Category Archives: Laughter

Many People Don’t Do This. Don’t Miss Out And Suffer As A Result.

horizon red water and rocks

“Sometimes we spin our wheels trying to accomplish things now! There is a season for everything. A season for planting  and harvesting. Time to work and time to rest. Time to play and have fun.

Some people forget that life has many different facets and offerings. They get so caught up in pursuing their careers. Often, actors and filmmakers forget that there is anything else. Most artists seem to.

Financiers, caregivers, educators, parents and others do too. Some people work 40, 60, 80 hours a week. Relax a little. Learn to let go. Hard work is fine but not to the exclusion of living a full life.

Do not sacrifice now, this moment, for later. Do not lose out on everything there is for you here and now. Become present! Live today well and you will tomorrow too. Don’t put living off!

Too many parents at the end of their life wish they had spent more time with their children. Business people often regret not enjoying more music or acting or the arts. Don’t end up with regrets. LIVE!

Connect with the important people in your life today. Let them spend time and connect with you too. Talk, listen, be together, do things. Savor the love and relationships in your life.

Live with joy. Don’t put off for another day. Live now. Enjoy life don’t just effort. It isn’t healthy. Have a life! Have a sense of humor. Work some and relax some. Every day has a night. You should too.

Be silly some! Play and goof off too. Have hobbies and passions and interests besides what you work so hard at. Some people work hard at being themselves. They struggle to get that right. STOP!

You are fine just how you are. Imperfections and all. Accept yourself. Love yourself. You can keep working on yourself just also take some time to appreciate who you already are.

Appreciate where you have come from. Appreciate that you were smart enough of wise enough to begin the journey. Celebrate along the way. Don’t push and struggle and fight all the time.

There IS a time for that and a time to simply be. Be at peace. Be at one. Be love and kindness and compassion and gentleness to all. Include yourself in that as well. Be silly, be goofy, have fun and play.

Did I say that already? Of course I did because I want to remind you that it is okay. Not only is it okay but it is desirable. Lighten your moments. Uplift yourself. You can travel further with a lighter load.

Smell the roses. Stop and have some tea. Sit by a riverside. Roll down a hill as a child would. Draw, paint, sculpt or color. Sing, dance, skip. Laugh and giggle. Find humor. Laughter is wonderful medicine.

Smile! Delight in simple things. Be fascinated. Become more curious. Ask questions and listen. Spend a day silent somewhere. Just live more fully. Feel the breeze, smell the air, see what there is to see.

Do not let life pass you by while you struggle. Get into life. If you must work hard then work hard. BUT take time to live and relax and let go and have great fun too! Enjoy everything. Celebrate!” Rex Sikes

Take it slowly today!

NEWS SOON  NEWS SOON  NEWS SOON  NEWS SOON

Horizon photo used with permission of Phil Koch.

NEW SITE TO LAUNCH SOON – Daily Inspiration And Gratitude’s new URL is coming soon. The site will have a new look and feel.

If you get this blog emailed to you, I don’t know whether that will continue or not. I do know you will be able to subscribe to the blog and my new newsletter.

Stick with me. I’d hate for you to miss anything when it switches.

PS You may know someone who could benefit from reading these message. Please share DI&G with them via social media or email. Buttons below make it easy for you to do so.

PSS A great practice is read the posts daily and then go back and re-read from time to time. You will discover things you missed the first few readings. Try it, you will be surprised.

Subscribe and Follow Daily Inspiration and Gratitude! Leave comments.

Advertisement

If You Aren’t Doing This: It’s No Wonder You Aren’t Getting What You Want!

horizon golden sunrise

“Do you want more from life? Do you want more happiness, a better career, greater health? Would you like greater love and satisfaction in your relationships, a nicer home, more wealth? Are there things you want more of?

Is there anything you’d like to do, play piano, learn to knit, play soccer, vacation over seas? Would you like to be different in any way? Would you like to smile more, feel more confident, express joy easily, get better sleep at night, laugh outrageously, feel contented or deliriously happy?

Anything You Can Imagine Can Be Yours

Anything you can think of wanting and desiring could be yours. Did you know that? There is a secret to getting it more easily than you might imagine. I promise you if you faithfully engage this secret you will be pleasantly surprised. Would you like to know what it is?

Look at everything in your life and validate what you already have. No matter how small or large. If you have a want a new car for example, appreciate what you have now. Whether it is your two feet, a bike, a motorcycle, a car or even a crappy vehicle.  Love it and appreciate it.

When you can look at whatever it is you presently have with loving eyes, when you can value it and appreciate it then you open yourself up to the upgrade. When you are truly grateful and feel it genuinely then like does attract like. Birds of a feather flock together.

Feel Truly Grateful

When you are desperate or in need, when you disavow or dislike your present circumstances you attract more of what you do not want and do not like. You keep your situation the same or make it worse. You get what you focus on.

Your subconscious mind gets the messages you send it. What you see in your mind and speak with your mouth accompanied by strong feeling repeatedly makes an impression on the subconscious. Your subconscious only says ‘yes’ to whatever messages it receives. If it receives the message ‘this is crap’ it says, ‘yes it is and here is more’.

If it receives a message ‘this is wonderful’ it says, ‘yes it is and here is more’. It doesn’t care, discriminate or judge. It is merely a servant that gets you whatever you strongly focus on. So if life sucks and circumstances are not to your liking YOU are the only one who can change that.

AND you can change that! Change your focus and your feelings. Start loving and appreciating yourself. When you love someone you speak thoughtfully, kindly and nicely to them. Monitor your thoughts and self talk and treat yourself lovingly and well.

Love Yourself!

You want your lover to feel the best so you do things to make them feel this way. Do the same for yourself. Love yourself! Treat yourself with respect, care, kindness, and gentleness. Take care of yourself, nurture yourself. Give to yourself.

Smile, laugh enjoy life more. Feel your best and when you do everything begins to change. Feel good more often. Appreciate everything about you. Look for silver linings. Frame everything positively.

Speak only to bless, heal and prosper. Be grateful and express your gratitude. Imagine how wonderful everything already is and how wonderful it will be too. Feel this fully. What you think about you bring about!

