10 Simple Steps to a Happier You - First 5

How to bring a little bliss in your life using the acronym GREAT DREAM

Vanessa King

Follow these 10 steps—an easy acronym, GREAT DREAM—to sprinkle some happy into your life and the lives of others.

1. GIVING

Do things for others.

Caring about others is fundamental to our happiness. Helping other people is not only good for them and a great thing to do, but it also makes us happier and healthier, too. Giving also creates stronger connections between people and helps to build a happier society for everyone. And it’s not all about money—we can also give our time, ideas and energy. So if you want to feel good, do good!

What are your most important goals?

2. RELATING

Connect with people.

Relationships are the most important overall contributor to happiness. People with strong and broad social relationships are happier, healthier and live longer. Close relationships with family and friends provide love, meaning and support, and increase our feelings of self-worth. Broader networks bring a sense of belonging. So taking action to strengthen our relationshipsand create new connections is essential for happiness.

Who matters most to you?

3. EXERCISING

Take care of your body.

Our body and our mind are connected. Being active makes us happier as well as being good for our physical health. It instantly improves our mood and can even lift us out of a depression. We don’t all need to run marathons; there are simple things we can all do to be more active each day. We can also boost our well-being by unplugging from technology, getting outside and making sure we get enough sleep!

How do you stay active and healthy?

4. APPRECIATING

Notice the world around you.

Ever felt that there must be more to life? Well, good news, there is! And it’s right here in front of us. We just need to stop and take notice. Learning to be more mindful and aware can do wonders for our well-being in all areas of life—like our walk to work, the way we eat or our relationships. It helps us get in tune with our feelings and stops us dwelling on the past or worrying about the future, so we get more out of the day-to-day.

When do you stop and take notice?

5. TRYING OUT

Keep learning new things.

Learning affects our well-being in lots of positive ways. It exposes us to new ideas and helps us stay curious and engaged. It also gives us a sense of accomplishment and helps boost our self-confidence and resilience. There are many ways to learn new things—not just through formal qualifications. We can share a skill with friends, join a club, learn to sing, play a new sport and so much more.

What new things have you tried recently?

http://www.success.com/article/10-simple-steps-to-a-happier-you

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I will the next 5 on Thursday... Keep an eye on the blog feed.

In Order to Change Your Life, YOU NEED TO LEARN THIS FIRST! (Eye Openin...

Don't think in the PAST. State of being....
Think Greater than how you feel, how else will you change your future?

If You Struggle With Follow Through, You Must Watch This

Who else needs this in their life?

How to Make Others Feel Significant

What can you do for the special people in your life?

Tony Jeary

 

There’s a big difference between appreciating people and making them feel significant. Of course, you want to appreciate others. But even more than that, you need to make those important people in your life feel that they matter.

Success—both personally and professionally—is hard to achieve without others who fill gaps for you and support you. There is rarely an exception to this. Think of people in your life. Who has really impacted your career and your family? Do you make those people feel as if they’re irreplaceable? Do you brag on them in the presence of others? Do you give them credit for all they do for you? Do you ask for their opinions on things important to you and to the success of your company? Do you tell them how much you value their advice? Are you interested in the things they care about?

I have a note on my phone where I’ve written the names of the special people in my life. Next to their names, I noted what’s most important to them. By understanding their needs, I can help them win. When I help them win, I show them how valuable they are to me.

What are you doing to make your clients feel special and significant? I have what I call the “black card” standard of services that comes with special treatment. We pick up our clients and drive them to our meetings, create a spa-like atmosphere in the restrooms, have an outside lounge where people can gather at break times, offer healthy snacks and drinks, print their boarding passes, and sometimes even wash their vehicles if they’ve driven themselves. We want our clients to feel like we are their concierge service; this is one way we show them that they really matter to  us.

How about your family? Do you go the extra mile to make your spouse and children feel important to you? Do you listen to them, value their input, compliment them often and do special things for them? I take thousands of pictures of my family every year and spend hours putting together albums on CDs so we can enjoy the memories together. When family members see how much time I put into these albums, they know how much they matter to me. I take them on vacations and go out of my way to make every birthday and milestone event special. People blossom when they feel loved.

