Rohn: The 4 Powerful Ways to Change a Bad Habit

Jim Rohn

What feelings truly push people outside their comfort zone?

No one understands as I do the inherent difficulty in changing old and persistent habits. But habits begin to change when we begin to change our perceptions.

Most of us don’t experience a cataclysmic transformation. No, for most of us change comes as an evolutionary process of almost imperceptible changes. We just keep nudging ourselves in the right direction, forming one or two better habits.

But what really makes us sit up and take notice? What really causes us to shed our old habits and take action?

Disgust with ourselves.
Making a decision when our backs are to the wall.
Desire that won’t be extinguished.
Resolve to do or die.

Emotions are the most powerful forces inside us. Under the power of emotions, human beings can perform the most heroic (as well as barbaric) acts. To a great degree, civilization itself can be defined as the intelligent channeling of human emotion. Emotions are fuel and the mind is the pilot, which together propel the ship of civilized progress.

In this excerpt from 7 Strategies for Wealth & Happiness, Jim Rohn describes four basic emotions that can trigger the most incredible activity. The day that you channel these emotions to fuel your desire is the day you’ll turn your life around.

1. Disgust

One does not usually equate the word “disgust” with positive action. And yet properly channeled, disgust can change a person’s life. The person who feels disgusted has reached a point of no return. He or she is ready to throw down the gauntlet at life and say, “I’ve had it!” That’s what I said after many humiliating experiences. At age 25, I said, “I don’t want to live like this anymore. I’ve had it with being broke. I’ve had it with being embarrassed, and I’ve had it with lying.”

Yes, productive feelings of disgust come when a person says, “Enough is enough.”

They’ve had it with mediocrity. They’ve had it with those awful sick feelings of fear, pain and humiliation. They decide they are not going to live like this anymore. Call it what you will, the “I’ve had it” day, the “never again” day, the “enough’s enough” day. Whatever you call it, it’s powerful! There is nothing so life-changing as gut-wrenching disgust!

2. Decision

Most of us need to be pushed to the wall to make decisions. And once we reach this point, we have to deal with the conflicting emotions that come with making them. We have reached a fork in the road. Now this fork can be a two-prong, three-prong or even a four-prong fork. No wonder that decision-making can create knots in stomachs, keep us awake in the middle of the night or make us break out in a cold sweat.

Making life-changing decisions can be likened to internal civil war. Conflicting armies of emotions, each with its own arsenal of reasons, battle each other for supremacy of our minds. And our resulting decisions, whether bold or timid, well thought out or impulsive, can either set the course of action or blind it. I don’t have much advice to give you about decision-making except this:

Whatever you do, don’t camp at the fork in the road. Decide. It’s far better to make a wrong decision than to not make one at all. Each of us must confront our emotional turmoil and sort out our feelings.

3. Desire

How does one gain desire? I don’t think I can answer this directly because there are many ways. But I do know two things about desire:

a. It comes from the inside, not the outside.
b. It can be triggered by outside forces.

Almost anything can trigger desire. It’s a matter of timing as much as preparation. It might be a song that tugs at the heart. It might be a memorable sermon. It might be a movie, a conversation with a friend, a confrontation with the enemy or a bitter experience. Even a book or an article such as this one can trigger the inner mechanism that will make some people say, “I want it now!”

Therefore, while searching for your “hot button” of pure, raw desire, welcome into your life each positive experience. Don’t erect a wall to protect you from experiencing life. The same wall that keeps out your disappointment also keeps out the sunlight of enriching experiences. So let life touch you. The next touch could be the one that turns your life around.

4. Resolve

Resolve says, “I will.” These two words are among the most potent in the English language. I will. Benjamin Disraeli, the great British statesman, once said, “Nothing can resist a human will that will stake even its existence on the extent of its purpose.” In other words, when someone resolves to “do or die,” nothing can stop him.

The mountain climber says, “I will climb the mountain. They’ve told me it’s too high, it’s too far, it’s too steep, it’s too rocky, it’s too difficult. But it’s my mountain. I will climb it. You’ll soon see me waving from the top or you’ll never see me, because unless I reach the peak, I’m not coming back.” Who can argue with such resolve?

