I was at the Barnes & Noble recently looking for a specific book in the personal development section and I was blown away by the number of books written to help us change, overcome and improve our lives.

Here’s just a small sample of what I saw:

7 Habits of Highly Successful People

Awaken the Giant Within

The Road Less Traveled

The Power of Positive Thinking

The Happiness Project

YOU are a BADASS – How to stop doubting your greatness and live an awesome life

I couldn’t help but ask myself: With all the self-help/personal development books out there — why are there still so many miserable, unhappy and negative people in the world?

Last week I asked a group I was training to write down all the things they thought were stopping them from changing and living the life they really wanted. Here’s what they said:

• I’m not motivated enough
• I don’t have a college degree
• I don’t have enough time
• I don’t have the resources
• I procrastinate
• I’m too old
• I really don’t know what I want to do
• I don’t have the experience I need

THE REAL TRUTH: The only thing that’s stopping you from changing is YOU.

When you understand and accept this fact, you not only can overcome any obstacle, but open yourself up to the limitless possibilities life has to offer. You can read all the self-improvement books in the world — if YOU don’t want to change — NOTHING CHANGES.

You are where you are right this minute based on your desire to change.

The good news is it’s never too late. All you need is awareness, positive energy, a plan and willingness to try.

Are you ready?

If you are, here are three things you can start doing today to change and improve your life:

1. Don’t believe your subconscious thoughts

Your subconscious mind tells you stories that just aren’t true. The real truth is that your thoughts lie and when you believe them it can hold you back from doing amazing things.

The sad part is when you believe the stories, you sabotage your own happiness. But here’s more good news… there are ordinary people just like you and me who make a conscious choice every day to send their stories packing.

I gathered mine up and locked them away a long time ago. Every once in awhile one of the nasty suckers manages to sneak out, but it doesn’t take long for me to body tackle it and drag it back kicking and screaming to lock it up again. It’s not easy — which is a perfect segue to my next life-changing action.

2. Life’s not easy, so work hard

I think there are a lot of people in our society who give up on things because they feel it’s way too much work. These people are usually the biggest complainers. Excuse me, but who said that life was meant to be easy? I didn’t get that memo and if by chance you did, please crumble it up and toss it into the garbage ASAP.

If you’re willing to do the work you can accomplish anything. Just look back at our history. Thomas Edison failed 1,000 times before he invented the light bulb. He kept working at it until he got it right. You can accomplish anything if you believe in yourself and work hard at it.

3. Never give up

Remember how hard Edison worked? He could have thrown in the towel 999 times but instead chose to keep going. Edison never gave up and refused to listen to the negative things people were saying about him.

The only limitations you have are the ones you create in your head. Ignore them (remember your thoughts lie) get the facts, look for solutions and keep moving forward. It may take you awhile to get where you want to go, but if you work hard you’ll get there.

BONUS TIP: I recently spoke with a friend who overcame some major challenges to change the direction of his life. I asked Jerome how he kept going when he felt discouraged and wanted to give up. He said he reminded himself that everyday he had, was another chance to get it right.

None of us know exactly how many days we have left on this earth, so please take advantage of this beautiful gift! When you’re feeling hopeless and discouraged — pick yourself up and keep moving forward.

Now I’d like to hear from you. Which of these 3 strategies do you think can help you most? I can’t wait to read your comments in the box below.

If you found this post helpful, please help others and share it by clicking on one of the social media buttons at the top of the blog.

Thanks for reading and contributing! Until next time….

I’d don’t know about you, but most days I find it extremely hard to stay motivated.

I’ve gotten to a point where I know (age and experience is an awesome teacher) what energizes me and what zaps my motivation and spirit.

There’s one thing I know for sure, and that’s negative people suck the life out of me.

WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT:

Every choice you make is influenced by the people in your life. If you’re unhappy and struggle with getting and staying motivated, I highly recommend you look at who you associate with.

