Five Tips For Getting Unstuck and Start Living Your Life on Purpose

Guest post by Lauren A Ebbecke

I have been fortunate in my life to have gone to college and have gotten several interesting jobs that have helped me to grow as a person. I began at the age of 16 as a waitress in the local café where my training began on customer service.

Yep, you got it... it was not the easy way to learn that skill! However, after going to college my jobs were far more fun and interesting.

I taught in a private all-girls' school. I was a naturalist for the Audubon Society and taught people about the natural history in Massachusetts.

I was a program director at a 4-H environmental camp for kids aged 4 to 18. Then I became an executive director of a similar camp.

I thought I had made it to my dream job. Then, as the politics got tougher and I realized I was more of a people person, I switched to public school teaching.

It paid more money, had great benefits and I was a role model for young adults once again. Again, I thought that this was my dream job. For 13 years it was great and then I hit the mental plateau!

You see, most people are not aware that they are stuck in a rut until they are in deep. That is because we all follow our default settings or repetitive patterns on autopilot. We begin to ask questions like, "Is this as good as it gets?"

By the way, everyone has been stuck at some point in their life, especially if you are over 40! You can be stuck in a job, stuck in a relationship, stuck in your business, stuck in your fitness routine or day-to-day activities.

But why are you stuck? You are stuck because you are not aware of your default settings. You might be stuck because you don't want to change and you like your comfort zone.

That's why people stay in bad relationships, bad jobs and bad habits.

So, once you are aware you are stuck (and you are aware since you are reading this article), then here are five tips to getting unstuck and start living your life on purpose.

Tip 1: Change one thing

Albert Einstein defined insanity as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. This means that you are deeply engulfed in repetitive bad habits or what I call your 'default settings'.

So, start by taking baby steps and change just one thing. Perhaps you want to walk every day for 15 minutes. You can make time for you, even if it is 10 minutes a day.

If you always come home after work and watch TV, try taking a walk or reading an inspirational book.

If you always eat lunch with your co-workers, go for a walk at lunch time twice a week. Other things you could do include scheduling a massage, taking a hot bath, doing yoga or anything else to invest in you.

Remember, just change one thing to start your journey to a life of purpose and passion.

Tip 2: Live in the 'Now'

Have you ever driven somewhere but didn't know how you got there? Many times you get lost in your thoughts and go on autopilot.

Tomorrow when you drive to work, instead of going on autopilot, notice five new things along the way. It takes energy to be in the moment but the good news is that it creates energy too!

Tip 3: Think of a time in your life when you were successful and happy

How did you feel? See if you can recreate those feelings by remembering one or two things that contributed to that success.

Chances are you were not in your 'default settings'.

You took a chance, a risk, and guess what? You were happy and successful. You might not be able to create the entire situation, but remember as much as you can and what it felt like to be successful.

Tip 4: 'Attention Goes Where Energy Flows'

Quantum physicists state that everything is energy. My coach Christine Kane says that, "Energy Flows where Attention Goes".

It is the Law of Attraction. Remember, "Like Attracts Like". What you focus on expands.

Whenever you catch yourself in moments of lack thoughts - such as, "I don't have enough", "I am not good enough", "I am not smart enough" - then shift your attention to what you DO want.

A baby step to get to that point is, "Wouldn't it be nice if I had a new car?" Or, "Wouldn't it be nice if my husband cooked dinner tonight?" Or maybe, "Wouldn't it be nice if the kids got along tonight?"

Focus on more of what you want in your life instead of what you don't want.

Tip 5: Write a powerful intention

Research shows that by writing something down, the actual motion of your hand engages your brain in deeper learning. Your voice is also very powerful, so reading out loud will engage your brain as well.

This will help you focus on positive things for your life. An intention is defined by Wayne Dyer as a field of energy that you can access to begin co-creating your life with the power of intention.

Most of us say things like, "I am feeling insane for quitting a great job with benefits to start a business. Please help me not to be a failure".

This is not strong and does not serve our intention to attract positive things.

A more powerful intention would be, "I intend success and prosperity as I begin a new exciting path in my life".

