Abundance Blog at Marelisa Online

7 Dazzling Ways to Ignite Your Creative Spark

Marelisa — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 06:54:56 +0000

In Greek mythology, Prometheus is a Titan who stole fire from Zeus and gave it to mortals. This gift of divine fire unleashed a flood of inventiveness and productivity in humanity. If you currently feel like you’re sitting in a dark cave and the fire of creativity refuses to be ignited, below you’ll find seven ways to ignite your creative spark.

Toss In the Kitchen Sink

Life coach Martha Beck recommends that when you need to ignite your creativity in order to solve a particular problem, that you toss in the kitchen sink. The process is the following (Source):

Think of the problem that you’re having.
With this challenge in mind, read bits and pieces of several different books on non-related items. One can be a biography of Theodore Roosevelt, another can be a book on bat behavior, and still another can be a book about raising alpacas.
The third step is to relax. This can mean driving to your favorite rollerblading location while listening to an audio tape of a stand-up-comedian, and then rollerblading until a solution pops into your head.
If no solution is forthcoming, think of the problem periodically and then drop it again.

Following this process allows the right-brain hemisphere to step in and help you solve the problem. Here’s an example Beck uses:

“Laura wanted to travel but hated kenneling her yellow Lab, Buster. She also had partial hearing loss due to meningitis. One day when she had trouble hearing a flight attendant—ping!—she realized she could train Buster as a hearing service dog. Now they fly the skies in style together.”

If You See a Good Idea, Bend Down and Pick it Up

Stop thinking the following: “If this were a good idea, someone would already have thought of it”. There’s a story of a man who was walking down the street with an economist. As they were walking along he noticed a $10 bill on the sidewalk. Since the bill was closer to the economist, he thought that the economist would stop and bend over to pick it up. Instead, the economist walked right past the $10 bill.

At this point, the man stopped and asked the economist: “Why didn’t you pick up the $10 bill that was lying on the sidewalk? It was right next to your foot.” And the economist answered: “There can’t be a $10 bill lying on the sidewalk, because if there were, someone would already have picked it up.”

How many times have you had the spark of a great idea, but you’ve neglected to follow through on it because you told yourself that if it were a good idea, someone else would already have thought of it? Stop assuming that all the great ideas are already taken. If you think you see a good idea, bend down, pick it up, and run with it.

Release Your Need for Recognition

A lot of the time, our need for some extrinsic reward, or external validation, for our work chokes our creativity:

We may want our short story to be published in this or that magazine;
Our objective may be for our painting to be hung in the best gallery in town;
We may be hoping to win some award or other; or
We may be looking to be praised by someone we hold in high esteem.

You need to release the focus on an external reinforcement of your work, and, instead, allow yourself the freedom to focus on creating for the sake of creating itself. Charles Johnson says this beautifully in the following quote:

“I think a real writer simply has to think in other terms. Not, ‘Will I get in this magazine?’ ‘Will I get the NEA next year?’ but whether or not this work is something he would do if a gun was held to his head and somebody was going to pull the trigger as soon as the last word of the last paragraph of the last page was finished.

Now if you can write out of the sense that you’re going to die as soon as the work is done, then you will write with urgency, honesty, courage, and without flinching at all, as if this were the last testament in language, the last utterance you could ever make to anybody.

If a work is written like that, then I want to read it. If somebody’s writing out of that sense, then I’ll say, ‘This is serious. This person is not fooling around. This work is not a means to some other end, the work is not just intended for some silly superficial goal, this work is the writer saying something, because he or she feels that if it isn’t said, it will never be said.’ Those are the writers I want to read. And there are not many twentieth-century writers like that.”

What Will They Think

Sir Ken Robinson argues in his book “The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything” that we need to look for that “sweet spot” in which our talent meets our passion; that’s our element. One of the chapters in the book is titled “What will they think?” In it, Robinson explains that many times we don’t discover what we truly love and are talented at because of self-censorship: we’re afraid to go against the grain and be ridiculed by society.

In addition, opinions offered by friends and family–often well intentioned–can derail us from pursuing what we’re uniquely good at. I would argue that this same fear of what others will think can derail our creativity.

Robinson uses Brazilian novelist Paulo Coelho as an example of how people can find disapproval for trying to follow their passion, if that passion is not in line with what is considered a traditionally acceptable career. Coehlo–author of “The Alchemist” and one of the world’s best-selling authors–wanted to be a writer since he was a kid. His parents greatly disapproved of this since it was not in line with what was expected from the son of people of their station. Yet Coelho persisted.

When Coelho was approaching the age at which most people go to college–and he wouldn’t let go of the idea of being a writer–his parents had him committed to a mental institution. He was given three sessions of electroconvulsive therapy to try and get the idea of being a writer out of his head. Fortunately, they didn’t succeed and he turned into the Paulo Coelho we know. (Source.)

