Ways to Live in the Moment: Managing Our Emotions

 Fall is coming soon, and as this new season approaches I would like to use this blog entry to share best practices for managing our emotions. Why because as Fall comes and as we enter into a new cycle of our lives, self-regulating our emotions may help us balance who we are and how we react to what comes in every new cycle in life. Also, this is a topic I always wanted to address because of my own experience and my journey growing and developing as an individual.

What do you think about this statement: “Emotions are felt by everyone – love, hate, fear, joy, and so on. However, while these emotions are an inextricable part of our lives, we need control them in order to ensure that we respond to a situation right way. This is especially important when it comes to negative emotions”.

Why Are Emotions Necessary?
Emotions are a necessary part of life, as they are needed in order to be able to live life fully. But what are emotions? They are the language of everyone’s mental state of being, and are tied to a person’s social and physical sensory feelings. Emotions are the feelings that are used to react to fear, joy, love, sadness, hate, disgust, and pleasure. However, emotions need to be managed in order to ensure that they are appropriate in any given situation to prevent consequences or negative behaviors. If an emotion is strong enough to take over our brain, it can cover logical reasoning and cause a loss of inner peace.

Let’s explore important tips to help us become savvy when managing our own emotions. Some of these tips are adapted from the book 1,001 Ways to Live in the Moment – by Barbara Anna Kipfer and other personal experiences.

1.       Becoming Strong Individuals - Managing our emotions means that we will become happier, more confident in ourselves, and more able to deal with the challenges in life. The first way to manage our emotions is by managing our thoughts. Negative thoughts affect our energy, and we will feel less likely to take action. Pessimists are generally insecure, depressed people that do not know how to manage their emotions, especially in times of stress. Positive thinkers focus on the good side of things in order to deal with situations in a rational manner without letting emotions cloud their judgment.  Look for Positive Psychology.

2.       Emotional Dressage - Think that we are a charioteer, and our emotions as horses under control. They are powerful and can become headstrong, but if train them properly we’ll usually submit to our will. However, if we let them have their way, we’re unlikely to steer a straight course.

3.       Feeling and Emotion – These two terms are confused, but there are distinctions. An emotion is an inner surge when mind is swamped by chemicals: anger, fear, lust, envy, joy, and pride are all emotions. Feelings, on the other hand, affect our behavior less dramatically. Emotions can distort our reasoning, whereas feelings tend to give a tinges to our reasoning. Start using these terms with care: a thoughtful vocabulary can be helpful tool in the quest of self-knowledge.

4.    Replay - When we describe a past emotional event to someone, does the emotion come flooding back? If so, you need to work on your detachment. When recounting what happened, concentrate on the words we’re using, not the experience itself. Remember that your purpose is simply to convey accurate information, and being overcome by the emotion could undermine your success as a narrator. Stay Calm: It’s Over!

5.       Emotion’s Management – Our emotions such as anger needs to be controlled. Anger, improperly controlled, and causes people to say or do hurtful or harsh things that cannot be undone later on. Let’s try to hold back our emotions (anger) by learning self-control – visualize the possible consequences of our anger. Usually this is enough to allow us to sit back for a while. A balanced life that includes a good diet, and regular exercise can manage help us manage our emotions, as both of these have been proven to have good effects on the way that people feel.

6.       Peace - “The greatest of victories is the victory over oneself.” Indian Proverb.

7.       Making it Concrete - Start to believe that we can control our emotions. Also pay attention to our emotions – this will allow us to focus on what is happening at the moment and help us to respond appropriately. Never ignore our emotions or suppress them in the hope that they will simply disappear. Try and determine the source of our feelings. Is it caused by something that is happening now or as the result of a prior experience? Talk about our feelings but do so in a non-confrontational manner. This could be as simple as using “I” instead of “you.  Wherever possible, focus on the positives.

Finally, let’s keep it simple: To manage our emotions and self-regulate ourselves: Get enough rest , talk to someone your trust , learn to solve problems , listen to your self-talk , get all the facts before you act , take a mini mind vacation, help somebody else , seek help, be yourself, ask for what you want, and compromise .

