Sunday, March 7, 2010

Your Attitude is Everything

Have you heard the saying, "Attitude Is Everything"? While attitude might not really be "everything", it is the single most significant determining factor of success in many situations.
Here's how it works:

Change your attitude and you automatically change:

1. your perspective
2. the way you interpret things
3. the decisions you make
4. the actions you take
5. the results you get

Changing your attitude can get you there more quickly, but it can also get you there in style, enjoying the ride more fully. This short cut is for everyone, because even if you have a great attitude already, it could always be better. It doesn't matter if you have a little goal or a massive dream, a small annoyance or a huge problem, shifting your attitude will help, and it might just radically transform your situation.

People tend to think of an attitude as being simply positive or negative. However, there are infinite possibilities such as: warm, friendly, confident, determined, unstoppable, silly, playful, easy-going, outrageous, peaceful, open-minded, compassionate, optimistic, and all of their negative counterparts. You can ultimately become very creative and experiment with different attitudes for different situations, which will lead you to being more powerful and effective.
Here's the problem. We often think it's hard or impossible to change our attitudes, so we don't try. The truth is that it's easy to change your attitude, if you know how.

Another big problem is that we tend to think our attitude is born of the situation. We think our attitude is the right attitude for the way things are. Therefore, our attitude goes unexamined and unquestioned. Almost everybody is guilty of this, however, our attitude is completely optional and flexible. It is possible to have any attitude in any situation, and there are no ultimate "right" attitudes for particular situations.

We also tend to think of our attitudes as part of our identities. We think, "It's just the way I am." We tend to think of our personalities as static things. In fact, when faced with a new challenge or situation, we make split second decisions about how to respond, and what attitude to adopt, based on our idea of "who we think we are". In this way, we perpetually re-create our attitudes, whether they be negative and disempowering or positive and self-empowering. While our personalities, and the attitudes that go with them, may appear to be somewhat static, they only appear that way because we keep making the same choices (often unconsciously) over and over again, moment to moment. The truth is that you can change "who you're being", and you can change your attitude, at any moment.

How To Shift Your Attitude

Intention: Decide what attitude you want to have, then set your intention to adopt that attitude. Frequently, this is all that is necessary to shift your attitude dramatically.

Break Your Pattern: If you catch yourself with a bad attitude, it can be useful to do something radical and surprising to break your pattern: jump up and down, dance in a circle, poor ice water over your head, sing at the top of your lungs, whistle a silly tune, put on some great music, or whatever to break your pattern. Then create a fresh attitude.

Role Models: Find people who are getting the kinds of results you would like to be getting. Watch them carefully to see what kind of attitude they have and how they express that attitude. Copy them.

Surround Yourself With Positive People: Attitudes are contagious. Who you surround yourself with and spend time with is probably influencing your attitudes way more than you are consciously aware. Enough said.

Ask Better Questions: We are constantly asking ourselves questions. Most of the time this is not a very conscious process. For example, something bad happens and we ask ourselves, "Why me?" Our minds start to find answers to that question, effectively building a case for why bad things happen to us, leading to a bad attitude, leading to more bad things happening. Make a list of the most empowering questions you can think of, and ask those instead. The possibilities are infinite.

Here are a few to get you started:

1) How can I turn this problem into an opportunity?
2) What would I do if I was already very successful?
3) Who do I need to be to achieve my dream?
4) What would my future (successful) self do?

Fake It Till You Make It: If adopting a new attitude feels difficult or awkward, just fake it till you make it. It really works. Act as if you have that attitude. Walk like someone with that attitude. Talk like they would talk. Breathe like they would breathe. Make the decisions they would make, etc.

Expose Yourself To Empowering Messages: Feeding your mind positive messages on a regular basis can really impact your attitude. You can read books, listen to recordings, go to seminars, etc.

Meditation: One of the things meditation is great for is supporting you to slow down and notice that your personality is not so static. Your personality, and the attitudes that accompany it, are something that you generate from moment to moment. This is an empowering realization.

Play With Perspectives: If you have a problem or a goal that you're not making enough progress on, it can be useful to play with perspectives. This loosens up your attitude, and helps you discover new possible attitudes. Get creative and try looking at your situation from several different perspectives.

For example, you can ask yourself:

1) What would a child's perspective be?
2) An elders?,
3) How would I approach this if I knew I could not fail,
4) What would Jesus/Buddha do?,
5) What would be the CEO's perspective?,
6) What would an expert think?,
7) What is the customer's perspective,
8) What would be the perspective of a wealthy person?,
9) A poor person,
10) What would (person you admire) do?,
11) What would my future self say?, etc... the possibilities are endless.

Give Up Reasons and Excuses:

This is a big one. We tend to stubbornly hold on to our attitudes. They become habits. We learn to justify them. We have reasons and excuses for them. You can choose to give up all of your reasons and excuses. Just give them up. Would you rather have your reasons and excuses, or would you rather get results?

Reminders: Write the attitude you want to adopt on a post-it note and put it somewhere so that you'll see it regularly. Ask a friend to remind you. Set an alarm that goes off every hour, etc. You get the idea.

Change Your Belief: If the above techniques don't work, you probably have an underlying negative belief that needs changing. For example, imagine a woman who believes all men are lying cheats. She would have a very hard time trying to create a positive attitude about dating. The above techniques will work to change most negative beliefs, but sometimes changing a stubborn belief requires stronger measures. However, that is the topic of a future article.

Exercise - Creating An Empowering Attitude

Step 1: Choose either a goal that you are having trouble achieving, or a stubborn problem that won't seem to go away. Write it down.
Step 2: Write down your current attitude or attitudes about this goal or problem
Step 3: Decide what attitude you want to have. Write it down. If choosing a new attitude is not easy, use the above technique: "Play With Perspective" to explore new possibilities.
Step 4: Set your intention to adopt the new attitude. Choose one or more of the above techniques to support you in adopting the new attitude. Write down the technique(s) you will use.

