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At some point in time, pretty much everyone has felt more rushed and stressed than they would like. After all, most of us live incredibly busy lives. The busier you are, the more important it is to prioritize and simplify! This is especially true if you reach the end of a hectic day and feel as if you have accomplished little. Thankfully, implementing a few strategies can make a world of difference.  Put these seven strategies into action and simplify your day: 1) Prioritize your day. Rather than attempting to get everything done, try focusing on the most important items first. Get in the habit of making a list of everything you’d like to get done. Then, prioritize the list and focus on the top three to five items. It can be helpful to do this in the evening so you can begin the next day without wasting time trying to decide where to start. Limiting the number of things you’re going to tackle is a highly effective way to approach your day. The most important tasks are sure to get done, and no time is wasted on the superfluous. If time allows, you can start to scratch off the smaller tasks once the big three to five are finished. 2) Turn off the TV & the social media. Distractions are a huge challenge for most people. It’s easy to become distracted by the television, radio, email, social media, and the internet, in general. Avoid even starting to get involved in these distractions while you’re conquering your big three to five items of the day. Commit to "work windows" -- periods of time where you are only focused on working -- and don't check your phone or other devices during this time.  3) Take breaks. While it may seem counterintuitive at first, breaks are essential for keeping your mind alert and focused. When you're less stressed, you can accomplish your top 'three to five' in less time with more ease and better results. For many people, the most effective work schedule is approximately 60-90 minutes of work followed by a 20-30 minute break. For others, 45-60 minutes of work followed by a 10-15 minute break provides the reset needed to best accomplish one's goals. Play around with intervals of work to break times to see what works best for you. Try to get outside, if you can, for some fresh air. At minimum, stand up and stretch. By taking a break, you’ll clear your mind while staying fresher and feeling less frazzled. When you return to your task, you will be a lot more focused and ready to seize the moment. 4) Create routines whenever possible. Rather than waiting until the kitchen floor is dirty, why not mop it every Wednesday night? If you wait until a chore desperately needs to be done, it’s likely to require a lot more time and energy. It’s also likely that several things will need to be done at once. Set a schedule for household chores, paying bills, yard work, grocery shopping, food prep, etc. Try to pick a specific time that you can show up for consistently (i.e., I will workout at 9:00am M/W/F). Or, link a new habit to an old habit to create a new routine (i.e., I will take my vitamins each morning after I brush my teeth; after I start the coffee pot, I will meditate for five minutes).  5) Clean up after yourself. It might seem easier to just leave your mess and deal with it at another time, but one mess tends to lead to another and before you know it, everything needs attention just to be tolerable. Take the extra few minutes to put everything away when you’re done with a task. Added bonus: The lack of clutter helps calm your mind and simplifies your day. 6) Establish a regular sleep schedule. It’s easier to plan your day and get the necessary things done if you’re well-rested. If you sleep too little one night and then need an unplanned nap or are having a difficult time functioning, your day just became more complicated. Your day-to-day capabilities will be much more consistent if your sleep is consistent. 7) Evaluate to improve. At the end of each day, take two minutes to evaluate how the day unfolded. Was it a good day? What went well? Did you feel rushed or overwhelmed? Get in the habit of asking yourself a simple question: "How could I improve and simplify my day?" Then listen to the answers you receive. Make a plan to implement some of those ideas into the next day. Continue to adjust.  Simplifying your day is one of the best ways to get more done while feeling less burdened.
