Excuses, Excuses

I just can't reach my dreams because:

1. I was born into a poor family and so never had a good start in life.
2. I don't have enough talent.
3. I was always told I would never be any good at anything.
4. I am just not that smart.
5. My family (my friends) just won't let me do anything.

That's why my dreams are not coming true, so you see it is not my fault. I will just have to live with it.

Have you ever heard any of these excuses or objections? Of course I know that YOU have never said anything like this right?

Here is a secret:

• Every excuse you can think of is based FEAR. In other words, failure gives in to the paralysis  of fear.
• Every success in life is based in FAITH. Success allowed itself to be inspired and driven by faith.

So what is the answer to the five objections above?


1. I had a difficult start in life
Walt Disney also was born into a poor family. He started out selling newspapers on the corner of the streets.
It is not how you start that matters. It is how you finish, and that is YOUR decision.

2. I don't have enough talent.
Everyone can LEARN anything they WANT to as long as there is enough desire, motivation and determination to stay with it. That is YOUR choice.

3. I was always told I am not good enough.
Everyone was brought up with strong negative influences of some kind. You need to read  Champions Are Born, Losers Are Made. You CAN retrain your brain by surrounding yourself with positive influences. That is YOUR choice.

4. I am not smart enough.
Again you can learn anything you WANT to. With real desire, determination and discipline you can develop any skill in your life you want to. YOU choose.

5. My family and friends won't let me.
So you are listening to the naysayers and allowing yourself to be controlled by them?

Your dream is YOUR responsibility. True desire will find a way. YOU choose to stay in the prison of control, or find a way to fly (and bring your family with you). There is nothing like your success to make believers out of them.

Conclusion: The first step towards stepping out of day dream land and into the reality of achieving your dreams is to:

Accept the fact that your why (your life purpose) and your dreams are your responsibility.

Take courage, and take this step today!

Read more here

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Destroying Negative Imaginations Called Fear

Do you know what the biggest obstacle in your life really is? The one that stops you from living the life of your dreams?

I am sure that several different possibilities may come flashing into your mind. If you stop and analyze each one of them you will find that they all have one root in common: FEAR.

• Fear paralyzes your mind and your emotions.
• Fear stops you from taking action.
• Fear is the greatest hindrance to your dreams.

Those negative imaginations:
When you are faced with a challenge in life, an obstacle or even a crisis your mind may have a tendency to steer towards certain negative imaginations I call the "what ifs".

Here is how they work:
As soon as an obstacle appears in your path, or you receive news about a crisis situation in your life:
Your mind races towards the worst outcome. What if ........ ? Fear hits your emotions like a bomb as you start imagining what could happen in the situation you are facing.

Once fear has hit you, no longer can you think clearly. You are paralyzed. Instead of focusing on solutions, you are dazed into fixing your mind on the problem which is rehearsed over and over in your thoughts.

Sound familiar?

Why does this happen?
You may not like the answer. (I know I did not when I first discovered it).
The answer is, your mind was trained this way over the years. Yes, that's right, your mind is trained to expect the worst.

So how can you change this?

You have to retrain your mind.

Here is something else you may not like, but I trust you will accept as a challenge!
How long did it take you to train your mind to steer towards the negative imaginations? Years right?

So how long WILL it take you to RETRAIN your mind?
This will depend on your determination, daily discipline and dedication to a training program, BUT it WILL take time.

You cannot undo overnight what took years to do, but you CAN retrain your mind.

Retraining your mind:
Make a decision to follow a daily diet of watching strong motivational videos (such as these free ones). You can also find many good ones on YouTube to get started. Simply search for Jim Rohn, John Di Lemme, Tony Robbins, Les Brown.

• Listen to at least one good motivational cd (or mp3) every day. (Download some for free here)
• Read at least 10 pages of a good non fiction book every day. For example Champions Are Born, Losers Are Made. 
• Spend some time every day deliberately fixing your mind on your dreams. Visualize yourself enjoying the lifestyle you would REALLY like to live. Allow yourself to dream BIG.
• Put up strong motivational pictures in your study or den as well as photos of your dream house, your dream car, vacations etc. Make sure they are in a place you can see often during the day.
• Discipline your mind to react to every LITTLE happening in your life by immediately focusing on solutions. (This will train your mind to be ready for the big events).

