The Positive Continuum

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I want to talk about perspective for a minute.  I want to propose an idea, you can buy into it if you want to, but I want to put something out there that has helped me shape the way I view things, the day to day circumstances I find myself in, and really the bigger picture of my life in general.

The Traveler's Gift

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Self Made® Book Store

Andy Andrew's The Traveler's Gift is a story of decisions that can be taken from the book's pages and immediately implemented into your daily routine.

David Ponder has just lost control of his life. Financial troubles have grown into greater life and family problems. He has lost his job, his debt is piling up, and his family seems to be falling apart due to all the stress and uncertainty. It seems like one thing after another is going wrong and he has nowhere left to turn. Completely torn and desperate, he cruises down the highway at dangerous speeds seriously contemplating suicide when he loses control of his vehicle. As his car crashes, David is knocked unconscious, transporting him on a life-changing journey.

7 Places, 7 People, and 7 Decisions for Success 

David’s journey consists of seven stops, all in different places and during different periods of time. At each stop, David meets a new historical figure and learns a valuable life-changing lesson:

1.    The Buck Stops Here- Take responsibility for your actions and the situation you are currently in. All of the decisions you have made in your past have led you to exactly where you are right now. Blaming someone or something else is giving up control of your life.

2.    I Will Seek Wisdom- At any moment you are becoming more similar to the people you most closely associate with. Surround yourself with people you want to be like; habits, behaviors, and thoughts are all affected by those you spend time with.

3.    I am a Person of Action- Make a decision and act on it. Avoid suffering from paralysis by analysis. Imperfect action is far better than perfect inaction.

4. I have a Decided Heart- Follow your passion regardless of what those around you say or think. Decide you will do something and do it.

5.   Today I will Choose to be Happy- Happiness is a choice. Positivity and negativity are choices. Optimism and pessimism are choices. “When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” –Max Planck. Choose the lens you want to see the world through.

6. I will Greet this Day with a Forgiving Spirit- Use the simple act of forgiveness to release unnecessary stress and resentment from your life. The past cannot be changed so be prepared to forgive and forget, and then move on.

7. I will Persist without Exception- Do not allow obstacles to slow you down. Anything worthwhile takes effort and struggle to accomplish. Your greatest power is the power of choice. You can always choose to keep going, to keep pushing when times get tough, and when things are truly not worth it, you can choose to stop and start something new.

David is given each full-length lesson in writing and is instructed to read them everyday for 21 straight days. These, according to Andrews, are the Seven Decisions for Success. Every day that you decide to read and live the seven lessons you take another step closer to being successful.

What decisions are you making today to become successful?

Enjoy this review?  Get a copy of The Traveler's Gift in the Self Made® Book Store!

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I Can Make You Happy

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“There is a better way to measure success than in houses, cars, flat screen TVs and money. Success in life can be measured as the amount of time you spend doing what makes you happy with people that make you happy.” –Martin Rooney

American society has been trained by large corporations that material possessions will make us happy. When we buy something—new clothes, a new TV, a new car—we are essentially buying good feelings.  Soon enough, though, the good feelings wear off or something newer and better comes. Then, in order to have more good feelings, we buy something else, none of which are essential to our survival. Every advertisement on television promises you will, in some way, become happier if you buy their product. Why not cut out the middleman? Why not choose to become happier directly, without the need to spend money on material possessions?

This month’s book review is on Paul McKenna’s international bestseller I Can Make You Happy. As a hypnotist, McKenna takes an approach different from many other self-help authors. This book is not filled with motivational stories or inspiring quotes. It does not tell readers how to find happiness in the little things of their everyday life. It is a straightforward, practical approach to making readers happier using many different mental exercises.  McKenna believes the human mind is like a computer. All of the thoughts and behaviors a person has can be reprogrammed to be happier and healthier. This reprogramming is done primarily through visualization, hypnosis, and other methods designed to allow readers to develop a deeper understanding of their feelings and emotions. By consistently applying the techniques in the book, these new happier and healthier thought patterns become habitual at the subconscious level of the mind, leading to greater overall happiness.

I chose to review I Can Make You Happy because I believed other people would benefit from reading it, but also because I needed to read it for my own benefit. After 6 weeks of absolutely no exercise, minimal brain stimulation, and the majority of my free time spent isolated in a dark room due to constant migraines, I was in need of something to help lift my spirits. Although this book was different from the motivational message I was originally expecting, I read it anyway; 15 minutes at a time. I was having difficulty with the visualizations because I no longer had the ability to completely focus my brain. I continued to work at it and listened to the guided relaxation CD daily. Eventually things slowly started improving with my headaches, concentration, and especially my attitude and outlook on the whole situation. I have made significant progress since that time, and this book is one of many things I believe helped me along the way, primarily with keeping a positive mindset and knowing that I would get better.

I will continue to practice the techniques in this book and encourage others to do the same. Whatever your current level of happiness may be, this program can help you become happier. However, someone that is unable to control their mind will have difficulty with the visualizations in the book. Because of this, their brain will need to be trained to concentrate and visualize, so it may take longer to see results. With that, I recommend this book to anyone looking to become happier, especially if other methods have been tried and failed, regardless of their current level of happiness.

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Happiness: Taking the Bull by the Horns

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Spring is in the air and with this change in season inevitably comes a positive change in people's mood. For some info on happiness and it's impact on your health and well-being, check out this article by Bret Contreras.

Happiness: Taking the Bull by the Horns by Bret Contreras

Get big or die tryin'.

On The Job Training

What is your current job? What should your current job be? Why are they not one in the same? Read more in this article by Martin Rooney.

On The Job Training by Martin Rooney

Get big or die tryin'.