Overcoming Despair

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Overcoming despair is my podcast today. Gloom, Despair, and Agony on me. Oh, how those words brought back a lot of great memories. I use to watch a TV show with my mom and dad back in the 70s called Hee Haw. It was a show with country comedians and musicians that would perform various skits. One of those skits had two performers singing the song Gloom Despair and Agony on me. Then they would say something funny about their trials and tribulations. They would repeat the song until another funny story. It was one of the funniest skits, and it makes me laugh today thinking about it.

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Overcoming Despair

The beginning of 2021 had not been kind to me. Nope, not one bit. Most people could not wait for 2020 to end. I, for one, would not mind going back. Yes, this is me, the guy that is always talking about moving forward. I am that guy, but I would gladly rewind the clock and go back a year.

BOP, POW, ZOINK!!

Why do you say? Well, I’ll tell you. It seems as if life had put me in her crosshairs since the beginning of the year. I had taken blow after blow after blow. Every time I overcame one punch and thought things were getting better, she threw an uppercut. Hit me right on the chin. It had been so bad I began to feel despair. The words to that song flooded my brain, Gloom Despair and Agony on me. I knew I had to find a way of overcoming despair.

Despair

Despair is defined as loss of hope; a cause of hopelessness. It is what I was feeling just a few months ago. People have called me a lot of different things in my life. The one thing no one has ever called me was a quitter. So I fought on with every weapon I had. I was not losing ground but, I was not gaining any either. Overcoming despair was my goal.

Salvation

So as I continued to take punch after punch, bad news after bad news, I began to wonder what was coming next. Luckily I do not ever take on these battles alone. I have my family, my friends, and God. On one particularly bad day, I went to bed, and as I always do, I picked up a devotional guide, Feeding On Jesus by Jennifer Arimborgo. Jennifer is a wonderful person who is a missionary in the Amazon Jungle in Peru. Her website is feedingonjesus.com.

The devotional I turned to that night was Isaiah 35:4, “Say to those who are fearful-hearted, ‘Be strong, do not fear! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God; He will come and save you.'” I immediately was lifted out of my despair. God knows when you are feeling hopeless and places hope in front of you.

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Life Ain’t All Sunshine

I knew right then that everything was going to be okay. In the words of Rocky Balboa, “The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place, and I don’t care how tough you are, it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. It is not how hard you hit it is how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward” I knew I had to take the hits and keep moving forward.

Control

I cannot control what life throws at me. Neither can you. Two things I can control are my attitude and effort. I can focus my thoughts and not give in to despair. I believe and have faith that things will turn around. Some situations are too big for you and me to handle. These are the ones I turn over to God.

There have been several times in my life that I have sailed through troubled waters. Each time God has sent me a sign to tell me he is there and everything will be all right. I am lucky I have this great team of family, friends, and God. Together we can get through any storm. Because of them, I have been able to persevere through the difficult times in my life.

Better Times Ahead

Even though the beginning of this year had been a struggle for me, I knew there were better times ahead. The years to come will be filled with difficulty but also with much happiness. Whatever life wants to throw at me in the future, I am ready for it. I have God by my side. In the end, the good times will far outweigh the bad.

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Open Your Heart For Infinite Energy

Learning to open your heart for infinite energy is essential in your journey to personal improvement. You can do all the right things and not see improvement. For example, verbalizing positive affirmations and visualizing your future daily, yet you still don’t feel you are improving. Something is holding you back. It could be that your heart is closed, and you are blocking your inner energy.

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Open Your Heart For Infinite Energy

Almost everything you do externally and internally requires energy. Just like it takes physical energy to exercise, it also takes an expenditure of energy to control your thoughts. Dealing with your emotions also requires energy. Getting through the day he asserts a lot of energy. It can be exhausting.

I’m sure you have experienced times when you don’t feel like you have much energy; you are drained. If you feel low on physical energy, rest and a healthy meal can recharge you. Unfortunately, food will not supply you with energy if you are mentally and emotionally drained. Where does that energy come from? Inside you. Yogis call these energy centers chakras. We all have an infinite supply of inner energy.

