Simple addictions

My phone addiction. This one hosts a series of negative attributes. First of all, and most importantly, it keeps me away from my family. I stop playing with my kids when I get a text message, or when I get a notification from social media. It's ridiculous how much time I spend on my phone. If it's not one application it's another. Each one robbing me of time that could've been used wisely - on my kids. It not only wastes my time, it wastes my energy and it's slowly driving me to insanity. Although this habit may not seem as harsh as smoking cigarettes, shopping or a sex addiction, it's uncontrollable and it needs to be eliminated, just like the rest.

I recently vowed to myself to stop using social media, at least for 48 hours. I can tell you it was rather refreshing. I learned quite a bit about myself in the process. I spend more quality time with my children. I spend more quality time with my wife, and I actually focusing on the activities at hand, rather than being consumed in my phone. I started becoming happier, less afraid and more relaxed. I think the negativity in my newsfeed was getting to me. I've since then eliminated any negativity from my newsfeed. If I see a negative post that's not congruent with my values and believes I unfollow that person. I unfriended any companies, or anyone that's trying to market something to me because I've known for a long time that materialism doesn't make us happier, and there's no need for them in my life, nor are the people that try and push it my way. I've also turned off notifications on all applications on my phone. This way I won't be consumed with it.

These days, I'm all about positivity. I've lived approximately 13,000 days. It would be sad to realize if I didn't already learn that negativity is detrimental to our lives. And, a lot of that negativity comes from our addictions to our cell phones and computers. I'm going to choose to move on happier with less distractions. Im putting my phone down now.

Before I leave, I just wanted to mention the moral of the story. I recommend you take account of all your own habits. Are there a few you've overlooked, such as your addiction to coffee, certain foods, or even an activity? You'll be amazed to realize how much our habits bring us down. They grind down our mentality, force us to become comfortable, and keep us from achieving what we truly want - happiness. Kick em outta your life too!

OK, I'm putting my phone down now ;)

How important are role models?

“Role models are key to our successes. They’re the ones that have the best wisdom. They bring positivity in our weakest and darkness moments.”

The Universe sends unique gifts to each of us. These gifts usually come randomly. They come in the form of promotions with our jobs, friends through coworkers, or ideas for business goals. What is often overlooked is our most treasured gift; our role models. These relationships were given to us to form better quality lives.

There are many positive qualities within our relationships. Laughter, fun and happiness are some of the benefits we receive when dealing with other people. I’m sure you can remember a time when another person went out of their way to help you in a difficult situation. Despite their physical ability to assist you, their encouragement helped you generate the energy you needed to move forward in life. Perhaps this person provided many mental rescues to you over the years. These people helped us become better people. These people are considered role models.

Role models come at every age. They come in a variety of sizes, colors and cultures. Some exist within our families and close circle of friendships; whereas, others are found as we pursue our jobs and careers. There’s something special about them. It’s almost like they have an aura that shines a radiance of positive energy because you always feel your best whenever you’re around them. They make you feel comfortable, confident and happy, almost like an angel would. Their compassion out shines any other emotion. No matter what you do in life, they never place judgements on you. There are very few of them but they exist all around us. They’re the ones that help guide us on the path of righteousness and the ones that cheer us on when we’re down in the dumps. Role models are the keys to our successes. They’re the ones that contain the best wisdom. They bring positivity and light in our weakest and darkness moments. They are more to us than typical friends and acquaintances. Their compassion is contagious. Often, a role model can be a sibling, and Aunt or Uncle, perhaps even one of our closest friends. They can be our neighbors, Grandparents, the manager at work, or even a teacher at school. They can be anyone in our lives. Role models are given to us to learn important life lessons. They were positioned in our lives to grow and to prepare ourselves for the experiences that await us.

Often times, it’s difficult to find the positive inspiration we need to move forward. Our role models are the messengers of positive inspiration. They are the ones we confide in when the times are tough. They provide the courage we need to make positive changes. Role models are more important than you may realize. When you’re ready to accept them, the Universe will present them to you.

You may be a person who is blessed to have many wonderful role models. Most of us are challenged and barely have even one in our lives. Look at some of your best friends, are they role models to you? Take a gander through your family tree, are any of them worthy of this role? Maybe you will find them in the circle of your closest friends, or perhaps they are located in your church or perish. They can be found in every type of relationship. When you spot them be sure to take advantage of their guidance and wisdom. All too often, they’re taken for granted and forgotten. When you receive a generous gift from the Universe in the form of a role model remember they were given to you to make a positive change.



