I’m very happy to announce that my  friend Diggy from Upgrade Reality has recently launched his first e-book, which suspiciously carries the name of his blog. Before I get into what the book has to offer let me first start off by saying how proud I am of Diggy. Having known Diggy for nearly two years now, it has been amazing to see the progress he’s made creating a name for himself in the online world. Having both started out around the same time he’s certainly kept me motivated to be at my best.

I’ll be the first to admit, when I first stumbled upon Diggy’s blog, I mistaken wrote him off as being just an average blogger. Over time however, I slowly grew to know him for the amazing person he is.  Now, Diggy  is not only a person I have tremendous respect for, but also someone I know I can talk to if I’m ever feeling stuck.

Having been into the whole “personal development” scene for close to three years now, I’ve read  dozens of books on personal growth. Some of the books I read changed my life forever, while others were simply a waste of my time. Unfortunately many fell into the latter category. Upgrade Reality is one of those books that created quite a shift for me simply for the inspiration alone.

Being completely honest, I had already been exposed to much of the content in Upgrade Reality. That being said, I was still able to take away a ton from it, because of the story behind the words. I have no doubt that regardless of where you are in life you will be able to take away at least a handful of gems from the book.

From the moment you begin reading, you can tell how passionate Diggy is about wanting to change the world. And that feeling inspires you to do the same. There’s something about the energy behind his words that pumps you up and makes you want to be the best you can be. Sure, his grammar may not be the greatest in the world,  and there may be one to many cliches, but the message can be felt where it counts.

What I like about the book is that Diggy shares what’s truth for him. He doesn’t pretend like he knows everything or has all the answers. Instead he guides you in discovering your path for yourself. Diggy makes clear up front that in order to be successful in any area of your life you have to put in the work, something many personal development related books don’t always emphasize.

I especially like how he shares his personal struggles and how he overcame them. So often we forget that life isn’t always going to go our way. Yet we always have the choice on how we choose to react.

I could honestly go on for ages about the topics he’s covered in the book but you may as well go check it out for yourself.

If you’re looking for a nice kick in your rear end to step up your game, Upgrade Reality just might be exactly what you need. So pick up a copy today.

Post from: A Boundless World

Upgrade Your Reality

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It’s nearly midnight, and I can’t seem to sleep. I intend to wake in the early hours of tomorrow so I can continue to progress with sails full spread. Thoughts of the future, the present, and past circulate through my mind.

A year ago, I left Shanghai, to attend university in Missouri and oh how the year flew.

I formed new connections and watched as older ones collapsed. I had many firsts, and endured the staleness of living in a routine of comfort for far too long.

I learned to call yet another location home, and have further progressed down the path of personal liberation. I’ve taken several strides forward, and stumbled down several muddy hills of the past.

But in all of my personal reflection and numerous daydreams there’s a word I just can’t shake.

Legacy.

I can’t explain to you why, but I blame it on GaryVee.

Legacy doesn’t mean that you have to go down in the history books, or have your own T.V show. To me, legacy means that when you pass your spirt lives on.

To leave a legacy you don’t have to be perfect you just have to try.
To leave a legacy you don’t have to change the minds of everyone just a select few.
To leave a legacy you don’t have to end world hunger just feed a single soul.
To leave a legacy you don’t have to have it all just share what you know.
To leave a legacy you don’t need money or fame, just a wealthy heart.

Your life, your gifts, are far more important than you will ever know. Are you expressing them  your existence or are you hiding behind your shield?

To leave a legacy all you must do is be kind, gentle, and care.

What inspires you? What are you living for?

Legacy. That’s what drives me. How about you?

Post from: A Boundless World

Legacy

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The world, although exciting and full of abundance, can at times, be lonely and downright depressing. Sometimes we just feel lost.

No matter how many personal development blogs or books you read, there will be times when life will seem to flat out suck. But what I’ve discovered is that despite our best efforts to create reasons why we can’t be happy, life quickly returns to nothing short of sensational, as soon as we return home. That raises the question: What is home?

