Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Which Season Are You?

In the depths of winter, I finally learned there was in me an invincible summer. – Albert Camus

Do you have a favorite season? I do: summer.

Just last week I was hiking up a mountain trail and feeling that special flavor of happiness I experience in the warm summer months. Perhaps the sense of freedom, fun, and relaxation are throwbacks to being a kid. Do you remember how excited you felt when school let out for summer? Going to Girl Scout camp, sleeping under the stars, and being out in nature with my friends are some of my favorite childhood memories.

Yet I know lasting happiness isn’t dependent on balmy weather. In fact, research shows people living in warm, summery spots are not necessarily happier than those living in colder climates. According to one study, the four happiest places on earth are Denmark, Switzerland, Austria, and Iceland—not exactly tropical paradises.

The implications of that are pretty amazing: positive emotions open us up!
So, how much positivity do we need? That question was addressed at the conference by Barbara The secret lies in internalizing the well-being and freedom you feel during summer (or whatever your favorite season is) and bringing it to everything you do. Here are three ways you can use the happiness perks of summer to create an “invincible summer” within yourself year-round:

1) Sunshine: One building block of bliss is getting plenty of Vitamin D, which has been found to combat seasonal affective disorder (SAD), the blues that can come with the short, dark months of winter. Sunlight triggers our body to make Vitamin D, one of the reasons sunshine brightens our mood.

The problem is, to protect our skin from cancer, most of us use sunblock, which unfortunately also blocks the production of Vitamin D. But natural health expert Dr. Marcelle Pick says as little as 15 minutes of sun in the early morning and late afternoon for light-skinned people and up to 40 minutes for individuals with dark skin is enough to create much of the Vitamin D they need. Pick says this amount of unprotected exposure will be safe for most people. So take a short walk before and after work to soak up some rays, and ask your health professional about getting more Vitamin D in supplement form.

2) The Great Outdoors: Mother Nature is another source of well-being readily available in summer. Our modern lives are fractured by the millions of thoughts, fears, and demands that press in on us every day. A walk in the woods restores wholeness. A backyard picnic creates delight. An afternoon splash in a body of water refreshes our spirits. The more time you spend immersed in the nourishing, simple joys of nature, the more wholeness you’ll gain, and then carry with you into the rest of the year.

3) Friends and Fun: People tend to be more social in the summer, gathering for outings, meals, and games. Our sense of community is heightened when we join others outdoors to enjoy long summer evenings on porches and activities at local parks. In short, there’s more of a feeling of play in our daily routine. To make summer last longer, keep that sense of fun and social engagement alive throughout the year.

And here’s a bonus tip from Ayurvedic medicine: to purify and energize your body, walk barefoot in the morning dew. Now there’s a joyful way to start any summer day.

Remember, being happy for no reason means being happy in all seasons!

Happily,
Marci Shimoff

Marci Shimoff is a celebrated transformational leader and #1 New York Times best-selling author. To learn more of her powerful techniques for establishing deep and authentic happiness and well-being, visit www.HappyForNoReason.com/

Saturday, July 25, 2009

Keep Your MInd Fixed

KEEP YOUR MIND FIXED ON WHAT YOU WANT IN LIFE, NOT ON WHAT YOU DON’T WANT.

We have just begun to explore the inner workings of the mind, but we have long been aware of the effects of our thoughts. When you focus on not missing the target instead of on hitting the bull’s-eye, the results are often disastrous, for it is impossible to think negative thoughts in a positive way. Ask any golfer who has tried not to miss a putt or a bowler who has struggled not to miss a strike. Make sure your goals are specific and precise. "Making a lot of money" or "earning regular promotions" are wishes, not goals. State exactly how much money you expect to earn and when, and the specific promotion you want, how you plan to earn it, and when you expect to do so. As Carlson Companies chairman Curt Carlson once noted, "Obstacles are those frightening things you see when you take your eye off the target."

http://www.naphill.org

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Turn Defeat Into Victory

IT ISN’T DEFEAT, BUT RATHER YOUR MENTAL ATTITUDE TOWARD IT, THAT WHIPS YOU.

There are many things in life that you cannot control, but you can always control your attitude toward them. Defeat is never permanent unless you allow it to be so. When you have a positive attitude, you will recognize failure for the impostor that it is and realize that it is really a learning experience, a valuable lesson that will help you succeed with the next attempt. Ask yourself: What could I have done differently that would have altered the outcome? What can I do in the future to minimize problems and mistakes? What did I learn from this experience that I can put to good use next time? If you approach obstacles and setbacks with a positive attitude, you will be surprised how quickly you can turn defeat into victory.

http://www.naphill.org

Friday, July 17, 2009

You Need Not Worry What The World Thinks

IF YOU ARE SURE YOU ARE RIGHT, YOU NEED NOT WORRY WHAT THE WORLD THINKS.
If you are ever to achieve noteworthy success in your life, you must be willing to stand apart from the crowd. Success is something that is achieved by the minority, not the majority, of people. You will also discover as you climb the ladder of success that there are many who, out of jealousy or envy, will belittle your achievements. Nevertheless, if you have the courage of your convictions, nothing can deter you from your course. You develop confidence in your beliefs by doing your own thinking and by constantly testing and revising your knowledge. Use W. Clement Stone’s R2A2 Principle to Recognize and Relate, Assimilate and Apply information from any field to help solve your problems and direct your thinking.

http://www.naphill.org

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Mental Limitations

REMEMBER, YOUR MENTAL LIMITATIONS ARE OF YOUR OWN MAKING.

For years, athletes attempted to run a mile in four minutes but it seemed to be a barrier that no one could overcome. Then on May 6, 1954, a British runner named Roger Gilbert Bannister ran a mile in 3:59.4 minutes to establish a world record. Soon afterward, other runners broke Bannister’s record. Too often, we accept conventional wisdom as fact. Make sure you set your goals high enough. Don’t settle for less because of limitations you place upon yourself. Most of us never really reach the level of achievement of which we are capable because we don’t challenge ourselves to do so. Perhaps Robert Browning said it best: "A man’s reach should exceed his grasp,/Or what’s a heaven for?"

This positive message is brought to you by the Napoleon Hill Foundation.

www.naphill.org

Saturday, July 11, 2009

You Have A Choice

"You can buy in (like so many others), or you can choose to make yourself immune to the effects of what's going on around you."-James Arthur Ray

http://worldwealthsociety.com/?c=main&m=summit&utm_source=summit20090709&utm_medium=promo&utm_campaign=Blast