect your thinking into positive thoughts you are reinforcing a positive, powerful new habit that will serve you for the rest of your life. You transform yourself from the inside out. This is the most important change you can make!

What you focus on expands. What you think about you bring about. Keep this in mind. And commit yourself to thinking only the best of yourself, others and circumstances. Maintain a positive from of mind and your brain will find more of the same for you.

If You Think You Can Or You Think You Can’t You Are Right

Learning to direct your thinking and feelings is the most beneficial thing you can do for yourself. It puts you in charge, at cause, and more able live the life you want, making your dreams come true. It gives you the power to make things happen as you apply yourself.

There is no substitute for learning how incredible you are and what you can do. You already have everything within you needed to make these changes. You simply need to apply yourself, dedicate yourself and keep your commitment. When you do this you will prevail!

So I’m checking in with you. It is ok if it is rough, or even painful. You are changing an old habit. First, comes the awareness of when it happens. As it does pat yourself on the back. Acknowledge, validate and encourage your awareness. That will lead to more awareness!

What You Think Is What You Get

When you acknowledge, validate and encourage your awareness it helps bring more insights, more swiftly. Your reticular activating system looks to find positive matches. When you are friendly toward yourself you discover many incredible things.

If you resist, get discouraged or negative, if you beat yourself up, you only get more of the same for the very same reasons as above. So be kind, gentle, nurturing and encouraging. You’ll find so much more to appreciate and be grateful for when you do. Change will be easier!

Most people would be completely shocked, perhaps appalled, if they could and would add up all the moments of their negative thinking each day. If you only knew precisely how much time you spend each day whining, blaming and complaining.

A Negative Mind Will Never Give You A Positive Life

Little things, under your breath, big things, inconsequential things. It is all habit, chronic, persistent, unproductive thinking. It is subtle. It can be over the most useless things. The coffee isn’t hot enough or it is too hot. The weather isn’t perfect. Name it, anything is possible.

Someone didn’t keep their word. You’re tired picking up after your dog. Whatever! It can be any number of tiny little complaints that you barely notice, but are there and add up. Eliminate these. These are dragging you down. Focus on maintaining the positive.

THIS is why you want to take the challenge. End this chronic condition. Free your mind from the chatter of negativity. It doesn’t have to be pronounced to be affecting you. Be aware, let it go, focus on the positive and maintain the focus and your life will improve.

Careful What You Think Your Thoughts Run Your Life

If you want a more enjoyable and delightful experience eliminate that which holds you back and add in that which brings you more delight. Take the challenge, stick with it, notice what you notice and celebrate and appreciate everything! Life is grand! I look forward to your comments here too. AGAIN, celebrate everything” Rex Sikes

What more could you want than a day made just for you?

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Horizons photo used with permission of Phil Koch.

NEW BLOG SITE LAUNCHES SOON – Do you get this blog emailed to you? You will have  to again subscribe to this blog, newsletter. I’d hate for you to miss anything when it switches. Subscribe and Follow Daily Inspiration and Gratitude!

Affirmations, Attitude, Blessings, Celebration, Creating The Future, Energy, Faith, Focus, Friendship, Happiness, Intentional Thinking, Mindset, Positive Thinking, Responsibility, Self Talk, Visualization

Stop Waiting! Create Your Own Luck!

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“Do you believe in luck? Some do. Some wait for luck to reach them. I am afraid you could wait a very long time that way. There is a saying, ‘he who waits, waits.’ Waiting on ‘whatever’ to come along and bless you, while it may occur, isn’t a very good use of one’s time

There is another saying.’Luck is the crossroad where preparation and opportunity meet’. Preparation and opportunity! I am a firm believer in creating one’s own luck. You maintain the mindset, take the appropriate actions and look for opportunity to apply.

The easiest way I know to create your own luck is to do something extra special for those in need or those you work for. Going that extra mile, providing value first, helps you stand out in the world of those in it only for themselves.

Live Love Laugh Celebrate

Others will recognize your efforts and sincerity. If you are truly sincere and helpful your positive reputation will precede you.  You get known by your actions. Maintain a positive attitude, help and inspire others and good will come your way.

By positive attitude I don’t mean a greeting card, syrup-dripping cheeriness, but a ‘can do’ positive mindset. No one wants ill-timed overly cheery remarks when they are down. Those in need usually want understanding and a little space to resolve things.

