Leadership, Love and Life

Which way do you focus?

noreply@blogger.com (Bronwen) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 04:34:00 +0000

I recently went out to Karawatha Forest for a walk and to get back to nature and rejuvenate the inner batteries in the Australian bush. It was a chance to get away from suburbia with my beloved husband, connect and unwind. We were wandering along, taking random paths that we figured would eventually take us back to the car park. We had no set plan and were just enjoy the surrounds and each other's company.

I love how I can always learn something from situations that on the surface seem to hold no importance at all. The lesson that came to mind was when we found ourselves on the edge of the Forest walking along a path with the Gateway Motorway nearby. For readers, not familiar with Brisbane, the Gateway is one of the major six to eight lane motorways that cross the city. I found that I was becoming irritated by the disturbance to the peace and serenity I had been enjoying in the bush. I began to question why I was letting it bother me.

As we continued to walk along the path, the noise of everyday life on one side and the beauty and peace of nature on the other, I realised that I had the choice on what I could focus on. So I gave all my attention to the Forest. I began to notice all the subtleties that I had been taking for granted earlier in our walk. The textures and colours, all the small wildlife as well as some larger ones (like the family of gorgeous Tawny Frog mouths). All of this would of been missed if I had chosen to focus on what I did not want - namely the distractions from others.

It was along this same path I stumbled on a loose, plain looking stone. At least it first appeared to be plain looking. Yet after I stumbled and had disturbed it, I was able to see that it had been damaged. And inside of this dull greyish-brown rock, was a colourful, glittery heart that sparkled in the sunlight and was an object of extreme beauty.

Here was another lesson from nature, to teach that we often need to look inside of others, into their hearts to see their beauty. Much like one of my favourite movies Shallow Hal with Gwyneth Paltrow and Jack Black. Imagine how different our world could be if we choose to only see the beauty in others.

As it turned out, the path we were following was a dead end and we had to turn around and retrace our steps. Which is as it is in life at times. Some of the best lessons are found on roads that need to be traveled more than once before our learning is complete. Or on roads that appear to lead nowhere, but have to be traveled so that the lesson appears in a form that we can recognise.

I ask you, what lessons have you found on today's journey? Maybe you need to change what you are focusing on, or just look a little deeper to find the beauty of the lesson.

An Artists' Math Lesson

noreply@blogger.com (Bronwen) — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 06:39:00 +0000

Many people have separated their lives into two broad sections - Building wealth (sometimes known as money making) and the rest of their lives. Having been included in this group of people, I found myself reflecting on them and likening them to subject that I teach my students. I previously have perceived these to be two totally different, if not opposite, subjects.

My view was that building wealth was math, while life -- well life is art.

We all had to take math during our school years as well as art. So we are all familiar with what is involved in each subject.

A math test is marked on fact. There is only every one right answer. The answers are always either right or wrong - it is formulaic. You learn and apply the right formula or process and you get the right answer. You know the result before it happens, every single time.

One plus one always equals two.

Four times twenty-five is always one hundred.

Twenty take away two is always eighteen.

Fifty divided by five is always ten.

In math there can only be one answer. But let's compare this to an art project. A number of different projects can get the same mark. Art or beauty it has been said it in the eye of the beholder. In art there is no one right way to do it.

When we study the great artists throughout history - da Vinci, Picasso, Pollock, Warhol - we see an amazing difference in their styles, yet they are all considered masters of their craft. And different people prefer different styles and what you may think of as disgusting, someone else will adore. And that is what makes art, art.

So what any of this got to do with money making and life?

Making money is just part of math: If you put $10 into your savings every week, after a year you will have $520. When you buy a house for $500,000 and it increases in value by two percent a year, you can work out how much it will be worth in ten years time. That is what makes maths so awesome, it allows us to know. You learn the process and let the math of making money go to work, and you can work out the results before you start investing.

But life? Life is like art. Its beauty is that it is different for everyone and is changeable. Different people add their own colours to our lives. When you make a mistake, it is possible to try again, to erase it or just paint straight over it. You can make it however you want. You can change it to suit, it is ever evolving and what is top class to one holds no interest to someone else. And this is what makes art and life beautiful.

While we can use our knowledge of math to enhance our skill in art, such as shapes, symmetry and perspective. So our skills in money making can enhance our life. But life isn't made up of just building wealth, it is not only about accumulating possessions. This is not to say that wealth building is not a worthwhile skill, its just that wealth isn't what life is all about.

So ask yourself, are you focusing on your math or your art? I advise that you do your very best at math and wealth building in order to be able to look after yourself and your families. But make your life a masterpiece. What do you want your life to look like? What kind of picture are you creating? What kind of statue are sculpting? Make sure that you use all the brilliant colours of the rainbow, going all the way to the edges and create the most amazing life that you can.

A Wish for My Daughter

noreply@blogger.com (Bronwen) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 22:06:00 +0000

"Children are likely to live up to what you believe of them"

Lady Bird Johnson

This week marks the end of my daughters' years in primary school. She is heading off to high school next. It has been wonderful to watch the emotions that she has experienced in the lead up to this event. Everything from fear and nervousness before her first interview with the school, the happiness and excitement after her orientation day. The more she learnt about her new school, the more knowledge she gained, the more people she met - the more comfortable she has become with the thought of leaving behind what she knew and heading into the future.

On the brink of this new stage of my baby's life, I began to reflect on my hopes for her. So Beautiful Girl it is my wish that you can see yourself as I do and embrace the following beliefs about yourself.

I am perfect exactly as I am

I do not have to prove to anyone or anything who I am

I am a stunning example of feminine strength

I blossom with joy and beauty

I now choose to eliminate from my life and mind every negative, destructive, fearful idea and thought that would keep me from being the magnificent woman I am meant to be

It is safe for me to grow

I now stand on my own two feet and think for myself

I am a blessing to the planet

My future is bright and beautiful

I am a kind-hearted and sensitive soul

Together we lovingly nourish an even more beautiful world

With joy, I recognise my perfection and the perfection of Life

So Little Miss Jess Lyn, I ask that you may take these beliefs with you throughout your life. To take on the challenges that you will encounter with determination, to cherish the friends that you will make, to enjoy the opportunities that come your way, to know that you can and do make a wonderful contribution to the world, to let yourself shine and inspire others and to never forget that you are a special, unique and amazing individual.

I love you, I am blessed to have you in my life and I am proud to be able to call you my daughter. So when you look in the mirror, remember that you may not always hear all the compliments that you sweetly deserve, but you are worthy of all the friendship, treasures, love and joy in the world

The Unlimited Horizon

noreply@blogger.com (Bronwen) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 07:24:00 +0000

Once upon a time, people believed that the Earth was flat. They gazed towards the horizon which looked like that somewhere out there the Earth ended. And that at this end point there was the possibility that they would fall off into the unknown and perish. Therefore, they did not venture out from the land they knew. They stayed where they lived out of fear.