According to motivational speaker and self-help guru Jim Rohn, you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with. The people that surround you effect your motivation, the decisions you make and how happy you are. And one recent study goes as far to say that who you hang with has a significant impact on your self-worth and happiness.

Thomas C. Corley, studied the habits of self-made millionaires for five years and found that this group avoids one type of person at all costs: pessimists.

Read the full article that appeared in Business Insider!

Do you have positive influencers in your life who motivate you, offer words of support and encouragement, listens nonjudgmentally to your ideas and more often than not, bring a smile to your face when you think about them?

Happiness is a choice.

Choosing to have positive people in your life will motivate you to improve your happiness and lead to even greater success.

Now I’d like to hear from you…

How can positive influencers help you work better and live happier? Don’t forget to please share your thoughts and ideas in the box below!

A more positive and happier life is within your reach. It starts by taking small steps in the direction you want to go. I know YOU CAN DO IT!!

Do you wake up in the morning feeling unhappy, overwhelmed and like you’re living someone else’s life?

Welcome to the new normal.

Researchers say the average person has 50,000 to 70,000 thoughts per day.

Add to that the zillion of other things screaming for your attention like –cell phones, computers, tablets, phone apps and Facebook, Twitter & Instagram, just to name a few.

These thoughts and non-stop distractions create a huge amount of chatter in your heads that’s tough as hell to cut though.

It’s hard to change anything when you’re feeling consumed and exhausted all the time and like your head’s about ready to explode.

This constant game of tug-of-war makes it so tough to focus that it usually takes a serious crisis or major life event to bring you back to reality.

WHY YOU DESERVE BETTER

The truth is you have the power and potential to accomplish anything –but your routines, habits and fears stop you from going after the things you really want in life. You can do better.

When was the last time you asked yourself “Am I happy?” and “Am I on the right path?”

It took the loss of my corporate job and a serious car accident for me to silence my mental noise long enough to give these questions some serious thought.

The process helped me find my “right” path and finally get my inner- self in-sync with my outer life.

It also taught me the experiences that test you and make you struggle the most, are the ones that take you to where you’re meant to be in life.

FINDING YOUR “RIGHT” PATH IS A PROCESS

Finding your right path takes time, courage and the ability to open your mind and heart to new experiences and challenges.

Please put your phone, computer or anything else that’s distracting you aside and ask yourself this very important question:

Is my life driving me or am I driving my life?

Here’s what I mean: Let’s pretend your life’s a car — are you behind the wheel driving confidently or letting someone or something else do the driving while you’re in the back seat feeling miserable with no idea of where you’re headed to next?

If this is something you struggle with and want to change, the 6 strategies and resources below will stretch your mind and give you the help and motivation you need to climb back into the driver’s seat and toward the path of your dreams.

1. Know your values

Knowing your values is the first step to living life on your terms.

Your values represent who you are and what you stand for.

When you don’t know your values you’re more likely to be with people you’re not crazy about and doing things you don’t like (in the back seat again).

You have a lot less stress in your life when your core values are in line with your relationships, experiences and actions.

Grab a piece of paper and write down your top 10 values. Stuck? Here’s a list to get you started from values.com

2. Stay curious

Imagine what our world would be like if not for the curiosity of Thomas Edison and Steve Jobs?

Curiosity sparks energy and innovation and pushes you to do more, learn more and become more. It’s a powerful tool that can inspire you to find your right path and transform your life.

Unfortunately our daily habits and routines stifle curiosity. We are more interested in the here-and-now, than opening our minds to future possibilities and things we’ve never experienced before.

Curiosity exercises your mind. It helps you learn, grow and be more engaged with the world around you. And like running —  it motivates and energizes you.

Tap into that energy and push yourself to try new things and your daily rituals will be replaced with adventure and opportunity.

3. Become mentally strong

You can’t control what happens to you in life but you can control the way you react to it.

Amy Morin’s book “13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do“, will help you to manage your thoughts, emotions and behaviors in a way that sets you up for success in life.