In literal terms, home is where you spend most of your time. That house you lived in for 20 years may be home. Or maybe home is that new apartment you rented. Or perhaps you consider that trailer you travel the country home. Regardless, for the sake of this article, home goes beyond a physical location and extends to the place where your heart, mind, and body are at peace.

Whenever you’re feeling lost or out of it the solution is simple: find your way home.

Depending on how far you’ve wandered, it may take a while to return. But the good news is anyone can return home, no 200 dollar GPS required.

Roads To Home

How do you get home if you’re lost?

Disconnect: Take a moment to disconnect from the world around you. Tune into the voice that you so often neglect. Are you heading in the right direction or are you simply spinning your wheels? Making time to be alone allows you evaluate your current position without the pressures of the outside world. Go for a walk. Meditate. Release your worries into the air and and just breathe.

Choose To Go Home: Going home is a choice. At any time you can decide to return to the place where your soul smiles. Turn your back on the drama that brings you misery. Decline to hang out with the people that only bring you down. Accept nothing but the best for yourself and those you love. Choose to return home.

Return To Your Roots: We all have moments where life seems to be going great, where every decision we make is perfect, and it seems impossible for life to get better. Whenever you’re feeling out of whack, think back to those times when you were on top of the world. What were you doing differently? What was your perspective? Did you worry about the small stuff? Or did you focus on what you could control? Were you worried about the details or did you appreciate the moment for what it was?

Change Your Focus: When your away from home, your focus can often become clouded. Wandering astray for too long can temporarily alter your priorities. Instead of being the optimistic person you,  you may begin to see the dark spot in every star. Instead of being relaxed you may quickly overflow with anxiety. You always have the ability to change your focus. What do you choose to focus on?

Remember What Matters: So many of us, myself included, get lost in things that don’t matter. We live for what we are told to live for rather than experiencing what we want to deep down. We choose to react rather than to listen.  And we make plenty of excuses rather than creating the life we desire.

Instead of giving to the homeless we say they don’t deserve it. Instead of picking up a piece of trash we say it won’t make. difference. Instead of eating healthy we devour that extra donut.

All because we lose sight of what really matters. Remind yourself that life is to short to be caught up in all the negatives. Remember what really matters.

Finding Your Way Home

Your home is where you thrive. Only at home can you find your creative peak. Only at home can you create the change you really desire.

While expanding your comfort zone is important for growth, you must never neglect that what gives you fuel. You must always remember to return home.

Feeling stressed at work? Unable to get anything done? Your relationships a mess? Perhaps it’s time you reroute to the road that takes you home. Take a break. Go back to your roots. Take time to do nothing. Watch a movie with your loved one. Most importantly listen to your heart.

Too often we turn our backs on what our heart is telling us, and instead listen the biased sources of the outside world. Yet when we reject our hearts advice it often involves a great deal of pain. Your home has plenty of room for intelligent thinking, but has no space to hoard the broken memories of the past or the times when you came up short.

When we clutter our home with negative thoughts and past failures, we prevent ourselves from experiencing that of which brings us peace.

The beauty of being home is that it rarely involves suffering. When you’re home you’re able to take on anything that is your thrown your way. Occasionally you will have to repair your damaged real estate, but nothing is to large to overcome.

You know if you’re currently on the heart centered path. You know if you’re close to home. The question is: Do you choose to listen?

Post from: A Boundless World

Finding Your Way Home

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I have a confession.

For the last month or so I’ve been throwing a hugggeee party. No, not one of those excessively extravagant college parties filled with ridiculous amounts of alcohol, but rather a party with one guest, myself.

This party, being perfectly honest, has well, left me miserable. Like many of you, I of course, never intend to host a party, but sometimes things just pile up. Ah… the power of pity parties.

