My World Affirmation for Your Monday

One of my favorite affirmation formulations is what I call “My World” Affirmations. The affirmation goes like this.

My world is what I make of it and I CHOOSE to make it a ________place to be.

I love the flexibility of this affirmation. You can fill in the word that works for you right now. Here are some examples.

  1. My world is what I make of it and I CHOOSE to make today my best day!
  2. My world is what I make of it and I CHOOSE to make it a compassionate place to be.
  3. My world is what I make of it and I CHOOSE to live in freedom.
  4. My world is what I make of it and I CHOOSE to make it a happy place to be.
  5. My world is what I make of it and I CHOOSE to make it just place to be.
  6. My world is what I make of it and I CHOOSE to be limitless.
  7. My world is what I make of it and I CHOOSE to make it a loving place to be.
  8. My world is what I make of it and I CHOOSE to make it a peaceful place to be.
  9. My world is what I make of it and I CHOOSE to make it a prosperous place to be.
  10. My world is what I make of it and I CHOOSE to live my dreams.
  11. My world is what I make of it and I CHOOSE to make it a healthy place to be.

if you’d like to download the audio for these 11 affirmations, you can get it here.

Make your Monday a great day!

Ray

 

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Good Things Ahead for the Kansas City Chiefs

First, congratulations to our adopted hometown team – the New England Patriots – and their fans. What your team has achieved the past 20 years is historic.

Now, I want to talk to my fellow-KC fans. That was exciting and rough all at the same time last night. My thoughts this morning are of the 2015 Kansas City Royals.

That team came to Spring training, months after an equally heart-breaking loss at home in Game 7 of the World Series, with the mindset “We are the best team in baseball.” With the exception of some floundering in September, they were the best MLB team in 2015 from start to finish.

This Chiefs team needs to go home, reflect, and come back next year with that thought. They need to sure up the defense and keep the same pieces in place on offense. If they do, they have to come into next year as a favorite to be back in the AFC Championship game with a wiser and still wildly talented Patrick Mahomes leading the way.

Many great teams almost got there the year before they went on their championship run. It took Michael Jordan and the Bulls a couple of tries to get past the Pistons and Celtics.

Good things are ahead for this Chiefs team. Even the ageless Tom Brady gets a year older next year. Eventually it gets everyone.

With a few tweaks and a we ARE the best team attitude, next year could be amazing! Let’s face it. That attitude is much of the reason the Patriots have the dynasty they have.

I commented on this at the time, but it bears saying it again. I was fascinated when the Chiefs came to Foxboro the opening week of 2017 and beat the Patriots. I paid attention to the response in both cities. In KC, there was a practical “we’re going to the Super Bowl” jubilation. In the Boston Media, there was angst. Yet, the Patriots players and coaches said basically, “Hey, it’s just one game and we’re still the Patriots.”

The Chiefs went home and the Patriots made that Super Bowl too.

The Chiefs need to develop a mindset like that to go with the talent. If they do, they could be hoisting The Lamar Hunt Trophy and sporting Super Bowl champion rings come 2020.

Ray

365 Days to a Better You – Day 21

Defeat your doubts

No less than Jesus and Buddha specifically called out doubt as a hinderance to your spiritual path and your physical life.

Doubt is a thief. It comes in your weakest moments and steals dreams, motivation, and hope. To be a better version of you, doubt has to be addressed. But, how?

Doubt is part of the human condition. It will never go away. Like most of your other challenges, it has its beneficial and destructive side. Doubt becomes destructive when it keeps you stuck: afraid to act on your dreams.

Here are some power life hacks for handling your doubts and turning them into productive partners in your journey.