They don’t want you to tell them ‘cheer up’. They want you to understand them. Most of us do want to be understood and appreciated for who we are. So be sure to create rapport first before you lavish any advice. If you cannot advise even better.

The More We Do The More We Can Do

Be optimistic, yes, but with confident restraint. People will want to be around you, and help you, because you radiate solutions. You help without always telling others what to do. Without having to speak your mind. You assist by helping them find their own way.

People want someone who can laugh and enjoy! Someone, fun to be around who is not a downer. Someone secure and confident. They want to be uplifted but not dragged or pushed up. Imagine walking down a path together. Walk at their rate don’t expect them to walk at yours. Travel together.

You can make a real difference for yourself and for others. You can find more opportunity because you prepared and you look for it. Your Reticular Activating System will seek good things because that  is what you are focused on. Look for opportunities to go the extra mile. You can be, do and have anything when you Celebrate Everything!” Rex Sikes

Magic IS just for you!

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Horizons photo used with permission of Phil Koch.

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Act As If, Affirmations, Autosuggestion, Beliefs, Choice, Conditioning, Decision, Focus, Habit Formation, Intentional Thinking, Persistence, Positive Thinking, Responsibility, Self Talk, Uncategorized, Visualization

Since Your Brain Is Unreliable In This Way – Use It To Your Advantage!

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“Eye witness testimony has always been considered unreliable. Victim reports are too. In fact, any human assessment of what happened moments ago, or a long time ago are suspect and subject to deletion, distortion, and generalization AND confabulation.

It is known that an operator’s questions of polygraph participants can skew the result BY the questions they ask. False memories can be induced hypnotically, and while people are under stress.

Researchers and law enforcement know that people make up reasons in the absence of any, and that people ‘fill  in’ the holes with ANYTHING that seems plausible (or not) as Gazzagnia demonstrated in his split brain research.

Two siblings can argue over different versions of what happened at a family dinner table 20 years earlier. Some will have the same argument over what happened 20 minutes ago.

Memory and reposts of ‘reality’ are extremely suspect, yet that is what many rely on, especially if they have nothing else to go on.False reposts of abuse and abduction have been known to be induced by examiners.

I was fortunate a few years back to work with a homicide detective who showed and explained how interrogation techniques lead to confessions. These same techniques can produce false confessions.

Whether the person believes the ‘confession’ or not is part of the issue. Many confess without believing. Many report incidents that never occurred because of the way an examiner questioned them. We all know we can’t remember everything.

If someone can supply you with a false event, backed up by historical facts or details you know to be the case, it isn’t surprising that some would say, ‘wow, i forgot all about that’, or confabulate details and provide story for events that never occurred.

We must first and foremost realize this world we call ‘real’ ain’t. We think it is. We perceive through a glass dimly. Because of our neurological filter we never have all the information so nothing should surprise us too much.

Believing wrong or inaccurate things is what most of us do most of the time anyway. So what is one more? We believe inaccurate things about ourselves too. Beliefs are only thoughts we repeatedly think until it becomes habit.

We accept them as true when they are not. Since, that is the case, why not have decide what you want to believe instead of being a victim to what you believe? Choose your beliefs. Choose to believe that which empowers you, increases you instead of not.

Henry Ford said, ‘whether you think you can or you think you can’t you are right’. So why choose to continue to believe things that hurt you, limit you or keep you from fulfilling your goals and dreams? Why live in worry, fear or worse when you can choose to think, feel, believe, and act otherwise?

Given the choice of I can’t or I can why not choose I Can Do Anything? What you think today is a result of thoughts and beliefs and attitudes you co-opted from others. You were programmed to believe it from parents, peers, authority figures, popular culture and the media.

Now it is time to get free and determine which beliefs best serve you. Never limit yourself. You are bigger and better than that. You deserve to be the best, do the best and have the best. You deserve to think the best, feel the best and act the best. You are the best!

When you do you also will get the best results. Until you do, things will remain the same. It is time to take charge. Be the boss of your brain and decide what you believe. You can and you will if you want to. You have believed many useless things now believe better!

