Category Archives: Decision

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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Why You Must Keep Going And Never Give Up!

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“If you have a goal, a dream, a definite chief purpose, a passion plan you have been struggling with making happen, keep going and never give up. If it is good, positive, legal, moral and ethical persist. If it will make your life and the lives of others around you better then keep going and make it happen.

Most of the great positive achievers studied seemed to go from nearly, or completely, destitute to happiness, wealth and success. They were at the very bottom before things changed. Is this a requirement? No, of course not, but it seems common enough to remind you, don’t stop. They persisted and prevailed.

Troubles, obstacles, struggles, problems are all part of life. I don’t know anyone who has ever gotten a free pass. From these you can learn many important things. You can get lessons and insights, ‘ahas’ that can help transform. You grow stronger with resistance and opposition. You can grow more resolute. Accept and welcome these!

The trick is to maintain your positive attitude all the time. Especially, during the tough times. Focus on what you can do, not on what you can’t do or what is problematic. Learn to keep your mindset dedicated to what you want to bring about and not what is preventing you. There is much reward in controlling your mind.

There is immense power in positivity. Keep away from blaming, making excuses and whining. Control your mind, control your feelings and control your actions. There are those who would coddle you and tell you it is not your fault, don’t hope, better not to than to be disappointed. That will keep you a victim. Don’t listen. DON’T!

Rise up and live the life of a champion. Become the victor you are inside. Find your resources and abilities to see your positive quest through to the end and beyond! Don’t buckle, stand up and live. Imagine how good it feels to see it through. See it, hear, it, feel it, smell it, taste it! Live it! Live your passion and make it happen.

If your dream is worth it to you then you can have it. Continue to do whatever positive good is necessary to bring it about. Remember, you become what you think about. Be grateful you have this opportunity. Be grateful for the challenges. Be grateful for it all. Appreciate and enjoy. It makes a big difference! Celebrate everything!” Rex Sikes

This day IS just for you!

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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.

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Have You Accepted The Powerful 7 Day No Complaining Challenge? Yes Or No, Read This!

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“If you decided to take the 7 Day No Complaining Challenge, congratulations! You have just decided to put a moratorium on complaining for at  least one week. This is a tremendous opportunity for you to grow and learn some important things about yourself.

You may wish to keep a journal. I highly recommend it. Journal what you noticed as you went through each day, each moment. There will be times when you become aware of complaining and stop it. Notice and journal it. Congratulate yourself too. Celebrate!

For example, I started to post something to FaceBook and realized it was a complaint. I stopped, deleted my comment before I posted it, and congratulated myself for becoming aware. My comment was just opinion. It wouldn’t have made anything better.

If there is a fire don’t throw gasoline on it. The point of the ban is to notice how often we complain, about what, perhaps why and to get over the need to do it. What are the triggers?  If it doesn’t uplift or contribute positively to you, why engage in it? Habit.

Most of us do it unconsciously from habit. We don’t control it. We don’t control our thoughts nor our behaviors. It is time to reclaim choice, make positive decisions and develop positive habits. Habits either build you up or tear you down. Increase or decrease.

In putting a ban on complaining, whining, blaming and excusing you have the incredible opportunity to move into new wonderful ways of being and doing. Once you start making positive changes you will discover more in return. Enjoy this process. Be rigorous AND enjoy!

There will be those times when you went right on complaining, most likely. Journal it. Don’t beat yourself up. Congratulate yourself that you eventually realized it. Do you understand? This is an opportunity to evolve not criticize yourself. Uplift don’t destroy!

If you started and you caught yourself complaining. Start over. That’s what I would do. The idea is to go for 7 Days without complaining, blaming and making excuses. Obviously, you don’t have to, it is entirely up to you, but it is a worthwhile choice.

Share what you notice in the comments if you feel inclined. It would be wonderful to support each other. Most importantly, once you made your commitment, keep your promise to yourself. Don’t throw in the towel, keep going. There is much waiting for you!