Love

Have you ever been in love? Those first days of a relationship fill you with physical and emotional energy. You feel as if you could take on the world. The same thing happens when you start a new project; you don’t even think about eating or sleeping. The infinite energy that comes from within you keeps you going.

Conversely, if your relationship ends after a few months, you lose your energy. You become sad and depressed. Much of the energy you do have is spent trying to figure out what went wrong. You don’t need much and spend way too much time in bed.

Where did the energy go? It is still there inside you. You have blocked it. By closing your mind and heart, you have blocked the flow of energy inside you. Learn to open your heart for infinite energy.

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An Unlimited Supply

Have you seen those people who seem to have an unlimited supply of energy? They are happy and productive. You always see them out and about. They are positive, glass-half-full people. In contrast, we all know someone that never has any energy. They are the complainers and hardly ever have anything positive to say. If they can bring you down with them, they will. Their hearts have closed and blocked the energy flow.

My Experiences

I have experienced these different energy flows many times in my life. Have you? There have been times when my heart is open, and the energy is abundant. Then there were times when I blocked the energy and closed it off. It happens because we are programmed to open or close based on our past experiences.

If I see a sunset, hear a song, or smell a certain scent that reminds me of a happy time, my heart will open. On the other hand, if those stimuli invoked a memory of a past negative experience, my heart would close. By learning to keep your heart open and let go of your past; you can keep the energy flowing. This energy comes from within your being. It is your Chi, Shakti, or Spirit.

How To Keep An Open Heart

How do you learn to open your heart for infinite energy? It’s simple, don’t close it. Decide that you want to keep your heart open. When you feel your heart closing because of a circumstance in your life, stop, relax, and open it up again. Do not allow it to close. Recognize when you feel your heart closing and open it up.

Life Happens

Don’t allow the circumstances of your daily life to take away your inner energy. Think of life as if you’re standing in a river. Life flows all around you. Experiences happen, but they are only experiences. Like the water, they keep going, ever-changing. Life is a series of experiences that happens to us every day. They are always changing. The river water flows around you, touches you, and then it’s gone. The same water molecules don’t come back, different ones flow behind it. In life, we experience the circumstances, and then they’re gone.

Experiences only stay if we hang on to them and don’t let them go. In the times we react negatively to these experiences, our hearts become closed, and we block our energy. Decide what matters more, an open heart and infinite energy or hanging on to negativity. Keep your heart open and let all things happen. Experience them and let them go.

Cites

Singer, Michael A. The Untethered Soul: The Journey beyond Yourself. New Harbinger Publications, 2013.

https://unsplash.com/@cris024

https://unsplash.com/@burzik

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Connect With The Universe

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Today I want to talk about the subconscious mind and its connection with the universe. When I am talking about the universe, I mean God or infinite intelligence. This post is a continuation of Napoleon Hill’s book, Think and Grow Rich. Properly using your subconscious mind to connect with the universe is the 11th step in acquiring riches.

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Connect With The Universe

Your subconscious mind is the key to living the life you want to live. Controlling your subconscious mind is necessary for accomplishing goals and acquiring wealth. You can acquire happiness as well as build great relationships.

Hill states that your subconscious mind stores every impulse of thought that reaches your objective mind through your five senses. These thoughts may be called upon later through your memories. Your subconscious mind never stops working. It is there 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

Infinite Intelligence

Your subconscious mind is your connection to infinite intelligence. It uses the power derived from infinite intelligence to convert your desires into their physical equivalents. It uses the most practical means to accomplish this conversion.

You cannot control your subconscious mind completely. Inadvertent thoughts do find their way into your mind. The control you have is accomplished by voluntarily thinking, speaking, and visualizing your plan or desire. It takes time to connect with the universe through your controlled thoughts. So don’t get discouraged.

Trust The Process

To connect with infinite intelligence and turn your dreams into reality is a process. You must trust the process because mastering this process takes time. Patience and persistence are your best friends.