No matter how much you have to do, odds are that only a few of those items are truly critical. Focus on the most important tasks and limit your distractions. A simpler day is in your future. And, if you find yourself feeling overwhelmed by life's challenges, download our free eBook Rise Above & Overcome Obstacles. Or click here: alijencikcoaching.lpages.co/rise-above-ebook/
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What comes to mind when you think of the phrase "life is an obstacle course?" Did you conjure up something negative or positive? One way to think about life as an obstacle course is by viewing it as a bunch of challenges of varying degrees that stand between your desired goal and you. It's totally normal to encounter obstacles in the pursuit of your goals. In fact, the bigger the goal, the more challenges you'll likely encounter.  Whether your goal is "small" or "big," it's important to learn how to focus on goal-setting so you can see your dream into fruition. Here are five simple ways to do that: 1. Think Positively Dr. Wayne W. Dyer is known for saying, "Change your thoughts, change your life." In the same vein, Henry Ford is famously quoted as stating: "Whether you think you can or you think you can't, you're right." Your beliefs matter so when it comes to focusing on your goals, keep your thoughts positive.  2. Keep A Clear, Open Mind Always be ready to receive new ideas. Be open to thinking outside of the box. You want to consider a myriad of possibilities. You also want to take some deep breaths and stay in the moment. It's hard to achieve your goals if you're feeling intense pressure.  3. Persist and Persevere When the going gets tough, there's one simple rule: do not quit. You want to make sure that you exhaust every possibility by using trial and error. It is usually more costly to quit (due to the previous time, money, resources, etc., already 'spent') than it is to find a new solution to achieve your goal. Remember: “The moment you’re about to quit is the moment right before the miracle happens. Don’t give up.”  4. Visualize Visualization is a powerful technique where you create a movie in your mind of an outcome you want to achieve. You want to picture yourself achieving your goal in as much detail as possible. And, if you're experiencing setbacks, you can take a few minutes to create a picture inside of your head of what it would look like and feel like to discover a solution to overcome and solve the obstacles that are setting you back.  5. Ask For Help There's no shame in asking for help. In fact, seeking the assistance from others who have walked your path, have previous experience with what you're wanting to accomplish, and who are more knowledgeable than you on the particular topic, should be highly encouraged. Even if their suggestions are not the exact ones you were hoping to hear, they may trigger some new ideas that help reveal a solution for you.  Next time you come up with a goal in your life, be sure to use these five simple strategies to help bring your dream into fruition.
With each goal you work towards, you are on the impactful journey of creating a life you love. Looking for more? Download our free transformational guide: Four Goal-Setting Strategies to Create A Life You Love. One of the biggest reasons we do not actualize our goals is because when we are faced with an unexpected barrier that we're unsure how to deal with, we have the tendency to shut down. Many people become discouraged, start making excuses, and allow themselves to walk away. While this is human and a natural tendency, it's not conducive to success.  An important step that you can take to avoid this common problem is to create backup plans for those little "what ifs" that may arise. "What if I don't pass the prerequisite course?" "What if I don't get the loan?" "What if I run out of time?" "What if the marketing doesn't work?" "What if I just don't feel like it?" These are all very real barriers that keep us from realizing our life dreams.  By planning for them, we greatly improve our chances of succeeding and experience the power of being unstoppable. There are two kinds of barriers: internal and external. Let's break them down here. 1. Internal Barriers Internal barriers include the thoughts you have about your goals, past successes, and yourself in general, that keep you from being successful. They include your personal fears, motivations, self-esteem, and paradigms. Here are some examples and how to overcome them.
Solution - Shift that mindset! Have 3-5 affirmations ready to repeat to yourself throughout the day.
Solution - Commit to working on it for a set period of time. Schedule it in your planner like you would schedule an important appointment. Remember that 10 minutes is better than never showing up. And, once you start, you will likely find yourself continuing to work past the 10 minutes.
Solution - Have a friend help make phone calls or hire a part-time freelancer who is skilled in this area.
Solution - Work on the goal first thing in the morning to get it accomplished before moving on to other less important things.  2. External Barriers External barriers include barriers such as money, time, other people's reactions, resources, and results. We are not in direct control of them, but they can affect how we work and we can still plan around them. Here are some examples and how to overcome them:
Solution - Ask questions to find out why they turned it down, adjust if possible, and resubmit it if you still want to work with this client. Alternatively, believe that there are other clients who might be more in alignment with your brand or vision.
Solution - Find supportive, like-minded people through social media or local meetups. Your friends will not always understand your biggest dreams and visions and that's okay.
Solution - Pad the timeline and notify the client of this possibility in advance. Realign the timeline to work on other projects until the materials arrive.