Enjoy the ‘ahas’! Have fun. Notice what happens to your experience, to you, to your life. This can be a small set of wonderful moments, or really huge. Whatever it is for you celebrate it. Stick with it and celebrate everything. It is a tremendous opportunity!” Rex Sikes

Another day, more blessings!

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Horizons photo used with permission of Phil Koch.

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Are You Prepared For A Life Change? Join The 7 Day No Complaining Moratorium!

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“Okay are you ready for another challenge. You may have tried the 30 or 100 day Gratitude Challenge. Even better, perhaps you undertook the Year Of Gratitude!

This entails listing those things you are grateful for and feeling appreciative each day. Keeping a journal is the best way. Woot Woot!

Perhaps, you joined in on my 24 or 48 or 72 hour manifestation challenge. In this challenge I encouraged you to pick something small or moderately large that you believed you can manifest.

It must be unlikely. In other words it is not something you are bound to have happen  or run into easily. You want to believe it is possible and have it be a stretch at the same time.

Concentrate on manifesting it within a time frame. I provided some examples of mine with goldfish, finding money and I also wrote about some other people’s success manifesting this way.

It is an awesome exercise that helps you build wins, confidence and faith in your abilities. Many people who have begun this continue to go on and create better and bigger things.

Are you ready for this challenge. This is a powerful one. You may find it challenging but it is SO ABSOLUTELY WORTH GOING THROUGH IT! It is a moratorium on complaining.

That’s right NO complaining for 7 days! One week! Stop complaining, whining, blaming and excusing. No personal ones, none about family, friends, strangers. the economy, politics, the media, life or ANYTHING!

You simply commit to putting a guard before your thoughts and your tongue. No posting complaints on Facebook or social media outlets either. No texting to friends or tweeting to the universe!

You stop. You speak only to bless, heal and prosper. You speak to build and uplift, never to tear down or destroy. You commit to this challenge and you will learn so very much about yourself.

I promise you that you can learn lots if you are open to.

Okay, who is in?

Anyone, afraid of this challenge? If so what stops you? Who here is eager to get going on this? Absolutely NO complaining for 7 days from the time you start.

Feel free to comment or share your experience in the comments, or on our Facebook page of the same name once you complete the seven days. Ready, set, go! Celebrate everything!” Rex Sikes

Celebrate this day!

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Horizons photo used with permission of Phil Koch.

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Without This, You Will Never Change!

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“Most people think we have free will and the power to choose. If you listen to researchers, however, it is estimated that more than 95% of what we do is automated. We run on automatic, past prior conditioning, habits, well worn neural pathways, like robots. We don’t choose, not really. Not much. We react instead of respond.

We choose relatively little each day. We think mostly the same thoughts, do mostly the same things in mostly the same way. We are creatures of habit. We run on and on. How on earth could we ever hope to break free? Awareness! Awareness is ‘the how’ we become disengaged enough to begin to make deliberate choices.

Though conditioned, or programmed, from birth on to think, believe, value and behave in certain ways routinely we can begin to become conscious of our programming. We can begin to watch or witness ourselves in action. We need to bring awareness to our lack of choices so that we can discover how to actually choose.

You Are Where Your Thoughts Brought You

We can task ourself to watch our fears, our beliefs, our attitudes, our habits and our behaviors. We can watch what we do as well as what we don’t do. Becoming conscious is like shining a flashlight in a dark room. That which was once hidden is now spotlighted and revealed. Once revealed it can be examined, then kept or discarded.

Once we turn the flashlight on our thoughts, beliefs, habits and behaviors we can decide whether they are worth keeping. Does what we think and do further us, contribute to us, bring us closer to our goals and dreams or move us farther away? Those are the only two possibilities, other than, we can remain stuck where we are.

