Surely, you have big plans for your future. However, a plan is just a dream without action to get the ball rolling towards your desired result. It’s time to put your fears and indecisiveness aside and pursue the reality that you know you deserve!

Try these proven tips to help you achieve your dreams:

1. Know what you want. Decisiveness leads to success. If you’re fickle about how you see your life in 5 years, or even just 6 months from now, you’ll keep spinning your wheels. Pick the road that is best for you and stick to it!

• Ensure that your goal directly affects and benefits you. Let others worry about what’s best for them. For example, if you want your son to get into Penn State because that’s your alma mater, he’s the one that has to make that call. You’re in charge of your own life, and only the decisions that affect you.

2. Be practical. You’re unlikely to lose 10 pounds in five days, and it’s silly to want to teach yoga before you’ve never even taken a class yourself. Ensure that your plans are practical as a whole and that you allot a reasonable time frame to their attainment.

3. Get started. The first step is by far the most important step in order to enact your plans. Making the initial move will inspire you to follow through with the necessary steps thereafter.

• Often, the first step is the simplest step. For example, if you’re determined to impress your mother-in-law with a juicy turkey this thanksgiving, research turkey-cooking techniques online. If you want to tone up your abdomen, enroll in a belly dancing class.

4. Take it step-by-step. How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. If you want quality, lasting results, break your process down into small, measurable results that you can surely attain.

• It’s easier to cut fast food out of your diet than it is to cut every bad food from your life altogether. It’s also easier to jump into the pool before you try to swim a race. Baby steps are vital to your success and self esteem.

5. Acquire some training. If you’re attempting to carry out a complicated plan that you lack experience in doing, it’s a smart idea to get training in the field.

• You’ll greatly benefit from downloading an eBook or attending a class that teaches you how to properly execute your plan. The investment is well worth it because the additional information could make the difference between failure and joyous success.

Many plans that we create in our minds remain only a dream. The culprit of this dooming behavior is often complacency, fear of failure, or sheer laziness. But know this: if you truly want something, you stand to gain a lifetime of happiness by chasing it.

If you fail, you can always try again. Being able to say that you’ve given an honest attempt is an honor in itself. You only have one life to live; with decisive action and persistence, you can overcome every obstacle in your way to achieve the reality you desire!  Remember that a failure is just another step closer to success!

The post 5 Proven Tips to Turn Your Plans Into Reality appeared first on Success Groove.

Unless you’re a Buddhist monk, you encounter distractions from time to time that minimize your effectiveness in getting your work done.

The internet is especially disrupting with email, messages, status updates, and more. But distractions also include co-workers, family, and our own wandering minds. It seems that we dawdle our lives away five minutes at a time.

The big question is how to defeat this tendency. How can you make use of the Internet constructively without falling victim to its distractive qualities?

Try turning these strategies into daily habits that help you become more efficient and effective:

1. Use time limits. When we set a time limit, we improve our ability to focus. It almost becomes a game of ‘beat the clock’. Ideally, you should use a timer and limit your work periods to around 25 or 55 minutes – with a 5-10 minute break in between tasks. If a task is going to take longer than 55 minutes, break it down into smaller chunks.

• Having a time limit also forces you to do the most important parts of any work. If you only have an hour, you’re going to have to decide what’s most important. This is much better than deciding to simply work on something until it’s done. Decide how long it should take, and then set the timer.
• If you have any sort of attention challenge, using a timer can increase your ability to keep your mind on the task at hand. The time flies by, and you’ll get more done. You’re likely to even find it relaxing, since you’ll be focused on what you’re doing instead of thinking about 20 other things.
• Research has shown that the most productive schedule for most people is:
  • 50 minutes of work
  • 10 minute break
  • 50 more minutes of work
  • 30 minute break (You might not be able to get away with a 30-minute break at work, but it’s a good time to get up, walk around, and get a drink.)
  • Repeat
• Time your breaks. If you decide to check your email or do one of those other tasks that seem to magically go from 5 minutes to 30 minutes or more, using a timer will serve as a reminder. It will also force you to only check on the most important things.

