A New Year - NOW WHAT?

"Here's to chasing dreams and living life!"

 

This quote comes from a young man that I have known since he was a teenager. He posted this on a social media page after receiving many well-wishes on his recent birthday and, after thanking everyone for their wishes and mentioning how great this past year was, he ended with the quote that you see above.

 

I LOVE that phrase and I told him so....CHASING DREAMS and LIVING LIFE!

 

What about you? It's that time of the year again when most people make their list of "New Year's Resolutions" that, usually, will last about a month, maybe two before they are put aside.

 

I'd like to make one suggestion and then hit my main point for this "New Year's Week" article...

     POINT:  DON'T make a "list" of things as a part of your "New Year's Resolutions". Why do you need to supposedly focus on several different things? Why, if you rarely accomplish even one, would you want to add more to that? Pick ONE thing and give it your best to accomplish that one thing in the coming year. The rest of this article will focus on that idea with a little different "slant".

 

I haven't done the whole "New Year's Resolution" thing for quite some time now. However, I have continued to have goals that I have worked to achieve. And, like many others, many of these goals are still being pursued.

 

What I have found is this: The longer it takes you to achieve a goal, the more likely it is that you will NOT actually achieve that goal. Why? Because the longer it takes, the "dimmer" that "spark" becomes that got you going in the first place.

 

Many times there are detours and/or roadblocks that will test your dedication to achieving your goal(s) but, for those of you that are determined, they will only DELAY your arrival.

 

What I'm going to suggest for you is what I am doing in my own life for 2015:

     Narrow it all down to ONE main thing you want to accomplish and then make sure you give it

     your best effort!

 

It's almost identical to what I mentioned earlier but it may have one twist for you, as it does for me.

 

For me, I'm not coming up with a NEW goal or "resolution". I'm actually going to focus on ONE goal that I've had for several years now and, honestly, that I feel I've let slip further away than it needs to be.

 

Make sense?

 

Remember what I said about that "spark" becoming "dimmer" the longer it takes to achieve that goal? I feel that this is what has happened in my life and I see evidence every day that reminds me that I MUST go for this goal in order to bring about real fulfillment and happiness in my life.

 

What is it for you? Is there something in YOUR life that you've had on your "list" but, like me, you've found that you really haven't put as much into it as it requires?

 

Is there something that you are sick and tired of STILL not having accomplished in your life? Isn't it time to finally get it done, once and for all?

 

That's where I am. I have no other goals or "resolutions" on my list but I do have this ONE thing! I must quit talking about it and I must quit simply "planning" for it..."planning" equals "making plans" instead of putting those plans into practice.

 

FIND IT! Uncover it! Dust it off...what is REALLY important to you? Have you lost sight? Have you lost that "spark" and that "vision" that you once had?

 

Perhaps you have learned a few things from the detours and roadblocks. Hopefully you have learned SOMETHING along the way. Detours and roadblocks can be blessings in disguise but only if we learn along the way.

 

I feel compelled to say this, however. Obviously, if your goal is to get married and have 5 kids of your own in the next year then, unless you marry someone that already has at least 4 kids and you and your new spouse have a kid over the next year, that's just not going to happen, right? Instead, why not set the goal of actually taking the time to work on yourself and to also take the time to find the right person with whom you could spend the rest of your life?

 

One step at a time.

 

Whatever you do, remember this: 2014 passed by one day at a time and, now, here we are, at the end of the year. Guess what? 2015 will transpire in exactly the same way. What you do with each day matters.

 

Never forget that and, from my family to yours...

 

 

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My Christmas Wish For You

Whether you live in the United States and celebrate Christmas or not, I have a special message for you. Even if you live in the United States and don't celebrate Christmas, this message is still for you.

 

Yes, this is a special time of the year when most people tend to be more thoughtful and helpful. They also seem to think about the blessings of their lives and they find ways to express that thanks. Time is often spent with friends and family with laughter and smiles as they spend this special time together.

 

Again, no matter where you live or what your situation, I have a special message - my Christmas wish for you - today.

 

On this day, I wish for you and your family the following:

 

JOY -May you find true happiness and joy in your life. May you not forget to notice and enjoy the "everyday" people in your life that bring you joy and happiness. Don't forget to notice the "little things" that surround you each and every day and then share that joy with those around you. By doing so, you will see joy and happiness returned to you.
 