Solution - Find free or lower-cost alternatives. Use more affordable services like Fiverr and Upwork. Make extra money through a part-time side gig like freelancing or working for a delivery service. Remember this isn't your end goal, but rather a means to an end.  Practice this technique with even your small, short-term goals.
It feels great to know that when a brick wall appears in your path, you have the perfect solution for getting around it and getting back on the road to achievement! And, if you find yourself struggling with life's challenges and obstacles, download our free eBook: "Rise Above & Overcome Obstacles" I am sure we have all been there. Seemingly out of nowhere, your mood feels like it's shifted, but not in a good way. You might feel easily irritated, down, fed-up. Days and moments like this are a normal part of the flow of being a human. But, what happens when you have a few days like this in a row? And, then you start feeling stuck. When we’re in a rut, feel stuck, fed-up, or bored, we don’t want things to feel that way, but oftentimes we don’t know what to do to change. And, that’s the problem: when you’re in a rut, you usually don’t have the energy or motivation to change things for the better, and it’s tough to find the insight or resources you need to make that jump. So here are two fun and simple strategies you can use to climb -- or better yet -- leap out of the rut and start creating a better day for yourself so you can get unstuck.  1. Do Something Differently Life tends to run smoothly when we establish systems and routines for things, but the problem comes when things run too smoothly and we become blinded to any ideas or choices that sit outside of our routine. All of the stuff we do every day becomes the norm and we start running on auto-pilot. So start with making one or two small, simple changes to your day - be it drinking out of a different type of mug at breakfast, sitting somewhere else to eat your meal, choosing a new radio station or genre of music on your ride to work or the store, shaking up your gym routine, picking a new route to work, etc. Don’t get too wrapped up in worrying about what the changes are or whether they’re "right" or "wrong." Doing something differently or changing even small parts of your routine instantly takes you out of the norm. By stepping out of your routine, you "trick" your brain into seeing things a little bit differently and you’ll find yourself in a position where you’re able to make new choices and get a better result. One of my favorite ways to use this strategy is when I walk my dog. Luna and I walk around a small lake each day. When I feel myself getting into a rut, we walk in the opposite direction or we go somewhere else altogether and I quickly and easily break my subconscious programing.  2. Use your Intuition Your intuition is a powerful ally, and we all have the power to work with it even if we might not always realize it. One of the best friends you'll ever have in life is your intuition, and tuning into it and learning to trust it is something that can have some truly remarkable, positive impacts on your life. Accessing your intuition is a bit like working and developing a muscle, but it can be harder to tune into and develop in comparison to your bicep muscles. So here are two quick tips for learning to access and trust your intuition:
 By doing something different in your routine and learning to tap into your intuition, you will notice your mood start to shift in a more positive direction and you will find yourself out of that rut in no time.
The great news is that the more you use these two strategies, the more effective you will find them to be in the future. And, if you continue to find yourself feeling stuck, check out our free eBook: "Rise Above and Overcome Obstacles." Picture this: You're sipping your morning coffee, scrolling through your feed when suddenly, you're down the rabbit hole of comparison. Familiar scene? It’s not just you. Let’s talk about taming that sneaky inner critic and scrolling with a smile. Social media can be like a masquerade ball with everyone showing off their best masks. It's easy to forget that behind every perfect post is a person with struggles and unfiltered realities just like you. That little voice casting doubts? It thrives on social media’s highlight reels. But remember, it's YOUR hand on the curtain. You can control what shows up on your stage. So, let's talk about some strategies that you can use while scrolling through your feed. Curate Your FeedIs it time for a digital decluttering? Don't hesitate to unfollow the 'frenemies' of your self-esteem. Prioritize the content that makes you feel good. The Comparison LogTake a couple of minutes to journal about how you feel. Track your triggers. Noticing when and why you fall into the comparison pit helps you build a ladder out of it and avoid it in the future. Gratitude In The GapTake a moment to be grateful for those things you do not have in your life. You're exactly where you need to be in this moment. Swap envy with thanks for the unedited blessings in your life. Take It "Off-Line"Set a timer on your apps and replace scroll time with a chapter of a good book or a meditation session. Begin to choose a daily offline activity that boosts your confidence. Whether it’s painting, running, or dancing in your kitchen, let your heart lead. You are more than your profile.
