This is almost trivially simple, but it got me thinking. Honestly, how hard can we possibly make it for ourselves to be happy or find happiness these days? We stress out over the biggest and smallest things, and it seems like it’s getting harder and harder to find solace or peace in these modern, go-go-go times. 

Last night I was part of a Holiday Bazaar / Ladies Night at a local country club – representing Applied Happiness and the Hypnosis I do. It was fantastic. I met wonderful people, and made some really great connections with people that wanted nothing more than to just connect and be happy with it. I even ran into an old friend and got the chance to catch up a little.  It made me really happy to be connect and doing what I love. I also learned that a fair amount of the guests were stressed out and looking for things that elevate their happiness. 

So the “short n’ sweet” of it is to follow the credo in the image above. For the next seven days, give it your best shot to appreciate more, accept more, love more, feel more, smile more, listen more, and do more.  In fact, doing more is paramount to the evolution of us as a species. With that, I’m adding one more quick exercise to this.

Learn something new over the next seven days. Learn something completely different.  Then teach it to someone else. You’ll be blown away by how good it makes you feel to learn something new and teach it to another. I promise.

Learn it (watch it) –> Do it –> Teach it

Follow that pattern and let me know how it goes for you!

Share your comments below.  What simple thing makes you happy?

Technorati Tags: appreciation, awareness, being bold, gratitude, happiness, inspiration, lessons, motivation, personal power, positive thinking, positivity, reflection, wisdom

I was reading an article in Psychology Today last night regarding Self-Sabotage (I’d include the link, but the issue just arrived and there’s no mention of it on the PT site yet), and I coincidentally notice a lot of it in my life recently.  Like the ebb and flow of life itself, doubt and self-sabotage come and go in waves. One week we’re operating on pure power – like the fire inside broke through our cracks and we’re burning to reach our goals.  The next week we’re discouraged, so we find something that “comforts” us – 90% of the time that comfort ends up derailing our progress.  The derailment makes giving up look that much more appealing.

In this light, I went searching for what people use, read, watch, and do to stay motivated in the face of challenges. I stumbled onto some amazing images, and I’d like to share them here for you all to enjoy.  I think I’ll make this a regular column here. “Get Inspired” is a great piece to make recurring, right

What images or quotes do you find keep you motivated? Do you have a favorite? Share yours in the comments below!

Technorati Tags: affirmations, attitude, awareness, being bold, clearing doubt, dream, faith, goals, happiness, inspiration, motivation, perception, personal power, positive thinking, reflection, resistance, success, wisdom

Neil Pasricha talks on TED about the 3 A’s of awesome in life. This is such a perfect way to kick off 2011. It’s much more than winning the Lotto (although that would be pretty awesome) or winning the Heisman trophy. It’s really the little things in life that make up all the awesomeness. It’s the awareness and appreciation of the little things that make the big things mean so much. In 2011, I encourage you all to become aware and appreciative of the little things around you! 2011 is the year to CREATE anything you want in your life.

Peace, Love, and a million successes to you all.

Blake

Technorati Tags: attitude, awareness, awesome, being bold, goals, happiness, lesson, love, personal power, positive thinking, reflection, success, video

I have made it so far through the book, that it’s about time I started getting the word out about it. I am asking for help in getting it published and on store shelves.  The additional funds will be used to get the new Suicide Prevention and Life Celebration charity started.  These are exciting times, and I would be honored if any one of my readers became a contributor.

“The Unlimited Landscape – Exploring the power within you” is about the journey to that ‘more to life’ place we’re all searching for. Sometimes it’s a quest for success. Sometimes it’s a search for deeper meaning in the world around you. Often it’s a combination of many things. This book is an experiential piece – filled with exercises and lessons to guide you in discovering your potential, and explore that power. It is written with humor and sarcasm because that’s the kind of guy I am – as if we needed another sarcastic writer in the world, right?

The book is really a stepping-stone for Applied Happiness, and myself. I am raising money to get the book published and on shelves, but I’m also using any additional funds to put together a charity for Suicide Prevention and the celebration of life. I feel in my soul that the emotions in this project, and the passion of the positive paradigm, will make the future charity possible – and I would be honored if you were a founding contributor to our success.

Please check out the fund page by clicking the book cover image above. There are incentives to donors as well. We have three packages that allow you to receive some great gifts for your donation. Check them out!

Peace, Love, and a million successes to us!

Blake

Technorati Tags: appreciation, coaching, fund raising, goals, gratitude, love, personal power, positive thinking, success, teaching

Free Coaching Session!

With 2010 coming to the half-way point in the next couple of weeks, are you happy with where your year has taken you?  Are there things you’d love to change, improve, increase, or achieve?  Maybe you would only like a little clarity about where you are and where you feel you’re headed on this crazy winding road.  Have you had a day where you left your office for some lunch and thought, “what am I doing?” or “is this really all there is?” or even “man, it would be so incredible if I could only (fill-in the blank)”?