2. Close everything that can be closed. Everything on your computer that isn’t necessary for the task at hand should be closed down. If you don’t need the internet, shut it off. That includes all your email, notifications, games, and blogs. Close your door and unplug the phone, if possible.

• Nothing is going anywhere – it will all still be there when you’re done. One of the keys to being more effective is eliminating the things that make us less effective.

3. Insert a pause, as needed. When you first implement these habits, there will be times that you will have an incredible urge to check your email, Facebook, or Twitter.

• Before you succumb to the urge, take 10 seconds and pause. Take a long, deep breath and ask yourself if you really want to waste your time on something that is largely meaningless, or if you’d rather accomplish something worthwhile.
  

The ability to focus has been largely lost for many of us. However, these easy habits, which anyone can do, can go a long way toward improving your focus and effectiveness at any task.

It’s likely to be challenging at first, but you can do it. You can get more done, in less time, by learning to improve your focus and avoiding the things that waste your precious time.

Put these three habits into play starting today. You’ll be impressed by how much more you can get done!

The post 3 Top Habits that Improve Focus appeared first on Success Groove.

Regardless of how calm you are most of the time, you might still have those moments when your frustration level seems to go sky high. The challenging aspect of feeling frustrated is the urgency you feel to express those upsetting feelings.

However, you’ve no doubt learned you’ve got to “keep a lid on” your feelings in certain situations because, if you don’t, you only create more difficulties for yourself.

In such exasperating times, try these strategies to handle your frustrations

1. Take some deep breaths. Although this strategy sounds like it might not help at all, the fact is that breathing techniques really work. If you use the wellness guru, Andrew Weil’s, “4-7-8” technique for breathing, you’ll discover you can calm yourself down rather quickly. Here’s how it works:

• Breathe in through your nose to the count of 4.
• Then, hold in your breath to the count of 7.
• Finally, breathe out through your mouth to the count of 8. Focus on blowing out all of the air from your lungs in this step.
• If you take four 4-7-8 breaths in a row, your frustration will likely dissipate and you’ll feel better.

2. If you’re in a situation where you can briefly leave the room, excuse yourself to exit. Go to the restroom or for a quick walk in the building or around the parking lot. Physically disengaging from the frustrating event will nearly always help your frustration level to drop.
3. Challenge yourself to say nothing. Probably the toughest suggestion on this list to actually do, saying nothing means you won’t compound any developing difficulty in the room. Although you have a right to your feelings, it’s not always wise to voice them, especially if you’re feeling quite frustrated at the time.
4. Be proactive. Try to anticipate when you might feel frustrated so you can ponder how you’ll handle it if it happens.

• For example, maybe you’ve got a brother-in-law, Paul, who seems to always push your buttons and get you feeling pretty irritated. And you just happen to be going out to dinner with Paul and your sister this evening.
• Ask yourself, “How can I prepare now to keep my frustration at bay or to handle it if Paul triggers me?” Thinking about it ahead of time will help you tap in to your own strategies to keep a handle on your frustration.

5. Learn to distinguish between things that really matter and the “small stuff.” Does the situation you’re getting so annoyed about really matter in the grand scheme of things? Save your emotional agitation for something that’s truly important. When you can establish these differences in your mind, you’ll be better able to ignore some of the small stuff.

• Ask yourself, “Will this really make a difference a year from now? 5 years?” If not, you can usually put it in the category of the “small” stuff.
• Another way of using this concept is to “pick your battles.” Save the battles for the big stuff.

6. Distract yourself. If you get irritated when only 2 or 3 people are present, it’s best to distract yourself with thoughts of things you have to do at home or looking for something in your briefcase or purse. Maybe you notice a lovely painting on the wall in the restaurant where you’re dining.

• You can avoid simple frustrations by either thinking about or doing something to take your mind away from the frustrating topic.