When confronted with such iron-willed determination, I can see Time, Fate and Circumstance calling a hasty conference and deciding, “We might as well let him have his dream. He’s said he’s going to get there or die trying.”

The best definition for “resolve” I’ve ever heard came from a schoolgirl in Foster City, California. Many years ago, I was lecturing about success to a group of bright kids at a junior high school. I asked, “Who can tell me what ‘resolve’ means?” Several hands went up, and I did get some pretty good definitions. But the last was the best. A shy girl from the back of the room got up and said with quiet intensity, “I think resolve means promising yourself you will never give up.” That’s it! That’s the best definition I’ve ever heard: Promise yourself you’ll never give up.

Think about it! How long should a baby try to learn how to walk? How long would you give the average baby before you say, “That’s it, you’ve had your chance”? You say that’s crazy? Of course it is. Any mother would say, “My baby is going to keep trying until he learns how to walk!” No wonder everyone walks.

There is a vital lesson in this. Ask yourself, “How long am I going to work to make my dreams come true?” I suggest you answer, “As long as it takes.” That’s what these four emotions are all about.

Source: http://www.success.com/article/rohn-the-4-powerful-ways-to-change-a-bad-habit

How to Read Like Your Success Depends on It

Tom Bilyeu

 

I credit my success to reading. And I read a lot. A LOT. So the question that I naturally get asked all the time is how I manage to read as much as I do while still keeping up with the demands of running a company. So here is my definitive guide to reading like your success depends on it, because, well, it does.

1. Start with why.

Why do I read so much? Because there is a critical math equation at work here and it goes like this: Ideas In = Ideas Out. I actually used to have a sign hanging over my desk that read II = IO to remind me. What I mean is I’m not worried about thinking new thoughts. I’m simply trying to make unique connections between old ideas. I believe that’s what makes all of us unique: We make different connections than the next person.

That’s important for two reasons:

1. It means I don’t need to memorize facts from the book; I’m just trying to truly understand the overarching themes that will then act as reactive molecules in the chemistry of my mind.
2. I always read the whole book (versus an abridged or CliffNotes version) because I’m looking for the ideas that stand out to me, which might be very different than the ideas that stand out to someone else. So I don’t skim, but I don’t get hung up on things that don’t resonate or I don’t understand.

2. Improve your reading speed.

I am a ridiculously slow reader. I once had a teammate at Quest show me something he had written. I read it and told him I liked it, but he didn’t believe me, “Something must have bothered you; you read it three times.” I had to laugh out loud, because I had only read it once. That’s just how slow I read.

Reading that slowly, however, simply wouldn’t do. So I had two choices:

1. Learn to speed read. Tried that, and though I could move my eyes across the words faster, I couldn’t understand or retain the information.
2. Use audiobooks.

I went with audiobooks. I use the Audible App. So when I say I “read” something, I actually mean I listened to it. The advantage here is that I can assimilate information aurally, very, very quickly. Also, the magic of the Audible app is that it allows you to speed up the playback—allowing you to go all the way to 3x the normal speed. That’s where I live: 3x. To be clear though, I had to work my way up to that. I started at 1.5x, then pushed myself to 2x, then ultimately to 3x. So don’t expect 3x to be intelligible from day one. But like anything, if you push yourself and stick with it, you will get better. So push yourself.

3. Always be reading.

There’s a saying in sales that I hate: ABC (always be closing). But I live by the mantra ABR—always be reading. Audiobooks are a huge help with this, because as long as I have my phone and headphones, I can read literally anywhere. As such, I not only read during stretches of free time, I also read in the transitional moments of life. Here is a nearly exhaustive list of the times and places I read:

• Driving
• In an Uber
• On an airplane
• Walking the dogs (or walking, period)
• In the shower
• While brushing my teeth
• While getting dressed
• While waiting anywhere (if I’m alone)

Without a doubt, I prefer to read when I can read for long stretches of time, but I’ve just found that all of the little moments add up to a lot of reading (especially at 3x), and thus a lot of new and exciting ideas.

4. Cover a topic from all angles.

I don’t memorize books; I get the big ideas and move on. Don’t get me wrong, I lament that I don’t have a naturally prodigious memory (Kim Peek, anyone?), but since I don’t and I continue to get great results from simply focusing on the big ideas, I haven’t invested the energy into improving my memory, or felt it necessary to back off from digesting books at 3x.

