Hello, poor deserted blog. Honestly, if I hadn't scheduled all my A to Z posts, I am not sure I would have posted more than a handful of times in April. Life is zipping along.
This weekend we spent a lot of time working on the courses we signed up for at the Millionaire Mind Experience*. We are currently in two programs, one is called Master Wealth Creator and the other is Mastering the Markets*. Both courses had already begun when we joined, so we started out behind. This weekend we worked on getting caught up. We updated our wills, recorded all our expenses for the month of April, and listened to all the calls for one program. I think we are mostly caught up, but it has taken a concerted effort! There is still a lot of homework, (practicing and memorizing mostly) and we still have all the actions required and weekly calls for the two group coaching programs we were signed up for prior to Dallas.
(* Please Note: the above links take you to the sites and use our affiliate numbers to give us financial imbursement should you attend the event or sign up for the products/services.)
I also signed up for a free 7 Day Book Writing Challenge that begins today. Well, for me it will begin tomorrow, because the time slot on my new Week at a Glance planner for writing was in the morning and we haven't gotten our first assignment yet. Ornery is at a disadvantage since he has to go to work everyday--I can work on the modules while he is gone, but he has to do the work in the evenings. Later this week he is headed to New Mexico for his job for a few days, so that could create even more of a time crunch for him. However, the nature of the job is that there is a considerable amount of waiting around doing nothing, so he might be able to do some studying then.
I had another emotional breakthrough this week: this one is related to my thinking and learning. When I was in the 7th grade, my Dad was married to his second wife. It was a stressful time for me, and even more so when I missed a week or more of school at the end of the first semester due to illness. I got my first ever failing marks on my report card (ironically one was in Home Economics) and I missed some key concepts and fell so far behind in math that I never really caught up. I was in honors math at the time and we were studying algebra. From that time on I struggled with numbers, math, and anything related to them. It was the subject I had the hardest time teaching my kids, and even the remedial math class in college was beyond my comprehension. I would look at the material and freeze.
Whether the emotional burden of having a difficult home-life was to blame or what, I don't know. But one of the courses we are taking is for learning how to trade in the stock market (Mastering the Markets). At first I felt like I would be able to handle it, then panic set in and my conditioned mind took over. Gah!
So, yesterday I spent some time after my sauna session doing some EFT, and then later did some Heart Physics meditation to put off the fear of failure in the area of math and numbers and put on the mind of Christ. That was before I really spent any time in the modules learning the material. I'm not sure whether the teachers are just that good or if my mind really isn't as mathematically challenged as I have always assumed, but I actually understand everything they have presented so far, and while I will continue to review it and practice doing the work, I am relieved that I am not panicked about it anymore. In fact, I am really excited about doing the trading. :)
We got a call on Saturday (?) from our son who shared some exciting news with us that he and his family are moving back to Oklahoma as he has gotten a job in Owasso, a nearby town. We are excited that we will be able to see our grand children from time to time, although I am not going to count on that happening very often. They are moving over the Memorial Day weekend, which will be here before we know it!
I got to spend some time on Sunday playing in my studio with a few art projects and writing some letters. Ornery also spent some time with his hobby; he cut out some more rings on his scroll saw to make the basket/bowls everyone likes so well. I cut his hair, bought groceries, cleaned up the kitchen and got the laundry done. In all it was a very productive weekend.
It's only Tuesday, but my week has also seen a lot of productivity, and I have to say I like that a lot! I've been cooking every day, and trying some new things. Yesterday I baked GF brownies, Saturday I made a GF pumpkin pie. Ornery says he has broken through to a "new" lower number on the scales (in the period of a couple of years.) I haven't weighed, but I may have lost as well. I am much more mobile this week than I was even last week, and have started taking a cane with me when I go out so I can walk for longer periods of time. My energy/stamina is much improved, and I seem to be able to focus fairly well. So, that's our weekend (and first part of the new week) in review! :)
Showing posts with label millionaire_mind. Show all posts
Showing posts with label millionaire_mind. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 5, 2015
Wednesday, April 29, 2015
(Belated) Weekend in Review: The Beginning Stages
My weekend in review is a little late, but I hope you will find it worth the wait...
At the end of 2014 Ornery and I sat down and wrote out some goals for 2015. Celine Dion's song Another Year Has Gone By on Ornery's Christmas music track was an ear worm reminding him that time was passing and things were still the same as they were 5, 10, 15 years ago. He was really frustrated with his lack of retirement options, so he determined to change things in the coming year. Our goals and plan of action were stringent, uncomfortable, and focused. Uneducated, but very focused. There were a few things we did know:
- We didn't have much of a retirement fund and at the rate things were going he would have to work until he died--and if anything happened to him I would be up Poo Creek in a leaky boat without a paddle.
- Our single rental property wouldn't come close to funding our dreams, much less our basic living expenses if anything should happen to his job--especially not with the repair expenses being more than the income every month so far this year.
- We knew that the key would be to find something we could do together; a business that I could tend while he worked at his job until it would pay for him to be able to quit.
- We researched several options, but also determined to work on improving ourselves first so we would be able to handle success without self-destructing, or losing everything.
- Not only would we need to research vehicles for passive income, we would need to take some significant action.
So, since we knew that the greatest change in our outer circumstances would be affected by the beliefs of our hearts, we started there. We started at the end of December reading Proverbs every day, along with Dr. Jim Richards' The Prayer Organizer and Connie Witter's Bible Study, Because of Jesus. We set the alarm for 3:00 AM and started each day in the Word and in prayer. While there were a few days we missed this, for the most part we have managed to complete four months of daily quiet time. (In almost 36 years of marriage we have not been able to maintain the practice for more than a month at a time, despite numerous attempts!)
Dr. Richards always says that the more modalities you use the quicker you will see transformation, so we made some other changes, commitments and goals as well, but this was the first one to get implemented and the only one that hasn't altered since we began. Ornery determined to do the work required to get some online business activity going, and I committed to writing my memoirs. We cut back on other outside commitments so we would not feel pressured by the additions to an already fairly full schedule.