PEACE - May you experience true peace in your life in the coming days and year. As you purposely set out to increase the joy and happiness in your life, may you also discover the peace that will accompany these. May you learn to worry less and enjoy peace more. May you find relationships renewed, strengthened and regained so that you will experience more peace - and less stress - in your life.

LOVE - As with peace, may you experience the joy and peace of love in your life. Too many take for granted those that surround them every day and, in so doing, they miss out on the benefits of love that is right before them every single day. Don't be afraid to forgive and to allow healing to take place in any relationship where this is needed. May you open your life up to allowing yourself to take the risk of love so that you may enjoy the benefits of love.

 

HOPE - "As long as there is breath, there is hope." May you never, ever lose hope, friend. My wish for you is that you never give up on your dreams and that you always reach for "more" in order to better yourself along the way. Never allow yourself to believe that things cannot improve in your life and for your life. Never lose sight of this as you open your life up to more joy, peace and love. Live hope daily.

 

This is my Christmas wish for each of you. Think of how our world can change by each one of us making the above list a part of our daily routine. Embrace it, apply it and share it with everyone around you and watch what happens.

 

It begins here with you and with me.

 

Until next time...

 

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

 

Mike

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A Great Way to Bless Someone's Life

As I type this, it is the 21st of December. That means that Christmas is "right around the corner" and it also means that there are many people around you (whether you realize it or not) that will struggle to provide any kind of Christmas for their children again this year.

 

This doesn't have to be about Christmas, however. It is a GREAT way to bless the lives of other people ANY time of the year. Keep that in mind and plan to incorporate this all through the year...I think it can become highly addictive!

 

But, for now, I want to focus on the few days that are left before Christmas and challenge and encourage you to JUMP ON BOARD and make some magic happen! I know I'm right when I say that many of us wish there were more ways to help others...well, here ya' go!

 

Take a $10 bill and PAY IT FORWARD!

 

Sure, by itself, that $10 bill may not be able to do a whole lot but, at the same time, in the hands of a person that is really struggling, it may do far more than you can imagine.

 

But, what IF you can easily multiply that $10 bill into an amount that is far beyond what you may imagine? Here are some simple ideas that I will share with you but I want to challenge you to brainstorm even more and come up with MORE ideas to make this EXTRAordinary!

 

1. FAMILY: Get each member of your immediate family to add $10 each and then find a family that would be blessed by this contribution. With all of these ideas, find such a family and bless their life.

 

2. FRIENDS: What if you could call 10 other friends and have them contribute $10 each? You can do this easy math, right? That little $10 bill turns into $100 very quickly. Do the math and find out what would happen if you got 20 friends involved...30 friends? Do you think this might make a difference in the life of someone? You might even consider helping more than one person or family, depending on how many people you get involved.

 

3. GROUPS or ORGANIZATIONS: Do you belong to a group or organization? Do you attend a Bible class at your church? How about a civic organization? What about your workplace? The list is endless and I want to encourage you to STEP UP, have fun, get excited about this idea and see what can happen!

 

Here's a couple of more ideas to make this fun:

 - Deliver this money yourself and see the joy and happiness on the face of the one(s) that you bless.

 - Send someone else to deliver this gift and remain anonymous.

 

MAIN POINT: Have fun with this and know that you can QUICKLY make a huge impact on the life of an individual or a family.

 

I just wanted to get this out there and share it with you as quickly as I could and, yes, I've done this myself.

 

GET YOUR FAMILY - ESPECIALLY YOUR CHILDREN - INVOLVED IN THIS and teach some valuable lessons on what it is to share and bless others.

 

Until next time, whatever you do...

 

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is goin to do it for you?)"

 

Mike

VALUE...What's Yours?

Now, before I even get started on the thoughts in this article, I want to make sure that I clarify something, o.k.?

As you read this article, understand that I am NOT talking about your "value" as a person. Not at all. Too many people base their "self-worth" (value) on what kind of job that they have, the position that they hold with that job or on a number of other factors. That's NOT what I'm talking about today. Clear?

Now let's move on to what I AM talking about in this article.

