What happens when we take a statement and turn it into a
question? As human beings, we are wired to solve challenges, create solutions,
and answer questions. The moment we pose a question to ourselves or others, our
subconscious mind goes to work on seeking a solution. This is a natural
occurrence and happens without us even really noticing the process has
initiated, unless…
Unless what? Unless we are consciously aware and consciously
ask ourselves a question so we can activate our solution seeking abilities.
When we take control of our thinking, which by the way is the only thing we can
ever really control anyway, we activate our ability to solve for whatever it is
that might be perplexing us.
As an example, let’s just stay on track with the theme of
this message. The title of this article reads: Is It Really Possible That
The Key To Happiness Is Gratitude? After having read this just now for a
second time, what are you thinking? Are you thinking about how you might be
able to use this simple little “Six Word Story” in your own life? Have you
asked yourself yet, what if this is true? What does this mean to you?
What if, what if you decided right now in this moment you
would at least embrace this idea as a possibility? The moment we let our guard
down and open our minds to a new possibility, something miraculous happens… Our
minds expand, never to return to their previous state, because a mind once
expanded will never return to its former level of understanding…
“The mind, once stretched by a new idea, never returns to
its original dimensions.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson
Gratitude is the “KEY” that unlocks the “Fullness” of life.
As a matter of FACT, this is exactly what Gratitude does:
“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we
have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order,
confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a
stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today,
and creates a vision for tomorrow.” -Melody Beattie
“Gratitude is the KEY to Happiness” is a simple “Six Word
Story” I can easily wrap my mind around. How about You? Does it at least seem
possible these six words could hold the KEY to Happiness?
Much has been written on this subject… It appears, at least
on the surface anyway, that Gratitude & Happiness go hand in hand, the same
way two peas share the same pod, or the same way we think of shoes and socks,
or milk and cookies.
Gratitude gives rise to the very best of what lies inside
each of us. And, when we take the time and spend the effort and energy to
express our gratitude, it is this act that functions the same as a key placed
into a lock that opens with ease, because it not only fits, but is actually the
key specifically designed to go with the lock.
“Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a
present and not giving it.” -William Arthur Ward
Gratitude is more like a verb than a noun. Its inherent
value is experienced in the act of expression.
And yes, just like shoes and socks, or cookies and milk,
keys and locks go together, and the KEY to unlocking Happiness, is Gratitude!
If you enjoyed this article and would like a bigger slice or scoop of gratitude, I recommend: Dear Gratitude: An Anthology by my friend and fellow gratitude collaborator, Chris Palmore. The book is available on Amazon.
Better Actions,
Activities, and Habits = Improved Results
ADVANCE CONFIDENTLY!
“You don’t get results by focusing on results. You get results by focusing on the actions that produce results.” -Mike Hawkins
It’s easy to become so
fixated on our desired outcome, on the results we are striving for, that we
forget results are typically a natural consequence of our actions.
If we want to improve in
almost any area of our lives, all we need to do is evaluate our actions. When
we focus on our actions, we can adjust our activities.
Fitness is one of the
easiest areas to evaluate as it relates to results because usually, all we must
do is look in the mirror to understand whether we are achieving the results we
desire.
Generally, if we are not
experiencing the level of results we expect, we need only look to our exercise
routines or our food choices to discover where we have let down in the area of
the actions we know are required to obtain the results we anticipate.
If for example our desired
result is a lean, fit, healthy body, unless we are genetically gifted, we will
have to engage in a regular set of activities that support us achieving our
desired outcome. We become what we focus on.
Our actions and our
activities are what will lead to the achievement of our desired goals. The easy
thing to remember is that we don’t ever do goals, we do activities that support
our goals and the results we experience are a direct result of the activities.
If we are falling short in
almost any area of our lives, all we have to do is take the time to look at
what actions we either are or are not doing or taking and we will gain a clear
picture of where our opportunity to improve exists.
According to several
different habit experts, if we want to affect real change in our lives, we need
look no further than our well-established habits.
The experts may disagree
on the best way to obtain a specific result, but it seems there is one element
they all agree on.
Our habits will either
make us or break us.
The results we either
achieve or don’t will be more related to our habits than almost any other
contributing factor.
The good news for all of
us is there is no valid excuse today for not adopting the habits we choose.
There are multiple books and many free articles on how to change a habit.
According to Dr. BJ Fogg,
you can simply start by flossing one tooth…
For more on this idea, see
his viral TEDx talk in the link below.
Learning to use Inspiration as a Catalyst for Creativity and Content Creation
ADVANCE
CONFIDENTLY
“Without inspiration the best powers of the mind remain dormant, there is a fuel in us which needs to be ignited with sparks.” -Johann Gottfried Von Herder
Inspiration is a form of expanded language. With inspiration, the very best of all we are capable of as human beings may be accessed. Our minds hold tremendous potential. We have within us the capacity for greatness. Inspiration is the spark, the thought promoting piece of the puzzle, allowing us to access a higher part of our consciousness. Ideas often come from inspiration. Ideas come to life when acted upon after receiving inspiration.
Inspiration
is like a catalyst in the makeup of an experiment. It is the substance required
for the experiment to proceed at an increased rate as it tends to speed up the
reaction of the elements. Inspiration works the same way in our minds: It gives
us the ability to see more clearly that which has yet to be produced. It helps
us in the visioning process of creation.
Ideas
will forever remain just ideas unless acted upon with faith, conviction, determination,
belief, and persistence. Inspiration is the spark which ignites our ability to
access the fuel in our mind for creative effort. Once accessed, the key element
is action. We must take consistent action on our inspiration so the spark can
be fanned into a flame.
As the
small flame of possibility grows, more and more action is added to the flame
and soon we are on fire with enough passion to bring our project into reality.
Our efforts literally create something from nothing, all from the spark of
inspiration!
To Achieve Different Results, We Must Be Engaged In Different Thinking
ADVANCE CONFIDENTLY!
“You too, can determine what you want. You can decide on your major objectives, targets, aims, and destination.” -W. Clement Stone
To
achieve different results, we must be engaged in different thinking. We must
decide what it is that we really want. It is impossible to reach a destination
if we don’t know what the destination is. We need to know where we are and
where we want to be. Only then can we find a way to bridge the gap between the
two points.
Each of
us is gifted with the ability to determine what we believe at the time to be
our best course of action. The reason I say we are “gifted” is because we are
not like the animals that must follow their instinctual drive… No, our gift
is the ability to both think and reason. However, when we are operating from
habit, we tend to either take our gift for granted or forget it altogether.
Most of
us don’t aim too high and miss. No, the majority of us aim too low and hit. We
need only look to the books of history to understand that mankind is capable of
remarkable things. When we set our sights high, when we determine with purpose
and clarity our desired destination, there is nothing that can keep us from our
desired objective except ourselves.
Decision
is the mechanism of action that both sets our course and makes the minor
adjustments required to keep us on track over time. Once we decide that we will
succeed no matter what obstacles may present themselves, then it seems we are
on a direct path whether it be around, over, or through, to our desired
outcome, as long as we refuse to quit. Persist and win!