One of the things we felt would be beneficial was to start a DIY blog, and Ornery stepped way out of his comfort zone and did so. He took pictures of a couple of his projects and posted them, then work got extra busy and he began working more overtime. That was good for the checking account, but not really good enough for us to think it would help financially in the long run.
Then things began to happen. Thursday, March 5th it snowed here in our little corner of the world. Despite the fact that Ornery's job is a mere mile from the house, the steep driveway was slicker than a greased pig, and since he had plenty of vacation stored up he stayed home. To pass the time, I read aloud to him. All day. Little did I know the journey that would begin on that day! Here is an excerpt I wrote in a post on March 11, 2015:
Last Wednesday when we were snowed in, Ornery and I began reading aloud Secrets of the Millionaire Mind by T Harv Eker. We spent several hours that day, and have continued to work our way through it a bit each day since then. We should be done reading it for the first time by this weekend. We have also signed up and made hotel reservations to attend a Millionaire Mind Intensive seminar, and been faithfully following the advice in the book, in as much as we are able.
It is time consuming and emotionally intensive to address long held beliefs and take the steps to alter those thought patterns. However, it is another step in the progression of the goals we set at the beginning of the year, and we are both on-board with the plan. It seems when we are both in agreement with anything, we make serious progress, so it is exciting to consider the future and what it may hold in store for us.
Our ultimate goal at the beginning of the year was to replace Ornery's income at his job with self-employment and/or passive income within 5 years. We thought to do it with real estate, but it requires much more investment capital than we have been able to secure, so we are taking some different paths. So far we haven't made any money, but we have learned a LOT and I think we are moving in the right direction. Time will tell, but we aren't quite through with the first quarter of the year and we can already see that things are aligning to bring about the changes we seek.
We have both continued to maintain a lot of the routine we set for ourselves in January. We know that success in the financial arena will require that we have good health and stamina, so part of our daily routine has been to spend time doing the sauna, exercising and eating for health. We have gone a couple of weeks now without eating wheat, and Ornery says he has lost about 5 lbs. so far. We are also still having a quiet time each morning, reading from the Proverbs, Psalms and two different Bible study books depending on the time we have. We are fairly consistent (more so lately) in our nightly journaling exercise wherein we track the daily activities that will bring us closer to our goals.
One of the quotes by Jim Rohn that has really helped us to focus is, "If it's easy to do it is also easy not to do." Doing those little "easy" things every day makes change and will create the lifestyle we seek. But it isn't possible to just do something once and establish a habit or change core beliefs--it is by repetition every day that will achieve success. Easy to do, but easy not to do. And life is so DAILY!
This is the longest period of time we have been able to maintain our momentum, and that is really encouraging to us both. We have been able to remind each other of the potential benefits, and have had some really deep discussions and addressed some heretofore unknown issues in ourselves. I would say the last month has been one of the most rewarding times relationally we have ever had. And that is saying something because we have always had a very close relationship!
Once we had signed up for the program, we began getting emails for webinars and other things, so we started taking advantages of those programs. We signed up for some group coaching, then after we saw another webinar we signed up for MORE group coaching. We are listening to two coaching calls each week and doing the related actions. We added a reading session in the evenings to go along with those we were doing in the morning. We read Harv's book through again in the mornings and read Dr. Richards' book, Wired for Success, Programmed for Failure in the evenings. We read just one chapter a day, but it always sparked discussion and moved us closer to being prepared for the changes we would experience at the Millionaire Mind Intensive.
So, here we are, almost two months after we picked up that first book. We attended the Millionaire Mind Experience (formerly Intensive) this past weekend. I can't even tell you the number of ways we had to get out of our comfort zones to attend, but one of Harv's principles is that your comfort zone = your wealth zone. If you have a small comfort zone, you won't make much money, but if you work to expand the number of situations in which you are comfortable, your entire world will expand. Ours ought to be explosive after all that, just sayin'.
The personal victories this weekend were astounding for both of us. Ornery eradicated his lifelong fear of failure, and I broke the mental and emotional chains of a lack of self worth. Both of us have been battling with these issues for years, and they have limited us for way longer than they should have. Despite having a number of tools at our disposal to conquer them completely, (Heart Physics, E.F.T, etc.) for whatever reason, we were still being held captive by our conditioned minds and hearts.
Seeing my shy, wall-flower husband on the stage dancing and wearing a big smile several times throughout the weekend, watching victories all over the room together and supporting each other through some incredibly potent exercises designed to write new truths at a cellular level created an even deeper sense of intimacy and commitment to each other than ever.
The energy generated at the MME was intense, healing and long lasting. I am still fired up, and rarin' to go! Yesterday I was super-productive and maintained an upbeat attitude through some pretty frustrating circumstances. I had even more emotional healing yesterday as I was doing some reviewing of an old Darren Hardy program we did in 2010 when I had to answer the question of whether there was anyone in my life that I had not completely forgiven. I got quiet, took a deep breath, closed my eyes and asked my heart if there was anyone I had not yet fully forgiven and when the person came to mind, I took care of it. :)
One of the tools we are using for change (and have been since January) is a transformation journal we write in each night just before bed. Various actions we are working to establish as habits are given a point value with the objective of making 100 points every day. There are enough activities on the list to make this possible even if you don't do every single thing, but when I had done the exercise in the past, after a few weeks my focus would wane and I would start accumulating fewer and fewer points each day--sometimes as few as 40 points--end then just quit altogether. It is a rare day now when I don't have 125 to 140 points. I am more focused than ever, yet yesterday I spent thirty minutes just sitting outside listening to the birds sing and admiring my lovely flowers, so I am getting more done and still taking time to regenerate.
While we were at the MME seminar we signed up for several more training experiences. So many of the things we had been looking for as far as passive income were addressed at the MME and will be thoroughly covered at the other events. I'm not going to lie--it was scary to hand over the credit card (which was finally almost at a zero balance again!) and commit to such a significant financial expenditure, but we knew we had to take action now. The next couple of years will be a wild ride for us. Changes will happen rapid-fire, but the personal growth promised by these opportunities will be worth any sacrifices we may decide are necessary to get to our goal.