Here's a definition for the word, "value" that I found on the computer...
     value (noun) - the regard that something is held to deserve; the importance, worth, or usefulness of something: Ex. "your support is of great value"; synonyms: worth, usefulness, advantage, benefit, gain, profit, good, help, merit, helpfulness, avail, importance, significance

Before we talk about this definition let me say that we are going to be talking about your VALUE at your workplace. We can ask the question, "What value do you bring to your workplace?" and really get down to the point of this discussion.

As I type this, it was yesterday that I shared an article by Dani Johnson that discusses the importance of VALUE in relation to your PROMOTION at work. You can find it by going to my FYU fan page and scrolling down just a little. Take the time to read it if you haven't done so already.

Let's take a look at the definition again but, instead of the actual definition, I would like to direct your attention to the synonyms listed for the word, "value". Take each one of those words and ask yourself the following question about YOU at your work place. For example, "What is my WORTH at my job?", "What is my USEFULNESS at my job?", "What ADVANTAGE is there by me being a part of this position?". Get the idea?

Be as honest as you can in answering these questions. How do you think your supervisor/manager would answer these questions about you?

Are you a POSITIVE addition or do you bring NEGATIVITY to the workplace? Are you HELPFUL or do you sow seeds of discontent at your job? Are you one that those in charge would do just about anything to keep as part of that company or would it be a blessing to the company if there was a way for you NOT to have that job? Are you so "neutral" (neither valuable or destructive) that it really wouldn't matter to the company either way if they "let you go"?

I''m not really trying to brag but, at the same time, I AM going to brag about my wife a little here. I've shared with you before how she goes into ANY job determined to be a positive influence on those around her. Here's a perfect example of what I'm talking about in today's discussion and it became evident just today. She had started a new job a couple of months ago, part time, but with the promise of "plenty of hours". However, just the other day one of her supervisors basically told her that her hours had to be very limited and that this was something that was just figured out. My wife loves her job and the people she works with and, to be honest, we were both a little worried about what she would need to do to get the hours that she needed. Would she need to get a completely different job with a different company?

My wife is trained in three different areas within this company and one of her other supervisors found out about this situation. The MAIN supervisor (over all of the other ones in this situation) also found out about the situation and, the main supervisor made it very clear that they needed to do whatever they needed to do to make sure that my wife got the hours needed because "we do not need to lose her!".

Do you think she has established some "value" at her workplace? Sure she has!

So many people miss this point completely. Many people "go to work" and gripe and complain the whole time that they are there and it rubs off on those around them. They do "just enough" to get by and wouldn't even consider doing something that's not part of their "job description" if it would help the company in any way. You get the idea.

Is that you? I hope not.

Yet, it may be you and you may not have intended for that to happen. You may find that you have allowed yourself to slip into that type of action and mentality. What will you do now? Will you just continue along this path of self-destruction or will you make necessary changes to improve your value at your workplace?

No one else can do this for you. As with everything else that we talk about in these articles, it is up to YOU!

Improve your position by improving your value. This applies regardless of what position that you hold at your company.

Think about it and then take action. My guess is that ALL of us can probably do a few things to improve our attitudes and, in return, our value at work. You CAN do it and I'm here to help with information such as this. Hey, be sure to listen to the podcast as well. Just click on one of the links below.

Until next time, whatever you do, always be sure to...

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

Mike

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What Goes Up...

 

We've all heard the saying, "What Goes Up, Must Come Down", right? I even have some "Blood, Sweat and Tears" featured on the podcast, singing the song, "Spinning Wheel", which starts off with this phrase.

 

The idea behind the phrase is, basically, your actions are like a boomerang...what you "throw" out there WILL come back!

 

Are you o.k. with that?

 

Yes, this is a continuation of what we discussed in the last article and podcast. Yet, I feel the need to continue this discussion because I see the lack of understanding of this concept literally, every single day.

 

My supervisor is completely stressed out every time I see her. As a matter of fact, before I was officially hired at this company, she told me that it was a stressful job...VERY stressful. Yet, what I have found to be true is this: SHE is stressed...VERY stressed and MY part of the job is not really stressful at all.

 

Sure, my job is completely different than hers but, this makes a very important point in how all of this works. Because she "speaks" stress in her work environment, she assumes it's that way for those that do what I do as well. She SPEAKS stress, she SEES stress, she FEELS stress and, in my opinion, stress will END her position with this company within a few more months, if that long.