This puts you in a mindset to see more opportunities and take action steps to a more successful life.

So, when you realize you are stuck in a rut, don't look outside yourself for the answer. It starts with you. Follow these five steps and you will be amazed at what happens.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8115415

Don’t Die With Your Music Still Inside Of You

A brief story of two sisters with a long awaited dream – By Victoria Phelps

IT was a Sunday afternoon and my sister Hollie and I got cozy on the sofa to watch Dr Wayne Dyer’s movie ‘The Shift’. We were both snuggled and enjoying the inspiration.

Soon into the film, Wayne began telling the story of a Russian guy who, on his death-bed, was reflecting back on his life and questioned if maybe he had got his whole life wrong.  

This story had an impact on Wayne, so he wrote a note to himself which said ‘Wayne, don’t die with your music still inside of you’.

I took a deep breath as these words echoed – they pulled on my heart and instantly my eyes filled with tears, I paused, wondering what may be going through my sister’s mind.

I turned to look at her and she sat with her head in her hands.

Dr Wayne Dyer didn’t mean ‘music’ as literal, of course, he was referring to not dying with his dreams, passions and purpose, still inside of him. However, for my sister, it was literal.

Ten years previous, Hollie had been asked to sing at a private event for His Royal Highness Prince Charles, The Prince of Wales. She performed for him acoustically and with a band. 

After he'd left, one of the organizers came to Hollie and said that Prince Charles had said: “The young lady Hollie Barrie has a fantastic talent and somebody needs to discover her”.

Since that day, his words have rung in Hollie’s ears.

And every day since she has dreamed and longed to be ‘discovered’ and have her songs heard at an international level. After ten years of chasing this dream, it still hadn’t yet been fulfilled as Hollie had hoped.

Once we had finished watching the DVD, Hollie and I chatted about our journey and our frustrations and I promised my little sister that I would help her all that I could.

I’ve always loved a success story – how someone with nothing more than a dream and determination has created all of their desires – and I wanted this for my sister as much as she did.

Of course I had no idea how I was going to help, as we had already been pursuing this dream for some years but in my heart I believed that any dream is possible.

The very next day after watching the Shift DVD, and promising my sister that I would help her, I set to work by reading up on success and I came across a document which introduced the idea of creating your dreams and your ideal life by acting from inspiration and working with the universal laws.

I’d never heard of this concept before. Up until this point the advice for getting what you want had always been ‘do more than anyone else’, ‘work harder than everyone else’, ‘look after yourself first, get in there before they do’.

And yet this document was suggesting that you create your ideal life from inspiration, energy, beliefs, thoughts and feelings.

I delved into this further, studying at a certified level on subjects such as self-esteem and the universal laws. 

Self-esteem deals with everything, from our grades at school to happiness, personal relationships and our annual income.

Our self-image, self-love, self-value and self-worth create our self-esteem and they will each contribute to creating our dreams or not, because they determine our level of confidence, personal power and self-belief. 

Understanding the universal laws is understanding how to work with life’s magic to turn your wishes into reality.

It’s having an awareness that everything is energy, it’s getting clear on your true purpose and it’s living and acting from inspiration rather than motivation.

Everything I learned I shared with my sister, each day doing something to increase her self-esteem and take inspired action.

It wasn’t an overnight transition. It takes time to switch from acting out of inspiration instead of motivation but a little encouragement and support each day has been key to staying focused and listening to the heart’s desire.

After a few months, Hollie was closer to living her dreams than she had been in the previous ten years.

She was approached by a successful manager who wanted to represent her – they then signed contracts with one of the top entertainment agents who represent some of the biggest artists around the world and she began to perform more regularly.

As her confidence grew and her music was being heard, producers were agreeing to work with her for free as they wanted to be part of the vision. She began to blossom as she spent more time in the studio creating songs with other musicians.

From a young age my parents drilled into my sisters and me the importance of enjoying life and following your dreams.

Sometimes I would go to the recording studio with Hollie and it was fabulous to see her excited and enjoying herself and it would make me come alive also. 