Look for options instead of obstacles. Stop whining and complaining. No pity party for you.  Don’t think times are tough. Appreciate! See the present as abundant. Whatever you have at least you have that! Validate it and appreciate it and you can get more of it.

Feeling Wonderful Opens The Floodgates

When you appreciate and are grateful you send a signal to your subconscious that you like it and want it. You like it and want it and want more of it. You subconscious says, ‘yes’ and gives you more.

It will figure out the how. Your job is to be concerned with the what. What you want and what you are grateful for is what you need to know. Don’t concern yourself with how or when. Simply remain grateful and keep the faith. Enjoy the process. Take it lightly!

How is not for you to know. No one really knows how until they do it anyway. The Wright brothers didn’t know how to fly until they had. Edison didn’t know how to make a lightbulb work until it did. Ford didn’t know how to create a working V-8 engine until they made one.

Drop your problems and hardships. Make problems matter less. Get caught up in feeling good and grateful and forget about how anything happens. If you are needy you prevent yourself from getting more of what you want because you are creating more need.

Focus On What You Are Grateful For

Let go of the how and simply expect good things. Appreciate what you have and feel blessed. Give it over to your subconscious, to God or the Universe to figure out how while you continue to enjoy and celebrate life.

Expect good things and be patient. Get to enjoy what you have so much right now that you no longer compare or seek what is missing. When your life is so enjoyable it is overflowing you will add in good things. You will get more good things. You will be amazed!

You will attract the right people and circumstances and make what you want to happen. You will be in the right mind set for you to open doors and go through them. Life will become a delightful adventure for you to explore.

Feeling successful precedes success. Feeling happy brings more happiness. Feeling wealthy precedes cash flow. Loving oneself genuinely opens the door for incredible relationships. Feeling the warmth of family makes for a wonderful home. Thought precedes action. Celebrate and be grateful and the world becomes your oyster!” Rex Sikes

Rejoice and be glad in this day!

NEWS    NEWS     NEWS     NEWS     NEWS     NEWS     NEWS  

*Horizons photo used with permission of Phil Koch.

NEWS     SOON     NEWS     SOON     NEWS     SOON    NEWS    SOON

I’M GOING TO LAUNCH THE NEW SITE SOON  –  Daily Inspiration And Gratitude’s new home is coming!  A new URL, a new look and feel. All this and new content will be at new site.

Some of you get this blog emailed to you, I don’t know whether that will continue or not. You will be able to subscribe to the blog and my new newsletter.

Please stay with us. I’d hate to lose you or have you miss any blog you want to receive. I’ll let you know when the change is taking place. I might launch and update as we go along.

PS YOU may know someone who could really benefit from hearing this message. Feel free to share this with them via social media or email. Buttons below make it easy for you to do so.

PSS  A great practice is read the posts daily and then go back and re-read from time to time. You will discover things you missed the first few readings. Try it, you will be surprised.

Subscribe and Follow Daily Inspiration and Gratitude!  Visit often. Feel free to comment. If you think others would benefit please share this blog with others.

How To Stop Being A Slave To Your Thoughts & Feelings!

horizons road yellow lines

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if you could just stop thinking about things you didn’t want to think about? Did you know there is a way? Would you like to know what it is? It works! Before I get into what you can do let me ask you this. Have you ever watched a scary movie or a horrible show on TV or your computer late at night. It bothers you so you want to quit. You can’t stop thinking about it? What do you do? What is the best way TO STOP thinking about it?

If you said turn it off you’d be wrong. While that MAY work it usually doesn’t. When you turn off the scary show what typically happens? What happens once it is off? You KEEP thinking about! Right?

You turned it off to get away from it! BUT now all you do is think about it! Again and again. In the dark you cannot stop. You have to get up and turn on the lights. BUT still you keep thinking about it. That is the very thing you don’t want to!

The more you try to stop the more it keeps on. When you resist it what happens? You give it more energy. You are focused on fighting what you do not want so the more it persists! When you push back IT pushes back and vice versa. On and on it continues.

The way to change something or to stop something is not to fight or resist it. Nope!

What You Resist Persists

If you want to stop thinking about the horrible show turn the channel. Watch something else.

Get engaged with different upbeat content. Soon you will forget about the bad show. Brains don’t stop. They keep working. It takes more energy to try to shut them down than to re-direct them into a useful area.

You more easily think of something else when you direct your brain elsewhere. You withdraw your attention from what you don’t want and put your attention on what it is you do want. YOU CHANGE the channel in your mind!

I have called this Mental Aikido for decades because we redirect the energy of our thoughts.

A master of Aikido redirects the energy of an attacker. The master doesn’t resist the attackers energy or try to stop it. Rather the master utilizes it to subdue the attacker. We do the same thing with out thoughts. We don’t try to stop them. We redirect them into the positive.

If an attacker charges the master. The master doesn’t try to stop the attacker or block the attacker. The master will use the attackers momentum to pull him or push him into a different direction while tripping the attacker up and sending him to the ground.

The master won’t try to become a wall and stop the attackers charge. The master uses the energy offered to defeat the attack. I repeat: The master uses the energy offered to defeat the attack!

If you encounter something you don’t want. If you have negative thoughts or feelings or behaviors don’t fight them. They only persist that way. Acknowledge them and move on!

Turn Resistance Into Assistance

Redirect the energy. Think other thoughts. Read inspirational material. Listen or watch funny or uplifting audios and videos. Ask Directed Questions™ that lead you in more useful and positive directions. Divert your attention toward the positive.

Direct you attention to what you want, what feels better and which is more productive.

What else can you pay attention to? Get totally present. Notice and comment on what is immediately around you. Take inventory as you notice sights, sounds, feelings, smells and perhaps, even tastes. Explore the area around you. Comment on it. Put your focus there.

Become filled with gratitude and count your blessings. This is an excellent way to feel better instantly. Savor the wonderful feelings of those people, times, places and things you are most thankful for. Let your heart soften as you feel grateful. Soon you will feel marvelous!

Take a walk, work in the garden. Engage in some physical activity. Use your body differently. Change your physiology. Stand straight, smile. Put a determined look in your eye and walk as if loaded with confidence, positivity and self esteem!

