My Blog

Beyond Our Five Senses

9/22/2021

What if there was more to life than what we could perceive with our five senses?

Well, I used to believe that if I could see, hear, touch, smell or taste it, it was real. And if not, it wasn't.

Throughout the course of my life, the learning I have done and the experiences I have had have led me to believe that there is more to life than solely what our senses can perceive.

What is your take -- is there more out there than what the senses can perceive?

Accountability

8/24/2021

Accountability. We've all heard of this word. But what does it mean in the world of goal setting?

Here's what I've found -- having someone (or more than one person) who checks in with us about the progress we are making toward achieving our goals is helpful.

But why?

It's easy for us to set a goal, and let it slip away if nobody else knows about it. But if others know, we are more likely to follow through.

That said, I believe that if we set a goal, we should ALSO HOLD OURSELVES accountable for making progress and completing it.

How does accountability factor into your life and your goal setting?

Cycles

8/5/2021

Do you ever feel like everything is going well, and then you get into a rut? And that rut lasts for a while, and then back into prosperity you propel?

If you're anything like me, you've experienced this. Perhaps once. Or often. Maybe even somewhat frequently.

Instead of fighting these cycles, it may be instructive to take a step back and observe them. What exactly is happening in them. How are they making us feel? If we find ourselves in an unsatisfactory or undesirable situation, is there anything that we can do to alter it?

By observing the situation without judgement, we can see it with more clarity. And we can gain the wisdom on whether to act, or to remain still and weather the storm. I give credit to a fabulous book -- The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle for influencing the final paragraph of this blog post.

Nonjudgement

7/29/2021

In life, we form opinions. Based on facts. Experiences. And so on.

We listen to others. Almost always through the lens of our own perspectives and experiences. We judge. Usually not consciously. But we judge.

But what if we didn't do that?

It isn't easy, but it's possible. I have been working on this skill. And I have seen some INCREDIBLE results: Transformed relationships. Stronger ties with family. Deeper connections with friends. And the list goes on.

Imagine someone listening to you with their complete attention. Not giving their opinion. Not giving their advice. Just listening. Truly. Deeply. Intently. Have you experienced this? If so, how did it feel?

The Path to Enlightenment

7/21/2021

The mind. It is a powerful thing. It is physically a part of our body. But is it actually a part of us, or separate from us?

Many of us experience pain. Worry. Agony. Suffering. And we look for freedom from these things.

Eckhart Tolle, in his book The Power Of Now, defines enlightenment as the freedom both from suffering and from incessant thinking. He teaches that if we can disassociate ourselves from our mind -- if we can take a step back and view our mind as a separate entity and observe its thinking without opinion or judgement -- we can become fully present, allowing ourselves to enjoy the moment we are in, and with time and practice, resolving the aforementioned issues.

"Being the observer" also applies to our emotions. And by bringing them into our conscious awareness, Tolle believes that they then have the opportunity to resolve themselves.

What do you think?

Attracting What We Want In Life

7/9/2021

I have found that we attract what we think about. It seems to me that people who focus on the negative in life attract more of it. And it appears that positive thinkers attract more positivity into their lives.

Our thoughts are based on our beliefs. And we take actions based on our thoughts and beliefs.

So if we work through this backwards, it makes sense that in order to attract what we want in life, we have to think about it. And in order to think about it in a positive and productive manner, and to believe it is possible to attain/accomplish, our beliefs need to be aligned. So the starting point to manifesting what we want in our lives is our beliefs.

Perhaps that's why our beliefs tend to be our reality. What we believe to be true is our truth. A self-fulfilling prophecy if you will...

A special thank you to the wise Dr. Stevie Dawn Carter -- your teachings inspired this post!

When Does Education End?

6/23/2021

For many of us, our college graduation signals the end of our formal education, but it doesn't have to be the end of our education. And it shouldn't be.

Something I've learned throughout life is the importance of continuing to grow. To keep on learning new things. Whether by reading. Watching. Participating. Or ideally, a combination of these elements.

If we don't do this, we become stagnant. We may miss new opportunities. New perspectives. New ideas.

But if we do, we continue to learn. Continue to grow. And will find new worlds of possibility opening up to us.

What are your thoughts on this?

Are You an Employee or an Employer?

6/9/2021

Here are the two paths that many people's lives follow:

1) working for a company
2) working for themselves

It is interesting to evaluate the pros and cons of each option.

When we work for a company, we can usually rely on a steady salary and benefits. We may have a set schedule -- something some people enjoy and others do not. But if our position is terminated, our entire income, benefits, etc. can vanish overnight. We are relying on something that may seem stable, and while organizations, unions, policies, etc. can contribute to higher levels of job security, if that job disappears, so do our salary and benefits. And if we have relied on that job as our sole source of income, we may be in trouble.

Instead of focusing on just one role, if we take the entrepreneurial route, we can have many. We can think of, create, and roll out many programs to create multiple streams of income. And some of it may be accomplished without us having to put in additional time to earn it once it's been setup -- passive income. If one stream of income gets diminished or eliminated entirely, there are likely still others bringing money in. Setting our own schedule usually comes along with this path. If we choose the entrepreneurial route, we do take on a good deal of risk. Success isn't guaranteed and there is a lot to learn. This route does NOT come with a stable salary and benefits.

Our personality, lifestyle, goals, and more will influence which path we choose. Maybe some folks will choose both! Which path seems like a better fit for you?

Thank you Robert Kiyosaki -- your book, Rich Dad Poor Dad, has allowed me to think about these ideas in more depth, process them, and share this post with the world!

Money Mindset

6/2/2021

Our attitude toward money MATTERS.

Most of us don't get a formal education on money in school. So, most of us end up learning about it from our social circle -- friends, family, and so on.

In order to generate true wealth in our lives, we must BELIEVE it is possible -- and this concept applies to ALL forms of wealth, not just financial.

If we believe we need to work hard at a salaried job and save money all our life, then that's most likely the path we'll take.

And if we believe that the path to wealth is finding creative ways to add value to others, then it's likely that we will follow this path.

What do you believe about money? Have you considered any other thoughts or perspectives on the topic that could challenge your current money mindset?

Prioritization & Why It Matters

5/26/2021

So, we're all busy. But you already knew that.

And being BUSY doesn't necessarily mean being PRODUCTIVE. Or PROFITABLE.

Many of us have a task list that is overwhelming to look at. So how do we prioritize?

I believe that it is helpful for us to ask ourselves the following questions:

- Is this task aligned with my mission and vision?
- Is this task aligned with my values?
- What kind of impact is this task going to make on my business, my job, and/or my life?
- Do I feel that this task is leading me in the right direction?
- Is this task worth my time?
- How important is this task?
- When does this task need to be completed by (if ever)?

Answering these questions can help us evaluate our task list, and prioritize accordingly!