Keep it funny

So today I thought we would take a break to teach you something that is essential in life. Can you guess what it is? I'm sure you can... Laughter!

http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/inside-the-mind/emotions/laughter-cure-illness.htm

in the link above you can take a look at what How Stuff Works says, but if you don't want to read the whole column then you can read my highlights below.
-Laughter sets off a chain reaction throughout the body that promotes physical and psychological health.
-Laughter lowers your body's hormone and cortisol levels.
-Laughter strengthens your immune system because it increases the production of antibodies in your saliva and in your bloodstream to stave off bacteria, viruses and parasites.
- a good amount of laughter combats depression as well as anxiety!

So let's be honest here. We may not understand it but a LOT of people today go through depression and anxiety. I don't know about you but I could use a dose of anything in order to not go through depression or anxiety every again (hence, one of the reasons i started this personal development journey).
So with facts aside, sit back, relax, click on the link below and browse Funniest Videos Facebook page using the link below and laugh your butt off! Have fun!

https://www.facebook.com/Funniest.Videos.HUMOR/

Immersion- Step #3

It's been a few days since I posted. So let's jump right in. Hence the title "Immersion". When you are journeying to personal development there are two ways to go about it. Neither one is "better" than the other but one is more efficient than the other. I'll explain later. I hope you have been sticking to your daily affirmations. I am! Have you been doing your meditations? I have!
Last night was so cute, my son is 5 years old (almost 6 as he keeps reminding me). Every single night, without fail, we say our prayers. Last night I decided to change it up a bit and add in some motivation/yoga techniques that allowed him to take a unique approach to the same ol' prayer mantra we always recite. Here is what happened:

Me: Alright Chase, mommy wants to try something super special tonight! Would that be ok?

Chase: (him being the super adventurous type who loves anything new says...) YEAH!

Me: ok baby, mommy wants you to breathe in through your nose as much air as you could possibly fit! then hold it

Chase: *breathing deeply*

Me: awesome job, now let it out slowly through your mouth.

Chase: *lets out air*... starts to grin.

REPEAT

Chase starts grinning even bigger saying "I love this mom!" I kid you not, this kid was so excited over breathing differently and mommy focusing all her attention on this time, that he wanted more! I spend a lot of time with my son but these moments seem to be the most special for the both of us. After we breathed deeply for 3 big breathes. I had him breathe in one more deep breath while bringing his hands to a salutation. From there we said our prayers
 "now I lay me down to sleep..." when we were done we did one more big breathe with a salutation. My son passed out so quickly that I had no idea it was even possible! Lately he's been getting out of bed every 10 minutes for two hours following bed time that I thought he was going to make it a habit. After implementing the deep breathes and getting that good oxygen to his brain, his body followed extremely positively! This allowed mommy and daddy to watch a movie without interruption! It was a good movie too! Now, back to our regularly scheduled personal development teaching lol

The two ways you can go about self development
   1. Slowly substituting normal activities with something new that pertains to personal development.
   2. Immerse yourself so quickly that your mind doesn't have time to think its a bad idea and convince you out of something beneficial or give you excuses to stop pursuing and get sucked back in to the rat race.

As you can tell, i'm very passionate about the second. I know that immersing yourself is an extremely vital part of personal development if you want the fast track. If you are trying to go for success, or riches. It is very likely that I would recommend step two. Now, if you are an individual who wants to take things slow. Thats up to you. I can tell you that taking things slow can be long lasting because you are constantly fighting yourself and teaching yourself the better habits. If you are older than me then you have more years of brainwashing to get out than I do. I started slow, but learned my lesson. It would have been better to go fast in my opinion. i started with random books and CD's and never had a specific direction or point for listening and reading. I just knew I wanted something better. Then I started changing my radio. I no longer listen to the radio in my car. I have new CD's all the time on personal development and success within the field I want to pursue. It is uplifting and amazing every single time i'm in my car! I don't mind getting stuck in traffic because I am listening to life changing words and I won't be stuck here forever!

Changing this one thing had a huge impact on everything that follows. Apparently thats what I needed. It took me a while to realize though because I only occasionally looked at personal development books, or listened to CD's. Once I changed a huge chunk of my life over to personal development. That is when my life started changing... for the better.