Remember

What you WATCH feeds your imaginations (the visual side of your mind)
What you listen to and read feeds the logical side of your mind.

You need both.

More articles about fear

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Destroying Low Self Belief - One Huge Cause Of Fear

How many times in life have you wanted to achieve something that you had to step out of your comfort zone to do? You tried, but you just could not make yourself do step out.

What held you back?
Doubt? Negative self talk? Low self belief?

All of these and more may be true, but they can be reduced to just one word:

Fear

Fear is the prison that keeps you from living life and only you have the key to set yourself free. Paul V Harris

Fear will hold you back in life more than most any other thing.

So how can you overcome fear, instead of it overcoming you?

Today we will look at one of the reasons that fear can overcome you.

Low Self Belief
Low self belief will tell you: you are not good enough, you don't have the capabilities, the talent - etc).

Am I right?

Why don't you believe in yourself?
You heard others and yourself talk negatively about you most all of your life. You can't, you'll never be as good as, you don't have enough talent - etc etc.

These are the sorts of things you heard over and over again from a very young age. How do I know?

This world has a default channel that is totally negative. Everyone is influenced by this channel to at least some degree.

So how can you change your belief in yourself?
You have to change what you are hearing, speaking and thinking about YOURSELF.

Yes YOU are your biggest fan. You need to cheer yourself on. YOU CAN DO IT!
And here's a secret: what you think and speak about yourself WILL affect what others say about you.

So here's an exercise for you today:

• Make a DECISION to only listen to positive words about yourself and about others too. 
• Deliberately begin to think and speak positively about yourself.
• Use words such as "I can, I am, I am able to, I have the capacity to, I have the skills to, I have the right to".
• Make sure you are speaking out these positive affirmations out loud! Let your mind and your brain HEAR what you have to say about you.

This will start to displace all of the negative you have heard across the years, and you will soon find yourself believing in yourself.

And here's a bonus, you will discover that once you believe in yourself, fear will have less power in your life.

I believe in YOU.

Read more about fear here.

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Your Life Purpose

Your destiny is your life purpose. You were born with the seed of your destiny in your heart.

Your principle assignment in life is to find your life purpose and fulfill it.

When you fulfill your life purpose, you will have made a difference in this world.

This is your primary purpose in life - to make a difference in this world.

Here is a secret:
When you are living in your life purpose not only will you be making a difference in this world, but YOU too will be incredibly fulfilled. It is an amazing feeling!

This is the overflow.

• You will be greatly blessed.
• You will live in abundance.
• You will be able to achieve every dream you find in your heart.

There is an unbreakable law in this universe.
What you sow you WILL reap.

• If you sow carrots, you will definitely harvest carrots.
• If you sow happiness and opportunities into the lives of others, you will definitely reap happiness and opportunities in YOUR life.

Focus on your life purpose.
Make a difference in the lives of others, and you too WILL be incredibly fulfilled and blessed.

Resources:
Your Life Purpose
Born To Make a Difference
Find Your Why Now

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Why Affirmations Don't Work

Have you ever noticed that when you plant an idea into the mind of someone close to you and then step back, often they will soon think that they thought of it.

Then they take this idea and put it into action to find that it works for them.

Now this idea or thought has become a part of their lives.

This experiment shows you at least two things:

• Your words have a strong influence on those around you.
• Your words are powerful and can inspire others to action.

Now just what are affirmations? Words, right?

So why don't affirmations work for you? Is it not possible for you to give yourself ideas that you can act on by speaking them out?

Yes of course it is. In fact that is the function of affirmations in our lives.

Your brain will respond even better to your own voice than to the voice of others.

So why then AM I suggesting that affirmations don't work.

They do, BUT not by themselves.

They are a part of the complete recipe for success in life.
But you really cannot call just one ingredient a recipe right?

Here are at least two more ingredients that you need to add to your affirmations to ensure that they WILL work.
Conviction. You need to believe what you are declaring. Real conviction includes your emotions.
Action. If you do not add action to your beliefs and words, then they will stagnate and nothing will come of your dreams.