Just as worrying about what others will think can prevent you from discovering your element–or your true life’s work–it can throw a cold bucket of water on your creative spark. If you’re trying to ignite your creative spark, one of the best things you can do is to follow Paulo Coelho’s lead and do what you feel you need to do, despite what anyone else may think.

Create a Shrine

Create a shrine filled with objects that inspire you to create every time that you look at them. In the book “Creative Sparks”, Jim Krause explains that a shrine is “a place or piece of furniture used to remind us of meaningful intangibles through the display of meaningful tangibles.” Your shrine could be a place on a shelf or in a cabinet. It can include books, beads, letters, candles, small statues, artwork, images, photos, and so on. Look for things that remind you of your creative-self.

Use Affirmations

Eric Maisel–a psychotherapist and creativity consultant–is the author of “Affirmations for Artists”. The book is arranged alphabetically by subject (Ambition, Anxiety, Day Jobs, Depression, Failure, Fear, Inspiration, Success, and so on), with one page devoted to each subject. Each page includes quotes from famous artists, a short paragraph to consider, and an empowering affirmation.

Here’s an example of one of his affirmations (Ambition):

“I am ambitious, I want; I want so very much! I do not deny my ambitiousness; but I affirm that I will temper it with an appreciation of other things. There is both the mountaintop to aspire to and the patch of plain earth right here to love. I will not put aside my ambitions, but neither will I fail to embrace all the rest that life has to offer.”

And here’s another one (Inspiration):

“I believe I create for myself when I honor my artist’s nature and diligently practice my craft. I will work whether I feel inspired or not: I know that if I labor with an open heart and an open mind, inspiration will come. I am ready to create it, receive it, and be swept away by it.”

Create your own set of affirmations to help you ignite your creative spark.

Build a Mystery Box

J.J. Abrams, co-creator of the hit TV show “Lost” and director of “Mission Impossible III”, revealed in a TED.com talk that when he was a kid he would often go to the Lou Tannen Magic Store in New York City. One time he went to the magic store and bought a “mystery box” ($15 buys you $50 worth of magic).

A mystery box is a box full of items–in Abram’s case, full of magic tricks–without the buyer knowing what these items are at the moment of purchase. Even though Abrams bought his mystery box decades ago, and he keeps it on a shelf in his office, he has never opened it. For him, the mysteriousness of the box far outweighs the value of any magic tricks it may contain. The box–which has a giant question mark on one side–represents infinite possibility, hope, and potential.

Abrams explains that mystery is a catalyst for imagination. Stories are mystery boxes. In TV, the first act is called the teaser. It raises questions which are going to be answered during the rest of the show. Ask yourself how you can use mystery to spark your creativity. What’s your mystery box?

(Wood Yard photo courtesy of marfis75).

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My ebook “How to Be More Creative – A Handbook for Alchemists” explains that creativity is not the sole domain of the arts but is important in any field. Whatever you do, creativity helps you do it better. Discover practical advice on how to be more creative in every life endeavor by reading my ebook.

Imagine waking up each morning to a life that’s centered around your life goals, instead of trying to fit what’s most important to you into the nooks and crannies. “How To Live Your Best Life- The Essential Guide for Creating and Achieving Your Life List” will show you how. By the time you finish reading this eBook you’ll know exactly what you want in each area of your life, and you’ll have defined exactly how you’re going to get it.

24 Surefire Ways to Get Your Mojo Working

Marelisa — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 05:24:45 +0000

“Mojo” refers to your self-confidence, self-esteem, self-efficacy, or even sex appeal. Dr. Evil–Austin Powers’ nemesis in the Austin Powers film series–defines mojo as follows:

“The libido, the life force, the essence, the right stuff, what the French call a certain, ‘I don’t know what’”.

Dr. Evil’s plan to get his mojo working involved going back in time to steal Austin Power’s mojo. In addition, the term “mojo” is of African origin, and it referred to a magic charm, usually placed in a pouch and worn around the neck. However, there’s no need to find a time machine, take someone else’s mojo, or go out in search of cat bones in order to get your mojo working.

Instead, follow the 24 surefire ways to get your mojo working listed below:

1. Stop whining. If there’s something in your life that you don’t like, either try to fix it or find a way to move away from it. While it’s fine to vent occasionally, endless rumination on the negative is a surefire way to kill your mojo.

2. Do something daring. Go on a mini-vacation by yourself, go bungee-jumping, or do something else that makes you step outside of your comfort zone.

3. Be well-groomed. Get a good haircut and a manicure (yes, men can get manicures; at least keep your nails neat, trim and clean). If you’re a man, get a good shave.

4. Wear something flattering. Looking good will help you to feel good. Also, spritz on perfume or cologne that goes well with your body’s chemistry.

5. Engage in an activity you enjoy. The positive spirit you feel toward what you’re doing will radiate to the outside.

6. Do something you’re good at. The self-assurance you feel while doing something you’re good at will translate to the next task you take on.

