Tag Archives: determination

Sep 6

3 Simple Steps to Create Change Today

Happiness is not something you postpone for the future; it is something you design for the present

3 Simple Steps to Create Change Today

I wanted to write this blog post due to more of a pet peeve than anything. Far to many times people wait until its too late to create a positive change. The story presented is that they will start on Monday, or on New Years Day, or after my birthday. So what’s the problem if they have a plan? Below are three simple steps to create a change the right way, right now.

1. Create a Plan

Sit down and outline exactly what you are looking to change. The first step to any improvement is to identify the problem and expose it. What is wrong and what can improve? What does your ideal state look like in 30, 60, 90 days? Do you need help, if so from who? Do not be embarrassed or scared, everyone has challenges. Remember, you could have a problem with a product you are ready to release, a drug problem, a eating disorder, financial problems…Your problems are no different than your bosses or your role model. There is no reason why you cannot create an impact on your life. No EXCUSE.

2. Start Now

Wait, like right now? YES! This very second… you have just started your plan whether you like it or not. Are you looking to quit smoking cigarettes? Guess what, you just did and you will not have one more..You will not quit after this pack. Get up right now and throw them away. This is the MOST IMPORTANT step. If you wait for 5 minutes you are already failing yourself. Is your “problem” different from someone else? NOPE, drop what you are doing and fix it now. The element of change does not exist by waiting. Change happens when you allow it to and its happening now.

3. Evaluate & Measure

Evaluate what you are doing and measure the success. Is there something you can do different to create a larger positive impact? This is a great time to evaluate your plan and identify if you are meeting your goals. Along with that, re-plan for your next goals. Measure and execute.

Get out there and make a difference today. Remember you put your pants on the same way as everyone else and can do anything you set your mind to.

This post was written by Sean Gibbons.

Aug 15

4 Simple Ways to Make A Difference

Be somebody who makes everybody feel like a somebody

4 Simple Ways to Make A Difference

Greet Them with Enthusiasm

Set the tone for the day by being vibrant and enthusiastic. Keep it simple and sweet and make an impact.

Compliment Others

Take a few moments to compliment your peers or even just tell them what a good job they are doing, it will go further than you think.

Hold the Door for Someone

Not everyone should be in a rush, take the extra couple of seconds to hold the door open for the person behind you.

Smile

Don’t overlook the power of this. Your smile sets the pace for your mood, make sure you are in front.

This post was written by Sean Gibbons

Aug 11

3 Simple Points Why it is Important to Stand Out from the Crowd

Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority it is time to pause and reflect

3 Simple Points Why it is Important to Stand Out from the Crowd

In any aspect of life, it is best to be as unlike other people as possible. This seems like a difficult concept to swallow because in our society we “admire” and “idolize” people as a way of flattery. There comes a time when you have to stop looking to celebrities and “role models” to shape yourself and you have to just start looking to yourself. Everyone is constantly looking for the new trend, the best diet, the “secret” to a happy life, etc. I believe the best way to do that for yourself is to look in the mirror: are you just like everybody else or are you striving to be different and make your own path?

Why its okay to be different from the majority:

Trying to be something you are not is exhausting.

To be honest, I am not quite sure how some people do it. Buying the “Kylie Jenner” lip kit or starting the “It Works!” diet plan… Sounds expensive! All of the time that you put into trying to be like someone else can be put into something better; creating a better version of YOU. Instead of getting the “It Works!” diet plan to fix what you don’t like about yourself, think about something you DO like about yourself and love on that! Praise yourself and fuel you soul with positivity.

There is no one else in the world like you.

Literally NO ONE. Your exact hair, personality, smile, ears, toes, voice, taste, opinion… Not one single person in the world has all that you have. When you really pause and reflect on who you are, it is pretty rad to think about just how unique you are. Take a look at yourself in the mirror right now. All of those features you have are unique to you: EMBRACE THEM!

It pays to be different.

Doing something out of the ordinary and not on the side of majority can have some really negative effects at first. If you decide you want to start a new budget so you can save money to pay off loans or buy a house, people will criticize you. “Why would they do that?” you say… Well because they wont understand why you “don’t go out as much anymore” or you “are not enjoying life”. I can promise you that whatever change you are making in your life to better yourself or to follow a different path than the norm is going to help you. In the end you will know that you did everything you did to make yourself the very best version of you.

