An Amazing Yet Simple Life Changing Lesson

I’ve taken a bit of a break from writing (for health reasons) but am back in the saddle (but writing from bed, so no real saddle), and would love to share a major life changing method. This method will now be the cornerstone for me (hopefully for you) and a perfect addition to the website tools. Ready?

Use a 6 x 4 Note card to break or create a new habit or goal

Once you have defined your goals using the tracker, choose one goal and write it down on an index card.

Writing your goal down on an index card and carrying it with you at all times creates a solid awareness of the change you want to make. This awareness of your goal will be strongly reinforced if you pull out the card many times during the day. Make yourself pay attention to your goal. It will remind you of how important the goal is to you. The statement on the card may be as simple as these examples.

• Get more exercise and be physically fit.
• Stop smoking, feel better and save money
• Be more loving

Getting more exercise doesn’t just mean just joining a gym. It means taking a walk. Taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Walking the dog. Riding the bike. The note card should be pulled out whenever you have the urge to fall back into a bad habit or routine.

Being more loving can apply to family members or the cashier at grocery store. Pull that note out and you are suddenly aware that you can be a more loving person. Who knows, it may even help you find love!

Once the behavior is now a habit, you just throw the note card away (or keep it for sentimental reasons).

So you don’t need an iPhone to make a major change. All you need is to take your time defining your goals and then a simple index card to create a steady awareness of that goal or habit.

I can’t think of a better method and it works great for me!

Related Posts:

How To Quit A Bad Habit Using An Index Card

How To Overcome Addiction

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The Importance Of Personal Value Based Goal Setting

I came across an excellent article about setting goals according to your values. Completely inline with my philosophy and www.mylifechanges.com Thank you Stephen!

A Values-Based Approach to Goals

People! - Make One Freaking Life Change At A Time Please

Stop trying to change everything!

The problem is that most people get freaked out about ALL the life changes they wish to make AT ONE TIME. Lose weight, save money, find love, find balance, less stress and of course all the issue surroundings the environment.

Change one thing and make it stick!

I cut out bread at lunch. We have a fabulous deal at lunch and the bread is included. I decided to not have the empty calories of bread on my plate. Hey, I’m in good shape, quite healthy, but I have made a conscience decision to not include bread in my lunch. I eat enough carbohydrates at lunch, bread is unnecessary. Wow, what an exciting blog post – how I cut out freaking bread!

What is the point?

Most successful life changes are done one baby step at a time. When we try too much we can easily get overwhelmed, frustrated or discouraged. Decide what is most important to you and attack that with a passion. Take action! Love yourself! I know you can do it. You CAN make a serious life change. You ARE in the driver’s seat! Life IS too short. Let’s get going right now! Decide what change you can make right now. For me it’s less bread, less empty calories and a healthy weight loss. I’m happy with that.

You CAN do it! Let’s start…right now.

Related posts you might love

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Get Rid Of Passive Barriers To Live Your Dream Life

I opened up my credit card bill recently and grimly realized that a payment to a caterer was on it. My original intention was to pay this portion cash a few months ago. But passive barriers crept into my mind and hijacked my common sense and discipline. What are passive barriers? They are those self destructive thoughts that make us delay both minor and important decisions. I’ll get to it later. It won’t make a big difference in my life. I’m too tired to do this. It’s too complicated. I’ll get rejected. The sad part is that some people let passive barrier thinking affect their whole life.

What are some important decisions that people put off? I should get a health check up. I really should invest in the company savings plan. I will pay off my credit cards this year. I’ll phone that family member tomorrow. I’ll lose ten pounds by the end of next month.

So why do we put these things off? In most cases we try to change too many bad habits at once, which will usually lead to nothing changed. It’s much easier to focus on one area of our life instead of five. This way we create a constant awareness of a life change instead of just giving it a second thought. The other is the classic instant gratification feeling as opposed to a long term investment. We may have fun spending on our credit cards or eating those French fries right now. But in the future we may find ourselves with no savings and horribly overweight with a heart condition.

The choice is yours. Be honest with your passive barriers and address them one by one towards a future of contentment and joy. Or have fun now and pay dearly later. I have to go pay my credit card bill now. Sheesh.

Related Posts

How To Overcome Addiction

How To Break A Bad Habit

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How To Quit A Habit Using An Index Card

I quit smoking by writing all the negative things that smoking brought to my life on a 5 x 3 index card. I then carried that card with me for many months. I took it out many times to remind me of all the terrible things that smoking brought to me and the people that I love. It was not a negative card towards me, it just simply stated the facts of how smoking was affecting my life.