Begin by filling your mind with powerful positive thoughts through autosuggestion. Repeatedly affirm, declare and assert positive thoughts with enthusiasm.  Chant these powerful positive beliefs each day. Visualize yourself already as you want yourself to be again and again. Keep at it and you will be it! Stop at nothing, keep going. Celebrate Everything!” Rex Sikes

Each moment is magical and just for you!

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Horizons photo used with permission of Phil Koch.

NEW BLOG SITE LAUNCHES SOON – Do you get this blog emailed to you? You will have  to again subscribe to this blog, newsletter. I’d hate for you to miss anything when it switches. Subscribe and Follow Daily Inspiration and Gratitude!

Act As If, Affirmations, Attitude, Autosuggestion, Celebration, Creating The Future, Definite Chief Purpose, Expectations, Faith, Focus, Intentional Thinking, Mindset, Persistence, Positive Thinking, Relationships, Responsibility, Self Talk, Success, Trust, Uncategorized, Visualization

If You Want Success To Be Yours You Must Prepare The Way

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“A lot of people hope they will be successful. Do you? They wish and they want but they just never seem to make it as they would like. Has this been your story? They try really hard to no avail. Success doesn’t come often to those who want it, wish for it and hope they will have it. Rarely, if ever! Success comes to those who expect it!

If you want to be successful you have to KNOW you will be. It has to be a certainty! Originally, it may start out as a hope but it must be transformed. Otherwise, it is unlikely. Success is a mindset. It begins inside you before the results become available to you in the outer world. From within to without. Be Success and Success Follows!

Successful people think successful. It doesn’t occur to them that something they want to make happen, won’t. They know they will find a way. It doesn’t matter if they don’t know how, the how will come. Success comes from certainty not wishing. Certainty aligns all of your resources like a laser beam so you can act and move forward.

There is a Bible story, I will paraphrase, for an example, and just an example. I may not even get it correct as I am pulling it from the back of my head. Some where, some people were waiting and praying for rain that was needed. I think god ordered them to dig some trenches to prepare.  They did not.

At some point god speaks to them and says, ‘where are the trenches? If you expected it to rain you would have dug the trenches.’ I guess his point is, if you knew it would rain you would most likely take an umbrella. Okay, pretty poor paraphrase at that. Hopefully, you get the idea.

If you know something will happen then you get ready for it. If success is inevitable you do certain things because of that. This is how you become successful. What starts as a wish and hope must be clarified into a strong want, increasing in desire. It must become you obsession that you transform into faith, knowing you will succeed!

You do things because you know you will succeed. You might also not do other things because of that. You would no longer wish, hope, worry, fret, get sidetracked, of bummed out because it wasn’t happening quick enough. You would remain steadfast and secure. ‘O ye of little faith!’ Am I right or am I right! You would be secure!

Yes, you would still visualize, you would still affirm, you would still ‘act as if’ with complete faith in yourself making it happen. After all, you’re the one who makes it happen. YOU with others are responsible for your success. No one ever makes it alone,  in isolation. You make it with others. So be a nice team player!

A good team player helps uplift and support others. You add value first. You would go the extra mile. When others know their interests are in your heart they can puts your interests in theirs. You celebrate anyone’s forward movement and together you move to the top of the ladder. A rising tide floats the entire boat!

Granted some not so nice people claw and trample their way to the top but that is not you. You can be positive and nice and very, very rich, happy and successful. In fact, if you are happy, successful and rich on the inside first, if you are nice first, you will be nice, happy, successful and rich as the days play out. It works this way!

Commit to being a positive player! Work on developing your certainty. Develop complete faith in your positive ability to get your dreams and goals. You CAN DO This when you believe you will! Be persistent and keep moving forward. Have faith and never give up. You will succeed! SO, right now, celebrate everything!” Rex Sikes

Opportunities make up the day!

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Horizons photo used with permission of Phil Koch.

NEW BLOG SITE LAUNCHES SOON – Do you get this blog emailed to you? You will have  to again subscribe to this blog, newsletter. I’d hate for you to miss anything when it switches. Subscribe and Follow Daily Inspiration and Gratitude!

Affirmations, Attitude, Celebration, Emotions, Energy, Focus, Habit Formation, Happiness, Intentional Thinking, Joy, Mindset, Positive Thinking, Self Talk, Visualization

Apply This Lesson From The World’s Happiest Man: Matthieu Ricard

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“For decades now I have been emphasizing happiness is a left brain function. There has been a push to get people to use more of their right hemisphere for creativity.