Maybe you find yourself fed up with working a job you dislike. Or perhaps you just broke up with the person who you thought was your soul mate. Maybe you’re not living up to your own personal expectations. The truth is, with influential guests such as “negativity” and “I feel sorry for myself” making regular appearances, it’s often easy to be lured into the infamous party we all is know is never good. Do you remember when you threw your last pity party?

Although, I consider myself a very optimistic person, I too have my moments of self doubt. For the past month or so, I’ve struggled with the changing status of relationships that have helped mold me into the person I am today. I’ve wrestled with my new identity as an adult, and I’ve spent a great amount of time in the rewarding yet certainly draining reflection process.

New surroundings, new freedoms, and new relationships can be a bit overwhelming. Especially when it’s so easy to cling to the foundations of the past. Having recently thrown a “nice” sympathy bash for myself, I know what it’s like to feel like nothings going right. I know what it’s like to feel like you’re all alone. I say this not to be dramatic but only to show I’m human. And although we sometimes enjoy wallowing in our own self pity, fighting the doubts within ourselves is never easy.

The majority of us spend far to much time throwing pity parties for ourselves rather than seeing the beauty in life. Pity parties? Here’s how to crash them.

Raise Your Party Standards

Why would you ever waste your time attending a party where you don’t feel needed or loved? Realize that when you throw yourself a pity party you’re blocking abundance. Believe and know that you deserve better and that is what will be given in return. I realize this isn’t always easy, but as with all things, practice helps.

Don’t throw a single moment away at a party that isn’t helping you grow. Don’t be deluded into thinking negativity and self doubt are your friends. They aren’t. They’re simply parasites hoping to extract all the energy they possibly can. The longer you hang around them the weaker you become. Drinking from the punch bowl spiked with sadness is never any fun.

As you raise your party standards you will soon notice that you don’t have time to wallow in your own self pity. Raising your standards doesn’t mean there won’t be times of sadness or self doubt, but it will enable you to move past inevitable road blocks with as little friction as possible. The venue of a pity party is in your mind, therefore in an instant the party can be crashed.

The more time you spend consciously looking to see the beauty in life the less time you will spend looking for ways to stay miserable. Raise your party standards and your self doubts will soon grow weak.

Check Your Emotions At The Door

Regardless of where you are, negativity and self doubt are going to show up. Negativity? Kick his ass out. “Woe is me”? You’re above that. Don’t become intoxicated by shots pessimism, flush them out by remembering that you are loved. As I’ve said before, this isn’t always easy, but do your best to express your courage within.

Checking your emotions at the door doesn’t mean to shove them in the coat closet and forget about them. Doing so will only leave you freezing on the walk home. You must accept your emotions whether they be good or bad. Your emotions only contain as much power as you lend.

Checking your emotions doesn’t require that you give power to them. Emotions are just that, emotions. Sour feelings only turn disastrous when you let them guide you. When you become aware of your emotions you keep yourself in the drivers seat.

The last few weeks have been a very emotional time for me for a variety of reasons. Yet instead of rejecting the feelings I’ve felt, I’ve done my best at accepting them for what they are. While this process is often difficult it accelerates the period of self doubt.

Don’t expect to be perfect. Your emotions will sometimes get the best of you. Remember this is part of the process. When you first begin driving you don’t expect to be amazing, the same should go for when you’re learning to deal with your emotions. Many of us are never taught the proper way to deal with our emotions and instead lock them away until the pressure builds and creates a gigantic blast of negative smog.

Start today by checking your emotions at the door.

Decide You Want To Leave

If you find yourself stuck throwing yourself a pity party realize you are 100 percent responsible for continuing to stay. Where did the pity party originate?  Was it your family? Your friends? Of course not. You, and only you can decide whether to throw a pity party. If you throw one, and the guests (many of them rude) arrive, you have no to look to but yourself.

While feeling miserable is easy, crashing a party requires effort.  To overcome the low points in your life you must make the decision to fully commit to rise above. Deciding to leave your pity party is a necessity.