I remember being in the washroom at work once and pulling out the card to again remind myself of why I had stopped smoking. Some days I pulled that card out 20 times. The interesting thing about carrying a card is that it made me pay attention to what was important to me. Whenever I felt tempted to smoke I felt the card in my pocket and was reminded of its presence.

A 5 x 3 index card can help us make many important decisions when making life changes. When I found myself having a beer and craving a cigarette, without the card I could have easily succumbed to smoking again. With the card I made a conscious decision to distract myself with a stir stick, chewing gum, or even munching on a toothpick. Again, the card made me pay attention. So whether you want to lose weight, save  money, make new friends or even find love, write it down on a card and look at that card frequently throughout the day. It will make you pay attention. Don’t beat yourself up on that card. Focus on one aspect of your life at a time. This technique has helped many people, I hope it is a life changer for you.

Related posts

How To Overcome Addiction

How To Break a Bad Habit

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The New Achievement Rule: Feel The Sensation Of Success

The second biggest value people are seeking on www.mylifechanges.com is achievement. Achievement, success, accomplishment, whatever you want to call it will never be reached without following this golden rule.

First feel the sensation of achievement

First you have to feel the sensation of achievement in whatever area of your life you are trying to change. It may be wealth, relationships, health or just serenity but the key is to visualize yourself as already achieving your goal. Feel the sensation of reaching your goal. Visualize it, taste it, feel it. How does it make you feel? This is the all important question. Does it make you feel proud? Does visualizing your accomplishment make you feel like you are being of service? Does it give you a warm and fuzzy feeling? Meaning and purpose?

The problem is that most people picture their success as a BMW or a large house. But these are just fleeting feelings of material accomplishment. They never last. What really last are feelings of happiness, peace, bliss  and fulfillment first felt in your heart and then in your mind. Remember when you went away on vacation? Perhaps you stayed near the beach and saw dolphins swim by each morning. Memories that bring that kind of pure joy to your heart , are what stick in your heart and mind. There was that everlasting sense of wonder from something bigger than you. It will last a lifetime. Now think back to all the toys you have had. Do they bring back a sense of wonder and joy? No. It is your feelings and sensations from something other than your stuff that will bring you a long lasting joy. Joy from material objects never last.

Now picture yourself having achieved your goal. How does it make you feel?

Now that you have captured that feeling, it is time to take action. Go and start working on your goal. And always keep that sensation of achievement inside of you. You’re ultimate goal is to capture that wonderful feeling you are after. That feeling is what your success should be. That feeling opens up your heart.

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The #1 Goal In My Life

I am seeking permanent serenity, joy and happiness. It isn’t always easy. Becoming enlightened means we have to let go of all the conditioning, worries and ego that we carry with us every day. It requires that we accept life as it is and stop struggling against it. We slowly learn how to tear down all the walls that protect us and to let the light shine in. We learn how the heart reacts to life and then the mind afterwards, creating unnecessary pain, insecurity and worry. We learn how to not react and to not keep the pain inside of us. We also learn to accept suffering, instead of avoiding it and move on. We learn to let it all go. We learn to use our consciousness. We learn to be truly happy.

I read that we are one spinning planet of water and dirt spinning around a star, amongst hundreds of billions of stars in our own Galaxy. Sometimes I look up at the sky and think about that. It seems that everything else is trivial compared to that thought. Should I be that concerned about what people think about my clothes or car?

I am learning to accept everything life has to offer. My time is limited on this planet. I want to spend the rest of it experiencing freedom, joy, peace and love. I hope you choose to join me.

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Here’s How To Make Life Changes

I created www.mylifechanges.com to help you make meaningful life changes. I can’t force you to make life changes. Only you can decide that. I have supplied a tool for you to use. I could become your personal coach but you probably can not afford a life coach. I hope you decide to make life changes today, because tragedy can strike at any time, and by then it may be far too late. This website will make you think. Thinking is good.

Decide who you are

First, you will need to decide who you are. Are you a parent, entrepreneur and athlete? Or are you a philosopher, businessman and wealth builder? Understanding your own big picture will set the frame for the next steps.