Strategy:

Make a list of your closest friends. Include everyone that spends at least a few hours a month with you. This will likely include your parents, siblings, classmates and anyone more than an just an acquaintance. Write a plus or a minus beside each person’s name to signify their influence. A plus means he or she is a positive influence, and a negative means he or she is a negative influence. Once your list is complete count how many pluses you have. This will give you an accurate indication of how many people are on your side of success.

Take the list and categorize them. Create three different categories: 1. Easy to talk to 2. Inspiring and encouraging and 3. wants to help me succeed. Find the category that best suits each influence. This exercise will help you define your role models. When your list is completed, make a commitment to spend more time with these people.

What is the meaning of life?

“The true meaning of life is to find happiness.”


This is definitely a topic that can be explored into the depths, the deep depths. The magnitude of this topic makes it difficult to cover all aspects of the equation. The truth of the matter is; each of us has our own definition of what the meaning of our lives are. Some are more seasoned whom have already delved deep into the answers of their own lives, whereas, it can take literally a lifetime for others to come to terms with this question. It all depends on how eager they are to find out.

I’ve explored this subject for over a decade. In fact, I’ve looked into this subject in hundreds of different ways and from almost every perspective. I’ve looked at life from religious perspectives, I've questioned thousands of people about it, even science has played an active role on my judgments about life. I’ve gone quite a bit further than the average person would in researching this topic. It’s a question that deserves a well defined answer.

In my research, over the years, I’ve discussed this topic with people in almost every demographic. From young students in grade school to the recently retired and those on their death bed. It didn’t matter whom I sought advice from, if they had a viewpoint on the subject I was happy to listen. After receiving so many perspectives on this subject I begun to form a clear opinion. I believe the meaning of life is to find happiness. Happiness comes in different forms for everyone. Although our television sets sell us the image that happiness resides within our purchases, it's actually quite the opposite.  True happiness is hidden behind our relationships with other people. It’s masked behind our everyday experiences. It’s defined by the smiles on our faces.

Life is meant to be lived and experienced not taken for granted. It is meant to be appreciated. Even though it often takes lethal cancers, hideous infections and other forms of traumatic experiences to discover, the true meaning of life is to enjoy it. The meaning of life is to live in the moment. I believe that life is meant to have its ups and downs. Each experience brings valuable lessons. These lessons lead us towards happiness. Happiness is the meaning of life.



Strategy:

Create a Positive Focus. A Positive Focus is an exercise designed for people to discover their ideal happiness. This three stage formula separates the negatives from the positive aspects in life and encourages those who use it to find their happiness.

The First Step: In a journal, jot down your top ten achievements within the past few years. If you have difficulties finding them, think back in time, as long as you can remember. I’m sure you’ll be able to muster up at least ten.

The Second Step: Write ten things from your past that made you feel like a better person. Perhaps you helped an elderly person across the street one day, or maybe you won an achievement award. Whatever they were, jot down the ones that made you feel fulfilled.

The Third Step: Write down ten things you’re grateful for in your life. Consider your relationships, your career, even materialistic things. Whatever you’re grateful for be sure to jot it down. After you’ve completed this exercise be sure to place your list somewhere you will see it every day. Often times, we lose track of what makes us happy.

What will you say when you're seventy?

When I was younger I quite frequently imagined myself as a seventy year-old man sitting in a rocking chair. As I rocked back and forth I pondered my accomplishments; wondering if I worked hard enough at achieving an optimal lifestyle, and questioning if I took advantage of living. I'm not sure if these thoughts made me work harder at achieving everything on my bucket list, or if it inspired me to enjoy my life more. Either way, it made me contemplate what true happiness really was. It seemed like every two weeks I was changing my mind; fulfilling whatever my mind told me to work on. I was frustrated because I couldn't make up my mind. Happiness seemed so difficulty to accomplish.

Now, as a thirty-five year old man I ponder the same questions. But, this time I feel less frustrated because I've already accomplished a better life than I once imagined. Although I once thought an ideal lifestyle once consisted of money, fame and materialistic things my experiences have led me to understand that the true meaning of happiness doesn't include any of this.

I'm truly content with my life today because I chose to fulfill my passions early in life. I didn't procrastinate regardless of the obstacles that stood in my way, and I didn't allow fear to run my decisions, I just went for it. In fact, I was always working on some type of project I was passionate to work on. Doing this has allowed me to appreciate all the other opportunities in my life outside of work/passion life. And now, as a father of two wonderful children I've enlisted my focus on being the best possible parent I can be, with less focus on work, and without the strain of a less accomplished life.