When you throw yourself a pity party you’re often under the illusion that it will make things better, but in reality it only perpetuates the real problem. All bandages, no matter how strong, break.

Over the years, I’ve thrown many pity parties, in which self doubt often stared as the DJ. However it wasn’t until I realized I had the power to crash my own party that I became more aware of the affect my thinking had on my life.

Pity parties don’t attract change, they simply fortify the demons that you’re afraid of. When you focus on what you don’t have you block the sun which leaves you no light to see that in which you do. Why wait until you’re  drunk off misery before leaving a party in which you had no intention of going to? The earlier you decide to leave the better.

Better Parties Await

It’s safe to say you’ve been a host of a few pity parties throughout your life, maybe you’re throwing one right now, or perhaps you may  even consider yourself a party regular. Regardless of your current situation, there’s always room to improve.

You can throw yourself as many pity parties as you want but it’s never going to make your life any better. Eventually, (usually after lots of needless suffering) you will realize that contentment, and that happiness, all are only a few thoughts away.

Instead of throwing a pity party for yourself, take a moment and to make an honest assessment of your current situation. Is it really that bad? Often times we sabotage ourselves in hopes of gaining sympathy from our family and friends. Yet when we do this we simply block abundance from coming into our lives. One moment of clarity can save an endless amount of misery.

If you’re sad be sad. If you’re upset be upset. But don’t waste your time throwing a party when it’s not truly needed.

Pity party’s are no fun. Crashing them however, now that’s a different story. Throw yourself the party you know you deserve. Better parties await.

Post from: A Boundless World

Party Crashing 101: How To Crash A Pity Party

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Change.

Does that word scare you? If you’re like most, the word change stops your heart in its tracks.

Yet the truth of the matter is, we can’t hide from change.

Everyday moment of our life, we experience change. We grow. We learn. We move to a new house (or country). We end and create new relationships.

Change is what makes the world flow.

Learning to deal with change may seem to be a daunting task at first, but it can and must be, one of our greatest priorities.

At the young age of 16, I experienced profound change.

You see, at the beginning of my Jr. year of high school I boarded a plane from Houston, Texas to begin a new life in Shanghai, China.

Talk about change.

Moving across the entire world… To communist China? (OK so I learned China isn’t that bad.) I was scare, I was nervous and I was excited. Despite the plethora of emotions, I knew I had a choice. I could whine and moan or I could make the best out of the move to Shanghai. Luckily I chose the later.

Over the past few years I have come accustom to experiencing change. Whether it is saying goodbye to friends and family or beginning a new direction in my life. Change has made me who I am today.

Here are some tips I have found to helpful to make the most of changes in our lives.

Keep an Open Mind:

Keeping an open mind is absolutely essential. The worst thing you can do is tell yourself to not like change, because then your subconscious mind goes to work.

When moving to Shanghai, I could have easily told myself I would hate it (and to be honest I did have my days), yet I did my very best to keep an open mind and as a result I came to love my days in Shanghai.

This doesn’t just apply to moving. Keeping an open mind is a key component to making the most of any situation.

One of my favorite quotes applies here:  ”There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so” – Shakespeare

Look To Grow:

When you are faced with change it is important that you ask yourself how can this make me grow? Moving to Shanghai provided me with many wonderful benefits; Going to an international school, expanding my global horizons, and the ability to embrace the Chinese culture and language.

Because I looked at the move as an opportunity to grow, I was able to make the most out of a situation that could easily have become a disaster.

When you look to grow rather than focus on the negatives you will be surprised at how much easier dealing with change then becomes.

Instead of closing doors, look to open them.

Let Your Feelings Flow:

When you resist your emotions you simply make them stronger.

Instead of suppressing your emotions let them flow. If you’re sad be sad. If you’re angry be angry. Let your feelings out.