 

Here's another thing that I have noticed about this situation: my supervisor CREATES stress in this work environment and it's not producing positive results for her. I have observed that my co-workers do not respect her nor do they respond well to her. I'm not trying to over-simplify this but, one main reason this happens is because "what goes up, must come down" or, in other words, she is getting back what she is putting out.

 

What about you?

 

Take a moment and write down some descriptions of your life. Break it down to descriptions of your typical day if you prefer. Use "descriptive" words (adjectives) on this list and see what you come up with as you do so. Don't think too much about it...just "brainstorm" and write down what honestly comes to mind.

 

How do you feel about what you discovered with this list?

 

This can become a vicious cycle in which YOUR stress can cause stress to others around you which, in turn, can cause YOU stress and on and on it can go.

 

You may not agree with me and that's o.k. But, can I get you to at least consider what I'm saying to be true? Try this - and I mean REALLY give it your best shot - and see what begins to happen. CHANGE YOUR THOUGHTS which, in turn will CHANGE YOUR WORDS and your ACTIONS.

 

Yeah, again, I acknowledge that this is easier said than done but, listen, stop trying to fit everything into our "microwave-mentality" culture. THIS MAY TAKE SOME TIME but, if you really put the effort into this, I believe that you will see positive results pretty quickly.

 

CHANGE YOUR THOUGHTS: Make an even stronger effort to immerse yourself with positive information. Stop watching the news and start listening to positive recordings as well as begin reading more positive articles. Hey, just turn the television OFF and see what happens. Consciously "chase out" any negative thoughts that begin to try to find a home in your mind. DO NOT allow it to do that...chase it off!

 

CHANGE YOUR WORDS: Changing your thoughts will begin to change your speech! You will begin to THINK more before spewing out some negative poison and your words will follow your thoughts and become more positive. And, by changing your thoughts and words, you will also begin to...

 

CHANGE YOUR ACTIONS:  You haven't forgotten the message from the last article already, have you? "Your feet will follow your mouth!" Once you begin to think differently (more positive) and you begin to talk differently (more positive and encouraging) then, it will not be long before your ACTIONS themselves begin to change. What you "put out" will become more positive and productive and, YES, you will begin to see this having a positive impact on those around you. If you are in any kind of management or supervisory position you will actually see more positive actions and, believe it or not, more positive production from your team.

 

Hey, you can choose to give this a try and see what happens or you can keep getting what you are getting from what you are doing. What's that definition of "insanity" again? "Doing the same things over and  over again and expecting different results."

 

So, as always, it's up to YOU.

 

Choose wisely, friend. Your "life" really does depend on it.

 

Until next time...

 

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

 

Mike 

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Your FEET Will Follow...

That is some kind of UGLY picture there, isn't it? :)

Sorry. I apologize for that. Once you catch your breath, just use  your hand to cover the picture and continue reading.

I was watching a video clip of Dani Johnson (DaniJohnson.com) the other day and she mentioned a phrase that she had heard some time in the past. "Your feet will follow your mouth" was the phrase and it has stuck with her for years.

And, it's TRUE!

You speak the direction of your life and your daily actions. You may or may not quite understand that, friend, but just know that your words ARE that powerful.

WHAT you speak and HOW you speak determines your direction. Are you kind? Considerate? Encouraging? Affirming?

Have you ever heard the phrase, "Put your money where your mouth is."?

There is more truth behind that phrase than you may realize!

What - and how - you speak may very well bring extra MONEY into your life and, just as easily, it may actually take money AWAY from your life!

I'm not talking about being a "suck-up" or "brown-noser".

I'm talking about being genuine (you can't fake that stuff for long!) and actually caring about people. The REAL you cannot help but come out for others to witness...good OR bad.

Your words - and use of them - may lead you to promotions and/or new job opportunities. They may also keep you from these things and cost you money that you didn't even know about.

Isn't there enough strife in the world? Isn't there enough strife just around YOU and YOUR world? The same is true about stress, unkind words, and all other kinds of negativity.

Don't make this a seasonal thing, make it a way of life...YOUR life.

Because, after all, your feet will follow your mouth!