While following along with the latest trends and happenings is the easier route to take; it wont be the best. If at this moment you feel like you are just “following” I need you to do something right now: Think about something about yourself that is unique. It can be anything; a physical feature, a belief, an idea, a talent, etc. and write down why that one thing helps you be you. Writing things down is the best way to make an impact. Write down how this one thing POSITIVELY effects your life & helps you be you.

Really though…. Everyone else is taken, just be you.

This post was written by Ashley Gibbons. Ashley is a motivated millennial set out to spread new & positive ways of thinking to today’s generations. You can follow her at:

@ashleyanngibbons

LINKEDIN

 

Aug 8

3 Steps to Make a Difference

YOU MUST DO THE THING YOU THINK YOU CANNOT

Self doubt. Everyone has experienced this at one point or another. Job interviews, first dates, college exams, trying a new recipe, working out, staying healthy, the list could continue forever. These are just a few things that cause people to doubt themselves EVERY SINGLE DAY. But why?

Why is it that going into an interview you sometimes think:

“What if they don’t like me?”

“What if I don’t get the job?”

“What if there is someone better than me?”

The WHAT IF’S are eating away at your happiness, trust me.. I have learned. When you doubt yourself you are only giving everyone else a reason to doubt you. The first person you have to prove wrong is yourself. You are wrong when you think you will bomb the interview, you are wrong when you tell yourself that you didn’t study good enough for that exam and you are definitely wrong when you tell yourself that you are not good enough. I decided to break down the small steps you can take in order to start proving yourself(doubt) wrong.

Step 1 – SET A GOAL

For this particular exercise, you want to set a pretty big goal. That does not mean to land a job as a CEO within a month when you are currently an administrative assistant, it must be attainable. For instance, if you are trying to get back and shape set a goal to get in the gym and workout 4 days a week. WRITE IT DOWN on paper and tell yourself every single day that you are going to make that goal.

Step 2 – TELL SOMEONE

This is an interesting step and I think its super important. You need to tell someone about your goal. Whether it be your husband/wife, best friend or your coworker. You need someone else to keep you accountable. That way not only will you prove your self(doubt) wrong, you can also prove other people wrong when they doubt your ability to attain the goals. For example, I would tell my husband about my fitness goal so that when Wednesday rolls around and I REALLY want to sit and drink wine on the couch, he will remind me what my goals are. (Or he will sit on the couch and drink wine with me…. Let’s hope for that first option)

Step 3 – CRUSH IT

Well obviously?! Get to the gym every day you promised yourself you would. This is a small life goal and you should be crushing it. Think about what made you set this goal in the first place: are you trying to be super fit? Just trying to get healthier? Wanting to look good in that bikini? Think about it every day and make sure you meet that goal. Remember, we set a realistic goal so it will be easy to attain. You have to set small goals at first so that you can get a few small victories under your belt. That way, when it comes time to reaching a BIG goal (did somebody say CEO?) you will have the confidence you need to get there.

After proving to yourself that you CAN do that one thing that you told yourself you CANNOT do because you don’t have enough time, money, patience, etc. now you need to do it all over again. Do it all over again with something bigger. The more goals you crush the more that the self doubt in your head is going to diminish.

 

This post was written by Ashley Gibbons. Ashley is a motivated millennial set out to spread new & positive ways of thinking to today’s generations. You can follow her at:

@ashleyanngibbons

Linkedin

Aug 5

3 Easy Steps to Kick Your Stress to the Curb

Do not anticipate trouble or worry about what may never happen

3 Easy Steps to Kick Your Stress to the Curb

1. Clear Your Mind

Not everything we do qualifies as a life-or-death experience. Let’s be honest, some things can just wait. Typically people believe that stress is born due to having too much work, or perhaps something going wrong or potentially wrong. Now, I can’t stop any of these things and typically neither can you. So how can we reduce the pain that this causes. The first is to write down your total work load down daily. Each morning I spend 5-10 minutes creating a check list of all the action items I have due. This could be overwhelming, but I do not stop until I get everything on my piece of paper. This exercise allows you to remove the clutter of thought from your brain which prohibits the process that makes you feel overwhelmed.

2. Organize & Prioritize

Your check list is written and your mind is clear. Your next step is to prioritize your action items by most important to least important. The items that get worked on first WILL NOT be the items that have the closest due date. You will focus specifically first on the items that will create the greatest impact to what you are doing. If you are in sales like I am, I focused on my largest accounts first, then move down my list.