We all know the stereotype of suffering, tormented creatives. Well, perhaps there is a reason for the stereotype.

Personally, I am an advocate for whole brain learning and development. We use our whole brain and balance is important. As is lateral cross-hemispheric communication.

The Brain Grows As Any Muscle Does The More You Use It

Not only left-right, but up down, in and out. From our prehistoric brain to our thinking cap, the neo cortex.

There is discussion that we have many brains. A gut brain, heart coherence, that our cells, while specialized, all communicate. Unified Field Theory.

It is now currently understood  that our seat of emotions, heart and gut, may actually run more of the show than we have thought previously.

All very interesting and fascinating thinking Science catching up and confirming that which has been known for many, many years. I think it is exciting.

What You See Is What You Get

I have firmly maintained that how we direct our brains and what we focus on matters. Researcher have concluded that most people are visual. I believe that to be accurate. We all imagine and make images.

We may not be aware or conscious of these unless we are directed to pay attention. When tasked to make a mental image deliberately some complain they aren’t good at it.

I think they are they just aren’t that good at it deliberately. They haven’t used or conditioned their visualizing muscles, yet, to work for them when they want it to. It just does what it does.

We all talk to ourselves or listen to past prior conversations and voices in our head without being schizophrenic. This is a normal part of daily living. We talk to ourselves, inside and out loud.

What You Say Is What You Get

Here too we may or may not be that aware of how we speak to ourselves. We also let it run on and on without exercising the control over it we could. Mostly, because we don’t know we could.

95% of what we do is habitual, unconscious habits, patterns or repetitive behavior, We think the same thoughts, or most of them day in and day out.

We are routine and predictable in so many ways. We run on automatic and it is reliable. It does the same thing over and over. We don’t change it because it seems hard. It isn’t, it just seems that way.

What we say and how we say it to ourselves is governed mostly by the left front temporal lobe. We ought to pay attention to those who have said positive thinking is an important ingredient to feeling happy. We think and then we feel. We feel and we think.

Everything Originates In Thought

It is cyclical. If we begin to monitor our thoughts and feelings, what we imagine, what we say and speak to ourselves we can begin to alter how we feel and increase our ability to be happy and to be successful.

We CAN exercise deliberate control of our thought processes.

If you want to be successful you think, feel and act successful. THEN success will follow. If you want happiness you think, feel and act happy. THEN happiness will follow.

Sadly, most people think happiness follows money, things, specific people, events or circumstances.  It doesn’t. You be happy, you be successful, you be rich, you be healthy in mind first and then those things follow.

You Steer Your Mind As You Steer A Vehicle – You Are In Control

You get what you think about. What you see and say IS what you get. You act first THEN you get what you want. Go First! Everything first originates as a thought and then it becomes reality.

So I am going to add some information and quotes from an copyrighted ©Business Insider article on ‘the happiest man in the world’.  His name “Matthieu Ricard”.

Ricard is 69, a Tibetan Buddhist monk, born in France who has been called “the world’s happiest man,” because he participated in a 12-year brain study on meditation and compassion led by a Richard Davidson, a neuroscientist from the University of Wisconsin.

This researcher hooked up 256 sensors to Ricard’s head. These research scans found that when Ricard was meditating on compassion his mind was unusually light.

You Can Choose What To Focus Your Attention On

His brain produced a level of gamma waves,  linked to consciousness, attention, learning and memory, Davidson says has never before been reported in the neuroscience literature.

‘The scans also showed excessive activity in his brain’s left prefrontal cortex compared to its right counterpart, allowing him an abnormally large capacity for happiness and a reduced propensity towards negativity.’

This aspect is not new. Brain scans have revealed this previously. Happy people have more activity going on in this left region of the brain. This area of the brain is responsible most of our speaking and understanding language abilities.

This area ‘lights up’ when we talk to ourselves.

According to the article Ricard says he sometimes meditates for entire days without getting bored. He admits he’s a generally happy person but he feels the title “happiest man” is a media-driven overstatement.

What You Feel Is What You Get

He spoke with Business Insider at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. His advice for how to be happy follows:

The answer is altruism. Thinking about yourself all the time is stressful, exhausting and leads to feeling unhappy. It is not about the moral high ground  but if you want to be happy, strive to be benevolent. That makes you and others feel better. Be kind.