7. Practice positive self-talk. Whatever it is that made you lose your mojo, you’ll get over it. There’s no sense in beating yourself up over any mistakes that you’ve made. Just tell yourself that you’ve learned from your mistakes and you’re ready to move on.

8. Use the “yes-but” approach when you catch yourself saying something negative to yourself. This is a tip I read in a post by Scott H. Young. For example, if you’re telling yourself that you’re not good at a task you’re performing, add a “but” clause. Here’s an illustration: “I’m not very good at this, but if I keep at it, I’ll improve.”

9. Set yourself up to have frequent, small wins. Instead of setting huge goals and telling yourself that you’ll succeed once you achieve them, break your goals down into monthly, weekly, and daily goals. Each day that you achieve the daily tasks which will move you closer to your long-term goals, give yourself a pat on the back and allow yourself to feel satisfaction for what you’ve accomplished. Recognize your small wins.

10. Even if you’ve failed miserably at something, keep your head up. To quote Elizabethtown: “So you failed. You wanna be really great? Have the courage to fail big and stick around. Make them wonder why you’re still smiling.”

11. Lissa Rankin–a gynecologist, artist, and author of two books–defines mojo as “being radically alive, being completely authentic to who you are, and letting the creative juice of your soul course through you and flow out of you.” (Source.)

Ask yourself if you’ve stopped being true to yourself. Are you doing what you really want, or are you trying to fulfill other’s expectations of you? Are you doing things in the way in which they’ve always been done, instead of listening to your own inner guidance? Paying attention to your authentic needs and listening to your inner wisdom is one of the best ways to get your mojo back.

12. Take a moment to look back at your successes. If your mojo is down because you haven’t had any successes in a while, try to reconnect with the feeling of success you’ve had in the past and bring that feeling into the present.

13. Stride purposefully, shoulders back, pelvis out. Think of the Bee Gee’s song “Stayin’ Alive” and use your walk.

14. If your mojo is down due to a failed relationship, forgive and forget. You can’t undo what happened, but you can stop dragging it around with you by refusing to think about it.

15. Marshall Goldsmith, author of “Mojo: How to Get It, How to Keep It, How to Get It Back if You Lose It”, recommends that you stop waiting for the facts to change, which is just wishful thinking. If you’ve suffered a setback, you might decide to do nothing until a more comfortable set of facts appear. Goldsmith helpfully advises the following:

“When the facts are not to your liking, ask yourself, ‘What path would I take if I knew that the situation would not get better?’ Then get ready to do that.”

16. Be curious. Learn something new. Find new interests.

17. Be grateful for what you have instead of focusing on what you lack.

18. Stay in your own life: stop comparing yourself to others and don’t stray from your path because you’re trying to copy what someone else is doing.

19. Expect success.

20. Hang any awards or certificates that you have in a place where you’ll be able to see them often. Surround yourself with your accomplishments. You can also place photos of you having fun with your friends and family in key places so that you’re reminded of the people who care about you.

21. Watch someone who exudes lots of self-confidence and model their behavior.

22. Help someone. There’s no better way to feel good about yourself and raise your mojo than by helping someone else.

23. Go out and get some fresh air.

24. Take a cue from “Pinky and The Brain”, an animated cartoon series starring two genetically enhanced laboratory mice. Every episode featured one of Brain’s attempts at world domination. And, every episode, Brain failed. However, nothing would discourage Brain. The opening song for the cartoon is preceded by the following dialogue:

Pinky: “Gee, Brain, what do you want to do tonight?”

The Brain: “The same thing we do every night, Pinky—try to take over the world!”

Keep your mojo strong by persevering despite any temporary setbacks. Never give up on your plans to take over the world!

(Mojo photo is courtesy of Daquella Manera.)

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Four Inspirational Moments in Film

Marelisa — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 07:03:04 +0000

Movies are a great source of inspiration. You can learn valuable lessons from watching how others deal with failure and overcome obstacles, as well as taking note of the perspective they take toward life. Below you’ll find four inspirational moments in film.

(If you’re reading this by email, please click over to the blog to watch the videos.)

What Will Your Verse Be?

In the film “Dead Poet’s Society”, English professor John Keating reads an excerpt from the poem “O Me! O Life!” by Walt Whitman to his students. The poem is a question with its answer. It tackles the fundamental question of human existence: “Why are we here?” Whitman’s answer is that we are here to contribute a verse to the powerful play of life.

This is what Keating reads out loud to the class:

“O ME! O life!… of the questions of these recurring;
Of the endless trains of the faithless–of cities fill’d with the foolish;
What good amid these, O me, O life?

Answer.

That you are here–that life exists, and identity;
That the powerful play goes on, and you will contribute a verse.”

Then Keating adds that following: “And the powerful play goes on, and you will contribute a verse. What will your verse be?”

Protect Your Dreams

In “The Pursuit of Happyness”, Christopher Gardner (played by Will Smith) is shooting baskets with his son, who obviously loves the game. Christopher tells the young boy that he was never any good at playing basketball, so–as his son–he should accept that he just won’t excel in basketball either. When he sees his son’s disappointment, Christopher realizes what he’s done and tells him the following:

Christopher Gardner: Hey. Don’t ever let somebody tell you… You can’t do something. Not even me. All right?