My life has been filled with all different kinds of achievements over the years. But, as I look back I realize these aren't important to anybody else but myself. This fact let me to believe that the type of happiness we all long for only exists within our relationships with other people, including our friends, family and those we choose to spend our days with. Definitely not something you can buy in a store.

I'm blessed to experience life through my own eyes. I am more happy today than ever before. I have better friends, a refreshed perspective of reality and my days are spent with great people. And, although I'm only half the age of 70, I am blessed to be able to say that I'm content with the life that was served to me, and I will continue to see the positive in my experiences as I move forward. Life is a beautiful thing.

Moral of the story: Don't wait too long to for fill your passions. Take the opportunity right now to complete the tasks you've been meaning to get at for years. Kickstart your imagination. When you are sitting in your rocking chair at 70 you're going to be asking yourself these exact same questions. What will your answers be?

Defeating my own fear

It's interesting to witness children's fear. It seems like they're scared of everything. Well, I'm talking about two year olds. I can't remember what fear was like and how much it affected me when I was five and six but I can surely tell from the reaction of my own children that they fear a lot. Seeing their fear has brought me back to remember all the fears I've conquered in my own life. It's interesting to see how easy it is to conquer a fear in the ages before our teens. It then brings my awareness to the simple yet scary thought of my today's fears - the ones I don't think about often. The ones I stay away from at all costs. The truth is; I have two fears. 1 the fear of being my true self in public, and 2 restarting my career from scratch (doing something very different). Both of which are needed if I want to continue my passion in helping the masses.

At 35, whenever I have to restart something it feels like I'm super late in the game. I mean, I've already restarted like four or five times in my life, if not more, based on my experiences and accomplishments. I mean, I feel like I've already rode the whole rodeo. I feel annoyed that I have to restart again in the first place. Plus, The other part of my fear is that I'll have to show my whole self to the public if I want to move forward. This may seem like an easy feat, but I've never showed my true one hundred percent genuine self in public. Not even during my motivational talks to the kids. I mean, I do get into character when elaborating on some personal heartfelt stories to the youth, but I'm talking about more in depth than that. Only my close immediate family has ever seen my true 100% genuine self – including all the comedic functions that I only choose to expel when they are around. The funny thing is, I've recently written an entirely new motivational show geared to an entirely different audience – college students. I already started strong by accomplishing such a great script, but in order to accomplish the entire task, I'll need to present this stuff on stage in front of them. Theres a lot of material that forces me to step outside of my comfort zone. This means I'll have to accept the fact that I have to step up to the plate and be myself. And, actually do it.

I'm actually quite excited to overcome one of my fears. It's actually quite exciting having a fear at the age of 35. I was getting to the point where I thought fear was no longer. Like it was extinct. I mean, I've spent my entire life eliminating all my other fears – that's what I did in my teenage years and 20s. I thought fear was something only my kids had. I'm actually quite amazed that I came across fear in the first place. I guess looking at eliminating fear in a positive way like this is the best way to approach it.

Fear is just another negative habit that needs to be replaced and/or eliminated altogether. The best way to overcome it is to stare it directly in the face and commit to chipping away at it day after day until it's withered to nothing. The funny thing is; it seems like the older I get the more difficult it is to change, or get rid of a negative habit. I guess it's an old dogs new tricks kind of thing. It fills my veins with fear, the thought of tapping into the part of me that nobody sees and getting up in front of an audience of a thousand. The standing on stage part is fine. It's the thought of unwinding enough to be my true self. But, like I said (or wrote), it needs to be done.

I'm really going to enjoy the feeling I get after I accomplish this task. I'm going to enjoy it even more when I get to show my kids that Daddy can walk his talk. It's easy showing my kids how to do it, but is it actually? I guess I will see..

Who are infinite dreamers?

“Dreams are the recipe to our passion, our actions are the ingredients.”


Infinite dreamers are exceptional people. They’re the most interesting people. They’re the ones that generate the most passion in their lives; they're the happiest; the ones that have the most fun and generally the ones that take more risks for achievement. Being an infinite dreamer takes a lot of dedication because of the negative influences that surround them. Those that stray away from the negativity are the ones that have the best imagination. They become the best dreamers. The truth is; we all have the ability to become infinite dreamers.

In my years as a motivator I’ve heard every excuse when it comes to failed dreams. From lack of time and commitment to lack of passion and interest, and everything in between. I’ve heard it all. When talking about the difference between dreaming and non-believing, almost every time it comes down to imagination. Near one hundred percent of all millionaires are dreamers.They have wonderful imaginations.