Until next time, be sure to...

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

Mike

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Think About This

"...Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise." (Philippians 4:8b) NLT

 

In the last blog article we talked about the need to control our tongue. As part of that, I brought out the fact that, the only way to control our TONGUE was to control our THOUGHTS.

 

You control your thoughts by deciding what you ALLOW in your mind!

 

That's right...what YOU allow.

 

Now, I understand that sometimes things get in that we don't want to have in our mind but, for the most part, we can keep those kinds of thoughts out. Even if an unwanted thought sneaks in, we can OVERCOME and OVERWHELM that particular thought with positive thoughts and positive thinking.

 

YOU are in charge of what is in there (your mind). YOU!

 

Become "top-notch serious" about defending that space between your ears, friend, and see what happens.

 

Control your thoughts and you control your words. Control your words and you control your relationships. You control your relationships and you control your world.

 

I understand that some of you may be thinking that you cannot control all of your relationships. I'll give you that because it is a struggle to even know what relationships are actually good for you. So, yeah, I get that.

 

Too, don't take the word "control" and apply it in an incorrect way. I'm not talking about "making" people do what you want or be what you want.

 

I DO mean that you have the ability to - over time - have a positive influence over ALL of your relationships if you stick with it. Some will take longer and some won't take long at all.

 

What are you allowing in your mind? Look at the graphic and also notice the scripture beneath the graphic. They are both very similar in what they say. Now, be honest with yourself and do a quick check to see how many of those things listed you actually think about very often.

 

Replace the drama, the stress and the negativity with more thoughts of kindnes, being honorable and inspiring. Don't you wish everyone that you know would do that as well?

 

Let it start with you...let it start with you.

 

Think about it.

 

And, as you do so, be sure to...

 

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

 

Mike

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The Need to Tame the Tongue

"We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth.  And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong. In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches.

But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire." (James 3: 3 - 5; NLT)

 

Have YOU ever lost control of YOUR tongue? I could be wrong but I think I can answer that question for you with a "Yes". Am I right?

 

Most all of us - if NOT all of us - have said things that, almost immediately, we wish we could take back. And, at other times, it may take a few days or even weeks before that regret sets in. But, the fact is, once said, words cannot be "unsaid".

 

I heard the following story several years ago and it points out just how hard it is to try to recapture words once they are spoken. It seems that a man, in a  moment of frustration, said some negative and even untrue things about a person who had been a friend. This man was so angry and frustrated that he told three or four other people. After about a day, he began to regret what he had said and decided to visit the village wise man to seek advice on what he should do. The wise man instructed the fellow to go to each door of those he told the falsehood to, knock on the door and ask who all they shared what he had said. The wise man instruced the gentleman to do this at all three or four people's homes that he had told and then he was to place a feather on the doorstep of each of those people along with the steps of those with whom the story had been shared. At each of these houses he was to also ask if they had shared the story with others and, do the same thing at each of those houses. He soon found that he had placed feathers on the doorsteps of houses all over the town.

As instructed, he returned to visit the wise man the very next day to find out what else he needed to do to try to make this mistake right. His heart fell as the wise man instruced him to now go back and collect all of the feathers that had been placed on the doorsteps. The man expressed his despair since this would be an impossible task due to light winds taking place overnight.

"So it is with your words once spoken." explained the wise man. "They spread beyond your ability to ever recapture what has been said."

 

We can use all kinds of excuses by saying things like, "I just speak before I think!" which, in reality, cannot be true. You cannot speak it unless you think it first.

 

The problem is CONTROL.

 

The way to control your speech is to control your thoughts. And, the way to control your thoughts is to constantly absorb as much positive information as possible. 

You control your thoughts which, in turn, can help control your words.

Yeah, I know...easier said than done. Still yet, the goal is to THINK before it's "said and done".

Until next time...

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

Mike

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Promote the POSITIVE!

In a world full of negativity, why would you EVER want to promote ANYTHING but positive influence? Whether it be thoughts, spoken or written words or even posts on your preferred social media outlet...why would you want to do anything else?

 

Many of us would like to think that we would never participate or promote anything of a negative nature yet, many of us do just that.

 

Would you like to do a little experiment? Check your posts on your preferred social media page over the past few months Seriously, take the time to take a look and see what you find.