What are you doing next?
Emotions to me are a complex thing, like a Pandora Box that can surprise us even when we are not paying attention. However trying to control our negative feelings and bringing more self-awareness can help us gain power and be fully capable to navigate difficult and complex situations. Remember that what we can control in any given situations is: WHAT WE THINK, WHAT WE FEEL AND WHAT WE SAY!

1.       Take action and start building more awareness of how you perceive things and how you react.

2.       Try at least one of the tips provided.

3.       What would you recommend as part of your own experience?

Best!

Ways to Live in Moment: Opportunity and Destiny

When written in Chinese the word "crisis" is composed of two characters - one represents danger and the other represents opportunity. ~John F. Kennedy, address, 12 April 1959

This past week I had the opportunity to attend a Leadership Summit here at Miami. In this forum I was able to network and learn current and new best practices for helping individuals achieve their maximum potential when embarking in any leadership role. And when I say leadership role, this is applicable to any of the things we do, in our family, community, work, friends, etc. Leadership is not limited to our work practices, it is more than that. It is the power of empowering others such as friends, family, peers, coworkers, and even estrange people, to act and do something in a positive way that will make an impact… a difference.  That is my personal definition of leadership in general.
Anyway…During that summit I got inspired by other leaders and gurus in the field to write today’s blog entry.  In fact, one of the speakers Dr. Leonard A. Schlesinger, talked about “Action Trumps Everything: Creating what you want in an uncertain world” and in combination with his message and book’s ideas; this blog entry talks about Opportunity and Destiny when we are motivated to act, take action, and size-up our moments to continue learning and growing.

So let’s talk first about...Why to act and take action?

Taken from Action Trumps Everything: Creating What You Want in an Uncertain World, by Charles F. Keifer and Leonard A. Schlesinger.

1. If we act, we will find out what works…
2. And what doesn’t.
3. If we never act, we will never know if we are right or wrong.
4. If we act, we will find out if we like it…
5. Or we don’t.
6. Acting leads to market reaction, which could take us in another direction.
7. As we act, we can find people to along with us.
8. As we act, we can find ways to do things faster, cheaper, better.
9. If we act, we won’t spend the rest of our life going “I wonder what would have happened if…”
10. If all we do is think, we are less interesting as a person.
11. If all we do is think about stuff, we gain tons of theoretical knowledge, but non from the real world.
12. … All we do is think.
13. Action always leads to evidence.
14. If we act, we know what is real.
15. Talking to people is action... at zero cost.
16. It seems the cost of doing more thought, before you pull the trigger, is zero.

Now What?

With this in mind, let’s explore ideas and recommendations to size-up opportunities and take control of our destiny:

1. Act Now… “I do not believe in a fate that falls on men however they act; but I do believe in a fate that falls on men unless they act.”

2. Wheel of Fortune… Risks are part of life, and we’re at the mercy of one every time we start a new job or a new relationship, go on a journey or even on vacation. Don’t be so risk-averse that you end up impoverishing your experiences, restricting yourself to comfortable mediocrity. Asses the risks as they take shape in your mind, then decide which ones to accept.  – Disappointments are preferable to regrets.

3. Embracing emptiness… When we contemplate the future, its lack of known features is often the thing that makes us apprehensive. Never think of the future as a desert: it’s a garden in bloom that you haven’t seen yet.

4. Setting Sail…“we do not discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore for a very long time”

5. The Incredible Journey… We can’t ask to be reborn as someone different, so we must all act within the parameters of our personality and life-situations to some extent. Even so, there are countless opportunities to make choices and modify our fata in creative ways – even to change the way we think. Visualize yourself as a creative artist, working with the raw materials of a life.

6. Shared your Pathways… Our destiny is the path we pursue with passion. For some it may be a special excellence, achievable only by nurturing a skill. Others may choose a more universal experience, such a homemaking. Avoid the common pitfall of believing that unusual ambitions are worth more than those we share. To devote one’s life to living well is the worthiest of endeavors.