Sing, skip, or dance. Jog or hike. But move and use your body differently. You can do any of these things or more than one.

Take Responsibility

You alone a responsible for your emotions. You are responsible for your own emotional well being. You alone can control what you think, feel and do. Only you. No one else can do it for you.

Might it take some time to get the knack of it? Yes, especially if you have lived your life as a victim to your thoughts and feelings and circumstances. Then it may take a little time. So what?

You can change from victim and become a victor. You can become a winner and a champion!

You simply must take control. Take 100% responsibility. Decide to commit to redirecting your energy whenever you notice it is less than glorious. If you don’t like it or don’t want it, or if you are feeling down and bad take it as a signal.

It is a message delivered to you personally so you can redirect your energy. Negative thoughts and feelings ARE signals that you are paying attention in less than useful ways to things you don’t want. Direct your attention toward the positive. Look into what you do want instead.

Energy Flows Where Your Attention Goes

You can’t stop the river! There is too much energy. If you try to dam it up you end up spending much more energy in managing it. You have to keep it from building up and overflowing. Even then you really cannot stop the river. It still is coming.

BUT, like the Aikido master, you can redirect the flow.

You can direct your energy into positive, powerful, pleasant, healthy, fun and fascinating directions. No need to suffer or remain the same when you can change yourself into anyone you want to be.

You can learn to do anything you want to do. You can have anything you want in life. All this is possible when you take charge of the brain between your ears.

Direct Your Thoughts And Feelings And Your Behaviors Will Follow

You thoughts instantly become things. Your thoughts become actions. When you think happy wonderful thoughts your body responds with action. You smile, your countenance lightens up, you feel uplifted, you might laugh. Your voice resonates. You feel on top of the world.

When you think angry thoughts you feel hot. You experience pressure. You become flushed. Your face gets red as your body responds. Thought become things. Thoughts produce action. Your body responds to your thoughts.

When you think sad depressing thoughts your face pulls downward. Your energy wanes. Your breathing becomes shallow. You feel lackluster and depleted. You shoulders slump forward and you compress your chest. You move sluggishly, slowly.

Thoughts Become Things

Change what you are doing. Even a small change in the correct direction matters. Space ships are guided by degrees. So are sailing ships. A one degree change of course now means hundred of thousands of miles difference later.

For example, a rocket aimed at the moon is constantly correcting its course very slightly. If it got off course by ONLY one degree after take off it would miss the moon by hundreds of thousands of miles. Just a small degree of change means a lot of change.

Change it into a positive direction. Tiny steps in your own best interest right now can have monumentally large results down the road. If you want a more wonderful and glorious future then begin today.

A Single Tiny Change In The Right Direction Can Have A Huge Positive Payoff

Take charge! Be responsible. Direct your mind in positive ways towards what you want.

Be your own best friend. Support and nurture yourself. Have fun while you change. Enjoy the process. Celebrate and fill yourself with gratitude and right attitude. You will discover so much richness and well being when you do! Commit to directing and re-directing you own mind. Don’t be a slave to your thoughts and feelings. Be their master!” Rex Sikes

Enjoy today!

NEWS    NEWS     NEWS     NEWS     NEWS     NEWS     NEWS     NEWS     NEWS  

*Horizons photo used with permission of Phil Koch.

PS YOU may know someone who could really benefit from hearing this message. Feel free to share this with them via social media or email. Buttons below make it easy for you to do so.

PSS  A great practice is read the posts daily and then go back and re-read from time to time. You will discover things you missed the first few readings. Try it, you will be surprised.

Subscribe and Follow Daily Inspiration and Gratitude!  Visit often. Feel free to comment. If you think others would benefit please share this blog with others.

NEWS     SOON     NEWS     SOON     NEWS     SOON    NEWS    SOON    NEWS

COMING VERY SOON –  Daily Inspiration And Gratitude’s new home.  A new URL, a new look and feel. All this and new content will be at new site. Some of you get this blog emailed to you,

I don’t know whether that will continue or not. You will be able to subscribe to the blog and my new newsletter. Please stay with us. I’d hate to lose you or have you miss any blog you want to receive. I’ll let you know when the change is taking place.

How To Determine If You Are A Destroyer Or A Builder & Why It’s Important!

horizon house and sun

“Do you want to know the secrets to happiness and success? There are some. They are hidden in plain sight in most cases. Many people still manage to miss them. Have you? Do you want to know how you can more readily and more easily get ahead and create the career, life and relationships you want?

Is wealth and health important to you? If the answer is yes, pay attention to these concepts and principles. Apply these simple ‘secrets’ and you can dramatically improve the quality of your life. Wouldn’t you like to do that?

Alright, if you have been reading my blog for awhile you know me.

If not, I encourage you to go through and read other posts. Start at the beginning if you like, or pick mix and match. Reading is great.

Re-reading the same material is even better because you will learn new things with each re-visit. WHY? Because you will have changed between the readings. Okay, so you know me:

I like to keep it simple. While there are always shade of gray (I hear at least 50) I’d like to point out there is Black and White. While there is a gradient of temperature it is easier to refer to things as Hot or Cold. Other areas lend themselves to these notions as well.

Up Down; Good Bad; Large Small; Positive Negative: Rich Poor; Happy Sad; Tall Short; Fat Thin we could go on. OOOOOH – there is another one… On OFF.

Choose Positive OR Negative

There are always counter examples and exceptions to each and every rule but let’s keep it simple. Let’s work with Either OR. Is that okay with you? This is just to simplify and keep it simple. So the bottom line is:

You either think Positive Uplifting thoughts OR you think Negative ones.

You will never have a positive thought while focused on the negative. You won’t live a positive uplifting happy ‘I can do anything’ life focused on the negative, ‘I can’t do it, why do bad things always happen to me’ thoughts. It just isn’t going to happen.

If it does IT is extremely rare. (See, right there, I included the counter example right there for those who say… ‘but… but…’)

There are either Positive Uplifting People or there are Negative Downer People. People may be mostly one or the other. We may be either at some times in are life. BUT consider the example in the extreme EITHER OR.