7. Focus on another person in the room. If you’re in a group of people and someone says or does something that frustrates you, turn to the person next to you and ask how she’s doing. It’s fairly easy to disengage from the person who’s irritating you and talk to someone else whenever others are close by.

You have the power to curb your frustration. You can take deep breaths, disengage, avoid commenting, anticipate developing frustration, and learn to tell the difference between big things and the small stuff. You can also distract yourself or even focus on another person in the room.

These methods work! Try them the next time you’re feeling frustrated. You’ll feel so much better and your frustration will disappear!

The post 7 Ways to Successfully Curb Your Frustration appeared first on Success Groove.

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The sound of silence is therapeutic. It allows me to look deep within my soul. I uncover hidden feelings, thoughts, and ideas when I take the time away from external noise.

When I am alone, I close my eyes and breathe deeply. This approach takes me away from what is happening around me. I am alone with only what is inside me. I come to terms with my weaknesses and am empowered by my strengths.

When I return to the world around me, I am equipped with the power needed to handle tough situations. My weaknesses are suppressed because I have embraced my strengths.

I know what is important to me when I spend time looking into my soul. I determine what makes me tick. I connect with these things and allow them to dictate my actions.

Spending quiet time takes me back to the real me. I am reminded of the part my conscience plays in my decision-making. It helps me keep check of what really matters. I am able to dismiss the confusion of the world and focus on what matters to me.

Today, I believe that my soul is as critical to my being as my body and mind. I embrace its ability to guide me. I commit to introspection so I can continue to lead a life of integrity.

Self-Reflection Questions:

1. Do I take the time to meditate in the midst of a difficult situation?
2. How do I cope when my soul is in turmoil?
3. Do I sometimes lose track of what is important to me?

The post Affirmations – How to Use Quiet Moments to Connect with Your Soul appeared first on Success Groove.

Do you lash out when you feel angry or upset because you hope that venting will make you feel better? It turns out that mood freezing is a more effective option

The term “mood freezing” comes from a study where researchers deliberately got people riled up. Then, they fed them a pill that would supposedly make it impossible for them to change their mood. Once people were convinced that aggression would fail to give them relief, they tried other solutions and said they felt happier.

On the whole, catharsis is a myth. Expressing unpleasant feelings usually fails to get them out of your system, even if you enjoy the venting in a way. Relaxation and other techniques are more effective.

Benefits of Mood Freezing and Other Non-Aggressive Techniques

1. Protect your relationships. Blowing off steam can distance you from your loved ones. Respectful discussions smooth the way for staying connected and for greater cooperation.

2. Clarify your thinking. Anger clouds our minds. It’s easier to be logical when you’re calm.
3. Avoid regrets. Once you use your upper case voice, it’s hard to take it back. Speaking gently spares you from having to make a lot of repairs.

4. Enjoy more happiness. Anger may sometimes feel exciting. However, in the long term, abandoning aggression will make you more content.

Non-Aggressive Alternatives for Dealing With Unpleasant Emotions

1. Accept the situation. For instant relief, decide to make the best of whatever happens. As you pay attention to things you can control, other factors become less disturbing.
2. Practice relaxation. Develop relaxation methods that work for you. Engage in daily meditation or take a walk. Listen to instrumental music or get a massage.
3. Retire to a quiet place. Modern life bombards us with noise so it’s nice to have someplace you can retreat to. After listening to Chopin while taking a warm bath surrounded by candles, you may feel differently about the seatmate who snored all through a long flight.

4. Take a pause. There’s a lot of wisdom in stopping your anger by counting to ten. Give yourself time to consider how to respond when a coworker saddles you with extra work.

5. Anticipate consequences. Use that interval to calculate how different approaches are likely to turn out. Splitting up chores with your roommate sounds more promising than seeing how high the kitchen garbage can pile up.

