Focus on Success

Ok, here's the question of the day...what do baseball players and weather predictors have in common? Answer....many are making millions of dollars for failing most of the time.

It's an interesting concept. The best baseball players get hits 3 out of every 10 times at bat. That means they come up short 7 times out of every 10. I read an article by author/mind specialist Karim Hajee. He made a very interesting point. He says that, with these players, we don't focus on the 7 times they fail. We focus on the number of times they are successful. The best baseball players are known for the hits they get, not the outs they make.

After reading this, I realize we need to do the same in our own lives. I think about myself, and realize how often I focus on my failures. Each day I do some things right, some wrong. In many cases the "wrong" category far outweighs the "right". However, if I want to keep a good frame of mind, and maximize the positive power in my life, I need to focus on what I did right. I need to focus on my successes. Like the baseball player, I want to be known for my hits, not my outs.

Do we just ignore our failures? Of course not. When a baseball player makes several outs in a row, he takes the time to evaluate what he is doing wrong, and makes the necessary adjustments. If he maintains a positive attitude and effort, he eventually begins hitting again. The same is true for us. When we are not succeeding, we need to evaluate and make the necessary adjustments. With the right attitude and effort, we eventually return to our more successful ways.

When we focus on our success, we build on it and create more for ourselves. We realize the power we have in us, and our faith grows. And when our faith grows, we take positive, focused action. And when we mix faith with positive focused action, the possibilities in our lives are endless, and miracles abound. That's the kind of life I want to live.

So the next time you are frustrated about your failures stop and realize your successes. I believe you will soon realize how much you have actually accomplished, and how much positive you have in your life. When you focus on your successes, life is a home run!

Have an excellent day : )

Present Moments

Wow, time goes quickly, doesn't it? I realize its been four days since I wrote something here. I also realize the other items not checked off on my to do list as another week has quickly passed us by.

So what do I do now? Try to catch it all up in one day? According to my most recent readings, the best I can do is...the best I can do. Yes, I understand that doesn't make sense. We are only alloted a certain amount of time to accomplish what we need to. The key is to do all we can in the amount of time we have in the present moment.

The minutes and hours I have lost this week are gone forever. The best I can do today is to be and do my best RIGHT NOW! I do need to have ideas and plans for the future. However, I have full control over this present moment. It is what I do with this control that will be the greatest determining factor of how future moments turn out.

Although I can learn from my past, I can't bring it back. Although I can be ready for my future, I can't bring it here now. It is the present moment that I have at my fingertips. This is the time to make things happen.

I hate to cut this short, but my to do list is made, and I am focused! This information has helped me a great deal, and that's why I share it with you. I have learned that, if I put my primary focus on what I can do in the present time I have, I worry less and accomplish more. Also, things are done more effectively.

Please enjoy your present moments today : )

A Christian Atheist??

There are certain things that don't go together in this world. For example, in our country there are no Republican Democrats. There are other examples to continue this little game: rich poor people; people that love the Yankees AND the Red Sox; country city slickers, etc. There are very few, if any that would fit into both of each category.

So what about my title? Do Christian Atheists exist? I will take the cop-out answer of yes and no. Now some of you are already thinking I've flown off the deep end. There's no such thing, you say. Partially true, I reply. But there's more to this story.

First, let's define both words. What is a Christian? The obvious answer is someone who believes in Jesus Christ, that he died on the cross, and was resurrected on the third day. Of course, there is much more to it, but that's the basic definition. An atheist, as defined by dictionary.com, is a person who denies or disbelieves the existence of a supreme being or beings. So how can we have both at once?

I will answer that shortly. My main point is that I am reading an excellent book called "The Path to Prosperity", by James Allen. It is an incredible book about the effects positive thinking can have on our lives. However, it is the powerful statement of negative thoughts that really gets my attention. He says, "where there is fear, worry, anxiety, doubt, trouble, chagrin, or disappointment, there is lack of faith....to fear, worry and doubt is to deny, to dis-believe. (p. 36) Wow! Did he really say that?

At first, I had the inclination to throw the book down. I couldn't though because it is an e-book, and the whole computer would go with it. Besides, I'm not one for losing my temper anyway. However, as I thougth about this more, I realized how right the author is. We are commanded throughout the bible to have faith. There are countless stories about miracles that happened because of one's faith. There are also many verses commanding us not to worry, create anxiety, or dwell on negative circumstances.

I am a Christian. I think I'm a pretty good one too. However, after reading this, I humbly realize I am part atheist. Every time I worry, doubt or fear, I am saying I don't believe in the power and miracles God has for me. I am saying Jesus died in vain for me. I am saying it is more important for me to dwell on negative thoughts than to pray with faith for positive results. If I were God I would be seriously offended! Fortunately, He is very forgiving, and it is me I am hurting, not Him.

Once again, these words hit me hard and really made me think (that's the sign of a great book in my opinion). It is as I make a much greater effort to focus my thoughts on the positive blessings God has for me that I share this with you. I am not here to call you an atheist. However, it is my desire to remind you again of: the power within you; using that power to be a blessing to others and making a difference in this world; and focusing faithfully on God and the blessings he has for you. I want to be known as a faithful, believing Christian. Hopefully you do too : )

Have an excellent day!