Did you catch that, I included a counter example again for those who feel compelled to think… ‘but … but’.

Which Are You – Builder OR Destroyer

Put another way. There are Builders and there are Destroyers. Builders build, uplift and help others. Destroyers are those who tear down, take apart, criticize and blame.

You are either a Builder or a Destroyer. You are either Positive or you are Negative. Where do you spend most of your time? What do you spend most of your time doing? Who do you spend most of your time around?

DO you spend most of your time thinking about and pursuing what you want? Do you think about who and what you want to include in your life?

Do you consider who you want to be, what you want to do and have?

How much time do you spend happy, celebrating and are grateful for what you already have? How much time do you spend planning a better future?

Alternatively,  do you spend most of your time thinking about what you do not want? Do you focus on what you want to exclude? Are you most concerned with what you are trying to avoid?

Do you spend much time considering reasons why things haven’t worked out or criticizing yourself, others or circumstances? How much and whom do you blame?

Think about it. While there are variations let’s take it to the extreme. Which one are you? Which do you predominantly do? What are you focused on?

Are you a Builder or a Destroyer? Is your self-talk nice or not? Do you build up others or gossip and complain?

Whom Do You Spend Most Time With

There are Builders and Destroyers around you. The Builders, obviously are the uplifting positive people who help support you. They inspire and motivate you with their attitude, energy, thoughts and words.

The Destroyers are busy with negativity. They MAY be well intentioned but at the same time their attitude, energy thoughts and words are negative. They tend to be a downer. They can be discouraging, critical, harsh or blaming.

These people may be family, friends, co-workers, bosses, employees, people you associate with frequently or strangers you may meet from time to time. With whom do you spend most of your time?

Are your spending most of your time fraternizing with Builders or Destroyers?

Don’t be a bummer to the bummer people in your life. Don’t be critical, harsh or negative because you have energy vampires around you. That would be falling to their level. Take the higher road.

Live, love, laugh, celebrate and allow them to be who they are without judgement.

Spend Time With Uplifting People

Attempt to spend more of your time with the uplifting people whenever you are able. Associate with positive energy and positive thinking. Feel it. Surround yourself with Builders as much as possible.

Associate as little as possible with people who drain you and might bring you down.

Fill your mind with positive inspiring reading materials. Listen to motivational audio materials. Turn your car into a positivity classroom. Hang out with positive inspiring people. Attend fun, positive, inspiring learning events like classes, seminars workshops and retreats.

Enjoy community! Enjoy fellowship. Support and encourage each other. Help nurture and be happy for others. Celebrate everyone’s success and happiness. Don’t be envious or jealous. Be truly happy if others succeed before you do.

Go first! Practice the Golden Rule. Add value to others first. Help out. Give of yourself; your time, energy, money, whatever you can give, to make a positive difference for others. You will get back whatever you put out.

Put out the very best.

Spend Time Uplifting Others

Enjoy life moment to moment! Make it a priority. Feel your finest. Let go. Be grateful and be filled with joy as much as you can AS often as you can. Have a wonderful time!

Make each day worth living. Enliven your minutes and those of the people around you.

The more time you spend making others happy the more time you will be happy too. I’m not talking about sacrifice here. I am talking about feeling good and being a positive energy person.

The more time you spend feeling good, obviously the happier life you will have.

Smile a lot! Simply smiling will help change the flow of energy within you. Laugh a lot. Fill yourself with positive energy. Live with enthusiasm and energy. Be simple as a child.

Have fun. Delight yourself!  Focus on these and you will get more of them back.

Let go! Enjoy! Birds of a feather flock together. With the right attitude you will more easily handle any challenges or obstacles that may come your way. With the right attitude more of the people you want and hope for in life will be attracted to you.

Be a light! Be filled with light! Be lite! Delight! You will attract people, events, circumstances, (opportunities and advantages) that can help you and support you. Be radiant and they will come to you!

Birds of a feather flock together. Like attracts like. You get what you focus on!

Be A Beacon And You Will Attract The Best

Ignore the downer people. Don’t be rude. Just don’t get caught in their negativity. Let it go. Do not let those rain on your parade. Do not be bothered. Let it go like water off a ducks back. Instead, keep the faith. Have fun! I mean really have fun!

Be safe! Be wise! AND enjoy life whole-heartedly!

The world is filled with so many marvelous, wonderful, inspiring, and uplifting people. Be sure you are one of them! Find them and join them.

Live hot! Live Up! Live as a Builder! Live with Positive thoughts. Live with positive energy! The more you do this the more will be available to you. You will transform yourself and your life in the most wonderful and incredible ways. Do you want that? Then you know what to do! Begin now.” Rex Sikes

It’s too nice a day to not have a nice day. No matter what the day is like! Enjoy!

NEWS     SOON     NEWS     SOON     NEWS     SOON     NEWS

*Horizons photo used with permission of Phil Koch.

PS YOU may know someone who could really benefit from hearing this message. Feel free to share this with them via social media or email. Buttons below make it easy for you to do so.

PSS  A great practice is read the posts daily and then go back and re-read from time to time. You will discover things you missed the first few readings. Try it, you will be surprised.

Subscribe and Follow Daily Inspiration and Gratitude!  Visit often. Feel free to comment. If you think others would benefit please share this blog with others.

NEWS     SOON     NEWS     SOON     NEWS     SOON     NEWS

COMING VERY SOON –  Daily Inspiration And Gratitude’s new home.  A new URL, a new look and feel. All this and new content will be at new site. Some of you get this blog emailed to you,

I don’t know whether that will continue or not. You will be able to subscribe to the blog and my new newsletter. Please stay with us. I’d hate to lose you or have you miss any blog you want to receive. I’ll let you know when the change is taking place.

Do This To Feel Better, Be Happier & Have More Fun!

horizon clouds flowers

“Do you wish you felt better? Would you like to? Is your thinking and feeling bring you down? Many people are just plain tired. It is true. Times can be tough and you may feel that way but that is not your only choice. There are other ways of being, did you realize that?

If you want your life to change you have to change some things in your life. You cannot continue doing the same things and expect it to be different. It just works that way. What you can do and what you must do is make a decision. If anything is to change you are the one who has to change it. Everything can begin to change once you decide.