Since your subconscious mind never stops working, you must train yourself to control your thoughts. Your subconscious mind stores your controlled thoughts, but also works inadvertently from your uncontrolled thoughts. It can bring you fear and poverty as easily as it can wealth.

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https://unsplash.com/@museumsvictoria

Develop a daily practice of controlling your thoughts through positive affirmations and meditation. The more you practice, the more you will begin to believe. Continued practice will turn your belief into faith.

Persistence

You must be persistent until you have reached the level of faith. Once you reach the level of faith, you will control the negative thoughts and replace them with positive thoughts. For example, let’s say you receive an unexpectedly large bill. Without faith your first thoughts will probably be fear, and how will you pay for it. With faith, your mind will be calm because you know that the money will come to pay it in full.

Your subconscious mind works best when your thoughts mix with feelings and emotions. It doesn’t work as well with thoughts coming from the reasoning part of your mind. As I discussed last week, sexual desire is our strongest emotion. Tapping into this emotion will increase the output of your subconscious mind.

Feel The Emotions

Hill further states, “There is evidence to support that the theory that only emotionalized thoughts have any actionable influence upon the subconscious mind.” Therefore, don’t just think about your desire. Feel the emotions that you will have after manifesting that desire. Before visualizing how your life will be, think of something that evokes an emotion in you.

Positive Or Negative

Remember that emotions can be positive or negative. Here is a list of the seven major positive and negative emotions.

Positive Emotions:

Desire

Faith

Sex

Enthusiasm

Romance

Hope

Negative Emotions:

Fear

Jealousy

Hatred

Revenge

Greed

Superstition

Anger

Positive and negative emotions cannot occupy the mind at the same time. Only one can dominate. Avoid negative emotions. Make sure that positive emotions become your dominating influence in your subconscious mind to connect with the universe.

I hope this provides you with a little insight into the subconscious mind and its connection to the universe. Don’t forget to like, comment, and follow. I appreciate each person who reads my posts and listens to my podcasts.

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What It Takes to Be Number One

Vince Lombardi was a great leader who knew how to motivate men. He was an American football coach, winning many championships. He was the head coach of the Green Bay Packers when they won the first Super Bowl. In fact, the Super Bowl trophy is named after him. Lombardi was famous for his inspirational speeches. One of his most famous speeches is “What It Takes to Be Number One.”

Lombardi was known for his drive and determination, but he is remembered for his leadership. Lombardi was driven to be the best and demanded the same from his players. “What It Takes to Be Number One” was first given in the locker room at halftime. Since then, Lombardi gave this speech many times to businesses and at political conventions.

I have always admired Vince Lombardi. You could say, he is my “go-to” guy for inspiration. “What It Takes to Be Number One” is one of my favorite Lombardi speeches. I have it on a card hanging up in my office. Every now and then, I take it down and read it. Vince Lombardi has been such an inspiration to me I even married a girl named Lombardi. That’s Sofia’s maiden name.

The Speech “What It Takes To Be Number One”

“Winning is not a sometimes thing; it’s an all the time thing. You don’t do things right once in a while; you do them right all the time. Winning is a habit. Unfortunately, so is losing.”

By doing the right things all the time you will find yourself winning more often than not. Develop the habit of winning in everything that you do

“There is no room for second place. There is only one place in my game, and that’s first place. I have finished second twice in my time at Green Bay, and I don’t ever want to finish second again. There is a second-place ballgame, but it is a game for losers played by losers. It is and always has been an American zeal to be first in anything we do, and to win, and to win, and to win.”

You won’t win every time, nobody does. When you don’t win it should drive you to come in first the next time. Only one team is having fun at the end of a championship game. The winning team.

All In

“Every time a football player goes to ply his trade he’s got to play from the ground up, from the soles of his feet right up to his head. Every inch of him has to play. Some guys play with their heads. That’s O.K. You’ve got to be smart to be number one in any business. But more importantly, you’ve got to play with your heart, with every fiber of your body. If you’re lucky enough to find a guy with a lot of head and a lot of heart, he’s never going to come off the field second.”