So become aware of your thoughts. How? Make it a point to focus on being positive. Think positively! Whenever you notice you are not thinking positive, change it. Awareness, is when you notice you aren’t doing what you intend to do, and choice is when you switch it to do what you want. Awareness is paying attention. Spotlighting!

You Will Be Where Your Thoughts Take You

Awareness, is not judgmental. When you notice you are not thinking positive but are distracted or thinking negative you do not criticize. If you criticize you are only thinking more negative thoughts. Instead, you notice AND you determine to steer your thoughts toward the positive bit by bit. You take control of your thoughts.

You can notice and validate when you do what you want, as well. You can pat yourself on the back for maintaining your positive thinking. Congratulate and praise yourself for carrying out your intention. By tasking yourself to think positive you can become aware of when you are and when you aren’t.

This is the first step in gaining control and developing choice. As time goes on, situations may arise and you find yourself steering away from the negativity many times. You may be delighted to find at some point, that how you would have reacted to a situation, you now behave differently. Now, you decide how you want to respond.

You Cannot Escape Your Thoughts

In doing this, by becoming aware, you are reclaiming your power. You are deciding that you do not have to think and act as you were programmed to always, but that you have choice in the matter. Through observing you discover that you can decide, you can chose in the present moment, rather than reacting automatically.

You can begin to live who you are instead of from your conditioning. You will discover the real, present you, and live from the now, instead of from the past. Who you are today will not be who you were yesterday. You will discover your talents, and resources and opportunities instead of living from fears and worry and old rules.

Once you become free you can see that the conditioned you was never who you are, was never the real you, but the you, you had learned to be. You are more than your learning and programs, you are the programmer. You are the observer! The witness! You are the one who decides.

Exploration Is The Doorway To Adventure – Awareness The Key

Your beliefs either serve you and get you closer to where you want to be or they move you further away. Each thought will either be positive or negative. Each thought will either nourish you and benefit you or consume and destroy you. Now, you can choose what to think and believe. Make wise choices!

Awareness opens the doorway to discovery and adventure. You can move beyond anything that was a limitation into new ways of being now and in your future. You can delight and surprise yourself by finding new opportunities to succeed and to enjoy life, as never before. So explore! Become aware. Choose how you think! AND celebrate everything!” Rex Sikes

It is another glorious day no matter what you think of it!

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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!

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

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“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.

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!

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.

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!

You Have Been Lied To! You Can’t Sabotage Yourself! Do You Know Why?

horizons oblivion-phil-koch

“When people attempt to make a career or personal change but aren’t successful they believe, somehow, they sabotaged it. You want to lose weight but you eat that donut, right? Can we ever stop screwing it up? It seems as if something is working against your best intentions. Is it sabotage? Why on earth does this happen?

Do you know why you are you told it is important to think positive? You think positive to keep your mind OCCUPIED with positive thoughts. That is why you affirm, watch your self-talk and change it to the positive when you notice it less than glorious; to fill your mind mostly with good things; to exclude the negative and what you don’t want.

That is why you chant affirmations and mantras, read inspiring books, put posters and mottos up around your environment, listen to positive and motivational audios, hang with other positive people and attend live events. You do these things so that most of your waking hours are spent thinking and feeling good.

Your Thoughts Determine Your Outcomes

Keep your mind positively occupied most of the time because when you do you feel better. Then the preponderance of your day is spent less negative, more positive and more optimistic. You complain and gripe less. Look on the bright side. Instead of problems, issues gossip and negative distractions, you look at solutions and what is possible.

Your focus IS on the positive.  As you do this you reprogram you subconscious mind. Your subconscious relies on signals, or messages you send it. It pays attention to what has the highest emotional signal value and what you concentrate on most of the time. What you focus on expands. What you think about you bring about.

Your subconscious mind is your friend, your reliable supportive ally. It says YES to anything you say; whether positive or negative. It agrees with you thoughts and inner statements no matter what they are. It looks for an outer match in the world of results for what you already believe. It keeps you the same. It keeps you consistent.