Dreams give us freedom. They generate a playground for our thoughts. They're the recipe to passion. Dreamers are those who believe anything is possible. They’re the ones dedicated to their craft. Dreamers are the ones that break away from negativity when it persists. They’re the ones that imagine their days ahead of time, and they never falter around obstacles because they’re confident in their abilities. They set their goals strong, further than most would because their imagination serves them confidence. Dreaming is what makes people feel alive.

Where do dreams come from? Dreams come in all different shapes and sizes. Some say they come from Angel’s in the sky, while others try to prove there’s the great Law of Attraction at hand. It doesn’t matter how our dreams get inside our heads, the important thing is that we use them to enjoy our lives. A dream is strong enough to move mountains. It’s greater than the ability of a freight train. Dreams have led to major innovations and technological advances. They've led to landing people on the Moon and other major accomplishments. They’ve brought us the ability to solve health cures. They’re literally miracles in the making. The truth is; if you cannot visualize it, it will be impossible to bring to fruition.Become a dreamer and never let rejection overcome your goal, regardless of what it is. Don’t let anyone discourage you. Dreamers create endless opportunities.



Strategy:

Visualize your most ideal lifestyle. Imagine the happiest environment. Take your daydream and explore every aspect of its presence. In this dream where do you live? Where do you work? How much money do you make? What types of coworkers do you work with? What types of relationships serve you? Be as detailed as possible. Delve deep into this visualization exercise. Be aware of everything that surrounds you, including the city you live in and the friends you hang around with. Pay attention to the small facts too, like the hours you work each day and how long your commute to work is each morning. The simple details help us form the most infinite dreams.

Start a journal and write down your infinite dream. Describe your emotions as well. How do you feel as you live your dream? You may want to start with a simple point form description at first, then you can work it into a more formal story later. Writing your thoughts can act as incredible inspiration. Revisiting your daydream often will allow you to bring it to fruition quicker.

"Nothing great can be achieved without first dreaming about it.”

Eliminating habits and the backfire effect

Habits are a big part of our lives. We all have them. The truth about them is; they serve no purpose for us. We are blinded by the small initial satisfaction we get when we succumb to their desires. We get let down after this initial satisfaction when we shame ourselves for doing it in the first place. We later fall prisoner to them because they eventually dwindle our lives down to nothing. The reality is; we know our addictions are there, but we don't do anything to get rid of them because they serve a small amount of comfort (for a split second).

Think about all the various but common habits - smoking cigarettes, shopping, eating sugar, scrolling our news feeds, etc., they all serve the exact same feelings. Habits are addictions. They're all the same in the realm of the amount of destruction they do to our lives. No one addiction is superior. They're all the same.

I often write about habits and their destructive nature because I've gone into great depths to seek their reasoning in our lives. I've seen highly addicted people surpass their addictions and become true wholesome great people. It is possible to eliminate any given habit, no matter what the circumstance. Now that we've discussed the nature of habits and their role in our lives I want to share my thoughts on the opposite side of the equation - eliminating them.

Obviously, eliminating any given habit will increase your happiness. There are some backfires however when overcoming one. For example; often times people replace a habit when they get rid of one. A smoker might eat food during their regular scheduled smoke break at work (rather than smoke cigarettes). This is merely to replace the comfort the smoker once received and looked forward to. I gave up smoking cigarettes but I became glued to my phone. I needed something to replace my comfort of smoking, so I latched onto my phone. Now I can't put it down. This has caused an ever bigger issue with my personal life compared to smoking (without mentioning the obvious health effects of smoking) because now I spend less quality time with my daughters at home - I'm glued to my phone. My phone addiction has now surpassed where my smoking addiction ever was.

I want to send an important message about eliminating habits and the after-effects when you do so, like the one mentioned. Be aware that you may replace the habit with another one. It's our bodies way of defending the discomfort of not being addicted anymore. A friend of mine was a heavy drug and alcohol user. He replaced his addiction of chugging beers with that of chugging triple-triple coffee's. He drinks at least six a day. Obviously, coffee is a healthier addiction (you would think), but recently he was diagnosed with stage two diabetes.

Our addiction/habits are self-defeating prophecies. They serve no purpose for us, yet we continuously become blinded by their deceit. Don't let them ruin your life anymore. Decide to eliminate them for good. But, remember the backfire affect.

I'm going to make a vow to myself right now - to not visit social media for the next 48 hours. I believe I'll realize how damaging my phone addiction was. I also believe I'll get to enjoy my family more. Any posts on my social media for the next 48 hours should only be the ones I have scheduled to post.