Ricard says when your mind is filled with benevolence, it is healthy and can flourish. That means a better mental state which also means a healthier body. Plus, he said others perceive you as nice. He believes anyone can do this.

He encourages mental training, as I do. He compares it to training for a marathon. While one may not become an olympic champion there is a vast difference between one who trains and one who does not.

Healthy Mind Healthy  Body Comes From Conditioning

This is so very true of mental training our abilities. He maintains many things, benevolence, attention, memory, emotional balance, can be trained including happiness. So how does Ricard recommend you train your mind to be happy.

Start by thinking happy thoughts for 10 to 15 minutes each day. Instead of having fleeting happy thoughts, hold onto them. Concentrate and stay focused on the positive emotions.

Don’t let your mind wander. Keep it on happy positive thoughts and feelings. Just 15 minutes a day can be enough. Condition you mind by daily focused concentration on happy thoughts and feelings.

He says, if you do the training every day, even in as short of time as two weeks you can feel the positive results. If you practiced for 50 years, as he has, you can become a happiness pro.

GO FIRST!

The article concludes with UW researcher, Richard Davidson, stating that even 20 minutes of daily meditation can overall make people much happier.

*If you’d like to read the ©Business Insider copyrighted article, click the title link below to go to their website.

Use the link within the article to see the brain scans and get more tips from Ricard. I encourage you to visit and read this article:

A 69-year-old monk who scientists call the ‘world’s happiest man’ says the secret to being happy takes just 15 minutes a day

I thought you might like this. Benevolence, compassion, kindness, understanding. Much needed in this current day. From ancient to modern times the call to be loving, kind, to go the extra mile, help others in need and to be charitable has been emphasized.

Imagine We Followed The Golden Rule And Went The Extra Mile

It is good for the your soul of and the recipient. Help yourself by helping others. We can all be happier by what we do first. First, we think happy thoughts and we feel happy. First, we help others without expecting return.

What you want wants you! It can find you when YOU go first. Celebrate everything without reason. That is going first. Be grateful! That is going first. Do it and the rest follows. It doesn’t come if you wait for it. Act first, GO FIRST, and it comes to you.” Rex Sikes

Be thankful you have today to be thankful!

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Horizons photo used with permission of Phil Koch.

NEW BLOG SITE LAUNCHES SOON – Do you get this blog emailed to you? You will have  to again subscribe to this blog, newsletter. I’d hate for you to miss anything when it switches. Subscribe and Follow Daily Inspiration and Gratitude!

 

Act As If, Affirmations, Attitude, Creating The Future, Expectations, Focus, Habit Formation, Intentional Thinking, Persistence, Positive Thinking, Rehearsal And Practice, Responsibility, Visualization

Success Is The Sum Of Small Efforts Repeated Daily

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“In my posts I continually attempt to emphasize how simple it is to make positive changes and succeed. Whether you want to accelerate your career, improve your bank account, enjoy a delightful relationship or celebrate more of what life has to offer, it is easy once you know how.

Today, I am going to give you a few quotes from Robert Collier, one of the early New Thought leaders to again drive that point home for you. Collier lived from 1885 to 1950. He wrote, ‘you can do anything you wish to do, have anything you wish to have, be anything you wish to be.’ What follows are a few more of Robert’s words.

‘Visualize this thing you want, see it, feel it, believe in it. Make your mental blueprint and begin to build.’

‘Any thought that is passed on to the subconscious often enough and convincingly enough is finally accepted.’

‘See things as you would have them be instead of as they are.’

‘Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.’

‘The great successful men of the world have used their imagination; they think ahead and create their mental picture in all its details, filling in here, adding a little there, altering this a bit and that a bit, but steadily building, steadily building.’

‘The first essential, of course, is to know what you want.’

‘All power is from within and is therefore under our own control.’

‘The first principle of success is desire, knowing what you want.’

‘Desire is the planting of your seed. Very few persons, comparatively, know how to Desire with sufficient intensity. They do not know what it is to feel and manifest that intense, eager, longing, craving, insistent, demanding, ravenous Desire which is akin to the persistent, insistent, ardent, overwhelming desire of the drowning man for a breath of air; of the shipwrecked or desert-lost man for a drink of water; of the famished man for bread and meat… ‘

Well, there you have it. I think it is more than sufficiently self-explanatory. I want to only remind you of one quote again in particular, so that it is not overlooked. All are great, of course, but it is this one.