James Boehm
Daily Dose Of Good
Every Month A Million
8K A Week

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

5 Reasons to Clear Clutter From Your Life

There are 2 kinds of clutter: Physical clutter (things) and mental clutter (thoughts, usually about all of the things). Both take up room and both cause you to lose sight of what you really want. When you begin to clear out the physical clutter, you can start to see the mental clutter. You will find that the physical stuff is just a way for you to try and hide from the mental baggage you're carrying around.

Physical Clutter

1. It takes up too much space! There is only so much room in your life. After you fill up your closet, it moved into the bedroom, then takes over the rest of the house. Then the basement, and then you're renting out a storage facility. The majority of this stuff is meaningless, but it represents the need to fill a hole. If this is you, it doesn't appear to be working, does it?

2. You can never find anything. Because of all the stuff, you are spending more time searching and trying to remember where you put things. You probably have multiples, and continue to buy more, because you can't find the orginals. Clearing out the stuff will leave you with what you need, and keep you organized so you know exactly where everything is.

3. It stresses you out. See the first two points. How can you possibly relax with stuff invading your life? Your home should be a place where you can relax and feel good.

4. It drains your energy. Picture this: You wake up in the morning to a clean bedroom. You walk down the hall, not tripping on anything. You get ready for work in a bathroom that is clean, and you don't knock over bottles, brushes, or tubes. You make coffee in the kitchen, which is clean. No dirty dishes staring back at you from the sink. How do you think you feel this morning? Good, ready to start the day (on time)? Think of the opposite scenario...you wake up, clothes all over the floor, nothing clean to wear. You trip on the dogs' squeaky toys and step on a pointy, toy truck on the way to the bathroom. Trying to wash your hair you realized you've run out of shampoo and you can't remember if you bought a replacement bottle (or where you put it). You note that you have to pick up more shampoo (already mental clutter). When you're done, you stumble into the kitchen, running late and realize you're out of coffee and there are no clean mugs anyway. Note to self, buy more coffee....How relaxed are you after this start to the day?

5. It causes you to procrastinate. When I want to procrastinate, cleaning is a great excuse. Why start on what really matters to you, when you need to vaccuum the floors? No time to work out today, since you have to do laundry. Can't put an hour of writing on your book in, since the dishes need to be washed before dinner.

All of that physical clutter serves to keep you stuck. It's not the "stuff" that matters so much, it's what the stuff represents and creates that causes problems in your life. The stuff will eat you alive.

Imagine a life where you are organized and can easily keep track of things. You know how much shampoo and coffee you have, and where the extras are kept. You rarely lose things and you're not constantly distracted, trying to remember loose details (like to buy more shampoo and coffee and when the dog has to go to the vet, and where your daughter's soccer game is).

The freer your mind, the freer your life. When your physical space is organized, your mind is relaxed and free.

James Boehm
Daily Dose Of Good
Every Month A Million
8K A Week

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

How Thought Vibration Works

Thought vibration cannot be heard, seen or smelled. However, it is as real as anything that you see around you.

This vibration is so intense that it takes shape instantly in a non-physical reality.

However, as it cannot be sensed in this physical world, you may not give much significance to it.

Thought vibration is higher than your senses can detect.

Your senses are capable to catch just a friction of the vibrations surrounding you. You miss out on most of the reality as a result.

Thought vibration is similar to radio waves. However, radio waves are within the range of your perception, therefore you are able to hear them.

You may find it hard to believe that thoughts are powerful enough to manifest themselves into your reality. Why? Because it is hard for you to perceive something that you cannot touch, hear or smell. However, thoughts create your life no matter if you believe it or not.

Thought vibration works the same way as a magnet. Magnet has the capability to attract very heavy objects to itself, yet you cannot see the force causing the attraction. However, you do not neglect the fact that magnet attracts objects.

The only difference in magnet force is that it can instantly attract objects to itself. Thought, however, takes time to manifest. Why? Because firstly you manifest goals in a non-physical reality. Then this manifestation needs your persistence to finally present itself in your reality.
You might ask at this point why your manifestation needs persistence to come. Why can't it manifest instantly? My honest answer would be that I don't know. It could be so to protect you. As if you think about something horrible, you would not want this manifestation to come instantly to your life, would you?

Most people's minds are so untrained, it is pure chaos there. It would be too much for a person to handle if he would manifest everything he is thinking of.

It might also be this way so as to reward only those who are persistent enough. It would not be fair for everyone to have what they wish because even lazy people would get all they want.
So you may notice a balance here. Those that take time to learn thought vibration will eventually apply everything they know and manifest whatever they desire. Yet lazy people will get results that resonate with their behaviour. Life is fair, isn't it?

Thought Vibration Application

As soon as you think of something, you create it in a non-physical reality. It waits for you to get it. You keep thinking of it, and it comes closer and closer to you. Everything is good so far. But here's where most people fail. They forget to take action.

You have to take some action to get what you want. If you don't move, you will not get any results.

You can act in two ways. First (my favourite one) works this way:
You think of a thought, hold it long enough and then wait. After some time (couple of days or even hours) you will get some idea. This idea comes from the unconscious, starting to guide you towards the achievement of your goal.

If the idea seems right for you, you should act on it straight away – don't forget to thank for it though.

You will know if the idea has reached you through the unconscious rather than from your own logical mind. The idea will be 'out of the blue' and uncommon to your thinking.

I will give you a personal example here. I started to invite thought into reality through positive affirmations. I kept repeating: “Every day I receive plenty of money making ideas, I act on them and make plenty of money.” Did it work? You bet!!!

Great ideas started to pour out of nowhere. I would turn on my laptop, browse through some websites, and just spot the opportunities to make money. I would also get offers straight to my email inbox.

I got so many money making ideas that I did not know where to start! I had to stop these affirmations and really make some decisions. I took two great ideas and started to work on them.