How can you do the same for the people you care about?

http://www.success.com/article/how-to-make-others-feel-significant

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Be on the lookout for my blog next week, where I will reveal 10 Simple Steps to a Happier YOU...

Stop Focusing on Others (One of The Most Motivational Video Ever)

Don't Listen at this if you don't have time to Listen to the END
Say YES to your Life, YES to your Dreams!
Make this your decade....

John C. Maxwell

6 Ways to Embrace an Abundance Mindset

1. Strive for personal success.

Discover your gifts. What do you have to offer the world? What’s uniquely yours to give? Amass your wealth (and remember, I’m not just talking about money) so you can dole it out to others.

2. Share your accomplishments.

If you achieve a victory at work, will you claim the glory or recognize others who have contributed toward the goal? If you discover a more efficient procedure, a better way of doing business or a new strategy, will you keep it under wraps or shout it out to others on your team?

3. Offer encouragement.

A kind word is a gift. Sometimes we feel like we have nothing to give, but we can always conjure up a statement of support. Who knows? Your words might inspire someone to take the next step in his or her journey.

4. Stay connected.

There’s nothing wrong with working your way to the corner office. In fact, I encourage your aspirations. But as you sit at the top, don’t lose sight of the pressures and challenges that people on different levels of the economic ladder face. What can you give to them?

5. Think like a servant.

We’re wired from the time we’re kids to protect our own self-interests—to be the best athlete, the top scholar, the class president, whatever. Rarely do we think about being the team playeror the teacher—someone like Bollerman—who sacrifices his or her wants, needs, fame or fortune so that someone else might excel.

6. Consider the ocean.

"When you stand on the beach and watch the waves hit the shore, do you think there’s any end to the water? That’s how the abundance mindset works"

 When you stand on the beach and watch the waves hit the shore, do you think there’s any end to the water? There is, of course, but we can’t comprehend it, so we think seawater is endlessly abundant. You would never deny a bucketful to a child building a sand castle because you can refill that bucket again and again. That’s how the abundance mindset works. You give away praise, recognition, ideas, knowledge and money because you know there’s plenty to go around. What you give away will come back to you a thousand times over. I guarantee it.

http://www.success.com/blog/6-ways-to-embrace-an-abundance-mindset

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Enjoy your Tuesday...

Tony Robbins: SELF DISCIPLINE (one of the best motivational videos ever)

Who do you spend your time with?
Feed your mind everyday! Just 7 days....
Awesome week evryone

How to Find Greatness Within Yourself | David Goggins | Goalcast

Flush the crap out!!!

REMEMBER: Be the best you can be - Fabulous Weekend....

Do These 4 Things to Avoid Losing Your Mind as an Entrepreneur

Amy Anderson

Sanity 101

To rescue my sanity and my suffering relationships (an overworked entrepreneur does not make a fun girlfriend), I took a full-time job again. For the next several years, I had the honor of serving as managing editor and then senior editor of SUCCESS magazine.

I kept my business going part-time while I learned from some of the most successful entrepreneurs, innovators and achievers in the world. Slowly, I realized that one of the most important missing ingredients in my business had been scalability.

Before working at SUCCESS, I had never even heard the term “scalable.” Now I know that creating a business model that is capable of growth (scalable) is essential to its success and to the business owner’s sanity, whether that business stays a solo operation or not.

This plan for growth means different things to different businesses. Essentially, as the amount of work grows, you must have a system or structure in place to accommodate that work. Otherwise, you’ll overload the existing resources—and by resources, I mean you.

If you’re sighing right now because you know the feeling of overwork, this is what I want you to pay attention to: It’s not too late to create a plan for growth.

Here are four steps to determine how much further you can go at this level of scalability before losing your innovative little mind:

1. Write down the number of hours you’re spending on your client work each week. Then write down the number of hours you’re spending on administrative or other work related to running your business. Total them. If you don’t know these numbers, keep a log for a week.
2. Ask yourself how much more you can handle. Be honest. Do you have another hour in your day or would adding more work require skipping a lunch break? Missing meals and losing sleep are not sustainable business practices.
3. Analyze your marketing. Do you get clients from your website? From social media? From an online job site? How many and how fast do they come in?
4. If you continue to acquire new business at the same rate, calculate how soon you will crash and burn. How much longer before your workload overtakes your ability to function as a healthy human?