This perception that the horizon was the end of the Earth stopped people from exploring new possibilities. Today, we know that this perception is incorrect. The limitation that held people back was an error in perception. Brave adventurers have proven that the horizon is not the edge of the world, it is not the end of the Earth.

In fact you can never actually get to the horizon. It moves further away as you travel towards it. So while the horizon looks like an end, it is basically infinite, in that it can never be reached.

What if every limitation we have is a horizon? Just an error in our perception?

Imagine that any limitation you believe you have is just a horizon, be it financial, physical, emotional, intellectual or any other area of life. For example, you have the limiting belief that you are not smart/pretty/athletic enough to achieve a dream you have. So you don't bother to even try. You deny yourself the enjoyment and challenge of success. What if you went out and explored beyond your limitations. You would find that your confidence would improve, your life would be filled with increased possibilities.

So how do we overcome these limitations?

It is a two step process:

Step 1 is to change your perception. If you continue to think that the Earth is flat and your world ends at the horizon. Learn to see the world in a new way, with limitations only being an illusion. That the world has an abundance of opportunities that are just out of your current vision.

Step 2 is to behave according with your new unlimited beliefs. Know that you can go beyond the horizon and you can keep moving forward. That all of the resources of he world are available to the brave explorers of the world.

You can believe that horizons are a mindset. Wealth is a mindset. Poverty is a mindset. Freedom is a mindset. Security is a mindset. Sadness is a mindset. Happiness is a mindset. All states are just a mindset each with its own set of emotions. But like the horizon, the mind is infinite. It only contains limits that you incorrectly believe to be real. It is the same as the horizon that can never be reached. Yet we know that we can never fall off the Earth at the horizon. So chase beyond those limits and go for your dreams.

How to be a Creative Genius

noreply@blogger.com (Bronwen) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 07:36:00 +0000

"Imagination is more important than knowledge"

When Albert Einstein made this statement, he was emphasising the importance he gave to creativity. His theories and ideas were extremely creative. He was one of the greatest thinkers of all time and it could be argued that he was one of the most creative people who ever lived. In fact, you could have more knowledge and education than anybody on the planet, and if you don't have a small touch of creativity to go with it, then it isn't worth much.

So what is Creativity?

According to the man himself, Einstein said that 'creativity is seeing what others see and thinking what no one else has.' Creativity is looking at things and asking 'why'. It is also looking at something that never has been and asking 'why not'.

And how do you do it? How do you become a creative genius like Einstein?

The first step needs to be getting rid of any limiting belief that only special people are creative.

There seems to be a popular myth that we are either born with or without creativity and we have no control over it. Yet scientists can show that everyone has a creative part of our brain (it is called the right cerebral hemisphere) and everyone has creative talent. We only have to look at a group of young children to see their creativity - the hours they spend in pretend games, playing with imaginary friends and amusing themselves with everyday items. Young children are keen to explore their world and are curious about everything around them, asking question after question to learn why, why not and how. Unfortunately, we learn more left brain, logical and reasoning skills, as we get older and lose some of our inborn creativity.

Research has shown that our tendency to have original ideas drops from 90% when we are 5 years old, to 20% at age 7 and to a drastic 2% when we are grown up. Thankfully though for those of us who have not suffered damage to the right-side of our brains, still have access to our creativity. Just because they haven't been used very much does not mean they are gone. And the great news is that there are ways to get them sparked back awake.

One of the best ways of increasing your creativity is to ask more questions. Going back to Einstein, he added that "The important thing is to never stop questioning. Curiosity exists for its own reason." So while curiosity might have killed a few cats, it can also help to turn you into a genius.

Another great genius, Leonardo da Vinci possessed a large dose of creativity. Imagine nearly 600 years ago, Leonardo was writing down his thoughts and ideas in his journal. Some of these ideas and achievements that Leonardo had were:

- plans for a helicopter

- plans for a submarine

- the design for the extendable ladder that fire departments still use.

- building the world's first hydraulic jack

- building a rotating stage

- and a water powered alarm clock

His journal also contained some fascinating questions including: Why do birds fly? Why do they slow down to land? Why do they have feathers? Interestingly enough there wasn't any answers to these questions. Why do you think this was?

Da Vinci wrote down these questions as they came to him because he knew how powerful the human mind is. Especially the power of the subconscious part of our minds. And by just asking the questions, he was giving his subconscious mind the opportunity to find an answer.

Take da Vinci's lead and keep a journal of your dreams, experiences, thought, problems and any other information that comes into your mind. This gives you a record of your ideas and when answers finally come to you, allows you to recall and develop your ideas.

Another great way to improve your creativity is through the technique of brain storming. Either done in a group or individually, brain storming is a method of idea generation done within a short time period.

In a brain storm, all ideas are written down regardless of how weird or out there they may seem. In fact, the most successful brain storms have no judgement of any given idea. This is because while the majority of ideas may be unworkable and ineffective, they may lead to the one that is ideal. They also have a time limit or a goal for the number of ideas required. This gives the team something to aim for and a real chance of finding the perfect solution.

Creativity is also developed by reading. It has been proven that as you read the subconscious mind creates images or visions. It allows new worlds to be opened up for you. It gives you the power to tap into other people's thoughts and experiences and expand your own creativity.

By increasing our creativity we also increase our problem solving skills, our ability to deal with other people and unexpected events. Plus we improve our chances of success.

So be like Einstein, imagine that it is so then let your mind go and prove it. Because the process of creativity and imagination comes before the hard work of experimenting.

Outstanding Thinking

noreply@blogger.com (Bronwen) — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 07:14:00 +0000

Outstanding leadership is defined by outstanding thinking. Thoughts of excellence come before excellent words and deeds.

Our minds are magnetic. We get what we focus on. There is that much power that comes with our thoughts and beliefs. And it is as true with negative thoughts as it is with positive ones.

You could be questioning "So how is it possible to be positive all the time when negative stuff is just part of life?"

It's true, bad things happen, often turning up when we least expect it. All great leaders will tell you about the doozies of events that they had to deal with. It's all about what you make of it. A surprise or challenge doesn't need to be the end of the earth. What matters is how you interpret the event which will then decide what outcome you experience.

henry Ford, has been credited with the quote "Whether you think you can or cannot, you're right." Or put another way - what you think is what you get. There is no getting around it, our thoughts about others and the things that happen to us directly influences our beliefs and behaviour.

One outstanding young leader that understands this is Nick Hall. at the age of six, Nick declared that "When I grow up I will play soccer for Australia." He found coaches that could teach him the skills. He learned whatever others were willing to teach him. He surrounded himself with peers that challenged him to be the best, and they urged him to 'go above and beyond' and to 'take it to the top'. he learned about commitment, loyalty and excellence.

At the age of 10, Nick become a member of his state representative team. At the age of 13, Nick was selected in the junior national team to tour Brazil and represent Australia. Then at 16, he was awarded a scholarship to play in the American College League, allowing him to fulfill his dream of studying sports science while still following his passion of playing soccer.

Nick has captained many teams and held a number of leadership positions throughout his school years, and he has coached many younger players. In an interview for a sporting blog, Nick was asked what he credited his success to.