Are you a people pleaser? Amy says mentally strong people know they don’t need to please everyone all the time and aren’t afraid to speak up and say no.

The book offers excellent strategies to help you avoid destructive thoughts, emotions and behaviors that hold you hostage and stop you from going after what you really want.

4. Focus on your strengths

Do you know what your natural talents are?

Scientists and positive psychologists say that you can do better and get farther in life when you focus on improving your personal strengths rather than the things you’re not so good at.

It made a lot of sense to me and is one of the reasons I purchased the book “StrengthsFinder 2.0” by Tom Rath.

Doing things you you like and you’re good at not only gives you greater opportunity to soar, but will help you find your path to happiness and success.

The book includes a 200 question assessment that will validate what you know already and suggest ways to grow your strengths so you can take your performance to the next level.

5. Make health a priority

My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer when I was five-years-old. She survived the disease and lived to the ripe-old-age of 81.  Mom understood the importance of good health and would tell me to take care of myself every chance she got.

Your health is a gift and when you don’t feel well it affects every aspect of your life, including your happiness.

Studies show that a person’s health is one of the strongest predictors of happiness and when you’re healthy you have a much greater chance of being happy.

When you feel good physically and mentally you can deal with just about any challenge life throws your way.

Make your health a priority by eating a balanced diet, exercising, getting regular check-ups, being active socially and not stressing over things you can’t control.

Be sure you get enough sleep and don’t forget to smile!

And keep it simple. Small improvements like going for a 10 minute walk each day or cutting one unhealthy item from your diet can make a big difference in your overall health.

6. Have presence

Studies show that self-confidence can make you happier and more successful. The more self-confident you are the more powerful you feel and the more likely you’ll be to welcome challenges instead of running from them.

Confidence is something that I’ve personally struggled with. A few years ago when I was researching the topic for a workshop I was doing, I came across social psychologist Amy Cuddy’s TED Talk on how posture and body language affects who you are.

After viewing her talk I was hooked and have been doing the Wonder Woman pose ever since.

In Amy’s new book “Presence” she continues her conversation by sharing how to bring your boldest self to your biggest challenges and achieve “presence” in every aspect of your life. Find out how to overcome insecurities and channel your power in a more purposeful and positive way.

IT’S YOUR TURN

Which one of these six tips do you think will help you most?

I can’t wait to read your comments below.

If you like this post please share it by using one or more of the colorful buttons at the top of the blog.

Thanks in advance for your support and help!

Remember a more positive and happier life is within your reach. It starts by taking small steps in the direction you want to go. I know YOU CAN DO IT!!

Best always,

If Christmas is supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year then why do so many people –- myself included,  feel overwhelmed and drained?

Balancing all the things you need to do for the holidays, on top of all the things you normally do, can do that to you. Here are 3 tips that will help give you peace, positivity and make your holidays a little brighter.

1. Be Flexible

So you didn’t have time to make the Christmas cookies for your friend’s party and had to buy them instead. Cut yourself some slack. The only one who will notice IS YOU. Things happen and plans change. Be flexible with others and yourself. By being less rigid and lowering your expectations, you’ll feel less stressed and preserve your energy for the things you need to get done.     

2. Get Your Sleep

Getting enough sleep dramatically reduces stress levels. If you normally struggle with  getting the proper amount of sleep, the demands of the holiday season can set you back even more. Try to stick to your normal sleep routine — and if that’s not possible,  squeeze in an afternoon nap. 20 to 30 minutes is all you need to recharge your battery.    

3. Express Gratitude

Still looking for the perfect gift for your friends and family? Look no further. The one I have in mind  doesn’t cost a thing and you won’t even have to wrap it.

Meister Eckhart, a 13 century German philosopher and mystic wrote: “If the only prayer you said in your whole life is ‘thank you’ that would suffice.”