Note: action alone is not enough either. You need the conviction too!
Action alone without the belief or certainty can not be maintained. ~Paul V Harris

Here is the complete recipe:

Your Words plus Conviction plus Action = Your Dreams made possible

There's more here

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Are You Immovable?

Here's a question for you today: 
Let's suppose you set out on a journey destination Dallas, Texas, but on the way you kept following side roads that led to interesting looking towns. When would you arrive in Dallas?

You would not arrive in Dallas UNTIL you stopped taking side tracks and focused on destination Dallas right?

This may sound a little far fetched, but let's consider something that happens all too often in life

You have a destination in life (your life purpose).
Let's suppose that your life purpose is to build a furniture company to great looking space saving furniture.

You set out on your journey to achieve your life purpose, but on the way lots of other super attractive ideas cross your path. You stop and take a look at each one of them. Some of them take days of your time, others may take months. A few lose their attraction after a few hours of research.

But the question really is, what happened to your original destination? Your life purpose, your destiny? How far along the road are you towards really achieving it?

Why have you not made the progress you wished you had have?

You are not immovable!
You allowed yourself to be moved too easily by all those other attractive ideas. Perhaps they could have explored at a later date, but you just HAD to take the time now. Time that was supposed to be dedicated to your FIRST purpose.

Do you get the picture?

The title of this article is; Are you immovable?

Are your eyes fixed on your destination?

• Do you spend your days working towards arriving at your destination?
• Or do you spend your days running around in circles?
• Or perhaps you are running down a different little side road every now and again.

This is today's challenge!

• Choose one destination at a time, and choose it well.
• Fix your eyes and attention on your destination.
• Don't allow yourself to be moved from that path. Be immovable!

Stay on track and you will reach your destination!

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How Strong Is Your Mindset?

Of course before you set your mindset in cement, you want to make sure that it is a mindset that will steer your life in the direction you want to go.

You will not want to strong negative mindset that is always sending negative signals to your body, and causing you to be constantly complaining and whining.

You will want to be sure that your mind is strong AND positive.

A strong positive mindset will:

• Enable you to stay firm and focused on your dream when no one else believes in you or your dream.
• Allow you to move ahead in life despite any obstacle and adversity that may cross your path.
• Keep you motivated to continue learning, training, planning and acting on your plans to achieve your dreams.

How you can strengthen your positive mindset:

• Create a daily plan of personal development.
• Listen to motivational and inspiration audios and videos. This will help you to train your brain and your mindset to believe in yourself and your dream.
• Read at least 10 pages from a non fiction book that will help you to learn more about your field of expertise so that your skills will be constantly increasing.
• Set aside a notebook for the exclusive use of making notes on what you learn every day. This will be your learning journal.
• As you discover nuggets of motivation and tips that you can apply in your life and business, make an action plan that will help you to apply these truths in your life.

Take action on one step of your plan EVERY DAY.

Download some powerful motivational free mp3s and mp4s to listen to and watch.

Make listening to these a part of your daily plan of personal development, and you WILL 

Read more about your strong mindset.

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Building Your Faith

I am sure that you have faced at least one time in your life when you wished that your faith was stronger. Some challenges in life certainly do demand stronger faith to conquer than others.

So just how do you build your faith so you will be READY next time a challenge comes your way?

It all has to do with your daily habits, especially with what you think and what you say.

Now here is a question for you:
If you planted carrot seeds in your garden or plant pot, would you expect to find a lettuce plant growing? Why not? Because very harvest depends on the seed that was sown right?

You sow carrots, you reap carrots.
That is one of those unbreakable laws of life.

You probably laughed at the previous analogy. How ridiculous it is to expect a lettuce plant growing up from a carrot seed right?

A shocking reality:
Do you know that your words are seeds? Yes, everything you think, say and hear is planted into your mind and your brain.

Now here is another question for you:
Is it ridiculous to expect positive results in your life if you are constantly thinking and speaking negative words?

Your words build your faith OR your words destroy your faith - you choose!