7. As On Door Closes… Don’t waste times dwelling on what might have happened if you’re taken a different path through life. You’ll never know. You do, one the other hand, have the chance to find out what will happen today if you keep moving forward, choosing each new directions with care and positive attitude.

8. Fishing… “Change is always powerful. Let your hook be always cast; in the pool where you least expect it, there will be a fish.

9. Perfect Partners… “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity”

10. Action Time… Be honest with yourself on the subject of when you’ve talked enough about your ideas and dreams, and when it’s time to put your planning into action.

Adpated from 1,001 Ways to Live in the Moment – by Barbara Anna Kipfer

Action Item: From these recommendations, What’s your Key Insight…



Miracle Questions:

• What can we do NOW to empower ourselves more when opportunities knock our door?
• What can we do differently to be more driven and proactive?


Enjoy!

Ways to Live in the Moment: Life Choices and Decisions

The hardest thing to learn in life is which bridge to cross and which to burn. ~David Russell

As we travel around our summer plans, I would like to reconnect with all of you and share more ideas to continue living in the moment. This entry is about Life Choices and Decision Making.

Have you ever thought that everything we do in our daily habits may include making a decision or taking a choice? A simple decision like: Wondering what to wear for work, arranging our meetings for the week, putting together our grocery shopping list, taking time to meet our friends, driving our kids to their play group, planning the next vacation or festivity, etc… Those are decision that may look very simple, but they could bring complexity into our daily routines.

I read once, “Life is the sum of all our choices”, and in fact, decision making are choices.  For many choices and decisions, are fraught and anxious processes. Let me tell you why?

Between the decision and its execution is a slot in time through which voices of anxiety and regret often make themselves heard. Instead, let action flow naturally from your resolve, without a break. Or if you cannot take action right away on what you have chosen, use your trust in yourself. 

Here are SIX great tips to help our energy flow around the decisions we need to make:

1. Trust your Armory… Never let the future disturb us. This is complex to achieve and put into practice. However, let’s keep in mind that we will meet our future, if we have to, with the same weapons of reason which today arm us against the present.

2. Heart of Heart… When it feels like our logical mind is driving us around in circles and has become an obstacle to effective decision making, let’s block out its chatter and noise for a while, tune into our heart. Listen carefully to it. We will instinctively know when its harmonies strike a balance with the underlying melody of our mind. Only then should we take action. In other words, let’s trust our gut feelings, and listen more to our internal voice.

3. Discovery… “There came a time when the risk to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” 

4. Knotty… Too much analysis can lead to actions that are out of proportion. Always consider the simplest solution first – avoid cutting a knot that could be untied.

5. Life Change… Major changes in life – such as moving country to town, downsizing or early retirement – can be difficult or impossible to reverse. As I faced it in the last months, personally I can tell that it can be difficult or impossible to reverse. So it’s important that we make our decisions in the basis of sufficient evidence. Don’t use someone else who is very different for us as our exploratory pioneer – what suits someone else may not be right for us.

6. Front Seat… Faced with a tough choice, many of us may look for some one that can lead by example and take charge and lift the responsibility from our shoulders. Recognize that if we wait for someone else to make decisions for us, we’ll waste time (and probably dislike the results anyway). Let’s take charge – and be accountable.

Let’s Share…What’s your Story?

• What have you done differently when making any decisions?

Miracle Questions:

• What can we do NOW to empower ourselves more when making our own decisions?
• What behaviors are we seeking to shape to be more effective in our journey?

Enjoy!

Ways to Live in Moment: The Value of Now

For anyone looking for ways to slow done and be more fulfilled…

Entering into the middle of summer, I have decided to start the upcoming blog entries with a new title: “Ways to Live in the Moment.” Here is why? The other day I was on a boat ride at the Florida Keys with some of my coworkers. While enjoying the ride with the ocean view, and great scenery of the water, the wind, and the different water vegetation… I was in silent observing and embracing the moment in the boat. I truly decided to just observed and enjoy that moment, breathing and listening to what was happening just in there. It was very inspirational to me because it gave me the opportunity to think about only enjoying the now of that moment.