Every pixel on your screen should celebrate, not smother, the unique person you are. Scroll with intention. Live with passion. Imagine waking up each day, filled with positive energy, ready to take on the world. Picture yourself overcoming challenges confident that no hurdle is too high. Sound far-fetched? It doesn't have to be. The secret to this vibrant outlook lies in our beliefs. Negative beliefs can be an invisible anchor, weighing us down. However, the good news is that we can replace these anchors with balloons. We can eliminate negative beliefs and replace them with empowering ones, soaring to unimaginable heights.  Understanding BeliefsLet's start by understanding what beliefs are. Beliefs are the internal scripts that guide our thoughts, actions, and reactions. They're like an autopilot system, controlling the direction of our life. And just like any software, they can be full of bugs or operate smoothly. The crux here is to identify these bugs (negative beliefs) and switch them out for a more effective code (empowering beliefs). Identifying Negative BeliefsSo, how do we identify these pesky negative beliefs? They can be as overt as self-deprecating thoughts like "I am not good enough" or as subtle as anxiety around certain scenarios. These beliefs are usually relics from our past experiences, messages we've picked up from our environment, or interpretations of events. Recognizing these thoughts and acknowledging their impact is the first step towards eliminating negative beliefs. The Power Of AffirmationsHaving identified your negative beliefs, it's time for some positivity. Affirmations are positive statements that can help you overcome self-sabotaging and negative thoughts. Instead of telling yourself "I can't do it," you say "I am capable and ready to take on any challenge". The trick is repetition. Repeat it until you believe it. Affirmations work best when they're specific, in the present tense, and packed with emotion. For example, if you're dealing with the fear of failure, an effective affirmation might be "I embrace challenges and learn from every experience." The more often you repeat your affirmation, the more real it becomes. Using Visualization TechniquesNext, let's paint a picture -- literally! Visualization is a technique where you imagine yourself in a situation you desire. It's like a mental rehearsal. For instance, if you wish to speak confidently in public, imagine yourself on a stage, speaking articulately and feeling confident. The audience is engaged, clapping, smiling. You can even feel the warmth of the spotlight. Why does this work? Because your brain often struggles to differentiate between what's real and imagined. It's like tricking your mind into believing you've already achieved your goal, thus eliminating negative beliefs and creating empowering ones. Creating Empowering BeliefsFinally, the best part: creating empowering beliefs. It's not only about eliminating negative beliefs, but also about replacing them. As you continue to use affirmations and visualization techniques, you'll notice a shift in your thought patterns. Now, you're ready to consciously create empowering beliefs. These beliefs act like a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you believe you're confident, you'll act confident, leading to results that reinforce this belief. Thus, a cycle is created where your empowering beliefs fuel positive experiences, further solidifying your empowering beliefs.  To wrap up, eliminating negative beliefs is a journey of self-discovery and transformation. By recognizing your negative beliefs, using affirmations and visualization techniques, and consciously creating empowering beliefs, you're setting yourself up for success. It's like programming your GPS for the destination "Best Version of Me". And remember, it's okay if you hit a few bumps on the road. What's important is that you're on your way. You're capable, you're powerful, and you're ready to take on the world. As always, remember to love yourself, stay positive, and keep moving forward. You've got this!  Affirmations can be an incredibly powerful tool that you can use to help you achieve your life's desires, obtain success, and realize your dreams. However, many people who practice affirmations do not see the results they would like. If this is you, read on to discover if you might be making one of these three affirmation mistakes.  Mistake #1 - Giving Up Too Early With affirmations, consistency is incredibly important. Once you get started with your practice, the repetition has a lasting effect that will continue to build upon itself. Repeating your affirmations daily makes it much easier to maintain. Plus, every time you say the statement you significantly magnify the results. The mistake that many people make is that they give up the process entirely too early. When you give up too soon, you don't give the affirmations enough time to set into your subconscious.  Mistake #2 - Using a Different Affirmation Each Day Using a different affirmation every day is like trying to work on a dozen various projects at once. Since each project requires your energy and attention, you can't help but shift your focus and effort from project to project. However, if you want to see results right away, then you have to focus on just one to three affirmations and stick with it. When it comes to affirmations, it is all about focus. To make your affirmations as effective as possible, try using the same few affirmations daily for at least 30 days.  Mistake #3 - Lack of Attention Mastery