Not because I have any ambition to become a singer myself (I certainly wasn’t blessed with any talent in that area) but because there is something very empowering and contagious about being in the presence of someone who spends their time doing what they love and fulfilling their purpose. 

It’s been so wonderful to see Hollie’s dream unfold. As she became better at listening to her heart’s desire, her vision began to change as to how she wanted to fulfill her purpose as a singer.

When you work from inspiration you enter into a new level of creativity. Hollie’s writing skills evolved and songs started to flow out of her.

She was constructing and producing songs with ease and soon her first album was complete, and she became contracted to write songs for other artists, TV and films.

That’s the thing with creating your life and dreams out of inspiration, your dreams come to be bigger and more beautiful than you can ever imagine.

If you’re ready to see your dreams unfold – whether that be to fulfill your purpose, start a business, create financial freedom, travel the world or to just be happy – Victoria Phelps would recommend that you first become mindful of your thoughts because what we think, we become.

For every happy and successful person, you will always find a mind abundant with empowering thoughts. 

What you think will determine your destiny, so make sure that your thoughts support the dream you dream. www.TheDailyPowerThought.com

Article source: http://tiny.cc/InsightOfDay

 

15 Things You Should Give Up To Be Happy

By Dana of the Mind Valley team

HERE is a list of 15 things, which, if you give up on them, will make your life a lot easier and you’ll feel much, much happier. We hold on to so many things that cause us a great deal of pain, stress and suffering – and instead of letting them all go and allowing ourselves to be stress-free and happy, we cling on to them.

Well, not anymore. Starting today, we will give up on all those things that no longer serve us, and we will embrace change. Ready? Here we go!

1. Give up your need to always be right. There are so many of us who can’t stand the idea of being wrong – wanting to always be right – even at the risk of ending great relationships or causing a great deal of stress and pain for us and for others. It’s just not worth it. Whenever you feel the “urgent” need to jump into a fight over who is right and who is wrong, ask yourself this question from Dr. Wayne Dyer: “Would I rather be right, or would I rather be kind?” What difference will that make? Is your ego really that big?

2. Give up your need for control. Be willing to give up your need to always control everything that happens to you and around you – situations, events, people, etc. Whether they are loved ones, co-workers, or just strangers you meet on the street – just allow them to be. Allow everything and everyone to be just as they are and you will see how much better will that make you feel.

“By letting it go, it all gets done. The world is won by those who let it go. But when you try and try. The world is beyond winning.” Lao Tzu

 3. Give up on blame. Give up on your need to blame others for what you have or don’t have, for what you feel or don’t feel. Stop giving your powers away and start taking responsibility for your life.

4. Give up your self-defeating self-talk. Oh my. How many people are hurting themselves because of their negative, polluted and repetitive self-defeating mindset? Don’t believe everything that your mind is telling you – especially if it’s negative and self-defeating. You are better than that.

“The mind is a superb instrument if used rightly. Used wrongly, however, it becomes very destructive.” Eckhart Tolle

5. Give up your limiting beliefs about what you can or cannot do, about what is possible or impossible. From now on, you are no longer going to allow your limiting beliefs to keep you stuck in the wrong place. Spread your wings and fly!

“A belief is not an idea held by the mind, it is an idea that holds the mind.” Elly Roselle

6. Give up complaining. Give up your constant need to complain about those many, many, maaany things – people, situations and events that make you unhappy, sad and depressed. Nobody can make you unhappy, no situation can make you sad or miserable unless you allow it to. It’s not the situation that triggers those feelings in you, but how you choose to look at it. Never underestimate the power of positive thinking.

7. Give up the luxury of criticism. Give up your need to criticize things, events or people that are different. We are all different, yet we are all the same. We all want to be happy, we all want to love and be loved and we all want to be understood. We all want something, and something is wished by us all.

8. Give up your need to impress others. Stop trying so hard to be something that you’re not just to make others like you. It doesn’t work this way. The moment you stop trying so hard to be something that you’re not, the moment you take off all your masks, the moment you accept and embrace the real you, you will find people will be drawn to you, effortlessly.