When we left here last Thursday I had three objectives:
- Make friends with three or four like-minded people/couples we could connect with socially
- Re-set our Financial Blueprint so we would stop sabotaging our success
- Get training to establish passive income
MME delivered on all its promises and I was able to meet all my objectives and more. We are both more excited about our future than we ever hoped to be. We have more tools, new skills, amazing support and increasing energy; and with the blockages to success removed, the sky is the limit.
Thank you for reading all this, and I want to say that if you are sharing any of the same frustrations that we have felt for many years--no end to the rat race, getting wealth is too hard, or whatever other lies you have told yourself-- I hope you will at least pick up The Secrets of the Millionaire Mind and read it through. If it speaks to you, or if you click the link to the MME sign up page above and you resonate with the message in the promotional video, I hope you will take the first action of attending one of the three day seminars. It will be worth every moment of your time and every dime of the money it takes to get there. And if you go, will you let me know? I would love to cheer you on. It's been less than two months since we really started the program and the change has been incredible. I know we still have a long way to go, but for the first time ever, we believe we have found the help we need to make the journey.
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
A Long Ramble about What I am Learning
As Ornery and I have been immersing ourselves in tools relating to increasing our net worth, we have been doing a lot of reading. We start our day early. The new programmable coffee maker comes on and performs its magic at 2:45, so by the time the alarm comes on at 3:00 AM, the coffee is already brewed and waiting. Magic, I tell you!
Bolstered by a few sips of caffeine, we spend some time reading, first a portion of a Bible Study book, then a chapter in Proverbs and some of the Psalms. Then we pray and read a wealth file from the T Harv Eker book, Secrets of the Millionaire Mind. After that we read aloud all the declarations from the book--even more than the ones printed on the free download pdf. Then we spend a few moments talking before I fix breakfast and Ornery goes to work, generally around 4:30.
Around 7:00 in the evening, Ornery climbs onto the recumbent exercise bike for a 30 minute ride, and while he pedals, I read some more, this time from the Dr. James Richards book, Wired for Success, Programmed for Failure. The chapters are short but powerful and often we comment that some point was especially apropos. The idea that success or failure depends solely on our beliefs is coming through loud and strong on every front.
A few days ago I plucked from the shelf in our library the EFT Manual by Dawson Church. Once again I am battered with truth that the beliefs of our hearts dictate every other circumstance in our lives. Every single one! Whether it is health, wealth, happiness, peace or any other situation, if I blame anyone other than myself and my beliefs for the current state, I am both deceiving myself and robbing myself of any possibility of moving beyond my current limitations.
I do not like this. Really, it is much easier to blame someone else (God, my parents, my husband, my kids, my friends, my enemies...) or some external circumstance for my current state than it is to face and assume responsibility for it. Especially if my current state is one that I don't like! Because if I say I don't like it and it is my choices that put me where I am, then I have to think about what secondary gain I have by remaining in my current state.
I have been thinking a lot lately about the conditioning I have received throughout my life. I am writing my memoirs and having to dig deep in the archives of my mind to rediscover what experiences I had and the ensuing choices and decisions that created the person I am today. It is work, and I admit that many days I have to do all sorts of things to convince myself it is worth the effort. I have been doing EFT on a plethora of fears, regrets, limitations and false beliefs. Day by day I can feel myself stepping into freedom, yet moment by moment I vacillate between feeling confident and being scared half to death; but at least I am feeling something.
Four years ago I had pretty well given up on life. I had an eye infection that severely limited my vision, my hip and back had reached such levels of pain I could barely walk from one end of my house to the other without sitting down, and feeling like I had no further purpose on this earth my emotions had reached an all time low. I quit driving, not having any depth of field or ability to focus clearly at a distance, and quit going out because I just didn't have the stamina to walk. Needless to say, my state was alarming to my family, and Ornery was really worried I would just check out one day and not come back. Honestly, I was worried about the same thing!
Eventually we were able to get the eye situation back under control, but I had sold my van to Elizabeth when she totaled her car so I haven't driven in almost four years. One day around the end of September 2013, I shared my fears, my complaints and my lack of will to live with Ornery and we decided together to do what we could to change the situation.
First I started going back to the chiropractor that had helped us both so much in the past. Getting the pain under control was a big relief. My weight, which had continued to increase no matter what I ate or didn't eat, stabilized and even went down slightly. I was able to sleep more soundly and took more of an interest in life in general. Because I rarely went out or saw people, I began seeking out correspondents with whom I could share conversation via the mail. I started expanding my circle of friends on Instagram, and discovered my inner artist. Between the letter writing and art my starving soul began to revive.
Each step along the way I have learned more about myself, and I have come to realize that as long as I allowed my external circumstances to dictate my happiness I would never be truly content; because let's face it, life can deal us some pretty hard blows! My memoirs have been revelatory on many levels, but I see clearly now that my unhealthy obsession with my weight has served me nothing but absolute misery my entire life, whatever level of fat (or not) I was.
It is easy to feel like I wasted 50 years driven by stories that were merely fiction in my head. I believed people would judge me by my body. I believed I was "less than" others because I could not control this aspect of my life. I believed I was not worthy or deserving of abundant life because I was fat. What a crock!! Oh, I realize now many would look at my body and judge me, but that is not because of my fault, it is because they are short-sighted or have also bought into a lie that people are only worth what they show at face value.
The truths I am learning about personal responsibility are liberating. If I (that is the inner-self or heart or subconscious) am the one in control then I can change anything about myself I truly want to change by changing my beliefs. If I chose my beliefs, I can change my beliefs. If I could not think clearly, had no tools at my disposal or didn't have any support system in place, I think this might be a daunting challenge. But my mind is clearer today than it has been in years, I have discovered a dozen or more tools to improve my quality of life, and I am married to an incredible support system and have God's grace--His power, ability, strength and capacity--within.
As for my weight, while I have so far not been able to significantly change that aspect of myself, I suspect it is just a matter or time. I have recently made numerous choices that will combine to create a healthier, more vibrant person and even if I don't ever take off the pounds, I think (hope) the inner me will shine so brightly that others will be blind to that aspect. Learning how to love myself is a lesson I wish I had undertaken to learn many years ago, but as long as I have breath, I have the possibility of changing for the better. And as I renew my mind by believing the truth of who and what God's word says I am, I am continually being transformed into the woman God intended for me to be. How fun is that?!