I challenge you to take some time to REALLY think
about this last question:
Are you building your faith today?

Read more about Building Your Faith

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Is It REALLY Impossible?

As I grew up I remember my Dad often quoting:

The impossible we do now, miracles may take a little longer.

I have no idea where this quote originates from, but it is very powerful, especially if you live it!

This is truly living a life with no limits.

There are many people in this world who's lives demonstrate that it IS possible to live a life with no limits.

Impossibilities start in the mind. 
The man who says a thing cannot be done is invariably right, for he will never do it.
unknown

These are the folk who refuse to accept impossibilities. The video below is an outstanding example of such a person.

This is a true example of a life without limits.

• Be challenged.
• Be inspired.
• Be blessed as you watch this video and then TAKE ACTION in your life.

Is Lifestyle Freedom For You?

First we need to define what exactly IS Lifestyle Freedom? The answer to this question is actually another question.

What does Lifestyle Freedom mean to YOU? Your definition will be different from mine.

I am working towards enjoying the freedom to live and work on the mission field for as many months in the year as I want to. Your dream may be to spend time at home with your family or to spend 6 months of the year in Europe.

Yes our definitions of freedom are different, BUT the way to achieve it is the same.

Someone said: You have the freedom to choose your actions, you don't have the freedom to choose the consequences of your actions. (Unknown).

This quote is both true and false.

• It is true that you cannot take negative actions and expect positive consequences.
• It is also true that you CAN choose the consequences of your actions, by choosing the ACTIONS you take.
• So you CAN choose the consequences of your actions WHEN you choose your actions.
  

John Di Lemme is often heard saying:
Decisions plus actions = results.

This is the key!

• You make a decision. You decide that you are going to do whatever it takes to achieve the lifestyle freedom of your choice. You decide to develop yourself, train, plan and take the necessary action to achieve your goals.
• You take the action and stay focused and determined until you achieve your goal.
• You WILL see the results.

 Antoine de Saint-Exupery is quoted as saying: I know but one freedom and that is the freedom of the mind.

There is a great truth in this quote. I would add,

"All freedom (or bondage) begins in the mind. You cannot experience true outer freedom before you have inner freedom".

To conclude, the truth is that YES you CAN really achieve Lifestyle Freedom IF you want to.

Strong desire + decision + words, thought and spoken + consistent action taken on those words + disciplined focus on your goals + determination  = freedom.

Liberty is the right to choose. Freedom is the result of the right choice.
Melissa Goodman (photographer)

Read more about Lifestyle Freedom

Photo by Melissa Goodman on Flickr

Are You Focused And Determined?

If you have a genuine desire to achieve your dreams, apply these two attitudes to your life and you will not fail.

Only those who fall AND stay down can fail.

Oral Roberts used to say:
You can't go under for going over.

I like that, don't you?

When you are focused on your life purpose and your dreams, this is you: You can't go under for going over.

In other words, there is no way you can fail, as long as you stay focused and determined. When these attitudes are an integral part of your life, anytime things don't work out as planned you will not count it a failure.

• You will be like Thomas Edison who counted any "failure" as a result. You just found out what does not work.
• Get up on your feet as quick as possible. Only losers stay down.
  
• You are a champion. Champions may trip, but they get up immediately.

It takes determination to get back on your feet.

Take a close look at the expression on this little boy's face. Doesn't he look determined?

He is just getting the hang of riding his bicycle and he is determined to conquer it so he can have fun with it just like the bigger boys and girls. At least that is my guess as to what is in his mind. What do you think?

You need to be focused to win.
He is also focused on one thing, and one thing only. What is that one thing? He is focused on riding his bicycle and staying on it. He is determined to conquer this skill!

• Are you THAT determined to conquer every obstacle on your journey towards achieving your dreams?
• Are you THAT determined to achieve your dreams?
• Are you THAT focused on your goals and your life purpose?

Stay focused on your life purpose and your dreams.
Stay determined to achieve your dreams and you will!

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The Importance Of Your Why

Have you ever left home with no map or sense of direction and without knowing where your destination is?

If you did, how far would you get?

Many of the top successful men and women have been heard to say:

If you don't know where you are going, how do you know you have arrived when you get there?