When I was told I was moving to Shanghai I spent a great deal of time crying. Having lived in Texas for 8 years I had created many wonderful relationships and it was tough for me to say goodbye. Because I allowed myself to cry and to feel the time it took me to “recover” was greatly reduced.

Feel. Breathe. Repeat.

Eventually you will be able back to your good old self.

Embrace Change:

I’d be lying to you if I said all change is easy. It’s not. Yet as human beings, it is my belief, that we have an obligation to make the most out of our time on earth.

Looking at change in a positive light is essential. Sure it may take time to fully adapt to the changes in your life but our attitude directly determines the time in which we remain stuck.

In order to live a happy and successful life we must learn not to be scared of change but rather embrace it with every ounce of strength we have.

Are you afraid of change? I think it’s time you live.

Post from: A Boundless World

Embracing Change

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What if I told you that you could lose 20 pounds in a week without doing a single exercise?

What if I told you a simple technique that could transform you into a love making machine?

What if I told you about a money making system that could make you hundreds of dollars while you sleep?

I’d be like the millions of others trying to sell you the quick fix.

Yet thankfully, I’m not here to sell you a quick fix.

I’m here to share a simple phrase that could potentially change your life.

You ready?

The quick fix is a myth.

Contrary to what social conditioning has taught you, anything worth having takes effort. There is no cure-all-pill. There is no magic wand.

As personal development blogger Steve Pavlina says, “personal development is hard work.”

The question is: How much work are you willing to put in?

My experience:

During my freshman and sophomore year of high school I was on the cross country team and I routinely relied on the quick fix.

Instead of putting in the work as my teammates did, I looked for every shortcut possible.

While my friends would be doing the extra runs, I would be sitting at home claiming that my hypnosis cd’s and health products would give me the strength to run stellar times.

While some of the personal development products I bought did help me in the long run, my head wasn’t in the right place.

My intentions by all means were sincere, and I wanted to be the best runner I possibly could, but I unfortunately adopted the wrong mindset and as a result struggled.

I wanted the glory with out the work.

Instead of eating right and doing recovery runs like my other teammates, I relied on the power of the “special pill” hoping that one day I would magically be able to run quick times.

Because I didn’t put in the work I continually performed far below my expectations.

It took a while but I finally realized my faulty logic.

The funny thing is when I began truly training and putting in effort the results began to show. Sure it took a lot of hard work but I throughly enjoyed myself along the way.

One of the greatest lessons I have ever learned is that there is no such thing as a quick fix.

The success mindset

Instead of always looking for the quick fix it is important you train your mind and focus on the long term. Your mind is your greatest asset.

Those who constantly look for the quick fix are simply afraid to work. And believe me I used to be one of those people.

Any truly successful person knows anything worth having takes work. You can fantasize all you want but without action nothing will happen. When you consciously choose to put in the work its only a matter of time before you reach your goals.

Quick fixes are just that. They satisfy your ego now, but never benefit you in the long term.

Those who rely on quick fixes generally live rather uninspired life. You’re better than that aren’t you?

In everything you do always ask yourself “Is this a quick fix or will it benefit me in the long run?”

Instead of spending thousands of hours and dollars on quick fixes it is important you choose to create your life consciously.

Your mindset is your key to happiness and success. Adopting the mindset of successful and happy individuals will completely transform your life.

Turn your back to the quick fix and look forward to the long term benefits that continous effort will bring you.

Do what you love

With thousands of products promoting, better health, sex, and more money why is that everyone is so unhappy?

Because the majority of people don’t do what they love.

Many people look for the quick fix because they hold the belief achieving the life of your dreams can be achieved at the push of a button. That’s social conditioning for you.

The quick fix myth is a great source of unhappiness.

Why do people look for a quick fix? Because they want instant results with out effort.

The problem with this mindset is everything worth having takes effort.

Most people looking for a quick fix look for the quick fix because they currently fill their days with things they do not enjoy.