‘Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.’ It is the small things we do on a consistent and persistent basis that make all the difference in the world. Walking the same way though the valley floor creates a pathway. It is the continuous repetition that creates the path.

Recently, I shared on ‘neuroplasticity’ the brains ability to change and grow based on our use of it. As we learn new things and repeat those learnings through practice we build new habits and can replace old ones. We can evolve ourselves as our brains literally evolve. Neurons that fire together DO wire together.

So never give up. Do small things, a little bit each day and you will make progress to your goal. Whatever that is, you can be, do and have anything you want. Anything you want. Napoleon Hill, reminded us, ‘Whatever the mind can conceive, and believe we can achieve’.

Since all power is from within and therefore under your control keep the faith, never give up. Do the little things and you will arrive where you want to. Keep making your dreams a reality. It can be easier than you ever think and it is much simpler!” Rex Sikes

Celebrate and delight!

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Affirmations, Attitude, Autosuggestion, Beliefs, Celebration, Confidence, Emotions, Energy, Expectations, Faith, Flow, Focus, Gratitude, Happiness, Intentional Thinking, Mindset, Patience, Persistence, Positive Thinking, Rehearsal And Practice, Self Talk

Attitude Determines Your Altitude! The Importance Of Mindset.

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“What is your mindset? How is your attitude? Are you a victim or a victor? The difference is in how and what you think. What are your predominant thoughts? Henry Ford said, ‘whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you are right.’ Someone else said, ‘your attitude determines your altitude’. So, do you have a champion’s attitude or not?

Here are some thoughts you may wish to incorporate to develop and maintain that winning mindset. These are just samples. Tailor them or create one’s that work for you. The key to making affirmations work is to state them emphatically with loads of positive emotion. Have fun, be enthusiastic and fill your mind and being with positive powerful thoughts. Repeat these frequently throughout each day.

What You Say Is What You Get

I always move forward to success. I burn my ship. I leave no way out. I remain dedicated. I am passionate. I am faithful. I am always convinced, faithful and expectant even when there is no evidence of progress. Even when it seems the tides are against me and nothing is working, I remain true.

I intensify my desire for making my dreams come true. While waiting I make progress every day. I take action.  I am steadfast. I know I will prevail. I make progress during the journey. I enjoy and celebrate every moment. My thoughts and my feelings are aligned. I am congruent in my desires.

My concentration, my focus, my energy, is singular and on my purpose. I want being and doing and having what I want to be dominant in my conscious and unconscious mind. I want to learn each second how to be more positive, powerful, and purposeful. I am accepting, allowing and receptive. I am magnificent!

What You Say Is What You Get

I go after what I want fully. No way out. No excuses. No doubts or fears, but positive in every atom, ever cell, every fiber of my being. I want to believe in myself and discover that I am truly an emperor inside and out. I am a winner and a champion. I am a victor. I will never allow myself to be a victim of others, circumstances, events, or my own thinking.

I will be triumphant. I will win, conquer and evolve. I will succeed in ways currently beyond the limits of my imagination and discover myself delighted along the way.  I will celebrate and be grateful for everything always. Whatever IS is! I will look at the good within, and find it. I will celebrate because that IS what is in the moment.

What I cannot yet see is all the unexpected good coming my way. Goodness comes to me. I always land on my feet. I always win even in ways I don’t completely understand. Adversity has always been my friend even when I didn’t embrace it. There is always something marvelous to find. Seek and I will find it. Knock and it will be opened. I do and it is! I will keep an open mind and an open heart.

 Affirm Yourself – Declare What Is – Make It Happen – And So It Is

Remember to  ask.  Seek and continue to knock until you have the response from the universe you seek. Put your order in. Claim it. Wait for it as you do a meal in a cafe. Behind the scenes everything is being prepared. They are making a dish from your orders. They will deliver it. You only need to enjoy the time waiting. It is coming! It is yours!” Rex Sikes

Today is my day!

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Affirmations, Attitude, Autosuggestion, Beliefs, Decision, Deliberate Creators, Emotions, Energy, Expectations, Faith, Focus, Goals, Intentional Thinking, Mindset, Persistence, Positive Affirmations, Positive Thinking, Positive Thoughts

Are You Up For A Challenge That Can Easily Transform How You Think And Live?