Giving it everything you’ve got is how you win. You cannot do things halfway.

Win

“Running a football team is no different than running any other kind of organization, an army, a political party, or a business. The principles are the same. The object is to win and to beat the other guy. Maybe that sounds hard or cruel. I don’t think it is.”

The objective of any business is all the same. It is to make a profit. If you are not making money in your business, you have a hobby.

Compete

“It is a reality of life that men are competitive and the most competitive games draw the most competitive men. That’s why they are there, to compete. To know the rules and objectives when they get in the game. The object is to win fairly, squarely, by the rules, but to win.”

Competition makes everyone better. It doesn’t have to be nasty and you don’t have to cheat. Do your best and win fairly.

Grind

“And in truth, I’ve never known a man worth his salt who in the long run, deep down in his heart, didn’t appreciate the grind, the discipline. There is something in good men that really yearns for discipline and the harsh reality of head-to-head combat.”

Embrace the grind and everyday challenges. Learn to love the daily routine of making yourself better. Championship teams put more emphasis on practice. They embrace the difficulties of the daily grind. Championships are won during these times.

Read

The final paragraph of his speech is the most important part for me. It sums up what it takes to be number one. Read it many times and let his words take hold of you.

“I don’t say these things because I believe in the “brute” nature of man or that men must be brutalized to be combative. I believe in God, and I believe in human decency. But I firmly believe that any man’s finest hour, his greatest fulfillment to all he holds dear, is that moment when he has to work his heart out in a good cause and he’s exhausted on the field of battle, victorious.”

Cites

https://unsplash.com/@sgc908

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The Mystery Of Sex Transmutation

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In this podcast, I am continuing to talk about Napoleon Hill’s book, Think and Grow Rich. The 10th step toward riches, The Mystery of Sex Transmutation. I will admit that I had a difficult time understanding this chapter. I read it several times until I believe I finally understood it. It is simply a sexual energy transfer to increase creativity.

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Sex Transmutation

According to Hill, the emotion of sex has three constructive potentials. First, sex is necessary for the perpetuation of man. Second, sex has the potential to maintain a healthy mind and body. Third, sex has the potential for the transformation of mediocrity into genius. It is done through transmutation by a sexual energy transfer to increase creativity.

The mystery of sex transmutation isn’t complicated. Sex transmutation is switching the mind from thoughts of physical expression to thoughts of some other nature. It is simply a transfer of sexual energy into another form of energy. Transmuting your desire for sex into accomplishing your goals will open up your creative mind.

Directed Sexual Desire

It can be argued, that when people go astray, the main culprit is sexual desire. Hill states that men have risked life and reputation to fulfill this desire. It has cost people vast fortunes. In contrast, when harnessed and directed to another outlet, sexual energy can be used to create great literature, art, and wealth.

The desire for sex is the most powerful desire we have as humans. It makes sense to harness this power and use it to accomplish greatness. Sexual desire can develop imagination as well as increase courage. It will develop willpower and persistence. Sexual energy transfer will increase your creative ability.

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https://unsplash.com/@pabloheimplatz

It’s Natural

Sexual desire is innate and natural. It should not be suppressed or eliminated. You should use sexual energy transfer to increase your creativity. Give this powerful desire another avenue to express your creativity. In this chapter, Hill reveals that scientific research at the time disclosed that men of greatest achievement have highly developed sexual natures. Also, these men were motivated by the influence of a woman.

How?

How can you use sexual energy transfer to increase creativity? First, continue to have a healthy sexual relationship with your loved one. Think of a particular passionate event or someone who stimulates a sexual desire in you. You will open up your creative imagination and increase your vibration, therefore connecting you with the universe.

The Law of Attraction or Assumption states that your thoughts become your reality. By thinking of the person you want to become, you are determining your reality in the future. To make this happen, you must add emotion. Since sex is our most powerful emotion, it is the key to your creative imagination. Your creative imagination is the direct link between you and infinite intelligence.

