Category: VISUALS

Children will always have a mind full of inspiration, dreams, and excitement simply because it is easier for them to imagine and believe. They don’t know any better, so the idea of something which would seem impossible to an adult, comes across as just another question unanswered but with a sure explanation, and usually to them the answer or explanation is innocent and simple. Due to not knowing the limitation and obstacle an adult would; their idea would seem ridiculous to an adult when really it can challenge our thinking. Kids have racing imaginations, that’s what makes their ideas so unique. They don’t imagine the reasons of why it won’t work, but they imagine all the possibilities.

So how can you remain childlike forever? Here are 6 ways you can:

1. Always Act Like a Child

Celebrate like a kid would. When you are happy, your whole face shows it. Smile whenever you get the chance or opportunity. Life is too short for worries, troubles, and fights. Children wake up each morning looking forward to the day and see opportunity in everything and seize the opportunity.

2. Don’t Let People Tell You “Be More Mature!”

If others tell you “grow up” or mature, don’t heed acting like your child-like self.  As always, do what your heart tells you. The heart forever remains child-like whether we choose to grow up or not. Just know when you are required to professional. But note, you can be professional and still have fun.

3. Hold On To Innocence

Always hold on to your innocence, no matter how selfish people may act around you. Innocence can have no price tag placed on it. It is something that is cherished and should be cherished more often. It is something that is so beautiful and pure that cannot be described in mere words.

4. Laugh often

Laugh at every opportunity you can get. Life is too short for chances. So, make the most of them and use laughter as the best medicine to act like a child for the rest of your life. Seize every chance you get to laugh till your stomach hurts forever and ever. You will be thankful for laughter is the best medicine. (It also lengthens your life)!

5. Simplicity is key

Don’t get caught up in lies, false statements, and clever tricks. Be the person, simple, innocent, child you truly are. There is the old saying to keep it simple stupid.

6. Stop over-thinking

When we over-think we needlessly stress out our minds and bodies. Over-thinking only leads to negativity and doubts. It does no one good. Kids never over-think. At times, they don’t even think when they should be thinking.

The great man is he who does not lose his child’s-heart.  ~Mencius, Book IV

**Blog inspired by Lifehack.org

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Go now. Begin. Take action. Be a Game Changer!

You have a chance to make it. A chance to finally step up and take up the baton. Step up your game!

You don’t need any permission, you don’t need any confirmation. You just need to know that you can get out there and start making your dreams a reality.

Perspective is everything when it comes to making things happen. People will support you, but they will also be a naysayer too. Remember though… if it was easy, everyone would be doing what you are doing – making your dreams a reality. Taking the idea of something normal and making into something more.

You will have good days and you will have bad days. Some days, you just need to keep swimming. Even if you are swimming against the currents, and it feels like you are not making progress, you are in fact moving forward.

“Just keep swimming.”- Dory in Finding Nemo

You might not see it now, but you can feel it. You have the feeling and the longing and urge to have your product, your service, your business or your idea to change the world.  Fuel the urges as a motivation to not stop and to never give up.

“Find a truly original idea. It is the only way I will ever distinguish myself. It is the only way I will ever matter.” – John Nash in A Beautiful Mind

As noted above if you are solving real pain for real people, you have the chance to create something long and lasting and durable that will literally change how people live their lives. 

Be a game changer!

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Problems are what make many of the ideas reality. You have a problem, you create a solution. The solution then becomes the new inspiration of a problem. Depending on the seriousness of the problem, the solution can be made extra creative, exciting, fun and inviting. People are attracted to new and enticing things. Especially when it is going to fix a problem.

Everywhere you look, you will see what you want to see. What do I see? I see inspiration. Everything you see and use is all the result of someone’s inspiration, someone’s idea, someone’s dreams, and someone’s passion. Which was once their problem to solve.

Just think about it. Everything from a stitched jumper you’re wearing to the colorful arm rail down the stairs. All these things have come from the minds of people with the intention to change, to make a difference, to inspire and to aid to a problem.

So my question to you is. What are the problems you face? What are the problems you see every day as you commute to work and school? What are the things that inspire you, that make your mind tick and flash into excitement? These are the things, which hold innovation and change. 

These are the things which hold the keys to something more. Next time you see a problem, write it down. Make a list and see how it can be fixed. Not only is this going to challenge your mind and grow your cognitive skills. But you may just stumble across something which could make a greater difference, a solution to a problem. 

“Vision without execution is just hallucination.” — Henry Ford

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Mistakes regardless; will teach us, grow us and build us. They are lessons learned. Here we are again. Another day, another chance. Today is just that. A fresh reminder of a fresh start. A fresh way to jump up, to tackle a new day and come through bigger and stronger than the last. 

I know personally, I want to get out there and give it a better shot. Give it a greater shot.

Don’t get me wrong. I am afraid of them. I become frustrated, I become immensely overwhelmed by the horrible feeling it gives me. 