What You Hold In Your Mind You Can Someday Hold In Your Hand

It streamlines things for you so you don’t have to relearn everything. It is your best friend. Yet, sadly, most people get it wrong. They claim your subconscious is against you; that it harbors beliefs and paradigms that make it difficult for you to change. That is just plain wrong. It’s good news, especially if your weren’t told this before!

Your subconscious is a learning machine! Everything you know how to think and do IT learned for you. Everything you do, positive or negative, good or bad, it learned to do and to keep doing it. AND it will keep doing it UNLESS you change it. IT is a reliable and faithful servant. They think it is sabotaging you. It isn’t it! It is serving you!

It is supporting you with what it learned to do. IF you want your subconscious to do something different for you, YOU have to tell it what you want. Train it to do the new thing the same way it learned to do the many things is already does. Through repetition and emotion; that is how you learned.

You Are Where Your Thoughts Take You

The issue for most people is that they let their brains run on without ever taking charge of it. They are not in control. They are passengers and their brain is doing the driving. They are in the  back seat of a car and go wherever the driver takes them. They aren’t driving the vehicle, they are being transported.

Your brain transports you and drives you unless and until YOU assume control. It does this because IT IS YOUR FRIEND and it does what it learned reliably so the trip is comfortable and familiar. It doesn’t want to rock your world or scare you. It serves you as it best knows how. It keeps everything the same for you. Consistent!

Since most people have been told change is hard they assume that is the truth. Our inner expectations determine what we tend to find in the outer world. Our brain seeks a match for what we already accept as true. So we assume change is difficult. In reality, it isn’t always easy, but it isn’t hard, for certain, Anyone, can learn to change!

Skill Comes Of Doing

Your brain learns easily and readily. It learned all kinds of wonderful and useful things. It learned all sorts of useless and less than glorious things. To transform yourself you want to remove or replace the less than glorious useless programming with more positive, productive glorious programming. You simply switch one for the other.

Many people learned to focus on problems, limitations and issues. They focus on debt, poor health, trouble, world calamity, instead of what they want. That is what they learned to do. The reason they never get out of debt or their health improves is that they continue doing the same things in the same way. They don’t change anything!

The want to be different but they keep doing what they have already done and hope it will be better. Unfortunately, that does not work. Then they blames themselves, others, god or the world circumstances and environment. They really only need to make a few simple changes. If they did everything could begin to change!

What We Will Do With Ease Seems Difficult At First

A few simple changes and they could be well on their way to an incredible new life. Sadly, most stop there. They say they tried and it didn’t work. They quit. Throw in the towel. Do you know when most people actually quit? Before they ever try anything. They think it will be too hard and they talk themselves out of it.

Have you ever done that? I sure have, in the past. Why do we do that? We quit before we try or we try and quit quickly. Our culture tells us to. We have popular phrases. ‘Three strikes and you are out.’ ‘If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.’ Then WHAT?  THEN quit. We have been conditioned to try a few times and give up. Arg!

Abandon the pursuit. The reality is you must keep going until you break through. Consider this amazing fact. People have tunneled out of prison using only a spoon. Can you imagine that? Certainly, if they gave up after a few spoonfuls they’d never have gotten anywhere. You have to keep going until you break free. If you really want it!

If You Really Want Something You Will Find A Way

A few simple changes is all it takes to begin to re-condition your subconscious to do what you want it to do. If your lover constantly did something that annoyed you or hurt you wouldn’t you attempt to explain to them there was a better way they could treat you. You have to tell you subconscious there is a new way you prefer.

It loves to learn!  Give it the new task of learning to be more positive. Tell it you want to be a new, positive, productive, incredible you! Educate it. It knows how to learn. You don’t have to teach it that. It uses repetition and emotion to learn new skills. You need to provide it what it should learn. You need to tell it YOU are a positive person!