More to come tomorrow! Do you have certain things you like substituting for personal development now? Share in the comments and let me know!

Daily Affirmations- Step #2 Cont'd

Do you think you have the meditation part down? Affirmations? If you haven't set up affirmations then lets do that now. You remember thinking about what you want in life right? Well let's take a moment to jot down some of those ideas right now. That's right, get a pen and paper (not pencil). We are making this permanent!

If you want success you can use affirmations like:

• I am a successful business woman/ man. (Or whatever profession you choose)
• I have the respect and power at work that I deserve (watch out for this one though, if you are saying you have what you deserve then you better be proving to the universe that you deserve amazingness. Don't just do nothing and expect everything).
• I am a successful networker. (This one is vital no matter your profession! If you don't network then you will never have resources or people to use when you are in a bind so you may be forced to get crappy work or have to pay multiple times for something because you don't know better) 
• Let me give you an example. Something happens to your car. You don't know any car people so you take it in to your local dealership or car shop. They "think" they know whats wrong and charge you 2.000 to fix it. Two weeks later the same issue is happening, you take it back in. They have to at least charge you hourly even if they don't recharge your parts because they are paying their employees. So another 200-300 down the drain in hopes that your car is fixed. What if they need a different part though, then its more money. If you knew someone who knew cars well then you could have saved yourself a lot of trouble, time, and money. 
• Want another example? You are in a legal bind, you don't know any lawyers so you keep paying for one that you think is good. If you networked you could have just asked your friend to give you some quick advice and maybe a good referral that you know you can trust and isn't out to suck you dry. 
• Networking (whether you believe in Network Marketing companies or anything along those lines) is extremely important and can always come in handy. Holton Buggs says "You can't out-friend me" He prides himself on being the best friend he can, to everyone. His networking database is so grand that he makes over a million dollars a month building his own brand and helping others. I'm sure that no matter what issues arise for him, he will have a friend to call on. 
• Everyone loves me. This may sound silly but when you are constantly putting out there that everyone loves you, then you stop caring about what others think. Just assume they love you and you will eventually find yourself surrounded by loving friends and family or realize that they friends you had, never really cared for you in the first place. Now, don't be a negative Nancy here... Don't go saying "I don't care what others think of me" as your affirmation. That is a very bad idea. You are placing a negative attitude on a positive affirmation and you are confusing your subconsciousness. That "I don't care" phrase can be dangerous. Stay away from it and find something else to say. 

If you want health you can use affirmations like:

• I am healthy.
• Choosing healthy foods is super easy.
• I need fruits and vegetables (don't say something like, "I don't need donuts" Read just above and see what I said on the "everybody loves me" affirmation. You don't want to put a negative (don't) in something that is supposed to be positive. Find a way to say what you want, WITHOUT having that negative. This will speed the process of everything wayyyyyyy quicker. 
• My daily habits are easy to follow. (make sure you are saying this when you are switching to that healthier lifestyle lol)

If you want wealth you can use affirmations like:

• I am a ___________________ (fill the blank with the area you currently feel you want to achieve) 
• i.e. thousand-aire, millionaire, billionaire (don't be afraid to dream but be sure your dream and goals seem just over real to you) If you truly can't imagine yourself being a millionaire yet then do not place that there. If you can't see it in your mind then don't say it yet. Say thousand-aire. Sounds silly but a lot of people can't imagine having a million dollars so start with imagining that you have 10,000 in  your bank. For most, that is a stretch, but anything is possible. Convince your mind and your body will follow. 
• I am debt free! (this better be a goal) you don't want to leave debt and misery on to your children or grand-children. 
• I help others obtain wealth (this one is vital too! if you want wealth then you must help others obtain wealth) when you are helping others, you feel fulfilled and you are doing more than just being selfish) woot woot!!!
• Wealth comes easy to me!

Please keep reading if you are religious and would like some faith based affirmations. 