My mind was calm as I knew that these ideas came from the unconscious through the direct request of mine. I knew that they will make money, as I asked for the money making ideas.

Another way you could act is by taking any action while thinking about your goal. Just keep the goal at the back of your mind at all times, and take any action that you think will lead to the achievement of the goal.

This way you will start the process of manifestation. You may notice that you may be corrected later on if you take the wrong action. Something may happen which will cause you to take a different action. That is okay, just go with the flow. No resistance is needed.

Thought vibration also has some obstacles to go through. These obstacles are thoughts of others. You are not the only thinking person in this world. The ether is filled with billions of thoughts. Some of them resonate with yours, some don't.

If your goal is very big (e.g., if you are poor and you want to become a multi-millionaire), your thought will have to travel a long way.

That's why it is important to hold your thought long enough. You have to keep refuelling this vibration, until it is strong and can travel on its own.

Not even mentioning thoughts of others, what about your own thoughts? You may have hundreds of different thoughts in your head that conflict with each other. So if you want to become very wealthy, but some of your thoughts are about impossibility of becoming wealthy, how can you manifest riches?

The way to get rid of your limiting beliefs is by using positive affirmations (to change mindset) and meditation (to get rid of negative thoughts). These two steps I highly recommend. Them alone can make you very successful.

Once you get rid of your limiting beliefs you will notice that goals manifest much quicker. It is because the vibration you send does not have as many obstacles to go through. You will spend less time visualising and refuelling your dreams. They will manifest much easier.

Thoughts also have the capability to multiply themselves. This is because of the law of increase. If you keep thinking about riches, you will be able to attract other people's thoughts about riches. It will strengthen your vibration and you will eventually become rich.
The only thing is, there are many more people who have limiting and depressed thoughts... That's why it is much easier to become poor and a coward than to become wealthy and courageous.

If you introduce some limiting thought vibration in your head, it will waste no time inviting its friends: sad, depressing, angry and worrying thoughts.

This especially applies if you live with fearful people or have angry neighbours. As soon as you become angry, their thoughts will find you and deepen your anger.

If you want to become a successful person, you will have to be persistent in positive thinking. Others positive thoughts will reach you, but you may feel it only slightly.

Distance plays a role here. If a very successful person is far away from you, his/her thought will reach you. However, it will not be felt as strongly as some limiting thought you might get from your neighbour.

I know that it is easy to fall into the depressing thought vibration. But you have to think only positively if you want to get out of your current reality. Only you can help yourself, no one else can.

If you find it hard to hold positive thought vibration, just think about the rewards you will get. Is living your dream worth spending time thinking positively? I'm sure it is.

Don't ever give up in whatever you do. Do not fall back where the masses are. It's too crowded there anyway.

It is so much better to live a life of your dreams. And it is achievable. You will have to pay the price, of course, but the rewards will be worth every second of your persistence.

James Boehm Daily Dose Of Good, Every Month A Million and 8K A Week

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

How To Develop The "Wealth Mindset" - Secrets of The Rich

In this article, I’m going to explain to you how to achieve the mindset of wealth. For people who have this mindset, they can create money out of thin air and basically at will. For people lacking this mindset, they won’t enjoy the same level of financial abundance that they possibly could.

Here are the 7 hot tips on how to develop a wealth mindset:

1. Believe that you deserve wealth. You have to believe that you deserve it. If you don’t believe, you will overlook untold opportunities. If you don’t believe you deserve wealth, you will sabotage your own efforts. If you’re wanting to attract wealth but don’t believe you deserve it, it’s like driving a car pressing both the gas and the brake at the same time. It doesn’t work.

2. Develop an “opportunity consciousness.” Look around and begin to ask yourself, “How can I add more value? How can I make things faster, easier, quicker, less hassle, more fun for people? How can I make money solving this challenge? What can I do to solve this problem and make money doing it?” The bigger the problem you solve, the more wealth will pour into your life. The more you serve others, the more wealth you will achieve.

3. Organize your life to matter more to others. The more you make your time and life valuable to others, the more wealth you will have. Period. End of story. Organize your life to matter more. Develop more valuable skills, network more with high achievers, and focus on serving people.

4. Begin to think in terms of passive income. Develop passive income as soon as possible. Passive income is something you do once and get paid multiple times for it. It’s the real secret of the rich. If you are always selling your time in exchange for money, your income is limited because your time is limited. I cannot emphasize the importance of passive income enough. Visualize wealth.

5. Visualize yourself making lots of money (or whatever the definition of wealth is for you). Visualize total financial abundance flowing toward you. There really is total abundance. You can tap into it. It’s there for the taking.

6. Cancel out negative thoughts. Vigilantly guard your mind as to what kind of ideas you put into it. If you put garbage into your mind, you’ll get garbage results. If you have great ideas, you’ll get great results. Monitor your internal dialogue and monitor what other people are saying to you, especially regarding money matters, finances, and wealth. If they’re dead broke, run away as fast as you possibly can. If they’re mega-wealthy, pay attention and hang on their every word!

7. Think about money as energy. When you pay out or receive money, it’s really a measure of the value of the energy you’re exchanging. If you’re getting $20.00 an hour, you’re saying that the energy you’re putting out to create the value that you’re creating is worth $20.00 an hour. If you want to make more, figure out how to raise your energy that you’re putting out and how to deliver more value to others in the same time.

There you have it my friend. Using these white-hot tips, I’ve been able to double my already substantial income. You can do the same. Wealth doesn’t discriminate. It wants you as much as you want it. Just get out there, use these tips, and attract that total abundance into your life.

You can do it because you are unstoppable!

James Boehm
Daily Dose Of Good
Every Month A Million
8K A Week

Monday, February 15, 2010

Thought Power - Your Thoughts Create Your Reality

Thought power is the key to creating your reality. Everything you perceive in the physical world has its origin in the invisible, inner world of your thoughts and beliefs. To become the master of your destiny, you must learn to control the nature of your dominant, habitual thoughts. By doing so you will be able to attract into your life anything you choose with exact precision as you come to know the Truth that your thoughts create your reality.