This week Elizabeth is bringing back my old van. She and Michael purchased a new car last fall and the van has just been sitting idle. So, I am going to be doing a lot of tapping on my fear of getting behind the wheel again, and working at overcoming my current constraints -- discomfort of being around a crowd of strangers; building up my stamina to walk from the car to the door and through stores or whatever places I decide to go; and who knows what other phobias and foibles I will need to cast off. I am proud of myself for attempting it, facing and overcoming the challenges.
As I trust Him more, God is gradually revealing exactly what purpose I have and how to tap into His grace to walk in it. By the time my memoir is finished it ought to offer hope and help to anyone who has struggled with a lifetime of obesity, feelings of unworthiness and fear of success. And I will have grown immeasurably. For the win!
Bolstered by a few sips of caffeine, we spend some time reading, first a portion of a Bible Study book, then a chapter in Proverbs and some of the Psalms. Then we pray and read a wealth file from the T Harv Eker book, Secrets of the Millionaire Mind. After that we read aloud all the declarations from the book--even more than the ones printed on the free download pdf. Then we spend a few moments talking before I fix breakfast and Ornery goes to work, generally around 4:30.
Around 7:00 in the evening, Ornery climbs onto the recumbent exercise bike for a 30 minute ride, and while he pedals, I read some more, this time from the Dr. James Richards book, Wired for Success, Programmed for Failure. The chapters are short but powerful and often we comment that some point was especially apropos. The idea that success or failure depends solely on our beliefs is coming through loud and strong on every front.
A few days ago I plucked from the shelf in our library the EFT Manual by Dawson Church. Once again I am battered with truth that the beliefs of our hearts dictate every other circumstance in our lives. Every single one! Whether it is health, wealth, happiness, peace or any other situation, if I blame anyone other than myself and my beliefs for the current state, I am both deceiving myself and robbing myself of any possibility of moving beyond my current limitations.
I do not like this. Really, it is much easier to blame someone else (God, my parents, my husband, my kids, my friends, my enemies...) or some external circumstance for my current state than it is to face and assume responsibility for it. Especially if my current state is one that I don't like! Because if I say I don't like it and it is my choices that put me where I am, then I have to think about what secondary gain I have by remaining in my current state.
I have been thinking a lot lately about the conditioning I have received throughout my life. I am writing my memoirs and having to dig deep in the archives of my mind to rediscover what experiences I had and the ensuing choices and decisions that created the person I am today. It is work, and I admit that many days I have to do all sorts of things to convince myself it is worth the effort. I have been doing EFT on a plethora of fears, regrets, limitations and false beliefs. Day by day I can feel myself stepping into freedom, yet moment by moment I vacillate between feeling confident and being scared half to death; but at least I am feeling something.
Four years ago I had pretty well given up on life. I had an eye infection that severely limited my vision, my hip and back had reached such levels of pain I could barely walk from one end of my house to the other without sitting down, and feeling like I had no further purpose on this earth my emotions had reached an all time low. I quit driving, not having any depth of field or ability to focus clearly at a distance, and quit going out because I just didn't have the stamina to walk. Needless to say, my state was alarming to my family, and Ornery was really worried I would just check out one day and not come back. Honestly, I was worried about the same thing!
Eventually we were able to get the eye situation back under control, but I had sold my van to Elizabeth when she totaled her car so I haven't driven in almost four years. One day around the end of September 2013, I shared my fears, my complaints and my lack of will to live with Ornery and we decided together to do what we could to change the situation.
First I started going back to the chiropractor that had helped us both so much in the past. Getting the pain under control was a big relief. My weight, which had continued to increase no matter what I ate or didn't eat, stabilized and even went down slightly. I was able to sleep more soundly and took more of an interest in life in general. Because I rarely went out or saw people, I began seeking out correspondents with whom I could share conversation via the mail. I started expanding my circle of friends on Instagram, and discovered my inner artist. Between the letter writing and art my starving soul began to revive.
Each step along the way I have learned more about myself, and I have come to realize that as long as I allowed my external circumstances to dictate my happiness I would never be truly content; because let's face it, life can deal us some pretty hard blows! My memoirs have been revelatory on many levels, but I see clearly now that my unhealthy obsession with my weight has served me nothing but absolute misery my entire life, whatever level of fat (or not) I was.
It is easy to feel like I wasted 50 years driven by stories that were merely fiction in my head. I believed people would judge me by my body. I believed I was "less than" others because I could not control this aspect of my life. I believed I was not worthy or deserving of abundant life because I was fat. What a crock!! Oh, I realize now many would look at my body and judge me, but that is not because of my fault, it is because they are short-sighted or have also bought into a lie that people are only worth what they show at face value.
The truths I am learning about personal responsibility are liberating. If I (that is the inner-self or heart or subconscious) am the one in control then I can change anything about myself I truly want to change by changing my beliefs. If I chose my beliefs, I can change my beliefs. If I could not think clearly, had no tools at my disposal or didn't have any support system in place, I think this might be a daunting challenge. But my mind is clearer today than it has been in years, I have discovered a dozen or more tools to improve my quality of life, and I am married to an incredible support system and have God's grace--His power, ability, strength and capacity--within.
As for my weight, while I have so far not been able to significantly change that aspect of myself, I suspect it is just a matter or time. I have recently made numerous choices that will combine to create a healthier, more vibrant person and even if I don't ever take off the pounds, I think (hope) the inner me will shine so brightly that others will be blind to that aspect. Learning how to love myself is a lesson I wish I had undertaken to learn many years ago, but as long as I have breath, I have the possibility of changing for the better. And as I renew my mind by believing the truth of who and what God's word says I am, I am continually being transformed into the woman God intended for me to be. How fun is that?!