No, you would not start off on a journey without knowing where you are going.

Here is a question for you:
Are you walking through life's journey without knowing where you are going?

If you are, then you will end up running around in circles, with the same or similar things happening to you over and over again.

This is why it is so important to find your life purpose, (your why). http://mindsetforliving.com/category/life-purpose

When you know your life purpose and you have determined to reach it:

• Your focus will be on where you are going.
• You will have a discipline daily training plan to develop your skills and your mindset.
• Your words, thoughts and actions will be aimed at achieving your life dreams and goals.
• You will have more faith and confidence in yourself and your abilities.
• Your focus on your why will overcome all fear that tries to stop you.

If you don't know your life purpose, now is a good time to find your why.
Here is a FREE CD that will help you!

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Freedom - What Does It Mean To You?

Some define freedom as: Being able to do what you want to, when you want to, with whom you want to.

Others may see freedom as simply being able to spend more time with family and friends.

Whatever YOUR definition of freedom may be, it will certainly include being at peace with yourself in your mind, body and spirit. Without this, there is no real freedom.

Today let's focus on freedom in your mind.

What are the two major obstacles to a free mind?
1. Fear
2. Lack of forgiveness.

Fear paralyzes your mind and consequently your life. Have you ever felt a strong sense of fear and at the same time been able to think clearly? I am sure you have not.

The best way to rid your life of fear is to displace it with faith. Displace means that you put something into a container that may already be full with liquid. Once the new matter is introduced into this container, the liquid no longer fits, and it has to go somewhere right?

Where does it go? It overflows OUT of the container. Here are some articles from this blog, and other blogs that give you some great tips to help you to start displacing fear:
Articles about faith. 
Building Your Faith
Faith from my Journal Notes

Now let's look at forgiveness. Here is a question for you:
What happens in your mind when you have not been able to forgive someone? The thoughts you have towards that person are not positive right? You may be going over and over the situation and rehearsing the pain. Or you may be projecting thoughts of vengeance towards that person.

Do you know WHO these thoughts are really hurting?

Right, it is YOU.

The top key to setting YOUR heart and mind free from lack of forgiveness is to release the other person. That is what true forgiveness is. Release them from your heart and your mind with a simple yet definite decision.

So make this decision and declaration right now:
I am deciding right now to forgive ..... (name that person).

Releasing fear from your mind (by displacing it with faith) is YOUR decision.
Releasing unforgiveness from your mind and life is also YOUR decision.

Both of these start with your decision. Freedom is your decision.

Choose freedom today!

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Persistence - Top Three Benefits

One of the PRINCIPAL keys to success in life is both simple and difficult - persistence.

When I first arrived on the mission field I was told three things:

• You are a liability during your first five years (that's because there is so much to learn and adapt to).
• A large percentage of missionaries do not last their first five years.
• If you managed to stay over five years you automatically (by default) became an "anciana" - (that's an elder or leader, not an ancient one :)

In other words: If you persist, you will achieve success.

As you look into the lives of those men and women we have come to recognize as "great", you will find one key ingredient. They ALL persisted in the face of incredible odds.

For example, Helen Keller said:

We can do anything we want as long as we stick to it long enough. 

Her life most certainly demonstrated this! She was the first deaf blind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts Degree. How much persistence do you think it took her to achieve that?

Helen Keller's life demonstrates that nothing is impossible
for those who will not give up.

Or how about this man who spent his life pushing against the tide of society:

That which we persist in doing becomes easier, not that the task itself has become easier, but that our ability to perform it has improved.  -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

And I have kept one of the best for the last:

Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.
-- Thomas Edison

If anyone has a right to make this statement it is Thomas Edison. We enjoy the fruits of his labors in our daily lives without even thinking about it.

Every time you turn on that light, stop and remember:
I can enjoy light in my room today because Thomas Edison persisted until he triumphed even though it took him 9,999 attempts!

Now make a commitment to yourself and to your dream:

I too will persist until I achieve my dreams. If they could I can and will!

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Dealing With Procrastination

I am sure you have heard it often said: Procrastination is the thief of time.