Another thing that keeps me from worrying about remembering certain facts is that I usually read as many books on a given topic of interest as I can. When you do that, you’ll find that themes emerge, and those themes become very familiar. And when you collect them from many different points of view, they firm up in my mind in a much richer way than they would if I slowed down and read a book like I was preparing for a final exam. This approach also ensures that I don’t fall prey to the confirmation bias (reading only ideas that agree with what I already believe).

This is how I read and these are the hacks I use to absorb as many new ideas as possible. May those techniques serve you as well as they’ve served me.

Source: http://www.success.com/blog/how-to-read-like-your-success-depends-on-it

7 Mistakes Successful People Don’t Make Again

This is your life and you only get one of them. Make it count.

Kimanzi Constable

Success often comes from the knowledge and experience you receive when you make mistakes. We are human and are bound to make mistakes and in that moment, when nothing seems to be working out, you can decide to give in to what you feel or you can learn and move forward.

Successful people don’t let mistakes hold them back from taking the necessary action required to hit their big life goals. They view mistakes as invaluable life lessons and experiences that shape who they are. They also learn what not to do again.

Here are seven mistakes successful people have experienced, learned from and won’t repeat.

1. Successful people don’t allow toxic relationships into their life.

The relationships in your life are an indicator of your success. As Jim Rohn said, “You’re the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” The negative relationships will drag you down to their level. The positive ones will push you further than you felt like you could go. If you want to make this one of the most successful phases in your life, evaluate the relationships that are in your life. Get honest about who needs to go. Don’t make the mistake of allowing toxic relationships to stunt any progress toward your success goals.

2. Successful people don’t spend years doing work that doesn't fulfill them.

Most of us will spend at least 40 hours per week in some form of work. It can be a traditional job or a business, but if what you’re doing during those 40 hours doesn’t fulfill you, it will affect every other area of your life. Before you know it, you’ve given years of your life to something that is slowly eating away at your resolve and determination to live a better life. It’s not easy—especially in our current economy—to find work that fulfills you and pays well, but nothing that’s worth it comes easy. Spend time finding or creating work that supports the kind of life you want to live and one that gives you freedom.

3. Successful people don’t let doubt and fear dictate their choices.

Doubt and fear are a normal part of anyone’s life. But your reactions to these emotions will affect your success journey. Successful people make decisions from a place of value and strength. They know what values are most important to them and make decisions that align with those values. Doubt and fear are not a factor when they are making decisions.

4. Successful people don’t chase other people’s dreams.

It’s natural to want what seems and feels like success. You see someone else do something and you want that for your life. But dreams, goals and freedom have to be personal. You have to figure out what your dreams are and why they are important to you. Successful people don’t waste time and energy on shiny objects. Don’t let the allure of someone else’s dream derail you from discovering yours.

5. Successful people don’t underestimate the power of physical fitness.

What you eat and how active you are has an effect on the energy you have and that will affect how to tackle your goals. Your physical fitness is closely tied to your success journey. Successful people make their fitness and health a priority because they realize it’s one of the keys to living a long and happy life. It goes beyond just maintaining your fitness; harness the power that comes when you are in tune with your body.

6. Successful people don’t do things they know they don’t want to do.

There are a lot of things you could be doing, and even things that seem important but aren’t if you were honest with yourself. Successful people cut those things out of their life and make it a point to create a life of freedom. They spend each moment on the things that lead to and support the kind of life they want to live. Time is precious and life is short. Don’t waste either on the things you don’t want or need to do.

7. Successful people don’t copy someone else who is successful.

It’s natural to want to mimic or even copy success. Those who are successful see the value in modeling success, but they understand copying won’t produce the same results. Just because something worked for someone else doesn’t mean it will work the same way for you. Your goals, dreams and aspirations have to be personal.

Learn from your mistakes. We all make them and will continue making them for the rest of our lives—so view them as life lessons. The key is to not repeat where you stumbled before. Fall and get back up determined to work on your goals harder and smarter.

This is your life and you only get one of them. Make it count.

