Category Archives: Celebration

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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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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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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horizons only-a-moment-phil-koch

“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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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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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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Blessings, Celebration, Creating The Future, Energy, Focus, Friendship, Giving Unconditionally, Gratitude, Happiness, Law Of Attraction, Positive Thinking, Relationships, Responsibility

Do This And Your World Can Immediately Become Better!

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horizons years-gone-by-phil-koch

“It always fascinates me how things work out together. Some call it synchronicity. The topic I chose to write about today came home to me in a delightful way. I had planned to write on kindness and committing those random acts when one happened to me.

Prior to writing this I am at home. I had dozed off. I was awakened gently by my daughter who said, ‘I brought you soup’. Wonderful, I thought. Plus, she brought home something for me to drink. I am delighted. It was welcomed and it was tasty.

I felt well taken care of and loved. As we talked and I ate soup, it comes out that out she has been delivering soup to a friend’s grandmother for a number of weeks. She had visited once and realized the woman’s refrigerator was bare.

If You Want To Lift Yourself Up Lift Up Someone Else

She had a couple eggs, cheese, and nothing in the freezer. My daughter brought some soup over the next evening and the woman enjoyed it. So my daughter made it more of a regular thing. She’d take her a quart or two of soup.

Nightly, after work, she’d tell me she was going to this woman’s house. Even in very bad weather she made the delivery. I had been concerned at times when weather was rough. I wanted her to come home safe,  but she would say she was going to her friend’s grandma’s house first.

I never knew why until tonight.  It simply came up as we chatted and I ate the soup she brought me. After some more conversation she stated she was excited about our plans for the evening tomorrow. Off to her room she went. I am blessed with two wonderful children. I was well taken care of this late night.

You Don’t Need A Reason To Help People

I am very proud. My daughter simply wanted to do something nice for this woman because she cared. She said, though the woman has a job and works hard she has a difficult time making ends meet. She can’t make enough money to buy much food.

My daughter cared! She acted! When people care for other people we lift each other up. We ought to  assist people without criticizing them for their lot in life. We help them because of what is in our heart not because of what they can do in return.

I think this is what life is really all about. Simple kindness. Simple goodness to each other. We are all on this cloud encased globe together. We ought to be able to get along, help and enjoy each other. I will close this out soon, but first a quote I would have used tonight, anyway. Joseph Murphy wrote the following:

My Religion Is Kindness – Dali Lama

‘There is no one to change but yourself. You have to be nice to yourself; the real self of you is God. Exalt, honor, revere and respect this Divine Presence within yourself; then you are loving and honoring your neighbor.Your neighbor is the closest thing to you; God is your neighbor; and if you love God you will have goodwill toward all men.’

Simple acts of kindness can go a long way toward helping us help people feel exalted, honored, revered and respected. We should strive to lift each other up together instead of tearing each other apart or down. More kindness is needed, less greed and intolerance.

Be kind. Do something nice for yourself by doing something nice for someone else. Let your actions be your reward not the praise from others. It feels good to do something nice. It is increase for all! A rising tide floats the boat and everyone in it.

Right Now How You Feel Is Creating The Future

It is good to uplift others. When you put it out there you get it back in countless untold ways. Simply make it a point to be more gentle, accepting, kind, peaceful and loving. The more love and goodness we spread around the more we get back to enjoy and spread again.

Create that ambience around you. And know this: People are mostly good! We hear about the bad ones all the time in media, but mostly, people are wonderful! We all should keep that in mind. What we focus on we get back. Let’s focus on the goodness. Let’s build what we want to have more of. Let’s celebrate everything!” Rex Sikes

Today is another day to be thrilled!

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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!

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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Affirmations, Celebration, Emotions, Focus, Habit Formation, Healthy Choices, Intentional Thinking, Mindset, Positive Thinking, Positive Thoughts, Success

Use Your Brain Properly And It Can Remain Healthy All Your Life

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“Our brain is incredible. It continues to grow and evolve as we use it. Just as your muscles grow your brain does with use. This is why it is important to use it or lose it. For decades, I have been a proponent of greater brain health.