Coaching is such a powerful place to turn to when you’re looking for some insight and fulfillment in your life.  Maybe you’ve looked into getting a coach, but you doubted your ability to afford it…

GREAT NEWS!

We’re giving away 30 minute coaching sessions!  No, really, we are!  F-R-E-E !

Not only are we giving away the first 30 minute session, we’ve discounted our fees to help get you closer to your dream without taking away your savings!  Head to the contact page and send us a message to set-up a free coaching call (or face-to-face meeting), and take us for a test drive!  If you feel like you could benefit from having your own incredible coach, we are offering 30 minute sessions for $25 each for the first 90 days!  Imagine as much as 12 complete weeks of personalized attention, focus, and support to help you discover your best self and show you how to create S-M-A-R-T action plans to get you moving forward.

FOR PEANUTS!

For those of you thinking, “C’mon, there’s no such thing as a free lunch,” truly, there’s no risk. No contracts, no gimmicks, no strings, nothing. The time is yours,and the decision after your session is yours. No hard sell. No fine print. NONE.

Head over to the assessment page and see what you, personally, come up with. They’re free too. If you find some area of your life you might like to improve, we would be more than happy to give you the free session to touch on it. Call 847-754-9615 or send a message our way to set-up your FREE session today! 

As a bonus for signing up for your free session, we’ll send you the Applied Happiness Inspired Action Workbook at no charge! This 30 page workbook will help you get a head start on what motivates you, and what might be holding you back from getting what you want.  This is $10 value, absolutely free.

Don’t wait! This offer only runs through August!

Call or write us today, and discover what a coach can add to your life!

Audentes Fortuna Iuvat – Fortune Favors the Bold.

- The Applied Happiness Team

Technorati Tags: appreciation, attitude, awareness, being bold, clearing, coaching, gratitude, happiness, lessons, love, personal power, positive thinking, success, teaching, wisdom

I had a pretty poor day yesterday (Wednesday), and I was unsure how I was ever going to make it out still feeling good about my life.  We all have moments like that.  I am fighting with one of the companies I am doing contractual work for, and it looks like I may not get a paycheck for a while. We’ll just have to see how it all turns out.  I went home, grabbed my dog, and headed out to my friend’s place uptown. She bought me dinner and we just had a great time together watching the Olympics.  I laid my head down a little before 11, and tried to be grateful for the wonderful things in my life – even though I was still pretty worked up about the accounts payable issue from earlier.

I had a dream that spun my world in circles, and threw my train of thought out the window.

As a man, sometimes I dream about automobiles. Well, last night it was a brand new Escalade.

I’m driving around some random city in this beautiful new Escalade. I’ve got the windows down, the stereo up, the sun is shining, and I’m feeling pretty good about it all.  The monstrous truck starts to sputter and I see the gas gauge is broken as it wavers slightly, and then falls lifeless to E.  I look up as I roll to a stop, and suddenly I’m in the middle of nowhere.  I get out and I’m very, very upset. I’m cussing, and flailing my arms, and cursing the truck for doing this to me.

A man appears a couple hundred feet down the single lane road, and begins walking to me. As I’m cursing, he walks over and asks me what happened. I tell him the story angrily, and he smiles and tells me that I’m looking at it all wrong, in a tone that can only be described as uncomfortably mysterious – like any minute he was going to wave his hands and say, “That’s not a truck; it’s a kitten!” Poof, there would stand a kitten.

He asked me if I was just going to stand next to it and complain all day.

“You cannot stand here and expect magic to happen. Blake, keep walking down the road and have faith that another ride will come along.”

I didn’t even hesitate to follow his advice.  His voice was comforting – much like when mom tells you it’s all going to be okay when you’re sad as a kid.  Sure enough, just a couple hundred yards down, another Escalade pulled over and the back door opened.  I got in and looked back to see us pull away from the dead truck and the voice of reason.  I didn’t know where we were, but this nameless, faceless driver knew everything I wanted, and where to take me to get it. I simply requested something and had complete faith the driver would take me to it.  I felt so grateful for the new ride, and the random chance of meeting that man when my dream truck died.  I traveled all over in this new truck – guided only by faith that I would always reach whatever destination I asked for.

I woke up and felt like I had been given a gft in my sleep.  I was able to test drive the power of the Universe last night. I was able to run on faith.  And I would not have been the least bit surprised if I woke up with an Escalade keychain at my bedside.

Today I received a recommendation from a former colleague, a phone call from a friend in Ohio to speak at her company, and a brand new business contact for some design work. On faith alone, I have turned worry into wonderful gifts that will bring me happiness…and income!

Have a little faith, my friends. If one day your proverbial Escalade breaks down, you must keep walking and have faith that you’ll reach your destination. I promise you that you will. Every single time.

Technorati Tags: attraction, dream, faith, lesson, personal power, positive thinking