This week Elizabeth is bringing back my old van. She and Michael purchased a new car last fall and the van has just been sitting idle. So, I am going to be doing a lot of tapping on my fear of getting behind the wheel again, and working at overcoming my current constraints -- discomfort of being around a crowd of strangers; building up my stamina to walk from the car to the door and through stores or whatever places I decide to go; and who knows what other phobias and foibles I will need to cast off. I am proud of myself for attempting it, facing and overcoming the challenges.
As I trust Him more, God is gradually revealing exactly what purpose I have and how to tap into His grace to walk in it. By the time my memoir is finished it ought to offer hope and help to anyone who has struggled with a lifetime of obesity, feelings of unworthiness and fear of success. And I will have grown immeasurably. For the win!
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
It's Working!
One of the reasons I wanted to jump onto the A to Z challenge band wagon was to reestablish my writing mojo-- and it's working! I have been spending daily quality time working on my memoirs, and the momentum has spilled over into other areas of my life. I won't set any speed records for completion, but I am averaging between one and three hours of work each day, which is a lot of time for me to sit still and do one thing!
I've also wandered around through the list of the Great Theme Reveal and found some blogs I hope to follow through the month of April. I had forgotten how much fun blogging is and now that I'm back at it, hopefully I won't drop the habit again.
Last night Ornery and I listened to the second group coaching call and a new webinar by T Harv Eker. We got some good information from both events that will hopefully aid us in reaching our goals. We usually get up at 3:00 AM to start our day, so the late evening computer time was a serious infringement on our sleep time.
One young man shared his goal of finding some online business opportunities that would pay well, and the coach said, "Quit looking for something to make money. Focus on what your passion is. All business has the potential to make money, but if you are not passionate about it you will quit when you are faced with the challenges that naturally come to any business." Wow. That was worth the price of the call and the short night right there!
Ornery is not really all that passionate. He probably was as a child, but his dad was domineering and didn't give him the opportunity to explore his dreams much. Mostly Ornery was concerned with not angering his dad, and eventually learned to show no emotion at all. That's not a helpful life skill, in case you didn't know.
He is working on learning how to feel and express emotion, but 56 years of programming won't change over night. And sometimes the concept is so foreign it requires word pictures to figure out what it means. So last night I tried to think about what passion really is. The best I could come up with was that when you are passionate about something, it can overtake your thoughts and almost consume you, but it doesn't destroy you. It's that thing you can work at for hours and hours, exhausting yourself physically but still think about long into the night and eagerly jump back into the next day. He seemed to finally get it.
Not that he has shared anything that is like that for him, but the closest I have seen him to being passionate was when he was renovating our first rental property. He enjoys learning new skills and working with his hands--and tools! He loves new tools! I am going to wait to see if he comes up with that on his own, but it could be that he has other things he has yet to share or even discover.
I spent some time yesterday afternoon setting up a new journal for my own goals, writing down a few motivating quotes, adding some washi tape to page edges, and putting downall some of the things I want to accomplish with the rest of my life. I do not have Ornery's problem of a lack of passion. My problem is that I have more ideas and dreams than I could complete in two lifetimes, much less in 1/2 of one. So, I will be spending some time over the next few days and weeks honing and refining, then setting up a plan of action.
I didn't get to do any art yesterday, so that is on my agenda for today. I'm feeling the urge to get a little messy. It will feed one of my passions. What about you? Do you have something that fires you up?
I've also wandered around through the list of the Great Theme Reveal and found some blogs I hope to follow through the month of April. I had forgotten how much fun blogging is and now that I'm back at it, hopefully I won't drop the habit again.
Last night Ornery and I listened to the second group coaching call and a new webinar by T Harv Eker. We got some good information from both events that will hopefully aid us in reaching our goals. We usually get up at 3:00 AM to start our day, so the late evening computer time was a serious infringement on our sleep time.
One young man shared his goal of finding some online business opportunities that would pay well, and the coach said, "Quit looking for something to make money. Focus on what your passion is. All business has the potential to make money, but if you are not passionate about it you will quit when you are faced with the challenges that naturally come to any business." Wow. That was worth the price of the call and the short night right there!
Ornery is not really all that passionate. He probably was as a child, but his dad was domineering and didn't give him the opportunity to explore his dreams much. Mostly Ornery was concerned with not angering his dad, and eventually learned to show no emotion at all. That's not a helpful life skill, in case you didn't know.
He is working on learning how to feel and express emotion, but 56 years of programming won't change over night. And sometimes the concept is so foreign it requires word pictures to figure out what it means. So last night I tried to think about what passion really is. The best I could come up with was that when you are passionate about something, it can overtake your thoughts and almost consume you, but it doesn't destroy you. It's that thing you can work at for hours and hours, exhausting yourself physically but still think about long into the night and eagerly jump back into the next day. He seemed to finally get it.
Not that he has shared anything that is like that for him, but the closest I have seen him to being passionate was when he was renovating our first rental property. He enjoys learning new skills and working with his hands--and tools! He loves new tools! I am going to wait to see if he comes up with that on his own, but it could be that he has other things he has yet to share or even discover.
I spent some time yesterday afternoon setting up a new journal for my own goals, writing down a few motivating quotes, adding some washi tape to page edges, and putting down
I didn't get to do any art yesterday, so that is on my agenda for today. I'm feeling the urge to get a little messy. It will feed one of my passions. What about you? Do you have something that fires you up?
Tuesday, March 24, 2015
Appreciate for Increase
(I had this up yesterday, but I had forgotten about the theme reveal, and I didn't want to confuse those who dropped by for that post. Sorry for the confusion. )
What with one thing and another we seem to already be behind on our coaching calls, and we missed both the first group call as well as the first Tough Love Mentoring call with T. Harv Eker. Yesterday we listened to the TLM call and one of the many things I took away from that was the principal of appreciation for increase.
I have always known that you get more of what you think about. It's a scriptural principal as well as one backed by empirical data. But I never really considered it in quite the light that Harv presented; when something appreciates it gets bigger. Well, yeah!
The question indicated that the person was focused on lack instead of being appreciative for what she had. If she ever expected to receive more (money, happiness, health, etc.) she needed to appreciate that which she already had, Harv suggested.
