Grains of Sand

No one can count the grains of sand on the world's beaches.

That teaches us the concept of countless.

The Universe is huge and can very well hold all our dreams and goals.

The Universe also has limitless resources that are at our disposal.

Be confident that your life story will be everything you dream it to be.

In fact, count on it.

Choosing and Ordering

There is a difference between 'choosing' and 'ordering.'

Choose...

...to pick out or select something as being the best or most appropriate of two or more alternatives

Order...

...to request that something be made, supplied or served

When writing your life story, it's nice to say that you choose a successful life. We all do.

But when you order a successful life, that means you are taking action.

For example, you can go into a restaurant and choose pancakes over waffles. That's nice.

But until you place the order with the waitress, you will not be getting those pancakes.

Order up the life that you choose.

Take Your Life Temperature

Sure, your body temperature may be 98.6, but what's your life temperature?

First, I should explain exactly what is your life temperature.

This temperature is an indicator of how well you are writing your life story. It shows where you are in your plan of achieving your goals and dreams.

And no, there isn't an actual thermometer to gauge this; rather, it can be measured by what you say.

If your conversation is positive, your life temperature is normal and healthy.

But if you find that most of the words out of your mouth are negative, complaining, and just plain depressing, then you need to adjust your temperature.

And yes, you can do this because you are in full control of your thoughts.

The next time you hear your conversation taking a downward, negative turn, imagine a thermometer in your mouth.

If your body temperature was above 98.6, you would take action, right?

The words that come out of your mouth say a lot about you and your life.

Make them right and write your life story.

Believing is Sharing

The one sure sign that we believe something is that we will share it with someone else.

Think about it.

When you know of a great sale, book, or restaurant, don't you tell others?

If you know how to get rid of coffee stains, mice, or frizzy hair, I bet you share this advice with people who need it.

There is a bit of science at work here too.

Thoughts and ideas are energy and energy likes to be on the move. 

Use this principle when you write your life story.

Share your goals and dreams. Write them down. Talk about them.

Bring their energy into the physical world.

It's not magic; it's just making your life what it should be.

Obstacles or Opportunities?

We tend to view things as either obstacles or opportunities.

And that's either a big problem or a successful strategy.

Take note of what these famous people did as they wrote their life stories:

Sir Edmund Hillary saw mountains as opportunities and conquered 11 peaks before climbing Mount Everest.

Edward Jenner saw the smallpox outbreak as a way to help people and created a vaccine. His work laid the foundation of immunology since he recognized the connection between infection with cowpox and specific immunity to smallpox.

NASA knew that the distance to the moon could be conquered with the right technology. Just ask Neil Armstrong.

There are problems and there are possibilities.

Pick one.

Your life story will show us your choice.

National Dog Day

This is definitely one of my favorite holidays.

Dogs have been a major factor in people's life stories for centuries.

Besides being loving and loyal, dogs have often taken a starring role.

Like these amazing dogs...

Swansea Jack, a black retriever who reportedly saved at least 27 people from drowning in the most dangerous river in Wales in the 1930s.

Barry, a Saint Bernard, saved at least 40 lives over the course of 12 years in the early 1800s. He rescued travelers who got lost and even buried in the snow in a dangerous mountainous divide between Switzerland and Italy.

Fido was a stray found in Italy during World War II. A kiln worker gave him a home and a new start in life. Every day, Fido would wait at the bus stop for his master to come home from work. An air raid killed his master at work one day, but Fido still came to the bus stop-- every day for 14 years.

Perhaps the most amazing thing about these stories is that the dogs were just doing what they knew they should.

They recognized opportunities to use their skills and make a difference in the lives of those around them.

Just like we should.

Write your life story with the simple trust that every dog has.

Quarks and Quirks

Quarks and quirks are both very different, but they have something important in common.

First the definitions:

Quark: a type of matter particle. Most of the matter we see around us is made from protons and neutrons, which are made of quarks.

Quirk: a peculiar action, behavior, or mannerism

Yes, they are very different, but the common denominator is that quarks and quirks cannot be seen; they can only be observed.

There are many things in our world that cannot be seen, but which make up the very building blocks of life.

Your dreams and goals are not visible but are shown through your life story.

So go ahead and write it.

We'll be waiting to see it.

You Do What You Think

We all know the relationship between food and our bodies.

"You are what you eat."

