Thought For Today - August

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Dedicate Yourself

As we all get caught up in "me, me, me," let's try something different this week: for 10 to 30 minutes everyday, dedicate yourself to others. Give your time to an elderly neighbor. Share something you value in your local community, your knowledge or a skill you have.

If it's not possible or practical, then give through your thoughts. Dedicate your thoughts and good wishes to a place, a situation, a person or the world.

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A Pleasant Commute

Do you complain or get agitated about your daily commute? Your attitude about your commute can carry into work, home, and play.

So try to make your commute more pleasant, read, listen to music or podcasts, contemplate, meditate or simply chill. Alternatively, you can plan for the day ahead on your way to work, and review your day on your way home. Of course, it all depends on your mode of transport!

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Climb Your Own Everest

You don't have to climb Mt. Everest, or ride a hot air balloon in Myanmar to live fully. Simply challenge yourself not to avoid anything or anyone that comes your way; & your Everests will come to you!

What are your Everests? A difficult project, the laundry, a 20 minute run.... Recognize & face your challenges, even if they're only in your own mind. Then work out what you need to do to climb that mountain.

And when you conquer your Everests, you'll know that you've lived fully, because there's nothing more exhilarating than reaching the summit!

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Happy Humming

Do you get annoyed at the sound of other people humming? Especially if it's out of tune! Well did you know that humming enhances well being? It activates good vibrations that soothe your muscles, uplift your mood & reduce the number of thoughts in your head.

So try not to be annoyed when others are humming, remember it's making them happy! And why not start your day on a happy note by humming! Hum along in the shower or as you make breakfast, or to the music in the car.... Happy humming!

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Varied Conversations

Think about your recent conversations, are they set on auto-pilot? Are you saying the same thing in all your conversations?

Have different types of conversations: some that delight you, some that are thoughtful, some that touch your heart, some that make you laugh.

When you have varied and interesting conversations, you feel more enriched.

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Courage in Action

What does courage mean to you? Is it being honest with yourself about your mistakes? Being honest about your shortcomings?

Is it to trust that things will work out, even when you can't see how? Is it taking action even when you are afraid? Does it have to be something heroic?

Ask yourself what courage means to you. And then keep pursuing courage in action.

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Be Like The Elements

Air, Fire, Water, Earth & Ether; we can be like the 5 elements.
Be light like air, free from worry & fear.
Like fire, positively transform your habits.
Like water, keep flowing & never stagnate.
Like the earth, be stable in the face of challenges.
Be expansive, like the ether. Give space to yourself & others.

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Notice the Light

Notice the light in your life, today. Sunlight, electric light... And notice how it affects you: your mood, heart and thoughts.

So throw those curtains wide. Open the windows. Or step outside. And let the light in. Feel lighter and brighter within yourself and you'll have more energy and vitality.

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Taking on Extra Tasks

Are you in the habit of saying 'yes' to extra tasks? Even if you're already overloaded with what's on your plate? Pythagoras said, "The oldest, shortest words, 'Yes' and 'No' are those which require the most thought." So be thoughtful about saying yes or no.

If you really can't take on an extra task, offer to adjust your current responsibilities. Suggest a later date to complete the extra task, or ask for help.

If you decide to say 'yes', make sure you're taking on additional tasks without the feeling of overwhelm. And if you decide to say 'no', then say it politely and confidently.

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Perceptions Refreshed

Situations change. People change. We change. But have your perceptions of people in your life changed with the change? Are your relationships based on out-of-date perceptions?

Regularly reassess, renew & refresh your perceptions, especially the ones that no longer serve you. See others as they are today & you'll easily improve your relationships.

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Like A Dancer

A good dancer makes every move look effortless! Yet we know that each step is precise & taken with consideration. But most dancers will tell you, that as soon as you start to doubt or over-think, you make mistakes.

Like a dancer, put consideration into each step you take in life without over-thinking. Be as precise as you can be, keep fine-tuning your technique but know when to be spontaneous. And when you make mistakes, learn to flow into the next step quickly & with ease. Then you'll have fun & enjoy the process.

Keep Dancing!

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Anticipating Something?

When we are anticipating something it's so easy for the anticipation to turn into anxiety. How about turning anticipation into preparation! Recognize what you need to prepare & do it! Then choose to think about it, only when you need to.

Take away the anxiety from the anticipation & you're left with a healthy optimism. You're then able to relish how things happen, even if it's not in the way that you were anticipating.

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From Autopilot to Aware

Often we go through the motions of life on autopilot,
not fully aware. That's when habit takes over, and we react to whatever's going on around us. Accidents occur as we say things we didn't intend, crashing into other people's feelings...

Switch off the 'auto-pilot mode' and take back control.
Stay fully aware and choose how you think, feel and respond.