TODAY live your life fully!

Today! See how much gusto and delight you can have. Why not? It is your life and your day!

If you answered why you can’t then realize YOU provided a reason why YOU would CHOOSE to limit your fun and delight. That IS your decision. Think about that a moment. Realize if the answer you supplied says you can’t or shouldn’t it does not have to be the case. It could be any other way! Do you realize this?

You may have said, ‘I can’t have fun at work’. Well, who says? The boss, your co-workers, a sign the wall. WHO specifically states you can’t have fun while working? Do you say that? Who is it that says no fun while working.

You can always have fun. You know that don’t you? You can secretly have fun. No one needs to know you are having fun but you! You don’t have to put on a party hat and run wild. You can have fun in other ways. So why not have some fun?

If you said, ‘I am too busy’, then find a way to have fun on your way to pee. For goodness sakes, if you are missing out because you believe your reasons well then you are TRULY missing out.

There are 60 seconds a minute, 60 minutes and hour, 24 hours in a day certainly you can find some time in all those minutes to have more fun.

Who Tells You What To Do?

Who dictates that you must be serious all day long all week long? C’mon, lighten up and loosen up. How much gusto and delight can you have today? What can you do to smile and enjoy the day more? What little things can you take notice of that bring you joy?

Some people think unless it is a monumental moment it doesn’t count. They are wrong. Joy, delight, surprises, fun comes in all sizes, shapes, ages, colors, places and times. Let go. Let go!

I am not saying raucously abandon your responsibilities and tie one on. I am suggesting you find ways to lighten your load and enjoy each moment more. It is completely possible, even if you don’t believe it yet or are currently filled with reasons why you can’t.

Realize this: whatever reason you have for not living fully at any given moment are YOUR reasons for not doing it. Wherever they came from, whomever you learned them from, doesn’t matter.

Live More Totally Today

You, and you alone are stopping yourself from feeling wonderful because YOU THINK there are reasons not to. You think there is something more important that.

You may blame others, or blame rules but the bottom line is there is no reason for you NOT to feel good other than you have decided not to. Get that! This is important! Whatever is or isn’t going on you can absolutely feel good if you want to. It is up to you and I know many people still won’t accept that.

Live more fully today. Lighten up, have fun. Feel good. Seize the moment and delight it it!

You can do this, can you not? If you can’t yet then you must soon find  a way. Hang out with ‘groovy’ fun people. YES, I used the word groovy. You know what I mean. Spice it up, add some umph to your moments, surround yourself with smiles and well-being. Hang with positive, upbeat energetic people. FIND THEM!!!

You can be more peaceful and relax more too. Fun doesn’t have to be a zillion volts charging through you. Some people have fun fishing, or going to the library or sitting on a beach. Other people like to walk or ride a bike. Expand your definition of fun and gusto and delight. I know you don’t live in a beer commercial.

You Only Have One Life

Add in pleasure! Smile, laugh, let go, enjoy. Help someone else feel good too. Add in more moments where you feel the finest. ‘Meh’ should not be an option. Transform the tiniest moments and get into the habit of doing so. Then move onto larger moments. Soon more and more of you day will be uplifting and vibrant.

Live! You only have one life, as far as we are sure of, so enjoy it. Descartes said, ‘I think therefore I am.’ He is right. What we think creates our reality. I have always maintained, ‘I am therefore I think’. Because I live I think. What I think determines how I live. We can not escape the power of our thoughts.

So if life isn’t all that you want it to be. YOU can begin to make it more of what you want when you harness your thoughts. Prune your thoughts and think only the best most positive ones.

When you manage you thoughts you become capable of anything. Remember, it is YOU who thinks thoughts so run them how YOU see fit. Do not let thoughts run you.

Find The Right Reasons

Find more reasons to have gusto and delight and fun today. Give yourself good reason to let go and enjoy. Do it safely, appropriately, wherever you are. You don’t have to not feel good for any reason.

In spite of where you are, what is going on, who you are with you can still feel good. You don’t have to act like a greeting card to feel wonderful. Use common sense but delight yourself and celebrate.

HAVE MORE DELIGHT! RUN YOUR BRAIN! CONTROL YOUR THOUGHTS AND LIVE FROM YOUR POWER!

Stop being weak, making excuses, blaming, or living as a victim. Put a smile on your lips, your shoulders back, chin out and move into the world with purpose to delight. Have fun and delight others. Enjoy! Celebrate. Make it count!” Rex Sikes

Make each moment majestic today!

Subscribe and Follow Daily Inspiration and Gratitude!  Visit often. Feel free to comment. If you think others would benefit please share this blog with others.

NEWS     NEWS     NEWS     NEWS     NEWS     NEWS     NEWS  

*Horizons photo used with permission of Phil Koch.

HEADS UP!!!  Soon Daily Inspiration And Gratitude will have a new home.  A new URL, a new look and feel. All this content and new content will be delivered there. Some of you get this blog emailed to you,

I don’t know whether that will continue or not. I do know you will be able to subscribe to the blog and my new newsletter. I hope you will stay with us. I’d hate to lose you or have you miss any blog you want to receive. So will you stay with me?  I sure want you to. I’ll let you know when the change is taking place.

Do This To Improve Energy Levels, Get Healthier & Enjoy Your Life To The Fullest!

phil koch purple flower horizon

“Have you ever felt the need to get away? Maybe, you just want to take a break and let go. Can you do that for yourself? Do you know what to do when you feel stressed or overwhelmed?

It is as important to rest as it is to nourish ourselves and be active. Here are some simple ways to relax, let go and replenish your energy?  Let go and simplify for whatever amount of time you can.

Get outside of the box. Get away from artificial light, electronics and the ambient noise that exists that we don’t consciously notice but that persists and adds to our stress. Cut the cord! If only for a bit. Take it easy.

If you can’t get a weekend away, or some significant time to chill at least take a little time each day to unwind and feel better. Take some time today. Enjoy yourself before this day ends.

Sit outdoors. Lie back on the lawn, or sit under a tree. Hang out on the porch or in the backyard. If you can, go somewhere quiet and peaceful away from city activity. Have a beverage you enjoy. Let go, unwind. Sit peacefully. It is wonderful. Do nothing. Just recharge.