But there is an even stronger relationship between your thoughts and actions.

"You do what you think."

Something to think about when you're writing your life story.

Is Your Life Caused or Created?

Are the events in your life caused by other people or circumstances or created by you?

Do things happen to you...

... or do you go out and make things happen?

Is your day a series of reactions to the world or is it filled with bold steps into reality?

I know which one is better.

Now go out and make your day.

Really.

Don't Need a Do-ver

If you are struggling a bit with your life story, don't wish for a do-over.

That stuff only works in video games.

If things are not going as well as you would like, the answer is not wiping the slate clean and starting over.

The answer lies in you.

Check your thoughts.

Are they positive or are you mostly thinking about all the negative things in your life?

Check your conversation.

Your words reflect your thoughts so if you are thinking about all the terrible things in your life, that's probably what you will be talking about.

Check your actions.

Are you actively looking for opportunities to move your life forward?

You don't need a do-over, just the delete key.

Your thoughts create your reality.

Change your thinking and take charge of your life.

Weak WiFi?

When you have a weak WiFi signal, you take action, right?

Perhaps the first thing you do is change your position to improve your connectivity.

You know there is a stream of WiFi 'whatever' out there and if you place yourself in just the right spot you will be tuned in properly.

Hmm...

WiFi can be considered the source of power that allows us to use the Internet.

When you are writing your life story, are you tapping into your personal power?

If you feel your signal is weak, (as in you are not moving forward with your goals) do you change your position and try something new?

Do you place yourself closer to the source of power? Remember, you are the power in your life.

When you start looking at other people's opinions, views, and criticisms, you are then tapping into their power for your life. Not good.

In the world of WiFi, they would be considered interference and you would block them.

Give yourself some time alone to gather your thoughts and gain insights about your own life.

When your own personal connectivity is powerful, your life story will practically write itself.

How to Read Minds (really)

I am going to give you the secret to reading minds, but I do not expect you to run away and get a job at the circus with this new skill.

I want you to understand the physical relationship between the mind and the body so that you can write your life story. Which means that you will live your dreams and goals every moment of every day.

Ready?

Thoughts are energy. 

And energy wants to be used.

This is done when the thought becomes an action.

Every action we take was first a thought in our minds.

What we think is what we do.

You can tell what kind of thoughts people have by observing what they do.

(Yes, that's the secret of mind reading!)

But let's apply this knowledge to you writing your life story.

Your thoughts direct your life. 

That's a very powerful, but very true, statement.

And one that you should keep in mind.

Winners Need to Be Losers Too

We all love to win.

And we probably all know some of these key strategies for winning:

...Write down your goals.

...Have a positive mindset.

...Make use of every opportunity.

But did you know that winners need to lose too?

Specifically, they need to lose:

...Negative thoughts

...Beliefs that show them only obstacles

...Feelings that they will never achieve their goals

These two lists have one very important thing in common:

You are in full control of all of these strategies.

You can choose to be positive and win, or be negative and lose.

It's your life story; write it because you can and should.

That's real winning.

When You Don't Know What to Do

It happens.

You're moving forward with your life story and everything is going well...

...then it all stops.

First emotion is surprise, quickly followed by panic.

Then despair.

Stop.

The Universe is very smart and has built in some of these 'rest' periods that will give you time to think.

The sun rises and sets, the tides come and go, and even we breathe in and out.

These are more than opposite actions; they are actions designed to give you a rest or even a different perspective.

When you feel that you don't know what to do-- stop and rest in that thought.

The next step will appear soon and you will be back to writing your life story with a renewed sense of purpose.

Heat Wave!

Yes, it's August, and time for a heat wave.

While the temperatures soar to 100, the sun takes a starring role in our days. The heat will be the topic of most conversations and the television news will show people trying to cool off.

Isn't it amazing that for a large part of the year, the sun is 'just there.' It shows up in the morning and tucks away at night.

It gives us plenty of light and the occasional heat wave when the atmospheric conditions and the rotational angle of the Earth line up.

The sun is extraordinarily powerful (just like you) and can impact the lives of many people (just like you).

Thankfully, this heat wave will only show us a small fraction of the sun's power.

Keep this in mind when you're writing your life story:

You have access to the limitless resources of the Universe.

The same Universe that powers the sun, powers you.

Cool.

Uphill or Downhill?