Thus, for our blog entries sharing ways to live in the moment is another way to create a dialog between all of us. Why… because the intent is to share best practices to grow, develop and inspire others with a better outcome in life.

Here we go… with our new topic – The Value of Now!

Explore these tips to help us value the “NOW”

1. Life Saving – If we take care of the moment, the years will take care of themselves.

2. Knuckling Down – Spend few minutes doing this simple exercise in mindfulness – that is, full attention to experience. While seated, empty your mind and hold your hands palms down as if you about to do some typing. Now look closely at your knuckles. Get to know them so well that you’d recognize them, from the patterns they make, in a close up photograph. Pick, say, three main ID features. You might ask, what’s the point all this? Well, you’ve been concentrating on a specific task using your powers of observation. During this time you’ve not been thinking about anything else, you’ve not been worrying about either past or future. You’ve learned something, however small about yourself. And you’ve gained a little practice in living in the moment.

3. Don’t Look Back – this is a true proverb, “Don’t let yesterday use up too much of today.”

4. Listening Well – Much of the time our minds tend to drift freely from thought to thought, which can compromise our enjoyment of passive pursuits, especially those involving listening or being a spectator. As a corrective exercise, tune into a radio station that’s playing songs. Take a couple of songs at random and concentrate on the words, assuming that they are in English and clearly discernible. Think of the singer’s situation. Enact in your mind the story implied. As with the knuckle inspection above, this is a simple exercise in focus, and a good antidote to mind anxieties.

5. Three Questions – Answer the following questions to see how close you come to the ideal of complete alertness. Here we go:

a. Do you always remember people’s names after you’ve been introduced to them?
b. Can you summarize the pot of the movie you most recently saw?
c. On a mental map of your local store, can you locate the products you buy most often?

If the answer is no to any of these questions, you may be lacking of attention to details, so work on the exercise and insights in this blog entry and bring yourself closer to the moment.

6. Observe Tine Details – Get close, then really close, to everyday object, or something in nature you see every day but take for granted. Use a magnifying glass! You’ll find beauty where you least expected.

7. Turning Point – “There is only one moment in time when it is essential to awaken. That moment is now”

8. Always Asking – “Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questions.” – Albert Einstein (1879-1955)

9. Cultivate Simplicity – Living with respect for nature is the best way to practice this: observe weather pattern and seasonal change, and value the wisdom of trees, the strength of the wind, the majesty of mountains, and the serenity of flowing water.

10. Keep Learning – Every moment in life bring us an opportunity to learn something, to discover another way to do things and to increase our experiences. We are who we are because those moments that has shaped our perspective. Therefore let’s keep seeking for grow and development.

Adapted from 1,001 Ways to Live in the Moment – By Barbara Ann Kipfer

High Value Questions:

• What are the top 3 things you would like to explore from this list that can help you focus on the NOW?

• After selecting your top 3 things, what behaviors are you seeking to shape so that you can be present every moment you encounter?

Enjoy!

Application Story 23: Be Fully Present…

With the past, I have nothing to do; nor with the future. I live now.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Have you ever heard this expression: “Life is so short”?
We always think of those words when having to worry about something that is going bad, or when we are trying to do something that we are very afraid of when taking that risk… I have heard and said this say many times… But do we really mean it? Life is so short that we forget to be present and enjoy the moment.

Let me challenge you more…

How often are we driving while talking on a cell phone, or thinking about work problems, or the errands we have to do? How often do we eat without thinking about the food we’re eating? How often do we drift off while doing other things, thinking about something we messed up on, or worrying about something that’s coming up? Our lives are full of worries, rush and pressure. However it is also a place for learning, growing and becoming better every day.

But…Every moment counts and we really are who we are because in every moment and interaction we have we learn something, practice something or reinforce things we did before. Well If we could only give one word of advice to someone trying to find peace in an overwhelming and stressful and chaotic world, it would may be this: simplify. But if we could give two more words of advice, they’d be: be present.
What do you think?