3. Execute

When starting a task, place 100 percent of your focus solely on that activity until it is completed. By now, you are probably asking how the heck this will reduce stress. You are probably asking why multi-tasking isn’t more effective. This exercise is not a diaper for your stress, it is a solution to kick stress to the curb. By religiously following this exercise you will start to realize the return on your investments. You will learn not to sweat the small stuff and life will move on. You will spend less time “fixing” problems, and more time executing plans.

Get out there and win.

Sean Gibbons

 

Oct 8

3 Steps to Beating Anxiety

dwell-on-the-beauty-of-life-watch

3 Steps to Beating Anxiety

1. Identify the Triggers

The most important thing to know before tackling anxiety is to understand what anxiety is (not just understand the feeling). Anxiety is a form of fear when there is no immediate threat to ones life. Essentially, it is fear of the UNKNOWN. The first step in battling your anxiety is to understand what causes it. I challenge you to carry a notebook for one week. Each time you start to feel anxious, analyze what your day looks like and get a feel of the most challenging topics/subjects/tasks of the day – document it. By the end of the week, you should have a decent amount of notes to reference back on. Where are the trends? What do you see that repeats itself? For example, my anxiety triggers are: getting a call from an unknown number, receiving a challenging email I just don’t have the answer to, and sometimes leading up to an event where I will have to speak publicly. As you can see, when you take a step back and analyze my triggers, it is fear of the unknown! Who is calling me and why? How can I answer this email honestly with the correct information? What happens if I forget the topics I am speaking about?

2. Flip the Script

Flip the script means change your perspective. This is extremely difficult for people due to the need to over-analyze a situation, so I am going to make it really simple. Anxiety is pessimistic, excitement is optimistic. While you may feel fearful about what comes next, try shifting your perspective to a form of excitement. Who is calling me? The president! How can I answer this email honestly with the correct information? Ask for help and give your honest answer – life rolls on! What happens if I forget the topics I am speaking about? I get the opportunity to speak because I have earned it, and I provide valuable information even if I miss a few small points. Life is about opportunities and being excited about those opportunities.

3. Shift Your Energy

Eliminate dwell time in your life. Try turning your TV off and do things you love, preferably active things. I really don’t have much to add other than live the life you want to live. Enjoy your life in a way that you want to enjoy it. Do the things you want to, because YOU CAN.

This post was written by Sean Gibbons. Sean is a visionary set out to challenge the thoughts of today’s generations. You can follow him at:

@photosbyseangibbons

linkedin.com/gibbonssean

Oct 2

The change within yourself

at the end of your

This quote is great because its really self-explanatory but for most people, it’s definitely hard. Nobody else has the power to change themselves, not your friends, family, or time. Doing nothing about it won’t get you anywhere and well, time is money. The power of change is all within yourself and it’s really important everyone knows that because life truly is all about growth and learning. Life is a journey and if we want to reach our goals such as losing weight or starting a business, change must happen and it all starts with you.  Focus on yourself and not others, because in the end you have to change yourself. Self-accountability is key! Ask yourself, what changes do I need to make in my life currently in order to get where I want to be? Taking risks? What plans of action do I need to take to make my dreams happen?  The only person that knows that answer is you! So the one question I ask you today, is what are you doing today to start that journey to make that change(s) in life?

This post was written by David Chau. David is a musician, marketer, and passion chaser.  He’s a young business professional that enjoys helping people any way he can. You can connect with David on Twitter @davidbchau or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/daviidchau

Jun 16

3 Small Things You Can do to Change Your Life

stay-hopefull-for-today.jpg

3 Small Things You Can do to Change Your Life

1. Give Back

Today I challenge everyone to reach out and give back to a complete stranger. Hold their door, say good morning, buy their meal…Doing this is probably one of the most gratifying feelings.

2. Speak Your Mind

Don’t be afraid of sharing your thoughts, ideas & questions. They matter, and they deserve to be voiced.

3. Be Yourself

Stop being afraid of what someone else thinks. Be yourself, do what YOU like, and live how YOU want to.

Mar 6

5 Simple Steps to Live a Happy Life

happy, happiness, motivate, inspire, creation, being, words of balance, inspiration

5 Simple Ways to Live a Happy Life

1. Have Faith

Don’t be so overwhelmed with the day-to-day, have a little faith.

2. Don’t Give Up

You’ve already invested your time, get a reward for it.

3. Keep Things Simple

Don’t over complicate everything, take a step back and keep it simple.

4. Laugh at the Negative

Not everything in life should be taken seriously, laugh a little.

5. Stay Youthful

You are never to old to have a little fun. Smile and enjoy the life you live.

Photography Credit