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Horizons dont-give-up-on-me-phil-koch

“Would you do something that could make a real difference for you in your life? Do you want to think, feel better and enjoy more? Are you up for a challenge? It will help you create  concentration, focus, energy and momentum. Well, are you? It’s completely up to you.

If yes, then decide on a positive affirmation or a mantra. You know, a declaration. A positive assertion. Something simple, something short. Make it a positive phrase that makes you feel great and go ‘oh yeah’ when you say it or think it. See below for examples.

Make sure to pick a powerful, juicy one for yourself. One that you believe is possible; one you believe you can have. Pick the best one you can think of that makes you feel marvelous. Now, commit to saying it as many times as possible during the day and night.

Energy Flows Where Your Attention Goes

When you get up, before you leave bed, say it 10, or 25 times. While brushing your teeth, shaving, showering, or otherwise occupied continue to focus on it and repeat it. While safely driving. Any time you drive repeat it. Think It! Say It! Feel It!  Believe It! Become It!

Say it out loud with great enthusiasm as often as you can each  day. Set a timer on your phone if you need a reminder. Before bed say it as much as you can prior to falling asleep. When with others at home or work silently repeat to yourself.

Do it. Again and again and commit to no fewer than 7 days. If you really want to give it a powerful go make it no fewer than 30 days. Pick one powerful affirmation and recite it with positive feelings as often as you can for at least the next seven to thirty days.

You Become What You Think About

Concentrate on your one idea as much as you can. If, during this time, you become aware of thinking neutral or less than glorious thoughts, shift to your mantra. The goal is to constantly occupy your thoughts with it. Stop neutral or less than glorious thinking.

Feel great repeating your mantra. Emotions are what make the affirmations work. Merely reciting anything without emotion is practically meaningless. Put some real juice or ‘omphh’  into this. The military makes use of repetition and strong emotions. You can too!

Imagine you are impressing this thought on your subconscious. You want it to grab hold of this positive message and ‘get it’. You deliver this message by repeating it as often as you can or will with positive emotions. Keep at it and your subconscious mind can and will get it.

What You Focus On Expands 

Chose an affirmation that makes you feel great. Such as, ‘I am awesome’. ‘I am unstoppable’. ‘I am powerful’. ‘I feel confident’. ‘I easily clean the house.’ ‘It is easy to find ways to make extra money’. ‘I am able to look people in the eye when speaking with them’.

‘I feel marvelous.’ I can eat healthy foods and feel great.’ ‘I can grow my business.’ ‘I feel marvelous’. ‘I am healthy.’ ‘I am rich in many ways’. ‘I have plenty of money’. Create your own. Make sure you feel it positively and you honestly believe it. Start with that in mind.

To boost its power imagine yourself, see yourself, already being or doing or having the good you desire. Take some time to visualize while you chant it. 5 or more minutes. I do it while on the treadmill at the gym. I set a walking pace, hold on, close my eyes and do it.

What You Think About You Bring About

I walk and hold on so I am safe. Then I imagine what I want while repeating the mantra to myself. If I am on the treadmill for an hour I have now exercised my mind and my body. I enjoy doing this. I also do it with eyes open on the treadmill and vary the speeds.

Do it for no less than 7 days. Honestly, commit to it. There is much you can discover about yourself by putting this into practice. You may be quite amazed. Feel free to keep it going longer. Become attuned or aware of new possibilities while taking this challenge.

If, after a while, or a few days, you feel like tweaking your mantra go ahead. If you feel you’d be better off changing it to one you believe more or feel better about go ahead. Make whatever adjustment you need to make it stronger. Begin the challenge over from that point.

What You Say Is What You Get

There is more to discuss, but nothing else you need. Think it as often as you can. See it. Speak it. Declare it. Feel good. Fill as much time as you can with this thought and positive feelings over the seven day period. Enjoy it. Stay open to discovery and enjoy it. You will!

Report back at the end of your chosen time frame. You can leave comments here or in the Facebook group of the same name. Daily Inspiration and  Gratitude. Are you willing to take this challenge? If so get ready to begin. Have a great time and celebrate everything!” Rex Sikes

Delight in today!

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Horizons photo used with permission of Phil Koch.