Emotional Debate

I have always been interested in psychology and how emotions play a part in our lives. In one of my college classes we studied an interesting debate. It was about emotion and action. One side said that emotion came first, then the action. For example, we feel the emotion of happiness, then we smile or laugh. We become sad, then cry. The other side said that our action of crying, laughing, or whatever is actually what triggers the emotion.

For me, this was an easy one to figure out. I firmly believed the first argument. We feel the emotion, than comes the action. Recently, I thought of this from the other side. Would it be possible to act first to create the emotion? The more I thought about it, I thought..Yes!

Think about when we smile. Many times we smile because of a positive emotion. However, I believe it is possible to cause positive emotions by smiling. Try it. Spend a few minutes with a big smile on for your face. Does it make a difference? It does when I try it. The first time I did it, I actually ended up laughing because I thought I had officially gone crazy trying to keep a fake smile on my face. Before long though, it wasn't fake. When we smile and laugh we feel positive. And when we feel positive, life goes much smoother. Besides that, it positively impacts those around us.

A smile can also combat negative emotions and situations. When I worked in customer service, I often received calls from angry customers. When they "heard" my smile on the phone, they were much less likely to remain angry, and were much more willing to come up with a mutual solution. I recently read of an experiment. It suggested to try to smile and think of negative, worrisome thoughts at the same time. It is very difficult to do!

The bottom line is that our action can impact our emotion. The best part is we have full control over it. There are many benefits to keeping a smile on our face. One of the greatest is the positive emotions we feel as we do it. I don't know about you, but I no longer need psychological proof to believe this.

Have an excellent day : )

Know Success

Wouldn't it be great if everything we did or tried in life was successful? We all know it doesn't happen this way. But we can dream, right?

I believe we can learn from this fantasy. I recently read advice of the importance of envisioning success with each task or goal we have. This is nothing new to me, and I have written about it before. However, the writer makes a strong and powerful statement. He advises to go into every endeavor as if success is guaranteed.

I thought about this for a moment and find it to be excellent advice. I reflected on the fact that, every time I failed at something, it was because I went into it half-heartedly or fearing failure. Everything I've had success with, I went into it with confidence, assuming I already had success.

I don't believe this happens by accident. Knowing this, I think we can create much of our success on purpose. By going into every task with thoughts of success in the front of our minds, our success levels can dramatically increase.

I wish I could say that we could be completely successful with everything, but none of us has been or will ever be perfect. However, why not think positive and see yourself succeeding before beginning your next task. I seriously think you will not only increase success, but you may end up trying and doing things you may not have thought of doing before. Either way, I think you will be pleasantly surprised with the results. After being very much afraid to leave my comfort zone for a long time, I see the positive results in my own life. That's my main reason for sharing this information here. Please share your positive results. I would love to hear about it.

Have an excellent day : )

Be Your Best

Much of the conversations in our world today are about who's the best at something. Sports leagues are set up that way. After all, what sports league would be worth watching if there wasn't a champion determined. In entertainment, there are Grammys, Oscars, CMAs, etc, all to determine who is the best.

We all dream of being the best. I know I do. However, it is a very difficult task. Only one can be the best. As a result, trying to the be the best at something has caused stress for me for two reasons: One, is there are many people that do many things well (in many cases they do them much better than I do). Two, it can cause competition. Here's an example....When I began teaching seven years ago, I was thrilled to be in that position (I still am today). As a result, I wanted to be the best teacher in the school. This was a difficult task. First, there were many great teachers already there. They had much more experience and knowledge than I did. Once I realized this, I put extra pressure on myself, and even became a bit jealous when I saw the great things they were doing.

You may ask, is there an easier way? I can gladly answer.....YES! There is one idea that has helped me more than any. I recently read it again in two different sources, so I was inspired to share it here. Instead of being THE best, simply strive to be YOUR best. That simply means doing your best in every area of your life, doing all tasks (big and small) wholeheartedly.

This philosophy has several benefits:

1. Maximum efficiency. Imagine how much better and more efficient this world would be if everyone did their best at everything. I believe we would not be talking about recessions, double digit unemployment, educational breakdowns, etc.

2. Cooperation. Instead of working against people, more would be working together. Think of how much easier it is to go with the flow instead of against it.

3. Less Stress. Using my teaching example above, I have so much less pressure trying to be MY best instead of THE best. There are still many teachers better than me. Yet because I strive to be my best, that's what my students, peers, and employers receive from me. As a result they all benefit.

Ephesians 6:7 says to "serve wholeheartedly as if serving the Lord, not men. That's inspiration enough for me to do all things wholeheartedly. Unfortunately, there are too many times I don't. Funny how that's when I am without direction, I feel lost, and don't see positive results in my life. When I do things at my best, not only do they get done well, but things go smoother, and I enjoy the benefits mentioned above, besides many other blessings. So do all of those around me.