I'll see you in 49 hours ;)

The origin of your beliefs

Our beliefs are derived from our past experiences and from our closest influences. Each of us goes through different experiences in life which means that our own individual beliefs are unique to ourselves. No other human being has the exact same beliefs to the exact same degree. In fact, each experience in life potentially alters our perceptions of the way we see reality. When we go through negative experiences, it automatically alters the lens we see the world through. This lens can become quite tainted with impurities over a period of time. These impurities force us to become anxious with ourselves, frustrated with life, and actually strengthen and become more forceful within your mind over the years. This creates nasty mental problems and disables us to live life to its fullest. It also prevents us from achieving happiness in any form and grounds us from attaining the goals and ambitions that serve within our minds. It’s important to locate these impurities as soon as possible so you can proactively work towards eliminating them altogether. Once eliminated, new positive beliefs can be formed.

Many of the beliefs that we harness as adults were formed within the first stages of our lives. Our parents, Grandparents, friends and siblings, Aunts and Uncles, and a variety of other influences contributed to the formation of our early beliefs. When we come into the world as children we know no different. Until we reach an age where we realize we can modify our own beliefs, we simply latch onto the beliefs of our everyday influences. Many of us harness the same types of beliefs as our parents because they were our biggest influences in our lives. Many times, these beliefs strengthen as we grow older because we haven’t latched onto new more empowering beliefs. For example: many of the fears that we have as adults are similar to the fears that our parents had. We’ve simply gravitated towards their fears because that's all we've experienced. Perhaps these fears have grown throughout our lives, even though we rarely experience them. Over the years, we’ve literally become our influences. We’ve been molded to repeat similar actions as they did, and we’ve even been guided along a similar life path too. In fact, it isn’t uncommon for a child to follow similar roles in the workplace as their parents. It’s what they’ve been accustomed to, and our parents know no different because that’s what they’re used to. In fact, anger, hatred, abuse and many other damaging emotions are also taught by our superiors. We absorb a lot of our parents beliefs. More than you may realize. The good news is that you need no longer be consumed by any limitations, any hurtful emotions or any self-defeating beliefs that you’ve learned in the past. You have the power within yourself to be who you want to be.

Creating an optimal mindset that’s fueled with passion, happiness and compassion takes dedication. There are literally hundreds of different labels, beliefs and emotional attachments that we’ve absorbed throughout our lives. Yes, genetics do play a role in the growth of our human characteristics, however, your mind is singly controlled by you and nobody else. This means that you control what type of information encrypts your mindset. You have the ability to make positive changes to your beliefs.

Throughout the years, we’ve become seasoned to believe that we’re not good enough to achieve our desires. This was simply brought on by factors relating to failure, mistakes and abuse within our lives. Other factors contribute to this; however, the painful memories of early childhood experiences still seem to bring up feelings of dissatisfaction. As mentioned, our beliefs are derived from the beliefs of others. It’s important to grasp onto the beliefs that suit your lifestyle. Everyone is unique in their own way. We all want different desires in life. It’s important to gravitate towards the beliefs that support your desires. You aren’t your past! There’s no reason to hold onto any ill or negative beliefs at all. Ill beliefs simply create a false sense of who you are and act as a barrier between ourselves and our goals in life.

When we reflect upon the origin of our thoughts and beliefs, we become to realize that not only did our beliefs derive from our closest influences (our parents, friends, peer groups and the like); they’re also compiled from other various mental influences like television, radio, billboards and other advertisements. In fact, studies have shown that the average person is prone to literally thousands of advertisements per day. These advertisements are filled with mental garbage that promises satisfaction and contentment upon purchasing their products. People who see these advertisements are sold on the fact that they will feel happier, content and less stressed upon purchasing their brands; however, most times, they just leave us wanting more and make us feel more dissatisfied with ourselves. Their advertisements include subliminal messages that weaken our esteem and make us feel inadequate, which ultimately leads to more negativity and disappointment. They make us feel like we need their products to feel happy again, or they make us believe that happiness lies within a simple click of the mouse on our computers. We are perfectly fine with what we have. In fact, we need to eliminate the feelings of inadequacy and start appreciating what we already have. We need to shut out the negative influences that taint our beliefs, and we need to latch onto the positive beliefs that empower us. The truth is; when you realize how grateful you are for what we already have, you will become a lot less focused on everyone else and become a lot more committed within.