When exercising, there are benefits to both uphill and downhill walking.

A team of Austrian researchers found that downhill walking improves glucose tolerance while uphill walking lowers triglycerides.

But any kind of walking is beneficial.

When writing your life story, don't worry about uphill or downhill.

Don't think about 'uphill' struggles or say it will be depressingly 'downhill' from here. (Isn't it amazing how words can create such vivid images?)

Just keep moving forward.

Focus on your destination-- writing your life story-- and you won't even notice the hills at all.

Make Your Dreams Bigger

There are two ways to dream...

...carefully or consciously.

When you carefully choose your dreams, you first look around at what everyone one is doing or saying.

You pick dreams and goals that are safe or popular.

But to consciously dream means you ask only yourself.

You look at what you heart wants, regardless if it's popular.

Don't get caught up wondering "how" your dreams will be accomplished; find out "what" they are first.

Writing your life story is a lot easier that way.

Do You Have Pronoia?

If you don't, I suggest getting it.

Pronoia is the belief that the Universe is set up to benefit you -- personally.

This idea is the opposite of paranoia.

(Isn't it amazing how a word changes when only a few letters are rearranged or removed?)

So, today, grab some pronoia and continue writing your life story.

There is nothing and no one that says you can't do it.

Are You Hungry?

Hunger pangs tell us our stomach is empty.

Muscle contractions start in the stomach after you haven't eaten for an extended period of time. These pangs are unpleasant and can even be called painful.

The good news is that a quick snack eliminates the discomfort.

Hunger pangs tell us that something is missing.

When you're writing your life story, you may feel pangs or feelings of discomfort.

And that's not a bad thing.

Hungry people eat.

Uncomfortable people make changes.

If you feel that you are not on track to write your life story, check your 'diet.'

Are you getting enough motivation? How about optimism and hope?

And definitely live in each moment of every day. That's where life happens.

Taking a Trip

I'm not talking about a luxury cruise or a weekend stay at Bora Bora.

I'm talking about tripping. As is almost falling.

It's happened to all of us. We stumble, we right ourselves, we move on.

We may feel a little clumsy during the trip or look slightly awkward.

The reason why we trip is that somehow we got out of alignment with the forces of gravity.

So, we twist ourselves in a kind-of-dance and get aligned again.

When you are writing your life story, you may have a day when you feel that you will never, ever, achieve your goals and dreams.

That means you have become misaligned with the forces of the Universe. 

Remind yourself that you can and will achieve the life you envision.

Get realigned with your vision.

Live Like a Preposition

In life you can...

...give UP.

...give IN.

...go ON.

I choose the last one. So should you.

Write your life story...

...BY living your destiny.

...WITH complete confidence.

...DURING each moment of every day.

Choose your prepositions and your thoughts carefully, my friends.

National S'mores Day

August 10th is National S'mores Day, so go out and celebrate!

The first recipe for s'mores appeared in a Girl Scout handbook published in 1927.

S'mores started as a campfire treat by roasting marshmallows and putting them with a layer of chocolate between two graham crackers.

The name is actually an abbreviated form of 'some more.'

This treat is quite popular because it combined several things that not only taste good alone, but taste even better all together.

And that's what you're doing when you write your life story.

You are combining your skills, dreams, goals, and the limitless resources of the Universe to create an amazing, awesome future.

Mmmmm...sounds even better than a s'more. (And it's zero calories!)

Superstitions

As Stevie Wonder said, " Superstition ain't the way."

But people cling to superstitions since they believe that power is derived from these beliefs.

In actuality, it's the other way around; you have become a slave to certain thoughts.

Life is not lived by luck or chance.

You don't need to do this or do that in order to succeed.

To live an amazing, wonderful life all you need to do is show up.

Write your life story with confidence. It's a sure thing.

Let's Make a Deal-- or Not

Let's Make a Deal is a television show in which contestants win a prize and then decide to either keep it or trade it for something potentially better (or worse).

Just for the record-- this is not how life works.

We have the resources of the Universe before us; we don't need to make only one choice.

Put the word 'limitless' in your vocabulary.

Write your life story with that amazing fact in mind.

What's the Opposite of Create?

Not every word has an opposite. Like the word 'create' for instance.

Let's start with the definition:

..."to cause to happen; to come into being"

Listed among the antonyms for create are the words: break, destroy and ruin.