Honestly I can’t claim to be perfect at being present. I can’t claim that I do it all the time. But I can say this: I’ve been practicing being present for a while now, and I’ve gotten better at it. I’ve learned a lot about being present, and I’d like to share that with others. So lets explore some practical tips I learned before:

Focus On Now - There are three things we can think about:

1. The past. Reliving things we messed up about. Being embarrassed about something we did. Wishing we could have something back that is gone. Living in memories of good times past. Being angry about things done to us. You get the idea.
2. The future. Worrying about things we need to do later. Worrying about what might happen, or a big event coming up. Being anxious that things might go wrong, or that we might mess up. Hoping for something wonderful. Dreaming of great things to come.
3. The present. What is happening right now, at this moment? What we are doing now.

For the Present…

1. Pay Attention – When you have idle time at a stop light or in a line at the grocery, for example, pay attention. Instead of letting your mind run ahead of you thinking about the route to your destination and possible traffic delays, or the list of errands that have to be completed after the grocery run, take a moment to pay attention. Turn off the radio in the car, roll down the windows and witness the traffic going in the cross direction, the jogger getting his morning run, the trees dancing in the wind, listen to the birds chirp, and the rustling of leaves. You only have to do it for a few moments, but it’s a good start.

2. Observe – Next time you’re in a meeting, observe what is going on. It’s a bit more than paying attention in duration. Paying attention is on a trigger basis. Observation is like watching a movie on a screen. Watch the players in action. Watch the body language. Listen for intonations. Do not speak. This can be a very powerful tool as you sit and take in everything that is playing out. You have nothing at stake in the grand scheme of things, but watch as you are able to respond perfectly when questioned. You will be surprised.

3. Breathe – When you’re ready to go beyond moments and minutes, try paying attention to your breath before you drift off to sleep. Before you drift off to sleep, spend 15 minutes paying attention to the rise and fall of your belly. If you feel yourself drifting off to sleep, or notice that your mind has wondered, gently bring it back to your belly. You could even put a book on it and watch it rise and fall.

4. Meditate – You can now begin to establish a sitting practice. It is the practice of sitting still for about 30 minutes in silence. Let your thoughts go. When you realize that your mind is chasing your thoughts, bring it back to your breath. Just be still. Nothing to do or think about. Nothing to ponder, just be.

5. Put up reminders –   A reminder on our fridge or computer desktop or on our wall is a good thing. Or use a reminder service to send our daily email. Whatever it takes to keep us focus on practicing being present.

6. Practice, Practice – There’s no single method that will get you better at being present. I don’t have the magical formula, except one word that I often tell people at work when they’re learning anything or striving to be better at anything: practice.

Once we become aware, we are then able to influence the world around us in seemingly effortless ways.

Here is the action Item: One Month Challenge

1. Let’s focus on it for one month.  Make focusing on being present a habit. If you make it your only focus, I guarantee you’ll get better at it, and more importantly, you’ll get into the habit of remembering to focus, of remembering to practice, of being more aware.
2. Do a one-month challenge. It’s the best method for forming new habits, and it works for being present.
3. Share in this blog any of your outcomes while practicing being present.

“I never think of the future. It comes soon enough.” - Albert Einstein

Enjoy!

Application Story 22: The Power of Gratitude

I'ts almost summer!!!

Let's get started in this new season with a great topic... The Power of Gratitud
If I could ask you what would you look for to become happier, healthier, more optimistic and productive? Perhaps it will be very difficult for you to find an answer to this loaded question…

You may have to think for a while to find a strong answer. But let me tell you if we search in our inner self a little more, we may find a very good starting point to help us to become happier, healthier, and optimistic… Well what we need is “GRATITUD”, as simple as that.

In this application story I would like to share with you some ideas to help us find "GRATITUD" as a powerful tool to boost our happiness, health, and optimism.