Breath. Enjoy the breeze on your skin. Watch, listen or simply close your eyes and be. Pay attention to your senses. Notice, witness. Watch clouds move in the sky. Listen to the leaves in the breeze. Do nothing.

Go for a barefoot walk. Feel how good it feels. Feel the earth, the grass, the sun, the fresh air. Look far off into the distance for awhile. Look to the horizon as you walk. Enjoy the sun and warmth on your skin. Listen to the sounds of nature. Get away for a bit. Sit by the ocean, a lake, river or stream.

Do less today. Stress less. Stay calm.  Enjoy feeling peace. Listen more, talk less. Don’t get baited into arguments or gossip, let them go. If you speak – when you speak – speak only to bless, heal and prosper yourself and others.

Smile more. Laugh more. Celebrate more. Skip, hum, sing, sway, dance. Move your body in relaxation and comfort. Let go.

Make today about gentle replenishing. Imagine feeling positive where ever you go and whatever you do. Be gentle, kind, compassionate with yourself and others. Ease your way through the world. Look, listen, feel, smell and taste today. Delight!

Relax. Take a bath, a steam, a sauna. Get a massage. Meditate. Flow.

Shut off the electronics. Get away from them. Turn off the cell, the computer, the TV for awhile. Eat some wonderful, well prepared. healthy food. No microwaves, nothing fast. Dine leisurely. Savor it. Sleep in a totally dark room. No light, no alarm light, nothing. Complete darkness.

Read some inspirational material. Allow your thoughts and feelings and actions today to be the finest. Rest. Spend time in gratitude and count your blessings prior to drifting off. Get some good sleep and awaken refreshed. Live, love, laugh, delight.” Rex Sikes

NEWS     NEWS     NEWS     NEWS     NEWS     NEWS     NEWS  

*Horizons photo used with permission of Phil Koch.

HEADS UP!!!  Soon Daily Inspiration And Gratitude will have a new home.  A new URL, a new look and feel. All this content and new content will be delivered there. Some of you get this blog emailed to you,

I don’t know whether that will continue or not. I do know you will be able to subscribe to the blog and my new newsletter. I hope you will stay with us. I’d hate to lose you or have you miss any blog you want to receive. So will you stay with me?  I sure want you to. I’ll let you know when the change is taking place.

Have a beautiful day!

Subscribe and Follow Daily Inspiration and Gratitude!  Visit often. Feel free to comment. If you think others would benefit please share this blog with others.

Are You Ready To Transform Your Ho Hum Life Into A More Worthwhile, Successful, Positive One?

Want To Change Your Life-

“Today, let’s keep it very simple and very brief. Let’s nutshell it all. Do you want your life to improve for the better? Do you want more happiness, success, love, fun, wealth, better health and well-being?

Do you want to live without worry, fear, and doubt? Wouldn’t it be wonderful to be filled with joy and be at peace too? All these and more can be yours. It is simple.

Feel Wonderful

Focus on the best feelings you have and make it a point to have more of them. It is not that you can’t have great feelings readily available it’s that you don’t think it is possible for you. It is!

That is the thinking you must overcome. It is possible! You can do it! You deserve to do it. You won’t, though, if you don’t believe you can or if you won’t do what it takes. Believe in yourself. Have faith!

Fill your mind and your time with the best thoughts and the most wonderful feelings you are able. If you are down low it isn’t necessary that you become over joyed. It is alright if you move from down to okay. You climb a ladder one rung at a time. Move along!

Think in terms of moving in a direction. You may start off slow and small but you speed up and make improvements along the way.

Think Positive Thoughts Speak Positive Words

Celebrate, be grateful. Live with appreciation for anything and everything. Nothing is too small nor too large to feel gratitude for. Nothing is too negative to not find some aspect to be thankful for.

Learn to look for the silver linings hidden in the dark clouds. The more you are filled with genuine thanks for everything the quicker your life transforms. Count your blessings! Feel the feelings!

Only you can do this for yourself. No one can do it for you. The more you focus on feeling wonderful the more wonderful you will eventually feel. What you think about you bring about!

Do not seek happiness and complain you don’t have it. Focus on and notice the distance decreasing not how far you must travel. Learn to manage your mindset and expectations.

Stay focused on feeling better bit bit, however small that bit may be. Step by step you will make your way. Be gentle and encouraging of yourself as you journey. Keep your talk and self-talk positive.

Live Love Laugh Celebrate

Love yourself. Accept yourself even if you don’t feel like it. Respect yourself and speak well of yourself. Think the best. Speak to yourself nicely.

Love yourself as if you are a small child learning the way for the very first time. Give yourself the benefit of the doubt. Be gentle, nudge yourself along. No one is perfect when first learning to do new things.

Smile more. Laugh! Skip, sing, dance and move. Go for walks. Spend some time out doors sitting quietly enjoying nature. Walk barefoot, ground yourself. Relax, meditate take time for yourself. Have a bath and make yourself comfortable.  Enjoy pleasant simple activities.

You eat an elephant bite by bite. No reason to bite off more than you can chew. Take it easy. Have faith. Know that if you do even just a little bit each day, that is more than you might have done and be happy. A little bit each day adds up. You will surprise yourself soon.

Keep Doing It Don’t Stop

Listen to motivational and inspirational audio. Read positive material each day. Seek out positive and productive people to spend time with. Attend positive events and seminars if you are able.

Look for the positive in all circumstances, events and people. Keep focused on what you can do. Celebrate and feel the very best. You can do this bit by bit. Just keep at it. Keep doing these things.

Soon you will be more positive than negative. Soon you will feel better and better. You will become what you think about most often and the results you get will reflect that. You will live with more joy and delight than you can presently imagine! Don’t wait. Transform your life into something amazing. Begin today!” Rex Sikes

NEWS     NEWS     NEWS     NEWS     NEWS     NEWS     NEWS     

HEADS UP!!!  Soon Daily Inspiration And Gratitude will have a new home.  A new URL, a new look and feel. All this content and new content will be delivered there. Some of you get this blog emailed to you,

I don’t know whether that will continue or not. I do know you will be able to subscribe to the blog and my new newsletter. I hope you will stay with us. I’d hate to lose you or have you miss any blog you want to receive. So will you stay with me?  I sure want you to. I’ll let you know when the change is taking place.

