Gratitude Archives - Page 41 of 51

The Perfect Answer

Posted on April 10, 2021

Wouldn’t it be nice if someone would just tell you the next step to the ideal destination? If someone could give you the perfect answer, you could just get on with it.

The times I am most lost, or I procrastinate, involve moments where I am uncertain of the next best step. Being uncertain has its positive moments but not usually when involving decisions about life direction or major moments.

Sometimes I would just prefer if an exceptional being could hand me a map to my destination. On that map would include the next 20 steps exactly laid out so I just had to do them. No guess work and success guaranteed. It wouldn’t have to be every time either. But simply once in awhile, when I am most stuck.

Wouldn’t you like to have a helpful situation like that?

Of course there are many books, coaches, courses, classes, programs etc that can help you find your way. Though how many of them provide a bullet pointed map, with 20 precise steps to your ideal destination?

Perhaps someone will create the ultimate map with step by step instructions. They could sell it with a guarantee for success. That would be worth buying.

Getting the perfect answer has a great deal of value.

Action Gratitude Health & Fitness Reframe your thoughts Time

Helping Others

Posted on April 4, 2021

Do they really need your help? Or do you really need them to need you? Are they capable of doing it themselves? Helping others can be a wonderful thing. It can also be done for a variety of reasons.

Altruism is rarely altruistic. Often the person performing the act of kindness or assistance will get a jolt of feel good for helping out. Some enjoy that feeling that comes from helping so much that they continue to help people even if they no longer need it.

One might even make up some symptoms or stories of helplessness to prove their assistance is required. This is where things need a reassessment. We should be aiming to help people to become self sufficient. Teach them to fish, not give them a fish.

No one should be trying to create a situation of learned helplessness. Nor should people be allowing or encouraging this to happen. People like to feel a sense of independence. I believe this is for both the young, the old and everyone in between.

When helping someone or a group of people, have an exit strategy. Know what the end of your useful time looks like and stick to it. Help the other person but ween them off of you.

That is one of the keys to helping others.

Action Gratitude Time

Let Things Slide

Posted on April 3, 2021

Sometimes there is just too much on. Though there are also times when life has a dramatic twist. In such instances, it may be best to let things slide.

I wouldn’t encourage you to do it too often. Certainly do not make a habit out of it. However, there are times in your life when almost anyone would agree that taking your foot off of the gas a wee bit is a good idea.

When life throws you a curveball in the form of an illness, accident or challenge, you may have to put some things on hold. Similarly, if you should be celebrating a unique milestone, then don’t hold back. This is especially true if it comes as a bit of a surprise, like being on the Queen’s Birthday Honours or something goes into remission.

If this happens, it is a good idea to let the people know who may be the most impacted. Nothing fancy, just a quick, I won’t be in, meeting the deadline, or able to catch up. This should be fine for just about anyone. And as soon as the slide is over, you can get back in touch with those people and others. Let them know you are back on the case and looking forward to the next step.

Very occasionally, you can let things slide.

Action Financial Gratitude Health & Fitness Think About It Time

Those Defining Moments

Posted on April 2, 2021

That early win or terrible slip-up can have a long lasting effect on our self-perception and confidence. Those defining moments can haunt us or provide much needed energy for our sails. Which defining moments can you recall?

It’s great to look back on these and unpick them a little. Was it a sporting achievement or scholastic? Were you 8, 13, 18, 27, 33, 48, 57 years old or a different age?

I was fortunate to have great friends, be athletic and be very good with academics. So I can recall mostly good memories at an early age and also as I went through secondary school.

Can you recall the first time you went on a big road trip? Do you remember being on a boat, train or airplane? Who inspired you the most when you were under 10 and who was it when you were a teen?

Most importantly now, is not what has happened, but what will happen. What defining moments would you absolutely love to have in your life? Will it involve an athletic achievement? Perhaps you have an academic goal in your sights? Relationship and financial success are both wonderful things to work towards. Don’t think any of these things just happen. You have to get yourself in the right place both physically and mentally.

Then those defining moments can happen!

Financial Gratitude Think About It Time

If I Had His Money

Posted on March 30, 2021

I would do things differently. Have you ever heard someone say this? Maybe you’ve even said it. If I had his money I would do x,y,z.

Now it could be his or hers, but the idea behind the phrase strikes me as the speaker thinks they would do better with it. In my experience, hearing people say this, it tends to involve the speaker spending more cash on luxury items. Holidays, clothes, better meals out and cars seem to high on the list of improvements.

The irony seems to be, once again, that those who develop good cash management habits have more cash to manage. And those that don’t put effort into good cash management habits, don’t tend to have much money to manage. Though they are not short of observational skills and have a fine knowledge of how to improve the millionaire’s suboptimal lifestyle.

With just a few flourishes of a debit or credit card, the speaker can resolve your unfortunate circumstances.

This may be one of the reasons why the speaker might not have enough money of their own to mess about with. With their unique money mindset and a propensity to spend rather than save, we can better understand why the speaker is in this predicament.

The good news is that great money management habits can be learned. Then you can turn, if I had his money, on its head.

Gratitude Observe Reframe your thoughts

People Are The Key

Posted on March 26, 2021

Have you ever walked into an empty building? Perhaps your office building on the weekend or school during summer holidays. People are the key. Otherwise those quiet, soulless locations just echo with memories past.