Effort doesn’t have to be a bad thing if your doing the things you love. The problem is when you put effort into things you dislike or even hate.

When you begin doing what you love something amazing happens. Life becomes magical.

When do what you love your effort doesn’t seem so laborious. It actually feels good to work and to be alive.

When you live a life you love you wouldn’t be caught dead looking for a quick fix because you begin to enjoy the journey as what it is meant to be.

Consciously creating your life may take hard work but it is an incredibly rewarding process. This all happens when do begin doing what you love.

Hard work pays off

I’m sure you’ve heard it before but I’ll say it again, the journey not the destination is what makes life worth living.

Want to lose weight? Go outside and do something you enjoy.

Want better relationships? Consciously work on them.

Want more money? Offer more value.

Yes all these things take work but the journey is what makes you come alive. It won’t always be easy but at least you can claim you lived.

As much as your ego doesn’t want to hear it, no quick fix will ever bring you sustaining happiness.

Are you waiting for the quick fix to turn your life around?

Quit wasting your time. Put in the work and you will reap the rewards.

It’s time for you to live.

Post from: A Boundless World

The Quick Fix Myth

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In a slump eh? Of course you are. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be reading this post right now. And if you’re not, maybe you should read this then come back.

But first, I have a confession. This post is about me not you. You see, the truth is, I myself have been in a major slump this past week.

Instead of crafting  5 insanely powerful posts like I promised myself I’d do every weekday, I’ve been sleeping in.

Instead of doing something constructive with my time, I’ve been out partying.

Instead of working on that six-pack that I’ve promised for almost a year now, I’ve been indulging myself in the great cookies and cream ice cream (sorry Vin.)

Perhaps its been all the goodbyes I’ve had to say in the past few weeks. Or maybe it’s the fact that I begin a new chapter in my life come this August.

Hell, those things parents like to call “teenage hormones” might be the culprit.

Whatever the reason, I know I don’t like being in slumps and the fact you’re  reading this means you don’t either.

Having experienced my share of slumps, I have found the following  to be sure-thing  slump busters: and the cool thing is you can do more than one at a time. Just don’t meditate while talking to a friend, they might consider it rude.

Meditate

If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you know I’m a big fan of meditation. Meditation is one of my favorites when it comes to breaking out of your slump  because it allows you to disconnect from what’s causing the slump in the first place.

Simply watching your breathe does wonders for your well being. To be honest, I haven’t meditated as much as I should have these past few days. Perhaps that’s why my slump has been so bad.

Don’t know how to meditate? Go somewhere quiet and simply breathe. I promise you will feel better.

Connect with Nature

Connecting with nature is something I’ve been doing a lot lately. When growing up, I would gladly choose Nintendo over going outside but as I’ve grown older I’ve slowly learned to appreciate nature more.

I often go for long walks outside or meditate on my thinking rock (more on that in a future post.)

Lately, I’ve been preferring to  go on a hour walk and explore the rural areas near my home. There’s something about being outside that makes you come a live.

The best advice I can give is this: Get outside and connect.

Seek inspiration

Seeking inspiration is essential. Because of today’s technology, inspiration is effortless to find.

You can watch videos or read an inspiring book. You can even do a quick google search to find hundreds of motivational quotes online. Lack of inspiration is no longer an excuse.

Because I’ve been feeling down, I actually began reading a book about my hero Bruce Lee. For whatever the reason the dude inspires me. His dedication and his focus were out of this world. Just reading the book realigns me with my purpose and inspires me continue to push through and make the most of my time here on earth.

Here are ten motivational videos to get you started.

Talk to a friend

Connecting with friends is another simple way to break out of your slump. Friends are there to support you in time of need. Assuming you have been creating authentic relationships, your friends will be by your side.

Just last night I had a chat with my good friend Drew. Just catching up with him made me feel a lot better. When you truly connect with your friends a positive energy is exchanged thus quickening the duration of your slump.