The hustle and bustle of the holidays makes it’s easy to forget the true meaning  and spirit of this special time of year: Giving thanks and expressing gratitude for your friends, family and co-workers is what this magical season is all about.

Gratitude makes a great Christmas gift.

Letting the people in your life know that they’re appreciated and reflecting on your own gifts will help you feel less stressed and more blessed.

Ignite the spirit of gratitude this Christmas by thanking all the people who’ve touched your life this year.

Now it’s your turn.

What are you grateful for this holiday season? I can’t wait to read your comments in the space below.

Remember a more positive and happier life is within your reach. It starts by taking small steps in the direction you want to go. I know YOU CAN DO IT!!

Are you struggling with following through on your goals and getting things done?

You’re in good company. It’s something that even the most productive people struggle with every day.

When you’re feeling motivated, you get things done easily. When you feeling unmotivated, you do everything in your power — next to leaving town — to avoid doing the work. That’s  called procrastination and I don’t know about you, but it’s something I’m very good at!

When you procrastinate, something ugly begins to happen. Your head gets filled with negative thoughts that beat you down emotionally and physically .

These thoughts make you feel stressed and discouraged.

Recognizing and changing this pattern can help you stay motivated and get more done.

First things first though. The reality is there’s no way you can wake up every day with the same amount of MOJO and enthusiasm. Life happens and your human — both impact your level of energy and motivation.

That’s why there are times you need to cut yourself some slack. If you’re feeling  tired,  overwhelmed and not too good about yourself,  get a good night’s rest and start fresh again tomorrow.

Always remember your life begins and ends in your head – what you give power to has power over you, if you allow it.

Here are 3 sure-fire ways to get motivated:

 1. Start each day with the thought that you can make someone’s life better through your actions.

Instead of thinking about what you have to do  — think about how doing it can help someone else. Broadening your view and seeing how your actions help others will motivate and energize you.

Here are two examples:

Cleaning out your closet can provide much needed goods and clothing to people who need them.

Finding a new job will give you more flexibility and mean more time with the kids.

 2. Don’t over think.

Over thinking kills motivation and hijacks your ability to take action. It puts fears in your head and your heart that most of the time aren’t based on fact. Plus continually analyzing and second guessing yourself is exhausting and unproductive. It makes getting things done way more complicated than it needs to be.

TIP: Don’t think your way through the action – just do it.

 3. Start small

When you have a lot going on it’s easy to feel overwhelmed.  That’s one of the reason’s you have a hard time getting started. Taking small steps will still get you to your destination — it’ll just take you a little longer to get there. What’s great about this approach is that you’ll see progress and that will motivate you to do even more.

Now I’d love to hear from you.

What are some ways that you stay motivated when you’re feeling overwhelmed? I can’t wait to read your comments below. As always, thanks for sharing!

Please remember a more positive and happier life is within your reach. It starts by taking small steps in the direction you want to go. I know YOU CAN DO IT!!

Trying to get everything done each day is close to impossible.

Even before you throw-back the bed sheets, your brain kicks into over drive and a feeling of overwhelm starts creeping into your body. Stress and anxiety aren’t far behind and your feet haven’t even hit the floor yet!

DEEP BREATH.

If this morning ritual sounds familiar, here are 5 tips that will help you wake up feeling refreshed and ready to take on the world.

1. Get enough sleep

I don’t know about you but when I don’t get enough sleep I’m a total different person and she’s NOT VERY NICE ☹.

Things that normally don’t bother me get under my skin and let’s just say when this happens I can clear a room pretty quickly – lol!

According to the National Sleep Foundation most of us function best on 7 to 9 hours sleep a night. If you’re not falling within this range you seriously should consider making time in your schedule to get more sleep.

Studies show getting the proper amount of sleep helps you live longer, cuts down on inflammation, improves memory and contributes to weight loss – just to name a few. Click here for more benefits!