In my case, I had met my breaking point a few years earlier, so I had to start with a completely new structure: a relaunch.

When Not to Listen to the Experts

After I left the world of the employed and relaunched my business, I created a new business plan, established an LLC, and committed to working under an entirely different structure—a scalable one.

Immediately I had several clients—a combination of people who had been working with me for years and new folks who found me through referrals. Within six months, my relaunched business had made more than I earned in my last year as a full-time solopreneur.

And I didn’t even have a website yet.

Every expert out there told me to get a website. And I ignored them. I set aside what is usually the first order of business and just ran my rapidly expanding operation.

We grew quickly for a number of reasons: Yes, my previous work at SUCCESS and the Emmy Award on my shelf played a part in that. You can’t discount your experience and skill level. But I also had learned how to create client relationships that inspired loyalty and those all-important referrals, as well as how to hire, delegate and outsource so I was my most productive and effective self.

I held off on creating an online presence for over a year.

Despite the advice of many startup experts, I didn’t brand myself online. I didn’t advertise or publish or work any SEO magic because I wasn’t ready for any more clients than I already had.

I spent the first year of my relaunch working on systems, processes, teams and goals that would help us prepare for future growth. And I’m so glad I did.

Could I have put up a website and figured out how to handle the new clients we got as a result? Sure. But I knew from experience that in the process I might also have worked myself to the point of burnout.

Instead, we scaled slowly and steadily. Our revenue has increased 20 percent each year in a way that hasn’t cost me (much) sanity.

Here’s the point: Just because someone tells you the first step to start a business is to put up a website or seek funding or write a book or whatever, doesn’t mean you should automatically follow that advice.

The first step is one that only you can determine because it’s based on your vision for your business.

Yes, ask for help. Read what the experts say. Research your options. And ask for help again.

But in the end, listen to your gut. Create the business you want, on your terms and in your time. You’ll reap far greater rewards than revenue.

http://www.success.com/blog/do-these-4-things-to-avoid-losing-your-mind-as-an-entrepreneur

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It is not easy, but it is worth it....

How To Be Happy With Your Own Body | Ashley Graham | Goalcast

Be real, be your own roll model

4 Ways to Find Passion and Purpose in Your Life

Mark D. Langford

 

1. Dig deep.

Ask questions instead of creating conclusions. Questions lead to growth and expansion; conclusions lead to dead ends. Ask yourself: What am I thinking? What else is possible? Would I love this? And simply: Why?

2. Map your future.

Create a “passion plan” comprised of three lists: Companies that pique your interest, job descriptions that sound like fun and specific functions you would enjoy from job descriptions. Then, determine where to look, what additional training you might need, which companies to contact and what people to add to your network.

3. Do the 40/20.

Structure your time so that you work 40 hours, but budget 20 additional hours outside of your job to:

• Assemble your passion plan.
• Develop and refine your brand (LinkedIn profile, résumé, etc.).
• Network and talk to everyone. Take bold actions like making the calls you’ve always feared and developing ways to stand out from the crowd.

4. Look at the big picture.

Identify patterns and themes in your life. What have they prepared you to do? What do others come to you for advice about? What comes as easily to you as breathing but is a struggle for others?

Most important, make life about always being true to who you are and not who or what family, friends, teachers and society tell you that you should be. Only then will you find your passion. The more aligned your thoughts and beliefs are to your purpose and passions, the easier it becomes to make decisions, set and achieve goals, and keep “work sickness” from infecting your life.

http://www.success.com/blog/4-ways-to-find-passion-and-purpose-in-your-life

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...It's al about the PASSION!!!

How a Life of Autism is a Heartwarming Inspiration to Us All - Paul Morr...

Learn to Understand - There is a place for all of us and enough for all!!!

Being Weird is a Wonderful Thing - Ed Sheeran

Only you can be the best version of YOU!!!

Have a blast of a weekend everyone....