I grew up hearing this from my Dad and it is definitely a very true statement.

It is equally true that time lost can never be regained.

Of course the best motto to overcome procrastination on the little tasks of life is simply:

Do it now!

Now what about the larger projects? You know those tasks that IF and WHEN they DO get completed may even change your life?

It is more than worth the effort it takes to overcome procrastination in order to complete a project that will lead you to achieving your dreams right? Then you will be able to spend your valuable time doing what you REALLY want to do in life.

What IS the biggest cause of procrastination? Distraction!

Distractions can kill your focus in seconds. 

How can you overcome distractions?

• First, become aware that distractions cross your path as an enemy of your focus and your dream.
• Set aside specific blocks of time during your day when you will focus exclusively on following your daily action plan.
• During these times determine NOT to allow anything to distract you until you have completed at least one step in your plan.
• Take a break,then during your next allocated block of time, repeat this process. Determine NOT to allow anything to distract you until you have completed the next step in your plan.

At the end of the day when you can SEE what you have accomplished you will be glad that you made that determined effort!

But there's more! Persist every day in following your plan to overcome procrastination and you will be so pleased that you stuck with it. Especially now that you are enjoying the fruits of your labor.

Overcoming procrastination does take effort, but it also leads to incredible results in your life!

So take action - do it NOW and
Determine to stay focused as you tackle those larger projects!

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Building Your Strength

Champions train every day to build their strength.

You need strength to:

• Resist the opposition.
• Continue your journey when things get tough and you just don't feel like making the effort necessary to move forward.
• Climb higher. The journey to success is like climbing a mountain there are easy patches and there are difficult patches. Some of the difficult places can be precarious.
• It takes strength to persist and to stay focused.

How can you successfully climb the mountain of success?

• Build your strength every day.
• Build your mental strength by immersing yourself in good motivational and inspirational teachings. Here are some free mp3s and mp4s you can download to get started.
• Build your physical strength with right diet and exercise.
• Build your spiritual strength with prayer and meditation (see Psalm1 in the Bible)

Build your strength every day and you will be fit to make the journey to achieve your dreams.

Remember the Sound of Music? I am sure that you have have seen it at least once.

Remember the song

Climb every mountain, ford every stream, follow every rainbow until you find your dreams.

Keep building your strength every day!

Keep moving forward, keep climbing and you WILL find your dreams.

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Staying Focused

One of the most difficult things to do each day is to FOCUS and then to stay FOCUSED.

In these modern days we are surrounded with SO much information, technology, shiny new objects and loud voices screaming at us from all sides, how IS it possible to stay focused?

First, let''s take a look at what exactly IS focus.
Focus is defined as "the concentration of attention or energy on something".

That word "concentration" suggests that it will take some effort to really be able to focus right? That is very true IF you want to be in control of your destiny.

In order to stay in control of the direction and destiny of your life, you will need to keep your attention fixed on your dreams, life passions, the goals and action plans you have set.

This WILL take effort. If you do not make this effort, you will be tossed around by all of the external influences that cross your path. Your concentration will suffer.

The day you stop making a determined effort to stay focused, is the day that you will be tossed around by all of the influences that cross your path.

It is easier to maintain than to regain!

It will take more effort to regain your concentration on your goals that it does to maintain it each day.

How to maintain your focus:

• Take some time every evening to plan your next day.
• Take some time each morning to prepare yourself by reading, listening to or watching some good motivation teachings. You can download some good free mp3s and mp4s here.
• Follow your action plan.
• Make sure you take scheduled breaks. Some recommend every 90 minutes. I find that to be very helpful. I can get a lot more done in blocks of 60-90 minutes with a break in between.
• Evaluate your day in the evening. Ask yourself: What did I do today that took me one step (even one tiny step) towards achieving my dreams?

Stay diligent and focused and you WILL achieve your dreams.

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Increasing Your Faith

There are just two mindsets upon which all of your belief system, decisions, thinking patterns, thoughts, words and actions are based.

These two mindsets are:

1. The Faith Mindset
2. The Fear Mindset

You may be thinking, but most of us seem to have a bit of both - right?