"My secret" he answered "is having a family that believed in me, who taught me the importance of keeping a positive attitude about anything that life throws at me. Plus I was fortunate enough to learn the importance of a nothing but excellence level of commitment early on in my playing career." It seems that all of our great leaders have discovered this 'secret', this attitude of excellence. Successful leaders can mentally reframe events so their teams can see challenges in a positive light - they make a new vision of success rather than failure. It's true, facts are facts, but it is our choice how we interpret them.

Continuously in our role of leadership there is a chance we can fall victim to poor thinking. Self-doubt and fear are the enemies of outstanding leadership. Our commitment and beliefs define who we are, and often others in the team rely on us. Remember the choice is yours, so think outstanding thoughts always.

A Tale of Enthusiastic Power

noreply@blogger.com (Bronwen) — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 10:47:00 +0000

I would like to tell you about two salesmen, Fred and Harry. Both worked in an outback farming area. Fred was new to the company, while Harry had been there for over five years. So Harry being a nice bloke, thought that he would take Fred under his wing and help him find his feet. One piece of advice that Harry had for Fred was that he shouldn't be too disappointed if some weeks he didn't make any sales. It was because the town's residents were mean and stingy towards sales reps and any new products they wanted to sell to them. "Just do your hours", Harry said "and don't work too hard."

Harry believed the tradesmen wouldn't buy his goods so it wasn't worth putting in any effort. that he was planning to start working hard only when he had been given a new, richer territory.

Fred, even though he was young and inexperienced in comparison to Harry, knew how excellent the products were and what a great company he was fortunate enough to work for. He also loved being a salesman and meeting and talking to the business owners. So he decided to ignore Harry's advice and trust his intuition.

Fred began his first days on the job filled with happiness and enthusiasm. He made call after call, eagerly demonstrating how his products could help the business owners, leaving information and booklets, answering any questions that were asked and finding out about who his customers were. He decided that maybe Harry was mistaken because the people in the community were friendly and open. Fred even sold more than he had been asked to.

While Harry carried on half-heartedly and putting in a pathetic effort. He only just managed to sell half of his daily quota. He struggled with how to improve his sales - he was up with all his product knowledge, he had attended all the boring training sessions and knew all the latest sales techniques - so why weren't these people buying from him. This continued for a couple of months - Fred went from strength to strength and continued to flourish and Harry found himself without a job and unemployed.

So what do you think the moral to this tale is? Never, ever underestimate the power of enthusiasm, because a little will take you a very long way. When applied to your life, I suggest you do any job, be it tiny or huge, with all the sincere passion and zest you have. This enthusiasm will give you heaps of energy so you easily accomplish your tasks and give you awesome results. Your enthusiasm will also rub off on others around you, helping them to be motivated to also achieve in the best possible way.

This is the power of enthusiasm. Any task, project or assignment, however boring or dull can turn out to be very exciting and successful. You just have to make it that way. Just add a dose of passion and motivation mixed up with a bit of inspiration and a jolt of energy. The result is outstanding and all stems from the power of enthusiasm, which illustrates the strength of this powerful force.

No One Told the Bees

noreply@blogger.com (Bronwen) — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 08:44:00 +0000

Did you know that scientists have proven that it is aerodynamically impossible, based on the ratio of their wings to body size, that a bumblebee can not fly?

Yet here I sit on this Springtime day, watching a number of bumblebees, buzz around the yellow daisies. Their chubby little striped bodies hovering above the petals and pollen coating their legs before they take off in perfect flight back to their hives.

Obviously, the scientists did not inform the bumblebees they couldn't fly, because they do it so effortlessly, even gracefully.

"What's the big deal?" you might be asking. But the real important question we should be asking is "Are we like those little bumblebees?" What amazing things do we achieve, regardless of the opinions or evidence of others? Or are we living life restricted and laden down by what others have told us and we have taken as fact?

Many people have said that you will get the best lessons from your biggest mistakes and failures. While often this is true, as it helps us continue on in the face of adversity. It may also be seetting up an internal conflict between:

1. Having to struggle for success, or

2. Become an incompetent flop.

What a choice!

Imagine if we didn't accept this scenario. But rather take a different approach to life. What if we believe that the best lessons are motivated by love and success rather than fear of lack?

Many people base their lives on the following beliefs:

- Life is tough, so suck it up

- Bad things happen to good people

- Failure can be the best teacher

- Life will be good after I get past this ... (day, week, month, year, class)

What do you think their lives are like?

As a comparison, how would you like to live a day in the lives of people who base their behaviour on beliefs such as:

- Life is fantastic

- Today is the best day of my life

- Life is such a party

- I love my life

- I give others respect and honour them

- Success comes easily to me

- I am a special individual who contribute greatly to my community

- I easily learn new skills and knowledge

You may be wary, and think that all this positive thinking is rubbish and doesn't work. And you are right, if that is your belief. But why not give it a shot, what's there to lose by trying? Remembering though the wisdom of Yoda from the Star Wars movies "Do, or do not. There is no try."

Or just like the humble little bumblebee, fly effortlessly and elegantly, soaring above and beyond the garden. Without caring about what others say or

think you can or cannot do. Go on and take off and fly high.

Living on Purpose

noreply@blogger.com (Bronwen) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 07:53:00 +0000

To get the most out of life, it must be filled with passion and significance. For this to happen, you need to know what your purpose in life is. When you discover your life purpose, or better yet when you are actually living it, you are filled with an overwhelming feeling of joy and fulfillment. It gives you the way to direct your values and passions in a meaningful way. Your life purpose is the foundation of what makes you a unique and special individual, it is the very essence of who you are.

People can be divided into two categories in terms of having a purpose in life. There are Leaders and Sleepers. Leaders are out there taking charge and responsibility of their own lives, have a compelling passion for life and are respected for what they achieve in their lives. Sleepers are those who meander aimlessly through life with no purpose. Leaders thrive on overcoming adversity on their path through life. While sleepers are just waiting out their time before they expire. When a Leader meets a challenge, it is head-on until they are triumphant. When a Sleeper finds a problem in their way, they turn around and wander away. Which are you?

There are numerous inspiring tales throughout time of Leaders who appeared to know what their destiny was in life and spent most of their lives accomplishing greatness. While that's awesome, most of us are not that fortunate. We get to discover our own destiny and alas the majority often discover it very late in life, if at all. So to make your adult life much more rewarding and easier, let's go about discovering what your life purpose is.

Lots and lots of people mix up their life purpose with their role in life or career (such as mother, father, husband, wife, teacher, lawyer or many other roles). While these are just vehicles by which you can achieve your life purpose, and are not by themselves your life purpose. For example, your life purpose may be to help people achieve wellness. This can be done through the roles of doctor, nurse, ambulance officer, dietitian or many others.

Being aware of what your purpose is in life drives you towards numerous achievements and allows you to live a full passionate life. There are two elements involved in discovering your life purpose. They are your highest values and your strongest passions.