 

I have been guilty as well...especially during the recent mid-term elections in the political arena. I like to think that I caught myself on this and backed off on such activity and I hope that, if you find that you have promoted negative thoughts and ideas, you'll do the same.

 

This really came to the forefront for me just yesterday. A "connection" of mine on my personal social media page posted a video that did nothing but promote continued hype that is so prevalent in our media at this time. Instead of promoting positive information (or even just refraining from ANY additional input on the topic), they chose to add to the negativity surrounding this hyped up topic.

 

I don't need or want to see or read this type of negativity and I sure don't want it on my social media page for others to see or read so I "got rid of them", which prohibited them from posting anything further on my page.

 

Extreme action? Some might think so but, for me, it demonstrates how serious I am about such negativity.

 

Here's the simple message for today, friend: PROMOTE THE POSITIVE and leave the rest alone.

 

This applies on your social media pages as well as your workplace, your relationship with your friends and, yes, even your family.

 

Try this approach this week and see what happens.

 

Determine - beginning today, for a week - that you will not promote, repeat or share ANYTHING that is negative in any way.

 

You will find that this is more difficult than you might first imagine but, it can be done. It's a challenge that you CAN face and achieve.

 

You will find other helpful aides as you go through the rest of this week reading the coming blog articles as well as listening to the podcasts. (I'm changing to a Monday, Wednesday and Friday format now).

 

Friend, the world needs you to do this and show others that it can be done.

 

Start NOW and check your progress at the end of the day.

 

Until next time, be sure to...

 

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

 

Mike

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2014: All But Done

 

As hard as it is to believe, 2014 is all but done. Over. Complete. Finished. Gone, baby, gone!

I know I'm not the only one that has a hard time believing this to be true, right? As is often said, "Where has the time gone?"

Now, don't miss this point - the year isn't over YET...it's just getting really close!

What does that mean for you?

Let's get real here: If you set out to lose 50 lbs. over the year and you've lost 25, you DO realize, don't you, that you're not going to lose 25 more lbs. over the course of this month. But, that doesn't mean that you just give up since you're not going to reach that initial goal.

As you look over the past year, don't forget to pay attention to what you HAVE accomplished over the past year. Do NOT focus only on where you fell short. That is a HUGE mistake to make.

Pay close attention to the three previous articles and, especially to the quotes that you find in each of them. Notice that none of them say "quit" or "give up". They all emphasize the need to "stay the course" no matter how slowly you have progressed.

I'm not done with December yet...neither or you!

Enjoy this time of the year and all that it brings and, until next time, be sure to...

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

Mike

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Surround Yourself With the Positive

- graphic from Dave Ramsey -

 

Sooner or later you will find the words in the above graphic to be true.

 

No matter how much you want them to NOT be true or no matter how much you don't want to believe this to be true about the people that surround you...it is still true.

Negativity can disguise itself in all kinds of ways, too! Sometimes the most "negative" people are disguised in friendship and "I only want what's best for you" thoughts. It's around us each and every day and we must do all that we can to surround ourselves with the positive...people and/or thoughts.

Sometimes this is difficult to do when you are surrounded by negative people...like at work. However, if you determine to be the "thermostat" and not the "thermometer" you may find that the negativity begins to disappear.

What do I mean?



 

 

A thermostat DICTATES the temperature in a room. It either raises or lowers the temperature in the room while the termometer REFLECTS the temperature that has been set by the thermostat.

There are "thermometer people" all around us and you may be one as well. These are the people that "reflect" whatever the attitude around them may be. If people around them are happy then they are more likely to be happy (even though truly negative people are negative regardless of their surroundings). If the mood around them is negative, "thermometer people" will likely just follow along and have the same negative attitude.

You, however, could be a "thermostat" person that helps dictate or "set the temperature" for your workplace. You may be surprised at how quickly the "temperature" of the room begins to change due to your positive attitude!

And remember, your positive attitude comes from - or is aided by - the positive information that you put into your heart and mind throughout the day. Things such as this blog and my podcast are examples of information that you can absorb each and every day that will help you in this process.

Hey, even if you haven't reached the goals that you set for yourself this year, remain POSITIVE in your approach and your review of the past year. Your positive attitude will allow you to understand that, again, progress is progress, even if it is slower than you initially planned.