I've seen this in my own life repeatedly. When I am frustrated in a relationship and focused on what is going wrong, every thing that arises related to it seems to bring more pain. Yet, when I am appreciative for the other person, the relationship sails along smoothly. Concerning health, when I focus on pain or some area of dislike for my physical body (almost always my weight) it seems I get more pain or MORE fat! It is a challenge to turn my focus from what hurts me and instead observe, magnify and appreciate all the good things I have going on.
But as with all behavior it is learned. Habitual complaining can turn to habitual gratitude. Either way I will get more of that which I focus on, so I am determined to make the things I get more of GOOD things!
It's a work in progress for sure, but I can see great benefit for being appreciative. As the good things grow, they will crowd out the bad like a healthy lawn has no room for weeds. My exercise today is to list five areas in my life for which I can express appreciation.
Are there things in each of these areas that are concerns? You betcha! My freedom is limited by past decisions; I have pain in my body on a regular basis; not every relationship in my life is rosy; I'd be happy to move to a different house; some days I feel adrift with no reason for existence. BUT while I could focus on these aspects(and have in times past), I choose to look at all the good things instead. As I appreciate the good things, I receive more of them, and slowly but surely they are edging out all the bad!
Can you think of five things you are grateful for today? Have you expressed appreciation for the good things in your life?
What with one thing and another we seem to already be behind on our coaching calls, and we missed both the first group call as well as the first Tough Love Mentoring call with T. Harv Eker. Yesterday we listened to the TLM call and one of the many things I took away from that was the principal of appreciation for increase.
I have always known that you get more of what you think about. It's a scriptural principal as well as one backed by empirical data. But I never really considered it in quite the light that Harv presented; when something appreciates it gets bigger. Well, yeah!
The question indicated that the person was focused on lack instead of being appreciative for what she had. If she ever expected to receive more (money, happiness, health, etc.) she needed to appreciate that which she already had, Harv suggested.
I've seen this in my own life repeatedly. When I am frustrated in a relationship and focused on what is going wrong, every thing that arises related to it seems to bring more pain. Yet, when I am appreciative for the other person, the relationship sails along smoothly. Concerning health, when I focus on pain or some area of dislike for my physical body (almost always my weight) it seems I get more pain or MORE fat! It is a challenge to turn my focus from what hurts me and instead observe, magnify and appreciate all the good things I have going on.
But as with all behavior it is learned. Habitual complaining can turn to habitual gratitude. Either way I will get more of that which I focus on, so I am determined to make the things I get more of GOOD things!
It's a work in progress for sure, but I can see great benefit for being appreciative. As the good things grow, they will crowd out the bad like a healthy lawn has no room for weeds. My exercise today is to list five areas in my life for which I can express appreciation.
- Freedom; I am not enslaved by anyone. I can come and go as I please, can share my thoughts and opinions freely, have the freedom to make choices that affect every area of my life from finances to health to education, spirituality, relationships and beyond.
- Health; Mental, physical and emotional health are huge, HUGE blessings for which I am grateful. I had a short bout of the sniffles last week and it made me realize how healthy I am overall that such a small and insignificant "illness" would make me so indignant! I appreciate my ability to think clearly enough to process the information I am receiving and apply it to my life to great gain.
- Love; As I am writing my history, I am recalling instances all through my life that show how very much I was loved as a child. Not a single moment of the day goes by that I am not fully aware of how much my Heavenly Father and my husband love me unconditionally.
- Comfort; While I am hoping to expand my comfort zone, I have to say I appreciate the fact that I have a home to live in that is cool in the summer heat and warm in the frigid winter. It is roomy enough to accommodate our possessions and aesthetically pleasing.
- Purpose; At this time in my life my purpose is not as clear to me as when I was raising my children, but each day as I express gratitude for my purpose, it is unfolding to me.
Are there things in each of these areas that are concerns? You betcha! My freedom is limited by past decisions; I have pain in my body on a regular basis; not every relationship in my life is rosy; I'd be happy to move to a different house; some days I feel adrift with no reason for existence. BUT while I could focus on these aspects(and have in times past), I choose to look at all the good things instead. As I appreciate the good things, I receive more of them, and slowly but surely they are edging out all the bad!
Can you think of five things you are grateful for today? Have you expressed appreciation for the good things in your life?
Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Uncomfortable: Good or Bad?
I must be living really well for time to go by so quickly, right? I mean, if you are bored, time seems to drag on and on but if you are busy then you barely notice the passing of the days--you look up and suddenly almost a week has gone by since you have posted to your blog!!
Well, I actually have been posting to my blog, but all the posts are scheduled for April! I actually have all 26 posts written, (Yay!!) but I still have some photos to take and upload. That was quite an accomplishment for me! So, whether or not I actually get everything finished by April 1, the show will go on, because even without the photos, I have some pretty good content scheduled!
I've spent a few hours tooling around through the list of participants, and I've been surprised (and a little sad) that more aren't "regular" (as in frequent) posters. Some only have a single post on their blog dated around the time they joined the challenge. A lot of the blogs are a challenge to comment on--you have to sign in to Wordpress or Google+ -- or the landing page just has snippets of the posts so you have to click to read more. I'm a lazy blog reader, and a quick one. I don't have a lot of time to read posts that don't interest me, so if I have to click to read more, I won't bother.
Meanwhile, I've replied to all my incoming correspondence and Ornery and I are working hard on our goals--he is refining what and why, and I have begun taking one small action step per day. Today I wrote my outline for my book. Each day I will do one more thing and one day it will be done! I have to admit I have been a little overwhelmed by the task of writing a whole book, but there are thousands of people who have done it, so why not me?
So, today was the outline, tomorrow will be a few pages of text. I don't know why I feel like what I write has to be edited and ready for others to read when I stop for the day, but that is the thought I have been working from, so allowing myself the freedom to do just one small thing is uncomfortable for me.