Your highest values are the base level beliefs, morals and standards that guide your behaviour and make you, you. Other things in your life may change, but these values do not.

Your strongest passions are how you express and share your values. These are what you absolutely love doing in life. They may include specific skills or talents you have. As well as things you would love to do someday but haven't tried yet.

Defining your purpose in life can be done in 4 simple steps and requires only some paper and a pencil. Divide the paper into two columns and on the left list your values and on the right your passions.

Values are those things that describe you as an individual. They can include such character traits as love, humour, strength, creativity, compassion, resourcefulness. you can come up with at least 5 to 8 relevant to you.

Then list how you express that value, these are your passions. For creativity it might be artistic endeavours, dance, problem solving or whatever is right for you. They are what you love doing or would love to do. They can include goals and dreams you plan to have in your life.

Now looking back at your column of values, select the top three that are extra special. The MOST important ones for you. The three that there is no way you could live without them.

Finally take these top highest values and their related strongest passions and create your own mission statement. The following statement is just a basic guideline.

"My purpose in life is to [highest values] through [strongest passions]"

My own mission statement is "The purpose of my life is to create and inspire with beauty and wisdom to help myself and others learn and grow even more."

Use you own words until you get a mission statement that feels right for you. CONGRATULATIONS!!! You have just discovered the purpose of your life. Now go and live it. And know that you are the master of your destiny and can change or modify your mission statement as you grow and change as an individual.

Finding the Power of Your Subconscious

noreply@blogger.com (Bronwen) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 02:29:00 +0000

Image by Art 4 Inspiration

The brain is an amazing organ. Some people claim we only utilise 10% of our brain power. But, in reality, we use 100% of our brain for various functions. Whether all of our mind resides within our brain is something that is still under debate by scientists.

People who study the human mind believe that it is divided into two parts; a conscious part and a subconscious part. The conscious mind is the one that we are aware of. It is the thought patterns that you have and are able to deliberately change at will. Yet to use the subconscious part of your mind is also possible. It just takes some extra effort through techniques such as meditation or self-hypnosis. Actually effort is not quite right because to access this part of your mind requires you to relax and go beyond all the chatter and noise of the conscious mind.

There are some people who scoff at the idea that self-hypnosis can improve the effectiveness of our subconscious minds. Basically it works like this. The subconscious mind often creates mistaken ideas that lead us to repeating the same mistakes over and over again. But through self-hypnosis you can reprogram your subconscious mind to be a help rather than hindrance.

Let's look at a specific example.

Imagine that you were a child who struggled with a subject at school, it could be any subject, but we will select art. One of your parents may have started the thought that you were no good at art by jokingly telling you that you can't draw a straight line. If this happens repeatedly as a child, when you are older a voice will be programmed in your subconscious telling you that you are hopeless at art and can't do it. Every time you are presented with an opportunity to paint or sculpt, that nagging voice, which you will not be aware of, will be telling you that you are no good at art so don't bother trying.

Yet this is not the case, you are creative and artistic as anyone else. And we can use self-hypnosis techniques to connect to that little voice, that inner thought process, and change it.

The usual way of entering a self induced state of hypnosis is through progressive relaxation. Here you lie on your back or sit in a comfortable chair. Then imagine each part of your body, starting with the toes and working to the head. Focus on relaxing the individual muscles and body parts and make them go limp. Do the same with your legs, hips, belly, up the back, chest and shoulders and arms to the neck and face.

When you are completely relaxed, imagine that you are walking slowly down a staircase, counting the steps backwards as you go down. When you reach zero, or the bottom step you should be in a deeply relaxed state.

In this state, tell your subconscious mind the message you want in your life. In our example it could be "I am a creative individual who enjoys creating unique pieces of art." Some people have overcome many fears and bad habits such as over eating, public speaking, or shyness by tapping into the power of their subconscious mind. It may take daily practice to overcome the message of the past, yet with time your new message will become stronger. Why don't you think of something that might be holding you back from success and give it a go to change the message.

Finding the Power of Your Subconscious

noreply@blogger.com (Bronwen) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 02:29:00 +0000

Image by Art 4 Inspiration

Let's look at a specific example.

Yet this is not the case, you are creative and artistic as anyone else. And we can use self-hypnosis techniques to connect to that little voice, that inner thought process, and change it.

The Language of Pigs

noreply@blogger.com (Bronwen) — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 06:14:00 +0000

John Mills, a 19th century philosopher stated that "It is better to be an unsatisfied human than to be a satisfied pig." He was saying that humans can experience emotions that are just not available to animals.

Humans have the privilege to be dazzled by the beauty of a sunset, have music move them to tears or feel pride and joy that learning a new skill involves. On the flip side, we are also able to feel great pain and sadness. This experience of intellectual and emotional sensation is not available to the majority of other animals and definitely not to the same degree of humans. Yet neither, do they have a concept of suffering. Animals can't feel pity for themselves. Mills is suggesting that if given the option, we as humans would not want to swap lives with that of a pig. Even though the measly pig is immune from the pain and suffering we often have to bear.

We need to remember that the ability to feel fear, disappointment, loneliness or sadness, is only the flip side to being able to experience delight, beauty, happiness or love. Yet we go to great lengths to rid our lives of pain. We stress about the dips and bumps in the roller-coaster of life.

So many individuals complain about the hardships or unfairness of their lives. But, do we wish we were less than human? We still wallow in negativity; denying our individual greatness, doubting the skill we have to overcome adversity and flourish in success. We become nothing more than human swines grovelling in self-pity.

We are amazing and unique creations of the universe. There is nothing we can't accomplish. But is that what we tell ourselves? Too often the chatter is about thing we can't do, how horrible others are and how unfair life is. It's ironic though that this chatter is creating your environment everyday through the language you use.

Ask yourself, "What environment am I creating?" By talking about everything that is wrong or unwanted in your life, you infect your world with the language of all this yucky stuff. By talking about not liking school, being lonely or having a generally blah! life, this is what you focus on or notice in your life. And before you know it you will be surrounded by people and circumstances that back up your language. And believe me, this is NOT what you really want or like for your life.

On the other hand, if you focus on or talk about the kindness of others, your enthusiasm for school projects, or a passion for what you want then this is what others will associate with you and you will be treated accordingly.

This does not guarantee that you will never be disappointed or treated badly. And there are times you may feel you have the right to be angry or upset. You just need to understand that by displaying these emotions to others around you, there will be a cost in terms of how they feel about and treat you.

Happiness is not a right. Sorry but you are not entitled to be happy. You have the right to pursue happiness, to create it in our lives but the world does not owe you a life of blissful happiness. And while chasing this happiness, things may go wrong and it's possible you will find yourself somewhat sad or even downright miserable at times. Well basically, get over it! We are each responsible for the amount of happiness in our own lives, and our own lives only.

We can use our language to help bring happiness into our lives, or to build a wall to keep it out. But it is your decision. You can work at creating the language of happiness around you, which is often challenging. Or you can choose the language of those lazy pigs. But then you will have to live in a squalor and get slops. It's your choice.