If you've been using positive affirmations for a while and have yet to achieve results, and you've tried everything else, it could mean that you aren't entirely focusing your attention on the affirmation. The reality is that most people have incredibly short attention spans, and they are easily distracted. To make your statements work for you, you have to master your attention span, which comes with practice. By practicing your positive affirmations daily, you can learn how to master your attention. When you learn how to master your attention, you will start to master your manifestations. If you haven’t had success with your daily affirmations yet, don’t worry, you just have to make a few simple changes to your daily practice. Avoid the mistakes listed above, and you’ll find success with using affirmations to achieve everything you desire. The powerful technique of affirmations has helped countless people achieve their biggest desires. But while many people practice positive affirmations daily, not everyone manages to see big results. If you practice daily affirmations, but aren't seeing the results you'd like, consider these five simple steps for making affirmations work for you.  Step #1 – You Must Feel It Many people don't see results from their daily affirmations because they are merely stating words. They aren't associating any emotions or feelings with their affirmations. If you want your affirmations to work for you, try including positive feeling words in your affirmations. When you can feel the emotions, your affirmations will become much more powerful and effective. Step #2 – Repetition is Key In life, you will rarely achieve significant results by taking a single step. The same principle also applies to your affirmations. Try practicing them every day in order to bring them into fruition. You can't just say them once and then forget about them.  Step #3 – Turn Your Affirmations Into A Habit If you want to get the most out of your positive affirmations, try turning the practice into a habit. One way to do this is by repeating your statements at the same time every day. For instance, you can practice your affirmations in the morning after having your coffee or brushing your teeth. Another powerful time for affirmations is right before bed. Before going to sleep, think of several things that you are grateful for and then practice your affirmations. Repeating your affirmations right before you go to sleep at night helps your subconscious mind continue to work on what you want in your life while you're asleep. Step #4 – Believe That it Will Happen Many people repeat their affirmations, but they don't truly believe that they are going to get what they desire. If you don't believe in something, you will never put in the effort required to obtain it. You will never take action. Your beliefs define your action, and when you believe that you are going to achieve something, you are more likely to do whatever it takes to get it.  Step #5 – Commit and Take Action
If you want your affirmations to work for you, then you have to put in the commitment to achieving what you want and be determined to see it through to fruition. Practice your affirmations daily, with feeling and emotion, and you'll be amazed at how quickly your desires are manifested. After the first blog of this Affirmations Series, Discover Four Simple Steps for Making Your Affirmations Work," I received some excellent questions from readers. One of the main themes that I heard from many readers involved taking things back to the basics. The first blog focused on how to make affirmations work, but many people wanted to go back to the beginning and discover how to form an affirmation in the first place. So that's exactly what we are going to do here!  Unfortunately, too many of us go about our days with negative thoughts bouncing around in our heads. It's subconscious. But, when we think like this, our mood, confidence, and outlook on life can become negative, as well. The problem with negative thoughts is that they can end up becoming self-fulfilling prophecies. They can end up talking us into believing that we aren't good enough, which ultimately results in our personal lives being dragged down. But, here's some great news!... If we can instead deliberately use positive thoughts about ourselves, the effect can be just as powerful. So let's examine five steps that you can take to create your own positive affirmation statements.  