Decide what your core values are

Here are the top 5 core values (in order) people are seeking on www.mylifechanges.com: balance, achievement, commitment, love, and happiness. I don’t think it is necessary to list more then 5 core values. I also think that happiness is a very good core value to seek. Without happiness is life really much fun? Now you are ready to set goals according to who you are and what core values are meaningful to you.

Decide what your goals are

Take your most important core value and set a goal that will help you live accordingly to it. If your value is happiness, your goal may be to start the morning off with a smile. It’s simple but goals don’t have to be complicated to have a huge effect. Don’t set too many goals. It will be too difficult to reach a bunch at the same time. Kind of hard to quit smoking, lose weight and meditate all at the same time. You have taken perhaps the three most important steps in your life.

Track your changes

Use the color coded tracker to see how you are doing. I made the tracker as visual and simple as possible to make it easy for you and I. You are now on your way to making life changes. Congratulations!

Is it that simple? Yes it is. Why should it be complicated? You have a need, I supply a tool, you take action.

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Are You Creating A Life Filled With Happiness, Joy And Wealth?

My website helps people create and track their “Who Am I” statement, Core Values, and Goals. It isn’t easy for people to think about these things and become introspective. It’s like avoiding the dreaded doctor’s check-up and lighting up another smoke. But I believe that finding meaning and purpose in this world is the single most important goal you can set for yourself. It all starts with your “Who Am I” statement. Who are you? Are you a father and entrepreneur? Are you an athlete and wealth builder? Are you all four? Have you decided on your future you?

Plenty of people don’t ask themselves these important questions and remain in a permanent state of denial, depending on TV, credit cards, potato chips, celebrity blogs, and kicking the dog to get them through the day. Usually it takes a dramatic life change, disaster or hitting rock bottom to wake them up and appreciate life for what it is.

Life is a continuous journey of valleys, hills and peaks. The trick is to get out and enjoy the ride and challenges along the way. Enjoy the valleys and peaks! It may mean breaking free and taking a few risks! Continuing on a consumer treadmill or watching hours of TV is a temporary superficial joy and has nothing to do with rejoicing in the wonder of  nature and being human.

I bought a new car recently and the initial euphoria of its leather seats, Bose stereo, and sunroof, has worn off for the most part. Sure it’s comfy but I haven’t really grown as a person because of it. It’s only metal on rubber wheels.

What is important to me is the meaning, purpose and hope I am creating in my life, as well as freedom, happiness, joy, compassion and love. However I am also aware that wealth creation for me can equate to freedom in life.

So don’t wait until you hit rock bottom or a disaster strikes to  finally live your dream.

My own journey continues here. I hope yours does too.

So….Who are you?

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5 Truths About Happiness And Love

I am, if anything, a seeker of truth. I continuously read, discuss, ponder and write about my journey towards truth.

What is happiness?

I think that happiness can be a rather foggy term. So I will more or less agree with the author and scientist Barbara Fredrickson and say that happiness includes these 10 traits - joy, gratitude (including reciprocity), serenity, interest, hope, pride, amusement (humour), inspiration, awe (”goodness on a grand scale”), and love.

How do I become happy?

I will also agree that the happiest people experience a happiness ratio of 3-1 (Three happy thoughts to one negative). The people that are flourishing in happiness have a ratio of 5-1. I know people I work with that have 3 negative thoughts to 1 happy one. I walk in the other direction when they start complaining, whining or making sad excuses. Think about your own ratio. Any thoughts on this?

When are my happiest moments?

I’ve read a few times that having drinks and dinner with good friends can be a peak happy experience. I had a rocking dinner party with close friends last week and we had brilliant conversations, laughed to the point of crying and made damn sure we would get together again. It was a remarkable night filled with many moments of happiness traits including joy, interest, amusement and inspiration.

How do I fall in Love?

I will agree with Barbara that Love usually happens when we associate a group of happiness traits together. When one person can inspire joy, gratitude, serenity, interest, hope, pride, amusement, inspiration and awe in us, how can we not fall in love?

Commit to following your dream

You will be happiest pursuing goals and dreams that are intrinsic, meaningful to you and freely chosen. Intrinsic goals are pursued because they provide significance and purpose to you. They help you grow and mature. Writing this blog (and providing you a life changing tool) is a way for me to grow and find deep personal meaning and purpose. Intrinsic goals will make us happier in the long run. Writing this blog also provides me with joy, inspiration, pride, hope, amusement and even awe on occasion. Ya even awe! 

What inspires you? What gives you joy? What gives you awe?

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