I included both thought, or mental exercises, and physical exercises in workshops and seminars so that my participants could practice and benefit. Doing them daily kept the brain and body healthy, adaptable and resilient.

The best news, which has been around forever, but continues to receive more and more scientific validation as we look into it, is that you can easily change and transform yourself through changing your thinking. That is how it works.

What You Think You Become

Thoughts not only affect the outside world (from within to without), but they determine how the brain develops as well. Your brain actually changes its physical structure when you think or do something repeatedly. You can tell a happy person’s brain from an unhappy person’s brain postmortem. Physically they are different.

When you maintain focus on a positive goal you direct your brain. You literally wire your brain to take you there, to make it happen. Our input literally re-wires the brain itself. If we negative input we get negative results. If we positive input we get positive results.

As Henry Ford maintained, once he had set a goal he chose to see it through to the end. He refused to listen to any impossibilities of his past thinking and the doubts of others. He chose create or do what he wanted in spite of others telling him it could not be done.

What You Feel You Attract

Whether you think a positive thought or a negative thought your brain compares that thought to every other thought, belief, experience or program it previously stored that agrees with it. At that time your brain not only acts on those programs, but it also replays those same messages again re-enforcing them.

The brain is designed to feed back, find examples, match and to reproduce, the beliefs, attitudes and opinions you have about yourself, your circumstances and life. This is exactly why people who are positive thinkings create or ‘attract’ more of the same. It is why negative thinkers continue to think and behave negatively.

Then even if life or circumstances change around us, we continue to view life the same way. We see ourselves and the world through these perceptual filters. It is the brains way of maintaining a sense of consistency for us. We get back or create more of the same no matter what we input. Garbage In Garbage, Out or Good In, Good Out!

What You Imagine You Create

Research maintains that thinking positive thoughts is healthier for the body and for the brain. As you think positive thoughts your body and brain benefit greatly. You brain grows stronger, healthier and more flexible. Your body becomes more stress free, healthier and capable of healing and rejuvenation.

When you repeatedly think the same positive thought over and over again accompanied by good feelings you create new neural pathways. You can replace old thought and behavior habits with new ones through repetition and emotion. That is how it works. That is how it always worked.

The brain and body are also negatively affected by negative thoughts and chronic negative thinking. You mental clarity, emotional well-being and physical stress and ability to be healthy are all negatively impacted. It just works that way.

Your Brain: Use It Or Lose It

Science bears out what common sense should have always informed us. So it IS important to maintain a positive attitude. You think and feel better. You are more creative and able to solve problems. You are healthier in body, mind and spirit. There are good reasons to think positive. Thinking positive thoughts leads to positive feelings.

You can be, do and have anything you want. Your brain will work with you to get it when you educate it as to what you want. You brain and mind support you as you learn new positive habits. The process gets easier the more you do it. Remember, the more you do the more you can do.

If the same positive message is repeated often enough, the brain wires it in and acts on it as though it’s true.  Every opinion you have, every belief and every attitude you have was created in this same way same way in your brain through repetition. Your brain is designed to create neural pathways whether positive or negative or true or false. It doesn’t care. It doesn’t know a penny from a dollar.

Your Greatest Power Is Your Mind – Use It Well

Your brain simply says, ‘yes, I understand all systems go.’  I leave you today with this Henry David Thoreau quote,  ‘As a single footstep will not make a path on the earth, so a single thought will not make a pathway in the mind. To make a deep physical path, we walk again and again. To make a deep mental path, we must think over and over the kind of thoughts we wish to dominate our lives.’

So think the thoughts you want to make reality. Use good judgement. Evolve yourself! Stay positive! Stay positive and you can make your dreams come true. Express gratitude and celebrate everything and life becomes much more enjoyable. Look for the good in all things and reasons to delight and you will!” Rex Sikes

Enjoy today!