Life is the Best Teacher

noreply@blogger.com (Bronwen) — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 06:44:00 +0000

An important realisation that I had a while back, was that life is an awesome school that can teach us so many lessons. Everything that occurs, everyday, is filled with lessons just waiting for us to learn. I discovered that life is full of brilliant lessons, but alas, there are so few people who are willing to learn these lessons.

Those of us who have embraced the lessons life can throw at us often find day-to-day life easier, more rewarding and fulfilling. While others, the majority it seems, that are not willing to learn their lessons appear to struggle more in every area of their lives and often see life as being unfair.

During my own life, there have been times which things were tough and challenging. Yet these times I now fondly remember because of the lessons they taught me. Coming out of the other side of these experiences, I have been blessed with the gift that comes with learning a lesson from life.

And now I would like to share my gifts with you.

Especially the big one, that I hold dear and use everyday, which is that IT PAYS TO HAVE A DREAM! Life is dull, boring and not at all inspiring if you don't have a dream. With a dream in your life, what you can do, have or be, is limitless.

I am saddened that sooooooo many people drift through their time on Earth without a dream. For they are making it difficult for themselves by not having something to live for. A life without a dream is one that no-one should endure.

When I finally learnt this wonderful lesson, my life opened up with endless possibilities. I should tell you, before learning this lesson I was such a boring, miserable person, that had no plans or interest for the future. Thankfully, I learnt this lesson and became a positive, creative dreamer which turned me into a new person.

There are lots of other dreamers around if you look. They are the individuals impacting and making a difference in our world. In every aspect of human endeavour, you can find dreamers. People who start with nothing but a dream and allowed their dreams to take them places they couldn't possibly have originally imagined. They usually get there by having trust in their dreams and doing the hard work necessary to arrive at that place called Success.

Students of life, I want to share with you, that life is just not fulfilling without a dream. Getting up and doing the same old stuff everyday for your entire life is not something you should have to suffer through. A dream acted upon can take you places that you can not even envisage, yet.

The greatest gift that you can give yourself is to have a dream, a BIG dream. A Brilliant Incredible Grand dream. Let others, if the want to draggle through their lives but please don't let it be your case. So go on and dream and make it a REALLY, REALLY BIG Dream!

I Control How I Experience Life

noreply@blogger.com (Bronwen) — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 09:39:00 +0000

How do you interpret the title of this article? For me, it means that I am responsible for how I experience the events, situations and people in my life. I do not blame others for my experience, nor do I allow them to blame me for their actions. I am responsible for my life and my life only. For example, if somebody smashes into my parked car, I am not responsible for them doing so. I am however, responsible for how I respond. I could get furious and want to belt them up. I could get sad and burst into tears. I could have compassion and check that the person is not hurt or suffering. So you see, for the same event there are a number of different responses. It is evident that the incident is not the cause of the experience. Otherwise for every single event, everyone would have exactly the same experience, every single time.

In our lives we often feel that the events, situations and other people are the cause of our experience in life. We blame others, making them responsible for our lives. This thinking that others have that much control over us, over our feelings and emotions is a victim mentality. This is a very disempowering place to be in because you are giving the power of your life to others. You are making them responsible for your emotions. Do you want to be responsible for how everyone else is feeling? Most of us would answer a definite NO! So why would you want to make anyone else responsible for how you are feeling? Sorry but you can't have it both ways.

So why should you control how you experience life? The basic answer is that by taking on that control and responsibility for your life, you are empowered. You control what you feel and think. You have the power to experience any incident in whichever way you choose.

The more meaningful answer is that you can also discover the original beginnings of your emotional reactions. In other words, you can ask yourself 'why am I reacting to this event this way?' For example, you may get angry when a teacher, coach or friend gives you some advice or feedback with the hope that it helps you improve. Because, you are in control of your experience, you can ask yourself "Is there any patterns to getting angry?' "When previously have I felt anger?', 'What stories do I attach to the events?' or 'What are the actual facts?'

Within each event, we can discern facts, judgments and emotions. A fact is a measurable, quantifiable, objective and observable notion. A judgment is your personal perception, or interpretation and a story. Judgments are subjective. An emotion is how we feel about the event. There are seven basic emotions. These are anger, sadness, fear, shame, excitement, joy and love. These emotions come in different varieties, such as frustration and rage are degrees of anger.

As you ask questions about your experience of an event, you will start to learn that the emotion you are learning is linked to the judgment you make rather than the facts of the situation. Let's look at our example. A teacher gives you some feedback about an assignment. You may judge that this teacher is being pompous. Through questioning yourself, you come to realise that as a kid your dad always was telling you what to do and how to do it. You hated this and you are still quite angry about it. So when your teacher gives you advice, you respond as if you are hearing your dad telling you what to do. By separating the facts from the judgments and the emotions, you are able to respond differently with your teacher. You can learn that your reaction is your own and has nothing to do with your teacher. They are merely trying to help you by giving you advice. So instead of getting angry when others give you counsel, you are able to just listen without judgment and decide if you will do anything with the information.

When you take control of your life you have the power over what you experience. You are no longer controlled by your reactions. And then you can create the life that you really want.

Freedom to Choose

noreply@blogger.com (Bronwen) — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 06:37:00 +0000

How many of us have ever tried to excuse our behaviour through statements such as 'it's not my fault' or 'he made me do it' or 'that's just how I am' or maybe 'that's how we do it in our family'? I'm sure most of us have done it at some time. Let me tell you, these expressions and feelings are just a result of conditioning following the same steps that Pavlov used to make his dog drool at the sound of a bell.

That principle is based on Stimulus = Response. Such as you hear a bell at school (that's a stimulus) and depending on the time of day, you go into or out of your classroom (that's the response).

But if it's true that our actions are simply a result of all the conditioning we have encountered in our lives, how can we know that what we are experiencing right now is real? Or are we just a brunch of robots that are programmed to go about our daily lives.

Well, thankfully scientists have discovered a few outstanding differences between humans and animals. Some of which are the freedom to choose, a conscious, self-aware, imagination and an independent will. Animals, even the most sophisticated, are not blessed with these gifts. This means that they cannot consciously change or direct the conditioning that they endure. In part, because they are not even aware of it. But. because of our special gifts, we have the ability to reprogram ourselves, completely separate from our instincts and conditioning.

What does this mean you may be asking. Well, basically, between the stimulus and our response, we have CHOICE! You can choose if you go into class when the bell goes. We have the responsibility to make decisions for ourselves. I say responsibility because the actions we choose come with a consequence, albeit good or bad.

Lets have a closer look at the word responsibility. When broken apart it suggests 'response-ability' or the ability to respond. Leaders, highly regarded and proactive individuals, recognise this responsibility. They do nopt go around blaming conditioning, circumstances or others for their actions. Their behaviour comes from their conscious choice and is based on their values rather than from their environment or feelings. Highly reactive people are driven by circumstances, by external factors, they are letting others run their lives.