6. Talk it over. Direct discussions usually work best. Negotiate a flexible work schedule with your boss rather than letting resentments build up over last minute overtime requests.
7. Challenge media representations. Lots of movies and TV shows celebrate aggression. After all, it does look dramatic. Maintain a critical mind so you can separate entertainment from real life.
8. Seek distractions. Some things need to be examined and others are best left alone. Listen to an audio book to take your mind off a long daily commute.
9. Analyze events. On the other hand, serious issues require more attention. Ask yourself why a long term friendship now seems strained. It’s worth getting to the bottom of it.

10. Address root causes. Make an effort to identify the ultimate source of your feelings. Your distress over a broken fingernail may really be tied to deeper concerns about your body image.
11. Change your routine. There may be a grave dilemma in your life or recurring patterns that bother you. If you want different results, do things differently. For example, put an end to homework squabbles by agreeing on a set schedule or hiring a tutor.

If you want to be happier, try to vent less and relax more. No pill is necessary. Train yourself to react peacefully to unpleasant emotions.

The post From Stressed Out to Chilled Out With the Miracle of Mood Freezing appeared first on Success Groove.

Meditation isn’t complicated. However, it can still be difficult to meditate effectively and gain the most benefits from your time meditating. It’s a simple thing that requires a lot of experience to master.

There are many things that can disturb your ability to focus. If you can control the variables that interfere with your focus, you can learn to effectively meditate.

Try these tips to increase your meditation benefits:

1. Limit the distractions. Find a peaceful time and place for meditation. Turn off the radio, TV, and cell phone. Close the windows and doors to avoid the noise outside. Consider setting a timer to avoid meditating for too long or falling asleep.

2. Slowly increase the distractions. Most people meditate alone, in a dimly lit, quiet space. The real trick is to be able to meditate in a loud, crowded, uncomfortable space. If you can meditate under less-than-ideal conditions, the rest will be easy.

• Start with small distractions. Once you’ve mastered those, move on to more challenging ones.

• A great idea is to take a minute or two and try to meditate in each situation you face throughout your day.
  

3. Try meditating at the same time each day. Just as you get tired about the same time each night, your brain will learn to slow down and prepare for meditation. Just keep a consistent schedule to train your mind.
4. Limit your food intake before meditating. Avoid eating anything for a few hours before you meditate. Digestion requires a lot of energy.

• An empty stomach is one of the best ways to remain alert and focused during meditation.

5. Ensure you have the correct posture. One of the most important parts of meditation is sitting in an upright position. Any slouching or leaning will create muscular tension to maintain that position. Sit up straight to achieve maximum comfort.
6. Relax your body. Tension is the enemy. There is a tendency to tense the body when concentrating or focusing. This makes meditation more challenging.

• Focus on relaxing your muscles so it becomes a habit. You’ll find that when muscular tension starts to creep in, you’ll automatically start to relax

7. Meditate in a familiar environment. It’s important to learn to meditate in a variety of environments, but try to spend most of your meditation time in one place. You’ll begin to associate that location with meditation.

8. Reflect on your meditation. Ask yourself what you can do to meditate even better. Keep asking this question and use the answers to your advantage.

Meditation has so many benefits, but there are probably more benefits than you realize. The more effectively you meditate, the more you’ll get out of it. When you first sit down to meditate, remind yourself that all your challenges and concerns will have to wait until you’re finished. This can be a powerful tool to keep distracting thoughts at bay.

Enjoy the benefits of a deeper and more meaningful meditation session. Put these tips into practice to reap the greatest rewards.

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I am living fullest in the present moment.

No matter where I want to go or what I want to be, I know that my life is the journey there. Life happens in the here and now – not yesterday or tomorrow – but today. So I live every moment of today to its fullest.

I gratefully acknowledge my past, as that is what made me what I am today. But I am careful not to live in the past. “Let bygones be bygones,” as they say.

If I made a mistake yesterday, today I can make amends, learn from it, and move forward. If I did something exceptionally well yesterday, today I can strive to do even better.

Regarding the future, yes, I have goals to work toward and plans for tomorrow, but that is yet to come. What I do today helps determine if I ever reach those goals. So I focus on my tasks for today and feel accomplishment in their achievement.