Final Thoughts

Use sexual energy transfer to increase creativity. I often say, that before a session of meditation/visualization, I think about the first time I saw my wife. This image invokes much emotion and puts me in the perfect mindset to increase my creative imagination.

I hope everyone increases their creativity, and I appreciate everyone that visits my site. Please continue to like, follow, and comment. I would love to know your thoughts on this topic of sexual energy transfer.

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The Dash

It was a cool, breezy morning. The cemetery grounds, once a beautiful bright green in the summer, had begun to be covered with fallen leaves. The smells of autumn were in the air as Jim looked down at little Tom kicking the leaves. Jim scanned the grounds trying to remember where the gravesite was located.

“I think it’s this way,” he said.

Little Tom looked up and smiled mischievously. “Come on, dad!” Off he ran in the direction Jim was pointing.

Jim hurried to catch up, and when he did, he grabbed little Tom and twirled him around. They were both laughing when something caught Jim’s eye.

“This is it! This is the one we’re looking for,” Jim exclaimed!

In front of them was a headstone that read, “James Scott Walters.” Underneath the name were the dates, August 30, 1960 – December 29, 2060.

“Who is that,” little Tom asked?

“That is your great-grandfather,” Jim replied.

“Wow, he lived for 100 years,” said little Tom.

“He sure did, and he lived a full, rich life,” Jim said.

“What did he do,” little Tom asked?

Jim replied, “He lived an exciting life and went on many adventures when he was young. He served his country and helped many people. Helping others became his passion. He taught your grandmother, his daughter, how to live life the right way. As he became older, he began to write down his experiences and lessons, sharing them with the world.”

As little Tom stared at the headstone and ran his fingers over the carved letters and numbers, Jim knelt next to him.

“Do you see those dates?”

Little Tom pointed to August 30, 1960, and started tracing it with his finger.

“Those two dates are not the most important things on this headstone,” Jim said. “The two dates simply represent two moments in time. The day your great-grandfather took his first breath and the day he took his last.”

“The most important thing is the dash in between the two dates. That little line represents his life and everything that he did. There are 100 years in the dash. Every headstone in the cemetery contains a dash, and they represent what everyone did with their life.”

Jim continued, “Your great-grandfather’s dash is filled with good decisions and bad. Happy times and sad times. The births of children and the deaths of friends and family. It represents everything that he did in his 100 years. He lived life to the fullest. I don’t think everyone’s dash would tell the same story.”

Little Tom gazed upward at Jim and quietly said, “How can I make sure my dash is as full as my great-grandfather’s?”

“Make sure you live your life like your great-grandfather lived his. We can read about him when we get home. Are you ready to go,” Jim asked?

As they walked through the cemetery towards the car, Jim looked down and held Tom’s hand. “Son,” he said, “Your great-grandfather accomplished many wonderful things in his life. One day, he told me that the most important thing he ever did was learn to love. That was why we are put here on earth. God didn’t give us life to be divided and hate each other. We are here to love one another. If you can learn to love, then your dash will be full.”

Jim and little Tom climbed into the car and buckled up. Jim started the engine and began to pull away. He stopped and looked back at the headstone. A smile came over his face as he said, “The old man will never stop teaching us lessons.”

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Photo Credits

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Motivation or Self-Discipline

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When you decide to change, you will need help along your journey. You can find this help from extrinsic motivation or through self-discipline. I know people who listen to motivational speeches every day. In contrast, I know people who do not believe in motivational speeches, and both are successful. Therefore, the question is which is better, motivation or self-discipline?

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Motivation

Motivation from other people is short-term. It is like eating a candy bar for energy. The sugar will get you started, but it will not sustain you. Listening to a good motivational speech will get your adrenaline pumping. You feel like you can conquer the world.

Listening to motivational speeches over time will produce less adrenaline, and the impact the speech has on you is not as powerful. You might find that after the speech is over, you quickly lose the energy it gave you. In the short term, a motivational speech will have you believe. Over the long term, you can lose that belief. A motivational speech does not build faith.