‘I want to be happy.’ ‘I want to be financially free.’ There are ways to instruct your brain so you get what you want. Right now, people are instructing their brains to give them more of what they precisely don’t want. They think about, fret over, worry and concentrate on exactly what they want to avoid or exclude. They negative focus.

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

BUT the only message the brain gets over and over again is what they are focused on. ‘I don’t want to be poor.’ ‘I have lots of bills.’ ‘I am in so much debt.’ ‘My back hurts.’ ‘The tumor has grown.’ ‘I am so unhappy.’ ‘I am worried.’ ‘I am stupid.’ ‘I am worthless.’ ‘I can’t do things right.’

‘I could never learn that.’ ‘Some people are lucky but not me.’ ‘Why do bad things always happen?’ Those statements all create negative images in one’s mind. The thoughts and picture are negative and unwanted. Your subconscious doesn’t make the distinction between positive or negative and good or bad. It only gets what you send it.

Whatever you focus on with emotion IS the message. What you think over and over again, most of the time, IS what you send it. It is what you affirm, assert and declare. It is your message. You don’t really want that but  your unconscious mind THINKS YOU DO. That is the message it gets. You keep sending a shabby message to it.

The More We Do The More We Can Do

Through constant repetition you tell it what is important. If large portions of your day are spent thinking or worrying about bills and then other portions of your day are spent in mindless distractions and negative internet news items, then the bulk of your thinking day and the message you subconscious gets is – are you  ready for this?

More bills, more bills, more bills. Because over and over during the day that is what you were concerned mostly about. Other times were ‘whatever moments’, daily distractions and traffic woes, etc. Your subconscious looks to create or find a match for what is IMPORTANT to you. It is trying to help. It is trying to help! It is!

It is not your subconscious fault you sent it crappy, unwanted instructions. Then you blame it for sabotaging you. Shame! It carries out your orders precisely giving you whatever you focus on most of the time. That is how IT works, that IS what it knows. It is simply saying YES to you and giving you exactly what it thinks you want.

If You Don’t Want To Do It You Will Find An Excuse

ONLY you consciously don’t want it. Rejoice! There is a better way. Instead, inform and instruct it in what you do want. ‘I want to be financially free.’ ‘I want money.’ ‘I want good health.’ ‘I want love.’ ‘I want great things.’ ‘I want to ski well.’ ‘I want to prosper and be successful.’ Great that is a start. Now, when do you want it?

Someday? Anytime in the future?  You can set a deadline that is good. A target to work towards. That can work. You can also imagine it as if it already has happened. Imagining what you want as if you already have it IS the most powerful way. Your mind sees you with it and feels what it is like for you to have the good you desire.

You see it as if it is RIGHT NOW. You feel the wonderful feelings you would have right now, as if you already got it. AND you assert, affirm and declare it in the present. It is all right now and it feels glorious. This instructs you subconscious mind what you DO want. It tells it precisely. Think, ‘I am rich.’ ‘I have plenty of money’. ‘I feel great.’

What You Say Is What You Get

Do this frequently, most of the time, each day and  your subconscious gets the message. Think about what you want as if you already have it. Feel the incredible feelings. DO this repeatedly. Remember, repetition and emotion. Over and over again. You become, or you get, what you think about most of the time.

‘I have more than enough money.’ ‘My business is prosperous.’ ‘I am financially free and live abundantly.’ ‘I am healthy.’ ‘I have tremendous health and well being.’ ‘I am physically fit.’ ‘I enjoy my loving relationship.’ ‘I adore my incredible new car or home.’ ‘I love the feeling a skiing safely down the mountainside.’

‘I love the snow, the breeze in my hair, the spectacular view.’ ‘This is the good life.’ Get it? Declare it, affirm it. Speak it over and over inside and out loud with great enthusiasm and positive emotion. Spend most of your day thinking positive on what you have. See it in your mental movie theater. ‘I am’ ‘I have’ Declare it! Affirm it!