1 - Think About What You Want to Change Everyone has something in their life that they would like to change. Do you wish you could have more patience? Do you want to be more productive at home or at work? Do you have fitness goals? What about financial goals or traveling dreams? Perhaps you would like to increase your self-confidence and feelings of self-worth. So many of my clients desire time freedom or location independence. Consider several areas or behaviors that you would like to work on in your life and write them down. You want to make sure that they are compatible with your core values and the things that matter the most to you. This will help keep you motivated to achieve them.  2 - Make Sure Your Affirmations Are Credible and Achievable Create an affirmation that is based on a realistic assessment of the facts of your life. While I highly encourage you to think outside of the box and dream big, you still want to keep your affirmations feasible and realistic because affirmations aren't magic spells. If you can't believe that you will achieve what you are stating, then it is highly unlikely that it will make an impact on your life.  3 - Turn Negatives Into Positives If you struggle with negative self-talk, take the time to write down the persistent thoughts and beliefs that are bothering you and limiting you. Then, write an affirmation that is the opposite of your negative self-belief. For example, if you always think that you aren't talented enough to move ahead in your career, turn it around and write an affirmation like "I am an experienced and skilled professional who accomplishes _____________."  4 - Choose The Correct Tense For Your Affirmation There are two strategies you can try out in order to make your affirmation the most effective and impactful that it can be. First, you can write it in the past tense and continue to visualize and state the affirmation as it has already occurred so it is a given. Second, you can write you affirmation in the present tense, as if it is already happening to you. Both of these strategies helps your subconscious to believe that the statement is true.  5 - Say it With Emotion When your affirmations carry emotional weight, they will be more effective. You have to deeply desire these changes to occur so the statements that you choose to repeat should be significant and meaningful to you. For example, if you are worried about a new project that you have to complete, you can repeat to yourself, "I am incredibly excited to take on a new challenge."  Regularly repeating positive affirmations can help you overcome negative thoughts and help you manifest your desires.
Follow these five simple steps, and you'll be able to create affirmation statements that you can use daily. Affirmations can be a powerful tool for changing your mood and mindset and can help you manifest big changes in your life. And, if you would like a proven, guided approach to using affirmations in a way that will help you overcome the limiting beliefs that are holding you back from accomplishing your biggest goals, dreams, and ambitions, I have a digital coaching course for you! Click the Learn More button below. Positive affirmations are one of the most powerful tools that you can use to create a meaningful, successful, and fulfilling life. Many people have developed affirmations that have brought about changes in their behaviors and circumstances resulting in a much higher chance of achieving their biggest dreams, goals, and ambitions. If you want to follow their lead and ensure that your positive affirmations work for you, you’ll want to follow these four simple steps.  Start with Daily Affirmations Start your journey to manifesting all your desires with daily affirmations. Daily affirmations are statements that describe your goals in their completed states. You improve your physical health with regular physical exercises. Essentially, daily affirmations are like a mental exercise for your mind, as well as your perception. When you repeat your positive affirmations daily, and you believe in them, you can start to create a positive change in your life.  Visualization Positive affirmations are much more effective when you use them with dynamic visualization. Combining your affirmations with visualization techniques is a great way to strengthen your manifestations. Instead of only writing your affirmations down and repeating them out loud, you can also visualize the outcome that you want to see. Not only do visual images motivate you and make you feel the changes, but they can also prepare you mentally for the challenges that you will need to overcome during the process of achieving your goals.  Avoid Writing Negative Sentences You want to avoid using negative sentences like "I am no longer in debt" and consciously convert them into positive affirmative statements, like "I am financially abundant and in control of my finances." When a negative statement or thought comes into your mind, you can convert it to a positive statement to make it more effective and impactful.  Include Emotions Powerful and effective affirmations must include content, positivity, and emotion. The content is describing the specific outcome that you are hoping to achieve, while positivity provides for the elimination of negative vibrations. The emotion is what gets to the heart of how you feel about the outcome you're hoping to achieve. If you would like to create powerful affirmations, you want to include all of these elements.  Affirmations can be a powerful tool for changing your mood and mindset and can help you manifest big changes in your life.
If you would like a proven, guided approach to using affirmations in a way that will empower you to overcome the various obstacles and challenges you are facing in your life, I have a digital coaching course for you! Click the Learn More button below. |
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