Make today count!

Enjoy what is glorious about you today!

Subscribe and Follow Daily Inspiration and Gratitude!  Visit often. Feel free to comment. If you think others would benefit please share this blog with others

Do This One Tiny Change And You Can Move Mountains!

take the first step in faith MLK

“Some people think in order to make positive, permanent, pervasive, change that they must change everything at once in order to get anything at all. That is just not true. What is true is you must change something but you don’t need an entire make over.

You have heard me say, or you have read in my writings a favorite quote, ‘drop by drop fills the tub’. Or I ask, how do you eat and elephant? Answer,  ‘Bite by bite’. You know the famous quote, ‘A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step’.

Small changes can be powerful. When NASA shoots a rocket to the moon its internal guidance correction system is making micro corrections all the while to keep it on course. That’s because if the rocket blasts off and is 1/10 of 1% off course near the time of lift off within a short while it will be hundreds of thousands, even millions of miles off course.

If you were driving straight in the salt flats and you turned your wheel just a tiny bit and locked it in right there soon you would be miles and miles away from the straight line you were traveling in. That small adjustment takes you way off in another direction.

So it is true if you are aiming at a target destination and you get off course by only the tiniest little bit you will be off course by a lot very soon.

The other truth is if you want to change your life it only takes a little bit of change to make a serious amount of large change. That tiny correction you make will take you very far in improving your life.

You exclaim, ‘I don’t have the time, the energy or the money to make changes right now!’  That is okay. Make one small change you can stick with and you will be amazed with the results you can get.

Whatever it is. Perhaps, it is dedicating yourself to reading a page or more of inspirational material each and every day when you get up. That isn’t much to commit to. 1 single page. Certainly, you could do more if you want but you could do at least a page.

Maybe you decide to listen to inspirational audio while you drive. That’s a great time to listen to motivational inspiring speakers. It is also a great time to shout out with enthusiasm your daily affirmations. It’s an excellent time for either or for both.

Or, you decide to spend 5 minutes focused on your goals first thing in the morning when you get up. You visualize yourself seeing yourself as already having all the changes you want. You imagine living and behaving in that positive reality.

Perhaps, you spend 5 minutes laughing when you arise. 5 minutes non-stop laughing. Or you laugh during your drive. You could commit to smiling more though out the day. Maybe, you commit to doing things each day that put a smile on someone else’s face.

You might decide to spice up your life by trying new things. You  use your opposite hand to eat, shave, comb your hair. You drive different ways to school or work. You walk places you have never been. You sleep with your head at the foot of the bed. Anything!

You keep a journal of all you are grateful for and as you list each thing you real spend a moment feeling the wonderful feelings. You decide to be nicer to the people around you.

You pay attention and really listen to people to understand. You monitor and manage your self-talk for a certain amount of time during the day. You meditate for 5, 20, 30 minutes a day.

You make it a point to stop complaining and blaming and you only speak about those things that uplift and make you and others feel good. You accentuate the positive. You speak only to bless, heal and prosper yourself and others.

You don’t have to do all of these.You could. Certainly they are all manageable.  But don’t bite off more than you can chew.

Pick one and commit to doing for no less than 30 days and perhaps a whole lot more. You will be surprised at what a difference it can make.

A little change, like a little faith, can move mountains.

Maybe, as you go along you discover you want to and can add in other things.  DO whatever pleases you and makes you feel wonderful.

But if you do nothing nothing will change.” Rex Sikes

Fill your day with delight!

Subscribe and Follow Daily Inspiration and Gratitude!  Visit often. Feel free to comment. If you think others would benefit please share this blog with others.

How To Get Miraculous Results

gandhi there is a force in the universe

“When you practice giving to others unconditionally you not only benefit them but you truly benefit you. Because you are not looking for any return your motive is pure. You want to help another. Your goal is to help another feel blessed, to heal and to prosper.

Your focus is not on what you can get but on what you can give. Your care is for them not for you, When you give in this way you open yourself up to allow others to gift you too. You open yourself up for the universe to gift you. Doing this is an incredible gift YOU give to you!

Because your care is on them and not that they return your kindness you open yourself to be gifted in whatever way it manifests. If it manifests instantly that is wonderful if nothing immediately happens that is wonderful tool. Recognize that everything is perfect.

Today, practice graciously receiving. Allow yourself to remain open and receptive. Let others give to you. Find delight in the smallest of things. Celebrate being open. Know good things are coming your way even though you may not be able to see them. Live in faith.

Practice this daily. Give and allow. Practice the Golden Rule; think the best and do the best for others. Celebrate them. Go the extra mile in helping people. Rejoice in their good fortune when good things happen for them. Celebrate everything!

Be receptive and expect good things to come your way without demanding anything. Practice gratitude. Really feel grateful. Discover your joy and in bask in it. As you do these things you become more of these things. You transform!

You become what you think about most during your day. Your life can completely transform. You will find yourself more blessed than you might imagine. You will heal and you will prosper! The results of your thoughts and actions can be miraculous!” Rex Sikes

Delight in this day!

Subscribe and Follow Daily Inspiration and Gratitude! Visit often. Feel free to comment. If you think others would benefit please share this blog with others. Give a gift that keeps on giving!

This Ability Separates The Successful From The Unsuccessful

invest in yourself

“How do successful business people and entrepreneurs handle stress and disappointment? Do they do things differently than the rest of the people? It turns out they do. What they do makes a critical difference in how they live and work and why they succeed.

Attitude Makes The Difference

Everyone faces challenges so it isn’t the challenges that sets these successful people apart from the rest. It was their ability to take disappointment or setbacks as only temporary. They were not defeated by defeats. They kept going.

Often in business setbacks come one after the other but successful people did not let that dampen their motivation or persistence. They continued onward. They maintained their attitude and expected things to work out for the best.