What You See Is What You Get

See the dreams that came true and feel what it feels like to live them right now. Even thought outer circumstances may not have yet caught up with your inner reality THIS is how you reprogram you subconscious mind. You tell it, show it, and feel all the good things you want, as if you already have them.

You show it and tell it and feel it over and over and over again until you do.  Yes, it requires some time. It takes time to exercise and condition your body. It takes time to prepare, cook, serve and enjoy a meal. It takes time to get from one end of the country to another. It takes time to plant a seed and harvest. Everything takes some time!

You want magic and want it over night but that isn’t how it works. You weren’t a baby and then a fully grown adult. Everything is a process. You condition your subconscious mind for success. YOU condition it. You CONDITION it. You condition IT! Do you understand yet. Do it and you will get the results. Only if you do it!

Exercise Takes Time – Champions Aren’t Made In A Day

You have already proved it to yourself when you got the results you don’t want and you keep getting the same ones over and over again. You conditioned yourself for those. Stop it. Break those habits by developing new ones. You subconscious mind will love you for tasking it. It has new things to do. It loves learning!

Program it wisely. It is here to serve you. You aren’t here to serve it. Still, that is what most people do. They remain victims of their own shabby programming, because even though the message has been around them forever, they never ‘GET IT’, that THEY can do something about it. You can. You can be different from them.

Some people learn to be helpless and want others to do it for them. Some learn to be helpless and hopeless. Still, they can change. Some people need to hit the very bottom of the gutter in order to decide they have had enough and will change for the better. Some just  decide right where they are. Now is the time. Here is the place.

Champions Are Champions In Their Mind First – It Is A Mindset

The only thing that cannot be done is no one else can do it for you. You must do it. AND you must focus on what you want and ignore the contrast in your present circumstances. They will change in time with the new thoughts, but it will take time for outer circumstances to catch up. Focus on the positive and exclude the rest. Concentrate.

Pick one thing. One goal. Create a mantra or affirmation around it. I gave you examples above. Focus on it. See it inside, visualize and feel it. Chant your mantra day and night with passion and enthusiasm. Keep going until you get it. Be patient. Consider doing it most of the time for 30, 60, 90 days, repeatedly. Longer if necessary. Go for it!

You have everything you need within. You have an incredible ally in your subconscious. It knows what to do and how to do it. Use good judgement and tell it the positive, productive wonderful things you want it to do so you can begin getting those results. Be patient. Persist. Never quit. Tough times may come, they usually do.

When The Going Gets Tough The Tough Get Going

Push through it. Love yourself, forgive yourself, trust yourself and keep going. It may take some time reconditioning your mental muscle to give you what you want but it will ‘get the picture’ soon. It will GET IT quicker if you pick one thing to focus on exclusively for a while. Once you make that happen move on to the next thing.

You will re-educate your subconscious mind in this manner. It already says yes to you. Give it great things to say yes about. Be grateful you have such a magnificent servant at your disposal. It is faithful and reliable. Program it with what you want it to do. You can do this. If anyone in the world can do it, and many have, you can do this! Do it today!” Rex Sikes

Today is your day to shine!

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Horizons photo used with permission of Phil Koch.

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Troubles Causing You Trouble? Discover How Some People Learn Another Way!

Horizons dreaming-of-june-phil-koch

“When troubles arise people, frequently and automatically, look to the down side. They fret and worry. The lose hope and fear. They make themselves sick thinking of all that could go wrong. Troubles cause trouble. It doesn’t have to be this way. There are alternatives! Would you like to know what they are? Consider this.

Plants and trees grow stronger from the wind and elements that challenge them. Your muscles grow bigger and stronger, as does your intellect, through use and opposition. Challenge makes us strong. Obstacles in our way make us think and devise ways around them. We become smarter. Without wind the kite would never rise.