2. Be more like Gumby

Do you remember Gumby? Gumby is a green clay animation character that was popular in the 1950’s and 1960’s. I love Gumby because he’s super flexible — you can bend and twist him in all sorts of crazy ways and he doesn’t break.

Choose to start your day with a Gumby attitude so when things don’t go exactly as planned,  you’re  less stressed and more positive and productive all-day-long.

BONUS TIP!

I recently purchased a miniature Gumby to put on the console of my car as a reminder to me to not get stressed over things I can’t control (like NJ traffic!).

3. Schedule “ME” time

If you want to remain sane and healthy, which I know you do, it’s super important  that you schedule some “ME” time each day to relax and recharge your batteries.

I know you’re constantly doing things for others and that you feel guilty about making time for yourself, but for your continued health and well being you need to start to change this mindset.

If you don’t take proper care of yourself, you won’t be able to care for the people who matter most in your life– it’s that simple.

Your health and wellness should be your #1 priority. Please get your calendar out right now and schedule 10 to 20 minutes of “ME” time starting tomorrow. Be sure to set phone reminders too.

Once your time is scheduled, start thinking about how you want spend it.

Make sure you do something that makes you feel good like a brisk walk, savoring a delicious cup of coffee from your favorite coffee shop, reading, sitting outside and enjoying the sights and sounds of nature, taking a hot shower or bubble bath. You get the idea.

4. Smile more

If you’ve read some of my previous blogs you know that smiling is an important part of my life and business plan.

I love to smile and when I’m in a not-so-good place, it’s my go-to tool for breaking free from a negative mind-set.

Studies show that putting a grin on your face has positive effects on your overall health too. It lowers stress and anxiety levels and releases endorphins – a chemical that makes you feel happier☺.

5. Express gratitude

Experts say that showing appreciation and feeling and expressing gratitude on a regular basis, can have a huge impact on your health and happiness.

SOMEONE WHO DOES IT RIGHT:

I recently attended the Social Boom Conference in Chicago hosted by social media expert Kim Garst.

I had never met Kim before but one of the many things that impressed me about her was how easily and often she expresses gratitude.

Numerous times throughout the weekend Kim told everyone how grateful she is for the opportunity to help others through her work. She also made it a point to meet every person at the conference – some 300 in all!

Social Boom 2015 is the best conference I’ve ever attended (and I’ve been to many in my career). The content was excellent and the people couldn’t have been nicer and more helpful. I’d never seen so much hugging at a conference before!

Kim clearly gets what she gives.

Thanks to Kim, I’ve decided to raise my gratitude bar even higher and I challenge you to do the same starting right now.

Gratitude is a gift that costs absolutely nothing. So before you put your head on your pillow each night, make sure you’ve reached out to at least one person to let them know how grateful you are to have them in your life.

Now it’s your turn.

Which of these 5 tips do you think will help make your day happier and more productive and why? I can’t wait to read your comments in the box below.

Until next time, please remember a more positive and happier life is within your reach. It starts by taking small steps in the direction you want to go. I know YOU CAN DO IT!!

I’ve had a lot of ups and downs over the last year. The highs have given me the feeling of alignment, purpose and joy while the lows have put me in a funk and made me question my plan and direction.

I know you don’t have to be an entrepreneur like me to experience pain, indecision, fear and self-doubt. It’s something we all go through and part of the journey we’re on called LIFE.

So what do you do when things don’t go exactly as planned?

The 3 strategies I’m sharing will help you effectively deal with life’s unpredictable twists and turns that you have no control over:

1. Be a Victor not a Victim.

We humans focus more on the things that trouble us, than the good stuff we have in our life. Psychologists say our brains are naturally wired that way.

For more on the science behind our negativity click here.

What I know for sure is the way you react to resistance – the things you refuse to accept or address in your life – will impact your happiness and success big time.

So starting today, stop making excuses and start taking responsibility for your actions.

Being a victim stops you from unleashing your magic and reaching your full potential. Choose to be a victor instead by finding the good in the not-so-good and putting your energy into solutions.