I mentioned last week that Ornery and I have been reading Secrets of the Millionaire Mind, and one of themean, nasty, hard things he says is that in order to grow (rich, successful, character, etc.) we have to get out of our comfort zone. My inner self says, "But we LIKE being comfortable!! Why you wanna mess with things??" I have had to give my self permission to want success--more than I have already. And, I have had to decide that I want the benefits more than I want to be comfortable. So, I'm doing all sorts of things I am not comfortable doing. Well, that wouldn't be hard because I am most comfortable sitting doing nothing--or reading or working a puzzle or playing a card game or reading Instagram or ... you get the picture. Those mindless, nonsupportive actions that will lead me exactly to the place I already am!
So, my goal for this week is to be extremely uncomfortable. Do the tasks I have put off, quit overlooking that pile of stuff I don't know what to do with -- just make a decision and get rid of it! -- get in the kitchen and make some healthy food options so we don't just eat the same stuff every day... and write on my WIP every day.
We've already made some significant changes in our routine this year, and they are beginning to pay off in character development and the sense of feeling good about ourselves for even small accomplishments. I tell Dave every day, "I believe in you." He has always believed in me, but never in himself. Everyone should have someone who believes in them, right?
Last night we watched a webinar on the Ultimate Life Makeover that ended in signing up for some personal coaching. Is that uncomfortable? You betcha!! It will be four months (to start) of weekly accountability to a group. Yikes!
What do we hope to gain?
Well, I actually have been posting to my blog, but all the posts are scheduled for April! I actually have all 26 posts written, (Yay!!) but I still have some photos to take and upload. That was quite an accomplishment for me! So, whether or not I actually get everything finished by April 1, the show will go on, because even without the photos, I have some pretty good content scheduled!
I've spent a few hours tooling around through the list of participants, and I've been surprised (and a little sad) that more aren't "regular" (as in frequent) posters. Some only have a single post on their blog dated around the time they joined the challenge. A lot of the blogs are a challenge to comment on--you have to sign in to Wordpress or Google+ -- or the landing page just has snippets of the posts so you have to click to read more. I'm a lazy blog reader, and a quick one. I don't have a lot of time to read posts that don't interest me, so if I have to click to read more, I won't bother.
Meanwhile, I've replied to all my incoming correspondence and Ornery and I are working hard on our goals--he is refining what and why, and I have begun taking one small action step per day. Today I wrote my outline for my book. Each day I will do one more thing and one day it will be done! I have to admit I have been a little overwhelmed by the task of writing a whole book, but there are thousands of people who have done it, so why not me?
So, today was the outline, tomorrow will be a few pages of text. I don't know why I feel like what I write has to be edited and ready for others to read when I stop for the day, but that is the thought I have been working from, so allowing myself the freedom to do just one small thing is uncomfortable for me.
I mentioned last week that Ornery and I have been reading Secrets of the Millionaire Mind, and one of the
So, my goal for this week is to be extremely uncomfortable. Do the tasks I have put off, quit overlooking that pile of stuff I don't know what to do with -- just make a decision and get rid of it! -- get in the kitchen and make some healthy food options so we don't just eat the same stuff every day... and write on my WIP every day.
We've already made some significant changes in our routine this year, and they are beginning to pay off in character development and the sense of feeling good about ourselves for even small accomplishments. I tell Dave every day, "I believe in you." He has always believed in me, but never in himself. Everyone should have someone who believes in them, right?
Last night we watched a webinar on the Ultimate Life Makeover that ended in signing up for some personal coaching. Is that uncomfortable? You betcha!! It will be four months (to start) of weekly accountability to a group. Yikes!
What do we hope to gain?
- To reach the end of the year with increased monetary net worth
- better sense of wellness
- personal character growth
- new friends who will encourage, challenge, motivate and educate us
- a sense of purpose
- tools, wisdom and support
- Several sources of passive income
We are both pretty hyped, and to be on the journey together is such a joy! So, while the ride may be bumpy and uncomfortable as we have to stretch and grow, at least I have a great sidekick who cheers me on and is motivating me by example. Life is grand!
Wednesday, March 11, 2015
A Little of This and That
Life is clipping right along around these parts. Spring seems to have settled into place, the first daffodil is ready to open any day, the clocks are all set to a new time an hour later and we are gradually adjusting our sleep schedules to match the clocks. Ornery woke up at 2:00 AM yesterday, and decided to start the day--may as well, no more sleep would be happening with the big dog barking all night right outside our bedroom window. I finally broke down and wrote a letter to them yesterday and am hopeful they will do something about the dog soon, but if not, I am prepared to begin keeping a log of bark-fests to present to the court. What a pain.
So, you may be wondering what we have been up to around here... Well, I've done a few art projects, finished off the last of my Swap-bot swaps for March, and written a few of my A to Z blog posts. I decided that while I won't quit altogether, I am going to cut way back on swapping my art--it is in many ways the same as giving it for free. I don't think I am "all that" that I can charge a fortune for my creations, but neither do I think my art has no value. It is one of a long line of perspectives that I am working on changing, and it has always been a struggle to ask to be paid for something I made.
Elizabeth has been busily planting seeds and comes by each day to praise their progress. It's fun to hear her sing out to them each day, "Morning seedies!!" I confess to having absolutely no interest in gardening yet this year. My focus seems to be on other things, and I think that is okay. That said, I really don't know what she has planted...
The tray on the far right has been planted the longest (almost a month), the two on the left are just from this past weekend--so those little bits of green were seeds three days ago. She bought a LOT of new flower seeds, and quite a few herbs. I hope she maintains her enthusiasm for the garden, because mine is still hibernating.
Last Wednesday when we were snowed in, Ornery and I began reading aloud Secrets of the Millionaire Mind by T Harv Eker. We spent several hours that day, and have continued to work our way through it a bit each day since then. We should be done reading it for the first time by this weekend. We have also signed up and made hotel reservations to attend a Millionaire Mind Intensive seminar, and been faithfully following the advice in the book, in as much as we are able.
It is time consuming and emotionally intensive to address long held beliefs and take the steps to alter those thought patterns. However, it is another step in the progression of the goals we set at the beginning of the year, and we are both on-board with the plan. It seems when we are both in agreement with anything, we make serious progress, so it is exciting to consider the future and what it may hold in store for us.