If you are looking for more productive and powerful results in your life, I recommend this advice of being your best in every area of your life. By being YOUR best you will exprience THE best as a result.

Have an excellent day : )

Feeling Peaceful

Every once in a while I like to bring life's irony into my blogs. So why not today? I have been talking about raising our energy levels to increase our efficiency and that of those around us. I've talked about being loving and joyful, and now...peaceful?

One wouldn't normally put peace and tranquility into the same sentence with high energy. However, it can work. Peace is one of the fruits of the spirit. For that reason alone, it can add positive energy to our lives. However, what peace does, is remove the clutter in our minds and lives that takes away our energy. How often do stressful and negative thoughts keep us weighted down and drain us of our mental and physical energy? It's easy to let it happen. However, if we focus on taking at least a few minutes a day to reflect on peaceful and tranquil thoughts we can remove much of that negative baggage.

You may think, "when do I have time during the day to slow down and think tranquil thoughts?" Our days are busy enough. However, I have seen the importance of taking this time, and I have experienced the benefits as well.

Ok then, how do we do it? Can we deliberately bring peace into our lives? And if so, how? I firmly believe we can do anything we put our minds to. In fact, that is the key. If we want it bad enough, we will get it. If we believe it can happen, it will. In any circumstance. So if we think thoughts of peace and believe it is with us, we will experience it.

As far as how to do it, that's up to the individual. What works best for me is prayer and reflection. Even if it's just for a few minutes, it works. Based on a suggestion I read, I also have a weird but effective way of clearing my head. I actually close my eyes, bow my head, and make believe I have a hole in my head (some may tell me I don't have to make believe). I then envision all of the negative thoughts, worries, etc. literally draining out of my head until I feel like it's all out. Yes, I know it's a little different (isn't a blog for sharing our deepest personal thoughts?), but it is amazing how I actually feel much more peaceful after doing that. I do it for about two minutes (usually locked in the bathroom so no one thinks I am crazy....oops, too late for that...) two or three times a day. With a more peaceful and clear mind I can accomplish much more and live more effectively. The same is true for anyone.

The bottom line is that we are on this earth to be the best we can be. This is much easier to accomplish when we are at peace with ourselves and those around us. Ultimately this peace and tranquility enables us to live a high energy life. That's when we are at our best.

I will end with one of my favorite bible verses...Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ (Philippians 4:6-7).

Have an excellent day : )

It's Contagious!

Why is it that when we hear the word contagious, we think of some kind of sickness? I teach in a school, and contagious is a nasty word that no one wants to hear. The same can be true in any work place.

I like to use the contagious term in the postive form. Is there such a thing? In a previous blog I talked about living life with a high energy. I discussed the high energy of love, and now I will touch on joy. It's amazing how much better life seems when we live with a joyful attitude. Everything just seems better, more positive, and more rewarding.

What's the best part about living this way? It's contagious! Have you ever noticed how even one joyful, positive person can light up an entire room full of people? It's true that one negative person can take the fun away from things. However, not only is it true that one joyful person can inspire a crowd, but the energy and positive effects it creates is much more powerful than a negative one.

That's the type of person I want to be. It's also amazing how, when we live with a joyful attitude (yes, the choice is ours), the joyful circumstances seem to penetrate our lives. I see it in my own life. Sometimes life is excellent just because I think it is.

Since this has such a positive effect on my life and those around me, I take it as a challenge to live life with joy. Enjoy each moment and see God's beauty and good in everything. It's amazing how the beauty and good multiplies around me when I do. I present the same challenge to anyone reading this. I look forwarding to hearing about the results.

Have an excellent day : )

The Power of Love

It's funny how one of my favorite Celine Dion songs runs through my head as I write this title. However, love is much more powerful than what we hear in this and most other songs we listen to.

In my previous blog I discussed the power of living with a high energy. I mentioned the three I believe to be the highest energies: love, joy, and peace, with love being the highest. If we can live our lives with love and be love we can make our lives more effective and have greater postive impacts on the world around us. So how do we do this?

I believe we first have to fully understand what love is. There is no greater definition than that found in I Corinthians 13:4-7......Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

There is no better explanation than this one of what love is. As I look at what those verses say, I realize how "not difficult" it is. Yes, sometimes it is easier said than done, especially when difficult people and circumstances arrive. However, with practice, and most importantly relying on God to perfect it in us, these principles are easy to follow and easy to be.

The challenge for me, and I will relay it to anyone else interested in positively impacting our world, is to realize the benefits of being this loving example. In my mind I see myself being blessed beyond measure, and I see how it benefits those around me. I smile as I see in my mind what God is doing all around me, and how He is using me to build His kingdom. It's interesting how, when we continue to see this in our minds, that it is much more likely to occur in reality. For me, lots of this already has.

If our continuous focus is to be and share the love of God that is in us, the blessings and impacts we imagine (along with those so good we can't even imagine) will be real. I will share as they do for me, and invite anyone else to please do the same.

Have an excellent day : )