Source: http://www.success.com/article/7-mistakes-successful-people-dont-make-again

7 Ways to Persist When Everything in You Wants to Give Up

Sonia Thompson

 

Have you ever felt like your lungs were going to explode?

That’s what it felt like during my hike up Machu Picchu.

The ancient city sits more than 2,400 meters above sea level and my group eagerly started climbing just after 5 a.m. I ended up alone, behind the group, with more than 1,100 meters left to go.

I never imagined the journey would be so difficult (evidenced by the shoes I chose to wear). I worked out regularly, but that didn’t prepare me for the altitude. I couldn’t seem to get enough air.

I wanted to give up. My body was begging me to stop. My weary mind wanted to follow suit.

But I persisted. And I made it to the top—lungs and heart intact.

Here are the seven things that helped me keep going that day, when everything in me wanted to quit. If you find yourself in a situation where you want to give up, these lessons can help you, too.

1. Ignore everyone else.

In the beginning of the climb, I only saw the people passing me. Every time I saw someone hiking with ease, I felt bad about myself. But when I stopped worrying and stopped comparing everyone else’s journey to my own, I began to focus on my own mission and how I was going to achieve it.

As you work toward your dream, it can be easy to get distracted when you see others achieving their goals easier, faster, better than you. It can make you feel inadequate and unsatisfied with your own progress. But when it comes to conquering a goal, what’s happening with others is irrelevant when it detracts from your ability to move forward.

When tackling a difficult task, you need every ounce of energy you can muster. Make sure to channel it to a place that will propel you forward.

2. Become your own biggest supporter.

When I started the hike, I wasn’t alone. But within 10 minutes, I was behind and alone. At first I was frustrated my companions abandoned me in my time of need. But then I realized my burden wasn’t theirs to bear.

Although it can be energizing to have others around to motivate and support you, having them there is a luxury, not a requirement. That lesson allowed me to turn inward and find in myself the strength and determination to keep going. I began to encourage and high-five myself with every step.

Sometimes on the road to success, you have to walk alone. If you find yourself in that position, find a way to give yourself what you need to continue.

3. Stop and appreciate the little things.

I began the hike before the sun was up. As I continued to climb, it started to peek around the mountain, giving glimpses of the beauty all around me. It was magical. During the catch-my-breath breaks, I marveled at the privilege of seeing nature in all her beauty. In those moments, I gave no thought to my struggle. I was too busy being grateful for being right there.

It can be easy to focus all your energy on reaching your ultimate goal. But if the only thing you can see is your end destination, you’ll miss the beauty of the journey along the way. The new experiences and welcome surprises provide much-needed fuel to keep going.

4. Focus on the next step.

It discouraged me to think how far away I was from the top. So I reframed my goal into mini-milestones that made the next steps more manageable. Just take one more step, I thought. OK, now just get over to those stones. Alright, once you get to that bench you can stop and rest for a few minutes.

When your goal seems too big, it can feel impossible, which opens the door for resistance to creep in. By breaking your target into bite-sized pieces, you can keep yourself in motion and build momentum.

5. Throw your watch out the window.

Before the trek, I read that most people make it to the top of Machu Picchu in about 45 to 60 minutes. It took me longer. When I focused on the time it was supposed to take, I was frustrated at myself for not being good enough or fast enough. But nobody cared how long it took me to get to the top and I shouldn’t have, either. All that mattered was completing my journey.

As you work on reaching your goals, stop looking at the clock. Stop measuring yourself against someone or something else. It will only serve to distract you from focusing on what you need to do right now to advance. 

6. Stop looking for a way out.

Not everyone who goes to Machu Picchu hikes. You can take a bus straight to the top and save yourself the emotional and physical strain. Early on in my climb, I thought about retreating or waving down one of the buses on their way up.

When your pain is at the forefront, it is natural to want to make it go away. But when you invest time looking for a way to abort your journey, you waste precious energy that could be used to help you overcome momentary pain and discomfort for long-term growth.

7. Acknowledge your limitations.

I had to be honest with myself. I was having trouble getting air and I couldn't keep the pace of the group. Pushing my body to the limit by trying to keep a faster pace wasn’t going to go well for me. My path needed to be different, and that’s OK. After implementing my new strategy, the journey was less grueling.