For Every Outside Effect There is an Inner Cause: Every effect you see in your outside or physical world has a very specific cause which has its origin in your inner or mental world. This is the essence of thought power. Put another way, the conditions and circumstances of your life are as a result of your thoughts and beliefs. James Allen said it best when he said "circumstances do not make a man, they reveal him". Every aspect of your life, from the state of your finances to the state of your health and your relationships, is accurately revealing your thoughts and your beliefs.

It's an Inside Job: Most people have it back to front, believing that they feel or think a certain way because of their circumstances, not knowing the truth that it is their thought power that is creating those very circumstances, whether wanted or unwanted. By internalizing and applying this Truth, that your thoughts create your reality, you will grant yourself the power to create the changes you want to see manifest in your life. Reality creation is an inside job.

Your Thought Power is Limitless: There is a single, intelligent Consciousness that pervades the entire Universe - all powerful, all knowing, all creative and present everywhere at the same time - the Universal Mind. Your mind is part of this One Universal Mind and since your thoughts are a product of your mind, it follows that your thought power too is limitless. Once you truly understand that your mind is one with the Single Source of All Power and that this power is within you, you will have found the only true source of infinite power for which nothing is impossible and impossible is nothing. Know that thought power comes from within. All power comes from within.

Your Thoughts are Alive: The greatest mystics and teachers that have walked the Earth have told us that everything is energy. This fundamental Truth has now been undeniably confirmed by modern science. Your thoughts too are energy. William Walker Atkinson told us that "where mind is static energy, thought is dynamic energy - two phases of the same thing" and Charles Haanel went on to say that "thought power is the vibratory force formed by converting static mind into dynamic mind". Your thoughts are alive. Each time you entertain a specific thought, you emit a very specific, corresponding frequency or energy vibration.

What Frequency Are You On: The basic premise of the Law of Attraction is that like energy attracts like energy. You attract to yourself those things and circumstances that are in vibrational harmony with your dominant frequency, which is itself determined by your dominant mental attitude, habitual thoughts and beliefs. Mike Dooley, one of the presenters of the movie The Secret, fittingly suggests if you want to know what a thought looks like, just look around you. Keep in mind these three words "thoughts are things".

Not All Thoughts Are Created Equal: The attractive power of any particular thought is determined by how often you have that thought and by the strength of the feelings or emotions associated with it. The more energy you give to a particular thought, the greater its power to attract its corresponding circumstance into your physical world through the Law of Attraction. Your one-off, passing thoughts do not have the same creative power as your habitual thoughts and beliefs. Remember, that it is of little use to entertain positive thoughts for just a short burst of time each day if you then proceed to think negative or unwanted thoughts for the rest of the day. Your reality is the sum total of all your thoughts.

Use Thought Power to Change Your Life: It is your subconscious mind that is the store house of your deep-seated beliefs and programmes. To change your circumstances and attract to yourself that which you choose, you must learn to programme and re-programme your subconscious mind. Since your mind is one with the all-powerful Universal Mind, the potential power of your subconscious mind is also limitless. The most effective and practical way to programme your subconscious mind for success in all areas of your life is to learn the simple process of creative visualization. It is the technique underlying reality creation, making use of thought power to consciously imagine, create and attract that which you choose. Your imagination is the engine of your thoughts. It converts your thought power into mental images.

Become Aware of Your Thoughts But Not Obsessed: It is important that you learn to be aware of your habitual thoughts and to appropriately adjust them so as to maintain an overall positive mental attitude. However, be careful not to become obsessed with every thought that enters your mind as this would be equally counter-productive, if not more so, than not being aware of them at all. Remember that to obsess over your negative, unwanted thoughts, is to give them power and as the saying goes, what you resist persists. So instead of resisting any of your negative thoughts, simply learn to effortlessly cancel them by replacing them as they arise.

Instantly Replace Unwanted Thoughts: To instantly neutralize the power of a negative thought, calmly and deliberately replace it with its opposite, positive equivalent. For instance if you think to yourself "I'm not good enough, I will never succeed", mentally replace the thought with "I am good enough and success comes to me easily". You can also use the "cancel cancel" technique made famous by the Silva Method. Each time you catch yourself thinking an unwanted thought, mentally tell yourself and the Universe "cancel cancel" and immediately follow it up with a positive statement.

Tame Your Dominant Thoughts and the Random Will Follow: It is estimated that the average person has between 12,000 and 70,000 thoughts a day. This is evidence enough to suggest that your goal should not be to control every thought. It is your dominant thoughts and beliefs that you must learn to bring under your conscious control as they are what largely determine your mental attitude. As you do, you will find your random thoughts themselves becoming more positive and more deliberate.

The following words of Siddhartha Gautama Buddha perfectly capture the essence of thought power:"All that we are is the result of what we have thought. The mind is everything. What we think we become."

In a nutshell, your life is the perfect mirror of your thoughts, beliefs and dominant mental attitude. Whether you realise it or not you are already creating your reality through your thought power. Every effect you see in your outside world has its original cause within you - no exceptions. To gain access to the greatest creative power at your disposal, you must learn to control the nature of your habitual thoughts and to align yourself with the One Source of All Power of which you are a part. Your thoughts create your reality - know, internalize and apply this Truth and you will see your life transform in miraculous ways.

James Boehm Every Month A Million The Daily Dose Of Good, and 8K AWeek

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

How to Shift Your Reality in Six Easy Steps

Regardless what we may encounter and experience in life, we have the ability to make the best out of any given situation for ourselves and everyone around us. We have the ability to transform our lives through maintaining inner harmonious integrity of our mind, heart, and gut feelings... and while it's not necessary to be a meditation master to achieve excellent results, it is helpful to start meditating in order to fully know oneself.