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Welcome Challenges

When life hands you a challenge, welcome it! View the challenge as an opportunity to: push yourself out of your comfort zone; stretch out to gain more skills, more insights and more confidence. Welcome, grow and learn with challenges - and life will feel effortless.

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A Clean Slate

After a negative interaction, traces of emotions and impressions get left over. These shape our future expressions! That's why it's important to wipe the slate clean. This doesn't mean erasing things completely, no, it means transforming negative into positive.

Here's how in 3 steps:
1) Acknowledge your emotions and understand what triggered them.
2) If you could replay that scene again, how would you do things differently?
3) Create a positive impression about that negative interaction and move on.

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The Quiet Space

Want to find just a little bit of quiet far from the maddening crowd? Without going away to a sanctuary or a retreat, you can find it right now, right here within yourself. Here is an accessible exercise:

Slow down the speed of your thoughts, slow it right down and become aware of the spaces in between your thoughts. Focus on the quiet, empty spaces and let them stretch over the mind; and feel the quiet, sinking from the top of your head, right through to the tip of the toes. Now allow the quiet to expand around you as you sit as quietly as you can.

Create this quiet space for yourself and carry it into the maddening crowd.

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Be Like a Bee

Often we overlook the opportunities that are around us, simply because we are unable to see them. Try being like a bee:
- Look for the positive possibilities.
- Start collecting them.
- Create your own opportunities, your own 'honey.'

Go on, get busy & life will be fun, productive, satisfying & sweet

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Think You Know?

Just when we think we've mastered something, something else comes along to make us humble again!

It's as if life is saying, 'don't box up your knowledge and think you've got it!' Think you have it all figured out and you're deciding that you don't need to know any more; you're closing your mind to new ideas and learning.

Instead be intellectually humble. Have confidence about what you know but keep your knowledge and understanding open - there's much more to come!

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Bless, Blessing, Blessed

Even though we may forget to notice, we are all blessed in life. And we also have blessings to give. When we have good feelings towards others, encourage & empower them, we bless. And when we do, the blessings return a thousand-fold. Bless & be blessed.

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Difficult Conversations

Often we put off having difficult conversations because we don't want to have them. Why not take a little time for preparation. Work out your purpose for having the conversation. Envision the outcome you’re hoping for. Mind sketch the important points you need to get across. Be clear about how you will keep your emotions and reactions under control. Most importantly, if you think the conversation is going to be difficult, it probably will be. So adjust your attitude and think, "I'm going to handle the conversation with ease and calm."

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Going with the Flow

No matter how much structure we create, there will always be things that we cannot anticipate: people that disrupt how we like to do things or projects that don’t work out as we planned. When life doesn’t go the way we want it to go, go with the flow. Going with the flow means to move forward without resistance. With a flow head-space you understand that all is exactly as it should be and everything that happens benefits us, even when we don’t understand how.

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Desert Island Takeaway

If you were marooned on a desert island, what EIGHT things would you takeaway with you and why? Name TWO things from each of the following categories: survival essential; piece of music or song; attitude or thought; luxury item. What does the selection tell you about yourself?

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Think 'Maybe'

When things go wrong or not as planned, think 'maybe'!

Maybe it's not meant to happen now. Maybe there's something better to come. Maybe there's a benefit or something to learn here. Maybe I could have done things differently.

Think 'maybe' and you're not caught up in disappointment or labelling things as good or bad. Instead you're able to maintain your peace of mind, readjust, improvise and look at alternatives.

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Engaged Observer

Often we're either on autopilot & don't feel as much, or we're too absorbed with what's happening in our life. So pay attention to being fully enagaged with life, without becoming too absorbed. How? Be an observer.

You can observe something random in the world around you,
the shapes of the clouds or a friend's smile. Or observe your response to strangers or your reaction when you look in the mirror.

Capture your observations in a scrapbook, digitally or in your mind. Observe & very soon, you'll be seeing, feeling & experiencing more!

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Disagreement to Agreement

We're not going to agree on everything so there's going to be disagreements. And it's so easy to rush from a disagreement to an argument. But arguments rarely accomplish anything. In fact, put energy into an argument and it takes more energy to reconstruct that relationship.

The next time you find yourself rushing into an argument, take a deep breath, slow down and refocus on what's important. Get your point across clearly and calmly, and work towards an agreement on what you both want to achieve and gain.

Breathe deeply and you'll improve your relationships!

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Mood and Food

Our moods not only affect the food we cook, but they also affect the people who eat the food. So if you're not in a good mood, take a moment to clear your emotions or put on your favorite feel-good music.

Cook peacefully, cook happily, and then not only will you fill the food with good vibes, but you'll also enhance the flavor and energize the meal for yourself and the people who eat what you cook.

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Courage to Face

You have the courage to resolve whatever it is you need to face … a situation, place, person, or even yourself … someone or something which you may have been avoiding.