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Attitude, Beliefs, Blessings, Celebration, Creating The Future, Decision, Deliberate Creators, Focus, Gratitude, Happiness, Intentional Thinking, Mindset, Positive Thinking, Responsibility, Self Talk

Your Health Is Affected By PMA! What Is It? Why You Need It

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“PMA? What does it mean to have PMA? Some people just do not understand. Do you really know what it is? Do you know how it affects you? You may not. Most people don’t. A lot are unaware. Many are mistaken.

A number of people think it means unrealistic magical, wishful thinking. Someone even wrote a book calling it unrealistic thinking. So why do we need a Positive Mental Attitude? Does it make a difference? Does it  matter?

It isn’t unrealistic at all if you know what it is. If you actually have a PMA and use it you couldn’t and wouldn’t write a book like that. You’d understand the difference between pie in the sky thinking an a PMA based on accurate evidence or fact and good reasoning.

If You Change The Way You Look At Things

That author mistakes PMA with wishful, magical, fanciful thinking. That author’s premise is that if you wish for something and then don’t get it you may feel worse off than had you  not wished at all. Perhaps. That has absolutely nothing to do with positive thinking.

Positive thinking is about action. You don’t sit and wish and hope. You put on your best ‘I can do it’ attitude and you work to make it happen. Yes, you may not succeed but you will have gotten further than if you sat in your room and hoped for it. Yes, it matters!

Positive thinking is about determination and overcoming obstacles. It eliminates negative thinking, downer thinking, depressed thinking, hopeless thinking, problem thinking in favor of positive, powerful, solution focused thought. It is about making things happen!

The Things You Look At Change

I enjoy this definition by Napoleon Hill, ‘It is a confident, constructive, sure, practical and forward moving disposition of the mind over and against any given circumstances. As we use the expression in this study a Positive Mental Attitude is the right mental attitude in any given situation.

It is composed of positive characteristics symbolized by such words as faith, integrity, hope, optimism, courage, initiative, generosity, tolerance, tact, kindness and good common sense.’

He further states,’To understand the importance of a Positive Mental Attitude in your life, consider the fact that it affects the tone of your voice, the expression of your face, the posture of your body, every thought you think, every word you speak.’

You Do Everything Better Thinking Positive Than Negative

‘It determines the nature of every emotion you feel. Everyone and everything that comes within the range of your personality is affected by your mental attitude.’

On top of this he states it is the most important component in developing, having or maintaining a pleasing personality.  From these statements you can begin to understand the importance of maintaining a positive mental attitude.

All of us can tell the difference between an energy vampire, a downer who sucks the life out of a room merely by entering it and one who uplifts and delights and supercharges the atmosphere simply by entering there too. We know the difference.

Every Day May Not Be Good But There Is Good In Every Day

While maintaining a positive mental attitude does not absolutely guarantee success in all circumstances we know a negative one likely insures failure. If you don’t think it will work you aren’t going to bother. If you don’t bother you don’t act, hence nothing changes.

By their fruits they are known. Some people say ‘by their works’. People can tell whether you are a positive, uplifting Paula or a Debbie Downer just by your presence. One type accomplishes things regardless of difficulty the other does not.

Thoughts generate attitude and attitude generates thought. It is a cycle. Negative thoughts generate negative. Positive generate more positive. Thoughts ARE things. Thoughts are powerful. You can’t escape the repercussions of your thoughts.

You Are Pretty Awesome Keep It Up

Thoughts affect every part of your physical being. They cause your body to react chemically from healthy to unhealthy. They can make you feel good and comfortable or anxious and afraid. You can feel like charging up a mountain, like making love, feeling peaceful or like fighting or fleeing. Thoughts affect your mental and physical health.