In addition, some of our beliefs come from spirituality or religious domains. I won’t touch too much on this topic because I expressed all my thoughts in my first book The Next Chapter. There are literally hundreds of different religions, if not thousands among us. These religions were based on various beliefs to help their members bring on spiritual enlightenment. However you formed your beliefs it's important to know that you are the one that calls the shots within your life. You are the one that is in charge of the way you live your life. There are potentially thousands of different answers to some of the most profound questions in our lives, not just one. Knowing this important fact can act as encouragement to seek the right life path; the one with beliefs that are right for you!

Being Enlightened

The term enlightenment was derived in the early thirteen hundred’s. It’s an English word that was coined to express a spiritual awakening. It’s also described as “the end of suffering.” To be truly enlightened, one must search deep within their spiritual selves. Nobody can force enlightenment upon another individual. It must be done in collaboration with pure thoughts and meditation. An individual’s body must be at peace in a positive environment to bring it to fruition. The fullest form of enlightenment generally comes after a person has eliminated all reoccurring thoughts within their mind; they are still and at peace with themselves, and have deleted any possible forms of negativity surfacing their mind. True enlightenment is an incredible feeling. It instantly makes you feel compassionate towards others and brings powerful confidence to ones psyche.

Enlightenment comes to those who are completely at ease with their mind; with absolutely no ill feelings whatsoever about themselves or towards anyone else; with zero hatred, remorse, regret or dissatisfaction in their lives. It comes to those who have one hundred percent full control over their thoughts. Those that can control their minds to think positively and eliminate the negativity. It comes to inspired minds and to those that have found their passion. In fact, enlightenment comes in a variety of methods. Most importantly, it comes to those that wish to find it.

I’ve been pursuing enlightenment for many years. Earlier on, I didn’t believe it was possible to accomplish; to be enlightened. I assumed I just had to deal with what was presented to my mind. In fact, I didn’t realize that I had full control over my moods either. Complete peace within my mind sounded foolish, and to be able to control my inner emotions always seemed so intriguing yet near impossible. It wasn't until I saw proof. Actually, I read it in a book. My inspiration came from scriptures of Buddhist monks that described their own experiences in becoming enlightened. Some worked very hard on training their mind to reach full enlightenment. In fact, they served almost every waking hour of their days training their minds to eliminate the bad and bring in only the good. They sat in silent chambers for years trying to unleash their inner happiness. Their accounts shared that happiness wasn't brought by external things.It wast their minds served them everything they needed to be truly happy people. This showed me dedication and perseverance. It radiated affection and brought me in close enough to strive for the same. It was impressive to see how dedicated they were to reach such a goal. In fact, they brought themselves to be the best, most positive individuals possible. Their ambition sparked interest for me to to follow suit. It made me seek the inner desire to become the most pure, happy and content individual that I could be.

Being truly enlightened is a wonderful feeling. The best way I can describe the experience is feelings of satisfaction, joy, happiness, and contentment all at once, mixed with a little fantasy. It's truly living in the moment one hundred percent. Being enlightened is brought on by those who take it seriously. It cannot be forced, nor can it be released in a negative environment. It can be produced over and over again with dedication. In fact, many people claim to experience enlightenment for great lengths of time. Even though it takes strength of the mind to be achieve but even the weakest minds have found it.

I encourage you to try.

Increased confidence

Your imagination is the breeding ground for happiness. Confidence is the driving force behind your imagination. Being diligent in cultivating strong confidence will ensure you’ll be a happy player in the game of life.

I believe confidence is the most underrated characteristic in life. Without it your life stays stagnant and under developed. But, who’s to blame; they don’t teach about confidence in the regular school curriculum, do they?

Often times, lack of confidence comes from continuous negative self-talk. Generally, this negative discussion stems from actions or words transferred from other people. Unfortunately, this type of interaction only serves as a roadblock from achieving your ideal lifestyle. The good news is; once this issue is determined YOU have the opportunity to alter your perspective.

Exercise: Eliminate the negative self-talk
How often do you tell yourself you aren’t good enough? How often do you let your (or other people’s) words discriminate against your passion and hobbies? How do you feel when you give up on your passions? How long have you felt this way for? You need to end this negative self-talk right now. It’s not helping you achieve anything but a mediocre lifestyle.
Negative self-talk is usually derived from neighboring beliefs of your ancestors and closest influences. They engrained this negative self-talk into your mind earlier than you can probably remember. Without realizing it you held onto these self-defeating thoughts well into your adult life, and you never understood why your life is still mediocre because you keep reiterating them over and over. The good news is; there’s plenty of ways to eliminate the negative self-talk that dwindles your life’s mission.