Feeling down? Connect with a family member or friend.

Be thankful

The last thing you want to do when you’re in a slump is be thankful right?

I can tell you without fail, being thankful is the surest way to bust out of your slump.

It is easy to get caught up in all the things that are going wrong but those who choose to focus on what is going right are the ones who are most happy and successful.

One of my favorite exercises is to take a out a sheet of paper and write down all the things I’m thankful for. After completion I am always in a better mood.

What are you thankful for?

Quit feeling sorry for yourself

I used to be the king of feeling sorry for myself. Just ask my old cross-country teammates. The truth is feeling sorry for yourself does nothing but prolong your misery.

We are often times under the impression that feeling sorry for yourself makes things better. This assumption is absolutely false.

Not only does feeling sorry for yourself prolong your misery, it radiates a bad vibe.

While you can’t control the unexpected slumps  in your life you can choose to stop feeling sorry for yourself.

Help someone

The quickest way to bust out of your slump is to help someone. When you sincerely help someone you don’t have time to care about yourself.

When you help someone you often times realize that your situation isn’t as bad as you’ve made it out to be. One of the reasons I was inspired to write this post is because I knew it could potentially help others to bust out of their slump.

There is never a time in which you can’t help someone because there is always someone in need.

Write a blog post. Listen. Hangout with someone who is otherwise lonely. Be kind.  Just help someone.

BONUS: Get a massage

Wow, I really must be breaking out of my slump for offering you this bonus slump buster. The reason I’m making it bonus is for the fact not everyone has the wonderful opportunity to get an hour massage for 15 dollars. ( Did I mention I love Shanghai?)

Assuming you can afford one, I highly recommend you treat yourself to a massage. The benefits are just out of this world.

Time to break free

Now is the time to make a choice. Will you continue to wallow in your self-pity? Or will you make the effort to break out of your slump?

Depending on the severity of your slump it might take sometime to finally bust lose, but I assure you it can be done.

Slumps are inevitable. The duration? That’s up to you.

I for one, think it’s time you break free.

Editors Note: ( To attest the power of helping people… the fact that this post could potential help hundreds break free of their slumps, has in turn broken me out of mine. My message? Help people. It feels good.

Post from: A Boundless World

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When was the last time you sincerely thanked a family member or friend for all that they have done?

Its been a while, eh? Don’t worry you’re not alone.

It’s unfortunate, but many of us, including myself, often take our relationships for granted.

We expect Dad to always support us.

We expect Mom to always have dinner made.

We expect our friends to be there when we’re feeling down.

We expect our brothers and sisters to come running when we find ourselves in a jam.

Yet we rarely take the time to give praise.

As my high-school career is coming to a end, I have found myself spending a substantial amount of time reflecting on the people that have influenced me.

One of my greatest personal faults is that I often fail to give praise. While I strive to live a life of  gratitude , I often forget to voice how much someone means to me. This is something I’m working hard on to improve.

The past few days I have made a conscious effort to praise my family members and friends as much as possible and have found the process to be very rewarding, not only for me but those receiving the praise as well.

When you give praise you are sending out positive energy, which results in more good deeds being done. Everyone loves a good, ” I appreciate you.”

Expressing praise is a simple way to benefit humanity. While giving praise is almost effortless, it makes people work harder and feel better about themselves.

When I learned that I was moving to China, I spent an entire day writing notes to the members of my cross country team. To this day a few of them keep the letter in their wallet. You never know how much your praise might mean.

In the next few days I plan on writing numerous hand written notes expressing my praise to the many individuals who have influenced the person I am today. I intend to spend many hours crafting these notes to convey the importance each individual has played in my life.

Although it isn’t necessary to write letters in order to express praise, I personally  have found it to be a very effective medium. The act of expressing praise is all that matters; you can always give more thanks.

Have you been taking your relationships for granted? Do you give thanks daily?

Who will you praise today?