But to destroy something is not the opposite of creating it.

Technically, the opposite of create is a void, and therefore cannot be achieved.

When you're writing your life story and creating your amazing future, there is only one way to go: forward.

As Yoda said, "Do or do not. There is no try."

Create your life.

There is no other way.

Time Travel, Anyone?

Have you ever traveled back in time? Or maybe forward?

Did you just adamantly shake your head 'no' while thinking this whole time travelling thing is a bunch of nonsense?

Hmmm....let's see about that.

Today, I would like you to try a little experiment to test your time travelling abilities.

Throughout the day, conduct random tests to see if you are traveling in time. Periodically, stop whatever you are doing (okay don't try this while driving or running heavy machinery) and examine whatever thought is going through your mind at that moment.

Are you thinking about something in the past? Maybe that argument you had with your friend/co-worker/neighbor/barista?

Perhaps your thoughts were on next month's important meeting/speech/family gathering/legal problem you are having. Were you thinking about what to wear/say/get out of it?

Or were you in the moment? Were you totally engaged in whatever you were doing/saying?

Whenever you are not thinking in the present time, you are time traveling.

When you think about past or future events, watch how you feel. If the event is stressful, you will show physical signs of stress (rapid heartbeat, pupils dilated, increased blood pressure) even though you are not physically there.

Your body may still be in the present time, but if your thoughts are elsewhere, you can be considered a time traveler.

This is not good for you writing your life story. Don't waste the moments of today.

The past no longer exists, and when you enter it through your thoughts, you are experiencing the same emotions you did back then.

Live only exists in the 'now.'

Be there.

What is Strength?

Is strength lifting heavy objects?

Or is it aggressively battling  against people and events that get in your way?

Perhaps it's solidly standing on the path you need to walk.

Is strength all of the above or none of them?

How you perceive strength is an important factor in writing your life story.

Strength is not a weapon; it's a state of being.

We are not strong when we win; we are strong when we stand.

Strength will give you the stamina to live a successful life.

And, of course, write your life story.

Normal Doesn't Make the Newspapers

Newspapers do not give us an example of how life should be.

News accounts of violence, deception, and random atrocities are not normal.

Yet, because of newspapers and the endless chatter from television news channels, we have come to think of these things as a normal part of life.

And they are not.

And they should not be part of your life story.

If someone were to offer you a bag of money or a bag of garbage, I know which you would choose.

A gentle suggestion...

Do not spend time thinking and agonizing over the awful things around you; look at what is good.

Whatever you focus on becomes larger.

Make your life story a HUGE success.

Try This

If you're having a little trouble writing your life story, try this for 24 hours and get a dose of confidence.

Write down your dreams and goals on a piece of paper. No one will see this paper so make these dreams as big as the Universe.

Keep this paper with you for the full 24 hours. Tuck it in your pocket or purse.

Go through your day looking for opportunities to fulfill your goals. 

You will find them when you look for them.

The trick is to program your mind to actively seek these opportunities.

For instance, if your goal is to become a pilot, you will start seeing different types of planes, hearing references to flying, or maybe even win a trip to Bora Bora. Flying and planes will factor into your day in a no-so-coincidental way because you have invited them into your life to fulfill your dreams and goals.

After 24 hours, write down all these experiences.

You will be amazed at how quickly the Universe rushes in to help you and confirm your life's purpose.

Get started. 

Now. 

Stopping the Sun

You can't stop the sun from shining.

You can't change the direction rain falls.

You can't change the color of the sky.

All of these things obey the physical laws in our world and therefore are outside of your influence.

But you can change the way you think.

And that will literally reshape, revitalize, and renew your world.

Thinking is the greatest power we possess, and one that can change your life completely.

Write your life story. Put your whole mind into it.

Things You Can't Do (and one you can)

You can't simultaneously pat your head and rub your stomach.

Your brain doesn't like to give two different commands to the hands.

How about trying this? I bet you can't do this one either.

While sitting, lift your right foot and make clockwise circles. While doing that, draw the number 6 in the air.

Your foot will change direction. Can't stop it, huh?

The reason you can't do these things simultaneously is that they cause the brain to act in different and opposing ways.

Like when you want to write your amazing and wonderful life story, but you see all the obstacles.

Or you are afraid.

Or you don't trust yourself to succeed.

Get rid of the opposing views in your mind and move forward.