Write a journal
Step one: Start writing a journal. You probably have a half-empty pad of paper lying somewhere around your house just waiting to be used. Over a series of five days I want you to spend at least fifteen minutes per day on this exercise. Each day jot down three negative statements you believe about yourself. Write with as much detail as possible. The details help with visualization. Examples: There’s no point taking my hobbies to the next level because my uncle told me it wasn’t realistic, or There’s no way I can become a ___________, my father told me I wasn’t very smart.
Often times, we have no idea we harness these negative qualities. This exercise will help you spot each of them. The truth is; nothing can be changed unless it’s spotted first. Each negative statement engrained in your mentality is taking away from the ideal perspective.

Step two: After the fifth day you’ll have a total of fifteen negative statements written down. You may not realize you actually harness fifteen negative statements in your mentality, but I guess you’ll see in five days. You probably have more than that. Either way, the best thing you can do is start the process of elimination. Writing them down will allow you to see them, feel them and relieve them. Writing really is a great tool to relieve stresses and anxiety. It allows you to tap into your imagination.
Pick one of the fifteen and work your way down the list one-by-one. When you see the statement written down delve deep into your inner emotions and feel the statement. Write down the emotions you feel when you say the statement aloud. Now read the statement five times simultaneously. Feel the same emotions you felt when you last said the statement. As you experience these emotions over and over your body and mind will generate an immunity to them. Soon the immunity will make you feel comfortable to tweak the statement to one that suits your current lifestyle; a more positive one.

Your negative self-talk can easily be eliminated. You first need to find it. Now go and find that half-used journal under the couch. You’ll be amazed how far you can tweak your perspective, simply by journaling your thoughts.

Knowing your self worth

Bullying is an issue that we’ve been dealing with for Centuries. My father, his father, even my great Grandfather experienced it. We all experience it in some way, at some point in our lives. Some experience it in school as a youthful teenager, while others experience it at home in a nasty relationship, or even in the work place. Neither of us are immune to it. It happens on the streets, it happens at soccer practice, and it happens to the people that you'd least expect. Bullying is a term that is commonly misconceived as a random playground mishap, but it's so much more than that. It tears apart a person’s confidence, it rapes them of their courage and it causes serious psychological affects if not dealt with properly. To a Police officer bullying is no different than assault, abuse or harassment. I've seen it happen at schools, many times. In fact, I've heard countless stories about it. I've even experienced it myself. Bullying is like a plague that keeps circulating through our communities. It generates quickly and it comes with an incredible force that sets you back instantly. If a person experiences too much of it, they’re at an even higher risks of serious health problems.

In my experience as a motivator to high school students I've seen bullying take people in drastic measures. It's effects can lasts well into adulthood. In fact, I've seen grown adults with poor self-esteem experiencing nasty health problems because of it. Tremendous amounts of guilt and shame can well inside of a bullied victim for years if not dealt with properly. It can be detrimental to a person's life plan.  It's simply not a laughing matter.

Eliminating the abuse within your life will drastically increase your self-worth. It will help increase your confidence and it will make you feel more important to society. Having a strong level of confidence will help you overcome any negativity. By increasing your self-worth, you're changing the way you see the World entirely. It all starts with associating yourself around healthy relationships. Who are the people that you associate with? Who are the friends you hang around with? Who are your influences? Who are the people you’re taking advice from? The people in your life will either make you or break you. Are they taking more than they're giving back? Are they good-willed, positive people, or do they drag you down and defeat you?

You are an important person who matters! Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

A lesson on belief and taking action

Over the years, I’ve grown new perceptions of how the World really works. In fact, I’ve continuously studied people; how they think, and how they react to the environment around them. My conclusions are astounding. As a matter of fact, I learned that people who are happy; those who find their inner happiness, and those who bring out the positive in negative situations, generally took more action with their lives. They built the courage inside to take charge of their lives, rather than those who constantly fought against their own happiness by always thinking in negative terms. I've realized that those who were generally positive thinkers had a stronger belief system.

Belief and action are two important fundamentals that one must instill in order to achieve success. Far too often I have talked with friends or family members, and as they tell me passions and inspirations, they continue to tell me how lazy they are, or they make excuses as to why they don’t take action. They seem to never experience the fruits of life. In fact, their stories tell the exact opposite. If they were to reach a little further, perhaps step outside of their comfort zones and grasp onto opportunities with a more positive mindset, they would live a joyous life, but no matter what you tell them they remain in a negative state. Let me tell you this; without a positive belief comes zero action.