Every moment of every day brings me new opportunities, and I take advantage of each one of them. I cherish the smile on my child’s face and the love in my spouse’s eyes. When it rains, I feel the refreshment of the earth. When the sun shines, I take pleasure in its warmth.

Each moment brings a joy of its very own and I seek to discover and relish it. My day is made up of hundreds of these special moments, giving me a life of total fulfillment.

Today, I choose to enjoy each and every moment, taking in its pleasures with all my senses.

Self-Reflection Questions:

1.    How much time do I spend bemoaning something from my past?
2.    Do I take time to marvel at the dawn and enjoy the simple moments?
3.    Do I find myself putting off my life until tomorrow?

The post Affirmations for Living the Fullest in the Present Moment appeared first on Success Groove.

Have you ever had one of those moments where time just seems to stand still?

I had one of those last year.  It was the first quarter of my son’s 4th highschool football game of his Junior season.  I mentioned to my wife  that he just seemed a little off that day.  Everything he was doing just seemed a bit sloppy, which was vastly different from his usual intense, precision play.  He started both offense as a tight end and defense as an outside linebacker.  He had made several tackles already, but they weren’t the usual solid take downs.

So, near the end of the first quarter I saw him go in for a tackle and a typical pile up occurred due to several players trying to get in on that particular play.  Once the pile up cleared there was someone still down on the field…

A few seconds later, fear filled me to the very core because I realized it was my son.  He wasn’t moving.  This is the same fear that I’ve had every time he was down, but typically he would be rolling around in pain from a sprained ankle or something like that.

I waited as the trainers from both teams approached him on the field, then the coaches from both teams went out onto the field next to him. To my horror, they waved for the ambulance.  At that point, I was up out of my seat on the bleachers and making my way down to the field at a full run.

When I finally got to him on the field there was such a large group of people huddled around him I had to squeeze my way in just to see him.  They already had the backboard under him and had his head taped down so he couldn’t move it. They were also removing the face mask of his helmet so they could get to his airway if needed.  I finally got into his range of vision and looked into his teary eyes and he says, “I want that face mask back!”

He was the top salesman of his football team’s fundraiser also that year, and one of the things the head coach did for him was buy him a face mask as a reward that was just like Ray Lewis’ face mask of the Baltimore Ravens.

Once we assured him that he would get the face mask back, I asked him how he was doing, at which point he told me his right arm was tingling and his left leg was numb.  Upon hearing that I fought to hold back the tears and stay strong for him as they carried him off to the ambulance.

We spent a really long night in the hospital emergency room and he was later admitted that night to the hospital.

The next morning, the neurologist came in and broke the news to us.  He said that my son was fortunate because no vertebrae were broken however he had sustained a spinal cord bruise and would not be playing football anymore.

As the doctor broke the news I could see my son’s eyes start to glisten.  He had been playing football since he was six years old. This is the same kid at six years of age that told me his dream was to play in the NFL, and the cute thing about it was he would always tell the same story of how that was going to be.  He would tell you that when they would get done with practice every day he would drive his best friend players back to his house in his semi-tractor with the sleeper cab on it.  Then they would build a fire and cook hotdogs by the fire.  Then they would get some sleep and all ride together to the big game on Sunday in his semi-tractor.

So, there you can see how big his dream was and what had been taken from him due to a freak accident.  He had some extreme lows during this time because he was in a neck brace for three months.  Doctors orders were that he couldn’t change the neck brace himself and even had to wear it taking a shower.  He had two identical neckbrace’s.  One that he would use to get wet in the shower and then a dry one that he wore the rest of the time.  His mother or I had to lay him flat on the floor and make sure his head didn’t move as we changed the brace for him.

At the end of those three long months we met with the neurologist again and he said that Nick had healed but he does not recommend any contact sports for anyone, especially football.  This was another devastating blow for my son but then the doctor in a roundabout way said but of course that’s up to the parents and the child.  I understood where the doctor was coming from because he sees a lot of injuries from athletes, and some kids aren’t as lucky as my son because they never walk again or they lose their lives.  So, we counted our blessings that my son was healthy again and there was no permanent damage.