Struggles, shake us up. They upset the cart, the normal course of our day. They require we pay attention and become more alert. New doors open up.  They wake us, shake us up and make room for new things. We may lose out. We could lose everything and have to start over.  Isn’t that what we may fear most?

Hard Times Prepare People In Extraordinary Ways

Those who have often report, in retrospect, that going through hardship changed their lives to the positive, forever. They found new reasons to be alive, to love and to enjoy life. Sometimes we have to throw out the old stuff in the closet to make room for the new. If we are changing and evolving we are certain to encounter some speed bumps along the way.

It is inevitable that there will be problems as we seek to make life better. We grow smarter and stronger through the experiences if we are open. Sometimes we must loosen our grip, or our hold, on the way things were, in order to allow things to become what they will be. This includes our beliefs and old ways of thinking as much as anything else.

If we are to learn new things, really learn and be transformed by what we learn, not just learn a new factoid or bit of information, but change our lives, then we must learn how to have an open mind. Sometimes nature has to hit us about the head many times to get our attention or get through to us. Troubles are often a big wake up call.

It Is Not How Often We Fall But How Often We Get Back Up

Whether you wake up or not is how you respond to your struggles. If you react as you always have you will stay stuck. If you learn new ways of thinking, feeling and acting opportunity is before you. Do you know that most people quit before they start? They think of something and then think of all the reasons why they cannot do it. It is over before it begins for them.

Some will begin but the moment if gets tough, give up. You can’t give up. Struggle strengthens you. If you can overcome your immediate problems you can learn to overcome anything. Learn persistence and keep on going. It has been said, ‘Never quit when the going is tough. Quit when you win.’Quit a winner. I love this! The only time you ever really fail is when you quit too soon.

If you throw in the towel. It is over! Learn to persist and move forward and accomplish what you want to accomplish. Set your mind to win and keep going until you do. Don’t stop until you get there. If it is truly worth it, it IS worth all your effort to get it. Keep in mind whatever you say you have, you will have as you say. Do you understand this? Your declarations make it so! Watch what you say!

Change Is The End Result Of All True Learning

If you make a mountain out of a mole hill it WILL be a mountain. Learn not to discuss your problems as problems. Learn to put problems in the past. What you say something is, IS what it is. If you call it a problem it will be. It is better to label it an opportunity, a learning, a disguised blessing. What you say is what you get! Stop, and only speak to bless, heal and prosper! Affirm what you want!

People spend time chronically complaining and whining out of habit. Stop it. If you must talk about it discuss how you are changing it, improving it, learning as you go along. Manage your conversations with others AND with yourself. Watch your self-talk! Remember, words that follow ‘I am’ or ‘I have’ are your assertions, affirmations and declarations. Don’t declare what you do not what in your life.

David of the Old Testament rushed Goliath the giant. This huge problem faced David and his people. The Giant called him names and taunted him, while towering over him. David declared a victory was imminent and rushed at Goliath. He triumphed. He charged his problems. Story, fact or fiction, the point is triumph over your adversaries. Live as a victor. Declare victory. And so it is!

All My Troubles And Obstacles Have Strengthened Me

Don’t be afraid of your struggles be in charge of them. Put your struggles in their place. If you learn to do this positively, with optimism, and consistently you will develop the unstoppable mindset of a winner. You will learn to reign victorious over the problems and challenges life throws your way. You’ll say ‘bring it! Is that the best you got?’ and smile as you overcome!

You will have learned a new way to think, to feel and to be. When you can laugh about your troubles you are free of them. When you can celebrate and enjoy and be happy in spite of any opposition in your circumstances you are in charge.  You are bigger than the issues around you!  You always have been.

Maybe you didn’t know this or act like it, but you always have been. It’s time to claim it and take hold of your power. Struggles are good. You become better because of them. Go through tough times with a winning mindset. Be the victor. Live as a champion. Celebrate and enjoy everything! You will be glad you did!” Rex Sikes

Make today your day to shine!

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!