So when it comes to making a mistake and you are scared, or fearful… the best option is to just give it a go…

But the truth is, mistakes can be like gifts. Any successful person can tell you that without the mistakes they made on their journey, they wouldn’t be where they are today. So here are 10 reasons why you should be proud of making mistakes and the next time you feel scared to move forward due to making mistakes, just remember to embrace it and go in to conquer. If you slip up, GET BACK UP!

1. Mistakes help us gain knowledge. If we hadn’t made the mistake we would never have learned the new lesson. It is an opportunity to grow. Own it and make it work. 
   

   “The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing.” – John Powell

2. Mistakes will trigger our creativity. When we are trying to do something which isn’t working, we are forced to look for a new solution. This forces us to step outside our normal thinking box.
   

   “The man who makes no mistakes does not usually make anything.” – William Connor Magee

3. Mistakes help us learn to be more resilient. We learn to understand that adversity is required to overcome the challenges we face in life. Being flexible is important and making mistakes, can help us go from the same old to something new.
   

   “The more we can embrace failure, the more we will be able to open to it and the more confident and resilient we will become.” – Karen Kimsey-House

4. Mistakes show us how to be humble. Making mistakes proves we are human, and knowing humility is what makes us beautiful.
   

   “If you have made mistakes, even serious ones, there is always another chance for you. What we call failure is not the falling down, but the staying down.” – Mary Pickford

5. Mistakes provide us reference points, check points and bookmarks. Every time you slip up, it is a lesson. A lesson to remember, but also a lesson to teach and share with others. Use these as reminders and references.
   

   “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work” – Thomas Edison

6. Mistakes help us create and find new ideas. They force us to grow and push our limits to new regions. They help us find new things and new inspiration.
   

   “The only sure way to avoid making mistakes is to have no new ideas” – Albert Einstein

7. Mistakes give us a new courage. We become stronger each time we accept what has happened and move on. We learn to be brave.
   

   “Mistakes are always forgivable, if one has the courage to admit them.”  -Bruce Lee

8. Mistakes will make us all the wiser. Each time we make a mistake, we will see how people react. We see new things about the people helping us or who are simply there.
   

   “Some people come into your life as blessings. Some come into your life as lessons.”  – Mother Teresa

9. Mistakes teach us how to go about and experiment. Trying new things and new approaches, encourage a new way to innovate. If we continue to make mistakes we learn to innovate again and create something better.
   

   “Sometimes when you innovate, you make mistakes, It is best to admit them quickly, and get on with improving your other innovations.” – Steve Jobs

10. Mistakes help us understand better who we are. We get to know the worse enemies of them all. Ourselves. We learn to overcome, we learn to adapt and mold how we do and react. Without the mistakes, we would struggle to understand our complexes.
    

    “In the business world, the rearview mirror is always clearer than the windshield.” – Warren Buffett

    Just remember – they do not define you, they help create you into the greatness you are.

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Gratitude is a way to accept the reality and be thankful for what you have anyway. Let’s face it, sometimes life feels like it’s falling apart. Sometime’s it just all feels too tough, too hard and that your life is going nowhere…

I get it. We all have bad days, we all want to see the results now after all the effort we put in day after day. 

Today I want to remind you why, even though you may be feeling a bit like a failure, you are most definitely not.  Here are 15 signs that show you are doing well in life and that your life really isn’t that bad.

Simply read through these and see how many are relevant to you. Take a moment. Reflect, Apply gratitude and then ask yourself the question… how is your life really going?

1. You’ve lived and you have learned
2. You have a comfy bed to sleep in
3. You are striving to be better
4. You have had a job, or have a job
5. Knowledge is at your fingertips
6. You have food to eat
7. You have free will, the power to choose
8. You’ve had butterflies before, or something like it
9. You have clean water
10. You have a dream
11. Your happiness is real
12. You have clothes on your back
13. You have the ability to forgive
14. You believe in something greater than yourself
15. You have a chance, an opportunity to build global friendships

Strive to find things to be thankful for, and just look for the good in who you are! – Bethany Hamilton

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Today you have a choice. You can keep sitting around thinking about doing something. Or, you can take action and finally take the steps to ignite your dreams. Or, just continue to make up silly excuses of why you can’t or shouldn’t.

I’m serious. What is stopping you? Like really stopping you? Why are you still sitting around? Don’t blame time and don’t blame resources. What is it that you are really blaming? What’s holding you back?

“The critical ingredient is getting off your butt and doing something. It’s as simple as that. A lot of people have ideas, but there are few who decide to do something about them now. Not tomorrow. Not next week. But today. The true entrepreneur is a doer, not a dreamer.” – Nolan Bushnell

If you have something you are passionate about and that you enjoy. You should chase it. You should follow it. You should make it happen.

I know it can be a little scary to chase our dreams. Look, you may even fail. But that is OK! The late and great Steve Jobs said:

“Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything – all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure – these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.”

You have limited time here and you may as well enjoy it and do what you love. Even if you do fail, everyone fails. It just depends if you will sit in it, or jump out of it and keep on keeping on.