Self-Discipline

Self-discipline is long-term, and you will find that it will sustain your efforts towards accomplishing your goals. If motivation is like a candy bar, self-discipline is the healthy food that gives you energy all day. It is doing those activities you know you are supposed to be doing.

Self-discipline does not wear down or fade. It does not affect producing adrenaline. Self-discipline will still give you that feeling that you can conquer the world only not through chemistry. That feeling comes through belief in yourself. Self-discipline conquers fears and doubts. It stretches your comfort zone and turns belief into faith.

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Which One?

Which is better, motivation or self-discipline? The answer is both. You would not want to rely on extrinsic motivation alone, but a good speech is a great way to start your day. Think of it as a cup of coffee. It will get you going in the morning, but the effect will wear off over time. If you are self-disciplined, you will create your motivation.

Science Stuff

Gro Jordalen from the Norwegian School of Sports Sciences studied the correlation between motivation and self-discipline in athletes. She determined that elite athletes rely on both. Her studies showed that strong self-discipline influences how motivated you are. She also found that extrinsic motivation will lead to higher burnout rates.

In short, motivation will get you going, but you will need self-discipline to accomplish your goals. Developing self-discipline is necessary for your journey to change. It is great to hear someone tell you that you can become a different person. It is only through the development of self-discipline that the change will happen. To be successful, both motivation and self-discipline are needed.

How?

How can you develop self-discipline? Keeping things simple and taking baby steps. When I was younger and wanted to get back in shape, I would listen to a motivational song and get fired up. I would then take off running at a hard pace. I would not last long at that pace and would soon be struggling. The extrinsic motivation of the song had faded. I tried to do too much too soon. Eventually, I learned to take baby steps.

Deciding to become a different person is a huge change. Our brains are wired to prevent such changes, and you will incur resistance. Therefore, don’t try to make a big change all at once. Change small things about your routine. Wake up a half-hour earlier than normal instead of three hours earlier. Plan out your day instead of trying to plan out the entire month. Make little stretches in your comfort zone.

Small Changes

Making small changes to your daily routine will lead to big changes to your lifestyle over time. This time next year you will be a completely different person and not even realize how you got there. A little self-analysis will show how these little changes developed your self-discipline. You are now a truly motivated person.

Cites

https://unsplash.com/@helloimnik

https://unsplash.com/@erik_brolin

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Comfort Zone

The other day I was thinking about those psychological barriers we put on ourselves called comfort zones. Those areas or events which we feel good when we are there. The comfort zone is our safe place. It is where we feel warm and fuzzy. Nothing can happen to us when we are in our comfort zone.

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Your Comfort Zone

For most people, their comfort zone is their home. You feel safe and comfortable inside your home. You can control what goes on there. On the other hand, if you leave your home, you lose control. When you walk into a building you have never been inside, you can feel nervous and uneasy. That warm and fuzzy feeling inside is no longer there. Your senses are heightened because you are outside of your comfort zone.

You create your comfort zone in your mind. It is a mental boundary you have created based on your past experiences. Everyone has a different one. Some are small, and some are quite extensive. Some people are only comfortable inside their homes, but not everyone. If they relate their home to previous bad experiences, it will not be comfortable for them.

The Mind

Your brain is designed for survival and to keep you safe. It creates these boundaries based on your experiences. Negative experiences as a child manifest as fear. Those experiences would become fearful to you and would be outside of your comfort zone.

That is all your comfort zone is, boundaries. Your mind has created these boundaries to avoid the fear that you manifested. You are born with only two fears. The fear of falling and the fear of loud noises. All other fears you manifest and all fears can be controlled.

Expanding

If you decide to expand your comfort zone, it is a painful process. You have to overcome years of boundaries formed in your mind. Your fears will have to be faced, but you can do it. An excellent way to describe your comfort zone is to think about a dog and an electric fence.

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https://unsplash.com/@marvelous

Wildlife

When my wife and I were in Colorado, I noticed our friends’ neighborhood had no fences to separate the properties. In Florida, almost everyone builds fences around their property. I inquired as to why they did not build fences. The reason is that they have herds of elk, deer, and even the occasional bear wandering through the neighborhood. Therefore, the HOA outlawed fences.