They were not born this way. These are skills they learned and cultivated. You can learn to be more adaptable and flexible in your approach too. You can be more resourceful in your work and in pursuing your goals and dreams.

You can move forward and not give up when challenges come your way or pile up. How?

Keep Everything In Perspective

It is your attitude that makes the difference. The CEO’s and successful entrepreneurs understood that you have to care but not that much! When dead none of this matters. Work is just another game you play. It is what you do to make money. Keep this in mind.

No one benefits if you work yourself to death or injure your health so that you are unable to enjoy your family and friends. Live first. Enjoy Life! Work hard BUT don’t kill yourself to get ahead.

It isn’t worth it to win the race and lose one’s life. Work or career is is not worth damaging your mental, emotional or physical health.

Enjoy Life Apart From Work

Have fun. Enjoy your family and friends. Enjoy hobbies and activities that have nothing to do with the work you do. Cultivate other interests that you look forward to doing. Find things to be passionate about.

Make time to do things you want to do with the people who are important to you. Walk, exercise, go to the gym.  Get out and have a good time. Take it easy and relax. Prioritize a healthy life over stressful work. You will work better and smarter the healthier and better adjusted you are.

Follow Your Purpose In Life

Hopefully, you are following your purpose in life through your choice of work. If not, look for ways that your work contributes to or helps you fulfill your life mission in other ways. Maybe, it is a means to save enough money to start your own company.

Perhaps, it is a stepping stone to the future whereby you gain valuable experience in needed areas. Find those reasons you are doing what you are doing and that keep you moving forward. Acknowledge and validate your efforts. Understand that whatever you are doing matters. You contribute to yourself and to others.

Keep going. Don’t quit when times get hard. See them through. You attitude and the reasons you are doing what you are doing will assist you in staying the course. You will remain committed for the right reasons. Persevere!

Smile, Giggle, Laugh And Breath

Smiling and laughter keeps us loose and relaxed. We stay healthier and happier and more relaxed when we laugh frequently. A good sense of humor is essential in dealing with life stressors. If you can find a silver lining in dark clouds or humor in adversity you will be on top of your game.

Norman Cousins wrote a book on the healing that laughter can bring. Watch funny movies and video. The internet is a good source for finding short clips to enjoy. Read humorous books and listen to funny audios. Obviously, you can watch comedians doing stand up.

The goal is to smile and laugh more each day. You can begin each day purposefully laughing out loud for at least five minutes while you get ready for work. It can be a form of meditation for you.

The laughing meditation. Just laugh. Even if you have to force yourself and it feels fake at first – do it. It will come more naturally the more you laugh. Laughing helps you to breath differently and breath deeper. It massages your diaphragm and is healthy for you.

Smiling more helps others feel better too. When you work with people and you look friendly and energetic and smiley it helps everyone. If everyone in the workplace did this imagine how enjoyable it could be,

Take deep breathes. Learn to breath correctly from the belly. Taking deep breaths is a stress reliever.  Throughout the day, lean back and deep breath for a minute or two. It is great for the immune system and over all health and well being.

Be Inspired And Stay Inspired

Read inspirational material daily. Entrepreneurs and successful business people surround themselves with posters and mottos. They read inspirational materials daily. They listen to audios that keep them motivated. They understand the importance of of a good, strong, healthy mindset.

Attitude is everything. When you fill your mind consistently with high quality inspiring thoughts you feel better. When you feel better you look better. You naturally smile and laugh more. You are more relaxed. You are better equipped to handle any setback or disappointments that comes your way.

Positive Thinking Is Solution Focused Thinking

Positive thinking is not fantasy thinking. It is realistic thinking. It is the ability to find your resourcefulness and apply it to any situation while expecting the best outcome. You work to find the best solution. You maintain a powerful frame of mind.

Since you are solution oriented you naturally you expect the best outcome whatever that may be. It is not wishful thinking. Positive Thinking is the application of strong thoughts about what you can and will accomplish and how. When you keep your mind inspired and positive you can achieve more.

Meditate, Visualize and Be Grateful

Meditate. The are many different ways to meditate. Close your eyes and listen, simply listen. Do nothing else. Pay attention to or feel your breath. Visualize relaxing in a wonderful place outdoors. Pick your favorite natural spot. Enlist all five senses and enjoy the peace and tranquility this brings.

You can repeat a mantra, a power word or a meaningful phrase to yourself. State an affirmation again and again. Manage your self talk – only say positive things to you. Alternatively, watch your thoughts come and go as an unbiased observer would, without judgement. Watch them drift off like leaves floating downstream.

Discover which form of mediating you prefer most by trying many. Take a minute or five whenever you are able. A good practice is to aside a specific time to mediate each day. You can do so for a few moments or an hour. It is up to you.

Visualize your goals as if you have already accomplished them. Since you made them happen see what you did to bring them about. Notice how you overcame any challenge or disappointment. Especially notice the wonderful feelings of having what you wanted, of making it your own and bask in these feelings. Enjoy these.

Feel grateful. Keep a journal. Visualize what you feel grateful for. Express your appreciation for yourself, others, events, situations and circumstances in your life. Be grateful for what you have done and what you have. Acknowledge others and be appreciative. Express your thanks. Live in celebration and abundance.

Enjoy The Good Feelings

The most important part of feeling gratitude is the feeling. The most important part of visualizing your future and what you want it to be are the feelings that accompany your wants. Emphasize and feel the feelings. Enjoy them. Savor them. Accentuate them and linger with them. The more you feel good and the longer you feel good the better overall.

Develop Successful Habits That Support You

Because the entrepreneurs made these practices habits they were more successful than those who do not. They were better able to keep going, not give up and handle challenges and disappointments when others weren’t. Because they kept a daily regimen for being positive, happy, healthy they work better and enjoy life more.

As you develop and sustain successful habits your life takes on a wonderful new sense of meaning. Everything becomes much easier and more enjoyable. The tough times don’t necessarily go away but you handle them better and get through them quicker because you are much more resourceful.” Rex Sikes

It is your day today! How are you going to spend it?

Subscribe and Follow Daily Inspiration and Gratitude! Visit often. Feel free to comment. If you think others would benefit please share this blog with others. Give a gift that keeps on giving!