Son: All right.

Christopher Gardner: You got a dream… You gotta protect it. People can’t do somethin’ themselves, they wanna tell you you can’t do it. If you want somethin’, go get it. Period.

There’s So Much Beauty In the World

In the film American Beauty, Ricky Fitts asks Jane if she wants to see the most beautiful thing he’s ever filmed. He shows her the video and it’s a paper bag dancing in the wind. Ricky tells Jane the following:

“It was one of those days when it’s a minute away from snowing and there’s this electricity in the air, you can almost hear it. And this bag was just, dancing with me. Like a little kid begging me to play with it. For fifteen minutes. And that’s the day I realized there was this entire life behind things, and… this incredibly benevolent force, that wanted me to know there was no reason to be afraid, ever. Video’s a poor excuse, I know. But it helps me remember… I need to remember… Sometimes there’s so much beauty in the world I feel like I can’t take it, like my heart’s going to cave in.”

The World Will Beat You to Your Knees, If You Let It

When Rocky Balboa’s son starts pointing fingers and blaming others for his problems and setbacks, Rocky tells him the following:

“Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place and I don’t care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard ya hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done! Now if you know what you’re worth then go out and get what you’re worth. But ya gotta be willing to take the hits . . . “

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The Sedona Method is a simple, powerful, easy-to-learn technique that shows you how to let go of any negative, unwanted or painful feelings you may be experiencing at any particular moment. It consists of a series of questions you ask yourself that lead your awareness to focus on what you’re feeling in the moment and gently guide you toward letting it go. Read my review of the Sedona Method here.

How To Live Your Best Life- The Essential Guide for Creating and Achieving Your Life List

Marelisa — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 08:18:01 +0000

By creating a life list you’ll be choosing how to live your life, instead of having your life be determined for you. In addition, creating a life list will help you to recapture the spirit of adventure you had as a child, when you thought you were invincible and you spent your time dreaming of all the exciting things you were going to do when you grew up.

Having a life list will push you beyond your current comfort zone, and it will help you to break through self-imposed limits. We all have a mental image of who we are and what we’re capable of doing. However, we can stretch our concept of ourselves and our abilities by pushing ourselves to constantly step outside of our comfort zone. One way to think of your life list is as a constant growth motivator.

“How To Live Your Best Life- The Essential Guide for Creating and Achieving Your Life List” will give you the tools and resources that you’ll need to not only create, but also to achieve, your life list. By the time you finish reading this eBook you’ll know exactly what you want in each area of your life, and you’ll have defined exactly how you’re going to get it.

Most people create a life list and then they stick it in a desk drawer and forget about it. The purpose of this eBook is to show you how to use your life list to create a blueprint of your ideal life, then take the necessary action steps to build that life, and then inhabit it.

This eBook–which is written in a workbook format–contains the following:

165 Pages
27 Chapters
30 Practical Exercises

By the time you finish reading “How To Live Your Best Life- The Essential Guide for Creating and Achieving Your Life List” you’ll have a Life List Journal filled with your life’s dreams, as well as concrete, step-by-step strategies to accomplish those dreams.

Here’s Some of What You’ll Find Inside

You’ll discover how to make a paradigm shift that will allow you to go from letting life happen to you, and feeling like a Victim of circumstances, to being the Creator of your life. Live life on your own terms: stop shoveling coal in the boiler room and start navigating your ship. (Chapter One).

You’ll be expanding your Circle of Influence by taking inventory of your resources and determining the best way to leverage those resources. (Chapter One).

You’ll get absolute clarity on what you want to get out of life by completing several highly effective exercises that will allow you to put together your “Master Dream List”, filled with everything you dream of doing. By working your way through these insightful exercises you will know exactly what you want to have, experience, and become. (Chapter Three).

You’ll discover how to access the dreams brewing in the back of your mind so that you can turn your daydreams into accomplishable goals. (Exercise 3).

Just like Michelangelo would say that the statues he sculpted were already inside the marble, inside of you is the person that you want to be. You’ll discover 27 questions which will chip away all of the stuff that has been added on over the years and that doesn’t belong, in order to reveal the real you underneath. (Exercise 4).

You’ll be grazing at life’s all-you-can-eat buffet. (Exercise 6).

You’ll learn a twist on the tried and true obituary exercise which led a management consultant with an Oxford law degree to drop her conventional life and become the first woman to row solo across the Pacific Ocean. (Exercise 10.)

Testimonial for “How to Live Your Best Life”

“If not now, when?” Thanks to Marelisa Fabrega’s new eBook: “How to Live Your Best Life – The Essential Guide for Creating and Achieving Your Life List”, the process of creating my dream life has just gotten a whole lot easier.