Step 1

Clearly Envision Your True Dreams. The first step to success in shifting to a reality you most fully enjoy is to clearly envision what you'd genuinely most wish your life to be like. This is your opportunity to discern the difference between something that "seems like a good idea at the time" and something you'll actually love for a long, long time without later regrets. The difference between living a dream-come-true and a fantasy-come-true tends to be that dreams-come-true are good for lots of people, whereas fantasies-come-true are often enjoyable for a short term before they leave one feeling empty and unfulfilled in deep and lasting ways. If you need help figuring out whether you've really got a dream-come-true in mind, ask yourself how many people will be thrilled for this dream coming true. The more people are genuinely ecstatic, the more likely you've got a genuine dream, and not a flash-in-the-pan fantasy. Start a dream journal by writing down the dreams you envision which most completely thrill and delight you... including pictures, words, and feelings to remind you of your new reality.

Step 2

Get Out of Your Own Way. Much of the reason we tend to get stuck at a certain point in our lives is that we have no concept of how self-limiting many of our assumptions and beliefs actually are. There is a very good reason that we have an expression called, "Beginner's Luck," and that is that most of us can accomplish a great deal if we don't know that such things are impossible. This idea of clearing all negative beliefs, assumptions and self-talk from our consciousness is so powerful that you will see amazing results every time you let go of ideas you have had about how things are "supposed to be" in order to be open to what actually is... seeing possibilities, supporters, and resources with completely fresh eyes and the blessing of a Beginner's Mind. Ask yourself "How good can this get?" and truly open your mind and heart to imagine... anything.

Step 3

Listen to Your Intuition Through Your Body. There is a great deal of wisdom available to you that you may not be fully conscious of unless you learn to listen to it... and it comes to you through feelings you may pick up if you get "cold feet," for example. The best way to shift to a preferable reality is to select a destination that every part of you agrees with, so you are fully and completely harmoniously aligned with the vision of your dream-come-true. If you notice some part of you feeling tense or agitated, take some time to tune those feelings in and ask yourself what you are afraid of. Once you've listened to your genuine concerns and feelings, you can then make an overall assessment regarding whether what you thought you desired is exactly right, or whether it might need a little fine-tuning. This is an excellent time to revise your vision of your dream-come-true, so you can energize it with the full power of every cell in your body and fiber in your being feeling inspired by where your reality next will be.

Step 4

Expect Your Dream-Come-True. By expecting what you most desire, and considering it a "done deal," you can fully relax into a natural state of appreciation for ways you can better be in alignment with the new reality. This means that everything you say, think, and do is now attuned to the fact that you fully expect to be living your dream-come-true... the one that actually is also best for everyone and everything around you. Just like expecting to find a parking spot where you need one, and being delighted to find it just fine -- you do amazing energetic work by expecting that you are now aligned with a completely new-to-you reality.

Step 5

Appreciate Every Moment. Now that you've locked in a clear vision of what you are intending to manifest in your life, and you are expecting that you're on course with this natural transition, the best attitude to maintain momentum here is one of maximum appreciation. Make a point of feeling grateful every day as much as possible... whether you are alone, or with others. Write gratitude lists and put them in your dream journal. At a mastery level of appreciation, learn to find joy and beauty in everything... so that no matter what is happening, you can imagine that this, too, is unfolding exactly as required, even though it may not fully make any sense at this time.

Step 6

Do Something Nice for Someone. Take actions in ways that serve others as they wish to be served; notice what someone needs that you can provide, and offer assistance in kind words, smiles, and actions. Your compassionate interactions with others will tremendously boost your energy level to the point that lots of your internal belief and assumption wiring will be overhauled... and you will find yourself feeling much happier, too. Remember that your most desired dreams-come-true are ones where others are happiest, too, and guide yourself and others forward by looking around every day with true longing to know "How good can it get?"

James Boehm ... 8K A Weeek ... Every Month A Million ... The Daily Dose Of Good

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Ask and You Shall Receive

“Ask and you shall receive. Seek and you shall find. Knock and the door shall be opened unto you.” These words of Christ express a natural law; mainly, the world responds to those who ask. Percy Ross (1917 ~ 2001) describes this profound fact in more playful terms, “The world is full of genies waiting to grant your wishes.” If we only knew what we’re not receiving because we’re not asking, we’d surely change our behaviour.

Those of us who are married or in relationships are so because we ASKED the person of our dreams to share their life with us. So, inherently, we all know that we can realize our dreams merely by asking. And yet, after finding their mate and job, many people stop asking. As a result, they stop receiving. Their dreams are vaporized. Their progress halted. Their happiness stunted.

Why do we stop asking? Mainly because we’re afraid the person we’re asking will say no. Marcia Martin explains why such a notion is foolish: “What I point out to people is that it’s silly to be afraid that you’re not going to get what you want if you ask. Because you are already not getting what you want. They always laugh about that because they realize it’s so true. Without asking you already have failed, you already have nothing. What are you afraid of? You’re afraid of getting what you already have! It’s ridiculous! Who cares if you don’t get it when you ask for it, because, before you ask for it, you don’t have it anyway. So there’s really nothing to be afraid of.”

Another reason for people not asking for what they want is they are afraid that they are unworthy of it. The solution is to make yourself worthy. I may want to get a raise at work, but I am not automatically entitled to one merely because I put in time and carry out my responsibilities; after all, that’s what I am paid for. However, if I do more than I am supposed to and make myself a valuable member of the company, I am worthy of a raise and can now ask for one. If I’m turned down, I can ask for advice on what else I can do to EARN a raise in the future.
So, I have nothing to lose by asking. At the very least, I will gain some knowledge on how to better my chances in the future, as well as impress my superior with my ambition.

We have to learn from our children and pet dogs and cats. Don’t they live by the principle that it never hurts to ask? We need to do the same. It is essential to realize that we cannot reach our goals without the help of others. Therefore, we must ask them for their help. True, we may not get what we ask for, but we will NEVER get what we don’t ask for!