Our ultimate goal at the beginning of the year was to replace Ornery's income at his job with self-employment and/or passive income. We thought to do it with real estate, but it requires much more investment capital than we have been able to secure, so we are taking some different paths. So far we haven't made any money, but we have learned a LOT and I think we are moving in the right direction. Time will tell, but we aren't quite through with the first quarter of the year and we can already see that things are aligning to bring about the changes we seek.
We have both continued to maintain a lot of the routine we set for ourselves in January. We know that success in the financial arena will require that we have good health and stamina, so part of our daily routine has been to spend time doing the sauna, exercising and eating for health. We have gone a couple of weeks now without eating wheat, and Ornery says he has lost about 5 lbs. so far. We are also still having a quiet time each morning, reading from the Proverbs, Psalms and two different Bible study books depending on the time we have. We are fairly consistent (more so lately) in our nightly journaling exercise wherein we track the daily activities that will bring us closer to our goals.
One of the quotes by Jim Rohn that has really helped us to focus is, "If it's easy to do it is also easy not to do." Doing those little "easy" things every day makes change and will create the lifestyle we seek. But it isn't possible to just do something once and establish a habit or change core beliefs--it is by repetition every day that will achieve success. Easy to do, but easy not to do. And life is so DAILY!
This is the longest period of time we have been able to maintain our momentum, and that is really encouraging to us both. We have been able to remind each other of the potential benefits, and have had some really deep discussions and addressed some heretofore unknown issues in ourselves. I would say the last month has been one of the most rewarding times relationally we have ever had. And that is saying something because we have always had a very close relationship!
Mom came over yesterday to work a couple of jigsaw puzzles. I had intended to write blog posts for April all afternoon, but it was good to spend time with her. One never knows how long we'll have with family, so it seems wise to use the time we do have to build good memories. I know she must get lonely, as well. It is unimaginable to think how I would cope without my beloved Ornery.
So, now you are up-to-date with us! The days are rushing along like a speeding train, and April will be here before we know it. My goal is to have all my blog posts for April written by Friday, catch up on all my correspondence over the weekend, and begin in earnest to write my book next week. I realize how important it is to carve out large blocks of time to work uninterrupted, so I have decided to treat it like a job. I ordered new business cards to take to the Millionaire Mind Intensive, and for my profession/title I listed artist and author. I'd like to have a good body of work under my proverbial belt before I have to face someone and claim my titles face-to-face!
So, you may be wondering what we have been up to around here... Well, I've done a few art projects, finished off the last of my Swap-bot swaps for March, and written a few of my A to Z blog posts. I decided that while I won't quit altogether, I am going to cut way back on swapping my art--it is in many ways the same as giving it for free. I don't think I am "all that" that I can charge a fortune for my creations, but neither do I think my art has no value. It is one of a long line of perspectives that I am working on changing, and it has always been a struggle to ask to be paid for something I made.
Elizabeth has been busily planting seeds and comes by each day to praise their progress. It's fun to hear her sing out to them each day, "Morning seedies!!" I confess to having absolutely no interest in gardening yet this year. My focus seems to be on other things, and I think that is okay. That said, I really don't know what she has planted...
Last Wednesday when we were snowed in, Ornery and I began reading aloud Secrets of the Millionaire Mind by T Harv Eker. We spent several hours that day, and have continued to work our way through it a bit each day since then. We should be done reading it for the first time by this weekend. We have also signed up and made hotel reservations to attend a Millionaire Mind Intensive seminar, and been faithfully following the advice in the book, in as much as we are able.
It is time consuming and emotionally intensive to address long held beliefs and take the steps to alter those thought patterns. However, it is another step in the progression of the goals we set at the beginning of the year, and we are both on-board with the plan. It seems when we are both in agreement with anything, we make serious progress, so it is exciting to consider the future and what it may hold in store for us.
Our ultimate goal at the beginning of the year was to replace Ornery's income at his job with self-employment and/or passive income. We thought to do it with real estate, but it requires much more investment capital than we have been able to secure, so we are taking some different paths. So far we haven't made any money, but we have learned a LOT and I think we are moving in the right direction. Time will tell, but we aren't quite through with the first quarter of the year and we can already see that things are aligning to bring about the changes we seek.
We have both continued to maintain a lot of the routine we set for ourselves in January. We know that success in the financial arena will require that we have good health and stamina, so part of our daily routine has been to spend time doing the sauna, exercising and eating for health. We have gone a couple of weeks now without eating wheat, and Ornery says he has lost about 5 lbs. so far. We are also still having a quiet time each morning, reading from the Proverbs, Psalms and two different Bible study books depending on the time we have. We are fairly consistent (more so lately) in our nightly journaling exercise wherein we track the daily activities that will bring us closer to our goals.
One of the quotes by Jim Rohn that has really helped us to focus is, "If it's easy to do it is also easy not to do." Doing those little "easy" things every day makes change and will create the lifestyle we seek. But it isn't possible to just do something once and establish a habit or change core beliefs--it is by repetition every day that will achieve success. Easy to do, but easy not to do. And life is so DAILY!
This is the longest period of time we have been able to maintain our momentum, and that is really encouraging to us both. We have been able to remind each other of the potential benefits, and have had some really deep discussions and addressed some heretofore unknown issues in ourselves. I would say the last month has been one of the most rewarding times relationally we have ever had. And that is saying something because we have always had a very close relationship!
Mom came over yesterday to work a couple of jigsaw puzzles. I had intended to write blog posts for April all afternoon, but it was good to spend time with her. One never knows how long we'll have with family, so it seems wise to use the time we do have to build good memories. I know she must get lonely, as well. It is unimaginable to think how I would cope without my beloved Ornery.
So, now you are up-to-date with us! The days are rushing along like a speeding train, and April will be here before we know it. My goal is to have all my blog posts for April written by Friday, catch up on all my correspondence over the weekend, and begin in earnest to write my book next week. I realize how important it is to carve out large blocks of time to work uninterrupted, so I have decided to treat it like a job. I ordered new business cards to take to the Millionaire Mind Intensive, and for my profession/title I listed artist and author. I'd like to have a good body of work under my proverbial belt before I have to face someone and claim my titles face-to-face!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)