A renowned authority in the field of abundant living, Marelisa takes you by the hand and walks you through every single step on your path to deciding what you want and then taking the steps to get it. Not only has she “been there, done that”, she backs up her teachings with amazing success stories of people like you and me, as well as well-known figures like Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Make no mistake, this is NOT yet another collection of impractical New Age mumbo-jumbo advice that leaves you frustrated and confused. Marelisa offers an almost encyclopedic wealth of small, practical steps which you can master at your own pace. Her extensive guidelines and suggestions save us a big chunk of our own mind work; all we need to do is pick and choose what applies to our individual desires.

This eBook is like an action manual with a built-in personal life coach and cheerleader. Don’t just buy and read this book…buy it and do it, now!

Chef Keem
Austin, Texas, US
ChefKeem.com

Here’s More of What’s Inside

You’ll create a list of your immediate needs so that you can clear the way for your Big Hairy Audacious Goals. (Exercise 11).

You’ll be given 11 guidelines and a litmus test so that you can polish your life list and make sure that it reflects your authentic desires. (Chapter Four).

You’ll discover how dabbling can help you decide whether an item really belongs on your life list. (Chapter Four).

You’ll learn three tools for prioritizing your life list so that you can harness the amazing power of focus. You’ll discover how to stop scattering your energies by trying to pursue several goals at once, and, instead, you’re going to use the “Scientific Formula for Success” to focus all of your energy on what’s most important to you. (Chapter Five).

You’ll be putting foundations under your dreams–or castles in the air–by turning them into specific, measurable, time bound goals. Learn exactly how to transform your desires into targets with a clear Bull’s Eye you can aim at. (Chapter Six).

You’ll learn how to turn vague desires into a goal you can see, hear, and touch. (Chapter Six).

The results of an experiment conducted by a psychology professor on the power of setting deadlines will be revealed to you. (Chapter Six).

Testimonial for “How to Live Your Best Life”

Sitting with an old, and very resistant client, one who has all the excuses I use and more, suddenly I had an inspiration from a new e-book I was reading by Marelisa Fabrega.

Her book is very comprehensive and as a professional I am finding it extremely useful for my own personal goals, and I thought, ‘What the heck’. So I used one of the many tips I got from her work and my resistant client lit up.

Now, I knew that the information and advice from this book were excellent, but I really saw it as more for people at a higher level, with a lot of motivation. But it was also making itself useful with this woman who was far from those things.

The breadth and depth of the research in this book is amazing in a book that is as decidedly readable as this is. Marelisa has clearly done her homework, thus setting herself up to be a great role model. She comes up with something very new and fresh.

The book is a delightful mix of anecdotes, information, inspiration and helpful exercises. And, as I said above, those things will apply to a person’s experience regardless of level of commitment, knowledge or previous work! Thank you Marelisa, for writing this!

Margo Arrowsmith
Small Town, Iowa
Changing the Guard

You’ll Also Discover

You’ll learn two powerful tools backed by rigorous academic research that are used by Yale University professors to encourage goal follow-through. (Chapter Eight).

You’ll discover how the financial fate of two different men was determined not by how hard they each worked, how smart they were, or by how many degrees they had hanging on their walls, but by their belief systems. (Chapter Nine).

In the pages of this eBook you’ll meet two Australians who explain that they weren’t able to create passive income and lead the lifestyle that they wanted until they shifted their belief system. “How to Live Your Best Life” will show you how to set empowering beliefs that will shift your internal programming so that you can easily accomplish your life goals. (Chapter 9).

You’ll discover the tactic used by Anthony Robbins to accurately predict who will accomplish their goals, and who won’t. (Chapter Ten).

You’ll be creating the right self-image; this will almost guarantee that you will begin to act in accordance with the type of person who achieves the goals you’ve set for yourself. You’ll learn how to “be”, then “do”, and then “have”. (Chapter Ten).

You’ll be implementing the tool which allowed Greg Louganis to dominate the diving scene over a 12-year period that spanned four Olympic games. This tool was also used by Wayne Gretzky–often called “the greatest hockey player ever”–, Scott Adams–creator of the incredibly successful cartoon strip “Dilbert”–, and Arnold Schwarzenegger to achieve their tremendous success. (Chapter Eleven).

You’ll learn how to banish the fear that has stopped you from going after your dreams in the past. Fear–of failure, of success, of rejection, and of imperfection–is one of the main reasons why people don’t follow through on their goals, and by conquering your fear you’ll be slaying the dragon that’s been preventing you from achieving your dreams. (Chapter Thirteen).

Testimonial for “How to Live Your Best Life”

“This has got to be the most well-organized and practical roadmap for living life to the fullest that I have ever read. Marelisa has done an excellent job of laying out a very comprehensive approach to identifying what you want and defining exactly how to go about getting it. If you feel like there just has to be more to life than what you are experiencing, then you shouldn’t waste another minute. Get this eBook, read it and do what it says. A year from now, you will be living a better life than you thought was possible.”