There is a very interesting word picture found in James 3:10-12 in the New Testament of the Bible

Jas 3:10  Out of the same mouth proceeds blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.
Jas 3:11  Does a fountain send forth at the same hole the sweet and the bitter?
Jas 3:12  Can the fig tree, my brothers, bear olive berries; or a vine, figs?

So no fountain can yield both salt water and fresh.

Isn't that interesting?

Think about this: If you add even a pinch of salt to fresh water, is it now pure fresh water? No, it has crossed over to the category of salt water. Sure it may not taste TOO salty, but it has salt!

How to make sure you are building a FAITH mindset:

• Guard what you hear.
• Guard your thoughts and your spoken words.

You will think and speak according to what you allow to enter your mind.

You cannot avoid having a negative thought knock on your door, but you CAN avoid opening the door.

Your mind records what you speak in a "to be trusted" file.

Words that you allow to enter your mind and words that you speak build your mindset.

Are you building a mindset of FAITH or a mindset of FEAR today?

Photo Quebrada, Acapulco Mexico, taken by Jill Rapley

A New Day

Today and every day is a new day.    But what does that really mean to you? This is the question that I like to ask myself often.

A new day means that:

Yesterday has gone forever.

• The mistakes of yesterday are over.
• You faced them (I trust).
• You have rectified them (or perhaps with some, you are in the process of fixing them).
• You have been forgiven (or at least you asked forgiveness. This releases you to move on).
• You forgave others AND yourself.
• You learned a new lesson.
• There is no more to do but move on to the next experience in life!

The joys of yesterday are now a memory.

• It was good, it was fun.
• You conquered a new challenge.
• You achieved a new goal.
• You made new friends. You reconnected with old friends.
• All of this and more is good!

But there is more life to live TODAY!

Tomorrow has not yet arrived!

• We can plan for tomorrow.
• We can prepare for tomorrow as we live today.
• Setting goals, planning and preparing is good. But don't stay there!

There is a new day to live today!

Don't camp at yesterday or tomorrow!

Live TODAY to the fullest it's waiting for you!

Today is like a present waiting to be unwrapped.

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Your Circle Of Honor

You and I were brought up to honor our respective countries, and so we should. It is always good to stop and recognize the benefits we enjoy because we were born in our countries.

We honor kings and queens (in many countries), champions in many accomplishments and Olympic Champions.

We honor our parents and families.

We recognize and honor people who have made a difference in our lives. 

It is very good to honor all of these people. 

But there is a VERY important "member" of your circle of honor that may be missing. In fact this should be the MOST important member in your circle of honor.

Who is it? 

Your DREAM.

• Are you honoring your dream, your life purpose and passions?
• Is achieving your dream the top priority of your life?
• Are you protecting your dream?
• Are you fighting for your dream?
• Are you training, learning, planning and acting every day towards the achievement of your dream?

Honor your dream every day and you WILL achieve it.

Read more about honoring your dream

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Who Did You Encourage Today?

In the midst of so much negativity that surrounds us today a word of encouragement can certainly come like a breath of fresh air. Did someone encourage you today? Did YOU encourage someone?

Someone made this interesting comment:

A word of encouragement during a failure is worth more than an hour of praise after success (Unknown).

How easy it is to praise others when they achieve something significant right? But how often do we offer encouragement when they don't quite make their goals?

Let's stop and note here that when you offer encouragement to someone who is facing a failure it does not mean you feel sorry for them and so you say something like: I am sorry, perhaps next time you will make it. 

The word "perhaps" would NEVER be a part of any word of encouragement!

No, a real encouraging word would be something like this:
You CAN do it. Today you are better than you were yesterday, tomorrow you will be better than you are today. So keep progressing and you WILL win!

Did you know that Thomas Edison was considered a "backward child" at school? How ridiculous is that no? It was his mother who took it upon herself to take him out of school and educate him herself. 

Thomas Edison was forever grateful for his mother's encouragement in his time of so called failure. He later recognized just how important his mother's encouragement and belief in was in his development.

You just never know what impact you may have on the whole world by encouraging just one person!

Who did you encourage today?

There's more here

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Who Put That Label On You?