We had a long conversation about playing football and decided that taking away football from him would basically be taking away his life because that’s one of the big things he lives for.   So, at that point, he started the long road to recovery.  First,  he started walking and jogging to try to get back in shape, and then started weightlifting again.  What he found was that he was much slower than he used to be and much, much weaker. He only had four months before we would have to go to college football prospect summer camps where he would display his skills.

This is where his sheer grit determination and drive came in. I’m so proud of him because he was so extremely motivated to get back to doing what he loved to do.  He did endless hours of training on his own as well as with his high school football team to rebuild everything he had lost due to his injury.

He had to give up offense as a tight end because it was recommended that he wear something called a horse collar, which keeps your head from being snapped back, as a safety precaution.  If you’re wearing this you can’t look up very high because the back of your helmet hits the collar.  So, playing tight end on offense was out of the question since he might not be able to see the ball up in the air as it was passed to him.  That left him with his outside linebacker position, which he started and averaged several tackles each game.

I’m proud to say that he just finished his Senior high school football season and he is being recruited by several colleges to play football for them!  His story is one of amazing perseverance and dedication to something he loved so much that it was literally a part of him.

Never give up on your dreams!

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Wouldn’t it be great if your life was an exciting cornucopia of new adventures? Just imagine! No more days where you wonder if there’s something better. No more hearing yourself complain about being bored.

Life is full of chores and routines, and sometimes you might find yourself just going through the motions without even realizing that you could be seeking out some excitement instead.

Even though there will always be chores and other required tasks, the time you have afterwards can be a fulfilling set of exciting adventures. With a little ingenuity and action, boredom can become a faint memory of your past.

Try the following ways to add excitement to your life:

1.    Challenge yourself. It doesn’t matter what you choose to do, but find something that challenges you. Push your limits. Not only will you be adding excitement to your life, you’ll also end up accomplishing more that you ever thought you could.

2.    Dare yourself to do something totally different. You may find excitement by just going in a different direction than you’re used to. If you take daily walks, try a new route. If you always enjoy a certain meal at a restaurant, pick something else or even a new restaurant next time. These small variances from the norm can be just the pick-me-up you’re seeking.

3.    Expand your comfort zone. Summon the courage to step out of your comfort zone. It can feel quite exciting, get your heart pumping faster, and make you feel alive again. When you step outside your comfort zone, you open up a door to a whole new world of exciting experiences.

4.    Do something you’ve always wanted to do. If there’s something you’ve been meaning to try, now is the time. Go for it with all the gusto you’ve got!

5.    Make adventures a priority. If necessary, schedule excitement into your daily schedule. This will force you to take it just as seriously as your other commitments, but also give you an allotted time where your focus is solely on enjoying an adventure.

6.    Meet new people. Meeting new people can bring you a new variety of adventure and excitement. When you make a new friend, they may introduce you to new interests, hobbies, music, food, and more. It’s difficult to stay bored when you’re letting new people into your life.

7.    Go out more. Make an extra effort to get out of the house. Whenever you walk out that door, the possibilities are endless. Make every outing a new adventure!

8.    Plan a grand adventure. Perhaps you’ve always wanted to go to Hawaii or visit far away friends. You may have to spend a good amount of time saving up for the trip, but even the anticipation of the trip and planning the details can be exciting.

9.    Volunteer your time. You may think that volunteering is only about the giving of yourself for the good of others. However, volunteering can be personally rewarding and even exciting. You may find that you genuinely enjoy helping other people, and you never know what you’ll discover in the course of volunteering.

Life can be as exciting as you want it to be. Take action to plan your time according to your priorities, and use these tips to help you take advantage of every moment you’ve got. You’ll be glad you did!

The post Nine Ways to Make Your Life More Exciting appeared first on Success Groove.