Jeff Nickles
My Super-Charged Life

Even More Benefits You’ll Find Inside

You’ll be given five guidelines that will help anyone get over their fear of imperfection. (Chapter Thirteen).

You’ll be told the truth about failure, as explained by a Harvard professor, which you must know in order to be able to create your best life. (Chapter Thirteen).

You’ll learn how fear of success can be just as paralyzing as fear of failure, and what to do about it. (Chapter Thirteen).

You’ll be surprised at what a man, a boy, and a donkey can teach you about the fear of rejection. (Chapter Thirteen).

You’ll discover how to create a plan to accomplish your dreams that’s as straight-forward as a “Paint by Number Kit”. You’ll easily be able to create a roadmap telling you exactly what to do in order to achieve your goals, much like a “Paint by Number Kit” tells you exactly which color goes where. (Chapter Fourteen).

You’ll be applying the same principle you would use to chop down a tree in order to create a roadmap to reach your goals. (Chapter Fifteen).

For those goals that are off the well-beaten path, you’ll discover how to follow your nose or use the homing pigeon principle in order to reach your objective. (Chapter Sixteen).

Testimonial for “How to Live Your Best Life”

“How To Live Your Best Life- The Essential Guide for Creating and Achieving Your Life List” is a wonderful guide that takes you by the hand and gently leads you through a series of introspective exercises. By the end of the book, you’ll discover and have written out exactly what it is you want to do in your life – and how you’re going to get there.

The sections are densely *packed* with inspirational quotes, practical tips, strategies and step-by-step instructions to truly enable you to live a life full of the dreams you desire.

Marelisa effortlessly weaves together countless examples and lessons from various books together with her own insights, and the result is a well organized, thoughtful guide full of practical instructions that you can apply right away to improve the quality of your own life today – and chart a course for your future.

Sid Savara
SidSavara.com

Here Are More Powerful Tools for You Inside

You’ll learn how to leverage the Law of Cause and Effect so that you can get the greatest return for your efforts. (Chapter Seventeen).

You’ll get clarity on how to take right action. You’ll be taking the most direct route toward achieving your goals, instead of going down time-wasting, unnecessary detours. (Chapter Seventeen).

You’ll be using the model made popular by Dr. W. Edwards Deming, considered by many to be the father of modern quality control, in order to reach your objectives. (Chapter Seventeen).

You’ll be organizing and executing around your priorities. You’ll learn how to use your time to accomplish the things that matter most to you. (Chapter Eighteen).

You’ll discover the two lists you have to write every night in order to accomplish everything you want. (Chapter Eighteen).

You’ll be putting on automatic the actions you need to take in order to achieve your goals. You’ll learn the steps you need to follow so that you begin taking the action that’s necessary in order to reach your goals, day in and day out. (Chapter Nineteen).

You’ll discover what to do when obstacles get in the way of your progress. Learn how those who are successful use obstacles to their advantage. (Chapter Twenty).

Testimonial for “How to Live Your Best Life”

If you created a list of everything you want to be, do, and have before you die, what would you include on that list? How would you feel if you achieved everything that you included on your list?

Contrary to the cliché, a ‘life list’ doesn’t need to be just about skydiving or traveling the world. It’s about doing what matters, it’s about getting clear on the things that are most important to you–in all areas of your life–and taking action to pursue them.

In “How to Live Your Best Life”, Marelisa Fábrega walks you through the process of creating your life list, sharing exercises, techniques and helpful examples for you to create a list that truly inspires you. But the ebook is not only about creating your list, but about actually achieving the items in it, giving you tools to create habits, conquer fears, stay motivated, and much more. A true complete guide — recommended!

Luciano Passuello
Litemind

And Even More Great Stuff You’ll Find Inside

You’ll be making a paradigm shift by turning your haters–or persecutors–into your motivators. (Chapter Twenty).

You’ll be using one of the key habits that John D. Rockefeller–widely held to be the wealthiest American in the history of the United States–applied for ensuring successful completion of his goals. (Chapter Twenty-One).

You’ll discover powerful strategies you can use to stay motivated to achieve your goals, even when the going gets tough. Applying these motivational strategies will ensure that you keep going until you cross the finish line. (Chapter Twenty-Two).

You’ll be implementing a strategy used by the artists of the Renaissance to spur you forward toward your objectives. (Chapter Twenty-Two).

You’ll learn how to go on a “dream diet”, and how to make the diet stick. (Chapter Twenty-Three).

You’ll discover how to apply three more strategies for financing your goals. (Chapter Twenty-Four).

You’ll be completing an exercise which will give you the confidence to go after your dreams with gusto. (Chapter Twenty-Six)

Testimonial for “How to Live Your Best Life”

I was excited by the prospect of reading Marelisa’s ebook, “How to Live Your Best Life”, and my expectations were exceeded. She strongly encourages you to create your own “life list”, to take control of your own life and become your own “life creator”. The ebook is empowering, challenging and supportive -it is really an exciting journey built on self-belief, commitment and action.