To start getting more out of life, we need to ask ourselves a series of questions. Questions like, “What do I want that I am not asking for now? What is needed to get what I want? Who can help me get what I need? What are the obstacles I need to overcome? What path of action should I take to overcome these obstacles? What are the worst and best that could happen by asking? What is most likely to happen? What am I waiting for?

Also, prepare the way by following another universal law, which is, “You only receive what you give away.” In other words, before you can expect others to respond favorably to your requests, you have to willingly cooperate with those asking for your help. Be generous and kind. This sets in motion relationships and networks that are predisposed to help you because you are worthy of it.

Need more help around the house from your spouse? Need more training to improve your job performance? Need your neighbor to stop blocking your driveway with his pickup truck? Need your doctor to explain in greater detail what your options are? Need help in doing your school report? Need to have your friend stop blabbing about the things you tell her in private? Accomplish your aims; achieve your wishes, and get what you want out of life by ASKING for it.

To maximize your chances of success, here are some pointers to keep in mind.

1. Explain your need and desire for help. Make a request, not a demand.

2. Accept refusals graciously. Thank them for their consideration. Don’t sulk. As the Russians say, “Ask a lot, but take what is offered.” Show gratitude when they help; show understanding when they don’t.

3. Don’t try to get what you want by manipulation. Don’t try to make the other party feel guilty for refusing.

4. Don’t ask others to do what you can do without their help. Show some initiative.

5. Don’t ask for advice or suggestions if all you want is to have someone agree with your preconceptions.

6. Don’t make unreasonable requests. Don’t ask someone to do what you are not willing to do for them.

7. Don’t ask God, unless you believe He is Santa Claus. God helps those who help themselves. Save your prayers for prayers of thanksgiving.

8. Don’t be vague. For example, don’t tell your coworker she isn’t cooperative enough, but be precise in explaining what you need. For example, “Mary, I need you to come to the meetings on time. And the Month’s End Report must be completed by the 27th of each month. Whenever a problem occurs, tell me about it immediately so we can resolve the difficulty and meet our deadlines.”

9. Many married couples or close friends expect their mate or friend to be a mind reader. Don’t fall into this trap. Others are NOT aware of what is going on inside your head or the emotions you are experiencing. Thoughts such as, “If he really loved me, he would know how I feel” are sheer fantasy. You are capable of an infinite range of desires, thoughts, and feelings. Even the Amazing Kreskin won’t be able to decipher them unless you reveal them. So, don’t hide your thoughts, but share them by asking for what you want.

10. Remain committed to your goals and don’t get discouraged when your requests for help are turned down. You will never lose if you never quit. Just keep trying. The stakes are high and your efforts will be rewarded, sometimes in ways that are not immediately obvious.

Asking for what you want doesn’t mean you will get everything you ask for. But it does mean you will get MORE out of life. Imagine the tragedy of the many things that are lost simply because we are not asking for them. So, let ’s reach out and grab the fruit of life, the many rewards that are ours just for the asking!

James Boehm Every Month A Million and the Daily Dose Of Good

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Practice Gratitude Exercises To Transform Your Life

Follow these steps to develop an attitude of gratitude. THE best way to raise your vibration and attract what you desire.

I can't emphasize enough how important it is to practice gratitude when you are following your path to personal development growth.

You should think of it not only as a tool for transformation but as a way of life.

Now, if you have wrapped your mind around the fact that we are all energy then you realize there is no separation and we are all connected. Everything is energy with it's own rate of vibration that attracts things of like vibrations to it. That of course includes our thoughts. And thoughts and feelings of gratitude are some of the most powerful and they allow for great positive shifts to occur.

The Top 2 Ways To Practice Gratitude

#1. BE THANKFUL IN ADVANCE: It has been said that the most powerful form of gratitude is the kind which you express in advance of your actual experience. The expression of faith that this requires allows for the most effective type of vibrational shift.

#2. FIND THINGS TO BE GRATEFUL FOR IN BAD SITUATIONS: Focus on someone you have a conflict with or on a negative emotional situation in your life. You then look for things to be grateful for in those situations. They may not be obvious, but they are ALWAYS there.
Be grateful... that you only have to deal with this person once a month, that if it weren't for this situation - you wouldn't have met a new friend, that this situation now offers an opportunity for growth...

A newer, more positive energy will come from this especially since you had to look deeper into yourself to find the gratitude.

Other Ways To Practice Gratitude

KEEP A GRATITUDE JOURNAL:

It's a good practice to take 10 minutes a day to write down things you are grateful for and that bring you joy. They can be big or small as long as you tune into the feelings of gratitude for having them in your life right now.

Be grateful for: a stress-free commute to work, a call you got from an old friend, a delicious meal, a hug from your child, a compliment you received from your boss, a great night's sleep, an invigorating workout...

DO A GRATITUDE WALK:

As you're strolling with the kids, walking the dog, or doing your chores, look around and rattle off as many things as you can think of to be grateful for. Tell the Universe out loud what you love about your life.

Watch this video and get an idea of the things you can be grateful for. http://www.law-of-abundance-living.com/

BUY A GRATITUDE ROCK:
This is something I first saw in The Secret movie. Find a special rock and keep it with you throughout the day and let it remind you to state something you're grateful for whenever you touch it. A fun new site called MessageRocks.com offers hand-picked smooth ocean rocks with inspirational messages etched into both sides. Press & hold for a 3-D view and take a look.

CLICK HERE TO SEE AFFIRMATION VIDEOS


WRITE A GRATITUDE LETTER:

Write a mock letter to someone very important in your life who would be excited for your news. Tell them how grateful you are about this wonderful thing that has happened in your life. Doing this exercise will bring about intense emotions and will put you in a joyful, grateful vibration.