Gandhi, historically one of the greatest leaders that ever lived, once said "They cannot take away our self-respect if we do not give it to them." You have the choice to decide if you let others hurt, annoy or offend you. In fact, an insult or negative remark is not an insult until you accept it as such.

So let us start taking responsibility for our actions, reactions and non-actions. These are all choices. Every decision you make WILL affect your future. Choose wisely. Make choices that will let you proudly claim that "I am successful today because of the choices I made yesterday."

Maximise Your Life

noreply@blogger.com (Bronwen) — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 09:47:00 +0000

How often do you think that life is boring and dull? That it is empty of anything exciting. You wake up every morning and have the same old routine. You go to school or work. You hang out with the same people in the same spots doing the same things, even travel the same roads, day in and day out, over and and over again. Booorrring.

Do you want some variety in your life? The solution is....YOU! You are in control of your life. You are the master of your own destiny. You can decide if you want to make that change.

Let's look at some one who has just finished high school. They basically have two choices. To continue studying and enter university or an apprenticeship; or they can go straight to work. Now because they have figured that life, including school is boring, they are somewhat intimidated by the challenges of studying. They don't think that they will pass the necessary exams because they see themselves as below average. They don't like the thought of failing university and taking the risk of never having any money. So they take a boring job earning a very meager income.

They are happy because they have money while their friends are having a hard time and studying. But then, their friends graduate and get awesome jobs with higher salaries. They are now envious of their friends. They start having 'if only' regrets. You know those ones don't you? If only they had sacrificed a few years; if only they had faced the challenges of university. If only they had taken the risk. Then life would be better.

There are some people, believe it or not, who do want to improve on the boring lives, yet are just too scared and wimpy to get out of their comfort zones and discover the endless opportunities that are available for them. I know that once you step out of your comfort zone you might still encounter challenges and problems, but it is still the best way to move forward and get so much more out of your life.

So I encourage you to explore and diversify. Take a new way to school, eat a style of food you have never tasted, do something outrageous (not dangerous) just for fun. Life could be exciting. It's your choice.

Are you satisfied with every part of your life right now? If not, then it is up to you to start to do the things you need that will make your life meaningful and complete.

Now remember you only have one life to live. So make sure that you don't just drift through life. Get the most out of every opportunity. Go out and do those things that will leave lasting memories. Live every day as if it was your very last. And in the words of Nike "Just do it! Seize the moment.

It's All About ATTITUDE!!

noreply@blogger.com (Bronwen) — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 05:19:00 +0000

Image by Art 4 Inspiration

"in the end it is all about attitude!" - Bob Allwright

The word "Attitude" gets used a lot these days. You see it all the time; on television, on t-shirts, all over You-Tube. So let's take a deeper look into the question, "What is Attitude?"

Some dictionary definitions are:

"A complex mental state involving beliefs, feelings, values and dispositions; to act in certain ways."

"Behaving or reacting in a characteristic way."

You may be reading this and thinking 'HUH!', but basically your attitude is the way you think, act and feel. And because your actions are controlled by your brain, along with your thoughts, feelings and beliefs; your attitude is just a choice.

Take a look at all of the top athletes in every sport. The ones that know that they can and will succeed. The ones that have an unshakable belief that they will WIN! Call it confidence, call it brashness, arrogance or certainty, but the athletes with the winning edge all have it.

When you take on a task with unstoppable confidence, unshakable belief in yourself and unflinching determination to succeed, that is exactly what you do. You succeed. And comparatively, when you approach things filled with doubt, misgiving and ambiguity, that is what you get - doubt, misgiving and ambiguity, but NOT success.

So how does one go about creating this winning attitude? You need to learn what success looks like and copy it. Get to know everything you can about your endeavours. Being aware of all the ins and outs of your game will send your game sky high.

You will also need to set some goals. Goals that excite you and set you on fire will keep you going when things get challenging. And expect things to get challenging at some stage because this is the way you grow and develop the strength and skills needed for success. So embrace these challenges and discomfort as a way to progressing towards your goals.

And finally you need to learn to visualise. See your success in your minds eye. See it, hear it, smell it, touch it and taste it. In other words, enlist all your senses in your imagination as you visualise. The more vividly you imagine your success, the more real it becomes. The more real it appears in your mind, the closer you are to making your success a reality. So dream. Visualise. Imagine your success down to the most intricate detail. Because once you get an image of what you want in your mind you can achieve it.

Your attitude and your beliefs direct your life and your future. So get your attitude on track and you will come out a winner. And remember it's all about your attitude.

Heroes

noreply@blogger.com (Bronwen) — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 19:44:00 +0000

Todays post is dedicated in gratitude and awe of our ANZAC heroes - Lest We Forget.

As the sun dawns on ANZAC Day here in Australia, I asked myself "What is a hero?

The service men and women who have gallantly fought to protect this beautiful country and our freedom definitely fall in the category of hero. But it is a term that is often misused in our society. One such hero, though, he is loathe to call himself that, is the recipient of the 98th Victoria Cross, Corporal Ben Roberts-Smith, member of the elite SAS Regiment. He and his fellow solders will march today and honour their fallen mates. This man in the line of enemy fire, instinctively and without thought of his own safety saved his mates because he couldn't sit there and do nothing. He stepped up and helped rid the world of evil

The thing is one of the conditions that he accepted the highest award in Australian military was that it was to be dedicated to his whole unit and be kept at the War Memorial on permanent loan rather than "in a shoe box". He states that he was just doing his job. This is true, but makes him no less of a hero.

We also have other examples in society of heroes. There are countless of them - usually found in service roles, quietly going about the business of helping make the world a better place. These include fire fighters, police officers, doctors, nurses and the stack of volunteers who do what they do because they love it. They are ordinary people doing extraordinary things.

During the Queensland floods this year, we saw further examples of people stepping up into the role of hero. People putting the lives of others ahead of their own. Such as SES workers who worked tirelessly not only rescuing flood victims but also in the massive clean up efforts that are still going on months later.

Often the media call our sports men and women "heroes", but this is often sadly not the case. I find it hard to accept that kicking a goal in the last two seconds of a match makes someone a hero. Even winning an Olympic gold medal doesn't make someone a hero. A source of inspiration, yes, but not a hero. These athletes are playing a game that they love and are often well paid because of it. Being good at something does not make them a hero.

There are very few sports people that are true heroes, though one notable exception could be Ian Thorpe. But in my view, what makes him a hero is not the amazing feats and records that he has achieved in the pool. Rather its for his charity work in trying to get rid of illiteracy in Australia. His work to make the world a better place than he finds it.

Heroes are the individuals that go beyond the call of duty. They embody the traits of selflessness and sacrifice and do not expect recognition. We only have to look at any local service club like Rotary or Lions to find a hero. Men and women working to eradicate polio, create bonds of friendship around the world or give the local kids a park to play in.

Today, as we give thanks to our fallen heroes in ANZAC ceremonies I ask you to fill you heart with gratitude for all the other great heroes that are in our community and just go up personally and say "Thank you" because usually that is all the recognition they are looking for.