  1. Live in the mystery – let’s get right to it. Doubt is really a fear of the unknown. You’re not really afraid to show up as a powerful you, grow your business, or apply to Harvard. You’re really afraid of the unknown. Humans have a tendency to fill in the unknown with fearful things.
    • Power hack: Set aside those fearful unknowns. Be willing to live with the uncertainty. Sometimes people call this operating outside your comfort zone. If you can get comfortable living there, you’ll find the uncertainty is filled with unlimited power, possibility, and potential.
  2. Doubt your doubts – why should your doubts be given more credence than your belief? They’re not right or wrong any more or any less than other thoughts. The fact you choose to believe them, exposes a negative mindset.
    • Power hack: Cross-examine your doubts. Make them prove their case. Give your belief and your courage equal time to make their case. Make informed decisions. Let all ties go to your belief!
  3. Suspend your doubts – you don’t have believe huge miraculous things right now, although you’re free to do so. Just suspend your doubts long enough to try.
    • Power hack: Put your doubts in “time out.” Say an affirmation like, “Just for today, I suspend my doubts and trust my dreams.” If you need to back it off one more step, “Just for this moment, I suspend my doubts and trust my dreams.”
  4. Get a stronger Why – some times doubts creep in solely because you don’t have strong enough why to overcome them. Get a stronger why! What’s your why statement? Are you fired up enough about it to ignore your doubts and take action?
    • Power hack: Think about the most important reason you’re pursuing your goals and dreams. Build a Personal Why Statement that clearly articulates why you must take action – massive action as Tony Robbins often says – today.
  5. External critics – not all your doubts come from within you. Some are spawned by the people around you or the culture as a whole. This is often called “conventional wisdom.”
    • Power hack: Listen to sound advice whatever its source. Ignore bad advice whatever its source. The fact that someone loves you is not a good enough reason to let their criticism stop you. As for conventional wisdom? There’s no wisdom in it. It’s never, ever in all of history achieved anything new. It’s the combined wisdom of what is. Not what can be. Which are you building?
  6. Past successes – remember your past successes. Remember all the doubts you had before you achieved that success? They didn’t stop you. Why should they now?
    • Power hack: Make a list of past successes where you doubted the outcome. Keep the list with you and refer to it when your doubts are trying to stop you from trying something new.
  7. You’re not alone – it’s easy for an entrepreneur, an activist, or anyone challenging the status quo to feel like you’re only the one. Trust me. You’re not. There’s tons of other people facing the same challenges.
    • Power hack: Find others facing similar challenges and doubts. Brainstorm ways to overcome them. Be there for each other and keep each other accountable.
  8. Forgive and let go – some of your doubts spring from the scars of past failure or setback. It’s time to let them go. Just because you fell of the bike doesn’t mean you don’t get back on.
    • Power hack: The Japanese have a saying, “Fall down seven times, get up eight.” Be resilient, be forgiving of yourself, let go of your past failures and focus on your future successes.
  9. Get help – if your doubts really have you stuck, talk to someone. It could be a friend, a family member, or maybe a counselor, if the challenges are significant enough.
    • Power hack: Talk to your biggest fan. It might be your mother, your best friend, a colleague at work, or a past or present client. When you’re feeling doubt, you need a cheerleader – someone to remind you just how damn good you are!
  10. Pump yourself up – you often feel doubt when you’re feeling down. Get yourself pumped and reconnected to the bigger whole. Pray, meditate, use affirmations, give yourself a pep talk. Listen to an inspiring TED Talk or music that really gets you going. When you’re feeling stronger, your doubts will lessen.
    • Power hack: Use college fight songs. Yours may have the most emotionally powerful connection for you, but these are pieces of music written to pump people up. Here’s a great list of some of the best to get you started. Listen to them for about 10-15 minutes. I guarantee you, you’re mood will change.

I’ll leave you with this. There’s not many ascended masters walking around. Every single human being experiences doubt. The difference in success and happiness is what you do with your doubt.

I believe you! Meet me halfway and believe in you too!

Ray

For tons more motivational content, please visit the TAS website and YouTube channel.

 

Can You Judge a Book by its Cover?

Hey, guys

Fantastic post today by Roger Bruner. Writers and non-writers, what are your thoughts? How much does a cover matter in choosing your next read?

What do you think? Can you–or anyone else–actually judge a book fairly by its cover?

I think a more reasonable question is whether any of us can fail to let a book cover affect our decision to at least look at the back cover copy and possibly open the book and read the first few paragraphs.

Yes, there are exceptions. A hideously covered book may have been recommended to us by someone whose opinion we find to usually be in line with our own. Or the cover on the new book by our favorite author may be what we consider awful. In cases like those, our eyes may not see the front cover as a stop sign. And I don’t recall seeing Bibles with covers that would draw readers in; those covers tend to be pretty plain.