For those of us who want something stronger for God then you can say things like:

• I am a strong woman (or man) of God!
• Talking about God is easy
• Reading the Bible daily is easy and fun! (I know its hard sometimes but this is how I feel about the daily reading... If you sent your son to die on the cross for the sins of the world, would you feel appreciated if the world only spent time with you once a week or less? or would you feel more appreciated if they took the time out of their crazy busy lives to let you know that you will always be first? I would want people to spend time with me daily even if its just a couple minutes!) but of course, to each their own. I will NOT judge you for your path with Christ! If you are on the path then I commend you for taking that step, if you are not. That's ok! I'm sure you will find him when you are ready. He will be waiting. 
• It is easy to get a long with everybody (this is very important for us Christians especial now-a-days! Stop judging and keep telling yourself that its easy to get a long. The nicer and more open you are, then the more people who aren't strong with God, will come to know him because of your kindness and generosity. Great job!

If you need any more affirmations go ahead and comment or just comment with some of your own that have worked for you. I can't wait to hear from you and when you are ready, come back for more suggestions on personal development. Love you all!

30 minutes- Step #2

The journey to personal development is not easy. Nothing that is worth anything in life is ever truly easy. Keep that in mind the entire time you are creating this new lifestyle. Have you ever tried to diet? Well then you know that dieting is NOT easy. Mostly because its temporary. If you can find something for you that changes your lifestyle with eating then you are no longer dieting, you are changing your health and wellness. Same thing goes with personal development. You need to find something small, change that. Then you have the foundation set to start building and changing more things. So what should you change first?

Answer: 30 minutes

Studies show that 30 minutes when you wake up are the most impactful moments of your day and can influence the flow of your entire day. So why not start those 30 minutes with something impactful? For example, if you are religious then you should spend your first 30 minutes with your God. If you are not religious then you should skip that step and spend your first 30 minutes directly in meditation. Giving yourself affirmations for a positive life and day.

So those of you who are religious like me, then after you devote your time to God, move on to the next step and devote some time to yourself through meditation. Many people see meditation as something that foreign religions do and is weird, crazy, bad, or whatever other negative thoughts you have against it. Throw all of that out the window! It is crap. Seriously, don't just take my word for it. Do some research. When you research a subject make sure you find people who are successful and loving life! (that is where you want to be right?) then those are the people you need to listen to. Find out what they think about meditation. Why they think that its important.

Even if you are not trying to be a successful person within business, this step can impact your life at home, your life with family, and your life with friends! Do you want your emotions to rule you or do  you want to rule them? I want to rule my own emotions! (no it is not easy) I have been through a lot, and I don't plan to blast it for everyone on the internet, but just know that no matter what you have been through, the emotions that make you suffer, etc. YOU CAN OVERCOME. Meditation will help you do that. Please, for your own sake. PLEASE give it a try. See if you feel better. See if you feel more at peace. Give yourself the opportunity to heal from your past and anything that rules your mind.

How to meditate: From what I have found, this is the best way for me and I hope it works for you to. I want to help you and make an impact for the better! Keep in mind I am NOT a doctor. I'm not trying to diagnose or treat anything. I'm just trying to help in the way that I was.
What I have found to work is when you go to start meditation, don't overwhelm yourself and think that you have to stay in meditation for the entire 30 minutes. Hell no! That is not easy and that is something for the pros lol. Start with just a couple minutes. Think about peace. Think about one thing that makes you happy. Think about your affirmations. Whatever is easiest for you to focus on. Now here is the tricky part. If you are focusing on something and then start thinking about something else, THAT'S OK! When you notice stray thoughts just turn it back to your initial thought.
For example: if you are thinking about success and wealth, then you start thinking about your grocery list. Take note of what is bothering you and interrupting your meditation and go right back to your thoughts of success and wealth. Tell yourself that you will not let your thoughts consume you. Tell yourself that you are in control.

THIS WILL TAKE TIME! But it will pay off, when you feel like you are ready to move on to the next step then come back for more. I wish you an amazing life full of blessings, wealth, and happiness!

Where to start- Step #1

Ok, I've made the decision to start this journey of personal development. So you may be asking me "where do I start?"
Pay attention to these next words very closely...
ORGANIZE YOUR LIFE!