How do you react when the environment provides you with an opportunity? What beliefs are you feeding your mind? Are your thoughts dragging you down and making you lazy?

All too often, we remain grounded in reality because of the illusion of our limitations. Our limitations hold us back from wanting more. They make us lazy feeling defeated and make us sleep longer. They deplete our self-worth, and we lose our imagination in the process, forgetting what’s truly important. Don't let this happen to you. Create a solid belief system by eliminating your negative beliefs one at a time. Start thinking positive in every situation, and believe in yourself! Doing so will allow you to take action towards your passions without procrastinating.

Giving to others

All my life I’ve fathomed being in the limelight. Since a young age, I’ve been fascinated by celebrity. For some reason I’ve believed that celebrities live better than typical civilians. Maybe it was in the advertisements. The perfection was easy to see. It always seemed like they had something the rest don’t. They had to; it showed in their smiles, through their crafts and passions, in magazines and television ads. I then realized it was all in the hands of marketing gurus that place a synthetic image of what celebrity entails. As a matter of fact, I was so enthralled with becoming a celebrity that I went to great depths trying to learn about it from every aspect. I wanted to see if they truly did live better lives than us. I wanted to see if they truly were happier people. My findings are quite interesting.

I can assure you celebrity isn’t what it seems to be. It’s not exactly how they paint it on your television screen. In fact, in my trek to becoming a limelight sensation I’ve come across numerous celebrities from all walks in the entertainment industry. Back in my twenties my main focus was studying celebrity. I read countless biographies and even moved to Toronto, Vancouver and Los Angeles to find it. My research showed only more frustration, less privacy and less time to do what you really want to do. I found the majority of celebrities are less than satisfied people. They’re constantly on the watch; every time they leave their household they’re watched. Heck, they’re even videotaped and photographed while they’re in their homes. What I did learn was this; almost every celebrity I came across stated that the most important quality needed to reach true lasting happiness is giving to others.



Exercise: Give to others

There’s a lot of happiness in giving to others. There have actually been studies done on the effects after giving to others. These tests recorded the types of feelings one has when they help another person. The results are quite shocking. In fact, they’ve concluded that endorphins and other feel-good receptors are released into the bloodstream at a rapid rate after doing good for society. I believe giving to others happens to be the most over looked quality in the human race.

In your journal jot down a list of seven things you can do good for society. This exercise will take some visualization. By now you should be a near expert. Think of the things you can do to help a family member in need, or the neighbor across the street, or the friend that’s heartbroken. It doesn’t matter who you’re doing the random act of kindness for, you just need to have a clear idea what each good deed is. Think of the simple things you can do, like shoveling someone’s walkway without telling them, or offering to babysit somebody’s kids knowing they need a break, or simply bringing coffee and doughnuts into the office. Each small good deed will go a long way, especially if it isn’t expected. Try to make them more in depth than just holding a door open for someone. The larger the deed the more you’ll benefit. Once you have your list of seven, assign a weekday to accomplish each of them. This exercise will take some time and physical effort of your end, so be ready for it. Each day for the next full week enlist yourself to accomplish one good deed off the list. This will fill your Karma bank with funds that’ll propel your happiness quickly.



Exercise 2: Build your Karma bank

Karma means action, work or deed; it also refers to the spiritual principle of cause and effect where intent and actions of an individual influence the future of that individual. Good intent and good deed contribute to good karma and future happiness, while bad intent and bad deed contribute to bad karma and future suffering. Karma is closely associated with the idea of rebirth in many schools of Asian religions. In these schools, karma in the present affects one's future in the current life, as well as the nature and quality of future lives.

I like to explain Karma the following way. Each of us has a Karma bank (account). It works the exact same way as your typical bank account however the transactions are in the irony of the decisions you make in your life. For example: if you make a negative decision in life you’ll instantly withdraw from your Karma account. The opposite is true when you do something good for society in a positive way. When this happens you actually make a deposit into your Karma account. The more you have banked in your Karma account the more benefits you’ll reap in life. If you’re in need for positive reinforcement due to a catastrophic life event however don’t have sufficient funds in your Karma account there’s very little the environment around you can help you with. If however your Karma statement shows a surplus in Karma when you’re facing a difficult life situation there’s plenty of possibilities the environment will help you with. Just like your life savings, it’s important to always be in the positive with your Karma account. Life starts to get pretty risky when your Karma account is in the overdraft.  There are plenty of ways you can increase your Karma account. Doing anything good for society or giving to others is the easiest way to increase it.