I doubt that any publisher fails to at least ask an author for…

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I’m Inspired Today By…The Kansas City Chiefs

Even though I live in Boston now, I lived the first 50 years of my life in Kansas City. I’ve been one of those long-suffering Kansas City Chiefs fans. I was five years old the last time they went to and won the Super Bowl (Super Bowl IV in January 11, 1970).

Three years ago the Kansas City Royals broke a 30-year World Series drought. I’m hoping the Chiefs can repeat the feat. It only took me moving to Boston for them to achieve it.

Today they take on the team from our adopted hometown – The New England Patriots. While the Chiefs haven’t been to the Super Bowl in almost five decades, the Patriots have been in nine in the last 20 years. It’s a a true David vs. Goliath match-up.

The Patriots have Hall-of-Fame bound Tom Brady hoping lead his team to sixth Super Bowl victory versus Patrick Mahomes the young upstart and probable NFL MVP. I was at the first meeting this year in Foxboro. If today’s game is ANYTHING like that, we are all in for a treat!

Hopefully, by day’s end, The Chiefs will be in their first Super Bowl in the memory of yours truly. Patrick Mahomes feels like the real deal and the perfect changing of the guard for Tom Brady.

My prediction: Chiefs 31 Patriots 27.

Enjoy NFL Championship Sunday!

Ray

 

 

365 Days to a Better You – Day 20

Develop an Empowered Morning Routine

Good morning, empowered minds! It’s Day 20 of 2019 already. How time flies when you’re building your dreams!

Today’s concept is to develop a morning routine for success. This is something I used to do years ago, but I have fallen out of the habit. I’m going to be joining right along with you in getting it started again.

Those quiet, often dark minutes early in the morning are a quiet, empowered place to transition from your dreamworld back to the real world. Many, many successful people absolutely swear by their morning routine.

Here are some basic ideas of things you might include to get your day off to an intentional and energetic start.

  1. Read – those first few minutes after your feet touch the ground in the morning are a great time to begin feeding your mind.
  2.  Meditate or pray – your busy day leaves few spare moments for quiet reflection and connection. By making time first thing, you ensure that you’re plugged into the power of being plugged in.
  3. Stretch or exercise – some people prefer gentle stretching or yoga to begin the day, while others prefer weights, basketball, or running to get their blood flowing. The key is to get your body moving and your juices flowing.
  4. Say your affirmations – start with thoughts that empower you and point you to your goals. Listen, read, or say your affirmations or do all three.
  5. Remember your purpose – look at your vision board, pictures of your family, or your mission statement. Why are you doing what you’re doing? Make sure you have that firmly planted in your mind from the beginning of the day. It will help you keep the day’s hiccups in perspective and help you stay on goal.
  6. Protein and vitamins – make sure your system has the protein (benefits of protein in the morning) and vitamins it needs to function effectively.
  7. Gratitude and Thank you – start by feeling grateful for another day, another chance. Wayne Dyer used to say he started his day by just saying “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.” Thich Nhat Hanh talks about using your feet hitting the floor as a reminder to be grateful for a new 24 hours to live.
  8. Walk the dog – My dog Mia and I go for a walk every morning before I start working. She’s almost 15. It’s something the two of us have been doing for years.

This is the regimen I plan to employ. I’m already doing some of them, but to stick with my word for the year, I’m going to do them more intentionally.

You can use these, come up with some of your own, or get some more ideas from these resources. The key is to have a routine that points your day in the right direction. A strong house begins with a firm foundation.

  1. Morning Routines of Successful Entrepreneurs
  2. 12 Odd morning routines of successful people
  3. What Tony Robbins does every morning
  4. Rachel Hollis journals every morning

Keep your momentum headed forward today, my friends!

Ray

For tons more motivational content, please visit the TAS website and YouTube channel.

Three Affirmations for Your Saturday

  1. I refuse to allow negativity, mine or others, to slow me down.
  2. I turn negative situations into positive outcomes.
  3. I strive to be the most positive person I know.

We just had this a potential negative turn into a huge positive. In an hour, we went from stranded in LA for a couple of days to on our way the Philly and a chance to beat the winter storm to Boston. You never know when something good will happen!

Fight the negativity with all you are.

Ray