Shocking

Our friends have two large dogs, so they put an underground electric fence as a boundary. The dogs can run around the yard, but if they try to leave they get a mild electric shock. This teaches them how far they can go. Inside the underground fence is the dog’s comfort zone. It becomes painful when they try to go outside of this boundary. You are no different. You have created a boundary that becomes painful when you go outside it.

The dogs manifest a fear of the edge of the property. When they try to leave, they feel the discomfort of the collar and go back to their comfort zone. They are happy in there. This area is their warm and fuzzy place.

Expanding Their Horizons

What happens when one dog decides they want to expand their horizons and leave? Maybe the dog is a male and sees a beautiful female dog a few houses away. First, they would slowly approach the edge, receive the shock, and jump back. Their desire to meet this female is strong. Instead of going back to their comfort zone, this time the dog stays and tries again.

Each time they receive the shock, it gets less painful. The dog is becoming comfortable being uncomfortable. With each try, the dog gets farther and farther until they break free of the pain. They now have new areas to explore and sniff. New experiences are waiting for them, along with the female dog.

Painful?

Was it painful? Yes! Why didn’t they go back to their comfort zone? Because their reason for wanting to get out of the yard (the female) was bigger and more powerful than the pain. As a result, they expanded their comfort zone.

If your reason for wanting to change your life is larger than the pain of leaving your comfort zone, you will do it. Slowly begin doing the things you are not comfortable doing. Try to do it a little at a time and the pain and discomfort will diminish. You will be expanding your comfort zone. You might even break free of it altogether.

Self-improvement is painful. You have to face your fears and deal with the past; your past has shaped you into the person you are today. You have the power to improve your future. Break out of your comfort zone for yourself and your family. Start doing those little things today!

Cites

https://unsplash.com/@kronemberger

https://unsplash.com/@marvelous

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15 Habits That Will Make You Wealthy

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Most people in the world are not wealthy. It is said that 96% of the wealth in the world is created by 1% of the population. When you look at this statistic, what do you see? I see opportunities. We live in an unlimited universe. Each one of us can create wealth. You can increase your wealth by changing your thoughts and developing new habits. Below are 15 habits that will make you wealthy.

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15 Habits Of The Wealthy

What is wealth? Wealth is an abundance of valuable material possessions or resources. Wealth is subjective. What you consider wealth could be different from what I do. Is it a certain amount of money? For some, the answer is yes. For me, I relate wealth to being financially independent.

Financial independence means the following three things in my mind. First, it means time. You no longer trade time for money. You can now spend more time doing the things you love. We all have the same amount of time each day, 1440 minutes. How do you spend yours? Second, it creates options. You are no longer limited to doing things based on price. Eat at the most expensive restaurants and order what you want. Finally, financial independence means peace. Unexpected situations will arise in life. If money is not a problem, these situations are easier to manage.

Wealth Mindset

What is the difference between people with wealth and others? It comes down to one thing, your mindset. Do you have a wealth mindset or a poverty mindset? Begin to cultivate a money mindset. To do that, you must change and become a different person. You have to leave the old you behind. Create thoughts seeing how you want to live in the future. Visualize these thoughts. Your thoughts will become your reality. Eliminate negativity from your life and create new habits.

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15 Habits

Here are 15 habits that will make you wealthy:

  1. They always have a vision. They know what they want and visualize it daily. Their definite purpose is always on their mind.
  2. The wealthy do not work for money. They have learned how to make money work for them. Trading time for money will provide you with a good life but not a great one.
  3. They eat healthy & exercise. Taking care of their bodies gives them more energy to be productive.
  4. Wealthy individuals live in the future. They know that their current thoughts will become their reality. It doesn’t matter where you came from; it’s where you’re going.
  5. Rich people are not afraid to fail. Failure is part of the process of becoming wealthy. They learn from their failures until they succeed.
  6. They wake up early. This gives them time to think and meditate. It prepares their mind for the challenges of the day.
  7. Wealthy people give thanks every day. They show gratitude for what they have and realize it can be taken away.
  8. The rich don’t waste time with television or social media. They realize that the negativity that comes from all forms of media. 70% watch an hour or less a day.
  9. They love to read. The wealthy spend time every day reading and expanding their minds. Develop a habit of reading daily for self-improvement.
  10. The wealthy have mentors. They develop a mastermind group to help them gain knowledge that they don’t have.
  11. Goal setting is a priority. They set goals, develop a plan, and work towards accomplishing their goals.
  12. They eliminate negativity in their life. This includes thoughts, habits, and/or people. Hanging onto negative people gets you nowhere.
  13. Wealthy individuals are always learning. They learn how to manage their finances and daily lives. Most importantly, they learn how to market themselves.
  14. They believe in abundance. Our universe provides an unlimited supply for everyone. The wealthy have learned how to tap into that supply.
  15. They make each day productive and driven by results. So much of your day can be occupied by nonproductive activities. Wealthy people avoid them.

Are You Satisfied?

Men and women who are financially independent do things differently than those who aren’t. By creating the same habits in your life, you can begin to change. Your habits have gotten you to where you’re at right now. If you’re satisfied, keep doing what you’re doing. To improve your situation, begin filling your day with these 15 habits that will make you wealthy.

If this post is helpful to you in any way, please leave a comment and let me know your thoughts on it. If it wasn’t your cup of tea, let me know also. I’m always looking to improve, and your comments help.

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Gaining Control Of Your Life

I missed posting an article last Sunday. This is the first time I have missed posting since I was in the hospital in February. Even when I travel, I have been able to schedule my posts ahead of time. I don’t have an excuse for not posting. I just didn’t have it in me, and when I sat down to write, my mind was blank. Today I want to talk about what happened (or didn’t happen) and gaining control of your life.

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Gaining Control

Last week, I felt like my connection was off. There was just something missing, and I cannot explain it. That was last week. Today is a new day and the beginning of something big! One thing I know about not feeling connected is that it is only disconnected on my side. God/The Universe is always there and is always connected.

To begin gaining control of your life, you must realize you have full control to reconnect your mind. For example, take the electricity to your house. A lamp might not work because the plug came loose. The electricity is still flowing, but the connection has been broken. Plug the lamp back in and the connection is complete. The lamp works once more.

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What Went Wrong?

Now that you know you have full control of your life, you just have to figure out what happened to your connection. For me, it could be that I was exposed to too much negativity through the media or other people. Possibly, I spent too much time away from my morning routine and broke the connection. Maybe I didn’t read enough or at all.

Negativity

Negativity is everywhere and impossible to escape for me. I continue to work on handing it better and quickly turning back to what is important to me.

Meditation and Prayer

My morning routine is important. I believe that it is responsible for the positive changes I have made in my life. It is why my relationships with my family have improved; why I am a better husband and father. Also, why I am a better person overall.

Reading

Reading is also a major factor in my life. It also has brought about positive changes in me. The knowledge I acquired by reading helps solidify my beliefs. It also teaches me new techniques. The books I read provide me with different ways of looking at my life which helps me grow.

Traveling

Getting away from my routine and reading frequently happens when I travel. Time away from everything is wonderful. I love traveling with my family and see new places. Sometimes we revisit old places and reconnect. It is great to put everything down once in a while and do nothing. It makes me feel energized and refreshed.

Continue Positive Habits

When traveling, it is important to continue with your positive habits. For myself, I will do a better job of taking time every morning to connect and stay focused even when we are on the road. It is like staying healthy. It is better to live a healthy lifestyle every day than to try to start over again and again. That doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy unhealthy food or skip my workouts once in a while. I just do them in moderation.

After all, life is supposed to be live to the fullest. Enjoy every moment of it. It flies by all too quickly. Only don’t forget about the habits that you have developed. Incorporate them into your life when you are home and away. Keep working on gaining control of your life.

Cites

https://unsplash.com/@rohanmakhecha

https://unsplash.com/@kellysikkema

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