Many books discuss the value of goals but Marelisa helps you create goals that fit your life purpose. She gives you a set of comprehensive tools and techniques that open up creative possibilities for living your life more fully and richly. One aspect of this is her balanced approach to goal setting that takes in all spheres of your life.

What appeals to me about the ebook is the way Marelisa systematically takes you through all possible blockages to your personal goals and then leads you through processes to dissolve them. She engages your subconscious in the process of strengthening self-belief, building commitment and visualizing achievement.

Marelisa’s ebook is rich with motivating examples and exemplars that draw you out of yourself and your self-imposed limitations. It is detailed and comprehensive and encourages multiple iterations as you pursue goal clarity, achievement planning and realistic pursuit of your goals.

This is an eminently practical guide to living your life to the full – how to mold your life through goal setting, planning and execution. It engages the whole person – the left brain and the right brain and caters for auditory, visual and kinesthetic learners.

I, for one, will be revisiting the enlightening section on “Financing Your Dreams” and the confidence-building exercise, “Creating Your ‘Victory List’”. I commend this ebook highly for those who want to pursue the full richness and happiness that life has to offer.

Ron Passfield, PhD
Social Media Consultant and GiantSquid100
www.squidooroo.com

Look Inside

Order Now

Order today and receive “How To Live Your Best Life – The Essential Guide for Creating and Achieving Your Life List” for only $9.50. That’s a 35% discount from the regular price of $14.60. In addition, it’s an Instant Download.

The price goes up to $14.60 on August 14th, 2010.

Just click on the “Buy Now” button below and the eBook will be delivered to you within minutes so that you can get started immediately planning the life of your dreams.

60-Day Money Back Guarantee

One of my goals is to eliminate the risk of this transaction for you. I know that this is a great eBook, and I’m confident that you’ll get tremendous value from reading it and completing the exercises it contains. I stand 100% behind my product.

If within the 60 days after your purchase you’re not completely satisfied with the “How to Live Your Best Life” eBook, for any reason, just send me an email and you’ll get your money back, no questions asked. Here´s my email:

marelisafabrega at gmail dot com

Download your copy of “How To Live Your Best Life- The Essential Guide for Creating and Achieving Your Life List” right now.

P.S. There’s nothing more powerful than knowing what you want out of life, believing that you can get it, and taking consistent, right action toward achieving your goals. To quote Gene Hayden, “Following-through is the only thing that separates dreamers from people that accomplish great things”.

P.S.S. You don’t want to look back at the end of your life and be filled with regrets. Mercedes Lackey-an American author of fantasy novels-once said: “If only. Those must be the two saddest words in the world.” Make sure that your life isn’t filled with “if only’s”.

Let “How To Live Your Best Life- The Essential Guide for Creating and Achieving Your Life List” show you how to define your life goals and how to see them through to completion.

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21 Easy Ways to Boost and Replenish Your Energy

Marelisa — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 06:20:13 +0000

In my post, “Energy Management: Getting More Done”, I explained that the trick to getting more done is not so much about managing time, but about managing your energy. In that post, I wrote the following:

“Energy is your capacity to do work. If you build the reservoir of energy that you have available to you-that is, if you put more fuel in your tank-, then you’ll have increased capacity. In addition, by creating rituals which regularly replenish your energy, you’ll be systematically refilling your tank and increasing your resilience.”

In this post you’ll discover 21 easy ways to boost and replenish your energy.

(‘Sun’ by Flower is courtesy of A-F Photography.)

1. Increase your magnesium intake. New York University nutritionist Samantha Heller, MS, RD, explains that magnesium is needed for more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body, including breaking down glucose into energy. The recommended daily intake of magnesium is around 300 milligrams for women and 350 milligrams for men. To make sure you’re getting enough, Heller suggests the following:

Add a handful of almonds, hazelnuts or cashews to your daily diet.
Increase your intake of whole grains, particularly bran cereal.
Eat more fish, especially halibut. (Source.)

2. Eat a healthy breakfast each morning. Studies show that those who eat a healthy breakfast each morning have more energy and stay in a better mood throughout the day than their breakfast-skipping counterparts. Aim for an energy-balancing mix of high-quality carbs, lean protein, and healthy fats. Two examples of a healthy breakfast are oatmeal with a serving of almonds, and a hard-boiled egg with a side of berries. (Source.)

(berries n oatmeal photo is courtesy of Sight possible.)

3. Take regular breaks during the day to renew and recharge. Follow “The Pomodoro Technique“: work on a task for 25 minutes, then take a five minute break. During the break you can stretch, close your eyes, and get some water. After two hours of working on a task, take a 15 – 30 minute break. It may seem counterintuitive, but by taking breaks you’ll increase your productivity and get more accomplished than you would if you worked straight through.

4. Work on something that you’re passionate about. To quote Oprah Winfrey, “Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you.”