Why Gratitude?
I read once that science tells us that an "attitude of gratitude" is a good health choice. Being more grateful more often makes us happier and more optimistic. But gratitude also adds to the bottom line - in very real ways. And the best news about gratitude is that it requires little time and no money.

What do we think about this statement?

Let’s explore these five reasons why gratitude improves our productivity and results:

1. Gratitude attracts what we want. The universal law of attraction says that we will attract into our life the things we think about and focus on. Since this is true, wouldn't we want more of what we are thankful for?
Tip: Remember that when we are consciously aware of our blessings, and are grateful for them, we are focusing more clearly on what we do want in our lives - and are attracting more of those things into our lives.

2. Gratitude improves relationships. We learn the importance of saying "thank you" as little children. We are taught that habit because it is "good manners." This childhood lesson is extremely powerful. Think about those people that we know who are most appreciative of ours - and let us know it. How do we feel about them? Does their appreciation positively impact our relationship with them? Of course it does!
Tip: Be grateful for people, their contributions, their talents and their actions - and make sure we let them know how we feel.

3. Gratitude reduces negativity. It is hard to be negative about our situation when we are thinking about things for which we are grateful.
Tip: One of the fastest ways to improve our mood or outlook is to count our blessings.

4. Gratitude improves problem solving skills. Too often we look at problem solving with a very jaded view. "Something is wrong. We have barriers in our way. Then, we have to put in effort to fix it." Conversely, when we think about what we are grateful for we open our minds up to new possibilities and connections. We also enter a problem solving situation with a perspective of improvement and opportunity rather than challenge or issue.

5. Gratitude helps us learn. This is my favorite! Every dark cloud has a silver lining. Behind every problem lies an opportunity. Being grateful for our situation - even if we don't like everything about it - allows us to be thankful for the opportunity to learn something new.

That's Fine, But How?
At this point we may be thinking, OK, this sounds great, but how can I really be more grateful, more often?

Action Item:

1. Make a list of five things you are grateful for right now. These can be big things (like your family) or little things (like the fact that someone held the door open for you this morning). This can be a mental list or written down.

2. Reflect on your list and allow yourself to feel good about these things.

3. If there is a person you can thank or show your appreciation to, do that now too (a quick call or email is a good start!).

You can do this exercise anytime, and you don't have to stop at five things. In fact, it is a great idea to keep a running list in your Journal, planner or notebook - this way you can return to your list anytime you wish, reinforcing your gratitude.

Keep In Mind:

Gratitude is an attitude. Gratitude is a choice. And gratitude is a habit. When we consciously practice being grateful for the people, situations and resources around us we begin to attract better relationships and results. The habit will be strengthened as you make the choice each day.

Enjoy!

Application Story 21st: Increasing Awareness for Our Peace of Mind

To be truly successful means to be truly peaceful and know how to return to a state of peace when disturbed.

The other day in my spinning class the instructor asked me, “why I was taking the class, and what my end goal was…” You may think I was going to say to lose weight, or to lose some calories… Well to her surprise I added that I was there to nurture my peace of mind… Yes, that is a way for me to focus on myself and let things go with my fiscal effort, letting the stress evaporate every second of the class. It may sound funny to all of you, but that is a way for me to build in my heart and soul peace, and calmness.
But what is peace of mind?

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia "Peace of Mind" may refer to: “The absence of mental stress or anxiety, and the presence of serenity, calm, quiet, comfort of mind; Inner peace”

So what is peace of mind for you? Let’s talk about it in this entry…

We tend to be an anxious society. In fact, we may be an anxious world because we worried about war, losing our jobs, dangers confronting things, fear of being parents, stress about working too much, insecurity and uncertainty. We tent to ask ourselves very frequent: “What if..?” and this worry is understandable given the state of things at the present time. However there is no doubt that with the right tools and support all of us can overcome stressful situations, and rise from any trouble in a stronger way. I’m sure all of us can live and fulfill life in the middle of the difficulties we may face. As I read sometime, “all of us can find a sense of peace and purpose”.

