Reframe your thoughts Archives - Page 91 of 103

The Power Of Waking Up Early

Posted on October 21, 2020

It can be so easy to lie in bed. Just hit snooze and pull the covers over. Drift off and dream. But the power of waking up early can be immense. There is something magical in it.

I used to be a night person. In fact, I could go through the whole night. Some days it can be so easy to be reading, watching something or chatting and find yourself still going at 2 am.

The challenge is when you then need to get up at 5 am. Getting only 3 hours sleep can be tough. Not always on the first day, but certainly on the second or third day as it catches up to you.

So over the past five years I have shifted to waking up between 04:30 am and 06:30 am. While training for a couple of marathons last spring, it was always between 04:30 and 05:00. At the moment it is between 05:00 and 06:00.

It feels great to be up when it is so quiet. There are no disruptions. I feel I am ahead of my day. Getting a few things done, including a run and shower before waking the kids at 06:40, is a great feeling.

It can be a challenge at times. But the power of waking up early makes me feel alive!

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What Is Your Superpower?

Posted on October 20, 2020

Everyone has one. If you don’t know yours, you should have a little think about it. What is your superpower? How do you use it?

Kids tend to know their own superpower and that of the other kids. They know if the are brilliant and lightning quick at solving a Rubik’s Cube, like my son. He knew it because he could time himself. It became more obvious to him as children he didn’t even know would come up to him at school, hand him their cube and ask him to fix it for them. He always did. This was proof that others knew his super power too.

Remember, you can have more than one superpower. For example, Superman had incredible strength, heat vision and flight, to name a few. In contrast, you may not know of any power yet. Sometimes these are revealed at different times in life. It may be more about ‘when the student is ready, the teacher appears’. Or perhaps it is a matter of ‘seek and ye shall find’.

One other thing about this, is that your power may be underdeveloped. You will need to work at it, test it and experiment. It will grow stronger and you will be better able to control it as you work at it. You will need to have focus, discipline and persistence.

What is your superpower?

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Looking Back At 80

Posted on October 19, 2020

How will you look back on your life? What will be in it? What will have been worth the price you paid? Looking back at 80 is an important exercise to do many times when you are younger.

Imagine you are 80 years old. Can you look back over the span of 80 years and be filled with joy and contentment? There are a lot of tough questions in there. You will have to face your expectations versus reality gap and hope there is positive gap (reality ended up better) rather than a negative one.

It raises some helpful thoughts that should be considered throughout our lives. You might ask yourself the following questions. Am I living a good life? Should I spend more time and energy on family, career, finances, mental health, physical fitness or my community? How can I do more for others or myself? What will I accept or be happy with?

Its going to be harder to achieve anything once you reach your 80’s. There are many that keep going like Warren Buffett. However, you’ll have to have good genes, stay healthy and have a little luck on your side.

You may wish you had worked harder, studied more, saved more money or maintained better fitness. There is still time to change the outcome but you’ll have to put the effort in.

Looking back at 80 should be a delightful experience.

Financial Health & Fitness Reframe your thoughts Weight Weight loss

You Are What You Think

Posted on October 14, 2020

Do you even know what you think about yourself? It’s time to give this some thought. You are what you think, so you had better being thinking some good and useful things.

One reason people are not achieving what they want in life is their mismatched mindset. They know what they want, which is great. However, they can’t see themselves in that picture.

This can be the problem for people who want to lose weight and keep it off. Rather than think of themselves as a slim person, they see themselves as overweight or heavy, etc. So they tend to do what many heavier people do. They tend to move less and eat more.

Although if they saw themselves as a slim person, their mind would adopt the habits of a slim person. They would eat less and move more. In addition, if they saw themselves as a slim and athletic person, they may even develop greater muscle mass or at least stronger muscles.

The same can be said for people and money. If you want to be wealthier, but can’t see yourself as wealthy, you are likely to struggle to build a prosperous financial future. You must take on the role of being wealthy. This means acting appropriately with your money, not just spending it to look wealthier than you currently are.

You are what you think. Make sure your thoughts are working for you.

Gratitude Health & Fitness Reframe your thoughts

Forgiveness And Empathy

Posted on October 10, 2020

I saw an incredible short video clip the other day. It had a real impact on me. The forgiveness and empathy conveyed was certainly an unexpected twist. The 3.5 minute clip is from Larry King Live. I have posted it below.

Imagine someone trying to kill you. They come very close to reaching their goal. However, somehow you pull through. How would you feel about that? Consider how you might feel with the memories of your physical pain, mental anguish and uncertain future fresh in your mind.

What sort of emotions might you have toward this intentional murderer? Would you like to see justice served? Maybe even a little revenge?

It’s hard to imagine the extreme scenario. Most people can’t summon up that level of intensity, fear and pain to replicate the situation well enough. This is especially true when you are considering it while sitting safely and snug at home or while comfortably on your regular commute.

If you can’t get into the scene and character, consider, the experience of others. Reflect on those that have been cut up on the motorway, been in an accident or lost someone in a tragic way.

Forgiveness and empathy help you move on with your life.

Expose yourself to it. Try it. Evolve.