2. Don’t be afraid to fail.

When’s the last time you failed at something and felt good about it?

While failing isn’t pleasant, it’s a really important part of learning. Failing helps you to get better at things. Your struggles make you stronger – it’s that simple.

IMPORTANT TIP: Remember to learn from your mistakes and put them behind you! Don’t let the negative emotional baggage they create weigh you down and hold you back.

And DON”T GIVE UP (see strategy #3)!  View failure as an opportunity to discover, grow and succeed.

3. Be willing to fight a shark – REALLY!

As I write this post my family and extended family –  all 28 of us – are getting ready to vacation together on the sandy beaches of North Carolina.

While I’m excited about our trip, I have to admit I’ve been a bit concerned about the shark attacks that have been reported along the Carolina coast this summer. That was until my 15-year-old daughter Jessica gave me her take on the situation when I picked her up from volleyball practice the other day.

“Don’t worry mom, if a shark comes near me I’m going to punch it in the nose as hard as I can!  I’m not going to let the shark scare me. I’m going to fight and not give up.”

I was really inspired by what Jessica said and I think you should be too!

When you’re feeling discouraged and helpless, please find the courage to keep going no matter how scared you are or how difficult things seem to be in your life.

BONUS: For some added motivation, here’s a link to a song that has inspired me and millions of other people to NEVER GIVE UP and keep on fighting. Thank you Rachel Platten!!    http://bit.ly/1FJ8W2R

Now it’s your turn.

Have you ever overcome a difficult challenge that made you feel like you wanted to give up? How did you keep fighting?

As always, thank you for reading and contributing!

Until next time, remember a more positive and happier life is within your reach. It starts by taking small steps in the direction you want to go. I know YOU CAN DO IT!!

Best always,

Your appearance is your calling card to the world. What does yours say about you??

I’m not just talking about the clothes you wear – but everything that makes you – YOU.

The entire package. How you look, how you feel and the energy you project when you walk into a room or connect with the people around you.

As someone who has struggled with my-own self-image over the years, here’s what I know for sure:

1. How you look on the outside, affects how you feel on the inside.
2. Not feeling good about yourself affects your health, happiness, productivity and success.
3. Appearance matters, especially when it comes to making a good first impression or landing that job you REALLY want.

It’s a known fact that even before you open your mouth, most people already have sized you up and formed an impression of you. Your job is to decide just what type of first impression you want to make.

Do you want to appear energetic, confident and up-to-date or sloppy, scattered and out-of-touch?

The choice is yours. If you want to get ahead at work and in life, it’s massively important for you to make a good first impression.

As a life coach and trainer I’ve worked with hundreds of individuals who want to find work, get a better job, change careers, get promoted and feel better about themselves.

How you look impacts your ability to accomplish all of these things and much more.

The good news is that you don’t have to look like a supermodel or dress like you’re walking down the Fashion Week runway in Milan, to improve how you look and feel.

Here are 3 simple steps you can take to boost your appearance and confidence starting right now:

1. Whitening your teeth

About 15-years ago I picked-up my then 9 year old daughter Brittany from school. As I turned on to our street she looked over and asked me this: “Mommy, why are your teeth so yellow?”

You can always count on a child to set things straight! Needless to say her comment got me seriously thinking about the type of impression I was making.

Not too long after that I made an appointment with my dentist to get my teeth looking white and healthy again. It was the best $150.00 I ever spent! Today there are plenty of over- the-counter products that you can use to whiten your smile. My favorite is Crest 3D Whitestrips and toothpaste.