9. Give up your resistance to change. Change is good. Change will help you move from A to B. Change will help you make improvements in your life and also the lives of those around you. Follow your bliss, embrace change – don’t resist it.

“Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors for you where there were only walls.” Joseph Campbell

10. Give up labels. Stop labeling the things, people or events that you don’t understand as being weird or different and try opening your mind, little by little. Minds only work when open.

“The highest form of ignorance is when you reject something you don’t know anything about.” Dr. Wayne Dyer

11. Give up on your fears. Fear is just an illusion, it doesn’t exist – you created it. It’s all in your mind. Correct the inside and the outside will fall into place.

“The only thing we have to fear, is fear itself.” Franklin D. Roosevelt

12. Give up your excuses. Send them packing and tell them they’re fired. You no longer need them. A lot of times we limit ourselves because of the many excuses we use. Instead of growing and working on improving ourselves and our lives, we get stuck and lie to ourselves, using all kind of excuses – excuses that 99.9 per cent of the time, are not even real.

13. Give up the past. I know, I know. This one’s hard. Especially when the past looks so much better than the present and the future looks so frightening. But, you have to take into consideration the fact that the present moment is all you have and all you will ever have. The past you are now longing for – the past that you are now dreaming about – was ignored by you when it was present. Stop deluding yourself. Be present in everything you do and enjoy life. After all, life is a journey not a destination. Have a clear vision for the future, prepare yourself, but always be present in the now.

14. Give up attachment. This is a concept that, for most of us, is so hard to grasp and I have to tell you that it was for me too (it still is), but it’s not impossible. You get better and better at it with time and practice. The moment you detach yourself from all things (and that doesn’t mean you give up your love for them – because love and attachment have nothing to do with one another. Attachment comes from a place of fear, while love… well, real love is pure, kind, and selfless; where there is love there can’t be fear, and because of that, attachment and love cannot co-exist) you become so peaceful, so tolerant, so kind, and so serene. You will get to a place where you will be able to understand all things without even trying. A state beyond words.

15. Give up living your life to other people’s expectations. Way too many people are living a life that is not theirs to live. They live their lives according to what others think is best for them; they live their lives according to what their parents think is best for them; to what their friends, their enemies and their teachers, their government and the media think is best for them. They ignore their inner voice, that inner calling. They are so busy with pleasing everybody, with living up to other people’s expectations, that they lose control over their lives. They forget what makes them happy, what they want, what they need… and eventually, they forget about themselves. You have one life – this one right now – you must live it, own it, and especially don’t let other people’s opinions distract you from your path.

Article source: http://www.finerminds.com/happiness/15-things-give-up-happy/

Welcome to The Science of Stillness

By John Lee

Bring up the subject of ‘meditation’ and it’s probably fair to say that the image in most people’s mind will be of someone draped in robes, seated in the lotus position and silently contemplating their navel for hours on end.

Tom Cronin of 'The Science of Stillness'

The more enlightened, of course, know that this very limited new-age, quasi-religious, ‘hippy-dippy’ view of what is a wonderful ancient practice is completely out-dated. People from all walks of life – myself included – use mediation on an everyday basis.

Personally, I find it incredibly restful and rejuvenating, plus an excellent way to get really clear on what I want in my life and to actually begin the process of creation and manifestation – using an excellent programme from Dr Wayne Dyer, called ‘The Secrets to Manifesting Your Destiny’.

So when the video below dropped into my inbox, from the good folks at Mind Movies, I was intrigued by the title, to say the very least.

It features an Aussie guy, called Tom Cronin, who used to lead what was clearly a hectic and probably rather hedonistic existence in the world of city high finance and came to meditation as a way to combat the anxiety attacks, panic attacks and depression brought on by his hard-working and equally hard-partying lifestyle.

He tells his story, talks about finding meditation, the evolution of his ‘Science of Stillness’ programme and just some of the many benefits people have gained by using it for just 20 minutes a day. The Mind Movies team also provide a link to find out more details about Tom.

Take a look. It’s fascinating and very refreshing. And if you’ve ever been sceptical about meditation, prepare to be enlightened… Click on the link below.

http://tiny.cc/o7p8rw