Your road to success might not look like everyone else’s. That’s OK. Everyone’s situation is different. Instead acknowledge where you are, so you can give yourself what you need to be successful.

As you work to achieve your goals, there will be obstacles, bumps and bruises along the way. When the journey becomes more uncomfortable than what you are used to, it can be easy to throw in the towel and retreat.

But if you follow these lessons, you can find the strength to keep going in the midst of difficulty. And when you persist, you’ll discover the reward was worth the effort.

Don’t give up.

Source: http://www.success.com/blog/7-ways-to-persist-when-everything-in-you-wants-to-give-up

3 Key Financial Decisions That Can Change Your Life in an Instant

By Tony Robbins

In all the years I've worked with people, I've found there are three key decisions we make every moment of our lives. If we make these decisions unconsciously, we end up with lives like the majority of people, who tend to be out of shape physically, exhausted emotionally and often bored with or too comfortable in their intimate relationships—not to mention financially stressed. 

But if you make these decisions consciously, you can literally change your life in an instant! What are the three decisions that determine the quality of your life? That determine whether you feel rich or poor in any given moment? The first one is: 

Decision 1: What Are You Going to Focus On?

In every moment of our lives, there are millions of things we could focus on. We can focus on the things that are happening right here, right now, or on what we want to create in the future, or we can put our focus back on the past. We can direct our focus on solving a big challenge or on appreciating the beauty of this moment, or on feeling sorry for ourselves about a disappointing experience. If we don't consciously redirect our focus, the environment we're in tends to make constant demands to get our attention. 

Ask yourself: Which do you tend to focus on more—what you have, or what's missing from your life? I'm sure you think about both sides of this coin, but if you had to look at your habitual thoughts, where do you tend to spend most of your time? 

Even those of us who are in difficult situations have plenty in our lives that we can appreciate. Almost half the world, or more than three billion people, live on less than $2.50 per day, which is a little more than $900 per year. The average drink at Starbucks is $3.25. If you can afford that, you're spending more on one purchase of a cup of coffee than what half the planet has to live on in one day. That puts things in perspective, doesn't it? 

Rather than focusing on what we don't have and begrudging those who are better off financially, perhaps we should acknowledge that there's so much to be grateful for in our lives that has nothing to do with money. We can be grateful for our health, our friends, our opportunities, our minds, the fact that we get to drive on roads that we didn't have to build, read books we didn't have to take years to write, and tap into the internet that we didn't have to create. 

A pattern of appreciating what you have will create a new level of emotional well-being and wealth. And my guess is that if you're reading this, you may be one of those people who already notices what you have. But the real question is, do you take time to deeply feel grateful in your mind, body, heart and soul? That's where the joy and the gifts will be found. Not with just the intellectual appreciation or by the acquisition of another dollar, or another 10 million dollars. 

Now, as soon as you begin to focus on something, your brain has to make a second decision, which is: 

Decision 2: What Does This Mean?

What does this mean? Ultimately, how we feel about our lives has nothing to do with the events of our lives, or with our financial condition, or what has or has not happened to us. The quality of our lives is controlled by the meaning we give these things. Most of the time we're unaware of the impact of these quick meaning decisions that are often made in our unconscious mind. 

When something happens that disrupts your life—a car accident, a health issue, a lost job—do you tend to think it's the end or the beginning? If someone confronts you, are they "insulting" you, "coaching" you, or truly "caring" for you? Does this "devastating" problem mean that God is punishing you, or challenging you or is it possible this problem is a gift from God? Your life becomes whatever meaning you give it. 

A change in focus and a change in meaning can be an emotional game changer. We can all find meaning, even in our pain. And when we do, we may still experience pain, but the suffering is gone. 

So take control, and always remember: meaning equals emotion, and emotion equals life. Choose consciously and wisely. Find the empowering meaning in anything, and wealth in its deepest sense will be yours today. 

Decision 3: What Am I Going to Do?

The actions we take are powerfully shaped by the emotional states we're in. If we're angry, we're going to behave quite differently than if we're feeling playful or outrageous. 