""Hi Julia, The most exciting thing happened to me... I couldn't wait to tell you about it. I went to the gym a few weeks ago and was working out and got to talking to the girl next to me. I told her about the new web business that I just launched and she was so interested that she interviewed me for a local newspaper article. It created tons of traffic to my website and I made some big sales too. I am SO grateful that I met her that day.""

TIP: You can even write this "as if" that something happened to try and attract it into your life.

Just make sure you practice gratitude every day. Create a routine that's easy and sustainable.
When it comes to creating and experiencing the kind of life you want, it's a law of the Universe that it will always deliver in the right time for the right vibration of your body.

So if you practice gratitude, you will energetically raise your vibration and speed up the process of attracting what you desire.

There is truly NO BETTER WAY to do that than when you are in a state of gratitude.

James Boehm Every Month A Million and the Daily Dose Of Good

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Top 7 Steps to Make Your New Year’s Resolutions Happen

There's still time to get your resolutions rolling... The first of the year gave you a blank piece of paper on which to write the next year of your life. New Year’s resolutions anyone?

The holidays may have widened your hips or piled on the credit card debt. That's why people say things like, "This year I'm definitely going to get back into my skinny jeans." Or, "I’m going to get rid of my debt and start saving once and for all." These declarations may give you an initial boost of inspiration, but most of them will soon disappear. In fact, studies show that most people's New Year’s resolutions have dropped away by February.

So what can you do to beat the odds? How can you really make your New Year’s resolutions happen? These 7 steps work to accomplish a resolution or any goal. Apply them this year, starting today, and make your resolutions come true!

1. Ask yourself: "What do I want to accomplish this year?"

As you look toward the year in front of you, what do you really want to accomplish? If you actually made your New Year’s resolutions happen, what would you gain? Look to key areas of your life for inspiration—career, family, health/fitness, money or romantic relationships. As I stated in the How to Set Goals That Stick Special Report, "Imagine that you’ve already completed the coming year with satisfaction and ease. What are you most proud of? What thrilled you the most?" From there, come up with ideas for your yearly goals.

If you’re drawing a blank, think about what you dislike in your life. On the career front, do your work hours stretch into the evening? Do you want to stop missing out on family dinners and outings? From a health/fitness point of view, are you tired of feeling low energy every day? Are the daily trips to the office vending machine taking their toll? Frustration and dissatisfaction can be great motivators for change.

By viewing what you want to move toward, or sorting through what you want to move away from, come up with several possible goals. Then narrow down your list and pick one to three final goals. Make them important. If you could only achieve three things this year, what would they be?

2. Ask why? Why did you pick these goals?

What's behind them? Connect to what's really driving you. As I said in my Special Report, "Set meaningful goals, not just any old goals." What goals would be meaningful to you this year? Be as specific as possible.

For example, if you want to save money, go beyond saying, "I want to save money because it would be great to have some extra cash." Wanting more money for the sole sake of having more money isn’t meaningful enough to keep most people going. Connect to something deeper. What's behind your desire for more money? Here’s one possibility: "I've always wanted to own a home. It’s time to take action toward that dream. I'm tired of renting and I want to lay down roots for my family. I also want to move to a nicer area that is safe and close to good schools for my children. I will use the money I save this year toward a down payment. I can definitely cut back on spending to buy a house!" When you clarify the "why" behind what you want you’ll feel much more driven and connected to your goal.

If you have no idea why you want something, dig deeper. Ask, "Why is this important to me? What would I get out of that? What would my family/friends/coworkers get out of that?" You can also ask another person or coach for insight.
If you keep coming up with nothing, maybe you need to reconsider whether you want that particular goal at all. Create a goal that has some passion behind it. Give yourself reasons to strive toward your aspirations.

3. Follow the "do what by when" formula.

Most New Year’s resolutions fail because they remain vague or wishful. Goals such as "I want to lose weight" aren’t tangible and will be difficult to make happen. If weight loss is a goal of yours (and you already know why you want to weigh less), make it specific. For example, "I want to lose 20 pounds by May 30, 2008." Using the "do what by when" formula clarifies exactly what you intend to do (lose 20 pounds) by a specific month, day and year (May 30, 2008). Then you can measure your success every time you jump on the scale.

Speaking of measuring, make sure you can count, measure or touch your progress. The above weight goal, for example, can be measured in pounds—20 to be exact. How will you know when you've met your goal? Define it in a measurable way. Do you want a promotion of 10% or 20% this year? Do you want to save $1,000 or $10,000? How much money do you need to earn each month to pay your bills? Without ways to measure your goals, they remain wishes.

Financial advisor and founder of Insideout Investing, Anna Choi, says, "You can manifest your goals better when they are specific, measurable, time-bound and achievable." To do that, apply the "do what by when" formula to quantify your goals. Then, to make those goals achievable, do the "rubber band" test.

4. Do the "rubber band" test.

The trick is to set ambitious goals that will stretch you without making you “snap.” In the November 2007 article, ''Top 3 Must-Do’s Before the New Year," I said, "Like a rubber band stretched between two fingers, the goal should have the right mix of tension and flexibility. Put enough stretch in your goal to make it enticing yet with a touch of slack to make it doable." Setting a challenging goal will encourage you to try harder and to go for it.

Anna Choi agrees, "It's important to set a goal you believe can happen. But it also has to be a stretch goal, versus a goal so ridiculously huge you feel deflated even looking at it." Peak performance comes from doing something tough but possible given your time frame.

A common New Year’s resolution is to learn a new language. But unless they are multi-lingual or languages come easily, most people won’t achieve this in a year. Try something more doable, such as “to attend Spanish 1 and Spanish 2 at the local community college by December 31, 2008.” You’ll still be working toward your long-term goal of being fluent by allowing yourself to get started. Overly lofty goals will have you giving up at the starting line. Ambitious goals will give you a challenge but allow you to get going right away.

5. Put your goals in writing.

Have you written down your goals for the New Year? If you haven’t, you're not alone. Research shows that in the U.S. fewer than 1% of people write down their goals. Why is this important? A noted 1953 study at Harvard University evaluated how many graduates had clear, specific goals in writing and supported with an action plan. Although the classmates being assessed were obviously bright, very few of them set goals. In fact, only 3% of graduates put their goals in writing.