Now let’s explore some recommended tips to build awareness on how to achieve peace of mind. But before getting into this, please remember: “it is one step at a time, or one day at time to develop and master a skill”.

Step 1: Un-Set Our Heart…Un-setting our heart means letting go of our picture of how we want it all to be. It means letting go of trying to control things over which we have no control. One of the prime causes of our suffering is our wanting things to be different than they are. Yes, we all want a peaceful world instead of a world filled with weapons of mass destruction. Yes, we all want health instead of illness. Yes, we all want healthy, happy children instead of children who break our hearts. But sometimes life doesn't hand us what we want. And when we un-set our hearts from our needing it all to be a certain way, we can breathe a sigh of relief and open the door to a more powerful way of living. 

Step 2: Create a Wondering Life Instead of a Hoping Life…It helps us un-set our hearts when we replace the words "I hope" with the words "I wonder." Let’s take a look how: Instead of "I hope this difficult situation ends quickly," make it "I wonder if this difficult situation will end quickly." Instead of "I hope the stock market goes up," make it "I wonder if the stock market will go up." Instead of "I hope I keep my job," make it "I wonder if I'll keep my job." Notice the relief in this simple shift. Even with difficult situations in our lives, substituting "I wonder" for "I hope" keeps our hopes from being dashed and opens up the possibility of our learning and growing from whatever happens.

Step 3: Choose the Path of Trust…When we fully understand that we have little control of the external world, we then have two choices: we can choose to see ourselves as a "poor-me" victim at the mercy of circumstances or we can choose to develop the trust that, no matter what happens in our life or in the world, we will have the inner strength to create something good from it all. Hopefully we will choose the latter! Remember every difficult moment is a learning experience.

Step 4: Increase Your Inner Sense of Power…One way to help us develop trust in ourselves is to cut off negativity in the mind by saying to ourselves over and over again, "Whatever happens in our lives, we’ll handle it! If we say it often enough, we will ultimately believe it. And if we really believe that we can handle anything that happens in our life and in the world, what could we possibly have to fear? Nothing!

So when the "what-if's" are driving us mad, simply cut them off by saying over and over again, "Whatever happens, We'll handle it!" We'll feel a sense of confidence wash over us. "What if I lose my job? I'll handle it." "What if my children have difficult times? I'll handle it. Whatever happens in my life, I'll handle it!"

Step 5: Focus of the Learning…This is my favorite! Yes, we can learn and find strength from anything that happens to us. I certainly learned from and found strength as a result of my own experiences with things I have faced in life. If we see ALL situations in life as a way of learning and growing, it helps us let go of our need for things to be a certain way.
Keep this in mind:

• War = a way of learning
• Peace = a way of learning
• Illness = a way of learning
• Health = a way of learning
• Poverty = a way of learning
• Wealth = a way of learning
• Depression = a way of learning
• Joy = a way of learning

 Despite what is happening in our life and in the world, constantly let’s remind ourselves "We can learn from this." When we can see the opportunities inherent in all situations, good or bad, it truly helps us embrace all the uncertainty in our life.


 Lastly, I wanted to add this final suggestion…

As we go about our day, stop for a moment and notice when something wonderful happens. Then say to ourselves while still in the glory of the moment, "I have had this." This is the acknowledgment that "No matter what happens tomorrow, we have had this today." It is in the noticing of the little things that we truly get the feeling of a life well-lived... that wonderful hot shower, that kiss from a loved one, the fact that your car started, that great dinner you are eating, the warm rays of the sun, a candy bar, a warm smile, a nice thank you, a wonderful television show, a happy person at work, etc…  That will help us achieve more awareness of “peace of mind” and it is not that complicated believe me!

If we, step by step, begin incorporating into our life these tips, our sense of peace of mind will grow and grow. Remember: there is plenty of time...but now is definitely the time to begin!

Action Item:
1. Think about the positive outcomes you may have when adding one of these steps in your daily life and routine.
2. Think about people in your own circle that can be a great role model for increasing your peace of mind.
3. Share with us your impressions, when incorporating these tips in to your life

Enjoy!