But even two people who get in an angry state will behave differently. Some will pull back when they're angry, others push through. Some people express anger quietly or loudly or violently. Some people suppress it only to look for a passive aggressive opportunity to regain the upper hand, or even exact revenge. Some people confront their anger by going to the gym and working out. 

Where do these patterns come from? We tend to model our behavior on the people in our lives whom we respect, enjoy and love. The people who frustrated or angered us? We often reject their approaches, but far too often we find ourselves falling back into the pattern that we witnessed over and over again and were so displeased by in our youth. 

It's very useful to become aware of what your patterns are when you get frustrated or angry or sad or feel lonely—because you can't change your pattern if you're not aware of it. In addition, now that you're aware of the power of these three decisions, you might start looking for role models who are experiencing what you want out of life. I promise you, those who have passionate relationships have a totally different focus and come up with totally different meanings for challenges in the relationship than people who are constantly bickering or fighting. Or those who judge each other constantly. It's not rocket science. If you become aware of the differences in how people make these three decisions, you'll have a pathway that can help you create a permanent positive change in any area of your life. 

*** 
 


Source: http://www.oprah.com/money/Key-Financial-Decisions-Tony-Robbins

Want to Be Successful? Do These 7 Things in Your Spare Time

Replace your less productive habits with more beneficial ones to succeed as an entrepreneur.

Larry Alton

 

July 24, 2015

Did you know startups fail about four times as often as they succeed? Do you know why it’s so hard to get a successful business off the ground? It’s attributable to a number of factors, one of which could be the way the founders are spending their spare time.

The productivity you can generate in your free time often carries over into the success of your professional endeavors, and you can bet that successful people use their free time for much more than relaxing on the couch or binging on Netflix.

If you’re struggling to find success as an entrepreneur, you might want to take a closer look at how you spend your time away from the office. Consider replacing some of your less productive habits with ones with better benefits:

1. Exercise

Working out is good for both the body and the mind. According to various studies, people who exercise 30 minutes a day, five times a week, enjoy better overall brain health, including uplift in mood, reduced stress, increased creativity and clearer thinking. Exercise is the best thing you can do to stay alert and alive while you run your business.

2. Hobbies

Have you ever noticed that some of the most successful people you know also lead rather interesting lifestyles outside of work? That comes largely from the personal pastimes they choose to enjoy. Hobbies are a good outlet for stress and an excellent source of creativity.

3. Learning

Success often means fostering a love of learning. If you want to inspire a love of learning inside yourself, learn something new. Some people like to learn languages; others like to keep up with the latest technological investments. Most learn something that will be useful to them in their careers, such as IT basics. A strong atmosphere of learning new things can help increase personal and business productivity by 37 percent.

With online tutorials, web-based informational courses and apps that offer assistance with just a few taps, you don’t have an excuse not to learn something new.

4. Mindfulness

There’s a reason yoga has become one of the most popular health practices today: Mindfulness can help you relax, improve productivity, facilitate creativity and maintain your general overall well-being.

It’s important to note that practicing mindfulness does not necessarily mean doing yoga or even meditating, though both of those practices will do the job. It could simply mean sitting in stillness for 20 minutes twice a day, or leaning back in your chair, staring up at the ceiling and forgetting the world for 10 minutes.

5. Service

If you’re losing sight of perspective and what matters to you most, take an opportunity to serve the less fortunate. Giving back to your community helps you to think about things besides work, which may enable you to evaluate how to improve your business. It’s the best way to put your life into perspective and reduce the stress that comes from constantly focusing on your own problems.

6. Reading

The best way to stay up to date with the activities of prosperous individuals is to read. Whether you’re keeping up on the latest news, studying a business-oriented self-help book or reading the biography of a successful person you admire, reading can help boost your creativity, improve your thought processes at work and enable you to de-stress after a long day.

7. Family

Take a break every now and then to devote your entire attention to those you love most. For just a few hours a week, stop thinking about the things that happen at work and enjoy what’s going on at home. Healthy, happy and profitable people understand that taking a break with their loved ones keeps them sane as they climb the ladder of success.

Source: http://www.success.com/article/want-to-be-successful-do-these-7-things-in-your-spare-time

3 Things To Do If You Want To Be Happy Every Day

by Fran Sorin

It doesn't seem that long ago that the amount of money and possessions you accumulated were considered the sole indicators of your success.