2. Update your wardrobe, hair and makeup.

Small changes in these three areas can have a big impact on the way you look, how you feel and the impression you make on others. What’s most important here is that you look fashionable and neat. When you look put together, people are more likely to believe you got it together.  If you’re middle-aged and looking for work, you’re competing with a lot of younger people. You don’t want to look out-of-touch. If you’re younger and breaking into the job market, you want to look professional. There’s a lot of good info out there that can help with this. Here are two to get you started:

For the ladies: http://bit.ly/1DedCP8

For the guys: http://bzfd.it/1IcJIHu

3. SMILE

Les Giblin was an early pioneer in the personal development industry who understood the power of a smile:

“If you’re not using your smile you’re a man with a million dollars in the bank and no checkbook.”  – Les Giblin

Your smile is the most powerful accessory you have. It’s a positive energy magnet that makes you look good and feel good. Smiling puts you in a better mood, reduces stress, makes you more attractive and helps you get the best from others.

NOW IT”S YOUR TURN.

Which one of these tips do you think can help you the most personally and professionally? I look forward to reading your comments below.

Until next time, please remember a more positive and happier life is within your reach. It starts by taking small steps. I KNOW YOU CAN DO IT!!

Can you remember where you were or what you were doing 6 months ago?

To be honest, neither can I.

Here’s a hint. Think Ryan Seacrest, bubbly beverages and loud noises (and no, I’m not talking about a Hollywood after party or visiting the set of American Idol).

You were ringing in a brand new year, with people you love and thinking about some things you wanted to do differently in 2015.

And at the time you probably were feeling pretty good about it. Today? Maybe not so much…

Don’t wave the white flag just yet. Not pursuing your New Year’s resolutions can actually be a good thing and I’ll explain why a little later.

FIRST SOME GOOD NEWS: You still have six months to get what you want done.

You got this friend!

And if you’re feeling a little discouraged – don’t worry, I’m here to help.

The 3 simple tips I’m sharing with you today will get you back on the progress train and on track to accomplishing the things you want to make happen this year.

1. Keep your eyes on the prize.

The truth is it doesn’t matter what date your calendar says, it’s never too late for you to go after what you want in life. The most important thing is that you feel good about what you’re doing and get energy behind it. You can do this by telling your friends, family and co-workers about what you want to accomplish. Talking about it makes it real. If it’s not real it’s not happening.

Visual reminders also help you stay focused and motivated. Here are some examples: If you are looking for work – write down a specific action you’ll take each day on a colorful sticky note and post it where you can easily see it. Mirrors and computer screens are great spots.

Pictures work too. If you’re saving for a trip to Greece – make sure you have plenty of beautiful Greek Island pics posted within your view. If you’re trying to drop a few pounds, you won’t miss that new bathing suit you’re looking to fit into if you have a picture of it hanging on your refrigerator door.

2. Remember the why.

To stay energized and motivated it’s important to remember why you wanted to accomplish your goals or tasks in the first place. If you still feel passionate and excited about them, there’s a much greater chance that you’ll get them done.

But if you’re not feeling it and are struggling to remember why you wanted to do it in the first place, you should rethink your intentions and seriously consider crossing those to-dos off your list. And please don’t think this is a bad thing. This will help you put your effort where your energy is to get positive results!

3. Keep moving forward no matter what.

Small steps are better than no steps. And it doesn’t matter how fast you’re going as long as you keep moving forward. Here’s the reason why: When you start looking back you’ll beat yourself up for all the things you didn’t do this year. I know because I’ve done this millions of times myself. When you look back with regret, it zaps your good energy and steals your joy. It’s a HUGH confidence and motivation buster and a total waste of time and effort.

Today, choose to take small action — it could be as simple as cleaning out one shelf in your closet, researching one job or taking a 15 minute walk. Whatever it is — just DO IT!

 Now it’s your turn!

In the comments below tell me:

What’s one of your favorite ways to get back on track when you’ve fallen off the progress train?

Thanks so much for reading and sharing your thoughts and ideas with me and others. Being part of this solution-focused community will help you make a positive difference in your life and the lives of those you love.

Remember a more positive and happier life is within your reach. It starts by taking small steps in the direction you want to go. I know YOU CAN DO IT!!

Till next time,