People create the buzz, the energy and the excitement. It is their being that breathes life into a situation or place. Although locations can conjure up strong memories, the strongest ones often involve people.

I recall walking into my secondary school, during the summer after graduation. My footsteps echoed in the halls. After 5 years there, it seemed like I would bump into someone. But there was nothing. Just the ghostly quiet and silent cacophony of days gone by.

There was a deep sense of melancholy and a yearning for those days again. The friendships and silliness. The final and laughter. The challenges, struggles, wins and memories. Those halls are filled with people who will live in your mind forever. They are frozen in time. Slow motion. Black and white. Fast forward, Colour. Echo.

Best friends or sworn enemies, there was a place for everyone. And without anyone, there was just a building. Empty rooms and hallways. The place had seen tens of thousands of student faces over the years. But ours were the only ones that lived in our minds. friendships for a lifetime.

People are the key.

Gratitude Reframe your thoughts

Practice Receiving

Posted on March 24, 2021

This is very tough for many people. You may be one of them. Although, some folks make it look effortless and genuine. Practice receiving gifts, compliments and good wishes.

People often look quite uncomfortable when receiving an unsolicited gift. There can be a feeling of unpreparedness or a desire to ignore it or to give back.

A compliment is similar. Some people will downplay a compliment. Others will quickly change the subject, redirect or ignore the whole thing. This discomfort with receiving is something we should all be addressing. Practicing gratitude is good for the soul.

It is so easy to say, ‘you’re welcome’, and yet so easy not to. In addition, saying, ’thank you’, as a simple response to a compliment just needs to be practiced. The more you practice at home, at Christmas and at birthdays, the better you will become at receiving.

There is no need to give the other person a gift, compliment or good wishes. Simply accept their offering, show appreciation and move on. Have intent to do this the next time you receive something.

If you practice doing this at home, possibly in front of a mirror, you will get good at it quickly. It will feel genuine and be so. Like almost all things that look gracious and effortless, they have been practiced 1,000 times before.

Practice receiving.

Action Gratitude Think About It

Books You Should Read

Posted on March 23, 2021

With almost 150 million books ever published, it is hard to know which ones are worth your time to explore. Books you should read are probably numerous. However, I am going to help you narrow down the selection so you can get on with reading rather than browsing.

In addition to my book, Achieve Anything, which is coming out soon, I have added a list of 62 books to consider. This selection of books has been drawn from a wide range of books which I have read over the years. I believe that each book on this list will contribute to your overall wealth of knowledge.

Soon I will be organising them into categories. In addition, I will add a phrase or two about each book to help you understand what you will gain from reading it. But don’t let that slow you down. Follow the link HERE to find the list of books I suggest you start reading.

Books are a wonderful resource that can greatly enhance your knowledge in a specific area. Incredibly, you can benefit from the wisdom of the person who has gone before you. You only need about £7 and a desire to improve your life. You will also need to commit to five or six hours to read it.

So go have a look at the books I have curated for you. They will help you understand the world on a different level. Please also add in the comments below, some of your favourite books, whether they are on my list or not.

Go see the books you should read.

Action Gratitude Observe

It Takes Just One

Posted on March 20, 2021

A person, an idea or an experience can change your whole life. However, they don’t actually do the change. You will do this later. It takes just one encounter, word or situation to see something differently and shift your whole perspective.

The perception shift makes all the difference. You can begin your journey from hate, disappointment and depression to more positive vibrations and outcomes. Of course, this whole thing can go the other way too. You can be knocked off the top of your tree and spiral downwards out of control.

We want you to be spiralling upwards and continue on that trajectory. Additionally, I don’t want you to ever experience the opposite.

With that said, I am confident you have seen this idea play out in your own life and in that of others around you. It’s exciting that you can have that one conversation and the aha button is hit. In addition, a whole new world has been opened up to you. And you can decide to jump into it, all anxious and excited, or just let it slip away.

Finally, search out these life changing moments. They are not as rare as you think. And, every time you have one, you could end up on a completely different trajectory. And, with a bit of luck, I hope it is a better one each time.

It takes just one. Watch out for it and others!

Financial Gratitude Observe Reframe your thoughts Time Video

Life Is Like A Movie

Posted on March 19, 2021

Have you noticed how things in certain movies become things in life? Remember the swish swish of doors in Star Trek? Life is like a movie, though only certain ones at certain times.

So when I was growing up, the swish swish of the doors on the Starship Enterprise seemed so futuristic. However, now most metro centres have thousands of these doors.

Then things started to unfold like the Schwarzenegger film Total Recall. The whole idea of virtual reality. We are getting there with Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality and Artificial Intelligence. We certainly have driverless cars on the near term radar. And trips to Mars being scheduled.

Then we have seen some elements of Tom Cruise’s Minority Report. People are being condemned for even thinking of an activity with a criminal element. It doesn’t matter if a crime has happened. The fact that it could have happened is enough for you to be removed from society.

Now things are moving on with skins in Fortnite and a virtual world in Clubhouse. This and the VR makes me think that the Ready Player One reality is not that far off from our current life.

Finally, we have Terminator. Well, that melting man business and pulling yourself back together is quite impressive. But happy for it to be a few more years before that.

Life is like a movie. Go get the popcorn ?.