5 Easy Ways Entrepreneurs Can Reduce Stress and Recharge Daily

Jonathan Herric

As Stephen Covey says in his book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, you have to “sharpen the saw” if you want to cut more wood and increase productivity in the long run. Give yourself a much-needed boost with these simple activities that will charge your internal battery every day.

1. Get virtual help.

With a million little things that can eat up all the time in an entrepreneur’s day, a simple and easy way to reduce stress is to outsource some of those more mundane tasks. Make more time for yourself by hiring a virtual assistant like Drift, Clara or x.ai to field questions and handle follow-ups and appointment setting.

If you opt for Clara, your cyborg virtual assistant—part algorithm, part human—will use artificial intelligence to reply to your emails within minutes, even into the wee hours of the night. Clara communicates solely via email, handling time-sucking interactions and setting up meetings, calls, and even lunch or coffee dates on your calendar. And if you don’t like her name, you can rename her. The company keeps human helpers in the loop, too, who will step in when her algorithms can’t handle a complicated email or situation.

Amy Ingram is the name of x.ai’s virtual assistant, and she’s received excellent reviews for her friendly demeanor. Amy’s competence and positive attitude puts her clients so at ease that one said he finds himself being polite to her when requesting that she schedule appointments for him.

2. Exercise.

Just moving your body—whether it’s going for a stroll or doing high-intensity cardio—helps release tension, and it has the added benefit of releasing endorphins. If you pick physical activities you enjoy, you’ll be more likely to stick with them.

I love running with my dog, Finley, lifting weights and shooting hoops at the gym. Doing these exercises doesn’t feel like drudgery to me, and having a few in rotation keeps me from getting bored.

In addition to the obvious health benefits, burning extra calories on a regular basis helps you better deal with anger and stress. Researchers found that an exercise routine provides an outlet for negative emotions, which is why active people are less likely to project work-related anger or frustration onto their loved ones.

If not for your own sense of well-being, exercise for your nearest and dearest. Even a long walk at lunch can help you reap these rewards.

3. Spend time with family.

In stressful times, it’s so important to get back to the “why” behind your business. The best way to do that is to spend time with the people you’re building a business for, or those who gave you the confidence, inspiration and support you needed to become an entrepreneur.

Try a family dinner to reconnect. Eating together improves relationships, and a home-cooked meal is generally healthier than takeout. One way to double your benefit is by playing games with your family or friends. Pick a physical game to improve your health or a board game to challenge your mind.

4. Give back.

There’s an old adage that do-gooders sleep better at night, but a recent study has actually shown this to be true. Participants were surveyed about their sleep quality, as well as their feelings about having purpose and meaning in life. Those who felt purposeful slept better and had fewer instances of sleep-related health problems, such as sleep apnea or restless leg syndrome.

Getting involved in your community also gives you an intrinsic boost that keeps you going when you get bogged down. Put those skills that make you successful in your career to use, and exercise a sense of purpose.

I’ve personally found meaning in coaching youth sports, using my leadership skills to make a positive impact on the lives of others. When I started coaching, it felt great to be a mentor to the next generation of leaders in our community. Years later, I get an extra lift when I run into my former players and they call me Coach. It’s a vivid reminder that giving my time makes a difference, which keeps my battery charged.

5. Connect with other entrepreneurs.

A little shoptalk is good for you—when you can get out of your bubble, that is. Taking time to get to know other entrepreneurs helps you step back from your own venture and refocus.

Find colleagues outside your company who can relate to your experiences. Other entrepreneurs understand your challenges and will revel in your accomplishments once you get to know each other. Listen to their problems, and don’t be afraid to share your own—it’s a chance to discover not only tried-and-true solutions, but also a healthy outlet for discussing things you can’t tell colleagues or team members about.

Talking with other entrepreneurs can also help improve your business. In fact, the business owners polled in the Future of Business Survey, conducted by Facebook in partnership with the OECD and The World Bank, said that they relied on other entrepreneurs more than Google for learning how to run a business. Joining or even creating your own online and offline communities can spark collaboration and problem-solving innovation.