Angry thoughts can make your nostrils flare,  your face turn red, your teeth to clench, your heart and blood pressure rates to change. Science knows our thoughts affect us. A PMA is healthier than a negative one. Negative thoughts produce negative outcomes.

A PMA thinks, speaks and acts only to bless, heal and prosper oneself and others. A negative attitude whines, blames self, others and the world. The PMA is a healthier choice. It can make the difference in healing. If you don’t have one you can develop one.

Delight yourself and others! It is worth it! Cultivate a Can Do personality. Shine from the inside out. You’ll make more friends, achieve your dreams and have more fun with a pleasing personality and a positive mental attitude! Enjoy!” Rex Sikes

How will you make this day fantastic?

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Acceptance, Attitude, Celebration, Faith, Flow, Gratitude, Happiness, Joy, Love, Mindset, Patience, Positive Thinking, Responsibility

In Order To Not Drown You Have To Know How To Float

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“Many people lose their life struggling to live. They fall into water and exhaust themselves fighting the current. Do  you know what you can do that will increase the likelihood you will survive?

If you fall into quicksand, lie back. Lie on your back and stop moving. The more you struggle the more you get sucked down. The same is true when swimming. People go under because they fight.

All you have to do is lie back and breath and you will float. You float when you relax Let go and let the water hold you up. You won’t float vertically in the water, you will sink unless you can tread.

Relax and lie back. You can float longer than you can tread. You float naturally when you lie back. It is one of the first things you learn when you learn to swim. Once on your back, gently navigate.

Your Attitude Determines You Altitude

Gently use your arms, hands and legs to move across the surface of the quicksand. Go with the current gently navigating toward the river bank. Float until spotted on a body of water.

Obviously, you can’t float forever but by floating you can save your life. You can extend the time you are alive in the water by floating on the water instead of fighting it.

The same is true in life. Sometimes, you have to surrender. Stop struggling. Stop trying. Stop doing anything. Relax. When you relax you will feel yourself held up. You’ll float. You can begin to trust.

A worried, anxious mind brings about more of the same. A fearful, doubtful mind becomes even more so. A relaxed, peaceful, accepting, loving mind attracts more of the same. Remember, what you want to create and attract first begins with your thoughts.

What You Resist Persists

Let go! Trust that all will be okay. I am not particularly religious, spiritual, yes, but religious no. Still, I like this concept. ‘God is never late’. Whatever IS is. All will work out if you have faith and trust. Everything tends to work out for the best in the long run.

We fear loss. We fear change. We fear many things. We struggle to keep things the same. Sometimes, a shake up is a good thing. Often, people look back on the worst time of their life and remark, that it was actually the best thing that could have ever happened.

We resist. Sometimes, we need to make room for newness. We need to get rid of the old shoes in the closet, taking up space, so we can have room for the new ones. Accurate or not, trust that everything will be fine no matter what. Create some space for yourself.

You have a cash deadline on a certain date and you don’t get the money until much later. Maybe, being late was perfect and getting it when you do IS the perfect time. I don’t know if that is true or not but I do know attitude is everything. Think, god is never late!

Turn Resistance Into Assistance

What you believes determines so much. If you declare it to be good it can be. You bring about what you think about. Remember, the phrase ‘when it rains it pours’.  If that IS true then one should always think only the very best thoughts, don’t you think?

For goodness sake, don’t waste time with less than glorious thoughts. Focus on love, gratitude, peace, and happiness. Create what you want to have more of. Think the thoughts that bring you these. Good judgement and good taste is important.

Let go and let god, is another key thought about trust. Keep in mind whatever happens can work out for the best. What IS is. The time is always right no matter what. Things will always work out for the best, though they may not seem like it in the present.

God is never late.  Let go, trust and let it all work out. Have faith. Maintain your positive thoughts. No matter what is happening seek, joy, love, peace and gratitude! Celebrate everything!” Rex Sikes

Have a fabulous day!

If you like these posts please subscribe. If you think these posts would help others please share them. Help Spread the word. 

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!