Thermostat or thermometer? You decide.

And, as you do so, be sure to...

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

Mike

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Refuse to Give Up!

I got this graphic from a post by Brian Tracy and wanted to share it with you and make a few comments on it as well.

If you've not had a chance to read the last article, take a moment and do so...it sets up the thoughts for this weeks series of articles. The main focus - as stated in the last article - of these articles this week is ENCOURAGEMENT.

Why do I feel such a need to encourage you? Well, with this being the last month of 2014, I know that many of you are feeling a huge amount of pressure to "finish strong".

Sometimes we - or others - can put so much pressure on ourselves to "finish strong" that we can "crumble" and just give up. Again, read the last article and get caught up on this thought.

Notice what the graphic above states: "...as long as you do not stop."

"Going slow" is still "going", right? There is still movement and action. There is still progress. Sure, it's slow but, do you remember the tale of the Turtle and the Hare?

You've read it from me and you've heard it from me as well...Don't give up, don't you EVER give up!

Listen, I understand the whole idea behind "pushing" to get the best out of ourselves and/or others but, I also understand that this can actually have an adverse effect as well.

Honestly take a look at the whole process that you have taken toward your goals - whatever they are. Whether it is weight loss, job promotion, better relationships, financial improvement or, again, whatever it is. Be honest with yourself and try to pinpoint some things such as:
     * Did I "bite off more than I can chew" for the time period? (Example: Did I set a goal to lose 200 pounds over the 12 months of 2014? How realistic is that goal?)
     * Now that I've gone through most of this year working toward my goal, is the goal what I really want? No, I'm not talking about quitting but I am talking about being honest with yourself in determining the strength of your "why". Your "why" (as you may discover) may be based on what someone else wants FOR you and not yours at all.
     * If you decide to keep working toward that goal, are you going to set more realistic - yet, steady - expectations for your progression?

Again, just relax. Don't stress out...that doesn't help this situation in any way. Take a breath, honestly review the past year and, as you do so, always be sure to...

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

Mike

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How Much Longer?

"Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it.

The time will pass anyway."

- Earl Nightingale

 

 

Have you ever traveled very far in an automobile with kids? Perhaps you were traveling to see relatives over the holidays which may have taken several hours of travel time.

 

How many times did you hear this question: "HOW MUCH LONGER?" or "WHEN WILL WE GET THERE?"

 

Sometimes the answer to the question was, "About five minutes less than the last time you asked!"

You may be asking yourself the same question concerning reaching your goals..."HOW MUCH LONGER until I reach them?" or "WHEN WILL I GET THERE?"

Relax.

Pay attention to the quote above from Earl Nightingale and realize that time will pass anyway.

Are goals important? Absolutely!

Is it important to reach the goals that you have set? Possibly.

Possibly?

That's right. What if you set the wrong goal for yourself? What if, with your limited understanding of what reaching such a goal might involve, you set the wrong goal for yourself OR you set the wrong "end date" for that goal?

You see, when we set a goal for ourselves, we usually have no idea what will be involved in order to make it happen. We also have no idea what obstacles may pop up along the way that may slow us down or cause us to take a "detour" along the way.

"But if your goal (your "why") is important enough to you, you will push through anyway and reach your goal on time - every time - regardless!" I can just hear some over-zealous MLM'er  saying that now.

You may discover, along the way, that your "why" for attempting to reach a particular goal may not be as strong as you first thought that it was. You may find that reaching that goal is not as important as you thought it was. Sometimes you never know until you step out and attempt it in the first place.

So, relax and improve a little each day. Don't give up just because it's taking longer than you thought it would. And, if you find that you need to forget about a particular goal....so what? Find what you are passionate about and what really matters to you and move forward.

Here's my main goal in this and the next three articles: ENCOURAGEMENT.

Instead of the pressure that most feel during this time of the year, I want to encourage you to relax and not lose focus on what is important to you. Don't freak out because it's the end of the year. Just keep moving forward each day and see what happens.

Got it? Good!

Until next time, always be sure to...

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

Mike

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H.O.P.E. Enjoy)

 (Please be sure to read the previous three articles in this series if you've not done so).