Starting tomorrow, set your alarm clock a little earlier than usual to take some “me time” in the morning. Whether you read, help the kids get ready for school or make a plan for a small business meetup, this time will be well spent. You’ll be better equipped to face the many challenges of your workday with your internal battery fully charged.

http://www.success.com/blog/5-easy-ways-entrepreneurs-can-reduce-stress-and-recharge-daily

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Hope you are having a Fantastic Thursday....

These 3 Sentences Will Change Your Life - Lisa Nichols

Ask the better questions....!!!

How to Go From Overwhelmed to Motivated in 3 Seconds

What do I need to learn here?

Replace your less productive habits with more beneficial ones to succeed as an entrepreneur.

Larry Alton

If you’re struggling to find success as an entrepreneur, you might want to take a closer look at how you spend your time away from the office. Consider replacing some of your less productive habits with ones with better benefits:

1. Exercise

Working out is good for both the body and the mind. According to various studies, people who exercise 30 minutes a day, five times a week, enjoy better overall brain health, including uplift in mood, reduced stress, increased creativity and clearer thinking. Exercise is the best thing you can do to stay alert and alive while you run your business.

2. Hobbies

Have you ever noticed that some of the most successful people you know also lead rather interesting lifestyles outside of work? That comes largely from the personal pastimes they choose to enjoy. Hobbies are a good outlet for stress and an excellent source of creativity.

3. Learning

Success often means fostering a love of learning. If you want to inspire a love of learning inside yourself, learn something new. Some people like to learn languages; others like to keep up with the latest technological investments. Most learn something that will be useful to them in their careers, such as IT basics. A strong atmosphere of learning new things can help increase personal and business productivity by 37 percent.

With online tutorials, web-based informational courses and apps that offer assistance with just a few taps, you don’t have an excuse not to learn something new.

4. Mindfulness

There’s a reason yoga has become one of the most popular health practices today: Mindfulness can help you relax, improve productivity, facilitate creativity and maintain your general overall well-being.

It’s important to note that practicing mindfulness does not necessarily mean doing yoga or even meditating, though both of those practices will do the job. It could simply mean sitting in stillness for 20 minutes twice a day, or leaning back in your chair, staring up at the ceiling and forgetting the world for 10 minutes.

5. Service

If you’re losing sight of perspective and what matters to you most, take an opportunity to serve the less fortunate. Giving back to your community helps you to think about things besides work, which may enable you to evaluate how to improve your business. It’s the best way to put your life into perspective and reduce the stress that comes from constantly focusing on your own problems.

6. Reading

The best way to stay up to date with the activities of prosperous individuals is to read. Whether you’re keeping up on the latest news, studying a business-oriented self-help book or reading the biography of a successful person you admire, reading can help boost your creativity, improve your thought processes at work and enable you to de-stress after a long day.

7. Family

Take a break every now and then to devote your entire attention to those you love most. For just a few hours a week, stop thinking about the things that happen at work and enjoy what’s going on at home. Healthy, happy and profitable people understand that taking a break with their loved ones keeps them sane as they climb the ladder of success.

http://www.success.com/article/want-to-be-successful-do-these-7-things-in-your-spare-time

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It is ALWAYS about the habits....

How to Heal a Broken Body and a Broken Spirit - Janine Shepherd

"Just build a better you"

Don't Let Others Stop You From Living Your Own Truth | Motivational Vide...

You are UNIQUE...

Fabulous Friday and Weekend!

Do These 7 Things to Get (and Stay) Motivated

The best motivation is self-motivation. Here’s how to get in an inspired state of mind.

Brian Tracy

How do you stay motivated and inspired? How can you keep your passion, your excitement, fired up? By reviewing these self-motivators on a regular basis:

1. Get serious.

Make a decision to go all the way to the top. Up to now, you've thought about it. Up to now, it's passed your mind. But now make up your mind to go all the way to the top, and your life will take off. It's the most extraordinary thing.

Your life is like a shadow going up the dark side of a hill—until the moment you decide that "I'm going to be the best at what I do.” And suddenly you rise into the sunshine, and your life is forever after different—wonderful.

Get serious. Don't fool around anymore.

2. Know your limiting step.

What's your limiting step? What's the one skill area that's holding you back? What's the quality? What's the action? Ask other people. Find out what you need to become good at.