Perception

noreply@blogger.com (Bronwen) — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 00:42:00 +0000

Perception is merely reality filtered through the prism of your soul

Christopher A. Ray

The image above is a common example on perception. What do you see? Some people can see a young women looking over her shoulder, others see a old women looking downwards, some see both, some neither.

Often what we see is filtered through our experiences and beliefs. So the question I ask today is "Is what you think is reality or just a perception?" Have you ever thought that you knew the truth of a situation, only to learn more information and have your opinion change?

There is an experiment that you may want to try that really can make your brain go "What the..?!

Get three buckets of water. In one place cold water, in the second have hot water and the third is filled with water at room temperature. After placing one hand in the cold bucket and the other in the hot water, simultaneously place both hands into the bucket at room temperature. Even though both hands are now in the same bucket, the hand that was in cold water now feels as if it is in hot water, while the one that was in hot water now feels as if it is cold water.

The point is that the same thing - in this case, the room temperature water - can be made to seem very different depending on the nature of the events that lead up to your experience.

So how do we know what is real and what is just our perception of reality? I'm not sure we can. Even Albert Einstein stated that "Reality was merely an illusion", meaning that what we class as real is actually just our interpretation of reality. This is why police often get very different statement from witnesses at a crime scene, they are reporting what they think they witnessed.

Here is another picture, like the one above there are two things in it that can be perceived. (I'll give you a hint: two animals)

I know personally I struggled with finding the second animal. I could find the frog happily sitting in its pond. But I needed someone with more experience or a different viewpoint to help find the second one. It was easy when they made me look at the picture from a different perceptive, like the one below

Now is the horse visible to you? Amazing how just by looking at something from another angle gives it a whole new meaning isn't it?

Now I ask that you try it with something in your own life. Picture an event, one that normally brings up strong negative emotions inside you. Now look at the situation from the other people involved point of view - how are they feeling and what are they thinking; then look at it from the perception an innocent onlooker - maybe a small child; and finally from the perception of a higher power (call it God or the Universe or whatever you like). Does this maybe change how you think and feel about the situation?

Would love to hear of your experiences with having a change of perception

Wisdom

noreply@blogger.com (Bronwen) — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 03:08:00 +0000

How do we define WISDOM?

According to the dictionary it is having the "knowledge of what is true or right coupled with just action"

This tells us that we can learn wisdom. But it does not come from books, school or courses. It is gleamed from the experience of one's life. We gather it from moment to moment. However, I feel that we are also born with an innate wisdom of the earth. Anyone who has looked deep in the eyes of a new born baby has often see this wisdom. This wisdom then sits in our hearts until we need it, or are brave enough to delve into it and bring it into our lives.

It is often in desperate times that we find the courage to examine the truth of our lives and our experiences to discover the wisdom of our hearts much like a miner finds the diamonds among the rubble. I have found that to find these diamonds, you have get rid of all the external noise of the ego that demands your attention.

The answer to all your questions are always found in your heart. It already has the wisdom of the truth and knows the best way to proceed forward. Answers may come in the form of a dream, an awareness or event that seems inexplicable but that you know is right. Accessing this wisdom is a paradox, it is both difficult and at the same time simple. Difficult because it requires faith, trust and a letting go of the ego and simple for it just flows when it is needed with no obstacles in the way. Difficult because it takes courage, but easy because it is a reflex that comes from within - if you let it. If you have the need or the desire then the knowledge is there.

For love or money

noreply@blogger.com (Bronwen) — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 02:42:00 +0000

Have you ever found that sometimes the busyness of life gets in the way of living your dreams?

I have recently had the wonderful opportunity to reassess my life and purpose. I had been caught up in a job that I took on before Christmas with the purpose of bringing in some extra money and the hope of meeting some new friends. Looking back (hindsight is such a wonderful thing) these were poor motivators to keep me in a position that was not in line with my goals or values.

Lessons that I have learnt from this experience are:

- Money will not make me happy and is no substitute for spending my days doing something that I find to be a waste of time and energy.

- Spending my days doing tasks that are not emotionally fulfilling can completely drain my energy and have an adverse effect on my health.

- Negative attitudes are very contagious when you are surrounded with them on a daily basis.

Since leaving this company, I made a conscious decision to look at the areas that I would like to make some changes and discovered that it was most of them.

So I have found a new part-time position. Part-time so that I have time to follow other paths and also have time to spend time with my family and be available for my children. This position I know intuitively that allow me to use my teaching and nurturing skills. The thought of starting this position next week fills me with excitement.

One area that I had been sadly neglecting was sharing thoughts of wisdom with others, which is where this blog comes in. I will now be paying this area more attention, as I have learnt that the areas of your live that you give your attention grows and thrives. This is with the plan that it will lead to bigger and better things. Other areas that I will be giving more of my attention will be opportunities to learn and grow, so will be open to any chance to step outside of my comfort zone. Also using my camera and creative skills to capture memories and beauty will be receiving more attention.

In your ideal life, what would you be doing, and who would you be spending time with, where would you be? These were the questions that I asked myself to decide where the majority of my attention will be. It allows you to work out what your priorities are. These are unique for you and you alone. It is on this path that happiness and fulfillment can be found.

Ability

noreply@blogger.com (Bronwen) — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 03:26:00 +0000

What lies behind us, and what lies before us are tiny matters
compared to what lies within us
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Most of us have a reasonable idea of what we think our talents are. They are the things that usually we enjoy doing, and therefore put more effort into and give more attention to. I had a thought though that i want to share.... if we focus on improving our talents does that limit ourselves to finding other gifts within ourselves?

Because I have done a reasonable amount of personal development courses and seminars, I feel that I know my talents fairly well. I also know that I never what to stop learning and growing. And because of that I am open to all kinds of new experiences. I admit at times I have thought 'what the hell am I doing?' but at least I can say that I have tried it. If you try it and struggle with it, or don't enjoy the activity - fine!! consider why and what lessons you can take from it. I encourage you though, to not limit yourself because you think that you might fail or it's just "not you". How do you know until you have a go? Who knows you might love it, be an exceptionally amazing natural at it. And if you don't try then you will miss out.

Don't let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do
John Wooden

People become really remarkable when they start thinking that they can do things.
When they believe in themselves they have the first secret of success.
Norman Vincent Peale

There is also the other side that when you attempt to focus on too many things then you will never master any of them. This is true as well. The challenge is becoming successful or mastering something that have a passion for while still being open to new experiences that could lead you on an exciting new path.

I belief that it is our right to develop our talents to the limit of our potential. Usually this will lead to both success and happiness. You might think that your talent is small and insignificant, yet if taken to the limits you will find that it will turn into something remarkable. If you need an example, consider Richard Branson's love of music that become the foundation of his Virgin Music empire.

Everyone has talent.
What is rare is the courage to follow the talent to the place where it leads.
Erica Jong

I know that I have a talent for photography, something that I love and am fortunate enough to have a career in. I am still working on mastering it and have had the privilege of sharing my knowledge and skills with others. I am now currently working on a way to combine this talent with another one that I have recently been developing, that of writing so that I can accomplish one of my purposes in life - that of creating and sharing beauty and wisdom with others.