 

Well, here we are. In the United States, today is being celebrated as "Thanksgiving Day" and I hope you are with family and friends having a great time.

 

To close out this special "Thanksgiving Week" series, I wanted to encourage you to ENJOY life and all that it has to offer.

 

If you will consider and put into action the things that we have discussed in the past few articles then, by investing and opening yourself up to others, you will begin to enjoy life on a whole new level.

 

We all need to stop "stressing out" over everyone doing everything right all of the time or doing it the way WE want it done all of the time. (Yes, I know there are times that it is important.)

 

People are not perfect. YOU are not perfect! My guess is that, you want people to practice patience and forgiveness with you, right? Then, learn to practice and offer that same patience and forgiveness with those around you.

 

"Do to others as you would have them do to you." (Luke 6:31; The Bible)

 

So, friend, open up your heart to life and to others and live out your purpose in life...OTHERS! And, as you do so, ENJOY every minute of it

 

And, from my family to yours...

 





 

 

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H.O.P.E. (Purpose)

(If you've not done so, please read the previous two articles in this series...they are all connected!)

 

 

PURPOSE:

If you've read the previous two articles then, hopefully, you've figured out that your PURPOSE is PEOPLE.

 

That's right. Once you begin to allow yourself to open your heart and your life to others, you will begin to experience life as life was meant to be experienced...ALIVE and CONNECTED!

 

Many people struggle with their "purpose in life" and spend countless days, weeks and even years struggling with that thought. Some even spend countless dollars trying to discover this purpose. Hey, I just saved you lots of time and money!

 

YOUR PURPOSE IS PEOPLE!

 

We're all here together and we're all here for one another. We are all part of the HUMAN race (you ARE human, right?) and, that alone, connects us all.

 

When you close yourself off to others, you rob the world of who you are! You rob the world of your personality and everything else that you offer to this world.

 

Yes, I hear some of you saying, "But what about me? What about MY goals and what I am trying to achieve?" My guess is that you have heard this quote from Zig Ziglar before, haven't you?

 



"You will get all you want in life if you help enough other people get what they want,"

 

Just relax and care about others...serve others...be interested in others. Just relax and do that and see what happens in and for your life.

 

Some people call it "karma" and some use the phrase (good or bad), "What goes around, comes around."

 

Regardless of what you decide to call it, it's a true way of life and, friend, I want to encourage you to fulfill your PURPOSE for your life.

 

Even though I may not know you, I - for one - am glad that you are a part of this thing called the "human race".

 

Until next time...

 

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

 

Mike

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H.O.P.E. (Others)

 

If you've not done so, take a few minutes and read the last blog article which introduces the ideas that I had for this series. Read the article it self, as well, so that you can see how these all connect together.

 

OTHERS: 

Friend, we live in a world of PEOPLE. You just can't get around that fact, can you? Oh, I know, there are times that you may wish that it wasn't that way and you may even fantasize about being on some deserted island somewhere, completely isolated from people and all of the problems that go along with them.

 

But, you know what? It wouldn't be long before you began to MISS being around people! Why? Because we were MADE to be around and with other people! That's right, friend.

 

But, many times, we allow the frustrations with people to cause us to "close up" our hearts (see the last article) in order to protect ourselves. But, what actually happens when we attempt to do that, is that we actually hurt ourselves.

 

We become "less human" to some extent and life begins to take a downward spiral.

 

I want to encourage you to OPEN UP and APPRECIATE others! Remember, you are here for a reason and, along with YOU, your world (as well as the world as a whole) is made up of all kinds of different people with different talents, traits and personalities.

 

We're not all alike. AREN'T YOU GLAD?

 

Sure, you're not going to "click" with everyone but, at the same time, if you will allow yourself to "open up" to others, you will likely develop a new level of patience and understanding with those around you.

 

Finally, when you open yourself up to others you also SHARE YOURSELF with others and, friend, that's a good thing, too.

 

This is not just called a "race"...it's called the "HUMAN race".

 

Open up to others and share a part of who  YOU are. Not only will you be glad that you did, but the world will be glad that you did as well.

 

Until next time...

 

"Make it an AWESOME day! (Who else is going to do it for you?)"

 

Mike

Future You University    "Like" FYU on Facebook!    Podcast on iTunes

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