Like him or not, it’s quite impressive how he views the shooter

Gratitude Health & Fitness Reframe your thoughts

Rain Can Cleanse Your Soul

Posted on October 7, 2020

Listening to the rain land rhythmically on the rooftops is like a serenade. If you’re dry, warm and comfortable, the sound of the rain can cleanse your soul.

I love hearing the rain fall and make that pitter-patter sound as it lands. There is something very base and refreshing about it. Even the air is a little different when it is raining. Getting cozy really helps.

Now I am not always that fond of being out in the rain. This is especially true when it is cold. Also when you are trying to do something outdoors and the rain isn’t helping.

Growing up on a farm, we had to use the weather to our advantage. You have to plant at the right time and cut hay during dry days. You don’t want to get your tractor stuck in the mud. Nor do you want to have rain on your hay before you bale it up and put it into storage. Wet hay is not good to have.

But I love a rain storm. Flashes of lightning illuminating the sky. Thunder rolling across the vast heavens above. Drops of rain pounding buildings and the ground. Storms always seemed too short. This just kept you wanting more.

Rain can cleanse your soul. Get absorbed by it and appreciate it’s primal power.

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What Are You Attracting?

Posted on October 6, 2020

We know what we want. Most people know what they don’t want too. Maybe they know it better. However, what are you attracting?

We are always moving towards or away from people, things and ideas. In addition, people are constantly moving further from, or closer to us. What is it that brings them closer and what repels them away?

It’s an important thing to take note of and be aware of. For example, you may ask, ”Is it something I said?”. You might also wonder, “Is it my clothes, hair, physique, mindset, success or other particular thing or combination?”

People will be attracted to you, if they find you attractive. The people that you attract may be the ones you want in your group. However, sometimes they are not the types you wish to have around.

Consider who you are attracted to. Then reflect on why you are attracted to them. You will need to be specific. In addition, I suggest that you write it down so you are clear. Pull this piece of paper out once a week and add to it. But also learn from it by understanding what you see.

What are you attracting? Who are you attracting?

What would you like to be different? How will you adjust?

Action Observe Reframe your thoughts

Your Source Of Frustration

Posted on October 3, 2020

Recently there seems to be growing tension and anxiety in the universe. If you are feeling it too, look into your source of frustration. This one simple step can resolve a lot of aggravation and challenging feelings.

Perhaps you know what gets you agitated already. It could be your partner, a family member, the media, your social media feeds, someone or something at work, or even the trains being delayed.

If you don’t know what it is that agitates you, then have a think about. Monitor yourself today and consciously notice when you start to get a bit more anxious or frustrated. Notice what you are doing at that moment. Are you watching, reading, listening, conversing or observing?

I notice quite a few people develop some tension while engaging in the news. One thing I have found useful is to stop reading much news. I have also noticed that so many ‘news’ outlets are actually ‘opinion‘ outlets. And many of these tend toward the negative.

It doesn’t matter what the information they are conveying is, there is always ‘a risk’ or ‘a problem’. Sometimes they highlight ‘incompetence’, ‘intolerance’ and ‘lies’. Most do not provide only the facts for you to consider. They feed you the anxious feelings too. This might make your head ache and you’ll be grumpy with others.

Reduce your source of frustration.

Tap into something new.

Observe Reframe your thoughts

Decoding Communications

Posted on September 30, 2020

Engaging with someone can be tricky business. There is a lot of room for error and misunderstanding. Decoding communications can be helpful but you need to be aware of the pitfalls.

Have you ever thought, “There is no way they can disagree with this point”. And then the other persons finds a way. Why is that? What happened between your very clear and concise thought and their response to it?

First there is your intent. That is reflected in how you say something. Are you being bossy, suggestive, argumentative or condescending?

Then there are also the words you use and the order you use them. Words can mean different things to different people at different times. For example, we often get a giggle at our house when referring to pants. For the Canadian parents, pants are trousers. Whereas the British children more commonly know pants as underwear. But there are other words which can elicit quite strong emotional responses.

There is also the element of who is saying it. “You are chatting again”, might have a very different impact on a couple of teenagers if it comes from their teacher. But if it is said by a friend at lunch time, it might come across with more humour.

Decoding communications can be challenging. These are just some of the issues you can encounter.

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It’s Easier Than You Think

Posted on September 27, 2020

Everything is. If you do some research, use a model, develop a plan and follow it, you will be fine. It’s easier than you think, so don’t think too much. Just go do it.

However, sometimes things get a little difficult, challenging or hostile. Simply focus through that. Remain resilient. With a longer term vision, you know you’ll get there.

It’s certainly not impossible. Although some things are less likely. But if you are determined, disciplined and dynamic, you will press on and succeed. Few things are rocket science. Even rocket science isn’t what it used to be.

Think about that. 1903 was the first successful flight by the Wright Brothers. In less than 60 years (1961), President Kennedy announced the goal of landing a man on the moon that decade. A further 60 years on and we have several groups targeting a crewed Mars mission by the mid 2020’s.

That’s amazing! In just over 100 years humans have gone from can’t fly, to flying, to potential inter-planetary space travel. People are learning and applying at a phenomenal rate.

If we as a species can do that, imagine what you as an individual can do. Fortunately, there is a process for everything. And, if you follow the learn, plan, do and repeat model, you can, with some patience, achieve anything.

It’s easier than you think!