I mean that in the nicest way possible even though it's all in Caps. It is so essential that you have everything around you organized. There are so many ways to do this. I will point out the essentials in my opinion. You need to organize your closet, your office, your kitchen, and your kids room (if you have kids). Organizing these things will allow your mind to be clear and not cluttered like your home. It can be extremely daunting thinking about having to organize all of these things, but i'll give you some tips to get them done.

Closet: Have you ever heard of Oprah Winfrey? She is pretty amazing! She had this great organization idea to help with your closet. She said that for every piece of clothing you buy, you must also give away a piece of clothing. That way you always have space in your closet and you never need to buy more hangers! To top it off, people in need will be able to have the clothing that you really don't want or need anymore. Another suggestion (and this one is a little long) put all of your hangers facing backwards, and when you use the clothes. Put them back in the closet facing forwards now. At the end of the year whichever ones are not facing forward, donate. This is useful for pretty much all of your wardrobe. Only exceptions would be dresses that are special occasion only.

Office: Well I am a strong encourager of entrepreneurship. So this is absolutely a must! Susan Sly has a really cool organize your life program that will help you get your stuff together. Get rid of anything that you use to have ties to but no longer do. (i.e. any past companies you are no longer involved with). How can you move on if you still have it all hanging around? Next, make sure everything is OFF of your desk except for the essentials. Get some organizers and try to keep everything in those instead. This will allow your mind to be clear and not cluttered when you sit at your desk to work.

Kitchen: If you are not the cook in the home then ignore this but if you are, then you need to make sure everything flows smoothly. You cook three meals in this place daily. It is very important that it doesn't interrupt your flow of life and daily activities by getting stressed when you can't find something or when there is no room to put away your storage containers because you never find the time to organize them.

Kids room: obviously if you don't have kids then this doesn't apply to you but if you do then you can relate to the tornado of craziness that happens in the room two seconds after you leave. You may be asking at this point, "what's the point then?" wellllllll this is what I have found with my son. When I tried to keep everything is specific places, I was ALWAYS stressed and so was he. When I gave him a big bucket to throw all his toys in to. That made life way easier on the both of us. He doesn't have to remember where everything goes, and its way easier to just throw things in one place. This doesn't bother my mind or make it cluttered because i've gone through the trial and error of trying to keep things separate. Drives me nuts!

Anyways I hope all these ideas help! Come back for more ways to improve your life and personal development.

Introduction- Why the heck should I start the journey to self development?

First off, let me ask you a couple questions.

• Do you enjoy where you are at in life?
• Do you know where you want to be in 5 years?
• Do you think you will stay at your job until retirement?

      These are just a few questions in a list of many that I asked myself.  A few years ago I was extremely unhappy. I was stressed all the time and I hated the military with a passion because they always kept my husband away from me in one way or another. I was not overweight but I was unhappy with my body. I was sluggish. I slept horribly, and worst of all... I barely had any patience for my son. What a list of attributes huh? I thought so to, so when I came across this health program, I decided to give it a try. I was never one for "dieting" but it promised me lots of energy. As a stay at home mom, I needed it. 

     It was a 30 day program that i stuck to pretty well except for the cleansing parts. I lost weight and felt amazing! I sure did have a lot of energy like promised. I digress about the health program itself though. The point is, it gave me enough energy to finally start looking at life differently. So to answer those questions for myself. 

 

• Do you enjoy where you are at in life? 
• NO
• Do you know where you want to be in 5 years?
• Um, alive?
• Do you think you will stay at your job until retirement?
• I'm a stay at home mom! I wish I could stay here forever! But then I won't have money to retire because my husbands paycheck stinks!

So that lead me to look for something more. That health program I was telling you about, well they offered a work at home opportunity. It didn't exactly work out for me but it led me on that path to self discovery and personal development. 

So to answer your initial question as to why you should start? and why you are even reading this in the first place... here is what I will share so far. You can read specifics in upcoming blogs. 

Why... Albert Einstein stated “Intellectual growth should commence at birth and cease only at death.”  

If you choose not to learn and to just live life, then my question for you is, What type of life are you really living? Think about that tonight. Do you want to live life accepting anything and everything thrown at you? Or would you rather live life full of wonder and curiosity, challenging the status quo and becoming a more fulfilled individual in the process?