What happened to this 3%? When questioned 20 years later, it turned out that this small group had had greater success than the rest. Those 3% of graduates who had put their goals in writing had built greater fortunes than the entire remaining 97% of alumni.

Taking a moment to put your goals in writing is worth it. Try it yourself. Put pen to paper (or fingers to key pad). The act of writing will cement your goals in your mind. It can also help you clarify your goals, think about them in a new light and direct your energy toward ways to make them happen. Display your written goals somewhere visible and review them daily. Post them on the corner of your computer desktop and put them on your refrigerator. Keep them alive and create a plan around each one.

6. Create a plan.

You know what your goals are. They’re clearly written with deadlines. Now go beyond wishes and hope to put meat on each of your goals with a solid plan. Your plan answers the question: "How will I make this happen?" For example, if your goal is to save $10,000 by October 31, 2008, set a plan for saving $1,000 per month. What systems will you put in place to achieve this? Will you have the money automatically deducted from your paycheck and deposited into your retirement account? Will you cut back on buying clothing or eating out to reserve cash for savings?

Create milestones for each month. What’s the main thing you want to accomplish toward your goal in January? in February? in March? Then break each month down further. Underneath those milestones define specific actions needed to achieve them. Map out exact steps that are time-bound within the month. Put them in your schedule.

Celebrate small achievements along the way. If you've saved $2,000 by February (and have never saved money before), bravo! Take time to toast your progress. Let yourself know that you’re on track and let that progress motivate you to keep going. Getting even one dollar closer to your goal is better than adding one more dollar to your debt.

7. Take action… right away.

The most important thing is to begin. Never leave a planning or goal-setting session without taking at least one tangible action. Without action, your goals can’t take flight.

You’ve selected your top one to three goals for the year. You know why they are important in your heart of hearts. You've committed them to writing, and you have a plan. Way to go! Now keep going. Take that final step—action.

Start right away with at least one action you can take toward your goal today. Consider the goal "to lose 20 pounds by May 30, 2008." What small step can you take today toward that goal? For example, you schedule your first appointment with a trainer. Or you go to the gym for 30 minutes. Or you take a brisk 20-minute walk. Pick something so easy it would be almost impossible to fail. Stand up and take that single action.

Use your plan to plug action into your yearly, monthly, weekly and daily schedule. Look for consistent blocks of time when you can work toward your goal. It takes discipline. Life will get in the way. But staying the course will let you reap the rewards. Successful people know this. That’s why they make it a priority to focus and act on their goals regularly. You can do it too. When you arrive at your destination you’ll feel a great sense of satisfaction in your focused effort to make your goal happen.

James Boehm Every Month A Million and the Daily Dose Of Good.

Monday, January 4, 2010

Make your New Year's Resolution happen!

Want to make your New Year’s resolutions actually happen next year? This article will show you how to turn your New Year’s resolutions into goals and achieve them.

New Year’s resolutions are a great way to move your life ahead. They give you hope for the New Year plus direction for your life. New Year’s resolutions seem to bring out more creative, adventurous ideas, than if we told ourselves to make a list of goals for next year. In fact many more people make New Year’s resolutions than set goals. 32% of people 54 years old and up make New Year’s resolutions, and for the 18 to 34 year old group the figure is 57%. Whereas only about 5% of the population regularly set goals. Unfortunately, most New Year’s resolutions fall by the wayside within a week.

You had some great ideas for New Year’s resolutions, so how do you stop them from falling by the wayside?

The first step is to write all of the New Year’s resolutions down and analyze them. Are any of them conflicting, such as making more money versus taking more time off? Next look at them and ask if they are really achievable. Do they call for physical feats you can never match? Do they seem silly now that you see them written out? So cull out the resolutions don’t past muster so far. Now you have a list that you can work with.

Next make sure you don’t have more than five resolutions on your list, as more than that will probably dilute you efforts. Concentrate only on the highest priority items.

The next step is to rewrite the resolutions into goals, as be as specific as possible. It is safe to call them goals now, as the part where we need to be the most creative in generating ideas for objectives is past. You had a resolution to make more money next year, so exactly how much do you want to earn next year, when will you earn it, how will you earn it, where will you earn it and so on. Make sure every goal is totally clear and it gives you some stretch, yet is still achievable. .

Once the goal is clear, look at the goal and make sure it is measurable, so you can track your progress, through feedback and then adjust accordingly.
Next you need a plan for each of the goals. Break down the steps needed to be done, in the order they are to be done. Once again, be specific, list who will do what and when. It also helps to assign a dollar and time budget to the steps so you understand what is involved.

Here is the biggest step. Take Action. Start to work you plan.

Once the plan is underway, start to measure your progress and correct what you need to as you move along.

As you move along on your plan, use affirmations as visualization to help you keep motivated. Affirmations are positive statements, starting with “I am” that describe you achieving your goal.

For instance if your goal is to make $100, 000 next year, each day, say out loud “I am a person who is earning $100,000 this year. Visualizations are guided daydreams showing you actually attaining your goal and should also be done daily.

Take setbacks in stride; turn them into comebacks by learning what went wrong, making adjustments and moving on. Don’t give up on a goal, if your timetable is thrown off. It the goal is still something you want, just believe it is better to achieve success late, than never at all.

While having New Year’s resolutions and goals are great, and achieving them is even better, there is an even better reason for setting them. The major reason for setting a goal is for you to become the person that can accomplish it. How you become a better person will always be of far greater value than what you get. The ultimate reason for setting goals is to become the person that will achieve them.

So start listing your New Year’s resolutions right now, regardless if you have been naughty or nice this year. You are on your way to making next year, your dream year. Happy New Year.

James Boehm Every Month A Million and the Daily Dose Of Good.