Find out what's keeping you stuck. What is the critical limiting step that's determining your success today?

3. Get around the right people.

Who are the right people? Winners. Get around positive people. Get around people with goals and plans, people who are going somewhere with their lives and have high aspirations. Get around eagles. As Zig Ziglar says, "You can't scratch with the turkeys if you want to fly with the eagles."

And get away from negative people. Get away from toxic people that complain and whine and moan all the time. Who needs them? Life is too short.

4. Take care of yourself.

Take excellent care of your health. That means good diet, good exercise. Everybody knows they should eat better foods, work out regularly and get lots of rest. If you're going to work hard five days a week, go to bed early five days a week.

5. See yourself as the best.

Visualize yourself as the very best in whatever you do—continually. Remember, all improvement in your life begins with an improvement in your mental pictures.

6. Talk nicely to yourself.

Control your inner dialogue and practice positive self-talk. How? Say, "I'm the best." Say it. Say, “I like myself,” “I can do it,” “I love my work.” If you say those things to yourself and you don't believe them, isn’t that lying to yourself? No, that's not lying to yourself—it’s telling the truth in advance. Because it doesn't matter where you're coming from—all that matters is where you're going.

Talk to yourself the way you want to be, not the way you just happen to be at this moment. Remember, you may have gotten where you are today largely by accident. But where you're going in the future is purely by design.

7. Get going.

Move fast. A sense of urgency is the one thing you can develop that will separate you from everyone else. Develop a bias for action. When you get a good idea, do it now.

And the faster you move, the better you get. And the better you get, the more you like yourself. And the more you like yourself, the higher your self-esteem is. And the higher your self-esteem is, the greater your self-discipline is. And the more you persist, then you ultimately become unstoppable.

https://www.success.com/article/do-these-7-things-to-get-and-stay-motivated

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Thunderous Thursday - Re-Inventing all the Time!

CHANGE YOUR MIND AND BECOME SUCCESSFUL - Best Motivational Videos Compil...

A long one, but might be worth the watch....

Have a Wacky Wednesday!

6 Ways to Overcome Entrepreneurial Anxiety

For the sake of your business, learn to cope with the stress.

Katy Trost

In our society, the entrepreneurs who make it big tend to achieve hero status. People look at them and think they have it all together. But many of the most successful leaders in business face challenges similar to the rest of us. Owning a business can be extremely stressful and exhausting. The entrepreneur’s resulting anxiety can be crippling to their business.

Usually stepping back and disconnecting from big issues to calm down is helpful. Try these strategies to cool your nerves:

1. Braindump

Your brain loves holding on to what it thinks is important, which easily causes overwhelm and exhaustion. Take 20 minutes and write down anything that comes to mind, your worries, to do list and everyday tasks. Don’t think, just purge what’s in your head.

2. Meditate

After creating space in your brain from everything that it’s been holding onto, give it a short break from all the thinking. Choose a guided meditation—a clear framework for your thoughts can be very helpful while relaxing your mind.

3. Shift Perspective

Changing how you look at a situation can give you an incredible relief of stress. Ask yourself how you will be looking at your life situation a few years from now. Picture the worst thing that can happen and come to terms with it. Then create a strategy on how you would handle that situation.

4. Celebrate

Instead of focusing on everything that’s going wrong, switch your approach and make a list of all your past and current wins.

5. Simplify

Your brain is wired to solve basic problems. Essentially it needs to decide between a fight or flight response. Create and write down a simple but efficient action plan for the next 30 days, which will leave you with a sense of control and certainty.

6. Take Action

After getting clear on your action plan, execute. Focus on the process of your strategy on a micro level, instead of the bigger picture and vision, which might seem unreachable and intimidating at the moment.

https://www.success.com/article/6-ways-to-overcome-entrepreneurial-anxiety

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I think we've all been there. Re-Invent yourself with these simple principles....

If The Past Is Holding You Back Watch This Now | Lisa Nichols | This Spe...

What would you do if you know you can't fail?

And how big would you play? Will you make the world a better place?

POWERFUL WEEK to ALL!