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Acceptance, Act As If, Affirmations, Attitude, Celebration, Confidence, Decision, Energy, Flow, Focus, Intentional Thinking, Living In The Moment, Novelty, Persistence, Positive Thinking

The Secret To Success Few Realize: Actor’s Improv Training

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“Among other things I am an actor. Since I was three. I love it. As an actor there are many forms of training. Scene work, theater or on camera, commercials, audition, and improv. Believe me, there are many other approaches to this art and craft too. I mention this because there is an important concept I hope you will grasp.

The art of improv means spontaneous, extemporaneous, think on your feet, (comedic as is popularized by clubs  but there is also dramatic improv) acting entertainment. So let’s deal with what most people might know. The improv club. You go, have a few drinks or food and watch people respond to audience requests.

Topics blended together in unique ways, chosen out of a hat, so to speak. Actors then work together to entertain. A rule of improv, an important rule, in order to advance the premise and the scene is to say ‘Yes’ to whatever is offered. Say ‘yes’ and you have forward progress. Say no and the scene stops.

Live Love Laugh Celebrate And Enjoy

A lot of training goes into getting talent to go for the ‘yes’ right out of the gate. It keeps the ball rolling as long as the actors say ‘yes’. This is not uttered verbally, necessarily, while it can be, it is a concept.

A principle for good improv. Whatever is offered you you accept it, say yes to it, and add to it. Steer it. Your partner respond likewise. Together you keep it moving.

I am quote, a wonderful current talent, Tina Fey, who posted, back in 2011 her ‘4 Rules Of Innovation’ from her book ‘Bossypants’. ‘The first rule of improvisation is to AGREE. Saying “no” grinds invention, innovation  (and improv) to a screeching halt.

‘Obviously in real life you’re not always going to agree with what everyone says. But saying YES reminds you to respect what your partner has created and to start from an open-minded place. Start with a YES and see where that takes you.’

Wake Up And Live

‘The second rule of improv is to not only say YES, say YES, AND. In improv, you agree and then add something of your own. If your partner starts with, “I can’t believe it’s so hot in here,” and you just say “Yeah…” the skit has stalled. But if you respond with, “What did you expect? We’re in hell!” things keep moving forward.’

I’ll let you go find the other two rules, but I will nutshell it for you by briefly quoting her again. ‘Whatever the problem be part of the solution.’ and ‘there are no mistakes only opportunities. The next big laugh is around the corner.’  I love this and it fits so well with the philosophy and approaches I have been sharing in my blog.

I was reminded of this listening to friend and Casting Director, and expert, Amy Jo Berman implore actors to get improv training so that when things get switched up on them at an audition; when the sides (pages of script) are changed on them moments prior to going before the casting director, they are prepared, they are skilled, well trained talent and able to say ‘yes’. Nothing throws them!

Be Happy Smile More

I want to thank Tina and Amy for such great insight. I want to thank all those from ancient texts to modern day authors who have said the same thing, forever, in so many inspiring ways.

What we need to do is hear the message and then act on it. This is another reason why repetition is so necessary. Too often we miss what is really important!

As an actor in life we need to accept and affirm what is handed to us. Say ‘yes’ and add to it. Don’t let it stop there. We can steer it, just don’t resist it. Direct the energies in productive ways.

See it all the way through to the conclusion. Let go of preconceived notions of how things should be and go with the flow. Create some flow. Allow it to become better. Attitude is everything. Have fun and learn!

The more you practice these life skills the better you get at it, just as actors do practicing and rehearsing their craft. If you do it, repeat it, again and again, correctly, the logical outgrowth is you get better at it. You develop reliable, habitual skills. You evolve new neural pathways that serve you better.

Yes I Can

‘Start with a yes and see where that takes you’. Get in the habit of affirming life, of co-operating with others. moving forward, and adding value to all.

Keep moving it forward in positive ways. SO when life or someone throws you a curve ball you step in to bat. You aren’t thrown by changes.

Step up to the plate when life switches things up. Go for the run. Say ‘yes’ and move forward. Opportunity exists and the next big one is around the corner. Remember that! Set you attitude right and you can be, do and have anything. Live, love, laugh and say ‘yes’ to life! Celebrate! Rex Sikes

Enjoy each day more than the last!

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Horizons photo used with permission of Phil Koch.

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