“Do not be embarrassed by your failures, learn from them and start again.” – Richard Branson

The more you wait around, the harder it will be to make an impact, because more and more people are following and chasing their dreams and there are people out there with some neat ideas, which I am sure will give yours a run for its money. But if you can make and create something outspoken, brilliant, yet also simple and fun, you won’t have a problem. All you need to do is put your idea into action and put some work to it.

“Work like there is someone working 24-hours a day to take it all away from you.” – Mark Cuban

These are all valid and important inspirations for any new starter or rising entrepreneur that is looking to take their idea and turn it into something tangible.

But like I have said numerous times and so did Madam C J Walker, the first self-made female millionaire in America:

“I had to make my own living and my own opportunity! But I made it! Don’t sit down and wait for the opportunities to come. Get up and make them.”

The longer we sit around, the longer we remain comfortable. Get uncomfortable. 

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Stop. Today is your day. Today is actionable Today is the time to start now. A today mindset and mentality is all it takes. 

Stop a moment and just realize that today is the mark of you now completing 60% of the year. It’s official, you have now progressed, achieved and survived 60% of the year. Now, lets buckle up for the 40% to go. 

Let’s checkpoint. You’ve come this far, so what are you going to do about the rest of the year. I personally believe you can do whatever you put your mind to. The only limitation is what you say it is, or believe it is.

Don’t hold back.

If you have already conquered your new year resolution! Kudo’s to you! See how much further you can go.

If you are still in progress, well that’s just as good, because this is the whole idea of a new year resolution. To complete it by the end of the year.

If you haven’t started because you never had a goal in the first place, or maybe you have been too lazy. Well, there is still time. Still, time to succeed. It only requires you to start today. To take action today. If you don’t start today, you miss out on getting ahead. Yes, there is always tomorrow, but with that mindset, tomorrow will never come. You will wait and wait until tomorrow becomes today and then you do the whole cycle again. Stop waiting around for something to happen, stop waiting around for you to somehow start. Decide to start. Decide to take control. 

All you need to do is make some progress each day, little by little. Every little step adds up to big results.

Do your self a favor. Start today, otherwise…

A year from now you may wish you had started today – Karen Lamb

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Time. It flies so quickly. We have nearly passed the 60% mark of the year. I felt like it was just the other day we were discussing the mid year checkpoint.

But that’s just it! Time flies when you’re having fun! Time also flies when you are active, productive and working your magic!

I may be a workaholic and I can admit it can have its cons. But one thing I can always say is I AM NEVER TOO BUSY TO HAVE A LAUGH!

We can get so tied up with trying to do life, that we forget to stop and enjoy the little things. Don’t waste life trying to rush through it. Time can never be replaced, so tread carefully. Spend it wisely.

The irony is that we are busy doing many things that don’t matter and we have no time for things that do. Shouldn’t we reverse it? – Unknown

If you do what you love, you will always love what you do! Go, be passionate and today I dare you to laugh!

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Being braver requires a to face fear in the face. Everyone has fears – it’s what makes us human. But fears hold us back from achieving our goals. If you want to be successful you need to identify the fears that are in your way and work towards conquering them one at a time, no matter how hard it may be. Even if you just be a little braver each day.

Being 1% braver each day, will have you kicking fear in the butt in no time.

It is so much easier to put the responsibilities of your circumstances and situations elsewhere. But you should understand that, in order to achieve greatness, you need to take responsibility for your situation. By taking charge of what is going on in your life, you get to be in control.

So what do you need to do?

Firstly… Stop getting in your own way and secondly…

News flash — your fear is what’s stopping you. You don’t see it or refuse to see it subconsciously because it makes you vulnerable. You are afraid of having to deal with the setbacks from your own failures. You think you are afraid of how others might react to your failure, but the truth is that you are afraid of how you will deal with your own failure.

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There is an old saying;

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.

This proverbial phrase suggests the encouragement of optimism and a can-do attitude in the face of adversity or misfortune. Lemons suggest bitterness, while lemonade is a sweet drink.

So when life does give you lemons (and it will), what will you do? You have a decision to make. Here they are:

When life gives you lemons,

• throw them back
• keep them, they are free lemons
• make lemonade
• throw them at someone
• grab some tequila & salt
• unless life also gives you some sugar and some water, your lemonade is going to suck
• say thank you
• plant a lemon tree
• spice up your meals
• learn to juggle
• sell them
• share them

The point is; life will give you lemons. Sometimes you will be able to use the opportunity and surprise the world, sometimes the lemons will have limited options and sometimes you may feel like there are no options and throw them away. But the reality is (as shown above), there are a number of choices you can make and even more than the ones listed. You need to decide whether you will take hold of the opportunity and make it work somehow. Or you can simply throw them away or right back at someone. But how you handle this, will define you in that very moment.

Three things define you. Your words, your actions and your attitude. – Anil Sinha

So what words will you choose, what action will you take? What will your attitude be?

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