5. If you feel your energy level dropping, go for a brisk walk. Physical activity oxygenates blood cells, helping to refill your body’s fuel tank.

6. You’ve probably heard that thirst can masquerade as hunger. But did you know that it can masquerade as fatigue as well? Make sure that you keep a water bottle with you and that you take frequent drinks from it throughout the day. In addition to keeping up your energy level, water is good for your brain and good for your skin. As an additional tip, try drinking water as soon as you wake up each morning. Your body is dehydrated after a long night’s sleep, and drinking water will help to wake you up and help you feel refreshed each morning.

(Zen Water is courtesy of darkpatator.)

7. Splash some water on your face for a quick pick-me-up.

8. Check your attitude. A negative attitude that keeps you focused on everything that isn’t going exactly as it should, and that is constantly scanning the horizon for possible problems, is a huge energy drain.

9. Use your physiology. Sit up straight instead of slumping in your chair, and walk with purpose instead of dragging yourself around.

10. Have a good laugh. Laughter releases feel-good hormones into the blood stream and boosts your energy level.

11. Take a power nap. According to Dr. Sara Mednick, taking naps increases alertness, boosts creativity, reduces stress, improves perception, stamina, motor skills, and accuracy, enhances your sex life, helps you make better decisions, keeps you looking younger, aids in weight loss, reduces the risk of heart attack, elevates your mood, and strengthens memory. If you want to discover when your optimum napping time is, and exactly for how long you should try to sleep, get Dr. Mednick’s book, Take a Nap! Change Your Life.

(Nap Attack is courtesy of Jelly Dude).

12. Stress is one of the biggest energy zappers that there is. Find ways to de-stress, such as taking up Yoga, meditation, Qigong, or Tai Chi. You can try mini-meditations if you just have three minutes to spare here and there.

13. Eat vegetables with energy-revitalizing antioxidants with your lunch and dinner. These include tomatoes, carrots, and spinach.

14. Andrew Weil, M.D., a world-renowned pioneer in the field of integrative medicine, explains that mindful breathing can be energizing. One of the breathing exercises that he recommends is called “4-7-8″. Simply place the tip of your tongue against the ridge of tissue just behind your upper front teeth, and keep it there through the entire exercise.

Then follow these steps:

Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound.
Close your mouth and inhale quietly through your nose to a mental count of four.
Hold your breath for a count of seven.
Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound to a count of eight.

Repeat the cycle three more times for a total of four breaths. Note that you always inhale quietly through your nose and exhale audibly through your mouth. The tip of your tongue stays in position the whole time. In addition, exhalation takes twice as long as inhalation.

15. Have a power snack. Have a snack mid-afternoon that combines protein, a little fat and some fiber. One option is to make yourself a peanut butter and banana smoothie. Here are the ingredients:

1 small ripe banana, sliced
2 tablespoons peanut butter, creamy
1 tablespoon honey
1 cup cold milk

To prepare the smoothie, put the banana slices, the peanut butter, and the honey in a blender; blend until smooth. Then add the milk and blend until foamy. Voilá! You have a delicious and healthy snack which will help you in keeping your energy level high.

(Smoothy is courtesy of pacificbro).

16. Your thoughts can either give you energy or deplete you of energy. Don’t wallow in emotional states that zap your energy. These include:

Worry.
Resentment.
Anger.
Regret.
Feeling sorry for yourself.

17. Listen to your favorite upbeat song.

18. Call a friend who’s cheerful and full of energy. Some of their positive energy will rub off on you, leaving you feeling energized and ready to tackle the world.

19. Coffee doesn’t deserve the bad rap it gets. However, stop downing giant to-go cups of coffee. Instead, drink half a mug of coffee (4 to 6 ounces) every few hours. Researchers found that shift workers, medical residents, truck drivers, and others who work odd hours got a better boost from caffeine, and performed better on cognitive tests, when they drank it in small portions . (Source).

(Love Coffee is courtesy of Ahmed Rabea).

20. Try something new. When people do something novel, the brain releases its reward chemical: dopamine. Dr. Gregory Berns, M.D., a neuroscientist at Emory University, in Atlanta, explains that studies have shown that dopamine is also a motivating chemical that gears us up to do more. That is, by doing something new you may be inspired to take on more projects. (Source.)

21. Have something to look forward to. Working on tasks that you don’t enjoy can drain your energy. One way to get yourself through these tasks is to have something to look forward to once you’re done. The anticipation created by scheduling something that you enjoy at the end of the day can give you the energy that you need to get through the dull work.

Conclusion

A good idea is to keep a log in which you jot down anything which replenishes your energy throughout the day, as well as anything that drains you. Do you feel sluggish after eating certain foods? Write it down. Do you feel great after sleeping for seven hours but feel tired if you sleep for longer than that? Write it down. Is there someone who leaves you feeling down every time they leave your office? Write that down as well. Soon you’ll have your very own roadmap of what gives you energy and what takes it away.

How do you replenish your energy when you feel fatigued? Please share in the comments.

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