Today, people are seeking deeper meaning, connections, and well-being in their lives.

In fact, I've coined the phrase "Well-being is the new success" as a reminder to myself and others that how we feel is much more important than the status we accumulate.

Mahatma Gandhi said, "Your beliefs become your thoughts. Your thoughts become your words. Your words become your actions. Your actions become your habits. Your habits become your values. Your values become your destiny."

As Gandhi explained, our thoughts ultimately create our destinies. It's important to remember that our lives are limited only by our own thoughts.

In the book You Are the Placebo: Making Your Mind Matter, Dr. Joe Dispenza writes that in order to change some aspect of our reality, we need to learn to think, feel, and act in new ways.

Much like the renowned author Napoleon Hill, Dr. Dispenza suggests that you need to hold clear, focused thoughts about what you want coupled with heightened emotional energy. By combining the two, you put out a stronger vibration that pulls you toward the potential reality that you deeply desire.

If our emotions are linked to our neurology, immune, and endocrine system, then it makes sense that when we feel something, it creates a physical change. We then have a choice: We can allow that emotion to take control or use mindfulness to work toward replacing it with positive thoughts and feelings.

Here are three tips that will enable you to maintain your well-being every day:

1. Become friends with your emotions.

Take a couple of minutes to sit quietly with no distractions; focus on your breathing. Follow the rhythm of your breath and notice what thoughts or emotions grab your attention. Allow them to rise. As they do, imagine capturing each thought or emotion in a bubble.

Once your mind is quiet, visualize blowing that bubble away. Watch it drift upward, higher and higher, until it's no longer a part of you; then bring your attention back to your breath. Is your breathing now deeper? Slower, perhaps? Allow yourself a few moments to sink into this feeling of peacefulness and connect with your breathing.

Remember, your thoughts and emotions can be best friends. They play off each other and define the attitude you take into each day. At some point, whether our alarm fails to go off or we stub our toe getting out of bed, our thoughts spiral downward. We then begin worrying about that meeting with the boss or the fight we had with our partner last night. These thoughts become our attitude for the day and will follow us around like a magnet attracting other bad things.

2. Develop a gratitude practice.

When waking up or before going to sleep, run through a list of 10 things for which you are grateful. You'll be surprised how easy it is once you slow down, observe, and awaken your senses. We rush through so much of our lives that we miss out on the opportunity to appreciate the little things that contribute to well-being.

Here are some examples of things you might feel grateful for:

• Hearing the birds chirping
• A good night's sleep
• A comfortable bed
• Stretching your body (feeling healthy)
• Drinking a freshly brewed cup of coffee
• Receiving and giving "good morning" hugs to family members
• Snuggling with a pet
• The sun glistening through the trees
• Arriving at work with no traffic jams
• Smiling at a stranger on the street and having them return the smile
• Making and selecting nutritious food that you love

I keep a notebook near my bed so that immediately upon waking, I can go straight into writing down thoughts of gratitude. The thoughts don't have to be associated with something that has happened within the past 24 hours. You can think about a dear friend that you haven't seen in months and experience feelings of deep appreciation and love.

If you want to take it a step further, practice feeling gratitude for things in your life that have not yet happened. For example, let's say you're working on becoming a published author. Take a few moments to feel gratitude for having become a published author; in other words, feel as if what you are dreaming about has happened.

I think you'll be surprised at how much this gratitude practice will affect your future.

3. Connect with nature.

Go outside. Even five minutes during a lunch break will do. Find a patch of grass and remove your shoes. Stand upright and visualize, sense, or imagine you have roots growing out of the soles of your feet, connecting deeply with the earth. With each breath, feel the energy drawing up from the earth, spreading all the way through your body until you feel it flowing out of your fingertips.

Now visualize, sense, or imagine your heart overflowing with gratitude and send that love back down through your feet into the earth. As you are doing this, concentrate on your breathing, become aware of your senses, feel the warmth of the sun on your face, the cool breeze on your skin, the songs of the birds. Expand your awareness and drink in the connection you are creating between your mind, body, and spirit.

Source: http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-27124/3-things-to-do-if-you-want-to-be-happy-every-day.html