The biggest roadblock that I am finding is my own fears and doubts and need to continually remind myself of one of my all time favourite quotes.

Whether you believe you can do a thing, or you believe you can't,
you're right!!!

Henry Ford

So to finish up for today I ask you to have a think about what talents do you possess that you are not taking to the limits and also what have you got planned that is new and exciting??

With hugs and happiness XO :)

A little help from my friends

noreply@blogger.com (Bronwen) — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 03:28:00 +0000

Do you want to succeed in life? If you are like the majority of us, you will answer yes to this question. I know that success means different things to each of us. And after struggling with procrastination and self-doubt, I have found that one of the quickest ways to success in whichever area that excites you, is to find a mentor to learn from.

A mentor can be anybody that has already succeeded in the area that you want to. They can be personally known by you, somebody that you can question about their habits, beliefs and attitude or someone that you can read about, in fact it is anybody that you can learn from.

If you want to be a successful athlete, copy the best in the field. What have they done, on a day-to-day basis to achieve all they have? Or it could be in the area of finances, career, relationships... anything. My point is that we don't have to reinvent the wheel, if someone has done what you want to become, it is possible. They have shown you and the world that. So use their knowledge and learning to get on the fast track to success. Let them make the mistakes for you so you don't have to go through the pain or stress of finding out what doesn't work.

As a small business owner, I currently have a number of mentors, friends and coaches that I work with so that I don't have to do all the hard work. I have found that help is usually just a matter of asking. Occasionally, I pay for their services and find that the results come back to me ten-fold. Or I will attend seminars to learn from experts in the areas that I need assistance in or enjoy learning more about.

I also have the great privilege to be a mentor for a group of teenagers. The rewards that come from this are enormous. To help someone grow and travel further along their path to success is very inspiring. I have found that it becomes a two way relationship that also allows me to grow and learn as well.

We all need help at times, and the easiest way to receive it is to ask someone who has been there and done that. And then be open to advice and assistance. The challenge in all this is that YOU still have to do the work in order to become a success. You can learn all the great habits, beliefs and attitudes in the world and unless you put them in action nothing will go forward.

So my questions for you are:

1. Who do you know who is doing what you want to do, or is what you would like to be?

2. What do they do, on a daily basis, that makes them a success?

3. Why aren't you doing it too?

4. When are you going to start doing it?

If that sounds simple, well it is! As I said before, the challenge comes in the follow through and taking action. Go on try it and soon you will be on your journey to success because anything is possible with just a little help from our friends

Can we ever make a "bad" decision?

noreply@blogger.com (Bronwen) — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 03:36:00 +0000

Nowhere can I find it written that decisions are meant to be easy. The choices we make are a mixture of intellect, intuition and instinct. And the more important the decision, the harder it seems to make it. Why is this so...?

I feel that it is because the perceived importance increases our fear of making the wrong choice and what might happen because of that. Remembering that our perception is only our impression and take on reality, while fear tends to disappear with knowledge and action.

You make millions of decisions on a daily basis. Do you agonise over each and every one? Decisions like what do I eat for breakfast; what will I wear today; will I go to work/school or the beach or will I use a black or blue pen? Now realise that these decisions will not dramatically change your life... or will they? How often was it something small in your life that when you look back, made a huge difference?

So how will you know which way to go and what to do? I suggest that with faith and using your intellect, intuition and instinct, you just pick one, any one really because it will not be wrong.

How can I say that? Because I believe that every decision made this way can serve our highest good and learning - that every choice leads to wisdom. So often, what others might term a "bad" decision have given me the best lessons in life.

What would have happened in the past if you had made different choices? Turned left instead of right, gone to a different school or accepted a different career or relationship choice, said yes instead of no...? Some things might have been great, some not so. In any case, you will never know. You have chosen this life, this way, this moment.

Are we alive to learn how to make an infallible decision so that everything turns out perfectly every time? Or is our lives about learning, discovery and finding wisdom? And what is a "wrong" decision anyway? Is you choose this instead of that and you go through a tough patch....does that mean that you made the wrong decision? is the easier path always the best one?

You might like to consider these questions - not because they will make decision-making any easier or bring you clarity, but because they will lead you into uncertainty and that leads to variety which we all know is the spice of life.

So from this perspective bad decisions, wrong decisions just don't exist. Some decisions will take you one direction and some another, but every direction will give you lessons and lead you to wisdom. There is no one technique to make a decision. Just remember that whatever decision you make is perfect for you at the time.

Your decisions also become part of others' lives - your family, friends, colleagues; they are a natural part of your learnings. Will you know what is ultimately the best direction to take?
Well ... no, you cannot. So doesn't it seems like a great thought to rely on the uncertainty or mystery of life and trust and have faith that every decision you make will lead you to the wisdom you need.

The 3 Ps of Success

noreply@blogger.com (Bronwen) — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 12:18:00 +0000

Have you ever achieved something that you have worked for, only to then feel empty and wondering what more there could be? Is this all there is? What do I need to do to really feel successful????

I attended a personal development seminar last weekend and one the speakers asked some interesting questions in regard to achieve deep and meaningful success.

What is your PURPOSE? What is your PASSION? and What is your PLEASURE?

When we talk about Purpose, it is the big reason you are here and do what you do but could also be your intentions for life. The purpose of my life is is create and inspire with beauty and wisdom to help myself and others learn and grow even more. What is yours? What do you really want to be remembered for and what legacy will you leave generations to come?

Next comes Passion... normally our first thoughts are of romance and intimacy when we mention passion. It can however be applied to any and all areas of life. Ask yourself what activities set your heart on fire, make you lose track of time and you approach with great enthusiasm. I am grateful that I have discovered a number of different passions in my life, including connecting with and helping others especially youth to reach for their dreams and potential, also photography and capturing images that show the beauty of our world and the people in it amongst others. What does it for you? What things you would you do if time and money were not a challenge? and why?

Then lastly Pleasure, the things that make you happiest. These can be the big things like spending time with friends and family as well as the small things like sitting watching the waves on a beach. Or anything at all really; seeing a child smile, learning something new, playing sport, traveling, having a clean house, having a massage, sitting and staring into the eyes of your partner, driving down a country road with the wind in your hair in a brand new car..... and the list goes on and on. And it will be different for each of us at different times in our lives.

When we can combine these three Ps, I belief that you can call your life a success.

Do I hear you ask - yes but how do I survive while I live this life of success? So often I have seen and know that it is definitely true for myself, when you are following your hearts desire, the cash and abundance will follow. When you live your dreams with a focused purpose (that also includes a plan to go with it), total passion and joy (or pleasure) others will be attracted to you and be influenced and inspired by your success and will want to be associated with you.

Why not try it? Answer the questions and see how you feel. When you truly want to make your dreams come true and make a difference, then you can't help but act upon it - and that what often makes success come your way - when you take action and ownership of your goals to make sure they become reality.