Post from: A Boundless World

The Power of Praise

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I’ve been playing pool for a few years now and absolutely love it. Fortunately, my dad was able to pick up a cheap table so we can play whenever we want. I usually  shoot some pool when I’m feeling anxious or stressed and find it wonderfully therapeutic. While playing, I am oftentimes struck with a post idea or two, this being one of them.

7 Life Lessons I Learned From Playing Pool.

Enjoy The Game: Whether you like it or not you are a participant in the game of life.  Are you having fun? No? Why not? Too often we get caught up in all the things that are going wrong instead of being thankful for all that is going right.

Our life journey is an incredible experience that is meant to be enjoyed.

Quit looking for excuses to be miserable and instead embrace the wonderful journey life is. Make a conscious effort into enjoying each day, and you’ll be surprised at how much fun the game of life can be.

Focus: Life is all about focus. Your ability to focus on the here and now is essential in achieving happiness. I realize I am not the first person to suggest living in the now, but I have personally found that when I consciously focus on the present, life becomes much more pleasant. When you truly tune into the moment, life becomes an amazing source of energy.

Your ability to tune into this power comes from your ability to focus. If you lack focus you will often make more mistakes than needed as well as fail to feel the feeling of being truly present. Quit multi-tasking and fully experience this moment.

Really focus on your next meal. Really listen. Really love. Give your undivided attention to the task at hand.

Take The Time To Aim: In pool, as is in life, it is especially important to aim. You can hit the ball wildly and maybe knock a ball in, but this method is highly inefficient. Are you wandering around life aimlessly, not knowing what to expect? Take some time to determine what you really want.

What is your ideal life? What are your goals?   What steps can you take to make your ideal life a reality?

Simply taking the time to plan can greatly accelerate the pace in which you reach your goals. It is essential that you take some time and aim. Don’t rush. Take some time to think about where you want to go. Line up your values and make a conscious effort to succeed.

Slop Is A Part of Life: Things are not always going to be pretty. There will be times when you just want to quit. Realize however that “slop” is simply a part of life. Without experiencing the low’s we would not be able to experience the highs. How you react to the low’s in your life is what defines your character.

Are you one to quit when times get rough? Or are you known to persevere ?

Learning to accept the “slop” in your life with a positive attitude  will tremendously benefit you and dramatically decrease the time in which you spend in the rough.

Be Humble: Being humble is an incredibly important quality trait to possess. Being good at something doesn’t require that you be an arrogant ass (OK I admit I have my days.) An occasional celebration is acceptable; taking it too far is not.

It’s OK to be proud of yourself. Just remember no one enjoys being around someone who constantly gloats. Stay humble. Stay true.

Don’t Worry About Your Mistakes: You are going to make mistakes (a lot of them.) You are going to say things you know you shouldn’t have said (I know I do.) You are going to do things you may regret. The only real mistake is failing to learn from your past experiences. Realize that making mistakes is part of being human. No matter how bad you may feel remember you have permission to make mistakes.

Make a mistake? Apologize. Forgive yourself, learn from it, and move on. Don’t let a simple mistake dictate the future you.

All You Need Is Practice: When I first began playing pool I barely could hold the stick correctly, let alone hit a colored ball into a tiny pocket. Put simply, I was atrocious. Over time however, my skills finally began to improve. Unless you are amazingly talented, is it very likely you will struggle when learning a new skill. Do not let this bother you.

Enjoy the processing of learning the skill and realize everyone has to begin somewhere. No matter how bad you may be all that matters is that you continue to strive for improvement. It’s OK to be really bad as long as you are continually improving. Don’t let the fear of embarrassment keep you from learning a new skill, all you need is practice.

Post from: A Boundless World

7 Life Lessons I Learned From Playing Pool

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Bad mood? Feeling down?

50 Ways To Instantly Boost Your Mood

Bad mood begone

Post from: A Boundless World

50 Ways To Instantly Boost Your Mood

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