Everything you buy has a label which is there to reveal the ingredients of the product, what it is, is for and can do. A label can also warn you of the product's limitations and always has a disclaimer of some kind.

Every label has one main thing in common. Whether it be a written label glued to a product or a verbal label announced by the advertiser on TV or the Radio, all labels are made up of WORDS.

A label that is glued or tied to any product or announced in relation to a product reveals the identity of the product.

While a label is designed for a product or service package, all too many times labels are also placed on human beings.

You may have received a nickname from family members, school companions or work associates. That nickname may be a positive one, great!

But what if the label is a negative one? It may have been given to you in fun or perhaps out of spite. It really does not matter what the motive was, a negative label is a negative one!

Your "label" may not even be an actual word or phrase. It may be an "understood label".

How does this work? You will soon know.
As soon as a negative comment is made in conversation, there is laughter and someone pipes up: Yes, like ..... (your name here). You are being labeled as someone who is associated with this negative situation.

For example: Perhaps you went through a period in life where you suffered a serious of accidents. They may have been minor (hopefully), but nevertheless those close to you began to associate accidents with you.

Comments like, "if an accident happens, guess who will be involved?" (They are referring to you.) Or worse still you may end up with a label such as: "The accident king or the accident queen"

Of course they may not really mean it, and they CERTAINLY don't want accidents to happen to you, but nevertheless they used their words to LABEL YOU.

You need to rip this label OFF of your life. How?

• Openly declare: I refuse to accept this label on my life. I am a champion and I only accept positive affirmations.
• Speak positive words to yourself and to others about yourself and about them. (What you sow you do reap).
• If you have people in your life who are always negative you need to stop associating with them.

Above all:

Fill your mind and your life with positive words
that build your faith and challenge you!

Read more about ripping off the negative label.

Atmosphere For Miracles

Have you ever walked into a room where people were talking and found the atmosphere to be so heavy you could cut it with a knife. What was going on?

You approached the group to join the conversation, which you could now hear, and you found that they are comparing notes on:

• the bad economy,
• the bad government,
• how bad their neighbors are or
• how bad their spouse or teenagers are.

What caused that heavy atmosphere you feel?

Yes it was their WORDS.

They were filling the atmosphere with negative words which also brought their state of morale to a very negative level.

Was there any hope of their being able to make a difference in the lives of those they were talking about? Not at all. Their words were making it worse!

Your words DO create your atmosphere.

• Your words will create an atmosphere for miracles (for good things to happen to you and to those around you.) or
• Your words will create an atmosphere for everything you don't want to happen to happen.

When you speak word of faith and make positive affirmations:

• You create a positive atmosphere in your life where miracles can happen.
• Opportunities can present themselves.
• Creative ideas and solutions can come to your mind.

 

When you are speaking positive words, your mind is more alert and expecting good things, so you see opportunities and are more likely to seize them.

Your mind is free to be creative and solution orientated. You will see obstacles as challenges and you will be able to turn them into opportunities.

What kind of atmosphere are you creating in your life today?

Read more

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Can't Make Up Your Mind?

Have you ever heard this annoying question? Why can't you just make up your mind? I am sure that sometime in your life, you have! Perhaps someone directed it to you, or you to someone.

Why can't you just make up your mind at times? Or perhaps it is not just at  times that you find it difficult to make a decision, but always.

One of the biggest reasons for indecision is FEAR. Maybe you did not expect that answer, but let's think about it.

Here are some (very) possible reasons for your not being able to make a firm decision on a matter:

• You are afraid of being wrong.
• You are afraid of a loved one's opposition to your decision.
• You are afraid of missing a better opportunity tomorrow because you have already committed yourself to something today.
• You are afraid you may not be able to keep the commitment you are about to make.

Are these common reasons for not being able to make a firm decision? I am sure you will echo with me a resounding Yes! Yes! Yes.

What do these reasons all have in common? Fear right?

Fear Paralyzes - Faith Liberates (Click on the link to read more).

Here are two steps to take to Drive Out Indecision (Click on the link to read them)

May you be FREE of Indecision and Fear TODAY!

(Note: The links above lead to the full article - no sales pages)

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